The Josh Jones family: with wife Karen and daughters Madi and Taylor, and son, David. Submitted photo.
Josh Jones believes Fort Scott is full of wonderful people and he enjoys giving back to his community, he said.
This Saturday, Sept. 26 Jones is sponsoring a movie night at shelter house #5 in Gunn Park.
Gunn Park
“This is just a simple way for me to give back to the community and our children,” Jones said. “I want to encourage citizens that have ideas to reach out to local governments or even myself to put those ideas into action. We don’t always need large projects to make a difference and sometimes even the smallest idea or act can change someone’s thoughts about Bourbon County. Fort Scott’s greatest asset is the pride our community has and we have an opportunity to make Fort Scott stand out because of that pride.”
The movie will be outside at shelter house #5, near the camping area of Gunn Park.
“Masks are recommended if in close contact but since it is outdoors there is plenty of room for social distancing,” Jones said. “Bring chairs, blankets or anything that would be comfortable to sit on.”
There is a $10 camping fee, on a first-come first-served basis, if a family is interested in camping at the park. One can make payment at the kiosk at the entrance to the camping spaces, according to a spokesman for the City of Fort Scott.
The Butcher Block, a local butcher, will start selling hamburger meals for $5 and hot dog meals for $4 starting around 7 pm.
The movie, Sgt. Stubby starts at 7:30 p.m.
The storyline of St. Stubby is in World War I, when a U.S. Army Infantry Division serviceman has a little dog with a stubby tail wander into his camp. The man, Robert Conroy, gives the dog a name and takes him on an adventure into the war. It is based on a true story. The full story of Sgt. Stubby can be viewed at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes at the corner of Wall and Main Street in downtown Fort Scott.
Your Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 is being asked to provide funeral honors for more and more Veterans who are being interred not only in the Fort Scott National Cemetery but also in cemeteries in the local area.
As a member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion you are invited to join American Legion Post 25 Color Guard. Attendance at Legion meetings is not required to participate with the Color Guard. Some time, though, is needed to practice flag folding and presentation and other the other rituals performed by the Color.
As a Color Guard member, you would be contacted to assist in providing funeral honors for an area Veteran. If you are not available, then other Color Guard members would be contacted to assist with the flag presentation.
Sseveral photos are attached to show our Post Color Guard participating in flag presentations for recent funerals.
Remember, any current member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion can join the Post 25 Color Guard.
If you would like additional information about joining the Post 25 Color Guard, please call Color Guard Commander Darrell Spencer at 620.224.6720 or reply to this email.
Any area resident who may be eligible to join the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion, should contact Post 25 Commander Carl Jowers at 620.215.1688 for more information. Once you join the American Legion family, you can then join the Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 Color Guard.
On mornings when I walk on the east side of the lake, two dogs—from houses a half-mile apart–join me. They frolic, munch on each other’s necks, scamper after squirrels, drink from mud puddles and sometimes walk down the center of the road. Neither listens to me when I explain the dangers in that decision. I ask them to mimic me: walk on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic. They pretend not to understand.
Yesterday, a truck came over a hill in time to brake for the dog that was in its lane. If looks could kill! The woman driver and male passenger glared at me. Not the dog. Me! I mouthed very clearly, “It’s. Not. My. Dog.,” but when they pulled away, they still were shaking their heads.
Sooooo not my fault! And yes, I love it when I’m innocent, probably because it’s rare when blame belongs to the other person, or in this case, dog. Typically, I am responsible for whatever has gone wrong, and most of the time, I have no problem admitting it. (Do not ask my husband to verify that statement.) My frustration comes from other people who cannot admit they make a mistake, politicians in particular.
Republicans and Democrats, take note: sometimes the best thing you can do for your country is to admit the error of your ways. (Am I hearing an “Amen”?)
Nancy Pelosi was videoed having her hair done inside a San Francisco salon. My granddaughter is a stylist in California and, with the exception of two weeks, has been out of work for months because of state mandates closing those businesses. I understand Ms. Pelosi wanting her hair colored and trimmed. She is in the spotlight almost daily, and gray roots would cause her constituents (and certainly her enemies) to murmur. Walmart’s root-dye probably wouldn’t have worked for her, like it had to for the rest of us during this pandemic.
But her apology left me aghast! “I want to apologize for being caught in a trap set for me. I should have seen it coming.” In other words, Ms. Pelosi considers herself too sharp to fall for being set up. Her apology was, in essence, nothing more than bragging about her cleverness.
I was more than aghast. I was aghastest. Wouldn’t it have been better had she admitted to making a bad judgment call and say that she was sorry? You know, the truth?
When one of our sons was younger, he was marched back inside Walmart to return a stolen package of gum and apologize to the manager. There was no “I apologize that I wasn’t smart enough to hide this better from my mother.” That wouldn’t have been an apology. That would have been reason for a spanking. Yet, that’s what Ms. Pelosi did.
Perhaps Ms. Pelosi needs a spanking.
The Blame Game began in the Garden of Eden. Eve listened to the serpent, juiced up on a piece of fruit, shared it with her hubby, and the rest is history, eternal history. We are only three chapters into Genesis when God asked what happened. Adam made a life-altering boo-boo with this response:“The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” In other words, God and Eve were responsible.
Adam needed a spanking. Actually, what he got was worse than a few swats. He and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. Eve forever would be under the authority of her husband who would have to do manual labor to survive. I wonder how different things would have been had they both apologized and asked for forgiveness. God, who is rich in mercy and grace, just might have treated their punishment differently. We all should learn from their sin.
I’m still hoping Ms. Pelosi will come to her senses and take responsibility for her actions. I have a feeling I’m in for a long wait.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to include Aruba. Aruba was previously on the list and was removed September 10. However, it’s rates have increased over the last two weeks to 4.2 times the rate of new COVID-19 cases in Kansas and subsequently, is being added.
A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:
Traveled to Aruba on or after September 24.
Attendance at any out-of-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.
Mass gatherings are defined as any event or convening that brings together 500 or more persons in a single room or space at the same time such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, theater or any other confined indoor or outdoor space. This includes parades, fairs and festivals. Mass gatherings does not include normal operations of airports, bus and train stations, medical facilities, libraries, shopping malls and centers, or other spaces where 500 or more persons may be in transit. It also does not include typical office environments, schools, restaurants, factories or retail/grocery stores where large numbers of people are present, but it is unusual for them to be within 6 feet of one another for more than 10 minutes.
“If you are choosing to travel or attend mass gathering events, please know that there are inherent risks,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “Be sure to wear masks, practice social distancing and use proper hand hygiene. And, if you’re not feeling well, stay home!”
Many small businesses do not have the ability to offer health insurance to their employees, some have the ability but would like to look at other options.
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce has been working on a plan to help that situation.
An association health plan through the Chamber is being formulated to help members to be able to offer Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance to their employees.
“Our hope is that this will be beneficial to particularly smaller mom and pop, locally owned businesses who are not otherwise able to obtain or offer health insurance as an employee benefit which would also help recruit and retain employees,”Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison said. “A business just needs to have one full-time employee and one part-time employee, at a minimum, to be able to participate in the plan.”
Lindsay Madison is the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
“We currently have 44 potential contracts represented by those who have completed the survey (see the survey link below),” she said. “We need at least 50 to move forward with putting together plans and pricing.”
“If your business is at all interested in this type of health insurance offering or at least seeing what plans and rates will be offered,
please complete the survey link below as soon as possible,” Madison said.
“If the employer already has employee info on a spreadsheet, they can submit that,” Madison said.
The survey was first sent out to Chamber members in May, she said.
“We would like people to send as soon as possible, by Sept. 30. Companies can still come on board beyond that date, but we need a cut-off date.”
The Chamber is formulating this plan through member and local insurance representative Don Doherty of
Northwestern Mutual Life, RPS Benefits, Inc.
“Information on the attached (below) is what the employer will need to complete on the survey, so they could have their employees complete this form, or provide this information in an Excel format to Blue Cross Blue Shield. They would send the information directly to Donna Pashman of BCBS of KS, email [email protected],” Madison said.
“If businesses are already on BCBS and have interest in seeing what the Chamber plans and pricing will be, they can email Donna and simply reference the Fort Scott Chamber Plan, Business Name, and current BCBS member number,” she said.
The survey link is also currently on the Chamber website fortscott.com under the Events tab.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Fort Scott, is offering a 3-day drive-through flu shot clinic in the parking lot at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. today-Saturday. There is no out-of-pocket cost for participants.
Times for the clinic are: Thursday 9/24: 2:00 PM-7:00 PM, Friday 9/25: 7:00 AM-Noon, and Saturday 9/26, 9:00 PM-3:00 PM. Participants are asked to wear a facemask to protect CHC/SEK staff, and to help keep the vaccination line moving, please wear clothing where your shoulder is easily exposed.
Getting a flu vaccine this fall will be more important than ever, not only to reduce your risk from flu but also to conserve potentially scarce health care resources. This is standard-dose inactivated flu vaccine, CHC/SEK does not have high-dose available at this time.
The drive through flu clinic is recommended for everyone two years of age and older, with rare exceptions, because it is an effective way to decrease flu illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
By getting a flu shot now, you will protect yourself and your family and friends.
At CHC/SEK, there is no out-of-pocket cost for receiving a flu shot. For those with health insurance, their insurance will be billed for the service; however, no money will be collected from participants regardless of their insurance status.
Getting an annual flu shot, and good health habits like washing your hands can help stop germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing may prevent those around you from getting sick. Make it a habit to clean and disinfect commonly used surfaces in your home, school or office. Flu vaccines and good hand hygiene are still the go-to recommendations for prevention; however, public health officials say it’s just as important to contain the virus, which means staying home when you’re sick.
Donna Lea Hall, age 78, resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, died peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at her home while surrounded by her family.
She was born on October 4, 1941, in Redfield, Kansas, to Edwin Elmer Christy and Edith Alice Hartman Christy.
She married the love of her life, Clete Hall on January 13, 1962, in Miami, Oklahoma. It is alleged by him that they met when she honked at him while driving around town. Donna was an avid KU Jayhawks basketball fan and her family delighted in watching her cheer them on by yelling at the television. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and attending her grandchildren’s athletic games and school events. She had a very close bond with each of her grandchildren and will be greatly missed.
Donna is survived by her beloved husband of 58 years, Clete Hall, a son, Brian Hall and wife Joyce, Fort Scott, Kansas, a daughter, Stacy Carpenter and husband Doug, Bryan, Texas, a daughter, Cheryl Gallagher and partner Jason Locke, Spring Hill, Kansas, 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Beatrice Christy, a sister, Carol Christy and a brother, Edwin (Junior) Christy.
Rev. Paul Rooks will conduct memorial services at 10:00 AM Friday, October 2nd, at the Grace Baptist Tabernacle. Family committal will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Grace Baptist Tabernacle from 9:00 AM until service time on Friday morning.
Memorials are suggested in lieu of flowers to either Grace Baptist Tabernacle or Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
