Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Mistletoe on Main Street, Downtown & Around Dec. 12

Leave a comment

Mistletoe on Mainstreet (4)

 

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces Mistletoe on Main Street, Downtown & Around will be held this Thursday evening, December 12th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Retailers in the downtown historic district and other locations throughout town will be decked for the holidays with great gift ideas and will offer refreshments for a fun evening of shopping for gifts and holiday décor.

Store locations will have hidden mistletoe that can be found and returned to the Chamber of Commerce in exchange for $10 in Chamber Bucks, and shoppers will also be able to enter their name in a drawing for a chance to win $50 in Chamber Bucks as well.

Participating stores include: Bids & Dibs, Books & Grannies, Courtland Hotel and Spa, Fort Scott National Historic Site Visitor’s Center, Hedgehog.INK, Iron Star Antiques and Such, J&W Sports Shop, Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes, Main Street Gallery & Gifts, Papa Don’s Pizza, The Lavender Patch, Sekan’s Occasion Shop, Front Door Christmas Store & also DelBrenna Jewelry will be open in Crooner’s Lounge/Liberty Theatre, Sunshine Boutique, Nancy’s Gift Corner (inside Heidrick’s True Value), Treasure Hunt Flea Market and Hole in the Wall Liquor will be having Whiskey tastings.

Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information on this event at (620)223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.

Art, Entertainment, Fort Scott Community College

Christmas Dinner Theatre Dec. 14: A First For HPA

Leave a comment
The Liberty Theater is the venue of the HPA Christmas Dinner Theatre and fundraiser. Pictured is a group of diners at a previous Liberty Theater function.

The First Annual Bourbon County Historial Preservation Association  Christmas  Dinner Theatre and Fundraiser Auction will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Liberty Theater in downtown Fort Scott.

The Fort Scott Community College Drama Department is the entertainment for the dinner theater.

Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce office for $25.

“Christmas Unplugged” is the name of the play the FSCC Drama Department is performing, under the direction of Allen Twitchell.

Several local actors are featured.

Annabelle Moore of Lyndon, Isabella Loyd of Fort Scott, Abby Jazmin Havens of Pittsburg, Colton Hofer of Fort Scott, Abby Sweat of Pleasanton, Anthony Oneri of Gardner, and Allen Twitchell of Fort Scott.

Music will be provided by the Apostolic Christian Church Choir under the direction of Alita Banwart with Jerry Bahr on guitar.

 

Twitchell explains the storyline:  “A grandfather walks into the living room and encounters all his grandkids riveted to their cell phones, oblivious to the world around them.”

“He demands their participation in an old-fashioned Christmas tradition by reading ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ After the story is read, a knock on the door reveals a group of carolers from the past. They sing for the family, who decides to start a new Christmas Eve eve tradition.”

 

See the source image

 

The dinner theatre takes the annual HPA fundraiser in a different direction.

 

“We didn’t have Homes for the Holidays last year, and decided to change directions with our Christmas program,” Bourbon County Historical Association President Brian Allen said. ” We will be selling a few items from our extensive collection at the event. The items to be auctioned are still being determined. ”

 

“Enjoy some food, drink and entertainment from the FSCC Drama Department. Doors open at 6:00 pm program starts at 7:00 and concludes with a special auction you won’t want to miss,” Allen said.

See more on the Bourbon County HPA Facebook page.

Obituary

Obituary of James “Archie” Edwards

1 Comment

James A. “Archie” Edwards, Sr., age 73, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Friday, December 6, 2019, at his home.  He was born April 10, 1946, in Pittsburg, Kansas, the son of Charles Edwards and Mary Watson Edwards.

Archie married Carol Hall on February 18, 1971, at Girard, Kansas.  Archie had been employed by Ft. Scott Sanitation for many years.  In addition, he also delivered newspapers for the Ft. Scott Tribune.  In earlier years, Archie enjoyed pulling ponies and attending stock car races.  He also liked watching the Andy Griffith Show and Judge Judy with his family.

 

Survivors include his wife, Carol, of the home; his children, Sharla Hall, of Nevada, James A. Edwards, Jr. and Jesse Edwards and wife, April, all of Ft. Scott.  Also surviving are four grandchildren, Jessica Parker, Whitney Allen, Russlyn Edwards and Trent Edwards and eleven great-grandchildren.  Also surviving are two brothers, Bill Edwards and wife, Virginia, of Pittsburg, Kansas and Clarence Edwards, of Mulberry, Kansas and a sister, Rosezina Hemmburg, also of Pittsburg.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

 

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, December 13th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to the Archie Edwards Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda Dec. 10

Leave a comment

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: December 10, 2019

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

9:00-9:45 – Jim Harris

10:00-10:15 – Vivian Moore/Enid Large – 35% increase in taxes

11:00-11:45 – Justin Meeks

Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Fort Scott Community College

Chamber Coffee at FSCC Dec. 12

Leave a comment

December 12th Chamber Coffee

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces that the weekly Chamber Coffee will be hosted by Fort Scott Community College on Thursday, December 12th at 8 a.m., 2108 S. Horton St. The event will be held in the newly expanded Agriculture Building, just north of Arnold Arena.

Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community as well as learn about the business or organization hosting the Coffee. Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information. Visit the Events Calendar and category of Chamber Coffees on fortscott.com for upcoming locations.

Fort Scott, Government

Audit of City of Fort Scott: Future Savings

Leave a comment
Brandon Russell, a plant operator, does testing on Fort Scott’s water in the water treatment plant in a file photo.

Last week the City of Fort Scott announced a city-wide infrastructure project to look at energy savings, growth in facilities, building, parks, and downtown redevelopment, through a multi-national company called Schneider Electric.

Swimming lessons at the Fort Scott Aquatic Center in a file photo.

FortScott.Biz contacted the company to get a clearer view of the project.

“Schneider Electric’s team of engineers and construction experts audited every facility, park, and infrastructure owned or operated by the City of Fort Scott, “Brian Puffer, Regional Marketing Manager of
Energy and Sustainability Services for Schneider Electric said.

Puffer’s office is in Franklin, TN but the headquarters are located near Paris, France.

Memorial Hall at Third and National Avenue.

Reducing energy consumption and future operation and capital burdens

“The goal was to identify opportunities to help reduce energy, operational and future capital burdens facing the city,” he said. “Our team worked with city administration to focus the scope of the project on those items that create the biggest impact and will be funded through the reduction of energy and operational expenses.”

Buck Run Community Center

The following facilities will be impacted:

  • Airport
  • Aquatic Center
  • Buck Run Community Center
  • City Hall
  • Davis Life Station
  • Animal Shelter
  • Fire Station #2
  • Golf Course
  • Gunn Park
  • LaRoche Stadium
  • Memorial Hall
  • Public Safety (Fire/Police)
  • Public Works
  • Water Distribution
  • Water Production Plant
  • Wastewater Treatment
The City of Fort Scott’s Public Safety Facility.

“Our team creates detailed energy models based on the current equipment and operational parameters of each facility,” Puffer said. “This allows us to determine what changes and impact a specific scope item (lights, HVAC, envelope, etc.) will have across a specific building or the entire city as a whole.”

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

Creating New Revenue

“The goal is to take what was generally viewed as an expense in energy and maintenance costs and redirect those dollars into capital investments,” he said.  “So, when referring to a new revenue stream, we are really tapping into what is lost to a utility from an operational expense and reinvesting those dollars into a capital need.”

 

LaRoche Baseball Stadium.

 

For the original Schneider Electric press release, click below:

City-Wide Infrastructure Project Begins

Fort Scott Airport.
Gunn Park entrance.
Government, Health Care, Kansas

New Website to Assist Kansans Coping with Ag-Related Stress

Leave a comment

 

KansasAgStress.org offers resources and support for Kansas agriculture community

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. —  Agriculture producers have faced significant challenges in recent years, including market uncertainties, natural disasters, ongoing trade wars and other setbacks. These stressful situations have led to heightened focus on mental health issues in the agricultural community. In response, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, along with several Kansas ag partners, have unveiled a new website to provide resources and support to those dealing with ag-related stress. The website can be found at KansasAgStress.org.

 

“The increase in suicide rates among farmers and ranchers is alarming,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “We must do everything in our power to curb this trend. The website provides additional resources and support to individuals and their loved ones. We must provide our farmers and ranchers alternatives to suicide. We must be there for them.”

 

The new website addresses the challenges that Kansas farmers, ranchers and their families face in today’s ag industry. Recent natural disasters, depressed commodity prices and other issues weigh heavily on farm families and can take a toll that leads to mental and emotional distress, substance abuse, anxiety, depression and even suicide. Visitors to the website will be able to find local and national resources for those issues, as well as support in areas ranging from stress management to financial and legal challenges.

 

“This website is intended to be a collaborative effort to support the emotional and financial health challenges for Kansans, especially those involved in agriculture,” Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam said. “Many people were involved in the development of the website. Our hope is that it will be a positive resource for people struggling during difficult times.”

 

KansasAgStress.org features resources and support for every member of the family, from teens to aging adults. Unique resources are also available to assist our farmer veterans, who face the issues that come with farming, along with the possible challenges of being a military veteran.

 

“The purpose of this website is to help care for and assist Kansas farmers and ranchers in their well-being,” Beam said. “As more tools are developed and come available, this website will be updated and serve as a hub of current information and resources.”

 

The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the State of Kansas is committed to serving Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and the customers they serve. Together with our partners, we have made it a priority to provide support and assistance to Kansans battling ag-related stress and mental health struggles.

 

Bourbon County Local News