The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce hosts Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greets from 8:30 to 9:30 am at a different downtown location for downtown business owners or representatives, or anyone in the community with an interest in downtown to attend and share thoughts and ideas related to downtown and to stay current on new happenings.
TOY SOLDIER CONTEST WINNER
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored its 2nd annual Toy Soldier Contest this year where the public could purchase blank wooden templates from the Chamber and express their artistic ability by painting the soldiers which are now on display for the public to view through the New Year.
A total of 13 new soldiers were submitted for judging this year, in addition to those entered last year for a total of 29 soldiers currently on display primarily in the Downtown Historic District.
After a tough decision by the judges, the prize of $50 in Chamber Bucks Certificates was awarded to Mathew Morgan of Uniontown who painted his soldier as The Grinch. Mathew’s winning soldier, along with two others, may be viewed in front of Nate’s Place, 750 S. National Avenue. Other soldiers are along Main Street and in front of the Courtland Hotel.
The Chamber would like to thank all who participated and is looking forward to next year’s contest. For questions or more information, contact the Chamber at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected].
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Dec. 13
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Dec. 12
Click below for the reports.
Local Wreaths Across America Ride Dec. 15
“We will meet at CFI, 4701 E. 32nd, Joplin, MO, Saturday 15 December at 8:00 am,” Kevin Wagner, organizer, said.
“We’ll go KSU from CFI at 8:15 am en route to Pittsburg Walmart, 2710 N. Broadway.”
“We should arrive at Walmart at approximately 9:00 am and plan to go KSU from there at 9:15 am to Ft. Scott National Cemetery.”
“A group from Fort Scott will be leaving 5 Corners Mini Mart, 1122 S Clark St, at 8:30 am en route to Pittsburg Wal Mart.”
Chamber Coffee at Community Christian Church Dec. 13
|
WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
|
|
Hwy. 69 in Bourbon County Completion Extended to 2019

Even though traffic is now running head-to-head on the new U.S. 69 corridor in Bourbon County, the section will not be completed until next year.
“We’re giving the contractor a time extension on this project because of extensive deterioration on the existing lanes,” Priscilla Petersen, Public Affairs Manager for the Southeast Office of the Kansas Department of Transportation, said.
“The deteriorated sections are to the point where additional concrete patching is necessary,” she said. “The contractor plans to begin removing the old pavement this month, but weather conditions won’t allow for placement of new concrete until next March. This extra patching extends the completion of the project until late spring/early summer of 2019.”
“A reduced speed limit of 55 mph is posted on the new lanes, with four crossovers posted at 45 mph. After the entire project is open to four-lane traffic the speed limit will again be increased to 65 mph.”
The Crawford County section will be next in the expansion to a four-lane highway from a two-lane highway.
“There are two connecting expansion projects planned for U.S. 69 in Crawford County,” Petersen said. “The first is the Arma Connection U.S. 69 expressway. The Arma Connection is six miles long. It will start at the U.S. 69/K-47 junction north of Pittsburg and continue north, ending three miles north of the Arma city limits. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in early 2020.”
“The U.S. 69 Crawford County expansion is five miles long. It will begin three miles north of the Arma city limits and end at the Crawford-Bourbon county line. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in early 2021.”
“I can’t give an exact date for completion of these projects since the plans are still being developed,” Petersen said. “Both projects would likely require two construction seasons. We’ll have more details moving forward.”
New Interpretive Signs Greet Kansas Byway Travelers
TOPEKA – Travelers on the 12 scenic or historic byways in Kansas will enjoy their trips even more this year thanks to new or upgraded interpretive signs at 39 locations across the state. Kansas Byways are a collection of routes that highlight the beauty, history and heritage of Kansas; help stimulate the economy through tourism; and promote a positive image of the state.
The Kansas Byways program is jointly managed by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), the Kansas Historical Society (KHS) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Nine of the routes are scenic byways (two of which are national scenic byways) and three are historic byways.
The latest $1.44 million project included construction of five new kiosks housing interpretive panels, the rehabilitation of 12 existing kiosks and their signs, 26 interpretive signage plazas and 12 Kansas Byway welcome boards which will guide travelers to the byways as they travel the state. In all, 142 panel surfaces were produced.
KDOT and KDWPT received a $220,000 National Scenic Byway grant from the FHWA in 2010 to develop the Kansas Byways Interpretive Plan. KDOT and KDWPT evenly split the required 20 percent match of $44,000. Fermata, Inc. of Austin, Tex., was awarded the contract for the plan, which served as the basis for the signage project.
In 2014, KDWPT received a two-phase Transportation Alternative Grant from the FHWA which was administered through KDOT for design and construction. RDG Planning and Design, Omaha, Neb., was responsible for the design phase ($235,560). GSR Construction, Inc., Lawrence, served as general contractor ($986,168) for the construction phase. KDWPT paid the required 20 percent match for each phase.
“The project is the result of a huge partnership, and we want to thank our partners in this effort,” said Scott Shields, KDOT Byways Manager. “They include the National Scenic Byway Program, the FHWA, local byway committees, KDOT and KDWPT staff, local Kansas Byway cities and counties and the KHS.”
Members of the local byway committees appreciate the enhancements to their byways.
“The kiosk and new interpretive signage add so much to the history and understanding of the surrounding area for tourists to stop and read,” said Kaye Kuhn, Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway, south central Kansas.
Jayne Humphrey Pearce added, “The Western Vistas Historic Byway Steering Committee is delighted that these new features are now available to those exploring our byway.”
For information about exploring the Kansas Byways, visit https://www.travelks.com/ksbyways/.
Bourbon County Commission Agenda Dec. 12
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Date: December 12th, 2018, 11 a.m.
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
11:00-Ambulance Services
Justifications for Executive Session:
Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel
Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency
Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships
Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property
Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Dec. 11
Click below to see daily reports.





