Voices From the Grave: Inaugural Launch of Bourbon County Community Theater

The newly formed Bourbon County Community Theatre is comprised of 16 members of all ages.

“Everyone and anyone is welcome to join,” said Tyler Parker, a member of the group.

“Our board of directors is made up of 10 individuals,” he said.  “This includes Matthew Wells, Melissa Guns, Angie Bin, Katie Wells, Rene Ludeman, Alex Chesney, Whitley Chesney, Delynn Abati, Sandra Abati, and myself.”

They have created the Voices From the Grave event this Saturday at Riverfront Park.

Tickets can be purchased through Friday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall. Tours will run every 10 minutes from 6-9 p.m. Cost for the event: adults $10, students $7. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.

Actors will present a short script describing a scene or “vignette” based on a story of murder or mayhem in Fort Scott’s history, according to a press release from the group.

Guests will be escorted through the park to visit each vignette and hear the story.

Leaders will be costumed “characters” who guide visitors from vignette to vignette.

“We tasked Angie Bin’s (Fort Scott High School’s Drama teacher) advanced drama students to research and write scripts about interesting deaths in Fort Scott and the surrounding Bourbon County area. It was a fun and educational task the students were excited about.”

“The actors are all volunteers, who will be receiving the script before the event to memorize and will meet the day of the event to set up their vignettes and go over some simple blocking,”he said.

Each vignette has 1 to 4 actors and is three minutes in duration.

“We are excited about hosting our inaugural fundraising event for our non-profit,” Parker said. “Funds raised from this event will go towards our next production.”

Obituary of Sandra Riley

Sandra Lee Riley, also known as Sandi, passed away on October 20, 2023, at the age of 81 in Kansas City, Missouri. She was born in Oklahoma in 1942 to Charles and Mabel Bevis.  Sandi traveled extensively as a child due to her father’s military service.  She carried this love of travel throughout her life.

 

Sandi is survived by her son, Shawn Riley, daughter-in-law, Laine Riley, and her granddaughters, Morgan Larrison and Jordan Riley.   Sandi is survived by her daughter, Deborah Hulsey, and grandsons Alexander, Evan, Cian, and Soren Hulsey. In addition, Sandi is survived by her brother, Larry Bevis. as well as many friends who will also miss her strength, wit, and compassion.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 56 years, Dr. Ron Riley, her parents, and her brother, John Bevis.

 

Sandi had a commitment to community service and dedicated much of her time to volunteer work. She actively participated in various organizations, including Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, Daughters of the American Revolution, Red Hats, Women’s Education Scholarship Fund, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Sandi was also an active member of Country Club Christian Church, where she and Ron enjoyed their Sunday School Class for many years.

 

In her spare time, Sandi enjoyed pursuing her hobbies. She was an avid painter, seamstress, and baker.  Sandi loved westerns, especially John Wayne movies and the show Yellowstone.  Sandi’s love of history was passed down through the generations and her knowledge was extensive. She is loved by many and will be missed by all.

 

Private family graveside services will be held in the U. S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Kansas

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Rinehart Fund (Undergraduate endodontics) at UMKC – School of Dentistry and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

 

Children’s Halloween Parade This Saturday at 10 a.m. in Downtown Fort Scott

Halloween Parade

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces this year’s Halloween Parade will be held Saturday, October 28th at 11:00 a.m. in Downtown Fort Scott.

Prior to the parade, starting at 10:00 a.m., there will be special activities including pictures with a spooktacular backdrop at the City Scales building on North Main and face painting by Fort Scott High School Thespians.

The parade trick-or-treats merchants along Main Street, starting at La Hacienda, south to 2nd Street, crossing the street then heading north back to Skubitz Plaza. Any businesses or organizations in the community not located along Main Street are also welcome to set up a table on the sidewalk providing treats, coupons, or other handouts for kids. Children are encouraged to bring a sack or bag to collect treats along the parade route.

Following the parade, a free slice of Papa Don’s pizza and a drink will be served to kids in costumes.

The Chamber is currently seeking sponsors and donations for the pizza lunch following the parade.

Contact the Chamber if interested at 620-223-3566

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

The Fort is Hosting the Chamber of Commerce Coffee on Oct. 26

ANNOUNCING THIS WEEK’S
CHAMBER COFFEE
Join us for Chamber Coffee hosted by

Fort Scott National Historic Site

Thursday, October 26th

8am

1 Old Fort Blvd

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, October 26th at 8 a.m. hosted by Fort Scott National Historic Site, located at 1 Old Fort Blvd. The Chamber Coffee will be in the park’s Theater on the second floor of the Infantry Barracks just west, to the left, of the Visitor Center. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be provided by The Friends of Fort Scott.

 

Fort Scott National Historic Site will be promoting the 42nd annual Candlelight Tour. The tour centers around peace on the frontier with five stops around the site. The entire tour is outside this year, so they encourage visitors to dress for the weather. Tickets go on sale November 1st, Friday tours 6:30-9pm and Saturday tours 5-9pm. Tours start every 15 minutes and last approximately 1 hour. Tickets are $8.00 per person and children 5 and under are free. Contact Fort Scott National Historic Site at 620.223.0310 for more information.

 

Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information.

 

Click here for their Facebook Page!

We hope to see you there!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members
shown below!
FORT SCOTT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
620-223-3566
Facebook  Twitter
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

Holiday Open House Shopping Event Downtown & Around Thursday, November 9th, 5-8 p.m.

 

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces the Annual Holiday Open House Shopping event, Downtown & Around in Fort Scott.  The main event will take place Thursday, November 9th from 5-8pm with festive refreshments, drawings & deals. Then, most stores will continue Open House on Friday & Saturday, too.

There will be spirited holiday shopping at nearly 20 participating retailers including 110 South Main, Angie Dawn’s Boutique, Barbed Wire & Roses, Bartelsmyers Jewelry, Better in Bourbon, Be The Light Boutique, Bids & Dibs, Flint + Fray, Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore, Iron Star, Laree + Co, Papa Dons, Ruddicks Furniture, Sekan, Shirt Shack, Sunshine Boutique, The Artificers, and The Beauty Lounge.  Drawings, discounts, and treats await, while shoppers find unique apparel, gifts and holiday décor.

Visit fortscott.com or the Chamber Facebook page for more details.  Get out for the Annual Holiday Open House Shopping Event Thursday, November 9th through Saturday the 11th in Fort Scott.

 

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Newsletter

 

 

 


Capitol Tour
Jill Jones of Prairie Village

Aaron Cain of Spring Hill

Julie Cain of Spring Hill

Jenna Cain of Spring Hill

Wes Cain of Spring Hill

Chelsea Powell of Hays

Tommy Powell of Hays

Thomas Powell of Hays

Lila Montgomery of Hays

Walter Montgomery of Hays

Richard Vohs of Olathe

Amanda Nedved of Lenexa

Adelie Nedved of Lenexa

Avalyn Nedved of Lenexa

Alexa Nedved of Lenexa

Nicole Huff of Cunningham

Fred Frantz of Overland Park

Audrey Frantz of Overland Park

Gabrielle Frantz of Overland Park

Freddie Frantz of Overland Park

Justin Frantz of Overland Park

Oliver Sowards of Olathe

Natalie Sowards of Olathe

Jackson Sowards of Olathe

Reid Sowards of Olathe

Matt Walker of DeSoto

Megan Walker of DeSoto

Lydia Walker of DeSoto

Adalyn Walker of DeSoto

Don Koci of Colwich

Laurie Koci of Colwich

Alvin Neville of Colwich

Karla Neville of Colwich

Ben Marquardt of Overland Park

Caitie Marquardt of Overland Park

American College of Cardiology
Danish Bawa of Overland Park

Rajendran Sabapathy of Overland Park

Ashiya Khan of Overland Park

WTA Advocates for Rural Broadband
David Shipley of Allen

Mark Gailey of Tyro

MKC
Dave Spears of Valley Center

Community Care Network of Kansas
Scott Anglemyer of Shawnee

Sonja Bachus of Topeka

American Association of Crop Insurers
Doug Jakway of Lawrence

CoBank
KC Preisner of Dodge City

American Psychiatric Association
Cord Huston of Lenexa
Kamalakar Surineni of Wichita

National Children’s Alliance
Christian Morgan of Overland Park

Mesothelioma Applied Foundation
Mackenzie Thomas of Lenexa

Tiffany Thomas of Lenexa

CARE USA
Elysia Chao of Lenexa

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Jennifer Naylor of Rose Hill

Hannah Soderstrom of Wichita

Heather Soderstrom of Wichita

MOARC
Melissa Sieben of Lawrence

PFLAG
Lisa Wright of Overland Park

Edith Guffey of Lawrence


 

 

 


Recognizing National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated October as National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, ensuring Americans had an opportunity to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome. This week, I continued the tradition by introducing a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that outlines the improvements made to Down syndrome research and advocacy, the improved quality of live for the Down syndrome community, and commended the efforts of loved ones and caretakers who steadfastly care for individuals with Down syndrome. As co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am pleased that efforts to increase federal investment in Down syndrome research has significantly improved over the past decade. This month is an opportunity to honor the Down syndrome community, their families and caretakers, and leaders in the advocacy and medical research fields for their work to improve the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome.

You can watch my floor speech honoring Down Syndrome Awareness Month here.

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Continue reading U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Newsletter

Gordon Parks Museum Receives a Cross from the African American Methodist Episcopal Church

Shane Walker, left, and Kirk Sharp hold the cross that Walker donated to the Gordon Parks Museum earlier this month. Submitted photol.

Shane Walker, a resident of Fort Scott,  and longtime admirer of Gordon Parks, has donated one of the church crosses that was found in the African American Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

The donation was held during one of the Gordon Parks Celebration events on Saturday, October 7, “History of the Hawkins/Plaza School and All-School Reunion.”

The wooden cross stands approximately, 3ft-by-5ft and has fixtures for a lighted bulb display.

“We are so very thankful to Shane for this wonderful contribution to our museum.” said Kirk Sharp, museum, executive director. “This cross is great addition with our other artifacts from the AME Church that includes a stain glass window, church pews, corner stone and much more.”

The AME church was located on the southeast corner of Third and Lowman Streets before it was torn down in 2001. Gordon Parks and his family attended this church regularly. The church was also used in a scene from Parks’ acclaimed film, The Learning Tree.

Improving Kansas Electrical Grid Resilience and Capacity

Governor Kelly Announces Funding for Kansas to Improve Electrical Grid’s Resilience and Capacity

~~Enhancements Targeted to Prepare State for Extreme Weather Events~~

TOPEKA—Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas is receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to make the state’s electrical grid more robust and resilient against extreme weather events as part of the Joint Targeted Interconnection Queue Portfolio (JTIQ). The project will coordinate the planning, design, and construction of 5 transmission projects across 7 Midwest states. This investment comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office and is funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

In May, Governor Kelly submitted a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Granholm in support of this project. Representative Sharice Davids also submitted a letter of support.

“These funds will help modernize Kansas’ power grid to increase energy reliability and efficiency,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This investment continues our progress on electrical projects and emergency preparedness, protecting the well-being of Kansans around the state.”

“By modernizing our electric grid, we are creating good-paying jobs and ensuring folks across Kansas have access to clean, affordable electricity, even during extreme weather events,” said Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03). “I’m proud to have helped bring these investments home to Kansas through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which continues to make a positive impact on the lives of Kansas families and businesses.”

In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy recently announced multiple projects that will benefit Kansas through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, including:

  • Wildfire Mitigation and Renewable Energy Access in Western Kansas: Kansas is receiving $96 million through Midwest Energy to rebuild and replace transmission lines. Learn more about this project here.
  • Wildfire Assessment and Resilience for Networks: Kansas is one of 16 states sharing in more than $99 million awarded to Holy Cross Energy for wildfire mitigation. Learn more about this project here.
  • Distribution Automation in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma: Kansas is one of 4 states sharing in more than $47 million awarded to the Empire District Electric Company to improve resilience and upgrade systems. Learn more about this project here.

“These new projects will bring lower energy costs, more reliable energy to the region and create jobs for highly skilled workers in the combined SPP-MISO region,” said Barbara Sugg, Southwest Power Pool President and CEO. “This portfolio represents the first interregional projects for the two regions, allowing both organizations to collaborate on regional reliability risks and pave the way for future projects.”

Additional information about the JTIQ portfolio can be found here.

###

Obituary of Leonard Haulotte

Leonard Dale Haulotte, age 79, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Monday, October 23, 2023, in Ft. Scott.

He was born May 14, 1944, in Woodstock, Illinois, the son of Leo G. Haulotte and Elaine A. Bogard Haulotte.  Leonard grew up and graduated high school in Woodstock.  While living in Woodstock, Leonard worked as a die maker at Duro Tool & Die.

Leonard married Carol Goodbody on October 20, 1972, in Ft. Scott, Kansas.  They lived in Ft. Scott for a time and later returned to Woodstock where Leonard was again employed by Duro.  In 1987, Leonard and Carol moved back to Ft. Scott, and Leonard owned and operated Haulotte’s Retail Liquor for fifteen years.

Before retirement, Leonard worked as a die maker for Peerless Products in Ft. Scott.  Leonard was a member of the Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.  He was a past member of the Elks Lodge of Woodstock.

 

Survivors include his wife, Carol, of the home; two sons, John Christopher “Chris” Haulotte of Leaf River, Illinois and Matthew Haulotte of Woodstock, Illinois; four grandchildren, John J. Haulotte, Sydney Lang (Jacob), Ben Haulotte and Brandon Haulotte (Morgan) and a great-grandson, Mason Lang.  Also surviving are a sister, Laura Boal (Terry Figard) of Woodstock, Illinois and four nephews.

Leonard was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Linda Wilson and a brother-in-law, Virgil Boal.

 

Father Yancey Burgess will conduct Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 26th at the Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church (Kennedy Gym).

The Rosary will be recited at 9:30 A.M. Thursday prior to the Mass.

Following services, there will be cremation.

Burial will take place at a later date at the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Ft. Scott.

Memorials are suggested to the Mary Queen of Angels Building Fund 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.

Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas Awards $5,000 to Bourbon County Daycares

 

 

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) is pleased to announce the recipients of its second round of Making a Difference in Childcare grants. Through a competitive grant process, five daycares in Bourbon County were selected as recipients.

 

“In virtually every community across Southeast Kansas, the need for childcare services remains a prominent topic,” stated Devin Gorman, Executive Director of CFSEK. “Our Board of Directors sought avenues through which CFSEK could offer assistance to our current childcare providers, ensuring the continuity of their crucial services and, ideally, facilitating their ability to accommodate additional children if they have the capacity to do so.”

 

The importance of having quality daycare is paramount to the well-being of a community. The CFSEK Marketing and Asset Development Committee evaluated data from the State of Kansas and Child Care Aware to determine the most critical areas of need. As a result, Bourbon County was selected for the second round of grants.

 

Applicants were asked to identify the areas of greatest need for their children. These daycares want to not only care for their current children but also to expand their reach and capabilities if they are not yet at full license capacity.

 

The following daycares were awarded funds from the Making a Difference in Childcare in Bourbon County grant process:

  • Barbara Baugher Daycare
  • Happy Kids Daycare & Preschool, Inc.
  • Kelly Jean Hall Group Daycare Home
  • Little Blessings
  • Lizzy’s Little Ladybugs Childcare

The CFSEK Board of Trustees and staff are proud to help support childcare efforts in Southeast Kansas. For additional information about CFSEK and its grant opportunities, please visit www.SoutheastKansas.org or call 620-231-8897.

Bourbon County Local News