

Steppes said flyers are sent out to teachers nationwide for teachers to nominate students.
“The hard part is it costs money,” Steppes said. “There are grants for money you can apply for or do fund-raising.”


Steppes said flyers are sent out to teachers nationwide for teachers to nominate students.
“The hard part is it costs money,” Steppes said. “There are grants for money you can apply for or do fund-raising.”

A part of the Eagle Block Building on North National Avenue has collapsed, and demolition will happen soon.
“It was approved to demo Eagle Block,” Fort Scott Mayor Josh Jones said. “Work could begin as early as today.”
Fort Scott City Manager Jeremy Frazier was told that it would take two days to mobilize all equipment and to begin the demolition, he said. “By my understanding that would mean that the demolition would start either on Saturday or Sunday.”
American Wrecking Services LLC was approved to demolish the Eagle Block building for a cost to the city of $148,500, following the special Fort Scott City Commission Meeting last evening, July 21.
To view an aerial video of the buildings:
https://www.facebook.com/fortscott/posts/10158367542834010
A nearby building owned by CDL Electric, 14 North National Avenue will need to be removed according to a letter sent to the City of Fort Scott by Earles Engineering and Inspection.
Sharkey’s Pub and Grubb, 16 N. National, can be saved by supporting the south wall and removing a low protective wall along the edge of the roof, according to the letter.
To view the letter: City of Fort Scott Main Street Building Collapse Report(2)
“After review, it was concluded that the bar (Sharkey’s) could be saved by supporting its south wall and removing the upper parapet,” Earles said in the letter to the city. “The CDL building would need to be removed.”
“The saved wall would need to be repaired, tuck pointed, sealed and a cap put over it as part of the reworked roof of the bar,” he said.
“The south wall of the structure could be saved below the upper windows,” Earles said. “The building on the south is built between the failed structure and the current radio station. Its roof needs attention but can be saved if the adjoining wall to its north can be salvaged. This wall will need to be supported as repairs are made to it, including brick repair, tuckpointing, and sealing.”

On Friday, July 16, Earles, a civil and structural engineer and CEO for Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc., went to the site of what is known as the Eagle Block Building, at 10-12 N. National Avenue and reviewed the condition of the building with Fort Scott City Staff.
“There are four separate yet combined buildings,” Earles said in a letter to the city. “It appears that all the walls are partly or shared walls,” Earles said. “The roof and partial wall collapse happened on the three-story middle building. This roof collapse caused both sidewalls to move and partially collapse. Additionally, it caused the front of the structure to move, creating a bowed front of the building and numerous cracks in the bricks. Additionally, I was informed that what appears as white stone… was covering for previous wire strands stretched through the building and anchored in the front and rear walls to stabilize the building. These are now broken or under the piles of debris, causing additional destabilization of the structure.”

“The north wall partially collapsed onto and through the roof of the CDL building to the north collapsing its roof,” Earles said. “The next north building is a bar. It suffered no damage. We were able to get onto the bar roof and look south over the CDL building and the collapsed structure further south.”
“The portion of the roof of the three-story structure is unstable and could finish the collapse at any time,” Earles said. “The upper story from the bottom of the top windows to the roof is all leaning in and could collapse at any time. The building appears to be a total loss as well as the CDL building.”
“There is a basement under all three buildings,” Earles said. “The hope of the city is to save as much of the structures as possible.”
On Saturday, July 17, 2021, Earles and city staff met with Carl Britz, American Wrecking Services, LLC, and went through the structures.
“We were able to go into the basement of the CDL building and
the (Sharkey’s Pub)bar,” said Earles in the letter to the city. “The CDL basement showed stone and brick that had lost most of its mortar and was in very poor condition both north and south walls. The bar basement showed the mortar had mostly all been repaired and the wall looked in good condition.”
To view a 2019 engineers report on the Eagle Block Building:
AG Engineering Structural Review – Eagle Block(1)


“Following the loss of classroom time in the Spring of 2020, USD 234 recognized the need for additional support to be given to our students as they prepare to return to school this fall,” Dalaina Smith, director of academics for the district said.
Extended School Year and Summer School:
ESY and Summer School starts today, Tuesday, July 20, and runs through August 6.
Below is the schedule for these learning opportunities:
—

A new restaurant on wheels started on Memorial Day 2021 by Wesley and Kenna Smith, called Beech Street Eats.
“My parents, Kenneth and Calen Alley, owned the Riverside Cafe in Belltown for 15 years,” Kenna Smith said. “We kids worked there.”
“I managed the Best Western OFF Club and restaurant from 1986 to ’89,” Smith said.
Her brother John Alley works as the cook in the new food trailer venture.
“John was grill cook at Mercy Hospital for 20 years,” she said. “My dad was a cook in the navy. We’ve always done food. We are a family of cooks.”
“We decided on a 30-foot food trailer, so we can travel,” she said.

When they first started at the end of May, they were asked to do weddings and graduation parties, and even the Good ‘Ol Days Festival, but wanted to get a little experience in the food trailer business first, she said
They park their food trailer on the east side of Lockwoods Motor Supply, located at 1523 S. National Avenue, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“But we might switch that up in the future,” Smith said.
The employees are herself, her brother, John, her daughter Chasi Pickert and Cristy Montogo.
Mark Brillhart, a Bourbon County Fair Board member, asked the Smiths to provide food during the fair last week.
They had a steady stream of customers.
On the horizon for the business is providing food for special events and festivals, she said.

Some of their crowd favorite offerings are street burritos, Philly sandwiches, and quesadillas, she said.
“The street burrito is a 14-inch shell filled with steak, chicken, cheese, guac, homemade pico, salsa with steak fries,” Smith said. “It’s one of our best sellers.”
“For the quesadilla, we make our own pico, fresh every day,” she said. “We try to get our tomatoes and onions from the Fort Scott Farmer’s Market.”
For those craving a sweet dessert, they include homemade cherry cheesecake and homemade peanut butter pie to finish out a meal.
For more information or to phone an order: 620-224-8005.


Yasmina Summer Query, 36, is the new Eugene Ware Elementary School Principal, replacing Stephanie Witt, who resigned.
Query has taught five years in fourth grade at Eugene Ware Elementary and prior to that nine years at Truman Elementary School in Nevada, MO.
She earned a Bachelors’s in Elementary Education and a Masters’s in Educational Leadership.
Her hometown is Fort Scott.
She is married to Joshua Query owner of JDQ Construction, and who also with his father, Ronald Query, owns a nutritional store in Kansas City, called the Ultimate Sports Nutrition.
They have two boys, Mason,9 years old and will be in 4th grade, and Myron, 6 years old and who will be in 1st grade.
Outside of school, she loves to read and bake.
And “I volunteer with the children’s ministry at the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene. I help with Sunday School, and I am always a teacher for VBS.”
How did you become an educator?
“I knew in elementary school that I wanted to be a teacher. I attended Eugene Ware as a child and graduated from Fort Scott High School. My experience in school was such a positive one, that I knew I wanted to work with kids and create that positive school experience for them as well.”
Is there someone who inspired you?
“I don’t think I could bring it down to just one person. I had amazing teachers growing up. There wasn’t a building or grade level that I didn’t connect to at least one teacher. As an educator, I have worked for dedicated and supportive administers. I have also learned under such experienced and loving teachers. Each person who invested in me brought me to this moment, and my life is forever changed by them.”
What is the best part of teaching?
“The thing I love most about being a teacher is watching the successes of my students. My goal every year is that all of my students learn to believe in themselves. There isn’t a child out there who isn’t capable of greatness, and I want every student who has been in my class to know that they can do anything.”
What are the greatest challenges in teaching for you?
“The greatest challenges are when you feel like you haven’t done enough for your kids. Anyone who has been a teacher has had a tough kid. You want so much to help them fix everything in the nine months you have them, but sometimes you don’t see the work you have put in until years later. Teaching is full of joys but also heartaches because you care so much about your students.”
She starts her new position on July 19.

In his spare time, he likes to fish and play music.
” My family plays in a country/rock band based out of Iola,” he said. “We also like to travel!”

A walk through the Bourbon County Fair on Wednesday afternoon was comfortable with a breeze and upper 80s temperature.
This was perfect weather for viewing the activity on the fairgrounds.
Thursday’s events include the Chamber Coffee, swine judging, exhibits in the Myer’s Building, 4-H Fashion Show, cornhole tournament, Christmas in July at the Merchant’s Building, and ends with a 4-H Member Dance.
Friday’s: livestock judging contest, exhibits, 4-H Barnyard Olympics, Christmas in July at the Merchant’s Building, Buyers Appreciation Supper, and the junior livestock sale.
Saturday is clean-up day and ends the fair with live music performances at 6:30 p.m.
Here are a few of Wednesday’s sights.



Some of the grand champions in the 4-H Building:















Christy Schobey O’Brien has had a dream for years to start a business.
In April 2021, she was given four real estate properties in Bronson, located in the westernmost town in Bourbon County.
“My first intention was to open (a place) to showcase my t-shirt company,” O’Brien said.
“It turned out being more,” she said.
On July 2, she began work on a consignment store at Hwy. 54 and Charles Street in Bronson to be called Highway Dreams.
“Once we are able to finish the inside, we plan to house homemade items by local artists and vendors,” she said. “For now, we will be showcasing locals only.”
She currently says her consignment offerings are furniture, clothing, jewelry, books, and crafts.
“Weekends we plan to have all friendly faces set up, yard sale style,” she said. “I plan to have tables and racks and a clothesline. Bring your tent and chair if you need shade and do not sit in the grass.”
August 5 is the tentative opening date of the venture.
Contact her at 620.228-1338 or [email protected]

Cowboys and cowgirls will compete at the national high school rodeo finals in Lincoln, Nebraska on July 18.
Miranda Arndt, Kelsey Laird, and Jaci Traul are the local cowgirls competing.
“These kids all compete in the Missouri High School Rodeo Association,” said Kasey Laird, Kelsey’s mother. “There might be more, as there are several families from southeast Kansas that attend MHSRA. These kids have worked hard for the chance to go to the national finals and compete against other states for the number one spot.”

Miranda Arndt, 18, is a 2021 Fort Scott High School graduate, the daughter of Trina and Jason Arndt.
“I am going to compete in goat tying at nationals,” Miranda said. “I went last year in goat tying also.”
“I’m looking forward to being more prepared and hopefully winning a national title,” she said.
Arndt will be attending Northeast Oklahoma A & M this fall.

Kelsey Laird, 15, is the daughter of Kasey and John Laird and is a sophomore at Fort Scott High School.


Amy, his wife of three years, is a manager in the Farmers Alliance Insurance Company. His oldest son, Tyler, graduated from Kansas State University and moved to Dallas to begin work in the financial investments industry. His son, Jacob, is a sophomore at Fort Hays State University, majoring in biology. He also has a stepson, named Tyler.


“New this year is ‘Christmas at the Fair,'” she said. “Retail booths will be set up in the Merchant’s Building Monday through Friday from 4-9 p.m. We have a great assortment of items.”

Bourbon County Fair Board Officers are President Dale Griffiths; Vice-President Mark Crystal ; Secretary Lynda Foster; Assistant Secretary Sue Reinecke; Treasurer Diane Brillhart; Assistant Treasurer Mark Brillhart; Grandstand Superintendent Stewart Gulager and Assistant Grandstand Superintendent Bobby Reed.


