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Category Archives: Business
Book Signing Event for Local Author on Sept. 14
FSCC Business Expo Is August 20
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National 811 Day (Aug. 11): Separating Fact from Fiction About Safe Digging Practices
Aug. 5, 2024 – Kansas Gas Service is addressing common myths about the 811 service to raise awareness about the importance of safe digging.
“Contacting 811 is one of the most important things that customers and workers who dig can do,” said Sean Postlethwait, Kansas Gas Service vice president of Operations. “Safety is our top priority, and taking the easy step to contact 811 is the best way to protect yourself and your neighbors.”
Digging into the Facts About 811:
- Is contacting 811 a complicated process?
Fact: One easy phone call to 811 or submitting a locate request online at Kansas811.com will alert owners of registered pipelines, telecommunication cables, underground power lines, etc., to mark their buried facilities. There’s no charge to you for this service.
- Do small digging projects require an 811 notification?
Fact: Every digging project, whether small or large, such as planting a tree, installing a fence or major construction, requires contacting 811 at least two full working days in advance.
- Is there a need to contact 811 if you’ve dug in the same spot before?
Fact: Even if you think you know where underground lines are located, it’s important to contact 811 every dig, every time. There may be unexpected lines or changes since your last project.
- Is it necessary to contact 811 in rural areas where there are no utilities?
Fact: Even in rural areas, there can be buried facilities, and their locations can be surprising. Always contact 811 before digging.
On 811 Day, and every day of the year, Kansas Gas Service encourages you to put safety first when undertaking any digging project — no matter the scale.
Essential tips for safe digging:
- If you hire a contractor, make sure they contact 811 before digging.
- Respect the tolerance zone, which is 24 inches on either side of the underground facility. Within this zone, you should exercise reasonable care using hand or soft digging techniques to avoid any contact or damage to the facility. Soft digging includes any excavation with tools and equipment that uses air or water pressure to break up soil and rock. All damages or disturbances to a utility must be reported to the facility owner or operator and 811.
- Smell Gas, Act Fast!If you smell natural gas while digging or damage a natural gas line, leave the area immediately then call 911, 811 and Kansas Gas Service at 888-482-4950.
For more information about safe digging practices and the importance of 811, visit beadigherokansas.com or scan the QR code below.
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 648,000 customers in Kansas and is the largest natural gas distributor in the state, in terms of customers.
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas Gas Service is a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a 100-percent regulated natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is included in the S&PMidCap400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States. For more information and the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, visit kansasgasservice.com and follow its social channels: @KansasGas, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Grant Opportunity Available to Bolster Registered Apprenticeship Programs
TOPEKA — The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship today announced a new $500,000 grant opportunity for established registered apprenticeship programs in Kansas. Awards will range from $75,000 to $200,000 per awardee.
These grant funds will be awarded to assist existing programs with technical instruction, on-the-job training, staffing and additional employees to implement and manage programs, marketing and outreach, and other activities.
“The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship plays a vital role in our state’s economic growth by helping prepare our workforce for success,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We know that registered apprenticeships are key pipelines to career advancement, professional development and prosperity. This grant opportunity bolsters our commitment to preparing Kansans for in-demand jobs that need their skills right now.”
This additional funding opportunity plays an integral part in growing and supporting the registered apprenticeship programs throughout the state. Over time, the grant has helped with recent successes including the 80% growth in new registered apprentices across the state (from 925 in 2023 to 1,672 in 2024).
“Last year, registered apprenticeship programs used these funds in a variety of creative ways,” Director of Apprenticeship and Internship Shonda Anderson said. “Investments were made in Spanish-speaking instructors, new training equipment for electricians and heavy equipment operators, as well as agriculture and human resource opportunities.”
The Kansas Department of Commerce currently is seeking applications. Eligible applicants must be a state educational institution, business, non-profit group or workforce board with projects that will attract and retain employees and continue to build the state’s workforce through registered apprenticeship.
Those applying should clearly demonstrate linkage between project, industry demand, apprentice training and recruitment. Additionally, applicants are required to provide a 1:1 match for every grant dollar requested.
Interested parties have until 5:00 p.m. August 25 to apply. Announcement of awardees is expected in September.
For more information about the application or to apply, click here. For more information about the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
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Tax Holiday This Weekend in Fort Scott
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New Agriculture Drone Business: Seeding, Analysis, Counts, Prescription, and Identification Services
Christopher Catalano began his agricultural drone business, SEK Agra Drones, in the Spring of 2024.
“SEKAD came about being asked if my drone can perform stand counts and can I pilot a DJI T40 spraying drone by a local Bourbon County grower,” he said. “This question sent me down a rabbit hole realizing with all the new drone agricultural technology, there are specific application scenarios that can save growers time and resources.”
The services SEKAD provides are:
Aerial Seeding – SEKAD can spread seed and granular commodities via a DJI T40 Drone for both blanket and spot-specific applications.
Goal: Aerial spreading cover crop seeds over an existing crop at the end of the season has proven to be very beneficial for growers.
Crop Health Analysis – NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) & NDRE (Normalize Difference Red Edge) images are generated by SEK Agra Drone’s M3M Drone which uses the reflection of light in the near-infrared (NIR) and red bands of the electromagnetic spectrum to create a color-coded image of vegetation cover especially for crop nitrogen status. Vegetation indices identify areas of a field that are underperforming allowing immediate action applying pesticides, fertilizers, etc. with accurate informed decision making backed by data.
Goal: Measuring the amount of chlorophyll in plant leaves, NDVI/NDRE is often used to assess nitrogen stress independent of the amount of soil nitrogen penetrating the lower canopy of plants. Often used to create variable rate nutrient application maps pre and post-application.
Prescription (Treatment Maps) – Correlating with crop health analysis, data collected via drone of a crop is stitched together creating a detailed aerial GPS map. Prescription maps are delivered as a .shp (shape file), PDF to upload onto your equipment’s computers and tablets, laptops, etc. for accurate boots-on-the-ground analysis.
Stand Counts – Plant population count and emergence percentage across a field help make advanced decisions for replanting or additional inputs for augmented growth. Row crops for stand counts: Canola | Corn | Cotton | Soybean | Trees | Vegetables.
Goal: With the heavy Spring rains Bourbon County received this year, many fields already planted with corn were in V2-V5. Stand counts proved beneficial in determining re-capitalization of replanting washed-out portions of local grower’s fields.
Weed Identification – Identification of green on brown weeds and other unwanted growth in a field with GPS location map generation. Weed ID data can be used for spot spraying applicators with the option of providing treatment to hard-to-reach locations.
Goal: Treatment on hillsides, waterways, rough terrain, and smaller plots, resulting in chemical savings, and wear and tear on a ground rig.
He services Fort Scott | Radius encompassing Bourbon County-Kansas City Metro-Wichita-Joplin-Northwest Arkansas and everywhere in between.
His unofficial employee is his son high school senior, Gavin.
“He works for a local Bourbon County Farm and takes to the sticks flying agricultural drones with a second-natured expertise. Gavin brings youthful enthusiasm with an understanding of row crop health and ailments.”
“The agricultural drone industry is consistently evolving year over year bringing new innovations to ‘Smart Farming.’ SEKAD’s goal is to always provide added value to a grower or producer avoiding being a solution looking for a problem. The more connected we become with our local growers, the more vetting of innovative technologies can be applied utilizing a drone. We have a partnership with another business to utilize spraying of fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides via drone when requested.”
Evergy Electric Transmission Projects Public Meeting Is August 1 To Review Compliance: Can Be Viewed On YouTube
KCC to discuss future Evergy transmission
projects at virtual public workshop August 1
TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) will hold a virtual meeting Thursday morning, August 1, beginning at 8 a.m. to discuss Evergy’s plans for future transmission projects. Members of the public are invited to watch the meeting, which will be livestreamed to the KCC’s YouTube Channel and recorded for later viewing.
Evergy representatives will present details of the planned projects, take questions, and hear comments from Commissioners, Commission Staff and the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board (CURB).
The costs of transmission projects are passed on to ratepayers in the form of a transmission delivery charge (TDC), which appears on monthly electric bills. The workshop gives the public visibility to the transmission planning process, which is designed to provide the infrastructure necessary to ensure reliability while still maintaining affordability for ratepayers.
House Bill 2225 passed by the 2024 Kansas Legislature requires a public meeting to review the utility’s annual transmission compliance filings to the Commission.
Evergy’s compliance filings can be found on the Commission’s website using the following links: Docket Nos.: 24-EKME-253-CPL and 24-EKCE-254-CPL.
Fort Scott Walmart Transformation Will Begin Soon
Fort Scott Walmart will be going through a store transformation for over three months, starting soon.
People may have noticed containers delivered to the parking lot’s north part, in front of the garden center.
About 40 containers will be parked there in the next few weeks and fences around them will go up. These will be used for the store transformation.
Heather, the store manager, said it will be a “total store transformation….to a store of the future.”
“The store will be brighter, more spacious, easier to navigate…. (and) more energy efficient technology, reducing the environmental impact and providing a safer environment,” she said at a recent Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee, hosted by Walmart, where she made the store transformation announcement.
“We don’t anticipate being closed at all, however, hiccups do happen,” she said in an interview with fortscott.biz.
The expected completion is in November 2024, approximately 14 weeks, she said.
“We will move everything (in the store), but it will be worth it in the end,” she said.
The store of the future will continue to have both associates-manned registers and self-check-out registers, she said.
“There have been mixed reactions on the self-check,” she said. “Some people love it because you can be in and out quickly.”
“Some feel it takes away jobs,” she said. “But since I came in 2018 when there were 170 associates…there are now over 200.”
Local Author Tanya Glessner Has Written a New Daily Devotional Book
Local Fort Scott Author Tanya Glessner has written a daily devotional to help stay connected to God.
Here is a press release from her:
Are you ready for some exciting news?!
My newest book-New Mercies Every Morning: Devotions for Every Day of the Year, is now available!
Here’s the purchase link:
Book Overview:
The Lord blesses us with new mercies each morning as we wake up and spend time in His presence. By seeking His strength and guidance, we can overcome any challenges that come our way. Starting the day with a positive mindset is pivotal in preparing us for whatever lies ahead. This daily devotional provides a scripture verse and reflection to help you stay connected to God throughout the day. Remember, you are never alone – God is always by your side, eager to connect with you. Embrace this opportunity to draw closer to Him and experience His love and grace. New Mercies Every Morning is a valuable tool to help you appreciate the goodness of God.
Key Features:
- Daily Bible verse for each day of the year
- Daily devotion for each day of the year corresponding to the daily Bible verse
- Perfect gift for every occasion
Having a daily devotional is a wonderful companion to your Bible. It offers hope and encouragement, paired with the word of God to get you started off in the right direction every morning.
This book was such a blessing to write, and I know it will bless you also!
Ongoing Revitalization of 110 S. Main Has Target of Fall Completion
The former Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main, is in a constant stage of revitalization.
Kathy and Tracy Dancer, who purchased the building at a public auction, plan an “ongoing effort to revitalize the building and increase the useable commercial space. We also want to improve the energy efficiency of the building.”
The work will be a combination of restoration and renovation.
“The first project is new signage for the front of the building,” she said. “We will be removing the blue plastic lettering designating the building as the Scottish Rite Temple and replacing it with a new sign for the cafe and retail store. We are also installing a new ceiling and lighting in the south half of the building.”
“Because the building is part of the historic district, we are working with the Fort Scott Design Review Board,” she said. “Any changes to the exterior of a building in the historic district including painting, windows, and signage must go through the Design Review Board. They have been very helpful during this process and a great source of feedback for our plans.”
New windows, heating, and air conditioning are coming.
“Next, we will be installing glass windows in archways to restore the storefront appearance,” she said. “The new windows mean you will be able to see into the cafe and retail store if you are walking or driving down Main Street.”
” We are also adding several new HVAC… Once HVAC is installed, we will be moving and expanding our retail store into the south portion of the building. Moving the retail store to the south side of the building will more than double the amount of space we have for the Mercantile and Market store. The additional space will allow us to add new vendors and craftspeople to the retail store.”
“New HVAC will also be installed for the Speak Easy space we created on the second floor,” she said. “This will allow us to operate the Speak Easy year round.”
Speakeasy was a term used during Prohibition for drinking establishments and illegal bars, Dancer said in a prior interview. “They were usually hidden away in a building and sometimes you needed a password to be allowed to enter. Fort Scott had several speakeasies including The Green Lantern, operated by J.D. McClintock.”
On the horizon
“The Speak Easy will reopen in the Fall after we have installed new HVAC. We plan on being open two evenings a week for cocktails and light food. We had an excellent response to our soft opening in the Spring so we are really excited to reopen on a regular basis. While we wait for reopen, we have been working on the cocktail menu and working with suppliers to provide additional Kansas made wines, beers, and spirits.”
“We will also be hosting another Murder Mystery Dinner in October. The dinner we hosted this past spring sold out quickly and was very well received. Tickets for the October show will be available in mid-August.”
They are in the process of applying for grants focused on energy efficiency to defray the cost of adding HVAC and energy efficient windows and lighting.
“We might need to adjust the scope of some of the work based on the grant amounts, but we still plan on completing these projects,” she said.
” The new ceiling and lighting for the south half of the building has already started,” she said. “New sign letters for the front of the building have been ordered and should be ready for installation in August. The HVAC and storefront will take a bit longer since we will be ordering equipment and materials for these projects.”
“We hope to have the work completed by late Fall this year,” Dancer said.
“Our other BIG project is the distillery. We are in the final stages of the Federal licensing process to open the distillery and then we will file for state licensing. We do not have a projected opening date yet but we hope to be in production by the end of this year.”
End of Summer Craft Event on Saturday July 27
Fort Scott River Room, 3 W. Oak St., is the site of a Second Annual End of Summer Craft Creations event on July 27 from 10 a.m .to 4 p.m.
Food, Drinks, Crafts are offered for sale.
“We will have tees, hats, purses, wallets, trendy bags, bookmarks, keychains, pens, keychains, lanyards, scarfs, crochet baby booties, scrubbies, ponchos, wooden crafts,” said Cathy Bishop, event coordinator.
“Brick Street will have food and drinks available upstairs and off of their menu.”
“The bake sale is a fundraiser for the High School Volleyball Team selling all sorts of goodies.”
Vendors are still being accepted.
For more info
Email: [email protected]
620.224.8289