News

Information on a plan to redistrict Bourbon County was clarified Thursday as Bourbon County Commissioners voted to move forward with a company which will perform the mapping for the county. The commission voted unanimously to approve Commissioner Clifton Beth’s motion to proceed with using the services of Surveying and Mapping LLC (SAM.)...

Bourbon County Commissioners plan to wait on whether to provide funding to the county’s economic development entity, Bourbon County Regional Economic Development, Inc. (REDI.) On Thursday, commissioners agreed to wait until they receive a final report on financial numbers at the end of the month before making a decision on contributing funds to REDI. The commission approved Chairman Jim Harris’ motion to table a funding request from Mark McCoy, chairman of the REDI board of trustees...

Darrell Eugene Jackson, age 86, passed away at his Mound City, Kan., home on Dec. 17, 2024. Darrell was born on Feb. 12, 1938 in Bronson, Kan. He was the seventh of 11 children born to Raymond and Bertha (Colgin) Jackson. He grew up in Bourbon County and graduated school in Moran in 1957. After high school, Darrell married Roberta Cramer on Dec. 14, 1958, and they were blessed with five children. In 2007, Roberta passed away. Darrell married Phyllis Whitcomb in 2008...

A jury trial for a Fort Scott man facing a felony involuntary manslaughter charge from a 2023 vehicle crash was reset Tuesday morning in Bourbon County District Court. After a discussion with attorneys in the case of the State of Kansas vs. Daniel Evan Blake, Bourbon County District Judge Mark Ward set a three-day jury trial to begin Tuesday, March 25...

In their final meeting of 2024, Fort Scott City Commissioners approved an amendment to the city’s 2024 budget that will allow spending of funds beyond the authority for the 2024 budget. After a discussion, commissioners approved an amendment pertaining to Stormwater Fund No. 719 and Golf Fund No. 219. During a public hearing, taxpayers had a chance to ask questions relating to the proposed use of funds...

Last year, members of Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church celebrated Christmas Mass in their school's gymnasium. This year, Mass will be held in their new church building. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

A citizen committee will provide oversight for the process of creating two new Bourbon County Commission districts after passage of a ballot question in the Nov. 5 general election. On Thursday, citizen Michael Hoyt asked commissioners Clifton Beth and Brandon Whisenhunt about the status of the initiative which will increase the number of commissioner districts from three to five. Commissioners later voted to amend the agenda to discuss the topic. Commission Chairman Jim Harris was not present...

The USD 235 Board of Education approved a resolution Monday night to place a $1,250,000 bond election before voters during a special election held Tuesday, March 4. The board of education went back to the drawing board after voters rejected two propositions in the November 2023 election. This time around, the board of education reduced the scope of work and bond amount by 86 percent...

A misdemeanor criminal case involving a former Fort Scott High School basketball coach was continued Friday morning in Bourbon County District Court. During an arraignment/status hearing in the case of the State of Kansas vs. Michael Krull, Bourbon County District Judge Sarah Stewart granted a continuance in the case. ...

Fort Scott Presbyterian Village invites the community to vote for their favorite Christmas tree on display now throughout the village. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

The city of Fort Scott’s 2024 budget is scheduled to be amended later this month to allow for dollars to be spent in two city funds. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

Richard Lee Lindsey, age 69, Pleasanton, Kan., passed away Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 at the Schneider Funeral Home Pleasanton Chapel. Burial in the Pleasanton Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to service time at the Pleasanton Chapel. Memorial contributions are suggested to Care to Share.  Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com...

Fort Scott City Commissioners on Tuesday discussed their concerns with work completed on the approximately $2 million project to make improvements on Horton Street between Sixth and 18th streets. Commissioners discussed a request to make a payment of $450,052.32 to Heck & Wicker, Inc., of Parsons, the main contractor for the project. ...

The Bourbon County Commission has approved an amended funding agreement for an emergency department and other health care services slated to come to Fort Scott in 2025. On Thursday, commissioners amended their meeting agenda to discuss the amended agreement with Freeman Health Systems, which plans to operate an emergency room and a 10-bed inpatient hospital in the former Mercy Hospital building...

City of Fort Scott officials will look to replace the Charles Street lift station after action by the Fort Scott City Commission Tuesday night. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

As he prepares for graduation from the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Cadet Harrison Wepener shared his story with the Tribune and a group of Uniontown High School students and staff Nov. 26. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story...

Fort Scott High School government and American History students had a chance Nov. 12 to ask questions of a justice on the Kansas Supreme Court. See Saturday's print or online edition for full story.

Mackenzie Kaemmer has joined the Fort Scott Library as its new Youth Services Supervisor, bringing both enthusiasm and fresh ideas to her position. See Saturday's print or online edition for full story.

The next steps in preparing for Fort Scott Community College’s upcoming reaffirmation visit, were outlined during a brief community forum Nov. 20 at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. FSCC Dean of Students Vanessa Poyner said college officials are currently focusing on Criterion 2 of the reaffirmation process, and want the community to be informed. Criterion 2 focuses on “Integrity and its importance in maintaining accreditation,” according to Poyner’s presentation...

A slate of improvements for the Fort Scott Municipal Airport is on the horizon, but likely not until 2026. On Nov. 19, Fort Scott City Commissioners unanimously approved a motion to proceed with a proposal by Olsson Associates, the city’s engineering firm for the airport, for design and bidding services for a lighting and Runway Safety Area (RSA) grading project...

A proposal to create a new rock quarry near Elm Creek Lake became official Thursday morning. During a brief meeting, Bourbon County Commissioners Clifton Beth and Brandon Whisenhunt approved Whisenhunt’s motion to begin the quarry, and put money toward a capital improvement fund for repairs to the dam and other property at the lake...

The Board of Bourbon County Commissioners and companies with agreements for solar developments in the county are the defendants in a civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in Bourbon County District Court. See Saturday's print or online edition for full story...

On Oct. 31, Shift A with the Fort Scott Fire Department was honored during the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs Conference in Manhattan, Kan., with the Presidents Award given by the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs. The award was presented to the firefighters for action they took to save a life on April 29, 2022...

Community members had a chance Thursday to weigh in with questions on a proposed new rock quarry near Elm Creek Lake. Bourbon County Commissioners discussed the proposal with other county officials and Danny Hurt with Buckley Powder Company. The proposed quarry, which would be owned by the county, would be the county’s third quarry and located at 140th Street and Fern Road...

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees has approved the sale of a building that formerly housed the college’s nursing program for several years. On Monday, trustees voted unanimously to approve a commercial real estate sales contract to sell a building at 810 S. Burke St., which was known as the Burke Street Campus. The college’s nursing program moved back to the main campus in August...

The fate of a downtown building with structural issues continues to be undetermined. During Tuesday’s Fort Scott City Commission meeting, commissioners learned from Leroy Kruger, codes technician, that a scheduled inspection of a building at 118 E. Wall St., by a structural engineer on Monday was cancelled due to weather. The past several months, commissioners have discussed concerns with bulging, cracking and other issues leading to the building’s instability...

Fort Scott High School students on Tuesday learned how the court system works in Kansas from the newest justice on the Kansas Supreme Court. Justice Melissa Taylor Standridge, a lawyer who has served as a Kansas Supreme Court justice since 2020, discussed her pathway to the court, what judges do in their positions, and how judges are selected. She also talked about how the judicial branch differs from other branches of government...

ssioners said they support a proposed new rock quarry at 140th Street and Fern Road near Elm Creek Lake, but have agreed to wait before voting on the proposal. During Thursday’s commission meeting, commissioners heard from Public Works Director Eric Bailey, Assistant Public Works Director Dustin Hall and Danny Hurt with Buckley Powder Company, an explosives service company, on the proposed quarry, which county officials have said will save money and provide other benefits. ...

Fort Scott City Commissioners plan to wait on creation of a lease agreement designed to outline the use of space by organizations inside Memorial Hall. On Nov. 5, commissioners discussed a meeting room inside Memorial Hall and heard from American Legion Post 25 Commander Myra Jowers and Ann Rawlins, librarian with the Old Fort Genealogical Society. There was discussion on agreements concerning use of space inside the building...

More than half of the registered voters in Bourbon County cast ballots in Tuesday’s general election, according to unofficial numbers. On Thursday, Bourbon County Clerk Jennifer Hawkins informed Bourbon County Commissioners there were 6,508 voters between those who voted early and those who cast ballots on Election Day – a voter turnout of 51.04%...

A new business recently launched in Fort Scott is molding a new venture using part of Bourbon County’s history. On Oct. 24, representatives of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, chamber and community members helped celebrate the launch of Bourbon County Clay, a new art studio owned by Kate Freeman of The Artificers studios at 8 N. National Ave...

Fort Scott City Commissioners Tuesday denied a conditional use permit for a Verizon telecommunication tower proposed to be built at 2317 Maple Road. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

Republican candidates swept positions from the local to the national level Tuesday, and Bourbon County voters also passed two questions on the ballot, according to unofficial results from the general election in Bourbon County. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story and unofficial election results...

City and county governments have approved resolutions supporting veterans leading up to Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11. On Thursday, Bourbon County Commissioners unanimously approved Operation Green Light Resolution 13-24 at the request of Commissioner Brandon Whisenhunt...

Bourbon County Commissioners on Thursday approved measures concerning the hot-button issue of solar projects in the county, although the votes were not unanimous. During the meeting, the commission discussed and later approved by a 2-1 vote a resolution rescinding the moratorium implemented in April on future solar projects, and termination of agreements with Hinton Creek Solar LLC, as well as a development agreement, road agreements and decommissioning agreements with Doral, NextEra and Advance Power for future solar projects.. ...

An apparent issue with a siphon line at the rearing pond Wednesday at Lake Fort Scott spurred representatives of the city of Fort Scott and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks into action. Tom Coffman, public works manager for the city of Fort Scott, said Thursday morning city staff encountered a “little trouble” with the siphon on Wednesday, as KDWP officials were preparing to harvest channel catfish for distribution in local water bodies...

Fort Scott City Manager Brad Matkin issued an update Wednesday on the ongoing Horton Street project. Matkin encourages motorists to use alternate routes, and issued the following in a statement: “Emory, Sapp, and Sons are laying asphalt on the east side of Horton today and will be to 18th street by this evening weather permitting. ...

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., made his first visit to Fort Scott High School as part of a tour of Southeast Kansas Tuesday morning. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

Bourbon County Commissioners on Oct. 21 received a recap of the county’s third-quarter financials as the year draws to a close. See Wednesday's print or online edition for full story.

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees has officially approved the separation agreement between the college and its former president, Dr. Jason Kegler. During the board’s Monday meeting, the board adjourned to executive session for 15 minutes to discuss non-elected personnel “as it relates to discussion of identifiable information of non-elected personnel,” according to unofficial meeting minutes...

Fort Scott City Commissioners on Oct. 15 tabled consideration of an agreement that would allow the Old Fort Genealogical Society to use the eastern side and lower level of Memorial Hall. Aside from the move and expansion of the OFGS, there is also a plan to include a small museum and historical materials from the Katy Railroad. Officials plan to discuss a new agreement between the city and all entities involved before the commission takes action...

USD 234 officials have developed procedures to help prevent future incidents after a district school bus caught fire Oct. 3 north of Fort Scott. USD 234 Superintendent Destry Brown, Assistant Superintendent Terry Mayfield and board members discussed the bus accident and prevention during the Oct. 14 meeting of the USD 234 Board of Education...