Business, Fort Scott

Hedgehog INK Bookstore Expands

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Hedgehog INK employee Lynne Pallaske puts a book in its place on April 26. This area is the fiction area of the bookstore.

Hedgehog INK, 16 S. Main, had no more space for their books.

 

Hedgehog INK is located at 16 S. Main.

Jan and Dick Hedges opened the bookstore in October 2018.

Jan Hedges at the cash register of Hedgehog INK. Masks and sanitizers are available for use to deter the spread of COVID-19. There is also a plastic screen at the cash register.

“We were running out of space for all our books,” Jan Hedges said. “I have wanted a space where I can have author talks, writing groups, reading groups…a space where people can meet for whatever reason.”

So they annexed the back two-story room of the building next door, adjacent to theirs, an approximate 1,200 square foot space, and extended to the back of the current store to make a 9 foot by 16-foot children’s area, she said.

The new space for the children’s area in 9 feet by 16 foot and is located in the rear of the building, just behind the fiction area.

 

The Hedges started the expansion in January 2021.

“It’s a work in progress,” she said.

 

Their plan is to start children’s storytime in September, Jan said.

 

The expanded larger space is for meeting rooms,  and the walls are full of research and reference books.

Jan Hedges walks through the new space for non-fiction and history books. It will be the gathering place for future events. This view is from the mezzanine area.

 

“We were able to save the tin roof and wood floors,” she said. “The building was built in the 1870s.

 

The tin ceilings are original to the 1870s building.

The Hedgehog INC building, and the one next door, are all owned by Jared Leek, who has remodeled these and several other downtown Fort Scott buildings.

 

The Hedges have carved out an office space in the building.

In the mezzanine area of the expanded space is a seating area with large windows to read and relax.

 

There is seating in the mezzanine area for reading a good book.
Jan Hedges stands at the top of the stairs in the reading area.

“With the additional space we are able to spread out our fiction area more, to be able to see them better,” Jan said.

 

Hedgehog INK has a local authors section.

 

The bookstore hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

 

The store also sells local products from area producers and artists.

To see the latest, view their Facebook page.

 

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee April 29 at Papa Don’s

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Join us for this weeks Chamber Coffee hosted by
PAPA DON’S PIZZA
6 S. Main St.
8 am
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE WITH FULL MENU
In May 2021, Papa Don’s Pizza will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary at this location downtown Fort Scott!
Chamber Members & Guests are welcome
to make any announcement for $1 to the Chamber about their business or organization including events, new products, promotions, or any other specials!
You may wear a mask at your own discretion.
Social distancing is encouraged.
Upcoming Chamber Coffee Schedule:
5/6 ~ Nu-GRille Celebrating 75th in Biz, 15th current location
5/13 ~ Billiard, Hammer, Hartman Insurance Agency
5/20 ~ KOMB FM 103.9 & 98.3
5/27 ~ FSHS Strength & Performance Program
6/3 ~ Good Ol Days
6/10 ~ Sharky’s Pub & Grub ~ Celebrating 10 Years!
6/17 ~ The Lavender Patch Farm
6/24 ~ OPEN, CALL THE CHAMBER TO SCHEDULE!
Kansas

Thriving Families, Safer Children: Kansas Special Mentoring Project

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Governor Kelly Announces Kansas Chosen for Special Mentoring Project

~ Thriving Families, Safer Children project seeks to create strong families and communities where children are free from harm ~

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas is one of twelve jurisdictions chosen for a special mentoring project through the Administration for Children and Families called Thriving Families, Safer Children. Designed to leverage various stakeholders to steward longstanding, transformative change, Kansas’ partnership with Thriving Families, Safer Children will create the conditions for strong, prosperous communities where children are free from harm.

“I am pleased to see Kansas has been selected as a Thriving Families, Safer Children jurisdiction,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “The safety and well-being of Kansas’ children is my top priority, and since 2018, we have made needed progress and investments to focus on early prevention and intervention. Through our participation in this project, we will be able to reshape child welfare in Kansas for the betterment of all children and families.”

Kansas was selected to participate in the Thriving Families, Safer Children program because of the Kelly administration’s ongoing commitment to creating safer, more nurturing environments for children in Kansas.

The team overseeing the Thriving Families, Safer Children project will involve the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Children’s Service League and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust fund to improve primary prevention efforts. This team will address longstanding challenges to:

  1. Address the systemic barriers to creating a child well-being system in Kansas,
  2. Develop robust networks of community based primary prevention support,
  3. Integrate family, youth and community expertise into child well-being systems,
  4. And revise statutory definitions of neglect and mandatory reporting to clearly differentiate maltreatment from poverty.

“The Department for Children and Families is excited about the opportunity to leverage the Thriving Families, Safer Children project to improve our work,” said Secretary of DCF Laura Howard. “This project is a continuation of Governor Kelly’s commitment to improve the lives of Kansas’ future leaders and will be instrumental in improving our state’s primary prevention efforts and keeping children in their homes safely.”

“We are excited for this opportunity to collaborate with these national and state partners to reimagine and recreate our child welfare system into one that achieves the outcomes we all want to see: thriving children, families, and communities,” said Melissa Rooker, executive director of the Children’s Cabinet, which will help lead this effort in Kansas.

Kansas has been selected as a Round Two jurisdiction to develop strategies to transform existing child welfare systems and build infrastructure to support and strengthen child and family well-being. Round Two jurisdictions will specifically provide support for the integration of community, family, and youth expertise in creating the foundation for strong child and family well-being systems by welcoming and harnessing community, family, and youth voices, conducting policy analysis and drafting new policy or legislation, strategic consultation on approaches for human services delivery system integration, expert technical assistance on data infrastructure and other specific assistance.

About Thriving Families, Safer Children:

The United States Children’s Bureau (CB), Casey Family Programs (CFP), the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) and Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA) (“National Partners”) have joined together with parents, youth and community organizations in partnership across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to assist Thriving Families, Safer Children jurisdictions in creating a more just and equitable child and family well-being system that benefits all children and families and breaks harmful intergenerational cycles of trauma and poverty.

Bourbon County, Business

Tiger Replica Fish Mounts: A Passion for Art and Fish

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Submitted photos. Tyler Davidson working on a fish mount.
Tyler Davidson, also known as Tiger, is a fisherman and an artist.
He began his business Tiger Replica Fish Mounts, three years ago.
“I have been an avid angler and artist for most of my life and I’ve always had an interest in preserving the beauty of these fish,” he said. “I started this adventure with the thought of combining my extensive knowledge of fish coloration, their anatomy and my passion for art.”
“I’m really passionate about putting all of the detail in these fish,” Davidson said. “I definitely don’t mass produce them. Each one is special. My favorite part of the process is handing over the fish, or getting photos of the fish on the wall from a happy customer.”
“So far it’s worked out great!” Davidson said. “I have customers from all over the United States coming to me.”
“My mission is to provide customers with the highest quality fish mounts available,” he said. “I strive to create highly realistic one-of-a-kind replicas that match every last detail of your trophy.”
His business is located in Bronson, in the western part of Bourbon County.
  “I do not allow public visits to my shop as it is on the same property as my home,” he said. “Customers need to call and arrange pick-up.    My plan, for now, is to gain recognition and further construct my shop into a more efficient fish studio. In the future, I’d like to have a more public studio with a display room.”

Davidson’s contact info:  (785)521-5192 or

Facebook page: TigerReplicaFishMounts  or
Instagram: Tigerfishmounts
His starting cost is $20 per linear inch, he said.
Area News

Protect Kids From Heatstroke

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I’ll just run in for a minute.”

 

“I thought you were picking her up.”

 

“I only let him play outside for a minute.”

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other safety advocates recognize the safety threat heatstroke poses for children left unattended in hot cars.

 

Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-traffic, non-crash-related fatalities for children 14 and younger:

·     In 2020, 24 children died due to vehicular heatstroke. In 2019, 53 children died in vehicular heatstroke incidents. The significantly lower number of deaths in 2020 is likely due to more families being at home.

·     From 1998-2020, a total of 882 children died due to vehicular heatstroke.

 

Of the 882 deaths:

·     52.9%: Forgotten by caregiver (467 children)

·     25.6%: Gained access on their own (227)

·     19.7%: Knowingly left by caregiver (173)

·     1.7 %: Unknown (15)

 

How this happens:

Most of these tragedies happen when a child is forgotten by a parent or caregiver and left in a hot car. In approximately half of these “forgotten” deaths, the child was being taken to childcare/preschool. A busy parent or caregiver may unintentionally forget that a quiet or sleeping child, one who may also be facing the back of the car, is in the back of the vehicle. This generally occurs with children under one year of age. Always remember to look before you lock. You could save a life.

 

Toddlers or mobile young children are also at risk.

Some children gain access into a vehicle without the knowledge of an adult and may be unable to get out of the car, especially if child locks are activated. It is essential to teach children that it is dangerous to play in or around the car.

 

Sometimes, children are left intentionally by parents who do not understand the dangers of a hot vehicle, or who may not understand how quickly a vehicle can heat up to dangerous temperatures. It cannot be overstated: Never leave your child in a vehicle alone, not even for a minute.

 

High body temperature can cause permanent injury or even death:

Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches approximately 104 degrees and the thermoregulatory system is overwhelmed. A core temperature of approximately 107 degrees is lethal.

 

Children are at a higher risk than adults of dying from heatstroke in a hot vehicle, especially when they are too young to alert others for help. A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s.

 

In 10 minutes, a car can heat up by 20 degrees. Rolling down a window does little to keep a vehicle cool. Heatstroke fatalities have occurred even in vehicles parked in shaded areas and when the outside air temperatures were 80 degrees Fahrenheit or less.

 

Summertime is the peak season for these tragic incidents, but heatstroke can occur in outdoor temperatures as low as 57 degrees.

 

 

The warning signs of heatstroke vary, but may include:

·     Red, hot, and moist or dry skin

·     Absent sweating, even though the child is warm

·     Strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse

·     Throbbing headache

·     Dizziness

·     Nausea

·     Confusion

·     Grouchiness or strange behavior

 

It can happen to anyone:

·     In 52.6% of cases, the child was forgotten by the caregiver.

·     In 25.9% of cases, children got into the vehicles on their own.

·     The children most at-risk are those under 1 year, making up 31% of heatstroke deaths.

 

Remember these three things:

·     NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended.

·     Make it a habit to look in the back seat EVERY time you exit the car.

·     ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.

 

Find More Information Here

 

Bourbon County Local News