Notice of City Office Closed – Wednesday, July 4th, 2018
The City of Fort Scott will be closed on Wednesday, July 4th, 2018 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Thursday, July 5th, 2018.
The Fort Scott Police Department daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.
The FSPD is located at 1604 S. National, Fort Scott, KS 66701 and is reached at 620-223-1700.
The day after my granddaughter Amanda’s wedding in Las Vegas, Dave and Nikki, her parents, worked a charity golf tournament for Quinton Robbins, the twenty-year-old family friend who had been murdered in the Las Vegas concert massacre last year. Since his death, Quinton’s parents have determined to keep his memory alive. His friends have done likewise.
On the side of the large hill in Henderson, Nevada, Basic High School classmates painted a gigantic “Q” beside the “B” that, for years, has served as a source of pride for the students. Should you visit that area, it will not be uncommon to see Quinton’s logo– a Q, antlers, a fishing hook and #3 for his sports jerseys’ number–on the rear window of several vehicles.
Joe and Tracey, Quinton’s parents, started a “Random Act of Kindness” tribute in their son’s name by creating 3” x 2” cards to be shared. (See insert above.) The cards went viral. People at dry cleaners, movie theaters, gas stations and restaurants would “Play It Forward” (“Play,” not “Pay” because of their son’s love of sports) and leave Quinton’s card for individuals behind them. They, in turn, would post on Facebook how they had been blessed.
At one In-N-Out, a restaurant where Amanda worked, twenty-eight cars in a row participated! Can you imagine what fun the attendant had, sharing with each car at the drive-through what number they were? “Sir, you are the 11th in line to keep this going.” “Ma’am, you are the 19th to play forward.” “Folks, you have just put an end to 28 people blessing others. Not cool!” (Okay, that didn’t happen, but I bet it crossed the employee’s mind.)
We all had a big laugh when Dave, our son-in-law, shared his experience about paying for the lone woman in the car behind him at a drive-through. After all, what could one person possibly cost? Thirty-seven dollars, to be exact. Either she was really hungry, or she was carrying out for her entire family. Whatever the reason, Dave said from that point on, he would put a cap on his contribution.
In spite of the Robbins’ desire to bless, the pain of Quinton’s death continues. At Amanda’s wedding, everyone understood when Tracey and Joe left during the groom’s dance with his mother. Still, they press on, creating scholarships in their son’s name. They are a testimony to the truth of Romans 8:28:And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
When adversity strikes, we long for our tears to evaporate, our disappointments to fade, our suffering to vanish. None of that can happen without God’s provision to meet those needs.
Joe and Tracey refuse to let their son’s death stifle their commitment to be used by God. They respond to their personal grief by knowing the day will come when, thanks to Jesus, they will be reunited with Quinton in Heaven. After all, who paid it forward more than our Savior?
I am inspired to follow the Robbins’ lead and continue their Play It Forward memorial. Perhaps you will be inspired to do the same.
“The Most EPIC Birthday Party Ever” will happen Friday, June 22 at Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center, 503 N. Pine. Directed by Megan Gabehart. The music will be directed by Fort Scott music teacher Mary Jo Harper.
“Pittsburg Community Theatre’s Jr. Starz program is built for 6-12-year-olds who work diligently for two weeks to learn and memorize an entire show, create crafts and props, and more,” Harper said.
“This year, we were able to have two sessions again, meaning that 80 children have had the opportunity to understand the magic of theater!”
“Of those 80 kids, we have four kids from our district! Bianca Pommier and Chrislen Newman are in the Morning Session and Ana Rupprecht and Emma Bin are in the Afternoon Session,” Harper said.
“Wanna see them rock it out? 6 pm for Morning Session Show, 8 pm for Afternoon Session Show. $5 General Admission at the door. “
In May, Walmart announced a new associate education benefit program designed to help employees to enroll in college and graduate from college in certain fields of study, according to a press release.
Benefits include free college credit for Walmart Academy training and options for employees to earn a college degree without student loan debt.
Walmart employees will be able to access affordable associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business or supply chain management.
These programs are available to full-time, part-time and salaried Walmart U.S. store, supply chain, home office and Sam’s Club employees.
Degrees will be offered through the University of Florida at Gainesville; Brandman University, Irvine, California; and Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska. These schools were selected for their focus and strong outcomes on serving working adult learners, according to the press release.
Program highlights include:
AFFORDABLE
The associate contribution toward a college degree would be just $1 a day. Walmart will subsidize the cost of tuition, books, and fees, which helps get rid of student loan debt, according to a press release.
Also, associates can start their path by earning college credit for paid training at Walmart Academies. Hundreds of thousands of associates have already undergone skills training equivalent to more than $210 million in college credits. This will save associates both time and money in completing their degree.
RELEVANT
Walmart selected universities with a specialized focus on serving working adult learners and top outcomes for the working adult demographic. Walmart is also collaborating with these universities to tailor the curriculum to relevant skills for jobs and advancement across industries for today and in the future.
ACCESSIBLE
The goal is for all employees who apply for admission to be accepted, and the three selected universities have a dedication to high graduation rates for their students.
SUPPORTED
Employees will receive support from a coach on everything from the application and enrollment process to selecting the appropriate degree. This kind of academic counseling has been shown to help students complete their degree.
Walmart kicked off a scalable approach to creating educational opportunity for America’s workforce, said Rachel Carlson, chief executive officer and co-founder of Guild Education, with whom Walmart is collaborating to provide the program.
Guild Education helps people gain an education through their employer’s tuition benefits which lead to increased employee satisfaction and retention, according to http://www.guildeducation.com
Walmart is also leading innovation in workforce development and higher education to help associates earn college credit for on-the-job training, Carlson said.
The Lumina Foundation has agreed to research and measure the impact and effectiveness of the program and will work with the Walmart team to share findings.
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OFFERINGS
Walmart’s new education program underscores the importance of education in helping employees prepare for the future with degrees in supply chain management or business. This is part of a broader approach to preparing the workforce to succeed today and into the future.
Initiatives include:
· Developing a broad suite of offerings across roles from frontline to executive levels develop job-related skills for advancement.
· Covering the complete cost for employees and eligible family members for earning a high school diploma or GED.
· Offering employees and eligible family members access to tuition discounts, financial aid assistance, and education coaching across Guild’s broader network of more than 80 accredited, nonprofit university partners, including schools such as The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Columbia University and Purdue University. These institutions are made available through EdX.
· Giving access to professional development courses including college prep, leadership training, and ESL.
Walmart associates can learn more by visiting WalmartOne.
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce is one of the hub sites for the bike share program.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team and Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announce the Fort Scott Bike Share Program is officially up and running, according to Lindsay Madison, executive director of the Chamber.
Madison has facilitated the program in Fort Scott.
Fort Scott Community College is one of the hub sites for the new bike share program.
“Riders can check out bikes at any of the hub locations,” Madison said. “The bikes can be returned to the same hub or one of the other hubs.”
Peerless Products is one of the hub sites of the new bike share program.
Hub location staff will take a copy of rider’s driver’s license and the bike rider will sign a waiver form.
Riders must be 12 years of age, and those under 18 will have waiver signed by a parent/guardian.
Riders are encouraged to wear a helmet, but helmets are not provided.
“Bikes can be checked out for up to 24 hours unless otherwise specified by hub location, FSCC will have shorter check-out times to allow more student usage of bikes,” Madison said.
Bikes need to be returned to hub location during their normal business hours.
Nate’s Place is one of the hub sites of the bike share program.
Bikes are not to be used on non-paved trails or off-roads.
Bikes were purchased with grant funds from the #BCBSKSPathways to Healthy Kansas Grant in support of the non-motorized transportation policy the City of Fort Scott commissioners approved.
“The bike share program provides non-motorized transportation to be utilized by local community members and visitors,” Madison said.
“The bikes may be used for exercise and leisure purposes to get outside and explore the town.
Community members may use the bikes for transportation to work, the store, school, or other destinations.”
“Fort Scott and Bourbon County are making healthy, active living a priority and the bike share program is another way to promote the healthy choice as the first choice,” she said.
The weekly Chamber Coffee organized by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for Thursday, July 21 will be hosted by Sonic Drive-In, 1705 S. National Ave. at 8 a.m.
Chamber members and guests are invited to attend for networking, refreshments, and to learn about products, services, or new offerings of the host business or organization. Members may make an announcement about their business, organization, or the community by donating one dollar towards the Chamber.
More information may be obtained by contacting the Chamber at 620-223-3566, emailing [email protected], or visiting fortscott.com.
Fort Scott’s Walmart, 2500 S. Main, is no longer open 24-hours a day.
As of June 2, the store is closed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., according to an assistant manager at the store.
“We’re continually looking at how we can best serve our customers,” according to a statement sent to fortscott.biz. ” Based on a recent review of shopping patterns at our Fort Scott store, we are adjusting hours and reallocating resources to better serve our customers during peak shopping hours.”
Fort Scott Police are seeking public assistance in details of a robbery of five late model cars in the early morning of Sunday, June 17.
At 4:30 a.m. June 17, 2018, FSPD officers received information on a possible crime in progress at Briggs Automall of Fort Scott, 1819 S. Main, according to a press release from the FSPD.
After arriving, officers discovered several new vehicles were leaving the convenience store across from Briggs Automall. The officers attempted to stop the cars, which were northbound on Hwy. 69.
A high-speed pursuit began.
Officers ended the pursuit a few miles north of Fort Scott.
“Our officers discontinue pursuit when in their estimation, it is dangerous,” FSPD Captain Shaun West said.
Officers returned to Briggs Automall, where it was discovered the building was broken into. Briggs personnel were notified and requested to the scene. The personnel then confirmed that five new vehicles were missing from the dealership.
According to Captain West, the vehicles stolen were:
2018 black Ford Mustang GT Coup
2017 red Mustang Eco Boost Coup
2018 gray Jeep Grand Cherokee
2018 red Dodge Challenger SXT
2018 gray Dodge Challenger GT
Law enforcement agencies were notified in Bourbon, Linn, Miami, and Johnson counties, which lead to the recovery of two vehicles in Miami County and three vehicles in Johnson County.
At this time one suspect is in custody in Johnson County.
This is an ongoing investigation and law enforcement is seeking aid from the public in connection with the case.
If anyone has information, contact the FSPD at 620-223-1700.
All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
