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Category Archives: Business
New Presbyterian Village Director: Marla Heckman
Marla Heckman, 52, is the new Fort Scott Presbyterian Village Executive Director.
Heckman is new to Fort Scott.
“My husband, John, was born in Fort Scott,” she said. ” We were planning on retiring and moving here someday. There was some property that was going up for sale close to our family, so we decided to change our plans and move back sooner.”
Heckman started on September 5, 2023, as the Executive Director, “overseeing this wonderful community. I am so excited to work with the amazing TEAM here,” she said.
She received her education from the University of Oklahoma and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.
Heckman has 36 years in Healthcare-Independent Living, Assisted Living, Residential Care, Skilled Nursing, and Long-term Care.
“I served on the board for Care Providers Oklahoma, as well as, the Oklahoma State Department of Health Informal Dispute Resolution panel,” she said.
In her spare time she “loves spending time with family and friends.”
“I have never lived anywhere but Oklahoma, so I am excited to start some new hobbies, maybe gardening and having some chickens,” she said. “I look forward to being involved in the community and helping whenever possible.”
She has four children and 13 grandchildren.
Heckman replaces Ginger Nance as the executive director.
Chamber Announces Downtown Fall Fest is September 21
Chamber Announces Downtown Fall Fest
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces a Downtown Fall Fest late-night shopping event featuring horse-drawn hayrack rides, live music, drawings and more will take place Thursday, September 21st from 5 pm to 8 pm in the Downtown Historic District.
Stores will have festive offerings such as pumpkin snacks, hot cider, and a pumpkin passport to submit for a chance to win a Chamber Bucks gift certificate. Participating retailers include Angie Dawn’s Boutique, Barbed Wire and Roses Vintage Market, Bids & Dibs, Brickstreet BBQ, Flint + Fray, Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore, Iron Star Antiques & Such, Laree + Co, Museum of Creativity, Papa Don’s Pizza, Sunshine Boutique, The Artificers, and The Beauty Lounge.
Special activities planned by participating stores and Chamber include the following:
- Horse-drawn hayrack rides will be offered complimentary by Steve and Marci Williams starting at the Depot parking lot at Wall and Scott Streets. The trailer holds 20-24 people at a time and each ride will take a 15-20 minute loop around Downtown.
- The Fort Scott High School Orchestra will play from 6-7pm at the Lowell Milken Center Unsung Heroes Park.
- Angie Dawn’s Boutique will have a “guess the number of candy corn” to win a $50 gift certificate.
- Bids & Dibs will have a fall photo backdrop and sponsor a scarecrow art contest for children.
- Brickstreet BBQ will have DJ Brown and The Bourbon County Revival performing live on their patio from 5pm-8pm.
- Museum of Creativity will have a fall-themed cookie decoration table for $1 per person plus horse-drawn hayrack rides starting at the Depot across from the Chamber.
The Artificers will have hot spiced cider along with a drawing for a certificate to attend their “Harvest Pumpkin Class”. - The Wagon Roadies will be selling pumpkins at Wall and Main Streets.
The Chamber also announces a Scarecrow Contest is underway with the deadline to turn in entries of September 20th. Key Industries is sponsoring the contest with gift certificates for the top three individual or family entries, and the top business winner will receive one dozen logoed shirts and bragging rights for the year. More details on the contest may be found on the Chamber’s Facebook page or fortscott.com.
Downtown Fall Fest offers fun for all to get out and support local while taking in the season, finding some great deals, and seeing what’s new in apparel and holiday décor.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information.
Nance Shifts Careers as of Sept. 15
Ginger Nance has been the Executive Director at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village for 20 years.
“My last working day at the Village is scheduled for Sept 15th as I will be retiring… and shifting my focus to care for others in a new, different career way,” she said.
The executive director’s job entailed leading and directing all operations of the site: budgeting, marketing, fundraising, staffing, resident care, dining and environmental services, policy and regulations, and “extending a helping hand to anyone in need,” she said.
“The very best thing about the job, hands down, is that it gives me the ability to make lasting, meaningful, relationships with people from all walks of life,” she said. “Getting the chance to meet new people and rekindle relationships with others whom I’ve known since childhood is wonderful!”
A challenge for Nance was the pandemic.
“As with any occupation, there are always challenges,” Nance said. “One of the biggest challenges during my career was managing all the issues surrounding the COVID pandemic in senior living. Probably my best and my worst attribute, at the same time, is that I care so much about our seniors and the families that we serve.”
During these years of COVID, the state and federal governments set many extreme restrictions to protect the resident’s lives.
“For a long period during the pandemic, senior living organizations were mandated to not allow people to enter the building for any reason,” she said. “This was heartbreaking to all! We worked as a team and included the families in trying to come up with solutions so they could still be involved and active in their loved ones’ lives.”
” For the first time in senior living, we learned to use Facetime…and sent out weekly communication updates to family members.”
“We created visiting areas with glass separations that were heated using amplified microphones for the hearing impaired. We set up the spaces so they could enjoy a meal together, a cup of hot chocolate, or whatever they desired to do during their visits.”
“I have never been more challenged, yet so very proud, of the amazing team that we have at the Presbyterian Village!” Nance said. Before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and every day since it ended, I am reminded of how fortunate Fort Scott is to have the Presbyterian Village in our community, as I watch the team at the Village care for our seniors. Their care and commitment go far beyond receiving a paycheck. I’m so very thankful that I could be part of such a great team for so many years.”
New Career
Nance feels the time is now to step out in faith in a new career to help people differently.
She has had conversations with senior citizens living in their homes, isolated, feeling helpless, because their physical condition wouldn’t allow them to get outside or even move about easily in their own homes.
“Often the senior would express… that one of the biggest barriers to the idea of making a move to downsize and either move to a smaller, more manageable home, or an assisted living was the idea that they didn’t even know where to begin,” she said.
They didn’t know how to go about downsizing their belongings and/or selling their home, which would stop them, due to fear or physical inability, she said.
“I understand their fears and their concerns and I would like to be available to help people through this process in a kind, patient, understanding way, always keeping them in the driver’s seat every step of the way,” she said.
“For this reason, I am currently offering my services as a ‘Rightsizing Specialist,’ to help seniors and other adults with these types of issues they are facing,” she said.
Services she will offer the community is downsizing, upsizing, or simply “right-sizing” to find a home that meets the current needs of their life.
“We all know that one shoe doesn’t fit all and my goal is to offer my assistance on an individualized basis for each person,” she said. “The options: live auction, estate/tag sales, private sales to individuals, charity donations, assistance with packing, boxing, and the moving process, as well as assistance with buying and selling your home, if desired.”
She is licensed in both Kansas and Missouri and recently joined the Stutesman’s Action Realty team, with offices located in Fort Scott, Nevada, and Lamar, Missouri.
“I very much want to remain active in my hometown, where my family roots are, and I want to continue to build lasting relationships with people from all walks of life,” she said. “The passion I have to help others is the fuel that continues to drive me as I work to build a new business line to offer to our community. If you know someone who could benefit from my help, please give me a call, and let’s talk (620) 224-6173.”
HBCAT Grant: Hulbert’s Jewelry LLC
This is part of a series featuring the grant recipients of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s Center For Economic Growth in their latest grant cycle.
This grant cycle, they awarded grants to nine area businesses.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Grant Program is funded by the Patterson Family Foundation and is a collaborative effort through partnerships with the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State and Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
Hulbert’s Jewelry, LLC,(doing business as Bartelsmeyer Jewelry) owners, Wyatt and Krysta Hulbert became owners of the local jewelry story in historic downtown Fort Scott on July 5, 2023.
Krysta noted however, that the jewelry store has been a part of Fort Scott’s history since 1904.
“Wyatt and I are thrilled and honored to be able to continue the tradition of this long-standing business in downtown Fort Scott, Kansas,” she said. “We are dedicated to upholding the same commitment to quality customer service, and craftsmanship, to ensure that the store will endure through another generation. We hope to have the support of the whole community as we step into a new and exciting future!”
“At Bartelsmeyer Jewelry, I have been the familiar face that greets you at the door for the last 13 years working for John and Cindy Bartelsmeyer,” Krysta said. “I truly enjoy my job and have had the amazing opportunity to develop many wonderful relationships with the people in my community because of working at Bartelsmeyer Jewelry. As John and Cindy started to consider retirement, I began discussing the possibility of buying the jewelry store with my husband Wyatt.”
It took about a year to finalize the sale to the Hulberts.
“At Bartelsmeyer Jewelry, you will find a curated collection of new gold and silver jewelry, from delicate necklaces, earrings, and bracelets to bold statement pieces and permanent jewelry,” she said. “We carry a wide array of estate jewelry, and our designs encompass a range of styles to suit every taste. We also have a sparkling selection of engagement rings and diamond jewelry, as well as a Custom Design Program that can make your unique vision into a tangible, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.”
They also provide maintenance of jewelry.
“The store’s jewelry repair service encompasses everything from minor fixes to intricate restorations.” she said. “We offer ring repair, sizing, and soldering; stone setting and tightening; prong re-tipping; watch repair and battery replacement, jewelry appraisal services, and customized engraving.”
They also buy and sell gold and silver jewelry, coins, and bullion.
“We were so excited to be selected as one of the grant recipients!” she said. “We will be using the grant money for some much-needed tool and equipment updates, including a specialized diamond tester that will help us distinguish lab-grown diamonds from naturally mined diamonds. This will allow us to offer peace of mind to our customers as we dive into a new era in the diamond market.”
The jewelry store address is 22 North Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Contact info: Store Phone: 620-223-2070, Store Website: www.bartelsmeyerjewelry.com, Store E-mail: [email protected]
Chamber Coffee at Hare and Crow Barber Shop on Sept. 7
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Want An Ad For Your Garage Sale This Weekend?
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HBCAT August Newsletter
HBCAT Grant: Tiny Greens and Herbs
This is part of a series featuring the grant recipients of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s Center For Economic Growth in their latest grant cycle.
This grant cycle, they awarded grants to nine area businesses.
The Heathly Bourbon County Action Team Grant Program is funded by the Patterson Family Foundation and is a collaborative effort through partnerships with the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State and Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
Tiny Greens and Herbs, LLC, is a new microgreens business
which will open in September.
Tiny Greens and Herbs will provide Bourbon County families and
community members with convenient, year-round access to locally grown, nutrient packed greens and herbs, according to owner Cherri Walrod.
“This start-up business produces sustainably-grown microgreens which are tiny, immature vegetable and herb plants that are packed with up to 40 times more nutrients than their full-grown counterparts,” she said.
Phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals or antioxidants, are compounds produced by plants that provide health benefits to the body. Along with phytonutrients (antioxidants), microgreens are loaded with vitamins, minerals, flavorful, easy to prepare and
fun to eat, according to Walrod.
Walrod moved to Fort Scott in July 2023 from Eudora, KS.
Or connect on the Facebook page Tiny Greens and Herbs LLC.
1.66 Percent Increase Justified to Provide Electricity to Evergy Central Customers.
Kansas Corporation Commission Utilities Staff responds to
Evergy’s rate increase proposal in testimony filed this afternoon
TOPEKA – Kansas Corporation Commission Staff has weighed in on Evergy’s request for a rate increase in both of its’ Kansas service areas. In testimony filed with the Commission this afternoon, Staff’s detailed financial audit of the company’s income and expenses determined that an increase of 1.66 percent or $34,706,527 was all that could be justified at this time to provide service to Evergy Central customers. Staff’s position is in contrast to Evergy’s request for a net revenue increase of $204,152,629 or 9.77 percent.
KCC Staff’s detailed financial audit of Evergy Kansas Metro’s income and expenses determined that a 7.32 percent rate decrease totaling $53,194,189 is appropriate. This is in contrast to Evergy’s proposed rate increase of 1.95 percent or $14,152,521.
While an important part in the process, these results are far from final at this stage. Today is the due date for direct testimony to be filed by KCC Staff and all other intervenors in the rate case. The next steps in the process include cross answering testimony, rebuttal testimony from Evergy, a settlement conference to determine if the parties can agree on a resolution to submit for Commission approval, followed by either a settlement hearing or evidentiary hearing before the Commission. KCC Commissioners will issue a final order in the docket in late December or early January.
Evergy Kansas Central serves 736,000 customers in Topeka, Lawrence, Olathe, Leavenworth, Atchison, Manhattan, Salina, Hutchinson, Emporia, Parsons, Wichita, Arkansas City, El Dorado, Newton, Fort Scott, Pittsburg and Independence, among other towns and rural areas. Evergy Kansas Metro serves approximately 273,000 customers in Lenexa, Overland Park and other communities near the Kansas City metro area.
Testimony filed today is available on the KCC’s website, along with other documents in the rate case.
The Commission is accepting public comments regarding the rate increase request through 5 p.m., September 29, 2023, on its website, by mail to the Commission’s Office at 1500 SW Arrowhead Rd, Topeka, KS 66604-4027 or by calling the KCC’s Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at 785-271-3140 or 800-662-0027.
HBCAT Grant: Bee Better Health Club
This is part of a series featuring the grant recipients of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s Center For Economic Growth in their latest grant cycle.
This grant cycle, they awarded grants to nine area businesses.
The Heathly Bourbon County Action Team Grant Program is funded by the Patterson Family Foundation and is a collaborative effort through partnerships with the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State and Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
The BEE Better Health Club owner, Wesley DeHaven started his business on June 19, 2023.
“I started a health club because I recognized how much diet and exercise can benefit one’s life in a positive manner,” DeHaven said.
“I provide group fitness classes for all ranging from 1st graders all the way up to seniors within the community, nutrition coaching, and affordable personal training services.”
He is currently in the process of getting multiple certificates from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
He currently has the club at 2542 Hackberry Rd. Fort Scott, with plans to build closer to town in the future.
“The grant money will used to install electrical, plumbing, and bracing in the walls for various types of equipment,” he said.
Contact info:
Facebook: @The BEE Better Health Club Instagram: @beebetter.hc
Email: [email protected]
Phone #: (620) 644-8150
HBCAT Grant: Brickstreet Barbecue
This is part of a series featuring the grant recipients of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s Center For Economic Growth in their latest grant cycle.
The Heathly Bourbon County Action Team Grant Program is funded by the Patterson Family Foundation and is a collaborative effort through partnerships with the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State and Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
Brickstreet Barbecue, owned by Carissa and Alex Bowman, has received a grant from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team.
The Bowmans opened Brickstreet in May 2023.
“We wanted an opportunity to bring barbecue food to the community,” Carissa said. “We provide great barbecue. We employ about 40 people.”
The restaurant is located at 3 W. Oak St. Fort Scott just off North National Avenue. Contact info 620-224-2425.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday except Friday and Saturday, when they are open until 9 p.m.
“We will be using this grant money to help cover a portion of the cost of our smoker and kitchen equipment,” she said.
