Fort Cinema is located at 224 W. 18th. Submitted photo.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on movie theaters throughout the nation.
It has also impacted Fort Cinema, located at 224 W. 18th.
“We have lost 70% of our revenue during the same time frame from a year ago,” Brent Cavin, who has worked and managed the theater since 2007, said. “Blockbuster movies continue to be pushed back by studios.”
In spite of this, the cinema owners have had community support.
“The community has been great about supporting us with purchasing of concessions and gift cards. We take it as a sign that our citizens want to make sure the theater remains in Fort Scott.”
Cavin is co-owner of Anderson and Cavin LLC, with his brother-in-law, Chris Anderson, and they have been in talks with the current theater owners, Des and Amanda Hale, about purchasing the theater, he said.
Recently they introduced video game rentals on the big screen.
“It is $100 for two hours, $50 per additional hour,” Cavin said.
Participants must bring in a console that has wireless control to use on the big screen.
“We’ve hosted multiple parties already for: MarioKart, FortNite and Super Smash Brothers,” he said. “The parties are a great way to gather with family and friends.”
MarioKart, a video game, can now be viewed on the big screen at Fort Cinema. Submitted photo.
The business has been practicing measures to ensure safety for its customers.
The theater requires employees to wear masks during customer interaction, they have put seating gaps in the viewing parties and they “deep sanitize” all heavy traffic areas in-between shows and while open, he said.
“The (gaming) initiative was created as a means to provide a safe environment to gather and have fun during a pandemic,” he said. ” We have had a few parties already that asked privately if they could connect a console to our projectors. When we realized that the content looked incredible on our screen we decided to go public with the idea. We have had a lot of success with opening our theater to private movie parties in the last few months and wanted to expand upon that premise.”
Rentals take place outside of normal business hours, Monday through Thursday. A theater can be rented anytime before 4 p.m. or after 8:30 p.m. On Friday through Sunday, they can be rented anytime before 1:30 p.m. or after 8:30 p.m.
Video game rental prices are $100 for two hours, with additional hours at $50 an hour.
Any wireless controller console can work, and WiFi is available for online gaming.
The cinema also offers theater rentals for movies: Classic movies are $100, new releases are $200.
“I would also like the public to know that we are open every day of the week with new movies again,” Cavin said.
Contact on Fort Cinema Facebook page via Messenger, or call (620) 223-3366 during the business hours of 6:00 to 9:00 nightly.
Pioneer Harvest Fiesta members will be threshing oats and baling hay on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. for the public to view some past farming practices in the county.
“This was meant to be done during the now-cancelled (Pioneer Harvest Fiesta) show. Anyone wanting to see how it was done in the past, or better yet, wanting to assist in threshing the oats, is welcome,” said Jim Kemmerer, a spokesman said. “We expect to be done by or before 11 AM.”
The PHF was canceled due to the COVID 19 Pandemic.
Please use the north entrance by Rogers Body Shop on west 19th Street.
Due to the 2020 Pioneer Harvest Fiesta celebration being canceled, Pioneer Harvest Fiesta is selling the 2020 T-shirts and hats that were printed for the show at a discount. $15.00 gets you both a shirt and a hat.
State Finance Council approves $290 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds for Child Supervision, Public Health, Other Essential Services
TOPEKA – The State Finance Council (SFC) today unanimously approved a total of $290 million for the public health, essential needs and services, and business resiliency and workforce development programs previously recommended by the Executive Committee of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce.
“These funds will provide child supervision for parents with school-age children to ensure they can keep working, reduce evictions, and provide tools to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I commend the SPARK taskforce and the State Finance Council, who crafted and approved these recommendations that will strongly support Kansans’ health and keep our state on the path economic recovery.”
Recognizing the constantly evolving health and economic needs created by the pandemic, the recommendations do not allocate all the funds immediately. Rather, the Office of Recovery will monitor demand for the funds from approved programs and submit additional allocations to the State Finance Council for approval. Each program requires a minimum be invested in an area of emphasis, which include COVID-19 testing, housing stability, and remote learning centers for school-age children. If those areas of emphasis do not require more funding, the remaining dollars in the reserve fund can be allocated to previous programs approved by the SFC in round 2.
“It was important to the SPARK taskforce to ensure there was flexibility and to not overcommit funds too early and be unable to respond should needs shift again this fall,” SPARK Chairman Lyle Butler said. “I want to thank SFC for sharing this concern and supporting a dynamic approach that will serve Kansas well.”
The $290 million approved today is for the third and final round of funding of the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is part of the federal CARES Act. Previously, SFC approved $400 million to Kansas counties (round 1) and $314 million for statewide priorities of public health, education, economic development, and connectivity (round 2).
“I want to thank both SPARK and the State Finance Council for providing the flexibility to deliver timely investments and ability to respond to shifting needs,” Recovery Office Executive Director Julie Lorenz said. “With flexibility comes an even greater need for transparency and accountability for how these funds are utilized and we remain committed to reporting our progress to SPARK, SFC, and Kansans so they can see how their tax dollars are being spent.”
Below is a breakdown of the minimum investment requirements and allocations approved for each program.
FORT SCOTT, KS, (September 16, 2020) – Washburn Rural Middle School student Allison Reed just learned via Zoom that she is the $6,000 Grand Prize winner of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes’ annual Discovery Award competition. Through research and a compelling documentary, Reed’s entry “All the World Loves a Baby” explores the actions of Martin Couney, who in 1920 determined to save premature babies, assumed by the medical establishment to be a lost cause. By placing the tiny infants in incubators displayed in carnival sideshows to fund the effort, Couney saved thousands of lives. Hospitals eventually followed suit.
According to Norm Conard, executive director of the Lowell Milken Center (LMC), All the World Loves a Baby is an exceptional project in every way. Allison Reed has assembled a documentary which shows a brilliant quality of work. The story of Martin Couney is unique, unsung and inspirational. We look forward to expanding this story in an exhibit for our Hall of Unsung Heroes.” Conard also congratulated Reed’s teachers Lindsey Dowell and Alice Bertels.
From its base in Fort Scott, Kansas, LMC has awarded elementary, middle and high school students $13,000 in cash prizes in its 2019-20 Discovery Award competition. The international competition is designed to inspire students by prompting them to conduct primary and secondary research projects on unsung heroes from history whose accomplishments remain largely unknown to the public.
The $2,000 Second Place award has gone to Elaine Jiao, Dayoung (Grace) Lee, and Zara Qizilbash from Jericho High School in Jericho, New York. The students combed through court case literature, utilized book research, conducted interviews and created a documentary to tell the story of unsung hero Ann Hopkins in their entry Ann Hopkins: Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Employment. Hopkins was denied partnership at the accounting firm Price Waterhouse for not dressing or acting feminine enough. In 1982, she sued and her case made it to the Supreme Court, where it was settled in her favor establishing a precedent for discrimination in the workplace. [Teacher Valerie Conklin.]
The $2,000 Outstanding High School Project award has gone to Megan Allacher, a Seaman High School student in Topeka, KS. Allacher utilized Internet research and created a website to tell the story of unsung hero Jackie Ormes in her entry Jackie Ormes: First African American Female Cartoonist. Through her art, Ormes portrayed real-life issues African Americans faced and was an activist for racial as well as gender equality. [Teachers Nathan McAlister and Susan Sittenauer.]
The $2,000 Outstanding Middle School Project award has gone to Jericho Middle School student Kaitlyn Choi in Jericho, NY. Conducting research and interviews, Choi developed a website to tell the story of unsung hero James Reese Europe: The Jazz Lieutenant. Europe not only was the first African American officer to lead troops in World War I, he was also a composer, conductor and organizer who created a labor union and contracting agency for African American entertainers. Leading a wartime brass band in France, he introduced jazz to the European continent. [Teacher Konstantine Kovoros.]
The $1,000 Outstanding Elementary School Project award has gone to Nicholas Turco, a Carolina Park Elementary School student in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Turco’s research led to his documentary Discoveries for the Centuries, sharing the struggles and achievements of unsung hero Mary Anning. Anning defied sexism in the scientific community as a successful fossil collector and paleontologist who made several discoveries that changed paleontology forever. [Teacher Mary Huffman.]
The $13,000 in cash prizes can be used in any way students see fit. Due to COVID-19, students were notified about their winnings via video call.
LMC’s Discovery Award provides U.S. and international students in grades 4 through 12 a unique opportunity to use their artistic talents to develop projects that showcase the power one person has to make positive change in the world. Projects can take the form of documentary/multimedia, performance or website and require robust research, an annotated bibliography and a process paper. The unsung heroes’ stories must show potential for life beyond the development of the project, and an ability to inspire students and others to take sustainable actions that carry out the legacies of their subjects.
“Real heroes tower and guide,” said LMC Founder Lowell Milken. “But their stories need to be discovered and heard. And when we do, we have the opportunity to motivate new generations to aspire to values that are essential during the challenging times we face individually, as a nation and as a world community.”
Submissions for the next competition season will open mid-2021.
Established in 2007, the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (LMC) discovers, develops and communicates the stories of unsung heroes who have made a profound and positive impact on history, yet are largely unrecognized by contemporary generations. LMC has reached over 2,000,000 students and 11,000 schools in all 50 states and countries around the world. Learn more about LMC and the Discovery Award. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
The Fort Scott City Commission will hold a special meeting on Monday September 21st, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room at City Hall, 123 S. Main. This meeting is open to the public.
This meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.
This weekend in conjunction with the weekend downtown sidewalk sale, citizen organizers will have a blue tent set up at the corner of 2nd Street and South National Ave (former Shining Studio location) to assist anyone with voter registration. The deadline to register is October 13th to be able to vote in the November 3rd National Election.
Also, registered voters who reside within the City of Fort Scott can consider the PETITION FOR PLACING THE CHARTER ORDINANCE 31 ON THE BALLOT.
Additional information will be available for an understanding why consideration by the voters is critical for the improvements needed for our SEWER AND STORM SEWER RESERVE FUNDS to be used as set forth in the Kansas Constitution and not moved to the City’s general fund.
All visitors to the tent will be given a free personal copy of THE U.S. CONSTITUTION as a token of appreciation for your interest.
See the update from Misty Adams at the bottom of this feature.
Raymond Harper, 19, was kayaking at Lake Fort Scott on Sunday, Sept. 13 and went missing. On Sept. 14 a body was taken from the lake, for an autopsy to be performed.
Memorial services are planned for Harper on Sept. 21.
Misty Adams put this on her Facebook page yesterday.
“Chuck and Connie Harper of Fort Scott suffered a family loss no parent wishes to encounter. On the evening of Sunday, September 13th their beloved son, Raymond had an accident at the Fort Scott Lake while kayaking. His family in the past 24 hours have suffered so much, but today their worst fear became reality when Raymond’s body was recovered from the lake.”
“If you know Chuck and Connie you know these two have hearts of gold and both have been foster parents to a lot of children. They love others when others don’t. They help others when needed and give support when needed. They are special people to me and to many others.”
“Connie was recently diagnosed with cancer and has been battling that fight and now has to deal with the loss of a child. So much pain and suffering for one family who have a heart of gold.”
Adams asked the public to pray for the Harper family in the days ahead.
“I am also asking that our community supports this family like I know Fort Scott people can. We need to bless this family like they have other families and children who the Harper’s have been their foster family.”
“A memorial fund account was opened at Union State Bank today to cover funeral expenses. His funeral arrangements are under the care of Konantz Cheney. I ask that you help this family with the funeral expenses they are now burdened with. Our goal is to raise $15,000 for the family in the next few days ahead.”
“Please understand the $15K is just a number that we felt like would cover any and all expenses,” Adams said in an email interview. ” We do not even know if we will raise that much money, but anything we can do to ease the parent’s worry is a blessing. We are so very thankful to those who do contribute to his memorial fund.”
“Any money left over will stay in the memorial fund,” Adams said in the interview.
“Donations can be mailed to Union State Bank
PO Box 546 Fort Scott Ks 66701 or hand-delivered to their location at 1009 S Clark St Fort Scott Ks. Those wishing can also send a donation to Konantz Cheney Funeral Home at 15 W Wall St Fort Scott Ks 66701. Please make checks payable to Raymond Harper Memorial Fund.
“Please donate no amount is too small as every dollar is a blessing to this family. Please share this post to help spread the word and God Bless you all,️ Misty Adams, Tisha Miller and Sara Vaughn Mills.”
UPDATE
“God answered some prayers,” Adams told fortscott.biz “The funeral expenses are covered for the family. The Harper family wasn’t sure how to cover such a large expense unexpectedly, but our God answered their prayers. Connie Harper contacted me immediately yesterday, and we felt like the account needed to continue in his honor. We know we no longer need the goal we set forth for his funeral expenses, but if people are willing to donate towards the scholarship fund, we will accept funds in Raymond’s honor.”
“We will be turning the account into a Fort Scott High School Scholarship fund for cross-county athletes. The funds will be used to award a cross country Senior athlete a scholarship.”
“The Harper family and those organizing this memorial fund appreciate the prayers, support, generosity, and those who have contributed already to this amazing young man we are remembering. Thank you- Misty Adams, Tisha Miller, and Sara Mills.”
Jennifer Wilson-Loving, HR Manager at The Timken Company in Fort Scott, KS hands a check off to Dana White, CFO, and Crystal Beshore, Outpatient Services Manager of Nevada Regional Medical Center.
The Timken Foundation of Canton recently approved a grant proposal from Nevada Regional Medical Center (NRMC) Foundation to fund the purchase of a new endoscope sterilization system which will allow NRMC to double the number of scopes that may be performed on any given day.
The Timken grant amount of $45,000 will fund the majority of the project, which totals nearly $74,000. The project is being co-funded by the NRMC Auxiliary in the amount of $25,000.
In June of 2019, the hospital purchased a new high-tech endoscope system. The new sterilizer will not only increase the efficiency and speed of the sterilization process, but it will extend the life of the new equipment by reducing wear and tear as they are disinfected.
“We are very grateful for this investment into our endoscopy program,” said Dana White, CFO at NRMC. “This will help us to take the best care possible of our patients and improve workflow for our employees.”
Charles Wesley Smith, 95, of Fort Scott, passed away Wednesday afternoon September 16, 2020 at Medicalodge. He was born April 27, 1925, in Devon, Kansas, the son of William George and Bertha Mae (Sauerwein) Smith. He married Ruth Irene Johnston on July 16, 1950, and she preceded him in death in 1988. He married Maxine Louise Kinney on April 30, 1990, and she survives. Charlie and Ruth lived in Louisburg, Kansas from 1950 until 1955, and then Winfield, Kansas. Charlie moved to Fort Scott in 1990. He and Maxine have lived in Fort Scott since 1990.
Charlie graduated from Fulton High School in 1943 and entered Fort Scott Junior College in 1946. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Kansas State University in 1950, and his Master’s Degree from Colorado State University in 1967.
Charlie was the Vocational Ag instructor at Louisburg High School from 1950-1955 and started the first Louisburg FFA Chapter. He worked for the Kansas Extension Service and was the Cowley County Extension Agent from 1955 until 1988.
He served and held office in a number of organizations. He was a board member for the National County Agents Association, was Director of the NCAA North Central Region covering 12 states, Chairman of the NCAA National Scholarship Committee. He served as President, Vice President, and Secretary for the Kansas County Agents Association and was also Board Director for the Kansas State University Ag Alumni.
Charlie received numerous awards and recognitions including Epsilon Sigma Phi State Distinguished Ag Service Award, Epsilon Sigma Phi Meritorious Service Award, National Association of County Agents Distinguished Award, Kansas State 4-H Award, and was both the Jaycee Community Man of the Year and Kiwanis Layman of the Year.
He was active in the First Christian Church of Winfield, Kansas and was also an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Fort Scott, Kansas. He taught high school age Sunday school classes, and he taught Bible study classes in the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center. He also volunteered at Mercy Hospital. He and Maxine received the Award of Merit from the Fort Scott City Commission.
Charlie is survived by his three children David Smith of Lawrence, Kansas, Dennis Smith and wife Carol of Louisburg, Kansas, and Sandra Bowzer and husband Greg of Omaha, Nebraska; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Georgia Mae Hill of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and Ann Simonsen of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; a step-daughter, Judy Kinney Hunter and husband Bill of Platte City, Missouri; a step-son, Doug Kinney and wife Lynn of Manhattan, Kansas; three step-grandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren. In addition to his first wife Ruth, Charlie was also preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, William Smith.
Rev. Dr. Jared Witt will conduct graveside services at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Winfield, Kansas, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Heifer International and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
