On July 6, Joe Pauly opened his Tropical Joe’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice business in the parking lot of Family Video on South National Avenue.
“I started the company for two reasons,” Pauly told FortScott.Biz. “I loved shaved ice, it’s so good and such a fun business where you get to put smiles on faces. And reason two is I have six children, the oldest being 11. My hope is that someday this will be their summer job to teach them about work, business, communication and how to serve people.”
Pauly lives in Pittsburg and wanted to open his first store there.
“However, there is already an established shaved ice business there and my supplier said ‘Why not Fort Scott?’,” Pauly said. “He had a shaved ice business there for years, Tad’s Shaved Ice, and said it was a great town that supported the business.”
Pauly listened to the advice and went to where the demand was.
“It’s been great,” he said. “The people of Fort Scott love their shaved ice and I am glad to be able to bring it back to them.”
Joe’s Tropical Ice employee, Mariam Mix, waits on a customer Monday afternoon.
Many people have thanked him for putting the business in Fort Scott.
“Some said they had been driving to Nevada and Pittsburg for shaved ice,” Pauly said.
Customers purchase some shaved ice Monday afternoon.
Pauly plans to remain open through September, he estimated.
The business is open seven days a week from 2 to 10 p.m. and is located at the corner of 18th Street and National Avenue in the Family Video parking lot.
The many flavors of Tropical Joe’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice.More flavors and the pricing of the product.
$5 million still available for innovative emerging businesses through Kansas Angels program
TOPEKA – Five million dollars in tax credits are still available to investors in innovative emerging businesses in Kansas through the Kansas Angel Tax Credit (KAITC) program. The program offers Kansas income tax credits to qualified individuals who provide seed-capital financing for emerging Kansas businesses engaged in the development, implementation, and commercialization of innovative technologies, products, and services.
The KAITC Program is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and designed to bring together accredited angel investors with qualified Kansas companies seeking seed and early-stage investment. The Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit act was established to facilitate the availability of equity investment in businesses in the early stages of commercial development and to assist in the creation and expansion of Kansas businesses, which are job- and wealth-creating enterprises.
How does it work?
The KAITC program grants tax credits against the Kansas income tax liability of investors investing in these startup ventures. With the primary goal of encouraging individuals to provide seed-capital financing for emerging, Kansas businesses engaged in the development, implementation, and commercialization of innovative technologies, products, and services.
Applications for certification will be accepted only for Kansas businesses in the seed and early-stage rounds of financing.
Companies must meet the following criteria to be certified as a Qualified Kansas Business:
The business has a reasonable chance of success and potential to create measurable employment within Kansas.
In the most recent tax year of the business, annual gross revenue was less than $5,000,000.
Businesses that are not Bioscience businesses must have been in operation for less than five years; bioscience businesses must have been in operation for less than 10 years.
The business has an innovative and proprietary technology, product, or service.
The existing owners of the business have made a substantial financial and time commitment to the business.
The securities to be issued and purchased are qualified securities.
The company agrees to adequate reporting of business information to the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The ability of investors in the business to receive tax credits for cash investments in qualified securities of the business is beneficial because funding otherwise available for the business is not available on commercially reasonable terms.
Each applicant must sign a Qualified Company Agreement with the Kansas Department of Commerce.
Who are Angel Investors?
Angel investors are either individuals or groups looking to make an investment in new or existing businesses. The incentive for such investments is that they may yield a higher return than other methods of investing.
Most angel investors are entrepreneurs who have had their own business succeed in part due to such investments.
Only accredited angel investors can qualify for the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit by investing in Kansas Department of Commerce certified Kansas businesses.
The tax credit is 50% of the investor’s cash investment into a qualified Kansas Business
The tax credit may be used in its entirety in the taxable year in which the cash investment was made
The Tax Credits are transferable
If the amount of the credit exceeds the investors’ liability in any one taxable year the remaining portion of the credit may be carried forward until the total amount of credit is used
Investors can receive tax credits up to $50,000 in tax credits per company they invest in, not to exceed $250,000 in one year
If investing through a permitted entity, all the equity owners of the permitted entity must be accredited investors.
Certification of companies must meet mandates established by Kansas statute to allow accredited Angel Investors to receive the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit.
Applications for companies seeking investment are accepted through August 31, 2018. For complete information on the Kansas Angels Initiative, visit http://kansasangels.com.
The New Wave Broadband antenna sits atop the water tower at Ninth and Burke streets, as viewed from the pickleball court.
Collaborations between business and government create opportunities for workers to be able to computer work from home in rural areas.
New Wave Broadband, LaHarpe, is one of those businesses.
New Wave Broadband has collaborated with the City of Fort Scott and Consolidated Rural Water District #2 to put broadband antennas on top of water towers to transmit from.
That allows employees to work from home, on their computer.
There is a New Wave antenna on towers four miles west of Fort Scott and also eight miles west at Redfield; east of Fort Scott on 260th and Kansas roads; and there is one coming to a rural area knows as Porterville, southwest of Fort Scott.
In town, there are New Wave antennas on top of towers south of the hospital, at the water treatment plant at Ninth and Burke streets, and at the middle school.
Mercy Hospital gets internet provided from the same company that New Wave does and “We share a communications closet,” David Lee said. “We have separate equipment.”
New Wave Broadband has its beginnings in the La Harpe Telephone Company, according to its’ website http://newwavebb.com
Joyce and Harry Lee, the owners, raised their family in La Harpe, and the family still operates the company today.
La Harpe Telephone was one of the owners of Kansas Cellular, which was sold in 1999 to Alltel.
Today, they are one of the 29 owners of Kansas Fiber Network, a communication system that delivers broadband connectivity to rural Kansas.
“Some people can work from home now, that couldn’t,” David Lee, son of Harry and Joyce Lee, said.
David Lee negotiates contracts and does installations for the business and “everything in between,” he said.
Lucretia Simpson, Marie Guss, and Jillian McAdams are some New Wave customers who work from home on computers, 8-12 hours a day, from a rural location.
Simpson and McAdams live just south of the Fort Scott city limits, Guss lives east of Fort Scott.
Simpson had a satellite set-up prior to New Wave, two years ago.
“After you used it so much, the company slowed it down,” she said.
Now she can work all day and still have data available to enjoy movies with her family, Simpson said.
Simpson paid for a wireless router.
“Our phone, tv, tablets are wireless, except my computer for work. It’s plugged in,” she said.
Guss switched companies “because it was accessible and they have faster internet speeds than where we had.” she said. “We were looking for download speeds so I could produce more at my job.”
The prior company would lose their signal frequently and take one to four hours to get it corrected, she said.
“I would have to work later in the day when the internet came back up,” Guss said.
Since signing onto New Wave in October 2017, the internet has not been working twice “and two hours at the most.” she said.
“David Lee is very good to respond and give an estimated time when it will be back up.”
McAdams moved to her current location about a year ago and tried another company. Weather conditions caused the internet go down, she said.
She then purchased a router from New Wave.
“We hard wired it into my computer and the phones are connected wirelessly,” McAdams said.
“New Wave has the best customer service I’ve ever had,” she said.
Governor Jeff Colyer announces the hiring of new Regulatory Ombudsman for Kansas Businesses
Topeka – Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., today announced the hiring of Tom Arpke to fill the role of Regulatory Ombudsman at the Kansas Department of Commerce. Tom will help businesses looking to expand or start operating in Kansas to navigate the regulatory process and resolve questions or concerns.
“Kansas needs to be attracting more businesses and taking excellent care of the businesses that are already here,” said Gov. Jeff Colyer, “As I have traveled the state listening to business owners, they have told me they need a more direct line of communication when they have questions or concerns about regulations and other aspects of running a business in Kansas. This new position will ease that burden for business and Tom is just the man for the job.”
As Regulatory Ombudsman, Arpke will work as a liaison between the state and new and existing businesses evaluating all sides of an issue and helping identify options and strategies for resolution. He will also be able to escalate issues when necessary directly to the Governor and his Chief Operations Officer.
“I am grateful to Governor Colyer for the opportunity to serve in this new role for our state,” said Arpke, “As a business owner myself, I am looking forward to being able to assist new businesses as they look to open their doors in Kansas, as well as helping existing businesses find simple solutions to their concerns so they can spend more time focused on growing their business.”
Arpke received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Microbiology from Florida State University. He has been actively serving the state of Kansas for the past six years, first as a Kansas State Representative from 2011-2013, followed by four years as a Kansas State Senator from 2013-2017. Since 2008 he has also been the owner of Arpke Inc. performing plant audits for environmental compliance and safety.
Businesses needing to contact the Ombudsman may use the following contact information. Phone: (833)765-2002, Email Address: [email protected].
A renovation has begun on the Hole in the Wall Liquor Store project at Wall and Scott streets.
The building at the corner of Scott and Wall streets has seen better days.
But with the purchase of the property formerly known as the “The Spoiled Brat” building, there will be new activity. Spoiled Brat was the name of the beauty salon that was located there years ago.
Roy and Jody Hoener own the property now.
The Hoener’s envision this to be breathing new life into a previously condemned structure that sits at a gateway to Fort Scott.
The Hoener’s own The Hole In the Wall Liquor Store, currently located at 13 W. Oak.
The business has been in the family for three generations, Roy Hoener said.
“My grandpa, Roy Louderman, bought the business in 1985,” Roy said. “My mother, Connie Hoener, bought the one-half interest in 2005. In 2015 Jody and I took it over from my mom when she retired.”
But come October they are hoping to be moved to the new site at 124 E. Wall, Jody Hoener said.
“We are doing pretty good on the timeline,” Roy said.
Over the next month’s several local businesses will be helping the Hoeners transform the once blighted and deteriorating building into the store and in addition, apartments on the second floor.
The liquor store will be 24 by 84 foot in dimensions, Roy said, with the apartment space above having the same dimensions.
“We are trying for two apartments,” Roy said. “That will be down the road.”
Behind, to the south of the store, will be an event space, Roy said.
“It will be for wine tastings, etc.,” he said
Those businesses hired by the Hoeners are Hofer and Hofer and Associates Inc.-general contractor, Agricultural Engineering Associates-structural engineers overseeing the entire project, RII Concrete Construction LLC-steel work outside, Geiger Plumbing-plumbing, KTK Electric LLC-HVAC and new wiring and lights, Great Expectations LLC Restoration Company—inside floor joists, Murphy Roofing-roof, Kirby’s Cabinets-counter and display, Miles Woodworking-shelving, and Perry Cannon-interior painting.
Senator Richard Hilderbrand, Republican, Senator from Galena, can be contacted by email [email protected] or cell phone 417.529.3262 .
The United State Supreme Court ruled recently ruled that states can now collect online sales tax from out-of-state vendors, according to a press release from Richard Hilderbrand (R-Galena).
“Before the Kansas Legislature moves forward, we must look closely to see how this will impact hardworking Kansans,” Hilderbrand said.
“The Supreme Court opinion on online sales taxes would work like this,” he said. ” Any taxing entity in the U.S; can now collect sales tax from any business that sells online to a customer that resides in their taxing jurisdiction.”
“This will put a huge burden on small businesses that currently sell online,” Hilderbrand said. “They will now have to answer to thousands of taxing entities. They will have to know what each sales tax rate is, and will also be subject to audits from those taxing entities.”
“Because this is an interstate commerce issue, it will be up to our U.S. Congress, and U.S. Senate to address this situation,” Hilderbrand said. “The state will have to decide on whether or not to start collecting taxes on out of state businesses that sell online to Kansas citizens. If the state decides to start collecting that sales tax, it will be another tax increase on Kansas citizens.”
“We cannot place another tax hike onto Kansas taxpayers for the third year in a row. An implementation of online sales tax must be coupled with a decrease in the overall sales tax rate. It is an embarrassment that Kansans pay some of the highest sales taxes in the Midwest. Our first priority should be to ease the financial burden on families by making Kansas a more affordable state,” according to the press release.”
“In 2017, the legislators passed a $1.2 billion retroactive income tax increase on the citizens of Kansas,” Hilderbrand said. “In 2018. the legislators failed to pass a tax-reform bill that would have allowed the citizens of Kansas to take advantage of the federal revenue windfall.”
“In failing to pass this legislation a significant number of Kansans, who previously benefited from income tax relief by itemizing deductions on Kansas returns, will no longer be able to do so because they will not be able to itemize at the federal level,” he said.
“The result of not passing this bill, is another income tax increase, specifically on Kansas homeowners who claimed the mortgage interest and property tax deductions in years past,” he said.
“The Senate passed this bill 21-19, but it failed in the house on a 59-59 vote. By not passing this tax-reform bill, it will lead to a tax increase of almost $500 million over the next three years,” Hilderbrand said.
“In 2019 the legislators will now be faced with this U.S. Supreme Court opinion and how it will affect our citizens. There are a lot of legislators that want to collect that extra tax and spend it. If that happens that will make it three years in a row that Kansans’ would have had a tax increase. If we are going to be serious about allowing our business’s in Kansas to be more competitive with our neighboring states, we cannot continue to be the highest sales tax state in the midwest.”
“The sales tax rate must be lowered so Kansans can keep more of their money in their pockets instead of being forced to send more and more money to Topeka,” Hilderbrand said.
The Buffalo Grill, 3 W. Oak, was purchased in May 2018 by Al Niece.
Al Niece, the owner of Niece of Kansas Inc., purchased the Buffalo Grill, 3 W. Oak in May 2018 from Dean Mann.
“It’s a fantastic building, lots of options are open” for the development of the property, Niece said.
“The building looked too good a building to be left unattended,” Niece said. “In talking with people in the community and the city, there are not many large eating facilities in the town.”
“When I walked in earlier this year, I was amazed at the condition,” he said.
Conventions, graduations, weddings, Christmas parties “and who knows what else” can use the River Room on the second floor of the building, Niece said. “We’ve already booked events for fall, two weddings and Christmas parties.”
The River Room name will stay the same for the second-floor event space, he said.
“The restaurant will be an additional component to it,” Niece said. “There are a lot of options for that. We don’t know whether we will keep the name Buffalo Grill or not.”
“We are talking to a couple of franchises,” Niece said.
In addition, the business suite on the north-west side of the building is up for rent, with 2,400 square feet of space.
The restaurant will likely be open in the third quarter of 2018 he said.
Jared Leek is the manager of the facility for Niece and can be reached at 620-224-9787.
In May, Walmart announced a new associate education benefit program designed to help employees to enroll in college and graduate from college in certain fields of study, according to a press release.
Benefits include free college credit for Walmart Academy training and options for employees to earn a college degree without student loan debt.
Walmart employees will be able to access affordable associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business or supply chain management.
These programs are available to full-time, part-time and salaried Walmart U.S. store, supply chain, home office and Sam’s Club employees.
Degrees will be offered through the University of Florida at Gainesville; Brandman University, Irvine, California; and Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska. These schools were selected for their focus and strong outcomes on serving working adult learners, according to the press release.
Program highlights include:
AFFORDABLE
The associate contribution toward a college degree would be just $1 a day. Walmart will subsidize the cost of tuition, books, and fees, which helps get rid of student loan debt, according to a press release.
Also, associates can start their path by earning college credit for paid training at Walmart Academies. Hundreds of thousands of associates have already undergone skills training equivalent to more than $210 million in college credits. This will save associates both time and money in completing their degree.
RELEVANT
Walmart selected universities with a specialized focus on serving working adult learners and top outcomes for the working adult demographic. Walmart is also collaborating with these universities to tailor the curriculum to relevant skills for jobs and advancement across industries for today and in the future.
ACCESSIBLE
The goal is for all employees who apply for admission to be accepted, and the three selected universities have a dedication to high graduation rates for their students.
SUPPORTED
Employees will receive support from a coach on everything from the application and enrollment process to selecting the appropriate degree. This kind of academic counseling has been shown to help students complete their degree.
Walmart kicked off a scalable approach to creating educational opportunity for America’s workforce, said Rachel Carlson, chief executive officer and co-founder of Guild Education, with whom Walmart is collaborating to provide the program.
Guild Education helps people gain an education through their employer’s tuition benefits which lead to increased employee satisfaction and retention, according to http://www.guildeducation.com
Walmart is also leading innovation in workforce development and higher education to help associates earn college credit for on-the-job training, Carlson said.
The Lumina Foundation has agreed to research and measure the impact and effectiveness of the program and will work with the Walmart team to share findings.
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OFFERINGS
Walmart’s new education program underscores the importance of education in helping employees prepare for the future with degrees in supply chain management or business. This is part of a broader approach to preparing the workforce to succeed today and into the future.
Initiatives include:
· Developing a broad suite of offerings across roles from frontline to executive levels develop job-related skills for advancement.
· Covering the complete cost for employees and eligible family members for earning a high school diploma or GED.
· Offering employees and eligible family members access to tuition discounts, financial aid assistance, and education coaching across Guild’s broader network of more than 80 accredited, nonprofit university partners, including schools such as The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Columbia University and Purdue University. These institutions are made available through EdX.
· Giving access to professional development courses including college prep, leadership training, and ESL.
Walmart associates can learn more by visiting WalmartOne.
Fort Scott’s Walmart, 2500 S. Main, is no longer open 24-hours a day.
As of June 2, the store is closed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., according to an assistant manager at the store.
“We’re continually looking at how we can best serve our customers,” according to a statement sent to fortscott.biz. ” Based on a recent review of shopping patterns at our Fort Scott store, we are adjusting hours and reallocating resources to better serve our customers during peak shopping hours.”
Kansas awarded $1.2 million additional grant funding for Statewide Apprenticeship Program
TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Commerce been awarded $1.2 million in additional grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship to help grow the statewide Registered Apprenticeship Program. This new funding follows an initial $1 million in grant funding the agency earlier received. The funds are being used to offset training costs for employers, apprentices and training institutions.
The Registered Apprenticeship Program is built upon an employer-driven model that combines on-the-job learning with the related technical instruction that increases an apprentice’s skill level and wages. It is a proven model for businesses to recruit, train and retain highly skilled workers.
“Since the reinvigoration of the program two years ago, we have observed a marked increase in advanced manufacturing, medical, electrical, plumbing and other high demand occupations in need of trained employees,” says Gary Westerman, State Manager of the Registered Apprenticeship Program. “The Registered Apprenticeship Team has taken several steps in identifying needs of Kansas employers and determining which fields are in the greatest needs of a workforce trained through the Registered Apprenticeship Program.”
There are presently 1,743 registered apprentices in Kansas, receiving both on-the-job training and paid employment with 393 apprentices achieving “Journeyperson “status within the past 18 months from 246 employers. Through this program, apprentices receive on-the-job training from an experienced mentor for at least a full year, providing a living wage while training for a career position. They also earn credentials which can be carried forward throughout their careers. At the same time, employers benefit by meeting their growing need for a trained workforce, experience lower turnover costs, and higher productivity and reduce their costs of recruiting personnel.
“Registered Apprenticeship can improve a company’s workforce situation dramatically, including staff retention, skill knowledge, and safety, along with reducing training costs and increasing a company’s ability to develop their own talent pipeline,” said Westerman.
Currently, the Kansas Department of Commerce staff, the Registered Apprenticeship Team, and Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) partners are working with local high schools and military installations across Kansas to demonstrate that receiving technical training and certification is a valid option to a traditional four-year college path — especially in meeting today’s workforce needs.
For more information on the Registered Apprenticeship Program, visit ksapprenticeship.org.
Betsy Reichard points to one of the varieties of lavender grown on her farm, The Lavender Patch, 22376 Locust Rd.
Lavender has been a sensory, culinary and decorative herb for thousands of years.
But for Betsy and Davin Reichard, an idea to grow it spawned approximatley ten years ago when they first visited a lavender farm.
They had purchased a property in 2008.
The Reichard’s talked the idea over with family members, and in 2009 did research on the subject and visited other lavender farms, Betsy said
In 2010 the Reichard’s planted their first plants in the ground, half of which died.
Experimenting they planted 800 plants in 2012, 300 of which were mounded, which is planting the lavender in hills.
“The 300 that were mounded, died,” she said.
In 2013 they planted 1000 plants in a different spot and “they all died,” Reichard said.
The Reichard’s enlisted the help of Kansas State University, who told them this loss was due to weather conditions.
The Tri-Valley Developmental Services Horticulture Therapy Program propagates the lavender for the Reichards.
In 2014 they moved to a different pasture.
“It’s been a heck-of-a-lot more work than we imagined,” she said.
But finally, success in 2014.
That year they started making lavender products: lotions, soaps, bath salts, sachets, and spritzes.
“It takes lavender three years to mature, and it’s very labor intensive,” she said. “It’s a Mediterranean plant.”
“People have said lavender is a natural antiseptic, some say it’s a natural flea and tick repellant,” Reichard said of the products made on the farm.
The Reichards children: Jacob, Andrew, Joseph and wife, Tori, Rebecah and Aaron Houser and Levi, have helped through the years with the farm, as have other family and friends, Betsy said.
“For so many years we’ve had many troubles, so it’s finally good to see results,” Betsy said.
In their other lives, Betsy is a teacher in Nevada, Missouri, and Davin is a comptroller at SEKAN Printing Company, she said.
The Lavender Patch Festival
This Saturday is the first lavender festival that the Reichard’s are hosting at their Lavender Patch Farm at 2376 Locust, just east of Fort Scott.
The Lavender Patch Festival is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and costs $5 admission. Children under five years old are free.
Parking will be at 2396 Locust, with signs to designate.
“Bring a lawn chair and comfortable walking shoes, this is a working farm,” Betsy said.
There will be tours, demonstrations, vendors, games, and live music by Bob (Pavey) Lovett and Red Letter Edition playing throughout the day.
You can pick your own bundle of lavender from several varieties for $5, or purchase a lavender plant for $7.
They have converted their garage into a gift shop and will be selling their lavender products.
Lunch will be sold with some lavender recipes featured.
Martha Scott will demonstrate how to make lavender wands and presentations will be by Reichard on lavender products, how to plant lavender, and how to make lavender wreaths.
Vendors will be Bobbie Kemna, featuring her pottery; Black Dog Farms featuring their honey; and Jean Strader spinning wool.
Bourbon County Conservation will give a presentation on wildlife pollinators at the festival.
“It will be a relaxing day so come out with family and friends, listen to some wonderful music, enjoy the craftsmanship of our vendors, smell and touch the lavender,” Betsy said.
The Reichard’s can be contacted at 620-223-1364, www.lavenderpatchfarm.com, [email protected] or on Facebook, The Lavender Patch.
A new Arby’s Restaurant will be located at 2101 S. Main Street, the site of the former Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.
“I’m told by our construction and development team that we are on track to open our new restaurant there in September of this year,” said Fred Fleischner, Corporate Communications Vice President for United States Beef Corporation, doing business as Arby’s, Tulsa, Oklahoma. ” And we can’t wait.”
‘This restaurant will feature Arby’s Inspire design,” Fleischner said. “The Inspire design increases energy efficiency and delivers an upgraded guest experience. The design also includes authentic features such as wood tones, white brick, subway tiles, stainless steel finishes, and upgraded lighting and landscaping. We are converting our new restaurant from what was a former KFC/A&W combo restaurant.”
Fleischner said Arby’s can’t share the exact rendering of what the restaurant will look like but the Fort Scott site will be very similar to the Monett, Missouri site, which is featured at the top of the story.
For employment opportunities at US Beef and in Ft. Scott, go to www.work4arbys.com for more information.
About United States Beef Corporation
United States Beef Corporation, dba Arby’s, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the largest franchisee of Atlanta-based Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., now operating more than 365 restaurants serving Arby’s famous slow roasted beef sandwiches and unique menu items to hungry guests in nine states throughout the Midwest and the Western United States. It is a family-owned and operated business that opened its first Arby’s restaurant in 1969 and has now grown to over 8,000 employees. US Beef also owns six Taco Bueno restaurants in Northwest Arkansas. To learn more about United States Beef Corporation, visit www.usbeefcorp.com.
About Arby’s®
Arby’s, founded in 1964, is the second-largest sandwich restaurant brand in the world with more than 3,400 restaurants in seven countries. The brand is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, visit Arbys.com
