|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Category Archives: Business
Y
New BBQ Restaurant Coming to Fort Scott in May
Carissa, 34, and Alex Bowman, 33, have plans to open a bbq restaurant at 3 W. Oak Street, called Brickstreet BBQ.
“We plan to open hopefully in May, 2023,” Carissa said. “We felt that Fort Scott residents and ourselves missed being able to get good barbecue in town and thought since we’ve been able to manage and maintain a local restaurant that we have the know-how and the will power to make it happen!”
Alex is the manager and cook at Nu Grille Restaurant. just across the street from Brickstreet BBQ.
Carissa is the Family and Consumer Science teacher at Fort Scott High School.
They have started some social media to help the public get to see their progress:
Facebook- Brickstreet Barbecuehttps://www.facebook.
The Bowman’s plan on employing about 40 full-time and part-time people. The employment application can be accessed on their Facebook page.
Contact info: One can contact Carissa at her email: [email protected]
Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church Golf Tourney Fundraiser is March 25
Plans are in place for a golf fundraiser for the Catholic church that burned down last summer.
On March 25, 2023 there will be an 8 a.m. registration and 9 a.m. tee off at Woodland Hills Golf Course in Fort Scott.
Mid-Continental Restoration Company is hosting a golf tournament at Woodland Hills Golf Course to help raise funds for replacing the Mary Queen of Angels Church building which burned on the night of August 29, 2022.
“THE TOURNAMENT IS FILLED!” Franks Halsey said. “BUT we are still looking for hole sponsors from businesses as well as silent auction items or donations. In addition, Mid-Continental has purchased and will raffle a golf cart. Raffle tickets are
on sale for the price of $25 for one ticket, or 5 tickets for $100. You do not have to be present to win the golf cart.”
Raffle tickets can be purchased at Woodland Hills or send a check Mid-Continental Restoration, 401 E. Hudson, Fort Scott, KS 66701 made out to Mary Queen of Angels (Building Fund). Any monetary
donations or any silent auction items can be donated and sent to Mid- Continental Restoration as well.
For any questions or any more information please reach out to Chase Halsey at 620-704-2733, or
[email protected].
Marsha Fest: 80s Music on March 4 at the Liberty Theater
Marsha Lancaster died in September 2021 at the age of 54, but those who knew her, want to continue to honor her legacy of supporting community youth sports.
There will be a fundraiser in her honor on Saturday, March 4 at 8 p.m. at the Fort Scott Liberty Theater. Tickets are $35.
“Marsha Lancaster was a Fort Scott native and lived her entire life at 2nd and Hill Street,” said her friend Rhonda Dunn, who is helping with the annual event in remembrance of her. “She was active in many things in school including sports like basketball and volleyball. After attending Fort Scott Community College (FSCC), Marsha bought the Great Plains Deli and her food was legendary in the area.”
To learn more of Lancaster: Obituary of Marsha Lancaster
Marsha’s Deli was known as a local eatery that offered generous portions and a welcoming, down-home atmosphere.
Today her nephew, Brian Lancaster, owns Marsha’s Deli and strives to continue her legacy.
“She supported many organizations and teams through the years,” Dunn said. “She fed many teams that traveled to Fort Scott. It was a tradition for the FSCC Coaches to bring prospective athletes to the Deli for a welcome from Marsha and their first meal at the Deli. Marsha didn’t know a stranger and was amazing at making everyone feel welcomed as soon as they walked through her Deli doors. Marsha was a Fort Scott legend.”
A girl who grew up in 1980s, Marsha Fest will have an 80s Hair Band Rock group to entertain the attendees.
“Baloney Ponyz (a naughty 80s joke) is from the KC area and plays 80s Hair Band Rock music,” Dunn said. “Many of the members of Baloney Ponyz are also members of Disco Dick and the Mirror Balls as well as Legends of Rock.”
The event is sponsored by the Lancaster family. Profits from the event are going to support the Fort Scott High School Sports Booster Club, Dunn said.
“Marsha always enjoyed watching sports and made sure to support the area sports teams by donating or making treats for them to enjoy on game days and we want to keep that legacy alive,” Dunn said. “The proceeds from last year’s Marsha Fest went to Care to Share and the Splash Pad.”
For the latest information, view the Marsha Fest Facebook page.
Chamber Announces Spring Open House, Find the Golden Egg Shopping Event
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces a Spring Open House, Find the Golden Egg shopping event which will take place on Friday and Saturday March 24th and 25th. Most stores in the Downtown Historic District and several additional locations will be participating in the hunt.
Customers are invited to shop local retailers to search for the hidden gold eggs. The golden eggs will contain coupons, promotions, Chamber Bucks, and more. Participating retailers include 110 South Main, Angie Dawn’s Boutique, Barbed Wire & Roses Vintage Market, Bids & Dibs, Hare & Crow Art Gallery, Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore & More, Iron Star Antiques & Such, Laree + Co., Mayco Ace Hardware Store, Museum of Creativity Gift Shop, Ruddick’s Furniture & Flooring, Sekan’s Occasion Shop, Shirt Shack, Sunshine Boutique, and Varia Quality Resale Clothing.
In addition to the shopping fun that weekend, there will be plastic multi-colored eggs hidden around Downtown on Saturday the 25th after 10 a.m. suitable for young children to find.
The Chamber encourages the community to join the hunt on March 24th-25th. Get ‘egg-cited’ to shop local. Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.
Fort Scott Rides: New Business For Matt Harvey
Matt Harvey started his new business Fort Scott Rides LLC in September 2022 at 1202 E. Wall.
“I have been in the car business for 12 years and set a goal to own my own dealership, and (now) that part of my goal is done,” he said.
“We are just a sales location, no service,” Harvey said.
In addition to cars, his future business plan is to expand to motorcycles, all terrain vehicles and golf carts, he said.
Harvey is a member of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and also supports and donates to many organizations, he said.
He can be reached at (620) 215-4219 or [email protected]
The business website is www.fortscottrides.com and for the latest information, view their Facebook page: fort scott rides.
Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Born and raised in Bourbon County, he is the son of Gary and Jackie Harvey.
He has three children, Kaitlyn-a beautician at Spoiled Brat, Tyler-who is doing social media/website duties for his dad’s business and also works at Bourbon County Corrections, and Jett-a senior at Uniontown High School.
Comments Opportunity on Electric Transmission Line
KCC schedules two public hearings on transmission line siting application
TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) has scheduled two public hearings to give Kansas residents an opportunity to learn more about and make comments on an electric transmission line siting application filed by NextEra Energy.
NextEra Energy is requesting permission to site a 94-mile, 345 kV electric transmission line connecting the Wolf Creek Substation in Coffey County to the Blackberry Substation in Jasper County, Missouri, less than one mile over the state line. If the proposed route is approved, the line will pass through five Kansas counties: Coffey, Anderson, Allen, Bourbon and Crawford.
The first public hearing will be held on March 1 at Iola High School, 300 E. Jackson Street, Iola, KS. KCC and NextEra staff will be on hand to answer landowner questions beginning at 3 p.m. The public hearing will begin at 6 p.m. This hearing does not have a virtual option for remote participation such as asking a question or making a comment, but will be broadcast live for viewing on the Kansas Corporation Commission’s YouTube Channel.
The second public hearing will be held on March 2 at the Girard Public Library, 128 W. Prairie Avenue, Girard, KS. Attendees may participate in person or virtually via Zoom. Anyone opting to participate virtually using ZOOM must register at https://kcc.ks.gov/your-
In addition to the public input opportunities provided with the two hearings, written public comments on the application will be accepted through 5 p.m. CST, March 9, 2023. Comments may be submitted online, in a letter, or by phone. Details can be found at https://kcc.ks.gov/your-
The Commission, by law, will issue an order on the siting application on or before May 24, 2023. The order could approve or disapprove the proposed route, alter the route, or provide conditions for the granting of the line siting application that the Commission determines is just and reasonable and best protects the rights of all interested parties and those of the general public. If the route is approved, NextEra will have the authority to move forward with the project.
Background:
The Wolf Creek to Blackberry transmission line construction project was identified by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) as a necessary economic project to increase the transmission capability and relieve congestion from western Kansas east to load centers within the SPP region. The SPP is a regional transmission organization (RTO) mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure, and competitive wholesale prices on behalf of its members. The SPP serves 17 states, including Kansas. The project was competitively bid by the Southwest Power Pool and NextEra Energy won the right to construct the line.
Congestion results in an overabundance of energy at particular locations, which limits the ability of lower priced energy to flow freely through the system. When that happens, customers could end up paying higher energy costs. Reducing congestion on the system is the largest driver of cost reductions associated with building new transmission.
On August 29, 2022, the KCC granted a certificate of convenience and necessity (CCN) to NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest, LLC, enabling the company to do business as a transmission only public utility in the State. In issuing the order, The Commission found the project provides benefits for Kansans:
“Based on the testimony received, the Commission finds that the Transmission Project will have a beneficial effect on customers by lowering overall energy costs, removing inefficiency, relieving transmission congestion and improving the reliability of the transmission system.”
The Commission considered arguments that the primary purpose of the line was to send nuclear power to Missouri, or to export wind outside of the SPP footprint, and it found those arguments were not supported. The evidence in the record indicated that the purpose of the line is to alleviate congestion and improve reliability in Kansas, and within SPP. The purpose of the line is not to deliver Kansas nuclear power to Missouri. All of Wolf Creek’s nuclear power will continue to be delivered to SPP, with the rights to Wolf Creek power continuing to be owned by Evergy, Inc. (a utility serving both Kansas and Missouri customers) and Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (a wholesale generation and transmission cooperative serving distribution cooperatives throughout Kansas).
Justin Grady, KCC Chief of Revenue Requirements, Cost of Service and Finance, addressed misconceptions about the financing in his testimony, saying the cost of the line will be allocated equitably across the entire 17 state SPP region based on transmission customer load share. Kansas will pay 16.5% of the cost. Grady testified that Kansas customers could see an increase of $0.04 to $0.05 per month to cover the cost of the line beginning in 2025, but when the benefits of the project are considered, they should see a reduction of $4 to $7 for every dollar spent on the line over its 40 year operating life.
###
Chamber Coffee and Ribbon Cutting hosted by The Beauty Lounge
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee and Ribbon Cutting event Thursday, February 23rd at 8 a.m. hosted by The Beauty Lounge located at 2 S. Main St. in the Downtown Historic District. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served in addition to a door prize drawing.
The Beauty Lounge is a one-stop shop for esthetics, hair, nails, massages, and skin care products. In January, The Beauty Lounge celebrated their one-year anniversary with the grand opening of their new location.
Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community and learn about the host business or organization. Any member business or organization wanting to host Chamber Coffee in 2023 is encouraged to contact the Chamber to save a date by calling 620-223-3566 or emailing [email protected].
What’s Happening in Fort Scott Weekly Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home Mortgage Business Opens Branch in Fort Scott
A business, whose mission is to help homeowners and also increase financial security, recently opened.
Open Mortgage opened a branch office at 1 East Wall Street, Fort Scott, in December 2022.
The branch manager is David Vonfeldt, with the Fort Scott location serving four states.
There are four employees in the Fort Scott Branch – Joe’ Fritter is a loan officer with two additional loan officers, Monica Creighton and Paul Vonfeldt in Wichita.
Fort Scott is the hometown for Joe’(Albright) Fritter.
She recently left healthcare after 34 years to work in the mortgage
business with her brother in law, David Vonfeldt.
David is married to Joe’s sister Dani (Albright) Vonfeldt. They recently moved to Fort Scott from Wichita in November of
2022.
“David’s business plan has always been to open up his own Branch within Open Mortgage,” Fritter said. “As the stars aligned, this was made possible in December of 2022.”
We are looking forward to assisting the residents in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas,” she said.
Open Mortgage was founded in 2003 and David Vonfeldt has been with the company for eight years, Joe’ started in March of 2022.
Contact information
Fritter
E-mail : [email protected] website or the wesbite: openmortgage.com/joe-fritter
Phone number – 620-644-8146 (licensed in Kansas, Missouri)
Vonfeldt
E-mail : [email protected], the website is
openmortgage.com/david-vonfeldt
Phone number – 316-619-2720 (licensed in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas).
About Open Mortage
Open Mortgage is a nationally recognized, rapidly growing, multi-channel mortgage lender that allows the American dream of home ownership, according to a press release.
Since 2003, the business has been dedicated to assisting borrowers.
Local Insurance Industry Software Business to Change Name
Nedra Barr started the business, Spyder Inc., in 2021, and it is located at 102 W. 2nd. She is the CEO and founder.
The business develops software and sells it to the insurance industry.
This month the business is renaming to OnboardXI.
“The new name is short for Onboarding Experience Improvement,” she said. “Our new name represents what we do for insurance companies and Insurance Marketing Organizations (IMO), which are our two target markets. The Spyder name will be phased out once the new website is up and running over the next few weeks.”
Onboarding is the processing of a new application for insurance of any kinds, Barr said. “Once the application for insurance is completed by the customer, it goes to the Insurance Marketing Organization or directly to the insurance company to process and issue or decline the policy. While I make this sound simple, these are highly complicated and technical work streams for insurance companies. Every insurance company is unique from another.”
“The OnboardXi solution is easily flexible and adaptable to accommodate each company’s differences,” she said. “Our platform connects systems together fast, processes new applications fast…. right the first time. Pretty fun stuff!”
“What used to take months and years to setup for an insurance company, we can do in weeks to couple of months,” she said. “This will be a huge cost savings to insurance companies compared to older types of software solutions.”
“We liked the Spyder name but found it to be too common,” Barr said. “As a result, we were not able to obtain the social media handles we need for marketing and sales.”
In today’s world, a business needs to use social media for presence, awareness and marketing, she said. ” We now have those capabilities with our new name.”
The OnboardXI Platform began demonstrations on Feb. 3 to insurance companies and IMO’s with a rebranded rollout slated for March 1, 2023.
The business has a new low code, no code digital platform that is unique in the insurance industry, according to Mike Upright, CTO Founder. All types of new insurance applications: home, auto, life, disability, annuities, worker’s compensation, etc. will be driven through the application process in the client’s offices with the OnboardXI workflows.
OnboardXI can help up-sell and cross-sell their client’s products and services, which are new capabilities in the market, Upright said.
“This year, 45% of all insurance companies are anticipated to have projects to improve upon the exact things the OnboardXI solution solves,” Upright said.
David Brezik, local Fort Scott resident and investor in the business, is also the OnboardXi Senior Vice President Product and Co-Founder. He believes their business will have a “significant impact in the insurance marketplace. This is truly next level software that will revolutionize the insurance industry.”
“We know the impact and importance of our solution in the United States,” Senior Vice President Product Engineering and Co-Founder Arun Nageshwar said. “When we are ready, we will look to specific international markets to serve as well.”
Three people work in Fort Scott office: Brezik, Barr and a marketing support person.
Nageshwar works from India and Upright from St Augustine, FL.
For more information, contact Barr at [email protected]
Makers Market Feb. 11 at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds
The February Makers Market is this Saturday, February 11th from 10 am to 3 pm in the Cloverleaf Event Center at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds.
The Makers Market will have lots of options for all of your Valentine’s gift
Vendors are:
Mmm Flavor Shop
Locust Hill Lamancha Goat Milk Products
Donna Beerbower’s Fudge
Designer Florals by Rilie
Hamilton Bakery
Bathhouse Trading Company
Micki Kraft’s Sewed items
All Things Cute Cuddle
Happy Little Candle Factory
Makaeldron’s Cauldron Jewelry
Frilz by Victoria
Pheonix Fire Designs
Mmm Flavor Shop will have a meals available for purchase that include create your own pasta, macaroni and cheese, from scratch Angel Food Cake, and Whoppie Pies. They will also have dips available for Sunday Superbowl Parties.
