TOPEKA – Governor Colyer today signed Sub. Senate Bill 423, appropriating an increase of more than $500 million in K-12 funding over the next five years, at a ceremony at Seaman High School in Topeka.
The bill, which aims to provide adequate and equitable funding for all Kansas schools, was passed by the legislature moments before they adjourned their regular session in early April.
“Kansas wants to lead the way in education,” said the Governor. “I’m very proud to sign this legislation as it means more money in the classroom, more accountability measures and a focus on student outcomes. Most importantly, it keeps our schools open without raising taxes on hardworking Kansas families.”
The Governor also called on the Legislature to fix the error that inadvertently decreased expenditures to schools by $80 million. “It’s important that we get this right,” said the Governor.
Governor Colyer was joined by several legislators including president of the Seaman School Board, Chairman Fred Patton, and Representative Brenda Dietrich.
The Governor has now signed 57 bills into law this session. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign bills into law, veto bills or allow bills to become law without his signature.
The Fort Scott High School Theatre Department, under the direction of FSHS Thespian Director Angie Bin, has been selected to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious arts festival, as part of the American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF).
Each August, Edinburgh, Scotland becomes the most magical and exciting place on earth as performing artists from all over the world take part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The whole city becomes a stage and visitors can view performances everywhere from playgrounds to conference rooms, from city parks to churches.
The Fringe Festival includes over 3,000 different performances of music, theatre, dance, and comedy during its three-week run.
Fort Scott High School’s performance will be showcased as a part of AHSTF in the summer of 2019.
Fort Scott High School, recognized for its entertaining and innovative productions, was selected by the AHSTF Board of Advisors, made up of college theatre professionals, to represent our community as part of the 2018 AHSTF program.
The Board reviews all completed applications and identifies the top high schools based on their most recent bodies of work, awards, community involvement, philosophies, and recommendations.
While in Scotland, AHSTF’s professional Technical Team ensures that the company’s lighting, sound, and property needs are addressed.
WorldStrides, the nation’s oldest and largest student travel company, will be making the travel arrangements for each high school group. The trip includes two days in London, England and ten days in Edinburgh in August of 2019.
A parent meeting for all FSHS performing art students interested in traveling and their parents will be held April 24 at 7:45 p.m. in Room 401 at the High School.
On Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications to the parking lot of Mercy Convenient Care at 1624 S. National for free, anonymous, “no questions asked” disposal.
Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is made possible through the partnership of Bourbon County Sherriff’s Department, the Fort Scott Police Department and Mercy Hospital Pharmacy.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Amy Heitman, a welder at Niece Equipment LLC Kansas, 3904 Liberty Bell Road in Fort Scott’s Industrial Park.
Amy Heitman never imagined she’d grow up to be a welder.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” she told the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee attendees. “I took a welding course in high school, I grew to have a passion for it.”
Heitman started researching why there weren’t more women welders and found only two percent of welders are women, she said.
“In the war (World War II) women stepped in to do jobs,” she said. “When men came back, women were pushed back. In manufacturing now, it’s predicted there is a shortage of 400,000.”
Rosie the Riveter, an American iconic poster, featured during World War II.
“I’m a welder and I weigh 107 pounds,” Heitman said. And “I’m building water tanks.”
“We are still building this world, if we don’t have welders and manufacturers, where does that leave America? ”
“I’m encouraging people to step up to non-traditional spots,” she said. “I want to help women know they can step up.”
Heitman welds and fabricates the metal pieces in water tanks that the Niece Equipment builds, she said in a later interview.
“I do some of the internal plumbing on the piping,” she said.
The facility she works in is climate controlled: fans in the summer and heat in the winter.
Heitman said there are 40 employees at Niece and of those, approximately nine are welders.
The salary range for the welding positions range from $15 to $19 per hours, she said.
Heitman, 25, and husband, Josh Heitman moved to Fort Scott from Austin, Texas in January 2018.
She worked for Niece Equipment in Austin and was recruited to Fort Scott.
They have two children, Gabriel and Ayden. Because it was in the middle of the school year, Ayden stayed behind in Austin with his grandmother temporarily. Ayden has autism.
“Because of his autism, I didn’t want to bring him yet, into something completely new…it would throw him off,” Heitman said.
Her first impression of Fort Scott: “I was enchanted,” she said.
“This is the kind of place I want to raise my kids,” she said.
“There is not a ton of things to do like in Austin, but so many things the whole community gets involved in. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Heitman got connected with Fort Scott Community College and together they are working on a plan to talk to high school students that tour the school, she said.
She is going to try to solve the issue of getting more people into non-traditional careers where they are needed.
Amy Heitman speaks to the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee attendees Thursday morning at Fort Scott Community College’s Arnold Arena. City Manager Dave Martin listens in the background.
Fort Scottians were awakened to an emergency siren sounding at approximately 6:45 a.m. this morning.
It was a false alarm, according to Tracey Reed, communications manager at the Fort Scott Police Department.
“We are not sure what set it off,” Reed said. “We have had an issue with our federal siren system…it has had to do with batteries. It doesn’t occur often. We’ll have somebody come and check it out.”
“I know people get worried,” Reed said.
There will be siren testing at 1 p.m. today, Reed said.
The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site cordially invite you to the Civil War Camp Dance, during Civil War Living History Weekend at Fort Scott National Historic site, Saturday, April 21, 2018.
The Camp Dance will be held at historic Memorial Hall.1 E 3rd Street, Fort Scott, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
1800’s period music will be used.
Dress: Come dressed in 1860s Civil War/western/pioneer attire.
Long trains, spike heels, hobnails/heel-plates, spurs/swords/side-arms, pipes/cigars/chewing tobacco, and liquor are prohibited.
Refreshments: cookies, punch, and cold water will be served.
Tickets: $5 per person at the door
All proceeds go to the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site.
For Information concerning the Civil War Living History Weekend at
Fort Scott National Historic Site go to www.nps.gov/fosc.
For dance information contact Dee at 913-557-1632 or 913-269-1632 or [email protected]
NOTE: This event is NOT SPONSORED by Fort Scott National Historic Site or the Volunteers of FSNHS.
Dancing was enjoyed by almost everyone in America during the Civil War –North and South, young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural, black and white, and in the camps, the soldiers danced with each other and no one thought it was strange.
In all times of adversity, you have to take a step back from your troubles.During the 1860s, dancing was one way to forget, at least for an evening, the “fiery trial” of the Civil War.
Come join us for an evening camp dance. All ages welcome.
Rosella Page, age 79, formerly of Ft. Scott, more recently of Towanda, KS, died Thursday, April 12, 2018, in Towanda. Pastor Matthew Hamilton will conduct funeral services at 1:00 PM Friday, April 20th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Private burial will take place in Hepler Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Rosella Page Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
PARSONS, Kan. – Kansas State University will host its annual Beef Cattle and Forage Crops Field Day on Thursday, May 3. This year the event will be at the K-State Southeast Research and Extension Center, 25092 Ness Rd. in Parsons.
The day starts with registration, coffee and donuts and time to view sponsors’ displays at 8:30 a.m. Presentations begin at 9 a.m. Lunch will be served following the last presentation, compliments of several sponsoring companies.
Trace Mineral Supplementation and Implants for Grazing Stocker Cattle – Dale Blasi, K-State beef cattle extension specialist;
Complementary Forages for Grazing with Tall Fescue – Jaymelynn Farney, K-State southeast area beef specialist;
Update on Anaplasmosis in Southeastern Kansas – Gregg Hanzlicek, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab; and
Utilization of Legumes to Improve Efficiency of Beef Production – Lyle Lomas, K-State animal scientist and head of the Southeast Agricultural Research Center.
More information is available by calling 620-421-4826.
Austin Bahr performs as Tom Sawyer and Trace Evans as his best friend Huck Finn in the Fort Scott Christian Heights high school play “Tom Sawyer” Saturday night at the school.
Fort Scott Christian Heights High School students entertained the community Friday and Saturday evening with its rendition of “Tom Sawyer: An American Legend With Music.”
The play depicts a segment of life of Tom Sawyer life, who was an orphan boy in Missouri, circa the 1840s.
The cast is as follows:
Jeff Thatcher was played by Kole Wagner, Tom Sawyer by Austin Bahr, Mrs. Thatcher by Annalyse Gilmore, Becky Thatcher by Darci Kendrick, Aunt Polly by Kendra Bahr, Sid Sawyer by Seth Lowery, Cousin Mary by Emily Davenport, Ben Rogers by Benji Banwart, Joe Harper by Jason Avery, Jim Hollis by Drake Garcia, Ted Austin by Josiah Banwart, Amy Lawrence by Lily Leigh, Lyda Hollis by Annalyse Gilmore, Widder Douglas by Annie Tarter, Preacher/schoolmaster by J.B. Lowry, Judge Thatcher by Steven Avery, Hope Austin by Emily Davenport, Suzie Harper by Kathryn Hudiberg, Faith Harper by Marissa Meanor, Huck Finn by Trace Evans, Doc Robinson by Benji Banwart, Injun Joe by Bryce Meanor, Muff Potter by Jason Avery, The Constable by Lucas Gilmore.
Sound, lighting, and props were by Mike Avery and Larry Davolt.
Costumes were provided by Vickie Shead.
The stage crew was Lucas Gilmore, J.B. Lowry, Brandon West, Mike Avery and Tim Avery.
Following are scenes from the play:
Tom Sawyer, Jeff Thatcher, Mrs. Thatcher and Becky Thatcher.Tom Sawyer wins the prize for the most memorized scriptures.
Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer get engaged.Tom Sawyer ponders why he is always in trouble.The funeral of Tom and Huck.Tom surprises the community by coming to his own funeral.
Tom swears on the Bible at the trial of Muff Potter.
Principal Terry Chance does the sound equipment during the play.The cast of Tom Sawyer thanks Mike Avery and Terry Chance for their help behind the scenes of the play.Members of the audience take their leave following the play Tom Sawyer Saturday evening at Fort Scott Christian Heights school.
