Egg hunters begin their search at the Fort Scott Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt, on April 1, 2023. Submitted photo.
The Fort Scott Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt is this Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m. sharp at Gunn Park Shelter #2. The event is for children preschool through fifth grade, with participants bringing their own Easter baskets to gather the goodies in.
The Kiwanis-sponsored event is always the Saturday before the Easter weekend.
“We recommend people get there at 10:30 a.m.,” Kiwanis President John Crain said. There is always a crowd and it may take a while to get to the child’s age-designated area.
“It’s over at 11:07,” said event coordinator Bob Eckles with a chuckle.
The Easter bunny in the 2009 egg hunt.
The Easter Bunny will be there, so parents can get a snapshot of their children with him.
“Kiwanis packs the goodies on Thursday at 6 p.m. before the event,” Eckles said. “We get help from the Key Club at the high school.”
They usually spend several hundred dollars on candy, but this year “Candy is more expensive, especially chocolate,” Eckles said.
In some of the eggs are coupons from local businesses: Hedgehog Book Store, Dairy Queen Restaurant, McDonalds Restaurant, NuGrille and Flowers By Leanna.
Cash donations for the event are from: R and R Equipment; Diehl, Fletcher and Banwart CPA;Don’s Spirits and Wines; Merle Humphrey Insurance and Photography; Iron Star Antiques; Big Sugar Lumber; Bids and Dibs Consignment and Walmart.
Sending on behalf of Chamber Member Advance Bourbon County…
WLW Returns!
Harley Race World League Wrestling returns to Memorial Hall in Fort Scott on April 13th, 2024. Live wrestling offers a unique experience compared to what you see on TV. Among all our events, this one has been a favorite among both kids and adults alike. These wrestlers are not just athletes; they’re entertainers, and seeing the joy on the faces of the audience, especially the kids, is truly something special.
We’re seeking $200 sponsorships from businesses to ensure that this event is free for everyone. In return for their support, we’ll provide tickets for businesses to distribute to their employees and their families or to members of the local community. We’re grateful for the support we’ve received so far, and we’re still looking for 10-13 more businesses to help us make this event accessible to all. Thank you to everyone who has reached out for sponsorships.
If you or your business would like to donate reach out to Josh Jones via email [email protected], call or text 620.215.3680, or stop by Bourbon County Cars located at 1810 S. Main.
CALL TO ORDER AT _________ by __________________________________________
ROLL CALL:
____ Jess Ervin ____ Danea Esslinger ____ Amber Kelly ____ Mary Pemberton ____ Bradley Stewart
Motion by _____________, Second by __________, Approved ______, to enter into executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel exception, KSA 75-4319(b)(1), in order to interview applicants of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at ____________.
Richard Jack Riley, age 85, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Guest Home Estates in Ft. Scott. He was born March 10, 1939, in Ft. Scott, the son of Wallace Riley and Dorothy Brotherton Riley. Richard graduated from the Ft. Scott High School.
He married Phyllis Darlene Totman on August 31, 1957, at Miami, Oklahoma. Following their marriage, Richard enlisted with the United States Air Force. He served for six years and was stationed primarily at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base near Kansas City.
Following his military service, Richard returned to Ft. Scott. He worked in the printing department of the Western Insurance Company which later became American States Insurance Company. He also did printing work for Lincoln National Insurance Company and Sekan Printing.
During this time, Richard obtained his minister’s license from the Nazarene Church. He was a long-time member of the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene. After his retirement, he served as pastor of the Nazarene Church in Humboldt, Kansas for nearly ten years.
Richard was a man of many talents. He enjoyed drawing and painting and was an accomplished cartoon artist. He published a book of his cartoon series, The Lil’ Wrangler. These cartoons were featured in a variety of periodicals including the Western Horseman.
Richard also worked as a sign painter. He designed and painted numerous area signs including the Ruddick’s warehouse on the 69 Bypass in Ft. Scott and the Chicken Mary’s sign near Pittsburg.
Some of his favorite times were spent on the water. He enjoyed deep sea fishing and going out on his sailboat. He was fortunate enough to take a father and son cruise onboard the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy while his son, Nathan, was serving with the United States Navy.
Following the death of his first wife, Phyllis, on June 13, 2012, Richard married Linda June Hurd on April 6, 2013. Richard and Linda enjoyed five years of married life until her death on May 30, 2018. Richard left behind a legacy of faith and love and will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
Survivors include his three daughters, Belinda Yockey (Don) of Joplin, Missouri, Christine Bosley (Gary) of Ft. Scott and Carol Johnson (Michael) of Lawrence, Kansas. Also surviving are eleven grandchildren, and numerous great and great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to his wives, Richard was also preceded in death by his son, Nathan Riley; two brothers, Ronnie and Paul Riley and a sister, Mary Ann Brenner.
Rev. Virgil Peck will conduct funeral services at 1:30 P.M. Friday, March 22nd at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene Mission Department and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
The interior of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
After Easter, in April 2024, a group of 17 Catholic Sisters will be moving to a rural Bourbon County property to make their home.
“We Sisters were invited to make our home on a piece of property near St. Martin’s Academy, by Dan Kerr and by the organization Ave Philomena,” said Mother Maria Regina, a spokeswoman for the Sisters “We have obtained the property we will live on to serve as a place to support the spiritual life of the students, faculty, and families at St. Martin’s Academy. If all goes well, we hope to come very soon after Easter.”
Submitted photo.
“Our present convent home is in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” she said. “While we have been grateful to live in Minnesota, we needed a larger place, as we had outgrown our home there. Also, we have longed to live in a more rural area, which is more conducive to our lifestyle.”
The name of the new Catholic establishment is St. Joseph Convent on Hackberry Road, southwest of Fort Scott.
Submitted photo. This photo is the housing for the Sisters, located at St. Joseph Convent, rural Bourbon County. Each cottage is 16 ‘ by 20 ‘ with two sleeping quarters and a shared bathroom in between.
The name of this group of Sisters is Filiae Laboris Mariae, which means “Daughters of the Work of Mary.”
“We are a group of Catholic religious Sisters, who dedicate our lives to prayer and to service,” she said. “We are a rather new community. We were founded in 2017, and most of our Sisters are still rather young–the large majority in their 20s and 30s.”
The 5,300 square-foot chapel is flanked by the Sisters’s cottages on the left in this photo.
“Our primary purpose is to dedicate our lives to prayer and that is the reason that the largest building for our new convent is the chapel,” she said. “We Sisters give our lives entirely to God and live in community: praying together, working together, recreating together each day. In addition to our life of prayer, we also intend to serve the community by organizing events that will foster the spiritual life for various groups of persons. We have heard that there are nursing homes in Fort Scott and would very much like to make regular visits to the residents of the nursing homes.”
Submitted photo of the Sisters.
They are a community of 17 Sisters.
“Nuns is the term for those Sisters who serve the world exclusively by their prayer and sacrifice. Since we also have some external service to others, we are called Sisters,” she said.
“For those who become Sisters, there are stages of formation,” she said. “The first stage is called the postulant and we have one postulant. The next stage is that of the novice (you can tell a novice because she wears a white veil), and we have eight novices. The last stage is that of a Sister who has professed the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The professed Sisters wear a blue veil, and there are eight professed Sisters. “
Submitted photo. The Novice wears a white veil.Submitted photo. A blue veil is worn by a Sister.
About the build
Steve McTavish, Olathe, is the project manager for Ave Philomena, the owner of the project. The 160-acreage was purchased from Delbert and Darla Crays.
“We started last August,” he said. “April 2 is the scheduled move-in.”
The current phase of the build is the 5,300 sq. ft. chapel, 16′ by 20 ‘ residence cottages, a 2,000 sq. ft. community center, a 4,000 sq. ft. dining, kitchen, sewing laundry center, and a small cottage for meetings.
The future phase is for three other buildings for community and additional lodging, and a replica of the House of Loreto with courtyards, McTavish said.
Almost all of the work on the St. Joseph Convent project has been done by local tradesmen.
The people who have helped with the build are Advantage Building and Remodeling-Fort Scott; R2 Construction-Fort Scott; Geiger Plumbing-Fort Scott, H2 Painting-Fort Scott; Wes Davis Drywall, Kelly Electric-Uniontown, 5M Restoration, LLC-Prescot; George Collinge (road and land clearing work); Bar/Rose Custom Wood Designs-Fort Scott; C.D. L. (HVAC); Aegis (fire protection); Rural Water District #2; Heartland Electric Coop; Harris Propane, Invictus Roofing, Mike the Carpet Man (flooring) and Winvent/Extrusions (windows).
401 Woodland Hills Blvd. Kansas Renewal Institute, a behavioral healthcare treatment center will open soon.
The Kansas Renewal Institute, located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. in Fort Scott, is a pioneering behavioral healthcare center specializing in treating adults and adolescents.
Our mission is to provide exceptional, accessible behavioral health services across Kansas, fostering resilience and renewal in our communities.
Kansas Renewal Institute offers full-time, part-time, and per-diem employment for all persons wishing to become a part of an exciting team of behavioral health professionals.
We need dedicated, responsible, caring individuals who have a passion for assisting others throughout their treatment process.
Join Our Team!
If you have a passion for helping others, join Kansas Renewal Institute to be part of a team that is saving lives! Our team provides compassionate treatment for children, adolescents, and adults who are struggling with their mental health and/or substance
use concerns.
We work to meet each patient’s unique needs to help them achieve mental wellness so they can live happier lives full of hope.
Located in Fort Scott, our residential treatment programs provide modern, safe, and patient-friendly environments that encourage positive interactions conducive to health, hope, and healing.
Behavioral Health Technicians Needed: A Great Career Starter
Helping children as a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) could be your calling! No experience, certification, or college degree is necessary – we will train you on the job! Applicants must be 20 years or older with a high school diploma or GED. As a BHT, you will provide care and support to patients ages 6 to 18 who are
struggling with their mental health. We invite you to be their bridge to better health!
–Masters Level Therapist (must be licensed in Kansas or eligible for licensure):
Monday- Friday (days).
–Case Manager: Monday-Friday (days).
–Behavioral Health Technician providing direct care for Patients. Day, Night, and Weekend Shifts are needed.
(Applicants will be subject to a Drug Test and Background Check if hired)
The heart of our work is helping people. That means offering our employees a robust benefits package that ensures they’re able to care for themselves and their families, while they help children in need. Benefits include:
Competitive pay for the industry
Medical plans with generous employer contribution
Tuition, CEU and licensure reimbursement
Generous paid time off
A strong focus on promoting internally
Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
AND MUCH MORE!
Tax Relief passed the Senate and was sent to the House. All of the bills can be found at www.kslegislature.org. Here are some highlights.
Tax Relief for All Kansans: Property, Sales, and Income tax cuts passed in SB 539 with a bi-partisan vote of 29 to 11. I voted Yes. The bill would cut taxes for every Kansas taxpayer. It will:
eliminate state income tax on Social Security (SS)
provide property tax relief to homeowners by increasing the K-12 20 mill exemption to $100,000, up from $44,000
eliminate the state sales tax on groceries July 1, instead of Jan 1, 2025
increase personal exemptions for single filers to $11,000 and $22,000 for married joint filers and increase for inflation each year after – current single exemption is $2250 and $4500 for married
increase single filer standard deduction to $4000 and increase all standard deductions (married is currently $8000) for inflation each year after
increase dependent exemptions to $3000 up from $2250 and increase each year after for inflation
create a single tax bracket at 5.7 that would decrease each year .05 for 5 years
decrease the privilege tax to 1.63 for banks and 1.62 for trust companies over two years
create a child tax credit program based on household income
Personal Property Taxes would be eliminated on off-road vehicles (including all-terrain vehicle – ATVs), watercraft, golfcarts, motorized bicycles, snowmobiles, and trailers with a gross weight of 15,000 lbs. or less. The KS County Appraisers Association asked me to help eliminate the taxes because it cost more to collect the tax than what is collected. The County Treasurers and Clerks I checked with agreed. Also, constituents had contacted me asking me to help because the taxes on these items are high and the penalties are steep. SB 484 is a win for the taxpayer and the tax collector. It passed 29 to 11.
Property Tax Freeze for Seniors and Disabled Veterans would be expanded in HB 2465 by subtracting SS from the household income, increasing the household income limit to $80,000, and increasing the home valuation to $595,000. Currently, only 50% of SS can be subtracted from the household income and it must be below $53,600 with a home valuation of $350,000 or less. HB 2465 would also open up the filing deadline because most people didn’t know about the program. (They must not be reading my newsletters ) The filing deadline for the property tax freeze is April 15 each year. The form is K-40SVR at Kansas Department of Revenue https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr23.pdf. I worked diligently with other Senators and House Tax Conference Committee members to pass this into law and we are working to expand the program so more people qualify.
Sales Tax Exemption For Disabled Veterans would be a new program for veterans. Any 50% or more disabled veteran would not pay state or local sales tax on personal purchases, excluding vehicles, alcohol, tobacco, and vaping products. It would have a limit of $24,000 in purchases. KDOR reported that most Kansas families spend about that amount on items that have a sales tax. The original bill was SB 58. The committee voted to create Senate Substitute for HB 2036.
HB 2036, a property tax exemption for disabled veterans, created constitutional questions as stated by lawyers and others. Instead of risking losing the legislation because of questions on constitutionality, it made more sense to expand the existing program that freezes property taxes for seniors and disabled veterans and implement the sales tax program. It will help more disabled veterans, because not all own a home. The state has avoided the question of constitutionality with the property tax freeze program by having all of the property taxes paid and homeowner apply for a rebate.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
My friend Vivian and I were visiting recently about the topic of aging. Some women look 15 years older than they are, but some look 15 years younger than their age. Vivian and I shared our thoughts about what we will look like in heaven. We both agreed that we’ll look about 30, which is the prime of life. When I was 30, I felt like I had a tiger by the tail. I could efficiently multi-task, do things quickly, walk and chew gum, and rarely felt dumb. I had lots of energy and laughed a lot. Now that I’m older, some physical things have changed but I’m thankful I can still laugh easily.
When believers are in the last third of our lives, we can still continue to be living testimonies to the faithfulness of God. There are two New Testament Christians that are marvelous examples of how to age fruitfully. The stellar lives of Simeon and Anna inspire me to keep serving God and loving people as long as I have breath.
Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to Jerusalem to dedicate him to the Lord. As they walked into the temple, Simeon (an elderly man) was there waiting. He loved God, was righteous and devout, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. The Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before he saw the Messiah with his own eyes. For this very reason the Holy Spirit had impressed upon Simeon to go to the temple on this precise day and hour when Jesus’ parents brought Him to the temple.
Simeon nestled the Babe in his arms and praised God saying, “Lord and Master, I am Your loving servant, and now I can die content for Your promise to me has been fulfilled. With my own eyes I have seen Your Word, the Savior You sent into the world. He will be glory for Your people Israel, and the Revelation Light for all people everywhere“ (Luke 2:29-31 TPT.) Simeon was at the right place at the right time because He listened to God.
Anna was an 84-year-old prophetess from the Tribe of Asher. She’d been married only seven years when her husband died. After that, she worshipped God in the temple continually, serving Him with night-and-day prayer and fasting. “She [Anna] came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38 NLT.) When Anna laid her eyes on Jesus, she experienced the very presence of God. Although she had known sorrow, she was full of joy. Although she was no longer in the prime of her life, she had maintained contentment and hope. Although she had some limitations, she never stopped worshipping God and using her prophetic gift. Although she had experienced disappointments, she never stopped believing and praying. Although she was no longer youthful, she remained useful.
When I’m around an older woman with a laughing smile and twinkling eyes, that’s all I see. I’m truly blind to any of her aging facial features. Her beautiful smile is a better cover-up than anti-wrinkle cream. Several years ago, my cousin Vicky and I were talking about getting older. She said that she planned to simply grow old gracefully. I loved her plan and I embraced her sensible philosophy as my own. I want to grow old lovingly. I want to be sweet and not cynical. I want to enjoy life, laugh at myself, and remain useful for God.
The Key: Let’s be content to have a loving heart and use “Big Grin Beauty Cream.”
