The Lowell Milken Center will be participating in the annual Halloween Parade events from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, at 1 S. Main by handing out candy and free coloring books to everyone who enters the Hall of Unsung Heroes! In celebration of the spooky day, we are encouraging the community to participate in the downtown Halloween Parade festivities and stop by to see our newest exhibits!
Fort Wise Pumpkin Patch will be a hub of activity, this weekend.
Two races and a Fort Scott organization’s social gathering are on the agenda.
The seasonal business has been in operation since 2015 and is owned by Chad and Melissa Wise.
Since the couple opened Fort Wise Pumpkin Company, they have geared up for each weekend in October when they open their property to the public for family fall activities.
Activities such as pumpkin chunking, a corn maze, a corn pit, an obstacle course, a slide, and a hayride on an army truck are available at this fort. Food, pumpkins and Stewart’s Mums can be purchased as well. The large mums are $10 until sold out.
The entry fee to Fort Wise is $5 person, with kids under two-years-old, free.
Fort Wise is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sundays in October.
Patriotic 5K/1 mile fun run
This weekend, there will be a 5k/1 mile competition to benefit Wreaths Across America, a non-profit organization that puts live wreaths on the graves of military veterans in December each year, to honor those who served in the military.
This is of interest to the couple because Chad Wise just retired from military service in May 2017.
The local group of this organization is hosting a Wreath Ride Patriot Pumpkin 5K/1 Mile Fun Run at Fort Wise for Saturday, October 21. Registration is at 8 a.m. Costumes are requested. The 5K run starts at 9 a.m. with the one-mile fun run starting at 10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded at 10:30 a.m. Preregistration for the event is $20 for the fun run and $30 for the 5K. The day of the race, each race registration fee will increase $5.
The runners/walkers will be traversing the 40 acres of the Wise property, which has some hills.
December 16 is the National Wreaths Across America Day, with Fort Scott National Cemetary as the local site for the ceremony to honor military service men and women.
For more information: 620-224-8933, 620-215-2174 or http://www.fortscottwreathride.com
Young Professional Social
In addition, Fort Wise is hosting a Young Professional League Social Sunday.
“This is for YPL members and their families,” Melissa Wise said.
From 4-5 p.m. the families will enjoy the activities at Fort Wise. From 5-6 p.m., after Fort Wise closes to the public, there will be a safety briefing on firearms, then a competition on shooting targets.
During both Saturday and Sunday activities at Fort Wise, it is open to the public from 11 a. m. to 5 p.m.
Submitted by Angie Bin
FSHS THEATRE AND PRIDE STUDENTS VOLUNTEER TO “FEED THE NEED”
The International Thespian Society (ITS), a division of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), is pleased to announce the participation of Fort Scott High School, Thespian Troupe #7365, in the Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat program.
Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat is a national community service program for ITS member schools to collect canned and dry goods for local charities and food banks. Theatre students from FSHS will collect food donations on Friday, Oct. 27, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thousands of pounds of food will be collected in one week across the state, giving organizations the ability to help thousands of local people.
The International Thespian Society (ITS) is an honorary organization for high school and middle school theatre students located at more than 4,100 affiliated secondary schools across America, Canada and abroad. The mission of ITS is to honor student achievement in the theatre arts. High school inductees are known as “Thespians” and junior high/middle school inductees are known as “Junior Thespians.” ITS is a division of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), a professional organization with approximately 100,000 members nationwide.
Thespians will also partner with other high school clubs including Pride, to collect food. If you would like to donate to the cause and the students miss your home on Oct. 27, please drop your donation by FSHS and address it to Angie Bin, FSHS Thespian Director.
Fort Scott High School Performs “Disney’s High School Musical”
The Fort Scott High School Drama Department presents “Disney’s High School Musical” on November 7, 9, and 11, at 7 p.m. and on November 11, at 2 p.m.
Disney Channel’s smash hit movie musical comes to life on the newly renovated FSHS auditorium stage. Publisher Music Theatre International describes the musical: “Troy, Gabriella and the students of East High must deal with issues of first love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extracurricular activities. It’s the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes find their cliques, recount their vacations and look forward to the new year. Basketball team captain and resident jock, Troy, discovers that the brainy Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High. They cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high school musical that is being led by Ms. Darbus. Although many students resent the threat posed to the ‘status quo,’ Troy and Gabriella’s alliance might just open the door for others to shine as well.”
The show involves nearly forty students in acting roles. Leads include sophomore Levi Bin who plays Troy Bolton and junior Morgan Rohr playing Gabriella Montez. Also featured are sophomore Mesa Jones as Sharpay Evans, junior Darrick Green as Ryan Evans, sophomore Mary Gladbach as Taylor McKessie, and senior Alex Gorman as Chad Danforth. Sophomore Kaitlyn Hanks portrays Ms. Darbus and senior Micah Self plays Troy’s dad, Coach Bolton. More than 30 students also serve in technical roles backstage and behind the scenes from costuming and lighting design to set design and building.
The musical is directed by FSHS Drama and Thespian Director Angie Bin with Music Director Mary Jo Harper, Eugene Ware Music Teacher. Taylor Schilling, a music education student at PSU and FSHS alum, serves as the Assistant Music Director and Choreographer and Jason Huffman of Pittsburg’s Memorial Auditorium serves as Technical Director.
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children and are on sale now at the FSHS office, 1005 S. Main and at Common Ground, 116 S. Main in Fort Scott. Seating is limited, so audience members are encouraged to buy tickets in advance. Doors open thirty minutes before showtime.
Fort Scottian Frank Halsey is a trailblazer.
He has worked in the last decade to mark and prepare trails through Gunn Park so he can mountain bike.
His passion for this sport has led to over eight miles of bike trails for public use.
He has spearheaded construction of trails that meander around the edge of the park and most recently helped the City of Fort Scott purchase more land for public use trails.
The acreage addition to the park began about two years ago when Halsey noticed a “for sale” sign near the entrance to the park.
“I inquired about the property about one-and-a-half years ago,” Halsey said. “Over the last two years, the price has become doable.”
Halsey learned of Timken Industries grants to communities. The business has a plant in Fort Scott’s industrial park.
“Where they have plants, they have grants to help the community,” he said.
“Gunn Park Trails was able to acquire the grant to help pay for the land,” Halsey said. “We were able to get awarded $10,000 to buy property.”
The City of Fort Scott got on board.
At a recent Fort Scott Commission meeting, the city agreed to allocate $10,000, which along with the grant of $10,000 allowed the purchase of the seven-acres from the owner, Jerry Jackman, Iola.
“The corner lot (of the property) is an ideal location for pump tracks,” Halsey said. “Pump tracks are like a skate park for bikes.”
The six acres behind the corner lot is ideal for more trails, he said.
Halsey will begin work soon.
“Winter is a good time to build trails,” he said. “There is not so much vegetation. We hope to have it completed by the spring of 2018.”
For more information see the website www.gunnparktrails.comhttp://www.gunnparktrails.com
You may have asked yourself this exact question recently. After closer inspection of the branches, your next question is probably what in the world caused this buzz saw look to every one of them? It’s the handy work of twig girdlers – a longhorned beetle (Oncideres cingulate).
The adults have a grayish-brown body that is stout and cylindrical. One has but to look at the head of the twig girdler to realize that it is well-equipped for the girdling task. The head is compressed from front to back, and somewhat elongate from top to bottom. This makes it just right for allowing it to fit into the V-shaped girdle it creates.
Twig girdlers have a wide host range including hickory, pecan, oak, maple, hackberry and elm. While hackberry is listed as “high” on the lists of hosts, in Kansas, most reports of littered lawns occurs beneath elms.
So why do they girdle branches? The beetle has a one year life cycle. Late in the growing season, the female deposits eggs in small scars it has chewed through the bark and then chews a continuous notch around the twig girdling it. The notch is cut below the site of egg deposition apparently because the larva is unable to complete development in the presence of large amounts of sap. The larvae of twig girdlers require a “drier wood” for their growth and development.
Girdled twigs die and fall to the ground where the eggs hatch. Girdled twigs look like a beaver has worked on it only in miniature. The outside of the twig is smoothly cut but the center of the twig has a broken appearance. The larvae begin feeding on dead wood inside the twigs the following spring and continue through most of the summer. Pupation takes place inside the feeding cavity. Development is completed during August when the adult emerges to repeat the cycle.
The good news is twig girdlers cause minimal damage the tree – just annoying work for us picking up cut branches! Chemical control is impractical because the adult emergence is lengthy, spanning from August into October. The best control option is to gather up fallen twigs and dispose of them in the fall or spring. This will destroy the larvae inside the twigs. Natural mortality is generally high due to excessive drying of fallen twigs or too many larvae per twig. However, this does not mean that twig girdlers won’t be a problem the following year.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District.
She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244- 3826.
New council and board members are a possibility in the towns and schools in Bourbon County.
A candidate forum for the November 7 election is slated from 6-8 p.m., October 26, at Fort Scott Livestock Market, 2131 Maple Road. This forum is to let voters learn about the people who are running in the election for town and school positions.
The names of the candidates and the position for which they are candidates are as follows:
USD #234 School Board Positions: Geoff Southwell and David Stewart will vie for position four; Gary Billionis is unchallenged for position five; Jamie Armstrong is unchallenged for position six.
USD #235 School Board Positions: Brian Stewart for position four, Mike Mason for position five, and Tyler Martin for position six are all unchallenged.
Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees: John Bartlesmeyer, Elizabeth Meyer, Tina Rockhold and Kevin Wagner are on the ballot. The three persons receiving the highest number of votes will be elected.
For the City Commission of Fort Scott, the two candidates receiving the most votes will receive a four-year term. The candidate receiving the third greatest number of votes will receive a two-year term. Those competing for the position are Cheryl Adamson, Carol MacArthur, JoLynne Mitchell, and Robert Nichols.
In the City of Bronson, the mayor and the two candidates for council that receives the most votes will receive a four-year term, the next three candidates for council that receives the most votes will receive a two-year term. Those running are Clearsia Botts, Geraldine Reeder, Charlotte Stewart, Kathaleen Stewart and Michael Stewart.
Alan Stewart and Lee Roy Whitcomb are running for mayor of Bronson.
For the mayor and council members of Fulton, Mapleton, and Uniontown, no candidates have filed for these positions.
When no candidates file for a position “it will be a write-in,” Bourbon County Clerk Kendall Mason said. “The most votes will win.”
In the City of Redfield, Clarence “Ed” Guss is running unopposed for mayor, while Michael Beerbower, Wilma Graham, Clarence “Ed” Guss, Kirby Martin, and Richard Smith have filed to run for council.
For the Southwind Extension District Board, Ethan Holly and Terri Williams have filed.
Eric Atwood, Jennifer LaRoche, and Loren Readinger lay out the cover for the windows of LaRoche’s building at 9 S. National Monday afternoon. The plastic cover is to make the building’s windows more attractive until renovations of the historic building can take place in the future. LaRoche said she will be able to reuse the cover once renovations begin.
Donna Joan Eaton, age 82, a resident of Milpitas, Calif., passed away Thursday, September 8, 2017, in California.
She was born November 14, 1934, on the family farm east of Garland, Kan., the daughter of Oscar Marion Woody and Wilma Helene Clark Woody. Donna graduated from the Bronaugh High School. She married Dean Eaton. Donna and Dean made their home in various cities throughout the United States before settling in California.
Survivors include her husband, Dean, of the home in California and three sisters, Sharon Robinson and her husband, Kenneth “Robby” of Sebring, Fla., Sandra Martin and her husband, Richard, of Strattford, Okla., and Marian Wood, of Joplin, Mo. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Paul Woody.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, October 16, at the Stevens Cemetery east of Garland, Kan.. Family and friends may meet at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery at 10:30 a.m. Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Thank you to all who took time to text, email, Facebook or stop me in person after reading my story of Quinton Robbins who died in the Las Vegas massacre. Quinton’s life had an incredible impact on those who knew him, and the outpouring of love brought tremendous comfort to his family and friends.
Every evening following the shooting, Quinton’s friends hung out at the Robbins’ house to share memories of how he had made them laugh, how he guilted them into paying for boat gas, even though he never gave that money to his dad (who actually filled the boat tank) and how he defended anyone being talked about behind their back.
One evening friends showed up with popcorn and an orange drink concoction because those were two of Quinton’s favorite snacks. My granddaughter, Britney, and her good friend from college purchased a wooden picture of deer antlers, signed it “Forever In Our Hearts” and had all of their friends autograph it—no messages, just names. Thirty of the closest friends organized a paper lantern send-off following the high school football team’s halftime tribute to Quinton. Nikki, my step-daughter, daily took food. One special gift was a huge basket filled with every possible snack, dips, gift cards to restaurants, and loads of Kleenex.
The theme of last week’s article was “This is a fallen world and bad things happen.” My friend texted me with a different perspective.
Was Quinton saved? Did he know Jesus as his personal Savior?
I read between her lines.
Had any of our relatives (or me) ever shared the truth of the gospel, even though it ran contrary to his family’s denominational beliefs? How did we impact Quentin’s life story?
My friend’s exact words were as follows: “Gun control may have its place, but Son control does not. Isn’t it time we stop trying to control Him and let Him be who He really is—Lord and Savior?”
She is right.
If you have time, please Google “Where Is God in the Midst of Tragedy? by Hope Church in Las Vegas,” a church which had several members impacted by the shooting. My grandson texted me after last Sunday’s service to tell me how he was touched by the sermon, so I listened on line to Pastor Vance’s message about the evil in this world. He concluded by saying that the cross of Jesus Christ is the greatest act of sin and injustice the world has ever witnessed…God clothed himself in humanity and we nailed Him on the cross.
“Yet God, in his sovereignty, has taken that moment of evil and has demonstrated love like no one has ever witnessed. In this life we may never have answers to this Las Vegas tragedy. But when we see God, we will see it differently.”
None of us are guaranteed enough breath even for today. If we know our friends’ passions for food and drink but not where they stand with Jesus, what becomes the end of their story?
And just as importantly, what becomes of ours?
Dillon Duffy enjoys helping people and following a suggestion from a friend, he started a new career as an insurance agent on November 1, 2016 in Fort Scott.
A year ago Duffy, 26, was a para-educator at Fort Scott Middle School.
The friend, Danny Brown, told him of an opportunity to try insurance as a career at H & H Insurance. Brown teaches at the middle school and is another agent with H & H Insurance.
“He said, Lyle Adcock wants to retire,” Duffy said. “I started coming in here (the office) and enjoyed helping people with personal service.”
Duffy learned ” the ropes” from Adcock, he said.
“He (Adcock) retired in December after turning it all over to me.”
“We are an independent agency,” Duffy said. “We sell All-State, Progressive, Bremen Farmers Mutual, Travelers, Cornerstone and a few others.”
His insurance office is under the auspices of H & H Agency.
Ron and Barbara Albright own H & H Agency, which also provides real estate and property management.
Ron Albright is the real estate broker/ agent, while Barb Albright and Crystal Mason are real estate agents. Kaitlyn Jessip is the office manager. Diana Endicott is the accountant for the group.
Duffy is engaged and will marry Abigail Keating next June.
He can be contacted at his office at 2 Old Fort Boulevard or 620-223-5293. Duffy’s cell phone number is 417-214-4282
The “What Makes Fort Scott Special To Me” photography contest was featured with a gallery of the contest submissions Thursday morning during the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee.
Contestants were to capture the essence of Fort Scott in their photograph submission.
First place winner was Fort Scott High School student, Darby Toth, with her submission of “Liberty and Justice For All.”
Second place winner was FSHS student Grace Keating with her “Friday Night Lights.”
Third place winner was FSHS student Daryn Wiley with her “A Local Diner.”
The venue for the contest was the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
Following the gallery showing, the chamber coffee attendees moved into the Gordon Parks Museum, located in the center.
Chamber members each week may tell of events in the community for $1 per event, with proceeds going to the Dolly the Trolley fund.
Penny Pollack Barnes commented to Frank Halsey, organizer of the annual TriYakAthon at Gunn Park, that he ought to think about getting someone to help organize the event. This comment was in July at the annual bike race that Halsey initiated, called the Marmaton Masacre.
Halsey took her up on the offer.
Since August, Pollack has been helping to get sponsors for the event and getting t-shirts orders, she said.
“Frank does so much for the trails,” Pollack said. “He’s doing the dirty work. I’m doing logistics.”
Currently, Halsey is getting the trails marked for the event that starts at 8 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 14.
Over the last several years, Halsey mapped out, then built the trails and continually maintains them. He is an avid mountain biker.
Pollack is a runner and has been involved with some of the events that Halsey has organized on the trails.
“I like the multi-sport aspect of the TriYakAthon,” Pollack said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Registration starts at 8 a.m. for the 5th Annual TriYakAthon and the contest start time is 10 a.m.
There are 4 miles of running, 2.5 miles of Marmaton River kayaking, and 6.5 miles of cross-country mountain biking in the TriYakAthon.
Competitors can go solo for $35 or be part of a relay team for $60. Online registration deadline is Thursday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. To register, check out their Facebook page.
This year the proceeds from the event will go to a multi-sensory playground at Ellis Park, 1182 E. 12th Street, south of the middle school.
“It will be a special park that kids with disabilities will be able to use,” Pollack said.
The multi-sport event for the TriYakAthon involves running, kayaking and mountain biking. Photo taken from the event Facebook page.
