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Category Archives: Business
Recent Industrial Park Business: Jurassic Fireworks
Summer is almost here and the 4th of July is the keystone event of the season for many people
Fireworks are a big component in celebrating the independence from Britain in 1776, that the day commemorates.
Fort Scott has its own distributor of fireworks, since October 2021, in the industrial park just off of Hwy. 69, south of the city.
Jurassic Fireworks, 4500 Campbell Drive, sells both wholesale and retail fireworks. This building is the former site of Firstsource Solutions.
The business is owned by a father-daughter partnership of Frank and Bree Elliot, Colorado.
“This is a family run business, started by his father in 1965,” said Cindy Delise, Fort Scott, who mans the business here, and whose title is distributor.
“I’m the only employee here currently, but we are taking applications for the season,” she said.
The fireworks season is June 26 to July 6 in Fort Scott. During that time the hours are 8 a.m. to midnight.
Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the year, Delise said.
Jurassic Fireworks, Fort Scott, can be reached at (919) 369-8710.
They have retail stores in Wyoming, Colorado, Missouri, Texas and Indiana, as well.
Chamber Coffee Hosted by Bobbie Kemna on May 18
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Family Fun Outing: Shead Farm Homestead Festival on May 20
The Third Annual Shead Farm Homestead Festival is Saturday, May 20 at 2468 Cavalry Rd. near rural Garland, south of Fort Scott.
The day is geared toward sustainable living by a family that is doing just that.
“A lot of people were wanting to know about sustainable living,” Vickie Shead, the matriarch of the family, said. “God is good and we are trying to keep up with all He is leading us to do.”
Sustainable living means understanding how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us and finding ways for everyone to live better and lighter, according to the United Nations Environment Programme https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/resource-efficiency/what-we-do/sustainable-lifestyles
The festival will feature 36 vendors or activities that use creative ways to teach garden/farm knowledge.
“There is no charge to vendors,” Vickie said. “This is to benefit entrepreneurs who are wanting to start a business.”
“Come join us for a fun filled educational event for the whole family,” said Vickie, who along with her husband Larry and their children and grand children will be hosting the event. “It’s a great family outing!”
In addition to the Shead family, they have 106 volunteers helping at the festival, for which they are grateful.
On tap will be live music, lots of children’s activities, a farm tour, and farm store, vendor booths and a food court.
The admission fee for a single ticket is $5 or for a family (4+) $20.
To view a map of the Shead Farm vendors/activities:
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1iU4jmeptRhk8mCM4mRgvkluBqMGFbEmW9oPgFOULQ6Q/edit
The Shead’s have a signature product, Veggie Powder, with all the greens grown on the property.
Greens powders are a dietary supplement that aims to help people reach their daily intake of vitamins and minerals, according to https://health.unl.edu/are-greens-powders-actually-beneficial-our-dietitian-weighs
Festival activities include:
Educational garden games/activities
An animal arena
A story station
Learning how to milk cows
Learning how to make butter
Learning how to do laundry without electricity
The farm tour includes the gardens, greenhouse, animals, beekeeping and learning how to graft a fruit tree.
For sale will be animals, worm farms, plants, berries, carts, compost and trees.
Vendors will be selling soaps and salves, honey, eggs, spices, baked goods, baskets, weaving, spinning wool, plant propagations, farm decor and kitchen items.
The Sheads will be selling walking tacos for $5, and Supercharged Cookies for $2. A snack shack will be selling cotton candy, lemonade, ice cream and pastries.
Shead Farm Store items for sale will be Veggie Powder, toys, hats, aprons, books,quilted Items, bouquets, and more.
Contact them at
Sheadfarm.com
M’axe Throw House Ribbon Cutting/Chamber After-Hours on May 25
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Locara – Helping Small Businesses Grow & Succeed
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Your Creations are Here: Artificers
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Your Creations are Here!If you’ve taken a class here and made a piece of art come in and take it home today! They would look so good in your cabinet or on your table instead of on a shelf here! |
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Local Children’s Book Author: Maria Whitson
Maria Whitson, rural Garland, is the mother of five children and married to Clayton.
She is also a children’s book author.
The Process
Her journey as an author began with a college assignment to write and illustrate a children’s book.
“That is when the whole series of books called ‘Lessons for the Least’ was birthed,” she said. “But it was a couple years before I wrote down all the ideas for the series.”
She wrote the main content for all the stories while single, assisted by family in refining and editing her writings.
When she started looking for someone to illustrate her books, she looked to family. She worked on one book and sent another to her Aunt Judy Walters to illustrate. Then a second cousin, Zoe Acuna, got involved in the illustrations.
Every time Acuna sent her preview illustrations, “I was so thrilled with her style and ideas,” Whitson said. “We made a small tweaks and then they sat for a while as life got busy.”
About the same time she and her husband were working on a manual for disaster preparedness, for a class on the subject.
They edited that book, then published it, on their own. This began a business called Swift Word Publishing.
“He loves helping others take their written work and getting it into a tangible product,” she said.
With her husbands help, she published her first book Reuben the Rooster in 2020. It is available on Amazon.com and also can be purchased at the Shead Farm Festival, rural Garland, on May 20.
About the Books
The first book, Reuben the Rooster, tells of a courageous rooster who learns the value of standing up for his friends. Children will learn how courage and empathy can help overcome adversity, Maria said.
Currently they have three books in the Lessons from the Least series, with another being published this week.
Each book in this series has a double story, according to Maria. Each young animal’s adventures are encountered with relatable-to-children life lessons. There is also a secondary story unfolding in the illustrations, with directions at the end of each book on how one can uncover the mystery story. The hidden story is there to be discovered as the child is ready. The rhythmic verses, make them an enjoyable read-aloud experience for parents and children.
About The Author
“My husband, kids and I love being in God’s creation,” she said. “We have a passion for growing in our knowledge of the Kingdom of God and how it operates here on earth.”
“Most of my writings are birthed from that passion and I have so many more books in me, waiting on timing,” Whitson said. “There has been many times that the Holy Spirit will give me an idea that takes a while to figure out how to go about writing it and publishing it.”
Her family lives on a small farm close to her parents Larry and Vickie Shead’s farm, where she grew up. They home school their children.
They launched a family business called The Journey Home that is an umbrella for their whole family’s creations, including two of their children
Book publishing, art, jewelry, cast iron accessories, homeschooling, foraging, homesteading, disaster prep, herbal remedies, are some of the interests of the family business.
“The Journey Home name meaning captures our heart,” she said. “Our company is about everything that is centered on the home life and family, but going even deeper it centers on our eternal home (the kingdom of God) and living life in a way that lives that life out now.”
Prepare For Severe Weather With Simple Natural Gas Safety Tips
Prepare For Severe Weather With Simple Natural Gas Safety Tips
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – May 11, 2023 – May is the month in Kansas when the state typically sees its most severe weather, including tornadoes. Kansas Gas Service wants to remind all customers to keep safety in mind before and after a storm.
“Taking steps to protect your natural gas meter is often an afterthought, but it’s important to keep in mind for the safety of yourself and your community, especially during severe weather season,” said Sean Postlethwait, vice president of operations for Kansas Gas Service. “Preparedness is key, and we encourage our customers to join us in taking a few simple steps to plan for any storm.”
Here are some helpful steps to take in preparation for severe weather:
- Check around your natural gas meter and remove any objects that could be blown into the meter by strong winds or pushed into the meter by heavy rain and flooding.
- Remove any branches or other objects above the meter that could fall onto and damage the meter.
Safety should always be a priority, even after severe weather. Here are some important things to remember once the storm passes.
- If you smell natural gas, usually described as a “rotten egg” odor, leave the area immediately, then call 911 and Kansas Gas Service at 888-482-4950. Be sure not to operate any electrical appliances, including light switches.
- If you don’t smell natural gas, still do a maintenance check around your home by checking all gas appliances for damage and chimneys and flues for any fallen objects.
- If you need to remove any fallen tree limbs or uncovered debris, contact 811 to locate underground natural gas pipelines and other utility lines if this requires digging.
- If your natural gas meter was turned off or your service was interrupted during the storm, call the Kansas Gas Service customer service line at 800-794-4780 to restore your service. DO NOT attemptto turn your natural gas meter back on.
Customers can visit KansasGasService.com/safety for year-round safety tips.
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 645,000 customers in Kansas and is the largest natural gas distributor in the state, in terms of customers.
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas Gas Service is a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a 100-percent regulated natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is included in the S&PMidCap400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States. For more information and the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, visit kansasgasservice.com and follow its social channels: @KansasGas, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube
Tri-Valley Holds Award Ceremony
On Friday, May 5th, Tri-Valley Developmental Services held their 2023 Award Ceremony celebrating achievements from individuals and community support in Bourbon County. The ceremony took place at 1 pm at the Tri-Valley offices in Fort Scott. Awards were presented to the following:
Business of the Year – Heidrick’s True Value
Employer of the Year – McDonalds of Fort Scott
Achievement Award – Samantha Durossette
Ed Bideau Advocacy Award – LaDonna Thompson from Dollar General
Jennie Masterson Family Award – Carson Felt
TVDS Employee of the Year – Grace Kramer
CEO Award – Brenda Harrison
Entertainment was furnished by the Fort Scott High School Chamber Orchestra. Refreshments were served following the ceremony.
Homeless Man Arrested for Vandalism of Eight Businesses
Jesse Dean Frye was arrested on May 8 for vandalism of some businesses, a residence and a vehicle in the early morning hours on that day.
Charges for Frye are theft, a misdemeanor and criminal damage to property, a felony, with bond set at $2,500.
“He was involved in throwing rocks or objects through windows,” Lt. Caleb Bell, with the Fort Scott Police Department said.
“From the info we have, he is believed to be homeless,” Bells said.
“We have identified him in several security surveillance videos.” he said.
Those who were victims of the vandalism are the Lowell Milken Center, Empress Event Center, Iron Star Antiques, Merle Humphrey Photography, City State Bank, Patterson Dental Office, Farmers Insurance and the Jerry Witt residence in downtown Fort Scott.
In addition, a vehicle was vandalized as well.
Norm Conard, director of the Lowell Milken Center on North Main Street in the historic downtown area, said “On our security camera, the man threw a rock, it didn’t break the window. Then he put his feet in our fountain (adjacent to the building), then thew a rock a second time.”
The Witt’s have a residence in the historic district and said that they had some outside decor knocked over and some strewn about.
The next step in the process for Frye is “We will forward all the info to the Bourbon County Attorney’s office, then court proceedings will take place at a later date,” Bell said.
Mental Health Center to Move Into the Former Mercy Building
Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center in Fort Scott has recently signed an agreement with Legacy Health LLC for the center to move into the former Mercy Hospital Building at 401 Woodland Hills.
The building was recently vacated by Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas who moved to another Fort Scott building.
“We don’t have an official date for the move as we need to secure a contractor for some renovations but are hoping this summer,” said Holly Jerome, SEKMHC’s director of marketing and human resources said. “Once a move date has been set, we will be notifying clients and the community.”
“We are certainly not new to Fort Scott,” said Jerome. “We were established in 1961! But due to our growth after becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Healthcare Clinic ( in 2022) we are outgrowing our current building which is located at 212 State Street.”
“We will continue offering our current and expanded services,” Jerome said. “This new space will allow us to continue adding to our team!”
“SEKMHC is one of the first five community mental health centers to earn certification,” CEO Nathan Fawson said in a press release https://fortscott.biz/news/legacy-health-partners-with-southeast-kansas-mental-health-to-expand-services. “The CCBHC model of care concentrates on the overall health of a client, not just their mental health. We have expanded our care to integrate holistic care approaches, connect people with care coordination, and increase accessibility to services throughout our six–county catchment area. Looking into the future, we are striving to provide each client with a much more individualized experience by assisting clients in recovery–oriented ways in their homes, in our communities, or via telehealth whenever possible. We know that recovery is possible when you treat the person, not just their mental health challenge.”–
According to its website https://www.sekmhc.org/ the services they provide to the community are:
Last year they served over 4,000 clients, according to its website. The staff provide school based therapy and case management in 12 school districts. They have 15 team members in the crisis department and 10 in the psychiatry department.
Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center is in transition to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), according to its website. A CCBHC provides comprehensive behavioral health services, while also focusing on physical health and whole person wellness.
What the transition means is, the following is added:
- Patient navigation services
- Comprehensive behavioral health screening at intake
- Primary health screening including gathering health metrics (height, weight, and blood pressure)
- Primary health resources and referral
What won’t change is:
- Access to counseling and therapy
- Access to crisis services
- Access to medical services and psychiatry
- Community-based services for adults and children
- Services and programs previously provided, unless otherwise noted
Upcoming Community Self-Care Event:
A Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center Self-Care Fair will be held on May 23, from 5-8 p.m. at the Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. 12th.
For more information:
https://www.sekmhc.org/selfcarefair/
For questions about the self-care fair, contact: Dawne Burchett at 620-496-8702 or Vicki Wright at 620-212-9391.
About Legacy Health
Legacy Health has a mission to bring development and healthcare to rural communities through sustainable and proactive approaches, according to the Legacy Health press release. Legacy believes that for a project to be successful, it is necessary to understand the needs of the community and the people.
Legacy Health LLC was registered on June 7, 2022 as a Limited Liability Company – CA company type incorporated at 269 WEST BONITA CLAREMONT, CA 91711. according to /https://ca.ltddir.com/companies/legacy-health-llc/
Troy Schell is the Legacy Health Chairman of the Board, according to the press release.
Chief Clinical Officer is Jennifer Massey and she is the contact person at jmassey@thelegacygroupusa.com
Chief Strategy Officer is Merrill Eisenhower.
Locally, Matthew Wells is Legacy Healthcare Foundation Director of Plant Operations at the 401 Woodland Hills site. His duties are technical and equipment maintenance. Wells recently helped the building receive joint hospital accreditation, which is necessary because of the patient care given in the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department that is also housed in the facility, he said.
The Legacy Health Foundation received the building from the Bourbon County Commission in November 2022. In addition to the building, the commission gave Legacy Health Foundation $2 million dollars from funds received from Mercy Hospital and American Rescue Plan Act Funds to develop the property, according to a prior story.
To view the prior story:
https://fortscott.biz/news/bourbon-county-transfers-mercy-building-to-legacy-health-foundation