Businesses and homes along National Avenue are encouraged to decorate for the holidays with a lighting contest. Pictured is Eclectica at National Avenue and Wall Street.
A Christmas lighting contest for businesses and homes along Fort Scott’s National Avenue is on.
“It’s open to anyone with a National Avenue address, both commercial and residential,” said Rhonda Dunn, an organizer of the contest.
“No rules,” she said. “The group I got together wanted it to be fun and about the community, not winning the prize. We are looking forward to seeing what we get.”
The contest will be judged by Al Niece on Friday, December 8. His business, Niece Products, will supply a monetary prize for the winner, Dunn said.
“They can contact me with any questions or just do it,” Dunn said.
Becky Cowlishaw opened her store Eclectica on Oct.1 at the corner of National Avenue and Wall Street. The shops hours can be seen on her entry door.
Becky Cowlishaw loves to buy and sell items, and she like auctions.
“Years ago I managed the Kress Tea Room and Pie Pantry from 2007-2008 and then the Village Shops,” she said.
“I’ve collected for a long time.”
On Oct. 1, Cowlishaw opened her shop she calls Eclectica by Rebecca Kaye at 2 S. National Avenue.
In this shop can be found antiques, home decor, jewelry, collectibles and some $1 items, she said.
Johnny Walker, John Cowlishaw, Josh Jones, Linda Wilson, Matt Lybarger, Vonda Ngigi, and John Walters also bring items to sell on consignment in her store.
“I don’t operate by booth space and I’m not looking for more consigners,” she said.
Cowlishaw believes her specialty is staging merchandise or decorative design.
“I really like making the colors come together, using odds and ends and making it work,” she said.
Cowlishaw has another passion.
In addition to Eclectica, Cowlishaw purchased the old First Christian Church, at 101 S. Judson, and renamed it Bethesda Christian House of Mercy.
She is the senior pastor at the church, while her son Jerrod Cowlishaw is the associate pastor.
“I live at Bethesda and soon will open a women’s ministry,” she said.
Cowlishaw can be reached by phone at 620-215-3158.
Braving the dropping temperatures, around 250 visitors took advantage of the Foster Dairy Farm Open House Saturday.
The Foster family was showcasing their transition from milking their cows in a 12-cow parlor to milking them robotically. Since September 2016 their cows have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to being voluntarily milked.
“An interesting fact is the Kansas Department of Agriculture gave me statistics adjusted for 2017 about our farm,” David Foster said.
“The Bourbon County dairy industry has a direct economic benefit effect to our county of $11.5 million and provides 25 jobs,” Foster said. “The dairy industry provides 1.2 percent of the gross revenues for the county. We are doing quite a bit from our little farm.”
Lynda and Gary Foster and their eldest son David and his wife, Addi Foster are the owners of the dairy farm located southwest of Fort Scott at 1037 Hwy. 39.
In addition to tours of the facility, a meal was provided tour attendees, along with door prizes. Sponsors helping with the tour were Producer’s Cooperative of Girard who cooked the burgers, brats and hot dogs that were served, DFA/Midwest Dairy, UMB Bank, Seneca Dairy Supply, Uniontown FFA, Fort Scott FFA and Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
A sign on the wall in the robot milking room tells of the productivity of Foster Dairy for one day and one cow. The majority of their milk goes to a Hiland Dairy processing plant.The robot arm cleans the teat cups with heated steam, followed by a short rinse with water. The milk is suctioned off to a nearby container, where it is analyzed for milk production and quality, cow health and cow activity.David Foster tells about the robots that feed, milk the cows and analyze the milk product. Foster is the fourth generation on this family farm, southwest of Fort Scott in the Hiattville area.David Foster speaks to a tour group in the robotics room at Foster Dairy Saturday during its open house. The robots that store and analyze the milk are behind Foster. In between these robots, the cattle come in voluntarily and are milked by a robotic arm.Some of the Foster Dairy cows lie down in a sand-bedded stall in a barn, while others come to greet the people who came to the open house at the Foster Farm Saturday.David Foster, a dairyman along with his wife, Addi, and his parents, Lynda and Gary Foster, gave tours Saturday during the Foster Dairy Farm Open House.David Foster tells about the different feeds given to his herd of dairy cattle, during one of the tours. Whole cottonseed is the commodity in this barn.Farm visitor Gabby George has a handful of the whole cottonseed that is part of a mix of ingredients available to the cattle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Each calf has its own shelter to protect from the elements.Farm tour visitors Gunner and Gabby George enjoy getting the attention of a calf.
See more about the Foster Dairy on its Facebook page.
The Lowell Milken Center will be participating in the annual Halloween Parade events from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, at 1 S. Main by handing out candy and free coloring books to everyone who enters the Hall of Unsung Heroes! In celebration of the spooky day, we are encouraging the community to participate in the downtown Halloween Parade festivities and stop by to see our newest exhibits!
Eric Atwood, Jennifer LaRoche, and Loren Readinger lay out the cover for the windows of LaRoche’s building at 9 S. National Monday afternoon. The plastic cover is to make the building’s windows more attractive until renovations of the historic building can take place in the future. LaRoche said she will be able to reuse the cover once renovations begin.
Fort Scott Munitions is located at 523 E. Wall, just east of U.S.69 Highway.
To cut down on confusion when the public would search online for their business, Fort Scott Munitions is deleting the storefront name and will be using the business name only.
“We are consolidating the product name and the store name under one name,” Phillip Edds, assistant manager, said.
This will require new billboards and a new metal sign to replace Velocity Tactics signs on the outside of the old Key Industries building at 523 E. Wall just off U.S. 69 Highway.
Velocity Tactics was the storefront name, the business name is Fort Scott Munitions.
“We went with Fort Scott Munitions since all the (product) boxes say that,” Edds said.
Ammunition is their specialty.
“We make solid copper and solid brass ammunition,” Edds said.
The business is under the auspices of Ward Kraft, Inc. a Fort Scott print manufacturer.
Ryan Kraft, son of owner Roger Kraft, “was an avid gun guy,” Edds said. “It was his interest.”
Five years ago the business started making ammunition.
One-and-one-half years ago a store was opened to sell that ammunition and expanded to sell other items as well.
The business sells guns, clothing, tactical items, coolers and Angus beef, Edds said.
Customer Henry Fleeman, right, purchases some Angus beef Monday at Fort Scott Munitions. Assistant Manager Phillip Edds is behind the cash register.
“We have plans to open an indoor gun range,” Edds said. “And in the future offer training for conceal and carry classes.”
The old grain silos on the business property have no plans currently, Edds said.
“There are some talks, but nothing in the works at this time,” he said.
There are no current plans for using the silo on the property of Fort Scott Munitions.Frozen KW Cattle Angus Beef is sold at Fort Scott Munitions.
Clothing and other hunting items are sold at the store.Fort Scott Munitions consolidated product and store name because of online confusion.
Domino’s Pizza opens in Fort Scott Monday, September 18 at 1709 S. National.
The franchise is owned by Emily and Dan Elwell, Jasper, Mo.
Owner Emily Elwell, right, works the front during the soft opening Friday. Employee Nathan Carey is at left.Matt Ebert, assistant manager; Emily Elwell, owner; and Kevin Knippelberger, manager pose in front of the store Friday. The ribbon cutting for the business is 10:15 a.m. Monday September 18.
The Elwell’s looked at different markets when deciding where to expand their business and through happenstance discovered the abandoned building on National Avenue.
They just happened to pull off Hwy. 69 at the strip mall site, she said, saw the for sale sign and a drive-through window and went directly to the real estate agent next door to the property to inquire.
“It’s been eerie how it worked out,” Emily Elwell said. “We are supposed to be in Fort Scott.”
They currently have 17 employees, all local.
Hours for the pizza eatery are 10:30 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday; 10:30 a.m.to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Manager Kevin Knippelberger visits with a drive-through customer Friday.
Construction work is being done out of public sight at the new Price Chopper Grocery Store at 2322 S. Main.
The store, the former Woods Super Market, is slated to open before the holidays, said Barry Queen, owner/ operator of the Price Chopper Fort Scott grocery store.
Crossland Construction, Columbus, is the general contractor for the new Price Chopper Fort Scott. The owner anticipates the store to open in November. Once completed the store will employ around 100 people.
“The goal is to open November 10, 2017,” Queen said. “There’s a lot of work going on. Don’t know whether we’ll make that goal or not.”
“We are excited to get there, but there is a big challenge ahead. There is a lot that has to happen. We’d love to get open before the holidays.”
A big plus for the community is the store will be hiring 100-120 employees Queen said, with the number depending on the volume of customers the store will have.
“We’ll be setting up a trailer for interviews in the next few weeks,” he said.
Some features of the new store will be a major focus on fresh food, he said.
Produce , a salad bar, food service, a grill, a smoke house, a full service floral department, catering and online shopping, to name a few.
A drive-through Dunkin Donuts will be located on the southeast corner of the facility.
An overlay for the parking lot and adding more light poles will be coming.
The new owner, operator is no stranger to Bourbon County.
“My dad, Jim Queen, was born in Hammond,” he said. “My mom is from the Linn County/Bourbon County area. I have a lot of relations around here.”
Queen has had a vacation home at Lake Fort Scott for 16 years, which will become his part-time home he said. He lives in Paola.
Associated Wholesale Grocers own the real estate the store is on, Queen said.
Crossland Construction, Columbus, is the general contractor and is doing the demolition work; CDL, Pittsburg is doing the electric work and AAA, Kansas City is the framer for the project, said Brad Vinardi, superintendent with Crossland.
Inside the Price Chopper Grocery Store a five-man construction crew is currently working . At right is the old administration office.Matt Foster, Oswego, left, talks to co-workers on the large scissor lift at Price Chopper Fort Scott. On the lift are Jose Deleon, Kansas City, left, and Josh Powers, Pittsburg, right. The Crossland Construction crew was working on the facade of the building.Matt Marshall, Kansas City, preps the roof deck for painting at the new Price Chopper Fort Scott.
Western Senior Living apartment complex has a designated unit for a homeless person.
Homelessness in Fort Scott is being addressed, at least for one person at a time, by a local business.
Western Senior Living apartments at 8 East First Street, opened in January 2017 and has 35 apartments for lease, with one designated for a homeless/ transitional individual in the community.
When renovated and re-purposed, the old Western Insurance Building became apartments that were designated for individuals who have income at 60 percent or 50 percent or 40 percent of median income level, said Diane Kelsey, regional manager for Flint Hills Management.
“In addition, there is one homeless unit,” Kelsey said. “You have to be designated homeless by an agency. At that point, rent is 30 percent of their income, or $100, whichever is greater.”
There is currently an individual living in the homeless designated unit.
“They sign a year lease when they move in,” she said. “Then at the end of the year, we re-evaluate their circumstances. The maximum they can stay is two years. This is to give them a more stable place to stay.”
The individual has to meet the same criteria as other residents: pass a background check and have credit, she said.
Kelsey said she has apartments available for lease currently that are not designated for the homeless. Prices range from $370 to $550 a month for a one bedroom apartment and $610 to $710 for a two bedroom.
Kelsey said 80 percent of the apartments have requirements of income.
“Twenty percent are market rate,” she said. “Which means no
income requirements.”
The bedroom closet in the apartment currently available at Western Senior Living.A single bedroom unit currently empty at Western Senior Living apartment complex.The bathroom of the one bedroom apartment currently available at Western Senior Living.Western Senior Living is located at 1st and Main Streets in downtown Fort Scott.
For more information call 620-223-1718 Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Physical Therapist Meredith Tucker opened a clinic in June 2017.
Physical Therapist Meredith Tucker opened No Limits Rehabilitation Clinic at 18 N. Main in downtown Fort Scott in June, 2017.
Her specialty is pediatric physical therapy.
“For 12 years I’ve been doing mostly pediatrics,” Tucker said.
For insurance to provide coverage for her services, a doctor must provide a script to her, she said.
Her clinic exists not just to serve the patient, but the caregivers as well, so they can provide the best care for their loved ones at home, according to her website.
Tucker was ready for a new challenge following 9.5 years of working for Mercy Hospital.
During those years she did pediatric physical therapy and physical therapy for inpatients at the hospital.
“They closed the acute inpatient rehab unit,” Tucker said. “They still offer outpatient service and acute bed services.”
“I was ready for a new change and challenge. It’s been a good change,” she said.
Meredith Sewell Tucker is a Fort Scott High School graduate, then graduated from Kansas University with a children’s with disability and autism degree, then a masters degree in physical therapy.
She is married to Brad Tucker.
The physical therapy clinic phone number is (913) 406.8040.
Mike Cheney gets a treatment from Physical Therapist Meredith Tucker.
.
