Registration Opens for 2018 Kansas Governor’s Energy Conference
Registration is now open for the 2018 Kansas Governor’s Energy Conference, which will be held October 11 and 12 in Manhattan.
“Our state’s energy sector has brought billions of dollars of capital investment and thousands of quality jobs to Kansas,” said Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. “We remain committed to supporting energy producers in Kansas and delivering a high-quality workforce to fill these key positions. The Kansas Governor’s Energy Conference brings leaders in the Kansas energy industry together to explore opportunities for expanding oil, gas and renewable energy in Kansas.”
WHAT: The day-and-half conference will feature three general sessions and several breakout sessions focusing on wind generation, community initiatives, solar, transportation innovations, biofuels and energy storage. Visit http://www.kansascommerce.gov/energyconference for an overview of the 19thAnnual Program including Tim Unruh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy.
WHERE/WHEN:8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.October 11, and 8 a.m. – noonOctober 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 410 S. Third Street, Manhattan. Exhibits are open 9:45 a.m. – 6 p.m.October 11 and 8 a.m. – noonOctober 12. A reception is planned from 4:45 p.m. – 6 p.m. on October 11.
REGISTRATION INFO: A complete itinerary and online registration is available at http://www.kansascommerce.gov/energyconference. Early bird registration is available for $100 per person through September 19. Regular registration is $125 and is effective September 20.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan. For more information about reserving a room, call (785) 532-9116 and reference the Kansas Energy Conference. The rate is $112.
Memorabilia is coming out of storage and at least one piece has inspired a new beer.
“We will be unveiling the Fort Scott Indian Princess, Friday, August 24 at 4 p.m.,” according to an email from Barbara Ritter, owner of The Boiler Room Brewhaus. “We will also be featuring a namesake beer that has locally sourced peaches.”
“It’s a cream ale, conditioned with peaches beer,” said Bryan Ritter, the brewer.
The wooden Indian is on loan from the Historic Preservation Association, along with other memorabilia, such as old Fort Scott High School and railroad items, for the public to view.
The microbrewery is located at the corner of National Avenue and Wall Street, at 10 S. National.
According to information provided to the Brewhaus from the HPA below, the Indian maiden was in front of a tobacco store on North Main Street in Fort Scott, circa 1869. The store was owned by Frank Boyle, who was the city’s mayor from 1871-72.
A photograph of the piece written by Jane Rodewald in 1990 on the Indian Maiden, that was at one time displayed in the Ralph Richards Museum. The statute is now displayed at the Boiler Room Brewhaus.The brewer of Boiler Room Brewhaus, Bryan Ritter, has produced a special ale in honor of the wooden Indian, called Fort Princess Cream Ale.The Boiler Room Brewhaus is located at 10 S. National.
Hours for the microbrewery are Thursday-Friday from 4-10 p.m.
Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 7 p.m.
Contact them at 620-644-5032.
For additional information on the business, click on the links below:
TOPEKA – Wichita is the site of the second annual Kansas Manufacturing Summit, a forum providing those in the manufacturing sector the opportunity to network, learn about business match options, and gain insight into workforce development. The event will be held September 18 at the National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita.
The Kansas Manufacturing Summit, hosted by Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s Manufacturing Council, in conjunction with Wichita State University, will cover a range of topics aimed at improving business operations and productivity with Kansas manufacturers.
Conference sessions include:
Emerging (3D) Technologies
Automation and Additive Manufacturing
Sustainability and Efficiencies in Manufacturing Workforce
Workforce Development and Integration
Block Chain Management
Cyber Security
Digital Transformation
“A highlight of this year’s conference will be a panel discussion giving manufacturers insights and opportunities available to help grow and develop the workforce,” said Susan NeuPoth Cadoret, Director of Business Development at the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The cost to register for the Summit is $35 through August 28, after which the cost will increase to $50. Guests will be able to attend the reception held at the end of the Summit for only $20. Registration can be completed online at KansasCommerce.gov/manufacturingsummit. The website will also include the full conference schedule, speaker biographies and hotel information as they become available.
The Boer Goats are coming! The Boer Goats are coming!
And due to a happenstance, they have been coming annually to Fort Scott for three years.
“This will be the third year ( the Heartland Showcase Boer Goat Sale) will be held in Fort Scott as we are in the middle of the area of people raising Boer Goats,” Allen Warren, with the Bourbon County Fairgrounds Board, said.
What is a Boer Goat?
“The development of the Boer goat in the early 1900’s can be traced to the Dutch farmers of South Africa. Boer is a Dutch word meaning farmer. With meat production setting the selection criteria, the Dutch farmers developed the Boer goat as a unique breed of livestock. The Boer goat has a rapid growth rate, excellent carcass qualities and is highly adapted to different environments,” according to http://abga.org/about-abga/history/“
“They (the Heartland Showcase Boer Goat Sale organizers) originally held their first sale in Columbus,” Warren said.
There was a lack of hotels and restaurants in Columbus, according to Warren.
“As some of the officers were on their way home to Nebraska, they drove through Fort Scott and decided to see what kind of a Fairground and facility we had to offer,” Warren said. “The next day they called the K-State Extension Office and got my telephone number. This developed into the relationship we have today. They feel our facilities and our community has a lot of what they were looking for.”
“We heard that they were a good location, centrally located. Fort Scott seemed to be the perfect fit,” Lisa Stripe, co-owner of the sale, said. “We generally have 12 different farms bringing their goats into the sale. Usually the crowd draws 100-150 people.”
The Stripes are from Humeston, Iowa.
“We personally got started because as a kid Ithought it would be fun to have some. Later, I bought some behind my husband’s back.”
“They are good animals for kids in 4-H or FFA because they are gentle, the kids are less likely to get hurt versus a cow or calf.”
“I would like to thank the businesses , the motels the fairgrounds,” Stripe said. “We couldn’t ask for a better place to have the sale.”
Viewing of the animals is from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, August 18 and again Sunday August 19. The sale will be Sunday at noon at the fairgrounds.
You may contact Lisa Stripe at 402-759-5497 or Jill Lanham at 402-984-8344 for more information about this event
For those of you waiting for Arby’s Restaurant completion, it is coming.
“Although I can’t provide you with an exact date for our Grand Opening in Fort Scott, I’m told that we are indeed on track for a mid-September opening,” said Fred Fleischner, Vice President, Corporate Communications, United States Beef Corporation.
“We have hired a General Manager,” Fleischner said. “Her name is Cassandra Bosley from Fort Scott.”
“We still have openings we’re looking to fill,” he said.
The restaurant is located on South Main in what was the former Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.
Arby’s is holding interviews every Tuesday afternoon, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the Sleep Inn & Suites conference room at 302 E. Wall Street in Fort Scott.
“We’ll be there for at least the next 2-4 weeks until our restaurant is closer to completion,” Fleischner said. “Those wishing to apply for work at this new Arby’s restaurant can also do so online at www.work4arbys.com.”
The contractor for the project is Coast to Coast Builders, Wichita.
Personal grocery shopping is coming to Fort Scott Walmart, but not anytime soon. Although communications from Walmart indicate otherwise.
Perhaps you were one who received a flyer recently from Walmart or saw the advertisement on TV, or received an email like below that said: “Free Grocery Pickup save you time and money.”
The following is the response from Walmart headquarters:
“Fort Scott will be getting Grocery Pickup, but not for some time,” Molly Blakeman, Walmart Media Relations Corporate Communications said. “The store closest to Fort Scott that currently offers the service is store number 5791 in Pittsburg KS, 30 miles away.”
Free Grocery Pickup save you time & money.
Try Grocery Pickup today
$10 off your first order*
Use code WOWFRESH at checkout.
Grill & chill
Order online & let us do the shopping. You’ll get the same low prices as in stores & there’s never a membership fee. We’ll even load your car.
A program designed to develop and engage the leadership skills of potential and current leaders through exposing participants to diverse aspects of our local community. The program includes 9-sessions that run from September to May. Sessions are the second Thursday of the month (8am to 3:30pm) and held at various locations throughout Bourbon County, with Mercy Hospital as the main site.
Who should participate?
LEAD Bourbon County is open to all community members, all ages, all positions. A company may sponsor one or more employees to participate, or a person may register individually on their own.
(Cost is $325 plus $50 materials fee per registrant,
includes lunch at each session, graduation, and any other expenses.)
What should participants expect?
The sessions held on the 2nd Thursday of each month begin with the class attending the weekly Chamber Coffee at a local business at 8am, then convening at Mercy Hospital for a morning session following the curriculum of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC), A guest speaker will be featured at each afternoon session which will often include a tour of a business or community attraction to exemplify leadership in action.
Robert Uhler and Deborah Needleman are co-facilitators of the program.
KLC’s principles include that anyone can lead anytime, anywhere. Leadership is not a position, it is an action.
Click here for more information and to download the printable registration form.
Registrations are requested by Friday, August 24th.
The first session will be September 13th.
A blighted building is being repurposed, located at 1801-1805 S. National Avenue.
A new business partnership has been formed between Kale Nelson and Justin Meeks: JK Hold’Em LLC.
Nelson and Meeks have recently purchased the building at the junction of Hwy. 69 and National Avenue for repurposing into offices for themselves.
Nelson will be moving his State Farm Insurance office staff into 1805 S. National and Meeks will be moving his private law practice into 1801 S. National.
The building is about 3,200 square feet.
“My office will be around 1800 square feet,” Nelson said. “Currently I have around 1,200 square feet.”
“Kale and I are committed to this community,” Meeks said. “We are working on a very blighted building. This building needed to be rehabbed. This was a perfect opportunity to take a building and make it better.”
Citizens National Bank ” saw the vision and loaned the money for the rehab,” Meeks said. “Kale presented to BEDCO (Bourbon County Economic Development Council), who made a commitment.
The Fort Scott city staff have been instrumental also.
“(Economic Director)Rachel Pruitt, (Tourism Director) Larry Gazaway, (City Manager) Dave Martin and (Community Development Director)Rhonda Dunn have helped. Especially Rachel,” Meeks said.
“It’s been a team effort,” Meeks said.
“There are a lot of exciting things happening in Fort Scott,” Meeks said. “We are excited to be a part.”
Nelson and Meeks are doing the demolition of the building in the evenings and on weekends, after their other jobs.
“We are putting in quite a bit of sweat equity,” Meeks said.
Nelson is a State Farm Insurance Agent and Meeks is the Bourbon County Counselor and in addition, has a private practice.
Meeks has been doing private practice out of his home and also has an office on the square in Girard.
“My plan is to do private practice two to three days a week,” Meeks said. “Estate planning and business transactions. I will do depending on what comes in at Girard, in Crawford County. I’ve had a five-year hiatus. I really enjoy being a county counselor, but I want to keep irons in the fire.”
The general contractor for the project is Nate Lyons, and they will be using local contractors, Meeks said.
The building was constructed in 1925 and had many additions through the years with different uses: a steakhouse, bar, pet store, liquor store, antique store and vapor shop.
“People are stopping by and telling us stories” about the history, Meeks said.
The two businesses hope to be in the building after the first of the year, Meeks said.
Sales Tax Holiday Weekend
Friday through Sunday, August 3-5, 2018
9.4% savings on ALL purchases
FORT SCOTT – The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce an opportunity for shoppers to save money this weekend. Select retailers will be offering a Sales Tax Holiday by volunteering to pay the sales tax for shoppers this August 3rd through the 5th.
Enjoy a 9.4% discount this weekend at these participating merchants: Bids & Dibs, Books & Grannies, Electronic Store, Fort Scott Gun & Pawn, J & W Sports, Papa Don’s Pizza, Ruddick’s Furniture, Shirt Shack, and Sunshine Boutique.
These stores offer a variety of merchandise including apparel, home décor both new and repurposed, school supplies and much more. There is no need to cross the border during this No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend.
Save money, shop local, shop, Fort Scott.
This shop local promotion is organized by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. Please contact (620) 223-3566 with questions.
Taste the glossy red fruit tomorrow at the farmers market to see which is your favorite!
Tomatoes for sale at Fort Scott Farmers Market.
The annual Fort Scott Farmers Market Tomato Festival is Saturday, July 28 at Skubitz Plaza, starting at 8 a.m.
The public is welcome to bring in their tomatoes for the contest as well, Stacey Atkins, president of the FSFM said.
“People can sample tomatoes and vote for their favorite,” Atkins said. “It’s always fun to sample the produce.”
Vendor Stacey Atkins chats with a customer July 21 at her booth. Atkins sells eggs, baked goods, and lemonade.Chet and Linda Bower sell produce from their farm.Linda Murrow changes the billboard of what she sells as she runs out of produce. Murrow sells produce, baked goods, and lemonade.Mary Yoder sells baked goods, homemade jellies, relishes and cherry tomatoes.Roman Shetler sells produce, honey, maple syrup, relish and produce.Ronnie Brown sells nuts, jellies, fruit, produce and baked goods.Micki Kraft sells homemade sewn products.Chet Bower shows some of his carrots he grew on his farm.
