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Category Archives: Business
The Fort Scott Writing Festival and Author Fair: Pre-Register by Oct. 15
The Fort Scott Writing Festival and Author Fair is October 19, 2019, pre-register by Oct. 15.
at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, Main and Wall Street.
The Program Schedule is listed below along with other information regarding the festival.
Registration: 8:30 and refreshments (inside front doors)
Opening Remarks: 8:50 Little Theater
Finding Your Writing Plan – 9:00 Little Theater
Presenter R.J. Thesman
Are you stuck between writer’s block and the fun of procrastination? Maybe you’re not blocked. You just don’t have a writing plan. Finding Your Writing Plan helps you develop a discipline for your writing craft and keeps you from avoiding that blank page. Especially for bi-vocational writers who work another job, Finding Your Writing Plan gives you a structure for each day’s work. You can still nurture your creative side by choosing more than one plan or by changing your plan, depending on your circumstances. RJ Thesman will present 12 different options for your writing plan with best practices to help you finish your Work in Progress and move toward your publishing dreams.
RJ Thesman, CLC, BSE Author / Writing Coach / Editor / Speaker
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“Writing FOR a Child Requires Thinking LIKE a Child” – 9:00 Conference Room
Presenter: Cathy Werling
Have you often thought you would like to write a children’s book? With the current self-publishing opportunities available, the goal of writing and publishing a children’s book has become much more attainable. Through this presentation, you will learn how to get started, some important steps you need to consider before you actually start writing, and some available resources to help your children’s book become a reality.
Cathy Werling is a retired elementary educator, who works part-time at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. The opportunity to provide positive role models for children led to the Center’s Unsung Heroes book series for children. Cathy is the author of the first four books in the series, with plans to continue sharing more of the amazing stories of Unsung Heroes through additional books. Her goal is to, not only provide inspirational role models for elementary students, but to encourage them to be people who can also make a positive difference in the world around them.
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Self Publishing – 10:00 Little Theater
Presenter: Sally Freeman Jadlow
Come learn how to publish your own book, step-by-step, in paperback or ebook through Amazon.com. Handouts will accompany the class.
Sally Jadlow has published eleven books which have gone through the process Amazon offers authors. She writes award-winning historical fiction, inspirational short stories, non-fiction, devotionals and poetry. Sally has also been published in many magazine articles and anthologies. She teaches writing for the the Kansas City Writers Group in the spring and fall.
Know Your Sources – 10:00 Conference Room
Presenter: Ronda Hassig
Primary sources can be mysterious, exciting, and lead to creative writing at its finest. If you want to write non-fiction or historical fiction you will need to know your sources! When you leave this session, you will know what a source is, where to find it, how to use it and how to document it.
Ronda Hassig is a retired Kansas Master Teacher and middle school librarian. She is the author of two books including “The Abduction of Jacob Rote” and “The Greatest Test of Courage.” Ronda loves reading, writing, and walking her three feral dogs!
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Workshop Drawing – 10:55
Transformative Works & the Online Writing Experience – 11:00 Little Theater
Presenter: Qwen Salsbury
Discussion of the popularity and opportunities in online writing. How to build an online following, locate writing e-communities, and the bridge to publishing. Exploration of the importance of transformative works in society’s need to own its own stories. Presentation by author Qwen Salsbury, Amazon #1 Best-Selling author, whose online works have over 5 million unique hits.
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Writing the Poetic Image – 11:00 Conference Room
Presenter: Laura Lee Washburn
Laura Lee Washburn will lead this workshop on imagery. Poets will participate in a poetic game as well as write a short lyric or narrative free verse poem.
Washburn is the author of two books of poetry, This Good Warm Place (March Street) and Watching the Contortionists (Palanquin Chapbook Prize). Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals including Poet Lore and The Sun. Harbor Review’s Washburn Chapbook prize is named in her honor. She directs the Creative Writing Program at Pittsburg State.
12:00 – 1:30 Lunch Break
Authors set up for the Authors Fair
Afternoon Mini-Sessions – Conference
1:30 Thomas Yoke
2:15 Kate Emmett-Sweetser
3:00 Jan Hedges
“Why I Just Now Write” – 1:30 Conference Room
Presenter: Tom Yoke
It took me 60 years to fulfill the dream of becoming an author. The roadblocks and obstacles I had to overcome, are the motivation for telling my story. I want to encourage anyone of any age or circumstance to pursue that dream.
The main points of the talk are:
- Listening to the right voices
- Daring to believe in yourself
- Dreaming big dreams
- Following your heart’s hidden desire
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NaNoWriMo and Poem-a-Day: Write. Every. Day. – 2:15 Conference Room
Presenter: Kate Emmett-Sweetser
Though raised by a professor of British literature and a poet, Kate Emmett-Sweetser prefers to write non-fiction. She has worked as a free-lance journalist in both English and Spanish, as a translator, and as a Spanish adjunct at Pittsburg State University. She is currently working on a book about the Jewish families who lived in SE Kansas in the decades following the Civil War. Her biggest challenges are perfectionism and procrastination; she will share ways to adapt fiction- and poetry-writing prompts and goals to all genres of writing.
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The Art of Journaling – 3:00 Conference Room
Presenter: Jan Hedges
We each have a great deal to write about already tucked in our own heads. Journaling is a way to keep track of and organize these thoughts, musings and ideas. This session will cover the many aspects of journaling, how-to’s, inspiration and motivation. A drawing for a journal will be held at the end of the session.
Jan Hedges is a retired teacher and school administrator. She and her husband Dick opened Hedgehog.INK! Gently Used Books and So Much More… in October 2018. She has dabbled in writing for over 50 years. I write because I must.
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Author Fair Participants: (Tentative List)
Ronda Hassig Young Adult Historical Fiction
Gerri Hilger Adult Historical Fiction
Sally Freeman Jadlow Adult Christian Living/Memoir/Poetry…
Scott KinKade Adult Science Fiction / Fantasy
Joyce Love Children/Young Adult Historical Fiction / Devotional
Eric Reynolds Adult Historical Fiction
Carol Russell Young Adult Historical Fiction
Sally Smith Adult Christian Living
R.J. Thesman Adult Christian Living / Fiction…
Laura Lee Washburn Poetry
Cathy Werling Children Children
Thomas Yoke Adult Fiction
Notes, Inspirations, To-Do’s
Writing Festival
October 19, 2019
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Activities:
8:30 – 8:50 Registration and Refreshments
8:50 – 9:00 Welcome
9:00 – 12:00 Writing Workshops with experienced published authors – 50 minute break-out sessions
12:00 – 1:30 Lunch Break and set-up for Authors’ Fair
1:30 – 3:30 Authors’ Fair and mini-workshops
(multiple authors will be set-up to market, sign and share with participants their writing journey.)
Pre-Registration due by October 15 –
$35 per Participant Late registration – $45
High School and College students free with current
student ID
Co-sponsored by Bourbon County Arts Council,
Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce,
Books and Grannies & Hedgehog.INK!
Hosted by the Lowell Milken Center
Fort Scott Community Closet Moving Forward
The second organizational meeting of the Fort Scott Community Closet met on Oct. 1 and officers were elected.
Carol Oakleaf is the president and Lori Lovelace is the secretary/treasurer.
“It’s a good representation, representing a lot of churches,” Lovelace said. “It’s for the whole county.”
At the meeting, guidelines were set up to distribute clothing to those in most need, Lovelace said.
People will be referred by organizations in the county to receive a voucher to get the clothing.
“Vouchers will be distributed to anyone who deals with people in need and crisis, to get names,” Lovelace said. This includes churches and other organizations.
“Then we will know what they need and a volunteer will be available to work with them,” Lovelace said. “People can come one-on-one with a volunteer to the closet.”
The community closet is located in a shed on the property of Fort Scott Washateria, 501 S. National.
Donations of clothing are already being accepted at the laundromat and clothing has been cleaned in preparation for the distribution which Lovelace anticipates to be in this month into November.
The laundromat donates the cleaning of the clothing.
Once the shed that will house the closet is finished, the clothing will be arranged for recipients to come in and choose what they need with a volunteer.
“The shed is not done yet,” Lovelace said. Flooring, painting, heat/air conditioning, and electricity are on the agenda to be completed.
Once the initial batch of donated clothing is distributed to those who are in need, the public can get one outfit per person.
“After Thanksgiving, there will be a community day,” she said. “I will advertise the open number of hours and volunteers will man it.”
Fort Scott Washateria Celebrates One Month In Business
Fort Scott Washateria “is going great guns,” Lovelace of the first month of the laundromat.
Fort Scott Washateriais a state-of-the-art laundromat with networked Speed Queen machines, fully attended by responsible staff, according to its’ website. Oakleaf owns the business and Lovelace manages.
They are offering a gift certificate purchase for those who want to give the gift of time to someone to have laundry service provided.
Services provided by the laundrymat:
- Wash/dry/fold your laundry
- Free pickup and delivery in the city limits and other routes outside the city limits
- Starch/press
- Alterations
- Drop off for clothing donated to Fort Scott Community Closet Association
- Commercial laundry services
- Free WiFi
- Children’s play area
- Our machines take debit, credit, ipay, googlepay, samsungpay, loyalty cards along with coins.
- Spyderwash app for loyalty customers that will let you know if machines are available before you come in.
- W/D/F subscription services with monthly billing, pickup/delivery.
Contact Fort Scott Washateria at 620.644.9834.
Chamber Coffee at McDonald’s Restaurant Oct. 10
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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
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Gordmans Supports Breast Cancer Research
Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S. which is why Gordmans, as part of the Stage community of stores, is renewing its pledge to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF).
We are asking everyone to take an active role to help advance the world’s most promising research again this year by donating to BCRF. Gordmans will donate $1 for the first 10,000 guests who use the hashtag #ipinkican on Gordmans’ Facebook or Instagram pages. Gordmans guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase specially designed reusable shopping bags featuring supportive sayings such as strongHER and #ipinkican. Gordmans will donate $2 for the purchase of each of these bags to BCRF. Additionally, guests are encouraged to make a monetary pledge to the cause at checkout in their local Gordmans store or online at gordmans.com, and 100% of the donation will be made to BCRF.
With the help and generosity of our guests, the Stage community of stores has raised over $700,000 for BCRF since 2014 and over $1 million since 2004. These donations have fueled nearly 24,000 hours of breast cancer research and, during 2018, we raised enough money to fund a full year of research under a grant named The Stage Community Counts Award.
BCRF has selected Powel Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to receive the 2019 Stage Community Counts Award. Dr. Brown’s area of focus is Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer, which makes up 10-15% of all breast cancer diagnoses. The funding helps find better treatments for TNBC and prevent its spread.
“Stage is making a tangible impact in saving lives by partnering with BCRF, the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the country,” said Myra Biblowit, CEO and president of BCRF. “Their support allows us to propel research forward, faster.”
“We are proud to support BCRF and the critical research that it sponsors in the search for a cure.” said Michael Glazer, president and CEO of Stage. “Breast cancer is a disease that has touched all of us, our communities and our guests in some way. We invite Gordmans guests to join us in funding another Research HERo to help end breast cancer.”
“The Stage Community Counts Award has a significant role in advancing our efforts to find novel treatments to reduce the incidence of invasive breast cancer,” said Dr. Brown. “My colleagues at MD Anderson and I are incredibly grateful to Stage and BCRF for supporting innovative research aimed at making a difference for breast cancer patients and their families around the world.”
BCRF Needs Your Support Because:
- One in eight women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.
- Over 250,000 women will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year alone, and more than 40,000 women will die from the disease.
- There are more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. today, all of whom have benefited from the power of research.
Go to gordmans.com to find a store near you or to donate online.
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About Stage Stores
Stage Stores, Inc. is a leading retailer of trend-right, name-brand values on apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear and home goods. The Company operates in 42 states through 624 BEALLS, GOODY’S, PALAIS ROYAL, PEEBLES, and STAGE specialty department stores and 158 GORDMANS off-price stores, as well as an e-commerce website at www.stage.com.
About the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is dedicated to being the end of breast cancer by advancing the world’s most promising research. Founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, BCRF-funded investigators have been deeply involved in every major breakthrough in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and metastasis. This year, BCRF has awarded $66 million in grants to support the work of nearly 275 scientists at leading medical and academic institutions across 14 countries, making BCRF the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. BCRF is also the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the U.S. Visit www.bcrf.org to learn more.
Department of Revenue extends corporate tax filing deadline
TOPEKA – The Department of Revenue is giving Kansas corporations more time to file returns due to the complexity of the 2017 Federal Tax Reform legislation.
Corporations filing Kansas tax returns will have an additional 30 days with no penalty, making the new deadline November 15. While the extension applies to filing corporate returns, it does not correspond to the deadline for corporate tax payments, which are required to be submitted on the 15th day of the fourth month following the end of the corporation’s tax year.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly changed the landscape of tax law for corporations, and the extra time is designed to give corporate filers more time to ensure accuracy and compliance with the new law.
The extension applies to 2018 corporate income tax returns filed by November 15, or within an additional month for an extended 2018 corporate income tax return for corporations that file on a fiscal year basis.
To read the full notice, go to: https://ksrevenue.org/taxnotices/notice19-05.pdf
For additional questions, please contact the Kansas Department of Revenue Tax Assistance Center at 785-368-8222.
Watts Receive $40,000 Entrepreneur Loan
Aaron and Lindsey Watts, who own Smallville Crossfit, are the recipients of the first Bourbon County E-Community loan in the amount of $40,000.
The loan is a locally controlled loan fund for business entrepreneurs.
“What’s good about the loan is it’s working capital,” Lindsey Watts said. The Watts will be using the money for new equipment for the fitness business, and new services, she said.
Additionally, they are doing some updates to the new facility they purchased, the former Fort Scott Lumber, 1905 S. Judson.
New air conditioning, flooring, and heating will be part of the remodel of the former warehouse space, which they hope to have complete in November, she said.
One of the new services offered at the new facility will be dance fitness, Watts said.
In addition, the Watts are working with Kansas Works to hire an intern in the future, Watts said.
Smallville Crossfit is currently located at 15 S. National and can be reached at 620.644.5124.
To learn more about the loan program:
Small Businesses Encouraged With New Partnership Offer
Celebration of Gordon Parks Legacy
The Gordon Parks Celebration began its annual event, Oct. 3 with the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee.
Winners of the Gordon Parks annual photo contest were given their awards during the coffee.
First, second, and third place winners received cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 respectively and all finalists received a set of prints of Gordon Parks photos.
There were five honorable mention awards given: “In Death Lies The Erosion of Truth.” by Alexis Michalski (La Cygne, KS ); “Finding Joy in your Friends.” by Alexis Marchiano (Fort Scott); “The Master and the Apprentice.” by Jezeriah Simpson (Fort Scott); “Escape.” by Lawson Hall (Fort Scott); and “Lots of Trust.” by Julia Allen (Fort Scott).
The contest was open to any non-professional photographer and was inspired by a quote by the Gordon Parks-directed film The Learning Tree.
“We received a lot of great entries this year and the judges were very impressed by the skill level of the photographers. It was very difficult for the judges to determine the winner with all of the great entries,” said museum director Kirk Sharp.
The photo exhibit is on display in the Lunt Lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College through October 14. The building is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Merle Humphrey Photography sponsored the photo contest.
There were 65 entries in the contest that was themed: “My Learning Tree, Life Lessons Learned.” Judges for the contest were Kassie Feugate-Cate, Tammy Helm and Merl Humphrey.
Also on display were some of Park’s photos and poems and in addition a section of behind-the-scenes photos of the film “The Learning Tree”, which was filmed in Fort Scott in 1969.
Below are scenes from the morning coffee:
To view the events of this weekend’s celebration events, click below:
https://files.constantcontact.com/599f8b4d001/45
c25fe4-471d-46b6-93ca-e18ffd9879a7.pdf
Fesenius Closes Doors Sept. 30
Fresenius Medical Care, a kidney dialysis center, closed the Fort Scott center on September 30, 2019.
Patients have made arrangements to either drive to Pittsburg, 30 miles away, or Chanute, 50 miles away, to get this specialized treatment or do home dialysis.
Fresenius was renting the building from Phoenix Realty Management, Southbury, CT. Plans are indefinite for the building at this time. The building was built in 2014 and is over 7,000 square feet.
“We…own the property with Fresenius being our tenant,” said Mike Panek, President of Phoenix Realty Management. “We are just as disappointed as the community is to see this happen. As a commercial property owner, you never want to see a building go dark. At this time we will be working with Fresenius to see what their plans are for the site as there is a lease in place for that location. My ultimate hope is the building can be transformed into another viable community business in the near future.”
Fresenius spokespeople did not give a reason for closing the kidney health care facility.
To see a prior story:
Fort Scott Dialysis Center to Close Sept. 30
Click below for a KOAM News story on the subject:
https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/home-dialysis-encouraged-in-trump-executive-order/1099450079
See President Trump’s July 10, 2019, executive order on kidney health:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-advancing-american-kidney-health/
Gordon Parks Celebration Begins Tomorrow Oct. 3
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Chamber Coffee at Gordon Parks Museum Oct. 3
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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
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Hosted by:
Gordon Parks Museum
Location:
Inside the Ellis Fine Arts Center
on the campus of FSCC
2108 S. Horton
Kicking off the 16th Annual Gordon Parks Festival this weekend!
Click here for schedule of events.
Chamber members and guests are encouraged to attend for networking, community announcements, and to learn about the hosting business or organization.
Members may pay $1 to make an announcement about an upcoming event, special/sale/discount, or news of any kind.
Upcoming Coffees:
October 10 – McDonald’s (2224 S. Main St.)
October 17 – Pioneer Harvest Fiesta (BB County Fairgrounds)
October 24 – Sleep Inn (celebrating 5th anniversary)
October 31 – Fort Scott Area Community Foundation
Key Industries Starts New Division
Luke Halsey and Bryan Pitts are the new account executives for Key for Business, a newly created division of Key Industries, Inc.
The division was started this summer and has the ability to embroider or screen print clothing and other items.
“Key for Business is focused on working directly with businesses to provide quality workwear for the company and their employees,” Halsey said. ” We can provide work uniforms with the company logo on it, which, we do here in-house in our new embellishment center.”
The advantage of being produced locally is the turn-around-time, Halsey said.
“We can do a project in a few days and (for a business) to send it off it would take about two weeks,” he said.
The division employees have the ability to embellish almost all of Key Industry garment items with either direct-to-garment printing or embroidery services, he said.
“We are offering company discount programs with no contract necessary, as we believe enough in our quality and services we won’t need to lock customers in,” Halsey said.
The company believes this feature will keep customers coming back, he said.
Although Halsey has been working at Key Industries for only a short time, Key has been in business for over 110 years and is known for making “The Nations Finest” workwear for the American worker. Halsey said.
The following is a list of what Key produces:
Regular workwear: work shorts, jeans/dungarees, work pants, T-shirts, polo shirts, and button-down work shirts.
Outerwear: premium work coats/jackets, vests, sweatshirts, overalls/coveralls.
Specialty: High visibility items and fire-resistant apparel
