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Category Archives: Business
National Energy Awareness Month:October
Kansas Gas Service Observes National Energy Awareness Month
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Oct. 8, 2020 – October is National Energy Awareness Month and Kansas Gas Service wants to help customers learn more about the energy they use every day.
To mark the month, the company is providing information and resources about natural gas.
Did you know?
Natural gas is AFFORDABLE.
Natural gas is one of the most inexpensive sources of energy and prices are expected to remain low, keeping monthly bills affordable. According to the American Gas Association, U.S. households using natural gas for heating, cooking, and clothes drying save an average of $879 every year compared to homes using electricity for the same activities.
Natural gas is EFFICIENT and ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
From source to site, natural gas is the most efficient fuel for your home, but why should customers care? Because, a more efficient fuel means a more environmentally friendly fuel. In fact, 92% of natural gas is delivered to your home as energy, compared with only 32% for electricity. That means that less energy is wasted in production and transportation to your home.
Natural gas is a proven solution to a sustainable future. Emissions from natural gas distribution systems have declined 73% over the past 30 years and we continue to reduce the impact on the environment. With natural gas, homeowners, builders or business owners have access to balanced energy solutions that are efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly.
Natural gas is RELIABLE.
Today and into the future, natural gas has a critical role in keeping power readily available every time you need it. Regardless of the weather, natural gas is a dependable energy source. In fact, with a backup generator, natural gas can keep your lights on, the same way it helps power hospitals and other critical facilities, when the power goes out.
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“Kansas Gas Service is proud to provide an essential service that is a vital part of a long-term sustainable energy future,” said Dawn Tripp, Kansas Gas Service Manager of Public Relations. “By choosing to power your home or business with natural gas, you’re making a smart business decision and contributing to Kansas’ ability to minimize its carbon footprint.”
Throughout the month of October learn more about the importance and benefits of natural gas by following the hashtag #GasisKey on the company’s social media platforms.
Take a look at how one business uses natural gas every day to meet its business goals and customer expectations.
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service delivers safe, clean and reliable natural gas to more than 639,000 customers in 360 communities in Kansas. We are the largest natural gas distributor in the state, in terms of customers.
We are a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a stand-alone, 100 percent regulated, publicly traded natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index, and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States.
For more information, visit the websites at www.kansasgasservice.com or www.onegas.com.
For the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, follow us on Twitter @KansasGas or Like Us on Facebook at Facebook.com/KansasGasService.
Knopp Joins SEK Financial
SEK Financial is pleased to announce the addition of it’s sixth partner. Fort Scott native Mason Knopp recently completed his securities, regulatory, and insurance exams. Mason joins the experienced group at SEK Financial with representatives Jim Sather, Larry Davenport, Bob Campbell, Mitch Quick and Robert Tersinar.
Mason is a Fort Scott High School graduate, who completed his degree at Southeastern Louisiana University. Partner Larry Davenport commented “we are pleased to grow our firm with such a young professional person”. We think Mason is the right person at the right time.” Added Jim Sather.
Mason will specialize in a full range of individual and group retirement planning products. He will also provide life insurance and employee benefits for the SEK Financial client base. Mason can be reached at SEK Financial located at 399 Hudson, Fort Scott or via telephone at (620)223-5756.
Candidate Forum Oct. 15: Questions for Candidates Requested
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Chamber Coffee At Key Apparel Oct. 8
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Learn How to Sell Online
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E3 Ranch Opens Store in Fort Scott
A neon sign on National Avenue tells of a new business opening in downtown Fort Scott, E3 Meat Co.
A Bourbon County business, E3 Ranch, opened the store at 13 S. National on October 1.
The store will sell E3 Meats, E3 K-9 Treats and Bones, Otterbox products, and E3 Merchandise, according to Kasey Gross, whose title is chief of staff for the business.
Adam and Jennifer LaRoche and Jake Gross are the owners of the store.
“Founded by retired MLB ballplayer Adam LaRoche and his family, the E3 Ranch is located in Fort Scott, Kansas,” according to its website. “Our devotion to sustainable and humane practices leads to the highest quality beef in America. E3 Certified black and red Angus cattle are grass-fed, grain-finished, given ample room to roam and never subjected to antibiotics, steroids, or added hormones. This responsible, holistic approach is rooted in our pledge to be good stewards of the land and animals under our care.”
Hours are: closed on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, open Wednesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
To learn more about the company: https://e3ranch.com/
Dollar Tree Is Open
The parking lot of Dollar Tree, on south Hwy.69 in Fort Scott was full on Sunday.
Hours for the newly opened store are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.
Union Station: Affordable Groceries Are Coming to Uniontown
Union Station owners Dane and Ronni Clayton will be expanding their offerings as a result of SPARK funding.
SPARK stands for Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas and is a task force charged with leading Kansas forward in recovery from the effects of COVID-19. Committees on the SPARK task force, along with the Kansas Office of Recovery are responsible for the statewide distribution of the U.S Coronavirus Relief Fund, according to https://covid.ks.gov/spark-recovery-office/
The convenience store, located at 684 Maple Road, Uniontown, KS, at the corner of Hwy 3 and Maple Road, will be offering grocery items and locally produced meats in the near future.
The Claytons are creating climate-controlled storage outside of the main building, to free up space for additional coolers and shelving inside the convenience store, Ronni Clayton said. ” The increased product space will be used for discounted grocery items as well as locally produced meats.”
“We had already purchased the little building, now we need to set it up to be climate controlled (insulate, heat/cool, etc.),” Clayton said. “Thank goodness Dane is an HVAC-R tech!”
This convenience store in western Bourbon County will provide access to affordable grocery items, something not usually seen at a convenience store.
“It isn’t always possible or feasible for members of our community to pay the higher costs of traditional convenience store items, nor is it always easy to get to ‘town’ to get said basic items,” Clayton said. “Our goal is to provide easier access to and more affordable grocery items.”
Clayton said she understands the SPARK Grant money has to be spent by the end of the year and so they are starting immediately with the first step of getting outside, climate-controlled storage for the store.
The store has been selling milk, eggs, etc. already.
“We always disliked the high prices of common grocery items, but struggled to find a solution,” Clayton said. “A fellow small business owner, Kelly Perry of Perry’s Pork Rinds, introduced us to a local business that acquires discount grocery items and a plan was formed. (Kelly) is a great resource. SPARK funding has made it possible.”
Downtown Meet and Greet: All Things Downtown
The next meeting to converse on all things downtown is Oct. 6 at Sharky’s Pub and Grub, 16 N. National Avenue.
The Fort Scott Downtown Quarterly Meet and Greet was started on January 11, 2011, by the Chamber of Commerce.
“These informal, quarterly meetings are hosted by the Chamber for downtown business owners, representatives and community members to network and share ideas on events, promotions and anything related to downtown,” Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said.
Those who are downtown business owners or building owners are invited, along with anyone with an interest in downtown Fort Scott, Madison said.
The group meets the first Tuesday of each quarter in the year: January, April, July, October from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., unless otherwise announced. The event is hosted by different downtown locations.
“The Oct. 6 meeting will be hosted by Sharky’s Pub and Grub for everyone to see their recent renovation,” Madison said.
Madison listed the following as on the agenda for the Oct. 6 meeting:
- “We are reviewing plans for the Halloween and Christmas Parades, decisions have not been made yet.
- The Holiday Open House will be held Thursday, November 12th from 5-8 pm where stores are open with drawings, refreshments, and great finds for holiday gifts and decor.
- The Chamber and CVB have designed a Mystery Mug Drawing Shopping Card where visitors pick up a discount card at the Chamber or other participating location and spend at least $5 in four locations and return the card for a monthly drawing for a Fort Scott mug with a mystery gift inside. We have always had a discount card for visiting groups, but are looking to more widely provide these discount cards to visitors to encourage shopping in our local businesses.
- New businessess downtown in the last quarter are Hound Nutrition, G-N-R Healthy Living, E3 Ranch Store.
- Downtown has been blessed to have a great amount of private investment injected over the last couple of years to preserve and renovate multiple historic properties. Yes, there are still opportunities for improvement, but significant progress is being made.”
Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet Oct. 6
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New Grocery Store In Downtown Fort Scott Is Coming
A new grocery store in downtown Fort Scott is on the horizon.
This project is a result of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) program.
The SPARK Taskforce is charged with leading Kansas forward in recovery from the far-reaching effects of COVID-19, according to the website https://covid.ks.gov/spark-recovery-office/
The Kansas SPARK Committee approved the final pieces of the Bourbon County Spark Plan on Sept. 25.
This Kress Building repurposing addresses access to food, which was one of the issues identified for the SPARK program.
” BAJA Investments, LLC submitted an application which will result in the rehabilitation of the Kress Building located at 17 S Main Street in downtown Fort Scott, into a grocery store,” Bill Michaud, the developer of the project and owner of BAJA Investments, LLC, said.
Featured at the future store will be locally produced co-op food and salad bar/deli, he said.
Additionally, a new resource center to support the needs of the community through COVID-19 pandemic recovery will be located in the rehabilitated Kress Building.
“Prior to the grocery store opening, a collaboration of local community resource agencies will open the BWERC (pronounced B-WORK) which is an acronym for the Bourbon County Workforce and Entrepreneurship Resouce Center,” said Michaud. “This is an exciting collaboration between Kansas Works, (a division of Network Kansas that supports Workforce Development), the SBDC at Pitt State (Small Business Development Center), Fort Scott Community College, and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce including the E-Community program — all that together with being coordinated and supported by Bourbon County Economic Development.”
Any inquiries regarding the B-WERC facility services may be directed to Bourbon County Economic Development Director, Jody Hoener at 620.215.5725 or by email at jhoener@bourboncountyks.org
Food Co-op, Deli Meat/Cheese and Salad Bar
“The idea of a downtown grocery store certainly wasn’t an original idea,” Michaud said. “I think there has been discussion of this since the Dollar General moved out of downtown many years ago. I think it’s one of those things that people didn’t realize how convenient it was to have until it was gone.”
“The many issues that have arisen out of the COVID pandemic pushed this need to the forefront and access to healthy food was a stated point of emphasis under the SPARK program,” he said.
“One feature we are planning is the food co-op for locally grown produce and other food products,” he said. “We are going to provide a local outlet for as many ‘produced in Bourbon County’ products as possible.”
“We hope to become a resource to connect local producers with the market of consumers and restaurants who are looking for fresh, locally grown products,” Michaud said.
“Secondly we are offering to partner with CHC/SEK so that they may expand the food delivery service that they offer to the homebound, elderly and other underserved populations in Crawford County, into Fort Scott,” he said. “The new store will provide storage for donated food items for delivery and supplement the needs of the clientele by making additional food items available.”
The pandemic has caused some nationwide unemployment, which leads to increased food insecurities, some driven by lack of transportation, Michaud noted.
“So adding to the food supply downtown and in northwest Fort Scott will help address that need for residents of that part of town,” he said. “In recent years, the increased downtown housing development has further increased the need for a downtown grocery store.”
“That increase in residential housing, the lack of food supply to residents west of 69 highway and the great opportunity for partnerships to support local produce and other small businesses make this an investment in our community and in our downtown … a project I thought was worth pursuing,” Michaud said.