Women’s Flag Football is coming to Fort Scott Community College.
“Flag football is an emerging sport which has gained popularity across the country in recent years,” Tom Havron, FSCC’s Athletic Director said. “Many NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) schools in the region have started the programs, and FSCC is proud to be one of the founding members at the NJCAA level.”
“Flag football will be a female sport, consisting of 15-20 team members,” he said. “We will have students at FSCC fall of 2022, but the inaugural season will be a spring sport starting in 2023.”
Tom Havron is the FSCC Athletic Director. Submitted photos.
“Women’s Flag Football has been a growing commodity across the nation and FSCC intends to provide an opportunity for these student-athletes to continue their passion for the sport while pursuing their education at the collegiate level.”
“Similar to the Fort Scott youth flag football program, the FSCC team will feature women who play the game at a high level,” he said.
“FSCC is currently recruiting students to start competition in the fall of 2022,” Havron said.
Flag football. Submitted photo.
“As flag football is an emerging sport, there are not many people who have much experience in the region,” Havron said. “We have communicated with the area NAIA schools who have started the program in the past few years and hope to learn and grow with them. FSCC was awarded a $10,000 grant from the NFL and NJCAA. Part of this will be used to seek professional development activities for our coaching staff. ”
“We will practice on the FSCC campus at the turf field, and hope to play our games at Frary Field as well as other regional institutions,” he said.
Brad Matkin, 51, is the new Fort Scott Director of Human Resources. His start day was August 2, 2021.
“I will be recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding new members,” Matkin said. “Working on member benefits, challenging our benefit resources to give us better opportunities/pricing, working with the department managers to provide management/leadership training, and being the ears for the city members, and several other things too numerous to list.”
Matkin’s office is at Fort Scott City Hall, 123 S. Main. The phone number of city hall is 223-0550.
Matkin believes a good human resource person is the backbone of a company/organization, working on policies, processes, and helping create a good working environment for the members, he said.
“With that, I just kept working getting my education and gaining the knowledge it would take to be successful in a position like this… Director of Human Resources for the City of Fort Scott.”
The best part of the career is working with the members of the entity, he said. “I really enjoy the interaction with them even if the situation is sometimes not a good one. I feel members need to be able to voice their opinion to someone that can be confidential but also someone that can possibly help.”
The COVID-19 Pandemic has created challenges in a human resource person’s job.
“Hiring and retaining members is everybody’s challenge currently but I feel the challenge is exciting,” Matkin said. “I feel getting the right mix of people that will create a good team environment plus treating them fair will make them happy to come to work. “Communication is key to retaining members, yes wages and benefits are important also, but if you can make members feel important and create a bond between the groups you will be much more successful. The old saying that members leave their boss not the job is very true.”
Matkin earned a master’s degree in business administration at Pittsburg State University with an emphasis in human resources. He has over twenty years in business management and four years in a human resource and recruiting role.
He is married ” to my wonderful wife of 28 years, Tammy” and they have three grown children and two grandsons, he said.
Outside of his career Matkin enjoys spending time with family and collects sports memorabilia. “I also like watching KC Chiefs football and KC Royals baseball,” he said.
Bryce Eck, 17, comes from a family of bucking horse riders.
“My Dad (Andy) rode bucking horses when he was younger,” Eck said. “My older brother, Colt (19 years old) rides as well.”
All that practice, and talent, paid off for Bryce when he won the 2021 World Championship Junior Rodeo in the bareback riding event, this year held in Guthrie, OK from July 29-31.
“The top eight (contenders) make it back to finals on the third day,” Eck said. “The winner rides on Thursday, Friday, Saturday at noon then that evening.”
“You have to be under 19 years old to go to this rodeo, (and) you have to make it back each round with your score and how well you rode,” he said.
“A good ride is to have the horse bucking and the rider spurring the ride,” Eck said. “You have to stay on for eight seconds.”
At home on the Eck farm, Bryce pitches in.
During the interview yesterday, he was hauling hay for his dad on their cattle farm, near Redfield.
The hay will be for winter feed for the animals on the Eck farm.
“We raise cattle and we have a colt training business,” Eck said. “We train the horses to be ridden.”
Fort more information, call or send him a text (620) 215-5621
Stewart Realty Co., 1707 S. National Avenue. The photo is from its Facebook page.
In addition to horses, his family has a cow-calf operation south of Fort Scott.
Hays and his wife, April, have two daughters, Isabel, 11 years old, and Dally, 4.
They like to attend rodeos together and Josh is a roper.
“I like roping when I can, I enjoy it,” he said.
Hays is a 1999 graduate of Fort Scott High School, a 2004 graduate of Pittsburg State University with a major in history, and graduated from farrier school in 2010.
The site of the Burke Street Classic Wiffle Ball Tournament, July 30, 2021. Submitted photos.
Some area youth have organized a tournament in their neighborhood.
The Burke Street Wiffle Ball Classic 2021 starts at 2 p.m. today and is estimated to run until approximately 7:30 p.m., according to event organizer Dryden Cosens, age 17.
The event is located on Burke Street, adjacent to the Cosens’ home at 1320 Marblecrest Drive.
“It’s on a lot between Ralph Hall’s and Frank Halsey’s houses, our neighbors,” Cosens said.
A wiffle ball is a light perforated ball used in a type of baseball.
“The rules are watered down,” Cosens said. “It’s a fun thing to do in the backyard with family and friends.”
But today it is a tournament, that approximately nine teams will be competing in, with around 35-40 people.
The name of the league is Burke Street Wiffle Ball, he said.
“Anybody can come and watch,” Cosens said. “There are some shade trees, but bring your own lawn chairs.”
To aid players on this humid July day with temperatures expected to be near 100 degrees, Cosens and his brother Cal, will have popcicles and a tent set up, along with water.
Cal and Dryden Cosens. Submitted photo.
The Cosen brothers have been playing wiffle ball since Dryden was in sixth-grade, he said. He is now 17, and Cal is 15.
“In 2015, we had our first tournament,” Dryden said. “We made a Youtube channel, but kind of gave it up when we got busy with playing baseball.”
A friend, Rocco Loffredo, came to Dryden, with the idea of restarting the tournament.
“I talked to Cal, and we decided it would be a good idea,” he said.
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes is located a 1 S. Main, Fort Scott.
On July 28, the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes began a new exhibit entitled”Fort Scott’s Frontline Workers”, highlighting groups of local COVID-19 workers.
Hours at the center, located on Main Street at Wall Street in downtown Fort Scott are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The exhibition is pictorial with text that honors first responders from four local agencies, health care workers from five local agencies, and educators in five local public and private schools.
Lowell Milken Center’s Frontline Workers Exhibit, July 2021. Submitted photo.
“Contacts were made to all the different agencies, we received input from several administrators and staff,” Cathy Werling, spokesperson for LMC said.
Cathy Werling is a children’s book author at the Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, who has published several books depicting unsung heroes at a young child’s level of understanding.
This new exhibit has been made possible with funds received from a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation grant, according to an LMC press release.
“Work began on plans for the project in October of 2020 after we knew we received the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation grant,” Werling said. “Contacting and interviewing all of the various frontline worker’s staff began in January of 2021.”
“The Lowell Milken Center’s Fort Scott’s Frontline Heroes project highlights frontline professions within our community who have been directly dealing with pandemic issues in order to provide safe and direct action for our citizens,” according to the press release.
Law enforcement photo from the exhibit.
The following are recognized: firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical services workers, health care workers from Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department, Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department, and long-term care facilities, assisted/independent living facilities, and local teachers/administrators at schools.
Educators. Photo from the exhibit.
“The LMC believes these groups of workers are truly Fort Scott’s unsung heroes, as they have given so much of themselves to our community’s citizens during the pandemic and continue to do so,” according to the press release. “We encourage all Fort Scott area citizens to support these heroes by viewing the new exhibits at the Lowell Milken Center, sharing words of gratitude and support in the LMC guest book and through the LMC’s social media pages on Facebook – www.facebook.com/LowellMilkenCenter, Twitter – https://twitter.com/LowellMilkenCtr, and Instagram – www.instagram.com/LowellMilkenCtr.”
Emergency Medical Services workers. Photo from the exhibit.
COVID-19 is having a resurgence nationwide that includes Bourbon County.
The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department is located between 6th and Lowman Streets and 6th and Horton Streets.
“At this time, I would recommend that if Bourbon County residents vaccinated or unvaccinated cannot socially distance themselves from others in public settings, that they wear a mask,” said Rebecca Johnson, Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department Administrator said. “When I left work yesterday evening our active COVID-19 case count was up to 97.”
“This surge compares closest with the surge we had around Thanksgiving time last year,” she said.
“There have been breakthrough cases where fully vaccinated people have contracted COVID-19,” she said. “We have had several cases of the Delta variant, but according to KDHE’s last report, have not had any from the tests they’ve received, in the last three weeks.”
“The Delta variant is a highly contagious strain of the COVID-19 virus that has been detected in the states that surround us as well as many counties that surround Bourbon,” Johnson said.
“I also recommend getting vaccinated if you are able. Bourbon County has four COVID-19 providers: Bourbon County Health Department, Walmart, CHC-SEK, and Walgreens. Practice social distancing, use good hygiene, and stay home when sick!” she said.
Mondays are walk-in days, call for an appointment (620)223-4464.
CHC
Bourbon County COVID statistics provided by CHC/SEK.
Since July 1, 2021, the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas has tested 530 Bourbon County residents for COVID-19, Robert Poole, Communication and Marketing Director at CHC/SEK said.
“Of those, 167 tested positive for COVID-19,” he said. “The average age of a COVID-19 positive patient in Bourbon County, for the current month, is currently 34 years old.”
“These are CHC/SEK internal tracking numbers, and do not include the efforts and statistics of the Bourbon County Health Department, Via Christi ER, or other testers in Bourbon County,” Poole said.
According to information provided by CHC/SEK, if one tests positive for COVID-19, they should talk to their healthcare provider about monoclonal antibody treatment, which has been granted emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19, who are at high risk of developing severe symptoms. This treatment may reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations if given from 10 days from the onset of symptoms.
It is given by infusion at an infusion site with a provider’s order.
This treatment is for those who test positive for the disease, are 12 years and older, and within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
It is also for those over 65 years old, are obese/overweight based on CDC charts, pregnant, have chronic kidney disease, diabetes, immunosuppressive disease, chronic lung disease, Sickle Cell disease, neurodevelopmental disorders or have medical-related technology dependence: tracheostomy, gastrostomy, positive pressure ventilation, not related to COVID-19.
To get tested or get a vaccine contact CHC at 620-231-9873.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.
Girard Medical Center of Uniontown Clinic also has rapid testing of COVID-19 available and can schedule a vaccine as well. The clinic phone number is 620-756-4111.
Lori Reith, left, medical assistant, and Stephanie Hallacy, nurse practitioner, stand in front of the newly opened Girard Medical Center Uniontown Clinic.
CDC
The following is information taken from the Center of Disease Control website.
The Star Emporium Downtown General Store, 17 S. Main, January 2021.
A remodeled downtown building is being sold on August 10 to the highest bidder.
“The Bourbon County Commission took the (Kress) building over… Tuesday, July 13, and on July 19, during a special meeting, the county approved to publicize the sale of the Kress building at 17 S. Main, through a sealed bidding process,” Commissioner Lynne Oharah said.
“At this time BAJA Investments is still the owner of the building,” said Bourbon County Economic Director Rob Harrington. “However they are working with the county at this time to find a new owner of the building.”
“It (the bidding process for the building)) will appear in the paper (The Fort Scott Tribune) three consecutive weeks with the bids being opened on August 10,” Oharah said. “Two scenarios are being advertised. The bids can be for the property and contents or bids can be for the property only.”
Those interested in the property at 17 S. Main should send sealed bids addressed to the Bourbon County Clerk, 210 S National, Fort Scott, KS, 66701 clearly marking the envelope, Oharah said.
The building housed the Star Emporium Downtown General Store from January to May 2021, which was owned by BAJA Investments.
BAJA Investments was granted funds from the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas program for $450,000 for the project. SPARK grants were a part of the monies given to Kansas from the federal government to help with the ongoing effects of COVID-19, according to a prior interview.
The west end of the former Mercy Hospital, located on South Horton Street at Jayhawk Road.
The Fort Scott City Commission and the Bourbon County Commission signed a contract last week to facilitate Noble Health Corp’s feasibility study of the former Mercy Hospital building.
Mercy Hospital closed its doors in December 2018, following declining patient numbers and shrinking reimbursement.
The building is located just off Hwy. 69 on Fort Scott’s south side at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.
It currently houses the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas clinic and the Via Christi Emergency Department. Their leases are ending in 2022.
Noble Health Corp., Kansas City, announced on June 25, 2021, that it will explore the possibility of reopening an acute care hospital facility in Fort Scott, Kansas.
The city will contribute $200,000, the county $800,000 towards the feasibility study, according to the contract. The local government entities will be using American Rescue Plan money from the federal government for the project, according to Bourbon County Commissioner Clifton Beth.
The feasibility study will investigate the condition of title to the development property, the physical condition of the property, the zoning, the economic feasibility, and all matters relevant to the acquisition, usage, operation, valuation, and marketability of the property and the project, as the developer deems appropriate
Should the project prove feasible, the county agrees to contribute at least $2,000,000 to finance certain costs and expenses related to and associated with the project, according to the contract.
The following is the agreement that the Fort Scott City Commission and the Bourbon County Commissioners signed with Access Medical Advisors LLC and Noble Health Corp. on July 21, 2021.
Colt Lipe is attending a youth leadership forum this week in North Carolina. Submitted photo.
Colt Lipe, 11, was nominated by his Eugene Ware Elementary School Fifth-grade Teacher Abby Steppes to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum in Colorado this week.
“They are nominated for being a good role model and having leadership skills,” Steppes said of the nomination.
The forum is the Pathways to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Program by Envision LLC.
Envision is a for-profit, tuition-based education company that creates, markets, and runs career exploration and leadership development programs for students in elementary school through college, according to its website.
“What an opportunity for him,” said his mother Tina Lipe.
Colt’s father is David Lipe. The Lipe’s own both Sharkey’s Pub and Luther’s BBQ Restaurants in Fort Scott.
At the forum, Colt will learn the leadership skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and goal setting.
In addition, he will explore crime-solving skills, face a design challenge in engineering, and as a prospective medical student explore the anatomy of the heart and lungs and examine the medical needs of a patient then present a plan of care.
“Kids this age are figuring out who they are and what their passions are,” Steppes said.
A letter his parents Tina and Dave Lipe received to explain the forum. Submitted photo.
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.”
The front side of the Eagle Block Building on North National Avenue on July 21, 2021. Submitted photos.
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.
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.
“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.”
This photo from behind the Eagle Block Building, facing west, was taken on July 21, 2021. Submitted photos.
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 collapsed roof of the Eagle Block Building on July 21, 2021. The pile of bricks is around the hole on the roof that isn’t collapsed is on the roof of CDL. It appears that bricks fell from the collapsing building and landed on CDLs roof and put a hole through it. Submitted photos.
“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:
“It is my understanding that we will have two this year, one is supposed to be in August and another in December,” said Bourbon County Treasurer Patty Love. “( Bourbon County Counselor)Justin (Meeks) has filed around 80 properties with the District Court, these are the ones that will be on the first sale.”
“For this tax sale we will be selling properties with delinquent taxes 2016 and prior,” she said. “As soon as Justin gets me a list of the properties on the tax sale and a date set for the tax sale, they will be published in the Fort Scott Tribune and posted on the Bourbon County website @bourboncountyks.org. “
“The tax sale will be at 10:00 a.m. on the designated date,” she said. “Property owners can redeem their properties up until 4 p.m. the day prior to the tax sale by paying all delinquent taxes and the $200. court filing fee. The tax sale will start with a minimum bid (yet to be determined) and will be sold to the highest bidder. “
“In order to bid on the properties, you will need to complete a form in the Treasurer’s office stating that you are not related to or buying the property for the current owner,” Love said. “We will also check to make sure that the bidder has no unpaid Bourbon County property tax in order to get the bid number.”
“The benefit of the tax sale is that it allows us to take properties that are over three years delinquent and sell them. getting them back on the tax roll and bringing in money,” she said.
