Tag Archives: featured

Bourbon County, Elections

Safeguards In Voting In Kansas, August 6 Official Primary Election Results Provided by Bourbon County Clerk

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Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins. Submitted photo.

Jennifer Hawkins, the Bourbon County Clerk said there was a 22% turnout rate for the primary election on August 6.

Hawkins said her office follows clear guidelines that the State of Kansas provides for removing people who have died from the voter registration list.

This was in response to Michael Hoyt’s quote “He said this is a state-wide problem of the registered voters roll not being “cleaned up” when people die. He said there is no clear way to get deceased people off the roll,” in a prior story.

To view that story:

https://fortscott.biz/news/hoyt-will-ask-bourbon-county-commission-to-sign-resolution-for-a-five-person-commission-vote-today

 

“The State of Kansas has clear guidelines, which are listed below, that list how we can remove a deceased individual’s name from the voter registration list,” said Hawkins. “The Clerk’s Office follows the guidelines and diligently checks obituaries and monitors the weekly reports sent out by the state of those who have passed away for Bourbon County residents. Individuals who pass away in a state other than Kansas, however; will not show up on the report issued by Kansas Department of Health and Environment.”

Here are the state guidelines:

“Except as otherwise provided by law, when a voter dies or is disqualified for voting, the registration of the voter shall be void, and the county election officer shall remove such voter’s name from the registration books and the party affiliation lists.

“Whenever

(1) an obituary notice appears in a newspaper having general circulation in the county reports the death of a registered voter, or

(2) a registered voter requests in writing that such voter’s name be removed from registration, or

(3) a court of competent jurisdiction orders removal of the name of a registered voter from registration lists, or

(4) the name of a registered voter appears on a list of deceased residents compiled by the secretary of health and environment as provided in K.S.A. 65-2422, and amendments thereto, or appears on a copy of a death certificate provided by the secretary of health and environment, or appears in information provided by the social security administration, the county election officer shall remove from the registration books and the party affiliation lists in such officer’s office the name of any person shown by such list or death certificate to be deceased.”

 

 

Hawkins provided the following 20 pages of official results of the August 6 election. with write-ins.

Business, Food, Fort Scott

Experience A Tea Club Tasting Today with MMM Flavor Shop

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Submitted graphic.

Mmm Flavor Shop owner Emelia Whiteaker is hosting the business’s first Tea Club Tea Party today, Wednesday, August 21st at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 North Main in Fort Scott.

“This is the inaugural meeting of the Tea Club,” Whiteaker said. “I started selling herbs and spices in 2021 when a major health diagnosis was made in the family.”

“The Tea Club is a way to bring interested individuals together to learn, socialize, and experience what is out there beyond the box stores, supplement companies, and mass-produced products.”

 

Submitted graphic.

“This month’s Tea Club Tea Party theme is Iced Teas,” she said. “There will be four loose-leaf teas made as iced tea to sample for free. Everyone is invited to come try tea, ask questions, or just socialize with friends.”

“The health benefits of eating truly natural nutrients in herbs and spices are well documented,” she said. “I added a variety of loose-leaf teas for the same reason. Most of the teas we have offer a wide variety of health benefits along with a delicious taste.”

“This summer we added specialty kinds of rice that have an increase in nutrients due to where they are grown.”

“I have spent hours talking to our suppliers on the phone to make sure the products available are high quality and full of nutrients that the body recognizes and absorbs better. Our suppliers can tell me the exact farm and farmer that each item comes from.”

“I am always researching and taking continuing education courses on nutrition,” she said. “This allows me to continue to work to bring tasty, nutritious ingredients to our rural area.”

She said the business sells its products at vendor’s shows and direct ordering through them.

Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091059316445

 

Business, Fort Scott

Varia Resale Clothing Store Expands

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Robin Kendrick, owner of Varia, stands in front of the door at 112 E. 23, the space that is being opened up to expand her shop at 114 E. 23rd.

Varia Resale Clothing Shop, 114 E. 23rd, is expanding next door to 112 E. 23rd, the former Bob Williams Insurance office.

Varia is French for variety, she said.

“We are adding 800 feet to the shop,” owner Robin Kendrick said. “The total square footage will be 2,000 square feet  when finished.”

New paint and carpet are being added to the new area, which will be the children’s department and vendors.

Work will be continued today in the new space adjacent to the original Varia shop at 112 E. 23rd.

She said the shop is closed today while the expansion is going on, but is anticipated to be open tomorrow.

The expansion started on August 17 with a completion date by the end of August and plans to remain open during most phases of the work.

The shop accepts name-brand clothing in excellent condition and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Varia was established in June 2021 and sells women’s, men’s, teens, and children’s clothing along with shoes, jewelry, and miscellaneous items.

She currently has four vendors who sell handmade jewelry, antiques, collectibles, art, handmade towels and ornaments.

Items are accepted by appointment only by calling her at 620.238.1703.

Kendrick pays cash for those items she selects and the items then are the sole property of the business.

“We pay upfront in cash at the appointment time,” she said. “Therefore we assume the risk of whether your items sell or not.”

“We don’t offer consignment, but store credit is an option for customers bringing in merchandise. Walk-ins may be accepted but will be paid in store credit. Donations are always accepted and appreciated.”

“You may bring up to 30 items,” she said. “If more than 15 items are accepted you will be paid $2 an item. $5 for jeans and heavy coats. If 15 items or less are accepted, you will be paid 50% of the item price.”

She also goes to Kansas City to buy inventory for the shop.

On the horizon for the shop is bin sales.

“They will be in containers lined up on tables with things that I have had for a while.”

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Government

Hoyt Will Ask Bourbon County Commission to Sign Resolution for a Five-Person Commission Vote Today

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Voters in a prior election vote at the Bourbon County Courthouse.

Michael Hoyt has been seeking signatures of Bourbon County residents who would like to see the county move to a five-commissioner board instead of the current three commissioners.

He has 500 signatures as of today and believes he will get the required total of 621 in a month, however, the county election officer has a date of August 21 for getting the signatures in, so they can be validated before the November general election.

Hoyt will be asking the three commissioners to sign a resolution that he is presenting at this evening’s commission meeting that will help the petition move forward to be put on the November 5 election, which would not require the signatures.

He said there are 14,900 people in Bourbon County according to the 2020 census, and there are 12,500 people registered to vote.

He said this is a state-wide problem of the registered voters roll not being “cleaned up” when people die. He said there is no clear way to get deceased people off the roll.

If the resolution is put on the ballot this November, it would save the cost of a $10,000 special election later, Hoyt said.

The need for five commissioners is to bring better government to the county, he said.

“We seem to be stalled with three commissioners,” he said. “Two commissioners talking outside of an open meeting is an open meetings violation. It’s an unfair disadvantage with only three commissioners.”

“Out of 105 counties, 35 have gone to five commissioners, 30 are moving towards this,” he said.

Michael Hoyt. Submitted photo.

The following is a press release Hoyt sent:

          A bi-partisan Bourbon County citizens group, aptly named The Three-to-Five Committee, has published and received preliminary sufficiency, on a petition to place a question on the November 2024 general election ballot; “Shall the current number of Bourbon County Commissioner Districts set forth in KSA 19-203(a)(b)(c)(d)&(e), be increased to five (5) Commissioner Districts?”

          As provided in the Kansas Statutes the Districts will be five districts “as compact and equal in population” as possible. The change will have no impact on the County budget. The additional Commissioners will allow better collaboration and focused representation on their respective districts. As the Commission is currently constructed, the group noted, “Even two Commissioners having conversations on any topic that may come before the Commission, is a violation of the Kansas Open Meeting Act (KOMA).”  Allowing an opportunity for collaboration and discussions with two Commissioners will improve the decision-making process and should provide improved transparency and accountability; since it is apparent the Chairman is reluctant to have material meetings that do not include all the Commissioners. That is why there is a quorum call; as long as two Commissions are present all business may go forward.

          Signatures have been collected by registered voters in Bourbon County over the last few weeks, and we have over 550 of the required 621 to place the question on the November ballot. This will prevent the need for a special election and the expense associated with such an election.  Further discussion on a Resolution by the County Commission to remove the risk of the special election fees will be discussed at Monday, August 19, 2024, meeting; only two Commissioner signatures are required, the resolution has been written for them, and a copy has been provided to the County Counselor over a week ago for review. Not to mention the time required by the clerk’s office to verify all signers of the petition. THE PETITION DECIDES NOTHING other than to place the question on a ballot. The people will have a voice to vote FOR or AGAINST the ballot question in the November election.

To view the resolution that Hoyt is asking the commissioners to sign:

RESOLUTION 24 for Petition question on a ballot 8-19-2024

 

 

Entertainment, Exercise, Fort Scott, Government

Woodland Hills Golf Course Future: A Center of Activity For The Community

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The new neon sign on the clubhouse at Woodland Hills Golf Course welcomes visitors.

The City of Fort Scott staff are trying to make the  Woodland Hills Golf Course used by the community more, in fact,  to become an activity center in Fort Scott.

Woodland Hills Golf Course, 2414 S. Horton, Fort Scott.

The staff spoke at this week’s Chamber of Commerce Coffee hosted by the golf course.

“Steve and his clubhouse crew have implemented many upgrades for our customers this year,” said Mary Wyatt,  FS City Planning, Housing and Development Director, and as such is the director of the golf course. “We have contracted with a new golf cart fleet vendor and replaced all of our old golf carts,  installed new countertops, purchased a new TV for the clubhouse, and purchased new high-top tables and chairs. We are also in the process of contracting with a new point-of-sale hardware and software which has many new features such as a tee-time software, annual pass cards for members, and a new website that we will be implementing soon.”

“As the FS Director of the Golf Course, I help facilitate and assist with projects, but the on-site management and their crews are the ones that make the customer experience so excellent with their daily hard work and dedication,” she said.

New Name For The Clubhouse

“With all of the new upgrades this year, we thought it would be a great time to give the Woodland Hills Golf Course Clubhouse an official name,” she said.

A  suggestion box was placed in the clubhouse requesting name suggestions, and the top 10 were selected and put into a survey online. The community voted on the suggestions, determined the winning name by majority vote, and purchased a sign with that name that was installed on the front entrance of the clubhouse.

 

The new sign on the clubhouse at Woodland Hills Golf Course.

“The new official name chosen by the community is The Clubhouse!” she said. “Key Industries, Inc. designed shirts with the official new  name for staff, and Jeff Allen wired and mounted the new sign.”

Community Is Invited To Utilize

“We have worked hard this year to create a more inclusive environment that any man, woman, or child can enjoy for more than just a golfing experience,” she said. “We want to invite everyone to come watch their favorite sports games in the clubhouse, hold their volunteer group or committee meetings there, host a weekly card game with friends, or come enjoy a burger or chicken sandwich for lunch or dinner.”

Steve Carter, club manager, said there are currently golf leagues for men, women, children and families, with cart rental at $16 for 18 holes of golf and $10 for 9 holes of golf.

Grounds Keepers

Dustin Fowler, head greens keeper, and his staff: Tyler Cook, Jonathan Allen, Rick McDaniels, and Glenn Niemann have been working to maintain the fairway with weather conditions adding to the workload.

Fowler said the Fort Scott Public Works dredged a pond to make it larger and deeper for irrigation of the greens and Bermuda sod had been donated from Wolf Creek Golf Course, to replace sod that had been killed by drought/ winter kill. He said the plan is for the fairways to be reseeded next spring.

“Dustin and his grounds team have put in a lot of overtime this year working towards recovering our greens and fairways from the past few years of drought and from the flood we had earlier this year,” she said. “The drought has caused a lot of bare, brown spots, throughout the property that are not easily repaired, and the flooding all but destroyed the bottom nine holes of the golf course.”
“It’s taken a lot of focused intensive work to manually rake the gravel out of the greens and back onto the cart paths not just after the flood but every time we have a heavy rain, a lot of seed planting, aeration, sod installation, watering, and fertilizing to rehabilitate the grounds post-drought as well as the rebuilding the bottom nine holes after flooding and heavy rain.”
“Even with the drought and the flood working against our crews and all of the special projects they’ve been working on, they still work day in and day out to maintain the grounds for golfers to enjoy daily and for hosting golf tournaments, they also built a very unique and beautiful section of brick cart path.”
Future Projects

Mini Golf

FS City Manager BradMatkin said he met with a business owner recently and there is a grant opportunity for a Fort Scott-themed miniature golf course at the city-owned golf course.

“This is in the very early stages, so I don’t have a ton of answers right now,” Matkin said. “Once I have budgeting information, it still have to be approved by the commission.”

“The Youth Activity Team has granted money for this project, and we are working on another grant for additional monies,” Matkin said.

“Our vision is to have an 18-hole miniature golf course that will not only add value to our community but will bring people from the area into our town to play. Fort Scott needs more things for families to do and I feel this would be perfect for that type of activity. We want it to be a place where a family can go out play 18-holes of miniature golf then eat a burger or hot dog, at The Clubhouse, and enjoy each other’s company or meet new friends.”

” We are going to ask for businesses to purchase holes and will let them put their “logos”, “theme” or brand on the holes,” he said. “It would really be great to have a hole that represents the fort, the splash pad, or possibly other parts of our history.”

Other Future Projects

Also in the future “the grounds crew hope to concrete all of the cart paths to make a smoother driving experience for our customers as well as prevent the loss of the cart paths during heavy rains or flooding, and create new appealing features such as decorative wooden bridges and detailed landscaping.”
“We hope to purchase new patio furniture for people to enjoy socializing out back and make the environment more cozy and inviting,” she said. “We hope to be able to provide full kitchen capabilities with a wider range of menu options, golf simulators to give customers the capability of the golf experience year-round, mini golf, and a driving range have also been discussed as well as landscaping the grass circle in front of the clubhouse.”
The clubhouse left, and the golf course garage is on the right, in this photo of  Woodland Hills Golf Course.

 

Area News, Bourbon County

Hollister Wildlife Area and Shooting Range: Gun Practice Area

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Hollister Wildlife Area photo credit, Jackson Tough.

Bryan Buchta is the president of Old Fort Sharp Shooters Club, a gun club.  That club volunteers at a local wildlife area, Hollister Wildlife Area and Shooting Range, eight miles southwest of Fort Scott.

The Hollister Wildlife Area has been a state wildlife area since 1978, when it was purchased by the Kansas Fish and Game, according to the Kansas Wildlife and Parks website. The wildlife area includes 2,432 acres of rolling range and pasture land, interspersed with native woodlands.

The shooting range, within the wildlife area,  is operated solely by volunteer Range Safety Officers (RSO’s) who adhere to National Rifle Association range safety guidelines, Buchta said.

There are always two Range Safety Officers on duty during the times of the shooting range events.

Firearm safety and knowledge are the club’s main goals.

Bryan Buchta. Submitted photo.

“There are about 250 memberships,” he said. “There are about 50-75 regulars. Although it’s never crowded there.”

“During hunting season, hunters come out to sight their rifles,” Bryan said. “There are also shooting competitions.”

There was a 22 caliber rife competition recently and there is an upcoming pistol competition, he said.

“Pistol competitions; “Steel Challenge” and “Action Pistol”, are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays respectively each month at 8:00 am,” he said. ” Everyone is welcome to compete in the matches including new shooters as the RSOs and competitors are always happy to teach new shooters how the competition operate.”

The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Scott Police Department also do training at Hollister Shooting Range.

In 1994, the Old Fort Sharp Shooters (OFSS) signed a “Friends Group” agreement with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks outlining the operation and management of a shooting range, according to the group’s Facebook page. Persons utilizing the range are required to pay a maintenance fee to help cover Old Fort Sharp Shooters’ costs for range operation.
“Hollister Shooting Range is a very economical training facility that’s just a few miles outside of town,” said Julie, his wife.
OFSS also has a blog located at http://oldfortsharpshooters.proboards.com/
PRICES: OFSS members are not required to pay daily use fees (does not apply to trap-see below)
•$20- Individual yearly OFSS maintenance fee
•$30- Family yearly OFSS maintenance fee
•$10 – Daily shooting range fee (non-member)
The shooting range area is open from March through November:
on the 1st FULL weekend of each month and the
3rd FULL weekend of each month on Saturdays from  11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

The Sharp Shooters meet the first Wednesday of each month at the fire station on 54 Hwy. east of Fort Scott and the public is welcome.

Bryan Buchta can be reached at 913-368-8811.

To learn more:

 

Veteran’s Benefit: A Place to Stay in K.C. For Medical Visits

Submitted photo.

The Buchta’s also wanted veterans to know of Fisher House in Kansas City, which is accommodations provided for vets receiving medical care.

“My husband is a veteran and he’s had multiple procedures at the Kansas City Veterans’ Administration Hospital hospital and if an overnight is needed for the procedure, or if it’s early in the morning, even if it’s outpatient, you can request to stay at the Fischer house. It is a 100% free ‘hotel room’.The people in the Fort Scott and the surrounding area qualify for this benefit because we are more than 50 miles away from the hospital,” Julie said.

Julie and Bryan Buchta. Submitted photo.

“It has a fully stocked amazing kitchen, with snacks and food options in the fridge and freezer, free of charge.… although the procedures can be at any area hospital, it does not have to be at the VA hospital,” she said.

“They are very kind and accommodating,” she said.  “The Fisher House was built approximately 3 or 4 years old and is a gorgeous facility.”

The address of the Fisher House is 4801 E. Linwood Blvd.
Kansas City, MO64128, which is near the VA Hosptial.

The manager is Mike Peters who can be reached at
[email protected]
or (816) 714-8697

To learn more:

https://fisherhouse.org/about/our-history/

 

Fort Scott, Government

New Landmark Bank Fort Scott Bank Manager: Katy O’Kelley

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Katy O’Kelley,  36, is the new Landmark Bank Manager, effective August 1.

Her office is located at the  main bank, 200 S Main St Fort Scott, KS.

“I will oversee daily operations at the bank to ensure a great customer experience and compliance with policies and regulations, build and maintain relationships with customers and community partners, and originate mortgage loans,” she said.

She is a graduate of Raytown South High School and worked at Raytown Lee’s Summit Community Credit Union  from 2006-2015.

“I enjoy helping people, whether that is matching a new customer with the best checking account for their needs or assisting a home buyer with the purchase of their first home,” she said.

Some of the challenges of the job:  “Educating customers about different scams when scammers that are always changing tactics to gain access to their personal information.”

She has been married to Chris O’Kelley for 15 years, and together they have three children ages 14 , 11 and 9.

” Landmark supports and encourages community involvement and I am currently looking for opportunities where I can best serve,” she said.

About Landmark National Bank of Fort Scott

Landmark Bank Fort Scott, 200 S. Main.
The Landmark National Bank  of Fort Scott main office is located at 200 S Main St  or
PO Box 899
Fort Scott, Kansas 66701

 

The Landmark South Office is at 2300 S. Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701
The Landmark Bank at 2300 S. Main from the website.

 

 

Church news, Food, Fort Scott

Free Food Distribution on August 17 by Family Life Assembly Of God Church

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Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. 12th.
Family Life Assembly of God Church is partnering with Convoy of Hope in Springfield, Missouri to distribute non-perishable food to the community.
The distribution will be at Fort Scott Middle School on Saturday, August 17 starting at 10 a.m.
“We know that as school starts a lot of families are really struggling with buying school supplies, school clothes, and a grocery bill. This is just a small way we can help be the hands and feet of Jesus,” said Pastor Justin Eichenberger.
 Eichenberger, 26, is the new pastor at Family Life Assembly of God Church in Fort Scott, since October 1, 2023 .
Eichenberger said ” I believe Jesus has called me to care for people.”
For Eichenberger, the best thing about being a pastor is “Seeing God move in people’s hearts and lives.”
This church is a satellite of FamilyLife Assembly of God (FLAG), Pittsburg, Kansas.

“We meet on Sunday mornings at 10 am in Fort Scott Middle School-1105 E 12th Street,” he said.

To contact the pastor:
Pastor Justin Eichenberger
620-232-3524
Bourbon County, Schools

USD 235 New Admin, Educator: Miller, Bolton

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Dustin Miller. Submiited photo.

Dustin Miller, 50, is the new Dean of Students at West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown.

Miller is a 1992 graduate of Uniontown High School, earned an associate of science degree at Fort Scott Community College in 1994 and a bachelor of science in education from Pittsburg State University in 2006 in K-6th grade and also 5-8 grade mathematics.

He is currently working on a Master of Science in Education from Emporia State University (projected: Fall, 2024)in educational administration.

“The 2024-25 school year will be my 19th year in education,” he said.  “My first year I taught 5th grade at Truman Elementary in Nevada, Mo.  The rest of my career has been at USD 235. Upon completing my Master of Science Degree in the Fall of 2024, I will become the Principal of West Bourbon Elementary.”

Positions  he has held

  • 5th Grade (6 years: 1st year was at Truman Elementary in Nevada, MO)
  • 7th & 8th Grade Math (2 years)
  • Title I (10 years serving West Bourbon Elementary)
  • Junior High Football

“As an educator, one of the best things is the opportunity to inspire and shape the minds of students, watching them grow and learn new things. It is incredibly rewarding to see students succeed and know that you played a part in their development.”

“One of the biggest challenges for educators is meeting the diverse needs of students in increasingly complex learning environments. Each student has a unique learning style, background, and capabilities, making it challenging to create personalized learning experiences for everyone. Additionally, managing large class sizes, keeping students engaged, and addressing individual needs can be a constant challenge for educators.”

In addition to teaching, he has taken on coaching students.

He served two years as an assistant coach for junior high track, two years as co-head coach in high school baseball, one year as assistant coach of high school track, nine years as assistant coach in high school football, and 13 years as assistant coach of high school basketball (women). 18 years with the program, 13 years as head coach.

“I am an active member of the Marmaton Community Christian Church in Redfield.  I serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as an Elder, Sunday School Teacher, and Wednesday night youth group leader.”

He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Carrie for 31 years and they have four sons.

Trenton (30), is married to Aubri and has two children: Josie & Ruthie.

Gavin (26), is married to Shelby and has two children: Bennett & Isla.

Hayden (23) and Korbin, (20) who is engaged to Haley Steeley.

 

Nancy Bolton is a new English Language Art teacher for 7-8th grade at Uniontown Junior/Senior High School.
She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (K-9) from Pittsburg State University and a Master of Science in Education in Library Media (K-12) from Fort Hays State University.
She has been teaching since 1992, as a teacher for 5-8 English Language Arts, 4th grade, 7-8 Social Studies, and as a K-6 and K-12 Librarian.
She and her husband, Steve, have recently moved to Girard for his new position representing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes,  for Bourbon, Crawford, and Cherokee Counties. They were both involved in Ellsworth, KS as middle school youth leaders and FCA huddle leaders.
She is also a member of Beta Sigma Phi, PEO, Kansas Association of School Librarians, and a board member of Westminster Woods Church Camp at Fall River.
They are  “empty nesters” with twin adult children, Micah and Josiah. who graduated from Friend’s University in 2023. Micah is a band instructor at Goddard High School, Jr. High and 5-6th grade. He plays in the Wichita Wind Symphony as well as gives private music lessons. He is married to Maddison. Josiah is the middle school youth director at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Wichita. He was a member of the cross country and track team while attending Friends and continues to mentor students from around the Wichita area on running while sharing his faith.
“The best thing about being an educator is seeing the students I’ve helped educate go on to successful lives and careers, some as doctors, lawyers, dental hygienists, brick layers, construction workers, HAVC operators, farmers and ranchers, nurses and so on. I also love sharing my love of literature and the written word.”
“The challenge in education is keeping up with technology and social media that students are exposed to,” she said.

 

 

Exercise, Fort Scott, Government

Fort Scott Fire Department Invites the Community to Join Them in a Stair Climb to Remember 9/11

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The Fort Scott Fire Department is promoting an event they perform every year amongst members to commemorate 9/11- the day the United States was attacked by terrorists, in 2001. Many firefighters on duty died that day attempting to help people.
“I thought this would be a neat tribute to get the public involved as well,” FSFD Deputy Chief Mike Miles said. “The purpose is to remember those who sacrificed  and served on September 11.”
Mike Miles. Submitted photo.
“We are also using this to start a scholarship for high schoolers who may want to venture into the Fire Service,” he said.  “We could provide them with tuition for the academy.  There would be steps and measures one would have to take to receive the scholarship. That will be discussed at a later date when we get the Junior Fire Fighter program going.”
“We would also use some proceeds to donate to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation,” he said.
September 7, is the event, located on South Main Street, at the Fort Scott High School football stadium. Registration and walk-ups start at 8 a.m. The event will begin at 9 a.m.
There are three different options to participate.
“You can perform the stair climb, which would consist of 15 trips back and forth, up and down the stadium stairs. Or walk a 5k around the track or run a 5k through downtown and back to the stadium.”
One can register on the link provided on the fire department’s Facebook page.
“You receive a T-shirt with your registration and the cost is $25 for adults, $15 for kids.”
This t-shirt is for sale for the event. Photo taken from the Fort Scott Fire Department Facebook page.
“We have flyers also at local businesses and gas stations you can scan the QR code and it takes you to the registration page.”

 

Fort Scott, Schools

New USD 234 Teachers: Page, Coen, Williams

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This is part of a series of new teachers in USD 234 School District, Fort Scott. There are 24 new teachers and two new administrators in the district.

School starts for students on August 16.

There are five campuses in the district:

  • Fort Scott Preschool Center (serving pre-kindergarten students ages 3+)
  • Winfield Scott Elementary School (serving kindergarten through through second-grade students)
  • Eugene Ware Elementary School (serving third through fifth-grade students)
  • Fort Scott Middle School (serving sixth through eighth-grade students)
  • Fort Scott High School (serving ninth through twelfth-grade students)

According to its website, the district has nearly two thousand students enrolled within the district and over 350+ staff members.

Marcus Page and family. Submitted photo.

Marcus Page, 31, is a new biology teacher at Fort Scott High School.
He earned a  Bachelor of Science in Biology from Pittsburg  State University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from P.S.U.

He has been a middle school science teacher in Kansas City, KS for two years, a school science teacher in Olathe for one year, and the Director of Admissions at Fort Scott Community College since Spring of 2022.

“While at FSCC, I had the privilege of being a part of LEAD Bourbon County, allowing me the opportunity to meet many people within our community.”

His family attends Fort Scott Nazarene Church.

His wife is the communication instructor at FSCC and they have two children, Carter, age 6, who attends Fort Scott Christian Heights, and Ellie, age 1, who attends Happy Kids Daycare.

“By far the best part of teaching is getting to know the students and building a relationship with them to encourage them throughout their education.

“A challenge in education is having a healthy work/life balance. Now that I have two children at home it will be important to utilize my time at work to its fullest.”

Jessica Coen. Submitted photo.
Jessica Coen, 35, is the district- Early Childhood Special Education teacher at Fort Scott Preschool Center.
She earned a Masters In Art of Teaching, K-6th grade and undergrad in Unified Early Childhood from Kansas State University, has a bachelor’s in accounting through the University of Phoenix, and completed Applied Behavior Analysis training in 2023.
This is her second year teaching ECSE.
She has one year of experience in ECSE teaching at Paola Cottonwood Elementary and  6 1/2 years of experience working with Headstart and Early Headstart in Linn County.
“I have a busy house with five children Serenity,17, Kyle, 15, Bella,12, Jensen, 9, and Marek, 6 years old. ” My husband, Michael, and I  just celebrated our 18th anniversary. We also have 6 dogs and 6 cats.”
The best thing about being an educator for her is “being a part of a team (family, teachers, paras, etc.) to be part of their growth and success of reaching goals and development. It’s an awesome perk to get some great smiles, hugs, and ‘I love you’ from the students. I love the laughs and the dancing while we learn and grow.
A challenge as an educator, I think is… to make sure all needs are met. But we can always do our best each day.”
Courtney Williams. Submitted photo.

Courtney Williams, 24, is a new 5th Grade Math/Science Teacher at Eugene Ware Elementary School.

She earned a Bachelor of Science, in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University.

This is her second year of teaching,  last year she taught first-grade rat R.V. Haderlein in Girard.

“I would love to find some ways to involve myself in the community since I have returned to Fort Scott!,” she said.

“I love meeting my students for the first time. To watch them come into the room and explore the space and introduce myself to them. I want to make a fun, exciting first impression so they know they will always be welcome into my classroom and I will be available when they need help.”

A challenge for her will be learning how to handle older students. “But I have confidence in myself and my new team to help me continue to grow my knowledge in the pursuit of education.”

 

Bourbon County, Elections

Unofficial Results of August 6 Primary Bourbon County Election: Final

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Note: The U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Kansas Senate and Kansas House of Representatives races do not indicate the true winners, merely the votes they garnered in Bourbon County.
Kansas House of Representatives District 4 encompasses both Bourbon and Linn Counties.
In Linn County, these are the results for that seat, therefore although Jones won in Bourbon County, James had more votes counting both together.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 4
          (VOTE FOR)  1
           RICK JAMES .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,138   72.76
           JOSHUA JONES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       426   27.24
James won with a total of 2,212 votes to Jones 1,650.
In Bourbon County:
“In the following results, Undervote is someone who chose to vote for fewer than the allowed candidates (such as listed as “Vote for 1” and they left it blank) overvote is someone who voted for more than the allowed candidates,” Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins said. The write-in board counted late into the night.
To view the total voting, including precincts:
Unofficial Results
Bourbon County, Primary 2024, Aug 06, 2024
All Precincts, All Districts, All Counter Groups, All ScanStations, All Contests, All Boxes
Total Ballots Cast: 2818
20 precincts reported out of 20 total
2024-08-06


All Precincts
United States House of Representatives District 2 (Dem)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 21 undervotes)
Nancy Boyda 262 votes  63.75%
Matt Kleinmann 149   36.25%
Total 411 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 21

United States House of Representatives District 2 (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (7 over voted ballots, 7 overvotes, 119 undervotes)
Jeff Kahrs 370   16.37%
Michael A. Ogle 104   4.60%
Derek Schmidt 1246   55.13%
Shawn Tiffany 424   18.76%
Chad Young 116   5.13%
Total 2260 100.00%
Overvotes 7
Undervotes 119

Kansas Senator District 13 (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 49 undervotes)
Austin B. Stapleton 383  100.00%
Total 383 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 49

Kansas Senator District 13 (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (1 over voted ballots, 1 overvotes, 196 undervotes)
Tim Shallenburger 1553   70.95%
Sam Owen 636   29.05%
Total 2189   100.00%
Overvotes 1
Undervotes 196

Kansas House of Representatives District 4 (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 397 undervotes)
Write-in 35 100.00%
Total 35 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 397

Kansas House of Representatives District 4 (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 88 undervotes)
Rick James 1074   46.74% (James won the district with 57%)
Joshua Jones 1224   53.26%
Total 2298 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 88

County Commissioner District 1 (Rep) (Vote for 1)
793 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 91 undervotes)
Brandon Whisenhunt 702   100.00%
Total 702 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 91

County Commissioner District 1 (Dem) (Vote for 1)
127 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 25 undervote
Clinton L. Walker 102 100.00%
Total 102 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 25

County Commissioner District 2 (Rep) (Vote for 1)
1055 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 24 undervotes)
Jim Harris 375 36.37%
David Beerbower 656 63.63%
Total 1031 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 24

County Commissioner District 2 (Dem) (Vote for 1)
180 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 160 undervotes)
Write-in 20 100.00%
Total 20 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 160

County Commissioner District 3 (Dem) (Vote for 1)
125 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 16 undervotes)
Steven Houston 109 100.00%
Total 109 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 16

County Commissioner District 3 (Rep) (Vote for 1)
538 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 11 undervotes)
Clifton Beth 152 28.84%
Leroy Kruger 375 71.16%
Total 527 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 11

County Clerk (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 410 undervotes)
Write-in 22 100.00%
Total 22 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 410

County Clerk (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 382 undervotes)
Susan Walker 2004 100.00%
Total 2004 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 382

County Treasurer (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 399 undervotes)
Write-in 33 100.00%
Total 33 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 399

County Treasurer (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (1 over voted ballots, 1 overvotes, 94 undervotes)
Jennifer Hawkins 1795 78.35%
Michael Hoyt 496 21.65%

County Register of Deeds (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 418 undervotes)
Write-in 14 100.00%
Total 14 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 418


County Register of Deeds (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 300 undervotes)
Lora Holdridge 2086 100.00%
Total 2086 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 300


County Attorney (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 420 undervotes)
Write-in 12 100.00%
Total 12 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 420


County Attorney (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 414 undervotes)
James Crux 1972 100.00%
Total 1972 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 414


County Sheriff (Dem) (Vote for 1)
432 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 356 undervotes)
Write-in 76 100.00%
Total 76 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 356


County Sheriff (Rep) (Vote for 1)
2386 ballots (0 over voted ballots, 0 overvotes, 32 undervotes)
Bill Martin 1199 50.93%
Nelson Blythe 1155 49.07%
Total 2354 100.00%
Overvotes 0
Undervotes 32