Erin and Sebastian Macik, Fort Scott, are owners of Taco Azul, a food truck that they hope will turn into a restaurant business.
The Taco Azul Food Truck. Submitted photo.
They make Mexican street tacos, using pork, beef, or chicken, in flour tortillas or handmade corn tortillas; homemade salsas, and also street corn on the side, Erin said.
“We’ve been prepping and planning for over a year now,” Erin said. “Sebastian picked up the food truck in April, and we plan to fire it up at the Good Ol’ Days festival here in Fort Scott at the beginning of June.”
“We hope to open up a restaurant in the future, but for the short term, our plan is to stay local and get a good customer base before expanding,” she said.
“You will see us at Fort Scott’s Good Ol’ Days Festival to kick off the summer, and then we’ll be set up by the Washateria on National Avenue for the most part,” Erin said. “We’ll be posting consistently on Facebook so people know where to find us. We are really looking forward to the summer!”
Sebastian Macik taught third grade in Mexico City, and discovered true Mexican street tacos while he was there.
“Coming back state-side in 2014, he started searching for the real deal in the U.S. without much luck,” she said. “All that time he was working on his own tacos: making his own salsas and corn tortillas, trying out various marinades and cooking techniques, until they became exactly what he was looking for. When the opportunity arose to get a food truck, it was a no-brainer. We’re excited to offer this in Fort Scott! Mexico City-style tacos are unlike anything you can find at any chain restaurant in the United States.”
Erin and Sebastian Macik with their children. Submitted photo.
Jayci Cosens, who teaches 7th grade science, is the recipient of this years Dale Hammons Award, Teacher of the Year, for the Fort Scott Middle School.
Fort Scott Middle School.
“The criteria we used was someone that builds strong relationships with students and staff, sets high expectations for their students and themselves, listens well to their peers, works well with others, and sets a positive example for students,” said FSMS Principal Zach Johnson.
“I feel very blessed to teach at USD 234,” Cosens said. “It is a district filled with great educators, administrators, support staff and students. The middle school is full of other teachers who are just as deserving of this honor as I am. I have spent the past decade learning from them about what great teaching looks like.”
Cosens began her teaching career at Fort Scott High School in 2001, after graduation from Pittsburg State University.
“I taught for three years and quit teaching in 2004 to be a stay-at-home mom following the birth of our first son….and returned to the classroom in 2011, when our youngest started kindergarten and I taught for one year at Heritage Christian in Olathe.
“I started teaching 7th grade science at the (Fort Scott) middle school in 2013,” Cosens said. “Along the way, I have coached interscholastic and intramural volleyball, basketball, and track both at the high school and middle school level.”
Have you always taught science there?
“I have always taught science, but my minor is in history, so I could also teach history in the future. Over the years, I have taught grades 6-12 in: General Science, Physical Science, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Health. During my ‘stay at home’ years, I also went to nursing school (graduated with an ADN in 2010 from Fort Scott Community College and I still keep my nursing license current. I worked as a nurse for five years (2010-2015) in the intensive care unit and emergency room.”
Why did you choose teaching as a career?
“I actually started college planning to go into Physical Therapy. All through my undergraduate classes, I would find myself thinking, “When I have my own classroom, I will teach this concept this way’ and would then quickly have to remind myself that I was not going to be a teacher! In my senior year, I finally changed my major to education. I guess the short answer is that I chose teaching as a career because I felt like God was calling me to this profession, I just ignored that call for the first few years of college!”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“For me, it’s probably building relationships with my students. Teaching in a small town, I get the opportunity to see them go on from 7th grade and graduate high school and beyond. I love seeing them excel in the paths they choose and know that I was a small part of their journey. Teaching is never boring! Each day (and each class) is different and that means that I am always having to adapt and change. What worked in one class might not work in another, and I have to quickly figure out how to change what I’m doing to stay effective. Science is never boring either! Students have a natural curiosity about the world around them. Helping them better understand it is rewarding every day.”
What is the biggest challenge?
“Trying to find new ways to keep kids engaged is a challenge. Our whole society, not just kids, has become more and more distracted. The things that worked to engage students twenty years ago when I started my career may not necessarily work with this generation of students. At the same time, I think educators are trying to overcome the idea that every single thing that happens in school has to be fun and entertaining. That’s just not the reality of the real world. Some things are boring, it doesn’t lessen their value.”
Care to name family?
“I grew up just outside of Redfield (my dad told me to say that) and graduated from Uniontown High School in 1996. My parents are Steve and Marci Williams (he told me to say this too). I have been married to Chad since 2002, he’s a 1995 Fort Scott High School graduate and owns 1842 Wealth Management, a retirement planning group. We have two sons. Dryden is 19 and just finished his freshman year at Fort Scott Community College where he’s also a part of the baseball team. Cal is 17 and will start his senior year at FSHS in the fall-he plays football, basketball, and baseball. We have a very large extended family in Fort Scott and chose to raise our family here where our sons would be surrounded by grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.”
About Dale Hammons, in whose memory the award is given.
Hammons was a 1946 graduate of Fort Scott High School, Johnson said. He graduated Pittsburg State University, then became a full time assistant principal at Fort Scott Junior High in 1977.
“Mr. Hammons was instrumental in helping the 1983 transition from the Fort Scott Junior High School to what is now Fort Scott Middle School,” Johnson said. “Mr. Hammons will long be remembered as an effective middle school principal who was loved and respected by students, and staff.”
Editors note
This last paragraph incorrectly had Phil Hammons as the title.
The following is from Betsy Hammons Reichard, his daughter:
“While overseas in the Army, dad took many correspondence courses through the University of Maryland and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Military Science. After he retired from the Army in 1970, he went to PSU and earned his Master’s degree in Counselor Education and then his Education Specialist. Dad truly was loved and respected by students, staff and throughout Fort Scott and beyond. The day of his funeral, stores closed and flags were flown at half mask in honor of him. This award is special to our family and I am always thrilled to know who receives it.
Millie Lipscomb gives instruction to the fisherman at Elks Fishing Tournament on May 20.
It was the highest number of children to participate in the Elks Fishing Derby for years.
“The best turn-out we’ve had in three to five years,” said Millie Lipscomb with the Fort Scott Elks Lodge.
Fifty-six youth aged 2 to 12 years old participated in the event held at Fort Scott Community College Lake for two hours on May 20. In addition there were many accompanying adults.
“Ronnie Coulter started this event at least 25 years ago,” Lipscomb said. It is a catch-and- release the fish event.
The tournament gave prizes for the most amount of fish caught and the largest fish caught in the time period.
In addition, the Elks provided a hot dog lunch for the children who fished.
Children were provided a hot dog meal following the Elks Fishing Derby, by the Elks.
Prizes were selected individually by the winners from a table with items appropriate to the age.
Birklee Culberton selects a prize from the 7 to 11 year old prizes.
Following are the winners:
Two to six year old winners in the Elks Fishing Derby.
In the 2-6 year olds, first place for number of fish was Aubrey Thompson, second place was Cash Culberton and a tie for third, with Jackson Tash and Clayton Gander the winners.
For the largest fish caught, the winners were Aubrey Johnson, first place; Chance Hyer, second and Linden Bishop, third.
In the 7-11 years old category:
Seven to eleven year old winners at the Elks Fishing Derby.
Number of fish caught winner: Birklee Culberton, first; Hunter Holtz-Sherifff, second; and James Logan, third place.
Size of fish winners were Hunter Holtz-Sheriff, first; Madison Tourtillot, second; Kendrick Simon, third.
In the 12-15 years old category:
Twelve to 15 year old winners at the Elks Fishing Derby.
Number of fish winners: Tristan McClune, first; Daniel Cook, second; and a tie for third place: Jordan Finnell and Ty Cooney.
Size of fish winners: Daniel Cook, first; Mason Tourtillot, second; and Jordan Bunnell, third.
The Fort Scott City Commissioners, from the May 17 Special Meeting on Youtube. From lower left, clockwise: City Attorney Bob Farmer, Commissioner Edwin Woellhof, Commissioner Tim VanHoecke, Mayor Matthew Wells, Commissioner Josh Jones and City Manager Brad Matkin. Not present: Commissioner Kathryn Harrington,
A meat processing plant is back in the works for Bourbon County.
“I have been working to bring about the meat processing plant, a pork processing plant,” Fort Scott Mayor Matthew Wells said in an interview.
Billy Madison is the owner of the business, S.H. Pork Processing.
“This plant will provide farmers with an outlet for their pork processing,” Madison said. “And provide 15-30 new jobs.”
This is an artists rendition of the S.H. Processing Plant that Madison will build. Submitted.
To view a prior 2021 story on Madison’s pork processing plant coming to Fort Scott:
In 2021, the project was to be just south of the LaRoche Baseball Complex, but that was changed to a location agreed to by Madison and the City of Fort Scott.
“At this juncture I am not at liberty to say the location,” Wells said.
Wells noted that nothing has been signed, nor no one committed to this yet.
“The city approved to send out letters to respective parties involved (at a special Fort Scott city meeting on May 17) and (will) survey the property to define the boundaries and move forward in the process of securing the land,” Wells said.
Following completion of this preliminary work, the Fort Scott Planning Commission will get involved, Wells said in the May 17 special city meeting.
In the 2021, the pork processing plant site was to be located on 47 acres south of the Kansas Department of Transportation facility on Hwy. 69 south of the LaRoche Ball Park.
“That place didn’t have an entrance and we spent eight months getting an entrance to get on the property to do the engineering of the property,” Billy Madison, owner of the proposed meat plant said in a fortscott.biz interview on May 17.
Madison said that in March 2023, he “received an order to cease and desist in the (pork processing plant) plans from Rob Harrington (Director of the Regional Economic Development Inc.), “because they are going to build a sports complex there,” he said.
Sports Complex
At the May 16 regular Fort Scott City Commission meeting, Rob Harrington asked the city to authorize establishing STAR Bond and TIF District financing tools as part of the sports complex planning.
Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds are a financing tool that allows Kansas municipalities to issue bonds to finance the development of major commercial, entertainment and tourism projects, according to https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/star-bonds/. The bonds are paid off through the sales tax revenue generated by the development. The intent is to increase regional and national visitation to Kansas.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a real estate redevelopment tool applicable to industrial, commercial, intermodal transportation area and residential projects, https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/taxes-and-financing/tif/. TIF uses the increases in real estate tax revenues and local sales tax revenues to retire the bonds sold to finance eligible redevelopment project costs (K.S.A. 12-1770 et seq.) or to reimburse the developer on a pay-as-you-go basis.
This project will require many steps because they will be working with the developer, the county, the state and the city council.
At the city meeting on May 16, Fort Scott City Attorney Bob Farmer told the Fort Scott City Council that they will have to partner with the Bourbon County Commission, because some of the proposed land is theirs.
The sports complex developer, along with the Kansas Department of Commerce, will look at a list of the developer’s ideas, then the state has to see if it is eligible, Farmer told the city council.
Chris Yoder, Devon, and three of his sons, Melvin, Willard and Joseph, work on stabilizing the roof of the house at 1311 S. National in January 2018.1311 S. National Avenue, May 2023.
The vacant house at 1311 S. National Avenue has the beginning work of rehabilitation done by several volunteers and others.
“We were notified by the Fort Scott Codes Department in 2017 of a house on National that they thought could be rehabbed,” said Carolyn Sinn, a member of the Youth Activity Team, which took on the project to repair then sell the house to benefit Fort Scott’s Ellis Park.
A veteran living in the home at the time was relocated.
“He was relocated with help from a lot of people in the community,” Sinn said. “To a quality place.”
The city thought the house was salvageable and YAT paid $4, 101 for it, which included the prior years taxes, she said.
The Youth Activities Team, the Good Neighbor Action Team and the Fort Scott Fire Department helped with the demolition, Sinn said.
A new roof and windows (paid for by Peerless Products, Fort Scott) were put on the house.
“We hired Amish carpenters to repair the porch and stabilize the garage,” she said. “Jeff Allen did some electrical work for us a donation.”
Then the COVID-19 Pandemic happened.
“The work got stopped,” she said. “During COVID, materials got out of control.”
All together they have invested approximately $26,000 in the house.
“When it was over, we looked at it again and decided to sell the house and hopefully get it back on the tax rolls,” Sinn said.
The YAT asked the City of Fort Scott to auction it off and any money made will be transferred to the parks committee, to be used for sensory park equipment, she said. Sensory equipment allows more easily accessed playgrounds for children of all abilities.
The City of Fort Scott voted to allow the YAT to sell the house at the commission meeting on May 16, 2023.
The original YAT was comprised of Sinn, Eric Bailey, Laura George, Tom Roberts, Paul Martin, Larry Fink and Diana Mitchell.
Following the sale of the house, the YAT will be dissolved, Sinn said.
“We have a lot of enthusiastic people in the community now,” she said.
Through the years YAT has raised money for upgrades and improvement to Ellis Park, on 12th Street, near the Fort Scott Middle School.
They installed lighting, put in a sand volleyball court, a basketball court, a walking trail, and UMB Bank helped with building a pavilion at the park.
“With the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team we raised $37,600 for the sensory equipment in the park,” Sinn said. “That money we gave to the city parks committee for sensory equipment in the park on Dec. 14, 2022.”
Cindy Delise straightens up a shelf in the Jurassic Park Retail Store in the Fort Scott Industrial Park on May 12.
Summer is almost here and the 4th of July is the keystone event of the season for many people
Fireworks are a big component in celebrating the independence from Britain in 1776, that the day commemorates.
Fort Scott has its own distributor of fireworks, since October 2021, in the industrial park just off of Hwy. 69, south of the city.
The Jurassic Park Fireworks retail store at 4500 Campbell Drive.
Jurassic Fireworks, 4500 Campbell Drive, sells both wholesale and retail fireworks. This building is the former site of Firstsource Solutions.
The business is owned by a father-daughter partnership of Frank and Bree Elliot, Colorado.
“This is a family run business, started by his father in 1965,” said Cindy Delise, Fort Scott, who mans the business here, and whose title is distributor.
“I’m the only employee here currently, but we are taking applications for the season,” she said.
The fireworks season is June 26 to July 6 in Fort Scott. During that time the hours are 8 a.m. to midnight.
Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the year, Delise said.
Jurassic Fireworks, Fort Scott, can be reached at (919) 369-8710.
They have retail stores in Wyoming, Colorado, Missouri, Texas and Indiana, as well.
The Third Annual Shead Farm Homestead Festival is Saturday, May 20 at 2468 Cavalry Rd. near rural Garland, south of Fort Scott.
The Larry and Vickie Shead farm, rural Garland.
The day is geared toward sustainable living by a family that is doing just that.
“A lot of people were wanting to know about sustainable living,” Vickie Shead, the matriarch of the family, said. “God is good and we are trying to keep up with all He is leading us to do.”
The festival will feature 36 vendors or activities that use creative ways to teach garden/farm knowledge.
“There is no charge to vendors,” Vickie said. “This is to benefit entrepreneurs who are wanting to start a business.”
“Come join us for a fun filled educational event for the whole family,” said Vickie, who along with her husband Larry and their children and grand children will be hosting the event. “It’s a great family outing!”
Vickie and Larry Shead, 2020, from her Facebook page.
In addition to the Shead family, they have 106 volunteers helping at the festival, for which they are grateful.
On tap will be live music, lots of children’s activities, a farm tour, and farm store, vendor booths and a food court.
The admission fee for a single ticket is $5 or for a family (4+) $20.
To view a map of the Shead Farm vendors/activities:
The farm tour includes the gardens, greenhouse, animals, beekeeping and learning how to graft a fruit tree.
For sale will be animals, worm farms, plants, berries, carts, compost and trees.
Vendors will be selling soaps and salves, honey, eggs, spices, baked goods, baskets, weaving, spinning wool, plant propagations, farm decor and kitchen items.
The Sheads will be selling walking tacos for $5, and Supercharged Cookies for $2. A snack shack will be selling cotton candy, lemonade, ice cream and pastries.
Shead Farm Store items for sale will be Veggie Powder, toys, hats, aprons, books,quilted Items, bouquets, and more.
It’s that time of year, the 42nd Annual Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days, with theme this year: “Back to the bricks”.
It’s a few days of all manner of entertainment: shopping, live music, eating and seeing friends.
The event kicks off on Friday, June 2 at 6 p.m. with a parade.
Parade goers line the streets of Main and Wall to view the Good Ol’ Days Parade in 2019.
Bring a lawn chair and line up along the parade route: Main Street from 6th Street north to Wall Street then west to National Avenue, then south to 6th Street.
The parade grand marshal this year is retired Fort Scott Chief of Police Travis Shelton.
Click here for vendor application.
Click here for the Good Ol’ Days website.
At 8 a.m. Saturday, June 3 will be the race called the Dragoon Charge.
Then historic downtown Fort Scott will come alive with craft vendors, food trucks, pony rides and so much more, according to the Good Ol’Days Facebook page.
“We have some great entertainment lined up for the weekend,” Shawn O’Brien, chairman of the Good Ol’ Days Committee, said.
“We will have a stage in front of the pavilion at 1st and Main,” he said. “There will be live entertainment featuring some great local musicians.”
On Friday night June 2 from 7-8:30 PM the Whisky Outlaws, a Red Dirt and Classic Country band will perform, then from
8:45-10 p.m. Bobby Degonia will perform Solid Old and New Country music.
On Saturday June 3 from 10 AM-1 PM, Zane Grimes will perform, then from 2PM – 5PM – Bill and Monica’s Excellent Adventure, who are a 90’s Tribute Band, then from 7PM-10PM, 80’s and Out.
“We will have many activities for kids like we have in the past,” O’Brien said. “The bounce houses will be located at Third and Main this year. They will run from 9 a.m. to noon then from 1-4 p.m. They will be $5 per session for unlimited bounces.”
Caricature drawings and a balloon artist will be on Skubitz Plaza free of charge, he said.
“Care to Share, a local helping organization, will host their second annual fundraiser “Children’s Cove” on Skubitz Plaza,” O’Brien said. “They will have fun games and much more to offer. For further information please contact Lavetta Simmons.”
“The annual Red Garter show will have their showcase,” he said. “They will have one show on Friday Night at 7 PM. Then they will have shows every hour on the hour starting at 10 AM on Saturday. Their final show will be at 5 PM.”
The Red Garter Show from the Good Ol’Days Facebook page.
The Good Ol’ Chicken Dinner, from Chicken Mary’s in Pittsburg will be available for pick-up behind the Lowell Milken Center on Friday, June 3 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The $9 ticket includes chicken, two side orders, bread and a bottle of water.
From the Good Ol’ Days Facebook page.
Tickets for the Good Ol’ Days events are on sale at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Center at 231 E. Wall St.
From their Facebook page:
Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days Festival
Draft Schedule of Events
Where To Find Everything Fun!
Friday, June 2nd
11:00 AM – 2:00PM (on the hour) – Trolley Rides – 231 E. Wall St (Chamber of Commerce) – Adults-$6.00, Children 12 and under $4.00
Maria Whitson, rural Garland, is the mother of five children and married to Clayton.
She is also a children’s book author.
The Process
Her journey as an author began with a college assignment to write and illustrate a children’s book.
“That is when the whole series of books called ‘Lessons for the Least’ was birthed,” she said. “But it was a couple years before I wrote down all the ideas for the series.”
She wrote the main content for all the stories while single, assisted by family in refining and editing her writings.
When she started looking for someone to illustrate her books, she looked to family. She worked on one book and sent another to her Aunt Judy Walters to illustrate. Then a second cousin, Zoe Acuna, got involved in the illustrations.
Every time Acuna sent her preview illustrations, “I was so thrilled with her style and ideas,” Whitson said. “We made a small tweaks and then they sat for a while as life got busy.”
About the same time she and her husband were working on a manual for disaster preparedness, for a class on the subject.
They edited that book, then published it, on their own. This began a business called Swift Word Publishing.
“He loves helping others take their written work and getting it into a tangible product,” she said.
With her husbands help, she published her first book Reuben the Rooster in 2020. It is available on Amazon.com and also can be purchased at the Shead Farm Festival, rural Garland, on May 20.
About the Books
The first book, Reuben the Rooster, tells of a courageous rooster who learns the value of standing up for his friends. Children will learn how courage and empathy can help overcome adversity, Maria said.
Currently they have three books in the Lessons from the Least series, with another being published this week.
Each book in this series has a double story, according to Maria. Each young animal’s adventures are encountered with relatable-to-children life lessons. There is also a secondary story unfolding in the illustrations, with directions at the end of each book on how one can uncover the mystery story. The hidden story is there to be discovered as the child is ready. The rhythmic verses, make them an enjoyable read-aloud experience for parents and children.
The age range for her books is 3-8 years old. Submitted pages.Maria Whitson’s first book, Reuben the Rooster. Submitted pages.A book in the series that Maria Whitson has authored. Submitted pages.A sample page. Submitted.A book in a series, by Maria Whitson. Submitted pages.A sample page. Submitted.
About The Author
“My husband, kids and I love being in God’s creation,” she said. “We have a passion for growing in our knowledge of the Kingdom of God and how it operates here on earth.”
“Most of my writings are birthed from that passion and I have so many more books in me, waiting on timing,” Whitson said. “There has been many times that the Holy Spirit will give me an idea that takes a while to figure out how to go about writing it and publishing it.”
Her family lives on a small farm close to her parents Larry and Vickie Shead’s farm, where she grew up. They home school their children.
The Whitson family. Submitted photo.
They launched a family business called The Journey Home that is an umbrella for their whole family’s creations, including two of their children
Book publishing, art, jewelry, cast iron accessories, homeschooling, foraging, homesteading, disaster prep, herbal remedies, are some of the interests of the family business.
“The Journey Home name meaning captures our heart,” she said. “Our company is about everything that is centered on the home life and family, but going even deeper it centers on our eternal home (the kingdom of God) and living life in a way that lives that life out now.”
Jesse Frye, from the Bourbon County Sheriff’s website.
Jesse Dean Frye was arrested on May 8 for vandalism of some businesses, a residence and a vehicle in the early morning hours on that day.
Charges for Frye are theft, a misdemeanor and criminal damage to property, a felony, with bond set at $2,500.
“He was involved in throwing rocks or objects through windows,” Lt. Caleb Bell, with the Fort Scott Police Department said.
“From the info we have, he is believed to be homeless,” Bells said.
“We have identified him in several security surveillance videos.” he said.
Those who were victims of the vandalism are the Lowell Milken Center, Empress Event Center, Iron Star Antiques, Merle Humphrey Photography, City State Bank, Patterson Dental Office, Farmers Insurance and the Jerry Witt residence in downtown Fort Scott.
In addition, a vehicle was vandalized as well.
Norm Conard, director of the Lowell Milken Center on North Main Street in the historic downtown area, said “On our security camera, the man threw a rock, it didn’t break the window. Then he put his feet in our fountain (adjacent to the building), then thew a rock a second time.”
The Witt’s have a residence in the historic district and said that they had some outside decor knocked over and some strewn about.
The next step in the process for Frye is “We will forward all the info to the Bourbon County Attorney’s office, then court proceedings will take place at a later date,” Bell said.
The mural will be on this wall that faces the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Jerry Witt, owner of the building, had Mid-Continental Restoration Co. do the work of preparing the wall for the mural.
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Division is working to bring about a downtown historical mural’s creation that will feature the Civil War’s 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment that were stationed in Fort Scott.
“Kansas was the first Northern state to recruit, train, and send Black soldiers into combat during the Civil War,” according to the Fort Scott National Historic Site website. “Fort Scott served as the home base for both the 1st and 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry, with both regiments being mustered into federal service on Fort Scott’s former parade ground.”
Captain William Mathews –a free Black, a businessman and station master on the Underground Railroad –recruited former slaves into the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Fort Scott. From the FSNHS website.
Jerry Witt is the owner of the building at 19 N. Main whose north outside wall faces the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Country Girl Cuts Salon is housed in the building currently. It is this wall where the mural will be created.
The plaque on the building at 19 N. Main states that at one time the building was a clothing store and the second floor a bordello. Submitted photo.
Witt contracted with Mid-Continental Restoration, Fort Scott, to “tighten up the building, tuck pointing, in preparation for the mural painting,” he said. “Any loose paint, etc. taken off so as not to deter the new mural going up.
Jerry and Judy Witt hand out Halloween candy in from on their home on Main Street in this photo from October 30, 2021, taken from the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. The Witts live in a historic downtown building, and own several storefront buildings in the downtown.
“We’ve had several people want to paint a mural there,” Witt said. “But this project, we are excited about because we wanted to enhance something about the history of the fort.”
The Mural Project: Looking For An Artist
“The mural public art project will offer one artist the unique opportunity to showcase their original art in the historic district of downtown Fort Scott,” according to fortscott.com
“The chosen mural will be painted on the exterior building wall facing the National Historic site, where the group was sworn in and was the first African-American regiment to fight against the Confederacy in the Civil War.
“The artwork will remain the property of the City of Fort Scott.
For request for proposal of a mural, artists are to submit the following:
Mural sketch including the following:
At least three soldiers from the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry
The selected mural will be painted on the Star Clothing building, 19 North Main Street, on the north wall facing the National Historic site. Mural size will be 25′ x 12′, covering the existing mural.
Schedule
“All proposals are due by 11:59 pm on Monday, May 29, 2023, and must be submitted via the Visit Fort Scott web page dedicated to the mural. Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted. All proposals will be reviewed by a panel of African-American consultants to ensure the mural is culturally sensitive, and then proposals will be judged blind by a panel of local artists, historians, and stakeholders. The winning proposal will be announced on Juneteenth (June 19, 2023). The winning artists must be prepared to have their murals installed no later than September 30, 2023.
“Proposals not selected may be invited to participate in a special art show hosted by the Artificers Gallery in Fort Scott, KS, to be held in January of 2024. Additionally, any proposal submitted may be used for marketing purposes by the City of Fort Scott or the Fort Scott Chamber. The artist will be cited for their work.
Selection Process and Criteria
“One artist will be selected by a panel of local judges comprised of local artists, historians, and community stakeholders. Criteria will include artistic merit, historical appropriateness, and how well the subject will translate to a mural.
Eligibility
“The Fort Scott Chamber Foundation , a 501c3 organization, has opened the call for artists, and is open to any Kansas resident willing to submit a proposal that can complete the requirements as specified, including the design and installation of the mural. Any design that includes advertising, soliciting, campaigning, or any other promotional or commercially-driven entries is ineligible.
Artist Compensation
“The chosen artist will be compensated through a payment of at least $5,000, which is intended as a design fee and will be paid at the completion of the mural. The selected artist will also a given a daily per diem during the project period (up to seven days) for meals/lodging if travel accommodations are required for the project. Project material costs will be covered up to $5,000 by The Fort Scott Chamber Foundation in addition to the artist fee. The artist fee could be more than the amount listed if additional funds are raised through crowdsourcing.”
Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center in Fort Scott has recently signed an agreement with Legacy Health LLC for the center to move into the former Mercy Hospital Building at 401 Woodland Hills.
The building was recently vacated by Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas who moved to another Fort Scott building.
The former Mercy Clinic Suites C and D, at 401 Woodland Hills, will be renovated by the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Clinic and move in will be thereafter.
“We don’t have an official date for the move as we need to secure a contractor for some renovations but are hoping this summer,” said Holly Jerome, SEKMHC’s director of marketing and human resources said. “Once a move date has been set, we will be notifying clients and the community.”
“We are certainly not new to Fort Scott,” said Jerome. “We were established in 1961! But due to our growth after becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Healthcare Clinic ( in 2022) we are outgrowing our current building which is located at 212 State Street.”
Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, Fort Scott.
“We will continue offering our current and expanded services,” Jerome said. “This new space will allow us to continue adding to our team!”
“SEKMHC is one of the first five community mental health centers to earn certification,” CEO Nathan Fawson said in a press release https://fortscott.biz/news/legacy-health-partners-with-southeast-kansas-mental-health-to-expand-services. “The CCBHC model of care concentrates on the overall health of a client, not just their mental health. We have expanded our care to integrate holistic care approaches, connect people with care coordination, and increase accessibility to services throughout our six–county catchment area. Looking into the future, we are striving to provide each client with a much more individualized experience by assisting clients in recovery–oriented ways in their homes, in our communities, or via telehealth whenever possible. We know that recovery is possible when youtreat the person, not just their mental health challenge.”–
According to its website https://www.sekmhc.org/ the services they provide to the community are:
Substance use and addictions counseling
Clinical therapy and counseling
Community support and groups
Crisis intervention
Psychiatric and medication management
They have locations in:
Allen County
Anderson County
Bourbon County
Linn County
Neosho County
Woodson County
Last year they served over 4,000 clients, according to its website. The staff provide school based therapy and case management in 12 school districts. They have 15 team members in the crisis department and 10 in the psychiatry department.
Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center is in transition to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), according to its website. A CCBHC provides comprehensive behavioral health services, while also focusing on physical health and whole person wellness.
What the transition means is, the following is added:
Patient navigation services
Comprehensive behavioral health screening at intake
Primary health screening including gathering health metrics (height, weight, and blood pressure)
Primary health resources and referral
What won’t change is:
Access to counseling and therapy
Access to crisis services
Access to medical services and psychiatry
Community-based services for adults and children
Services and programs previously provided, unless otherwise noted
Upcoming Community Self-Care Event:
A Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center Self-Care Fair will be held on May 23, from 5-8 p.m. at the Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. 12th.
For questions about the self-care fair, contact: Dawne Burchett at 620-496-8702 or Vicki Wright at 620-212-9391.
About Legacy Health
Legacy Health has a mission to bring development and healthcare to rural communities through sustainable and proactive approaches, according to the Legacy Health press release. Legacy believes that for a project to be successful, it is necessary to understand the needs of the community and the people.
Legacy Health LLC was registered on June 7, 2022 as a Limited Liability Company – CA company type incorporated at 269 WEST BONITA CLAREMONT, CA 91711. according to /https://ca.ltddir.com/companies/legacy-health-llc/
Troy Schell is the Legacy HealthChairman of the Board, according to the press release.
Chief Clinical Officer is Jennifer Massey and she is the contact person at [email protected]
Chief Strategy Officer is Merrill Eisenhower.
Locally, Matthew Wells is Legacy Healthcare Foundation Director of Plant Operations at the 401 Woodland Hills site. His duties are technical and equipment maintenance. Wells recently helped the building receive joint hospital accreditation, which is necessary because of the patient care given in the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department that is also housed in the facility, he said.
The Legacy Health Foundation received the building from the Bourbon County Commission in November 2022. In addition to the building, the commission gave Legacy Health Foundation $2 million dollars from funds received from Mercy Hospital and American Rescue Plan Act Funds to develop the property, according to a prior story.
