Jared Leek speaks to the Chamber Coffee attendees at Crooner’s Lounge.
Jared Leek, the owner of Crooner’s Lounge and the Liberty Theater, hosted the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee Feb.1.
Crooner’s Lounge is located at 117 S. Main and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 5-9 p.m.
He said a full-service bar is offered along with steak, seafood, chicken, pasta and fresh oysters.
E-3 Meats, produced by Adam and Jennifer LaRoche are featured at the restaurant.
The theater is next door north, and Leek also owns the building south of Crooner’s, which houses office space for businesses.
Upcoming events:
February 9-10 there is a Catholic Symposium at the Liberty Theater.
Sunday, February 11, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Crooner’s Lounge, there will be Valentine Cupcake Decorating Event, Leek said.
Each guest will decorate one-dozen cupcakes, pre-baked by Crooner’s Cakery. Frosting, frosting tips, candies and edible decorations will be provided. Cost is $30/person.Reservations required. Limited availability. Purchase tickets using the link to Brown Paper Tickets.
February 14, the Gary Thompson Band will be performing at a special Valentines Dinner at Crooner’s, reservations required.
February 16 En Power and Light and Flagship Romance will be performing, with reservations required.
The Baloney Ponyz will perform March 10, and on March 17 the theater is hosting St. Patty’s on the Patio starting at 5 p.m.
Leek said the theater is booked consistently in May and June for weddings.
Theater season tickets are sold for $100 per person, typically sold as a table of four, for $400.
Contact Jared Leek to make reservations by calling (620) 224-9787.
Thomas P. Bowerman, age 72, a resident of Ft. Scott, passed through the gates of heaven Thursday, February 1, 2018, at his home.
He was born May 17, 1945, in Fayetteville, AR, the son of Jess and Hazel Bowerman. He attended South Side Grade School and Rogers High School in Rogers, AR.
He met his wife, Edith Diana Keehler, May 29, 1964. They have been married 53 years.
Tom was a master electrician for Loark Electrical.
They moved to Ft. Scott, KS, in 2001 to care for their oldest son Dana, who was battling M.S. He enjoyed his family and friends. He loved to work on cars with his friend and retired co-worker in the electrical trade. Tom’s life revolved around his wife, children, and grandchildren. He was greatly loved by all his family and friends and will be missed by all.
Survivors include his wife Diana, of the home; a son, Wesley Bowerman and wife Kalee, Ft. Scott; a daughter, Rebecca Bowerman and Mathew Gavin, of the home; a sister, Mary Reed, Rogers, AR; a grandson, Damion Gavin; four granddaughters, Essance Bowerman, Allain Tureskis, Madison Smith, Ft. Scott, and Dana Jean and husband Jeremy, Louisiana; a great-grandson, Tanner Jean. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Dana Bowerman; and two sisters, Virginia Chaney and Ann Jouett.
There was cremation. Memorial services will be conducted at 3:00 PM Friday, February 9th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Thomas Bowerman Memorial Fund and may be left in the care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
By Kathy McEwan, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent,Foods & Nutrition, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, Southwind Extension District – Iola Office, P.O. Box 845, Iola KS 66749, 620-365-2242, [email protected]
February is National Heart Health month, and it’s a great time to evaluate how well you are taking care of your ticker. Most of us know that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein and low-fat dairy is important, as well as being physically active, controlling diabetes and high blood pressure, not smoking and consuming alcohol in moderation if at all. An additional factor to heart health – one that is often overlooked – is getting enough sleep. Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily, yet more than one-third of Americans report not getting the recommended amount of sleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation and National Institutes of Health, sleep is essential for a healthy heart. People who don’t sleep enough are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease—regardless of age, weight, smoking and exercise habits. Getting enough good quality sleep is important if you want to lower your risk of these conditions. It’s not completely clear why less sleep is detrimental to heart health, but researchers understand that sleeping too little causes disruptions in underlying health conditions and biological processes like glucose metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation.
The struggle to get a good night’s sleep can be real! Sleep problems are frustrating and exhausting but with a little dedication, they do not have to be a part of your nightly routine. These tips can help you get to sleep and improve the quality of your sleep.
Keep a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine.
Going to bed and getting up every day at the same time helps your body get into the rhythm it needs to fall asleep at night with ease. Even on weekends, try to sleep no more than one hour later than you do on weekdays. Create your own bedtime routine and follow it.
Avoid too much coffee or alcohol late in the day.
Coffee, as a stimulant, drank later in the day can keep your mind spinning way past bedtime. Also, studies have shown that once alcohol’s sedative qualities wear off, sleep quality is affected by increased and sporadic wake periods during the night.
Use your bed only for sleep.
Although it is tempting to read, watch TV, or work on your computer while in your bed, this may not be best for your sleep hygiene. Train your body to associate being in bed with sleeping.
Decrease mental stimulation before bed.
With frequently hectic lifestyles, many US adults often work up to the very last minute of each day without setting any time aside for relaxation. If you sense muscle tension is to blame, try practicing yoga, engaging in meditation, or using breathing exercises to loosen up your tension before going to bed.
Get regular physical activity.
In addition to its important role in weight management and prevention of many chronic illnesses, adding physical activity to your daily routine can help facilitate sleep when you need it most. However, try not to exercise too close to your normal bedtime as this may lead to difficulty in falling asleep.
Skip the big meals before heading to bed.
Eating large amounts of food close to bedtime can lead to discomforts such as heartburn, acid reflux, and other gastrointestinal issues. If you are hungry close to your bedtime, try eating a light snack or drinking a soothing, non-caffeinated beverage to ease your hunger symptoms and prepare yourself for a restful night sleep.
Refrain from long naps.
Long naps can contribute to late night alertness and throw off your nighttime sleep routine. If you feel you need a nap, limit it to 10-15 minutes. This can provide a quick recharge from fatigue without sacrificing your sleep quality at night.
Manage your nicotine use.
As a stimulant, nicotine can leave users lying wide awake at night or waking up throughout the night with cravings. It is best to avoid nicotine, yet if you are a nicotine user, try to avoid use 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Consider the “20-minute rule.”
If after 20 minutes of lying in bed you find yourself still awake, move to another quiet space and engage in relaxing activities such as reading or listening to calming music. Once you begin to feel drowsy, try to go back to bed again.
Make a to-do list and then “park” it for the night.
Work, financial issues, and many other life worries are enough to keep our minds spinning late into the night. Instead of focusing on these sources of anxiety, try writing a “to-do” list before bedtime to remind yourself where to pick up the next day.
These strategies are inexpensive fixes to sleep issues that can offer many health benefits. If falling asleep continues to be difficult, talk with your physician about other options to help you get a good night’s sleep.
For more information, contact me in the Southwind Extension District office at 620-365-2242 or by email at [email protected].
John Tidwell, left, talks with Bill Pollack following the Kansas Humanities Council Presentation Thursday at the Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College. At right, Melody Leavitt waits to speak to Tidwell.
Kansas University Professor John Edgar Tidwell spoke to a room full of people Thursday during the Kansas Humanities Series Lunch and Learn at Fort Scott Community College’s Gordon Park Museum.
The event was in celebration of Black History Month.
Tidwell gave some history on how President Abraham Lincon, with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and Dr. Martin Luther King, in the March On Washington in 1963 helped to change America.
“They led the way to freedom,” Tidwell said.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom, according to https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation
“There were creed and practice differences,” Tidwell said of American history.
During the March On Washington For Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, Dr. King gave a powerful speech that helped the progress of the Civil Rights Movement.
The most memorable part of the speech was after Mahalia Jackson, the black Gospel singer, shouted out “Tell them about the dream!” Tidwell said.
King then set aside his written speech and spoke spontaneously to the approximately 250,000 people gathered that day.
Jackson was on the platform that day of the march, as a singer.
Here is a clip of that speech:
Black women were at the forefront of the movement, he said, but “they were marginalized and doubly oppressed by racism and sexism”.
Tidwell encouraged the audience to “try to find ways to sustain mutual respect” in the current era of American history.
“Find one thing you see right and work towards that,” he said.
“What can we learn from Lincoln’s struggle with slavery and Dr. King’s efforts to set forth a dream rooted in the American Dream?” Tidwell asked.
“History can be a great teacher. One lesson we can learn is that we are only as free as the respect we show others. In my view, the world we now live in is best described as uncertain.
“No, it is not the world of Dr. King’s separate drinking fountains, segregated classrooms, the real estate practice of red-lining, and other acts of racial discrimination.
“As made clear by the recent outcome of the presidential campaign, our world is beset with an enervating discourse rooted in divisiveness, intolerance, and discord. The moral imperatives of civility, mutual respect, and common sense have been sacrificed to political cant and ethnocentrism.
“The politics of insincerity and expediency have become poor substitutes for compassion and statesmanship.”
“I want people to understand that once they have sympathy and empathy for others, that will translate into an improved engagement with our history, our traditions and all those things that make us, us,” Tidwell said in a later interview. “I want this speech to inspire a little bit for how they can work together on a goal that will enhance everybody’s situation, not just their own”.
The audience eats lunch and converses before John Tidwell speaks for the Kansas Humanities Council Series presentation at Fort Scott Community College.
Mrs. Lorna Carlton (center) celebrates her 102nd birthday with friends from Mercy Hospice. Pictured with Carlton are (L to R) Becky Davied, Mercy Homecare and Hospice Director; Tisha Miller, Mercy Social Worker; Shannon Nash, RN; and Melissa George, Mercy Chaplain.
Mercy Hospice hosted an English tea for Mrs. Lorna Carlton’s
102nd birthday on January 12.
Mrs. Carlton, staff and residents of Guest Home Estates, and friends
from First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott enjoyed Typhoo English tea, butterfly cakes, scones, tea sandwiches, and cream berry trifle to the singing of Elvis impersonator.
From an article written about Mrs. Carlton from fellow First United Methodist Church Member Jan Hedges:
Mrs. Carlton’s parents were born and raised in England. Lorna was born in Atchison, Kansas, on January 14, 1916. She came to Fort Scott for her senior year of high school to get courses in typing, shorthand, and music. Mrs. Carlton completed her senior year and
one semester of junior college.
She especially appreciated learning how to read and write
music from her music teacher Dr. Nichols.
Lorna worked at Western Insurance for 17 years.
Later in life, Lorna played the piano in the
Senior Swingers Band for 19 years. The band played in different homes, the community center, Memorial Hall, and Buck Run Community Center. She still plays the piano with gusto
for her fellow Guest Home Estates residents.
Lorna married Homer Mix in 1938 and had two children, Cristine and Curtis. She later married Huburt (Bud) Carlton in 1981.
Mrs. Carlton has outlived both of her husbands and
children. She has three grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Friends Jackie and Allen Warren and the staff of Guest Home Estates care for her now.
Lorna’s room is decorated with several of her daughter’s paintings, plants, and flowers. She loves flowers and misses working in her flowerbeds. She was in a quilting group at the Bronson
Methodist Church where they used stitches she calls “dainty.” Since she is left-handed, she was responsible to quilt the corners.
Mrs. Carlton has played the piano, taught Sunday School, and
cooked and baked for many church functions at the Bronson United Methodist Church and the First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott over the years.
Lorna’s love of life still radiates from her smile after 102 years. At her birthday tea, she insisted on dancing to “A Fool Such as I” by Elvis Presley.
Lorna’s advice on being 102, “keep smiling every
day.”
Mercy Hospital Fort Scott is an acute care hospital with 46 licensed beds, offering comprehensive medical, surgical,
OB/GYN, pediatric, home care and hospice services. Inpatient care is provided with 24/7 physician coverage. In 2017,
Mercy Hospital Fort Scott received The Leapfrog Group’s prestigious A rating. Mercy Clinic Fort Scott is located on
hospital grounds as well as Mercy rural health clinics in Arma and Pleasanton.
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2017 by Truven, an IBM Watson Health company, serves
millions annually. Mercy includes 44 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more
than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in
Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and
9:30-Wavier and release from liability Garland Township-Justin Meeks
10:30–11:00-Public Hearing-Re: possible Quarry Site
11:00-Justin Meeks-Attorney Client Executive Session for 20 minutes to review legal documents
11:15-Compensation Schedule-incentive pay
11:25-Executive Session for 5 minutes for Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisitions of real property
11:30-12:00-Information concerning old jail
12:00-1:00-Commissioners gone to lunch
1:00-2:00-Looking at bridge at 120th and Grand-3 Commissioners and Jim Harris
2:00-Lora Holdridge-Chamber Book
2:30-Executive Session for Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel-30 minute additional time if needed.
Contract for ambulance services review
20 minute Executive Session for Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel.
1st District Commissioner is Lynne Oharah,2nd District-Jeff Fischer, 3rd District-Nick Ruhl, County Clerk-Kendell Mason.
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
Submitted by Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director
If you are either a landlord or a tenant, you need to take the time to look up the 2018 Kansas County-Level Cash Rents for Non-Irrigated Cropland. With spring only a month away, farmers and ranchers are ready to get into the field and making preparations to get the cows back out to pasture. That also means that cash rental rates are an important topic and likely the reason the Extension office has had requests for our updated cash rental rates in Allen, Neosho, and Bourbon Counties. This important resource offers average rental rates for non-irrigated cropland across the state, making it a tremendously valuable document.
The rental rate estimates provided in this publication are calculated for a newly negotiated, equitable lease for the 2018 crop year. The rental rate estimates reflect what a typical producer could afford to pay, given expected profitability in 2018. They do not necessarily reflect what people are paying for leased land or at what rental rate the market will ultimately adjust to if farm profitability remains low.
Profitability in the Kansas farm sector has declined dramatically in the past two years. According to Kansas Farm Management Association (KFMA) data, net farm income per operator declined statewide from $95,355 in 2014 to $8,451 in 2015, with a rebound to $55,790 per operator in 2016 (Figure 1). The 2017 crop year is likely to be similar to 2016 in profitability, although the impacts of low profitability are highly varied across the state. Counties with a higher proportion of wheat production, while enjoying above-average yields in 2017, faced low cash prices due to basis levels well below historical averages. Counties with a relatively high proportion of soybean production, however, had a good year of high yields and prices. The diversity of expected profitability for 2018 manifests in the rental rate estimates shown in this publication.
The recent decline in farm profitability puts producers in a difficult situation. Producers do not want to lose land if they can possibly afford to keep it because the capital investment (e.g. machinery purchases, breeding herd size) and labor decisions they made over the past several years were based on the amount of land they had to farm. This will lead many to pay more for the land than estimates of expected profitability suggest they can pay and keep rental rates from falling at an accelerated rate, at least in the short-term. Over a longer period of time, if profitability remains low, rental rates will continue to decline as producers burn through existing working capital or equity and are unable to continue to pay higher rates.
Anyone can stop by the Southwind District offices in Erie, Fort Scott, and Iola and pick up a copy of the Cash Rental Rate document, or you can also download it at www.agmanager.info under the farm management link.
Mildred Katie Bortzfield, age 86, formerly of Pleasanton, KS, died Sunday, February 4, 2018, at Pinnacle Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation, Olathe, KS.
She was born on October 26, 1931, in Fulton, KS, the daughter of Robert and Hazel Wurtz Clendening. She married LeRoy Bortzfield on June 8, 1949, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He preceded her in death on December 31, 1986. She later married Curtis Owenby on August 31, 1988. He preceded her in death on November 15, 2016.
Katie worked in her early years for the telephone company. She later worked for Braemore Coat Factory in Pleasanton. She then worked for Western Insurance Company in Fort Scott, KS, until her retirement. She was an avid hunter and fisherman. She also enjoyed bowling and attending Pickers and Fiddlers. She was a member of the West Liberty United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Vickie Zugelder, Kansas City, MO; a son, Rick Bortzfield and wife Robin, Pleasanton, KS; five grandchildren, Chris Zugelder, Riki Barr, Eric Zugelder, Rylan Bortzfield, and Griffin Bortzfield; four great-grandchildren, Nicolas, Mackenzie, Alyssa and Zander; a sister, Elenora Courtois, Pleasanton, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides both husbands, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Bill, Cecil, Frank and John Clendening; two sisters, Dorothy Nichols and Rosemary Ward; and her parents.
Pastor Tom Mullins will conduct funeral services at 2:30 PM Thursday, February 8th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the West Liberty Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:30 until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to Good Shepherd Hospice and may be left in the care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Woodland Hills Golf Course Advisory Board, from left clockwise: Fort Scott City Clerk Diane Clay, John Leek, Kenneth Holt, Shannon O’Neil, Jon Kindlesparger, Steve Harry, Mitch Quick and Jon Garrison. The board had its quarlerly meeting Feb. 1 at the clubhouse.
The Woodland Hills Golf Course Advisory Board met Feb. 1 at the course clubhouse.
On the agenda was raising revenue for the course.
“It’s a good golf course,” Shannon O’Neil, clubhouse manager said. “Greens fees, we are 50 cents less than Girard, a couple bucks less than Four Oaks. ”
“We are trying to catch up with area courses,” Jon Kindlesparger, golf course superintendent said in a later interview.
“The season cart (rental) is the biggest discrepancy,” O’Neil said. When a large group plays they’ll all have one cart, he noted
O’Neil said renting a cart is a good deal for the golfers.
“It’s just like having your own cart, (but) based on availability. I can’t promise a cart in a tournament,” he said.
Currently, the golf cart season rental fee is $350 per year.
Following discussion by the board, it will seek approval from the city to raise the fee to $425.
Additional fee increases, if approved by the city commission:
Nine-hole greens fees will increase from $10 to $11, weekday; weekend fees from $12 to $15.
Single memberships will increase from $400 to $440; family memberships (a family of four) from $550 to $595.
Staff of the golf course will attend Tuesdays Fort Scott City Commission meeting to seek approval for fee increases. Pictured are the current prices.
O’Neil said he would like to change the procedure for memberships.
“I’d like to have them due all at the same time,” he said. “If all are due at a certain date, as a business I can see if what we are doing is growing the business. It’s easier from a management perspective. I’d like May 1 to be the (renewal) date.”
Jon Garrison, finance director for the City of Fort Scott agreed with the proposal and said it would be pro-rated the initial year.
The city owns the approximately 148- acre golf course.
O’Neil and Kindlesparger were asked by Garrison to attend the next city commission meeting, Feb. 6 to seek approval of the fee increases.
Another item on the agenda was the new golf cart barn that is in the preliminary stage.
Agricultural Engineering Associates, Uniontown, is the firm hired to design the barn.
“I hope he gets the specs together, then we can go out to bid with it,” Garrison said.
“I hope it will be constructed this spring,” O’Neil said in a later interview. “It will be a Morton Pole Barn. We’ll house 30 rental carts. We’ll sell 10 season cart passes a year.”
The barn will be located straight north of the clubhouse, “where the old clubhouse used to be,” O’Neil said.
Some of the statistics for the course:
There are 127 memberships.
There were 9,100 rounds of golf played on the course last year, of those, 5,100 were played by members, 4,000 were green fee rounds.
There are three full-time employees, six part-time employees during the season which runs April through October.
The new clubhouse was completed in February 2016.
There are 25 tournaments a year.
Uniontown and Fort Scott High Schools play at the course.
“We are unique here, a member of those golf teams can play here for free,” O’Neil said.
Fort Scott Community College is starting a girls golf program this year and will play at Woodland Hills, as well, he said.
The board is comprised of Steve Harry, Kenneth Holt, John Leek, Mitch Quick and Jeff Sweetser.
The board meets quarterly or as needed.
“We’ve got a good board,” Garrison said. “They use the course.”
“They are emotionally and financially invested,” O’Neil said.
Wylma Campbell, age 96, of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, February 1, 2018, at the Hospice of the Valley, Eckstin Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Services will be held at 1:00 pm Friday, February 9, 2018, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will be in the U.S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
