U.S. Beef Corporation, Tulsa, OK has purchased the old Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant at 2101 S. Main to be transformed into an Arby’s Restaurant.
The restaurant is scheduled to be opened in late summer, 2018, according to Rachel Pruitt, Fort Scott Economic Director.
U.S. Beef Corporation is a franchisee of Arby’s Restaurant.
They are currently searching for a manager for the restaurant.
Check out this link to apply:
Or view the City of Fort Scott Facebook page.
The old trailer park property that was on South Horton Street will see some revitalization in the future.
Tuesday the property at 1907 S. Horton, north of Community Christian Church, was rezoned.
“Along Horton, there will be a small shopping center service, a strip mall, for residents and (Fort Scott Community College) students,” Rhonda Dunn, Community Development Director for the City of Fort Scott said.
Along Huntington St. on the east side of the Horton parcel of land, there will be apartments or duplexes built, she said.
Patrick Wood and Jake Gross, with Two Dogs Barking Real Estate, are the owners of the property and have cleared it for development.
The business also owns Garrison Apartments at 1729 S. Horton and will be building similar apartments or duplexes at the site.
“They will be a higher end finish for young professionals,” Dunn said of the proposed apartments.
“The key is, it will not be mobile homes there,” Dunn said. “I keep strict regulations on mobile homes to make sure it’s the best quality we can get. The mobile homes in our town are ‘grandfathered in’. No one needs to worry I am going to get their mobile home.”
The house and outbuildings currently on the site will be sold and removed, she said.
Area parks have had some improvements over the winter, with the placement of wayfaring signs.
There are nine signs total: Ellis Park Trail, Bell Town Trail, Riverfront Loop Trail, Fort Scott Community College Trail, three (including a new trail) at Gunn Park, Uniontown Trail, and the future Industrial Park Trail, according to Jody Hoener, chair of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, that is coordinating the project.
Ellis Park Trail on Twelfth Street and Bell Town Trail in Riverfront Park have completed kiosks.
The next signs to go up will be the Riverfront Loop Trail and the Fort Scott Community College Trail.
It’s been a collaborative effort.
The Wayfinding Signs and Kiosks Project is funded by an American Planning Association-Kansas Chapter and Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant.
Fort Scott High School carpentry classes have constructed the kiosks.
Trail maps were designed by Simon Ballou. Darren Crays, Designing Edge Graphics, is printing and installing the maps.
The City of Fort Scott is providing the installation of the kiosks.
Wayfinding signs and kiosks are part of creating a system of non-motorized transportation in the area, according to Hoener. Ensuring consistent signage design and graphics across all signs is best practice to make trails easily identifiable, she said.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team consists of Jerry Witt (Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority), Frank Halsey (Gunn Park Trails Volunteers), Lindsay Madison (Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce), Todd Farrell (City of Fort Scott) and Jody Hoener ((Mercy Hospital).
The Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation (CPRF) of Kansas is a United Way of Bourbon County agency.
FortScott.Biz is providing a series featuring each agency in the coming weeks.
United Way is primarily funded through donations from local businesses when employees agree to donate an amount through payroll deductions.
Gina Shelton, president of United Way of Bourbon County said the cost of a purchased soft drink, one dollar if it was payroll deducted by many people, would help the agency meet its 2018 Campaign goal of $50,000.
The following is from an interview with Kacee Shuler, director of public relations with Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas.
The contact person is Shuler, who can be reached at 316-688-1888 or [email protected]
What service do you provide for our community?
“We provide customized wheelchair and posture seating services, financial aid for assistive technology and medical equipment, and accessible living opportunities. All CPRF programs are designed to promote quality of life and independence for individuals with disabilities.”
When are you open? Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Local address?
“We do not have an office in Bourbon County. Our Wichita address is 5111 E 21st St N | Wichita, KS 67208.”
What percentage of your budget is the United Way grant?
“On average, our allocation is about 50 percent of our budget in Bourbon County.”
The following link lists current board members: CPRF Board of Directors Updated 2018
Click here for the previous United Way of Bourbon County story:
United Way 2018 Campaign For Bourbon County Agencies
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Bring your “Chamber Dollars” to make an announcement
about your business or organization; see you there!
Upcoming Coffees:
March 1 – Hosted by USD-234 at the Fort Scott Middle School Flex Space
March 8 – Chamber Coffee, hosted by the Bourbon County Arts Council
March 15 – Briggs Automotive
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Local photographer Kenny Felt decided to get involved in bringing awareness to the human rights issue.
“I don’t know a lot, but I know enough to be scared of it,” Felt said.
“It’s hard to get a number of victims because it’s a hidden practice,” he said. “The victims aren’t known, have no voice or ability to speak out.”
“How many times have we seen something and did nothing,” Felt said. “This is my attempt to bring awareness.”
The red x symbol was designed to spark a conversation, he said.
February 22 is “Shine A Light On Slavery Day”.
“I don’t have the ability to do much, but I can take pictures and post them on Feb. 22,” Felt said.
He set a goal to get 50 photos of local people with a red x painted on them.
“More than that have joined in so far,” Felt said.
Each participant posts on their own social media.
“I will post a movie gallery on my Facebook page on Feb. 22,” he said.
To have a free photo taken by Felt to post on social media in support of this cause, he is available to take photos for this project at his studio 13 N. North Main:
Tuesday, Feb. 20 – 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Feb. 21 – 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 22 – 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is the criminal activity of holding another person for the purposes of exploitation through forced labor and sex trafficking, according to a Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) website: dol.ks.gov/HumanTrafficking.
Even here in Kansas, men, women, and children are forced to work for long hours under deplorable conditions for little or no pay without the freedom to leave, according to the KDOL website.
Notice to Victims of Human Trafficking
If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave – whether it is commercial sex, housework, farm work or any other activity – call the toll-free National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1‑888‑373‑7888 to access help and services, according to the website. The toll-free hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and available in many languages.
According to the Department of Homeland Security at dhs.gov/blue-campaign here are some common indicators to help recognize human trafficking:
Not all indicators listed above are present in every human trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking.
Community Christian Church hosted the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee Thursday.
The church is celebrating 45 years in Fort Scott.
Pastor Dusty Drake told the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee attendees “the most important treasure of the church is our people.”
Drake said the mission of the church is still to take people to the next step with Jesus Christ.
An upcoming Easter series will be accentuated by the congregation reading the book “Imagine Heaven”, by John Burke, Drake said.
“It explores the near-death experiences of 100s of people and puts together a picture of what happens when clinically dead,” he said.
The experiences line up with what scripture says about life after death, Drake said and Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
Church staff was introduced by Drake.
The staff includes Drake as the teaching and service pastor, Paul Martin as children’s and administrative pastor, Ian Johnson as the youth pastor, Marcy Reynolds adult ministry and pastoral care pastor.
Jamie Beckham is the administrative director and Jennifer Addington is the office receptionist, along with Stacey Atkins.
He welcomed those attending to the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services each Sunday.
Announcements for the week from Chamber attendees:
Officials met yesterday to redo a sentencing that brought it into compliance with the law.
Lawyers and Judge Amy Harth met in the small courtroom of the Bourbon County Courthouse Thursday morning to correct a sentencing error in the case of the State of Kansas VS Joseph Banker.
Bourbon County Attorney Jackie Spradling and Defense Attorney Chris Meek met with Judge Harth via teleconference, with defendentJoseph Banker also present in the courtroom.
At the earlier sentencing on Feb. 2, all parties gave statements regarding the sexual exploitation of a child charges against Banker, Harth said.
“Everything everyone said was taken into account,” Harth said. “It was compelling.”
At that time Judge Harth sentenced Banker to 60 months probation.
Meek, Spradling, and Harth have been corresponding via email since the sentencing, Meek said.
“Judge Harth gave the wrong probation during the sentencing (Feb.2),” Meek said in an interview earlier this week. “It should have been 36 months for probation and the post-release supervision is 60 months.”
Spradling agreed that Judge Harth inadvertently put 60 months probation, and the sentence should have been 36 months.
“I realized within five minutes of the mistake that day,” Judge Harth told the two attorneys Thursday. “The previous order was void. I am correcting it. ”
To view prior stories:
Banker Sentenced To 36 Months Probation
Court Hears From Mental Health Professionals in Banker Case
Lt. Governor Tracey Mann began his day in Fort Scott Thursday morning.
The newly appointed Kansas Lt. Governor went on a statewide tour, including two stops in Southeast Kansas.
Mann met with employees of Fort Scott Munitions, 523 E. Wall, for a tour of the business.
Fort Scott Munitions President Robbie Forester told FortScott.Biz the governor’s office requested the meeting with the business.
Fort Scott city officials Dave Martin, Rhonda Dunn, and Rachel Pruitt came to greet the lt. governor’s entourage.
To the employees of the business and the city officials, Mann said the focus of the newly formed team of Governor Jeff Colyer is “reform, jobs, and education.”
Communication and Policy Specialist Daniel Seitz said the tour is to visit small businesses and some community colleges to talk about Governor Colyer’s vision for Kansas’ future.
Following a short tour of the business, the entourage headed south to Columbus to view Crossland Construction Co.
To learn more about Fort Scott Munitions:
Velocity Tactics holds Grand Opening of Wall Street storefront
Fort Scott Munitions Consolidating Name
About Mann
Mann was selected Feb. 13 to be Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer’s Lt. Governor.
Tracey Mann is the managing director and principal of Newmark Grubb Zimmer, a commercial real estate company headquartered in Kansas City. Prior to this, Mann served as senior program director for the National Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values, according to a press release.
Mann has previously served on the board of directors for the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. He is also a board member of the City Teen Center, a non-profit educational facility serving children in Salina.
Tracey Mann is a fifth-generation Kansan from Quinter, Kansas. He regularly returns to work on the family farm.
He earned a degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University in 2000, where he also served as Student Body President. In 1997, Tracey served as Jerry Moran’s first intern in Washington, DC.
Tracey, his wife, Audrey and their four children live in Salina, Kansas.
The “Tiny Houses” at 6th and Lowman streets are available for rent April 1.
Tuesday, Paint Creek Painting of Redfield workers were painting the outside of the four units. Cabinets were scheduled for this week, one of the painters said.
3RK, LLC are the property owners.
The two-bedroom one bath houses have less than 800 square feet each.
Each unit has off street parking, 36-inch wide doorways, with lawn and trash service provided.
All appliances are also provided.
For more information: 620-223-5598.
Court Appointed Special Advocates are needed to help neglected or abused children. Classes are starting soon.
Contact 620-223-2407.
The public opening of the new John Deere Tech Program at Fort Scott Community College was held at the site Feb. 9.
A hamburger lunch was provided by the college.
Attending were prospective students, local residents, business corporations, FSCC staff and Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce members.
Following the lunch were speeches and a ribbon cutting sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
Tours were given prior to the event for those interested.
A building north of the new John Deere Tech Program building was renovated for welding classes instruction. The program began in August, with Brandon McAdam, as the instructor.
The John Deere corporation supplies new and used tractors for training the students, said Dale Griffiths, tech program instructor.
Additional old tractors are supplied by dealers and individuals, he said.
Currently, there are 23 students in the program, mostly from Kansas and Missouri, Griffiths said.
“Ninety-five percent of the students will have a job waiting for them,” Griffiths said. “Technicians are the most demanded field in the ag. equipment business.”
Classes are in session from Monday through Thursday, Griffiths said.
“Most kids will travel back to work at their dealers,” he said.
In this program, students are required to work through a qualified dealership that provides paid internships throughout the program’s two years, according to information provided by FSCC.
After completing the program, students receive an associate of applied science degree and can transfer to Pittsburg State University to complete a four-year management option.
Many students choose to stay with their sponsoring dealerships to begin their career as a technician.
Federal loan and grant programs are available to students who qualify. For more information contact the financial aid office at 620-223-2700 or visit fortscott.edu.
