Saturday, June 23, the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad will close and repair its crossing on K-39 east of U.S. 59 in the Stark vicinity.
UP plans to close the crossing to through traffic at 7 a.m. The repairs are expected to be completed and the crossing reopened by 7 p.m. Saturday.
The signed detour for K-39 eastbound traffic is as follows: from the west U.S. 59/K-39 junction travel south on U.S. 59 to K-146, proceed east on K-146 to K-3, and travel north on K-3 to K-39.
Persons with questions may contact Wayne Nelson at the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) office in Pittsburg, (620) 308-7622, or Priscilla Petersen at the Chanute KDOT office, (620) 902-6433.
Symbols of Sacrifice Commemoration and Fourth of July Activities to be held at Fort Scott National Historic Site
FORT SCOTT, Kansas: As the nation reflects on its freedom on Independence Day, Fort Scott National Historic Site honors those who have lost their lives fighting for this freedom with Symbols of Sacrifice.
The Symbols of Sacrifice commemoration features thousands of American flags displayed in a Field of Honor on the historic Parade Ground. Their purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces who have died in all wars that Americans have fought in.
The flags will be displayed from Friday, June 29, through Friday, July 6.
The park is pleased to welcome musicians Pat and Steve Harry, who will perform a special concert of patriotic music on Saturday, June 30 at 7:00 pm. Following the musical performance, you are invited to participate in an evening cannon firing.
On Wednesday,July 4 at 10:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m., the staff at the historic site will honor the fallen through a discussion of the meaning of the Field of Honor, followed by an artillery salute.
At 11:00 a.m., visitors can join a 1840s Infantry Soldier and an Officer’s Wife as they share perspectives on “What Independence Day Means to You?” at 2:00 p.m., or come and witness infantry soldiers as they fire a salute to the 13 original colonies. You are welcome to fall in with the soldiers and assist in taking down the 30-star flag at 4:00 p.m.
The schedule of activities is as follows:
SATURDAY, JUNE 30 (EVENING)
7:00 p.m. – Patriotic Musical Performance by Pat and Steve Harry
8:00 p.m. – Evening Cannon Firing
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
10:00 a.m. – Honoring the Fallen: A Salute to Sacrifice
11:00 a.m. – “What Independence Day Means to You?” Guided Discussion
2:00 p.m. – 13 Gun Salute: The Pursuit of Liberty
3:00 p.m. – Honoring the Fallen: A Salute to Sacrifice
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
Dale Hixon, age 73, a resident of Ft. Scott, KS, passed away Thursday, June 21, 2018, at Medicalodge of Ft. Scott.
He was born December 3, 1944, in Fort Scott, the son of Vern and Josephine Comstock Hixon. He attended Fort Scott High School.
He married the love of his life, Betty DeCoudres, on December 3, 1967, in Fort Scott. They celebrated their 50th Anniversary on December 3, 2017.
Dale worked on the street department and water treatment plant for the city of Fort Scott and Klein Tools of Moran. He was a member of the Old Forter’s Camping Club and Gold Wing Road Riders Association. Dale enjoyed camping, fishing and attending dirt track racing at the Nevada Speedway. He was a member of Grace Baptist Tabernacle.
Survivors include his wife Betty of the home; a son, Mike Hixon and wife Lori of Ft. Scott; two brothers, Rich Hixon of Ft. Scott; Bob Hixon and wife Shirley of Redfield; three grandchildren, Dana Button and husband Barry of Ft. Scott; DeAnn Hixon and fiance Brandon of Topeka; Clayton Hixon and fiance Alyssa of Pittsburg; two great-grandchildren Alissa and Alex Button of Ft. Scott; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and son Denton Hixon.
Bro. Allen Pruitt will conduct funeral services at 10:00 AM Monday, June 25, at the Grace Baptist Tabernacle.
Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 Sunday afternoon at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Grace Baptist Tabernacle 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.
The Buffalo Grill, 3 W. Oak, was purchased in May 2018 by Al Niece.
Al Niece, the owner of Niece of Kansas Inc., purchased the Buffalo Grill, 3 W. Oak in May 2018 from Dean Mann.
“It’s a fantastic building, lots of options are open” for the development of the property, Niece said.
“The building looked too good a building to be left unattended,” Niece said. “In talking with people in the community and the city, there are not many large eating facilities in the town.”
“When I walked in earlier this year, I was amazed at the condition,” he said.
Conventions, graduations, weddings, Christmas parties “and who knows what else” can use the River Room on the second floor of the building, Niece said. “We’ve already booked events for fall, two weddings and Christmas parties.”
The River Room name will stay the same for the second-floor event space, he said.
“The restaurant will be an additional component to it,” Niece said. “There are a lot of options for that. We don’t know whether we will keep the name Buffalo Grill or not.”
“We are talking to a couple of franchises,” Niece said.
In addition, the business suite on the north-west side of the building is up for rent, with 2,400 square feet of space.
The restaurant will likely be open in the third quarter of 2018 he said.
Jared Leek is the manager of the facility for Niece and can be reached at 620-224-9787.
Livestock Sale – Fort Scott Livestock Market, 10am-5pm
22
50-min. narrated Trolley Tours of Historic Fort Scott on the hour from 11am-4pm leaving from the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 231 E. Wall St., $6 adults, $4 children 12 and under, last tour leaves at 3pm.
22
Friday Night Concert in the Park – Heritage Park Pavilion, 1st & Main St. Downtown, 7-8pm
22
Outdoor Movie Night, “Sing” – Downtown Fort Scott, 8:45-10:45pm, will be held at Memorial Hall if inclement weather.
22
Live Music by The Pine Drivers – 3rd Floor of Sharky’s Pub & Grub, 16 N. National, 9pm
23
KS Rocks Recreation Park Closed for Land Rover Event
23
Farmers’ Market, 8am-noon, Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort
23
50-min. narrated Trolley Tours of Historic Fort Scott on the hour from 10am-4pm leaving from the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 231 E. Wall St., $6 adults, $4 children 12 and under, last tour leaves at 3pm.
23
Join us at Briggs of Fort Scott on Saturday, June 23rd, for our inaugural Giant Car Show! Admission is free and you can enjoy live music, refreshments, delicious food, and prize giveaways! Bring the whole family! We’re even awarding scholarships to some lucky attendees! Be a part of our first Giant Car Show on June 23rd, 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.!
23
2nd Annual Fort Games – Smallville CrossFit, 13 S. National, 8am-3pm
StoryWalk: Sheep in the Shop – Fort Scott Library Block
28
Chamber Coffee – Bourbon County Garden Club, Hertiage Park Pavilion, if rain moved to Crooner’s, 8am
28
Fit-N-Fun Summer Program – Mercy HFL, ages 6-10, Mercy Health For Life, 405 Woodland Hills Blvd., 9-10am
28
Blood Drive – Community Christian Church, 1919 S. Horton, 9am-1pm
28
Kiwanis Meeting – FSCC Heritage Room, 12-1pm
28
Thursday Card Players – BRCC, 6-9pm
29
USD 234 School District Surplus Equipment Auction –
220 Scott Ave., 10am
29
50-min. narrated Trolley Tours of Historic Fort Scott on the hour from 11am-4pm leaving from the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 231 E. Wall St., $6 adults, $4 children 12 and under, last tour leaves at 3pm.
29
The Gordon Parks Museum presents: Wine & Dine: Create a Masterpiece. Participiants will experience creating a one-of-a-kind piece of art work using photgraphy, pastels, and/or watercolors. The finished work will be printed on 11 by 17 paper and be suitable for
framing. All for only a $25 fee – Gordon Parks Museum, 2108 S. Horton St., 1-4pm
29
Friday Night Concert in the Park – Hertiage Park Pavilion, 1st & Main St. Downtown, 7-8pm
30-1
Livestock Sale – Fort Scott Livestock Market, 10am-5pm
30
50-min. narrated Trolley Tours of Historic Fort Scott on the hour from 10am-4pm leaving from the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 231 E. Wall St., $6 adults, $4 children 12 and under, last tour leaves at 3pm.
30
Ladies Only Basic Pistol Course – The Bunker, 1562 Maple Rd., 4-6pm
Fort Scott Middle School Pizza Hut Nights Fundraiser – Fort Scott Pizza Hut
3
Fit-N-Fun Summer Program – Mercy HFL, ages 6-10, Mercy Health For Life, 405 Woodland Hills Blvd., 9-10am
3
Summer Reading: Libraries Rock! – Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S. National Ave., 10-11am
3
Farmers’ Market – Skubitz Plaza, Downtown Fort Scott, 4-6pm
3
City Commission Meeting – City Hall, 123 S. Main St., 6-7pm
4
VFW Post 1165 Parade of Flags – Flag placement on the Avenue of Flags along E. National Ave., starting points: E. National & National (near the Sonic) or E. National & Margrave, 7am
4
Rotary Meeting – Presbyterian Church, 12-1pm
4
Adult Coloring Program – Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S National Ave.,
2-4pm
4
TAG – Teen Advisory Group – Fort Scott Public Library, 4-5pm
In 1913, John C. Gross started a small loan business to help local farmers, which grew into Gross Insurance. His son, John C. Gross II took over full operations in 1940, and in 1982 his grandson, John C. Gross III took over and continues its’ operation to this day. Today Gross Insurance Agency is a multi-state independent agency, with offices in Kansas, Missouri, and Florida. Not only does the agency provide a wide range of insurance services but also offers packages for Farms, Commercial, and Used Car Dealers. The agency works with major Insurance Companies such as: Auto Owners, Hartford, Grinnel, Safeco, Cornerstone, Dairyland, and many others.
Quotes are always free, so stop by or call the office to see if Gross Ins. agents can
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.
