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The Artificers in May!Check out the calendar below for all events happening this month! |
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Encore fromJill Williams: Watercolorist!Thursday, May 9th, 2024 Two exciting Classes! |
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May Classes |
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Come into the studio from 12pm-4pm May 25th, and Glaze all of your pre-made pieces! |
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Don’t Forget us For your Parties! |
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There are approximately nine employees.
“There are also several that completely volunteer their time,” Griffin said.
William Billings has been mowing yards since he was a child growing up, and started with a push mower as a kid.
Now he has a truck, trailer, and a zero-turn mower, with chainsaws and weed eaters to tackle any job.
He has over 15 years of experience mowing and worked for LACO Seamless Gutters for four years as a gutter specialist until the company shut down, he said.
Billings started Will’s Gutter Service last year in Fort Scott.
“The services I provide for the community are mowing yards, gutter cleanouts, gutter inspections and maintenance, tree trimming, leaf and debris clean up,” he said.
Frank and Cheryl Adamson are celebrating 20 years as hoteliers in Fort Scott.
They purchased the Courtland Hotel, at First and Scott Avenue in the historic district of Fort Scott in 2004.
The hotel is located at 121 E. First St, Fort Scott.
“We purchased the historic hotel here in downtown Fort Scott to expand Cheryl’s day spa business,” Frank said. “She started doing massage therapy as a side gig that grew into the need for additional space. We utilize around 2,500 square feet of the hotel’s ground floor, for the Courtland Spa and Salon.” They employ seven people.
“There have been so many things that have blessed us in ownership and operating the historic hotel in downtown Fort Scott it’s hard to pick out one thing,” he said. “Seeing and being part of the resurgence of downtown has been amazing. We have developed an appreciation for downtown’s impact on the community, what Fort Scott’s history is, and the impact it made on Western expansion. The historic hotel of course is a functioning hotel, circa 1906. With guests coming from all over the world to see it and stay in it. We get to share some of the local history and make a new friend.”
History of the Courtland
The Courtland Hotel was built in 1906 to accommodate people using the railroad traffic through the town.
But today it offers a day spa that includes massage therapy service, a hair salon and manicures/pedicures, and internet service for its customers.
The hotel was recently featured in Kansas Magazine as a historic Kansas hotel, here are a few excerpts from that article:
“The first 50 to 60 years of this business, the lodging was essentially for men only,” Frank says, adding the hotel mostly housed railroad engineers and brakemen who brought the trains into town, spent the night, and reported back to work to replace the crews coming in on returning trains the next day. “The guys staying in these hotels were the same guys all the time.
“The building was originally constructed with six storefronts on the first floor to accommodate retail and wholesale businesses; the upper level had lodging rooms and a tailor shop. When the number of trains declined, the hotel eventually was used as a dormitory for a flight school before slipping into darkness.
“Seeing its potential, the Adamsons awakened the building from its sleep. Today, its exterior remains as it looked in 1906, and the lobby inside retains its 14-foot tin ceilings and other architectural features. Guests and local residents enjoy the main level’s 2,500-square-foot, full-service day spa the couple added in a way that maintains the unique building’s historical significance,” according to the Kansas Magazine article.
A new business venture, in the former Scottish Rite Temple, is unique to Fort Scott.
“We have not established set days and times yet but we will post them on the Facebook page,” she said.
If you own a business in Bourbon County and selected other counties in rural Kansas, you can apply for a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant and get up to 50% off the cost of solar panels.
Add the 50% federal tax credits available for renewable energy installations in Bourbon County, and a business owner could get a solar system for nearly free, according to Daniel Zywietz, founder of SEK Solar, Chanute.
SEK Solar designs and installs solar systems and also helps with the grant application, allowing business owners to drastically reduce their utility bills, he said.
Before starting SEK Solar, Zywietz founded and ran Enerwhere, the Middle East’s largest rooftop installation company and one of the world’s largest microgrid operators. The company started as a provider of temporary power services to the construction industry in 2012 and quickly expanded into the commercial rooftop solar market in Dubai, building over 45 MW of solar over 10 years, including the world’s second-largest solar rooftop system at the time, covering an area of more than 23 football fields, he said
He ended up in the Middle East as a management consultant working for Booz & Company, a spin-off of Booz Allen Hamilton, and one of the best-known management consulting companies worldwide.
With his wife (who is originally from Humboldt, KS) looking to move home after the COVID-pandemic, Zywietz started to look into the solar market in Kansas and was astonished to find that there were hardly any solar panels installed, despite the clear and sunny skies and large open spaces. With over $1 billion in grant funds for solar and energy efficiency available to agricultural and rural small business owners under the USDA’s Rural Energy for America (REAP) program, Zywietz and his wife decided to set up a solar company to service local business owners.
What made the opportunity even more exciting was that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, not only refilled the REAP program, which had been running for 10 years with much lower funding levels, but also significantly improved the Federal tax credits available to rural Kansans, according to Zywietz.
According to the EPA website, the credits are structured in three separate buckets, according to information from Zywietz. The 30% base tax credit is available to anyone wanting to install a solar system at the business or home, anywhere in the US. A further 10% “Low-Income Community” bonus is available to projects in disadvantaged areas. (Bourbon County, together with most of South-East Kansas, qualifies). Finally, there is another 10% “Energy Community Bonus” available to areas that previously hosted coal mines or coal-fired power plants, and again, Bourbon County qualifies, according to a map provided by the Department of Energy. Added together, the tax credits can add up to 50% for a renewable energy project in Fort Scott and the surrounding area.
While the tax credits don’t require any special application process, the REAP grants do. It all starts with checking whether a business’s location is eligible based on the USDA’s Property Eligibility site, says Zywietz.
The USDA defines a rural area as an area with a population of less than 50,000 people. The second criterion is the business size. The small business size standard is based on either annual revenue or the number of employees, depending on a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, which is used by federal agencies to classify businesses by industry type, according to http://kansasenergyprogram.org/assessments/REAP-OverviewFAQ
This generally means that if a business has less than $10 million in revenue or less than 100 employees and is a for-profit business, such as a restaurant, hair salon, retail business, or farm business, the owner is eligible to apply, Zywietz said.
“It’s a tedious grant application process,” he said. “The smallest grants of up to $20,000 have a nearly 100% approval rate because $200 million were set aside for these small projects and there aren’t enough applications, as most small business owners find it too time-consuming to fill in all of the forms. Larger grants, which can go up to $1 million, compete with other projects based on a scoring system, so getting the grant application right can make a big difference to the chance of approval. The next application deadline is June 30th.”
“It’s a big opportunity for rural business owners to lower their utility bills and go green. And while filling in government paperwork can be frustrating, I think it’s only fair for them to check if your business is legitimate before they hand you what is essentially free money. I’m happy to answer any questions on solar or the USDA REAP grants and the IRA tax credits as well,” Zywietz said.
To learn more about SEK Solar visit the website at http://seksolar.com
Zywietz can be reached at (620) 431-1122 or email: [email protected].
Zywietz plans to attend the Fort Scott Chamber Coffee meetings on Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. to answer questions from business owners., he said.
The Kansas Energy Program is also available to assist you through the entire REAP grant application process, according to its website.
After several years of planning and execution, the Fort Scott Farmers Market will be under the new pavilion on North National Avenue on May 4.
Tonight is the first vendor’s meeting of the season. This meeting is for returning vendors and anyone interested in becoming a vendor in 2024, Teri Hamilton, president of Fort Scott Farmers Market said.
The meeting is at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office at 104 N. National Avenue, across the street from the pavilion, from 6-8 p.m.
At tonight’s meeting, there will be introductions, information about market guidelines, applications, and fees “and a time to get to know each other a little better,” she said.
Vendors are not just farmers, “but we give preference to farmers and agriculture businesses,” Hamilton said.
“There are also baked goods and craft vendors,” she said. “We have 15 returning vendors.”
“We have space for up to 24 under the pavilion,” Hamilton said.
“The vendors will park in the parking spaces under the pavilion and the customers will go around to each vendor in the parking stall,” she said.
If more than that number of vendors want to be a part of the market, the vendor spaces will have to be reconfigured, and will be thoroughly discussed, she said.
The Farmers Market Committee comprises Hamilton, owner of Hamilton’s Artisan Bakery, as president; Ethan Holly, treasurer, of Still Waters Farm; and Leanna Cain, secretary, of Sweet County Farms.
Vendors pay $5 a week for a vendor space, and if payment is given for the whole year, it is $4 a week, she said.
The market is open on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, starting on May 4 and continuing until the end of October.
There is a Healthy Bourbon County Action Team workshop on April 15 that will focus on how to get a license to sell at a farmers market, food laws and food safety.
“We want our vendors to have access to that resource,” she said.
Hamilton said the group is so thankful for the new space.
“The pavilion is so wonderful,” she said. “We are so thankful for the project and all the fundraising that took place and they didn’t have to give us the priority,” she said.
On opening day, May 4, there will be a ribbon cutting, live music and speakers for the pavilion’s first farmers market, Hamilton said. The Bourbon County Garden Club always has a live plant sale on the first day of the market season as well.
For more information, call Hamilton at 816-491-7884.
To see the latest on the Fort Scott Farmers Market:
https://www.facebook.com/fsfma
Kansas Gas Service Promotes Safety and a Greener Community
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – April 2, 2024 – April typically marks the start of the spring planting season, home improvement projects and large-scale excavations. It’s also National Safe Digging Month, and Kansas Gas Service asks residents to commit to always digging safely. As a bonus, participants will have a chance to win a free tree.
“As a utility company dedicated to safety and environmental responsibility, we recognize the importance of safe digging practices,” says Trey Pool, manager of public awareness and damage prevention for ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service. “With our pledge challenge and tree giveaway, we hope to not only emphasize the importance of contacting 811 before digging but also to contribute to a healthier community.”
Dig Hero Tree Giveaway
Kansas residents can prioritize safety by taking the 2024 Safe Digging Pledge at beadigherokansas.com, and recognizing the need to contact 811 before their shovels or excavating equipment hits the ground – regardless of the size of digging project. After taking the pledge, they are automatically entered into a random drawing to win a free tree in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees in the U.S.
New this year, winners of the tree giveaway contest will pick the tree they wish to plant and receive information about energy savings gained from their tree.
Why Contact 811?
With any digging project, whether planting a tree or repairing a sprinkler system, there is a high probability of underground facilities below the site, such as natural gas pipelines, electric cables or water lines. The best way to avoid damage and injury or loss of service is to contact 811 at least two full working days before digging to learn the approximate location of buried facilities in your area. By calling 811 or submitting a request at Kansas811.com, professional locators will mark the underground facilities within the designated project area with flags and/or paint at no cost to the home or business owner. Once the project is marked, be aware of the tolerance zone: 2 feet on either side of the pipe. Hand or soft dig techniques should be used within this area.
Learn more about safe digging and take the pledge at beadigherokansas.com for your chance to win a free tree.
Digital Toolkit: Access b-roll, Safe Digging Month flyer and graphics here.
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 647,000 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&P MidCap 400 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, Nextdoor, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees with a focus in communities and forests of greatest need. The Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org.
The Fort Scott Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet met today at City State Bank, 202 Scott Avenue, to share projects and happenings in the downtown area.
The bank has been locally owned and has operated in Fort Scott since 1920, and chose to keep a presence in the downtown area, John Hill, president said as he welcomed the group to the facility for this meeting.
Some of the announcements from the meeting:
The Fort Scott National Historic Site has a Solar Eclipse Program planned on April 8. Also, this month is its annual Civil War Encampment Weekend on April 20-21. In addition, there will be a Civil War Dance at Memorial Hall on April 20.
Special retailers events coming up: July 13-Christmas In July, August 2-4 is the sales tax holiday, September 12-Fall Fest from 5-8 p.m., October 26 is the Downtown Halloween Parade, November 7-9 is the Holiday Open House with the main kickoff on Thursday from 5-8 p.m. and December 6-7- the stores stay open for Christmas On The Bricks event.
The Fort Scott Downtown Cleanup is April 22 from 4-6 p.m. with a light dinner provided to volunteers by local downtown restaurants at the Pavilion on North National Avenue. Contact Bailey Lyons, Lyon’s Realty Group to volunteer, this with planning the projects and supplies. Any skill-level worker is invited to help. If business owners provide the plants, there will be help planting them that day. A group of artists is organized to paint a mural that day.
Veterans Banners to be placed on downtown light poles will be for sale (for $300 each) as a fundraiser for new seasonal banners. The veteran’s banners feature the name and face of a local veteran. The banners will be placed for a week on the poles during the Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day holidays. Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information.
The new Welcome to Fort Scott Banner is nearing completion with electricity added and lights that will be placed on the columns. There will be a ribbon cutting sometime soon for the new downtown feature.
The Home, Sport, Farm, and Garden Show is this Saturday at Fort Scott Community College’s Arnold Arena from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The annual Chamber dinner is on April 18 with the theme of Boots and Bling. There is a contest for decorated seating tables and a live and silent auction, and the community is invited to attend. The Chamber is still taking award nominations online under [email protected] or printed forms.
The annual Town-wide Garage Sale is May 3-4.
Opening day of the Fort Scott Farmers Market is May 4 from 8 a.m. to noon under the new Pavilion on North National Avenue.
Good Ol’ Days this year is May 31 and June 1. The parade theme is “Where Our History Comes To Life.” Retailers wanting to register for a booth at fortscottgoodoldays.com
Grants are available through E-Community for 6% for 10 years, $5,000 maximum, and Grow KS for 4% for five years, 6% for 10 years, and $100,000 max. Contact the Chamber for more details.
Diane Striler presented a petition to sign for a skating rink proposal for next winter, including the Christmas On The Bricks event. She is going to the Fort Scott City Commission this evening at 6 p.m. to ask for permission to use the Pavilion for the skating rink since it is covered, will have a bathroom available, and is handicapped accessible. The proposal is for the rink to be offered from Thanksgiving to February – March. The $36,000 rink has had an offer that will pay for one-half the costs and with grants and donations, the rink should be paid for, she said. It comes with 60 pairs of skates and the cost to skate will be $5.
There is still a need for a trolley driver for the Chamber, that has to have a CDL with passenger endorsement.
The western part and administration portion of the former Fort Scott Mercy Hospital is in the process of renovation.
Kansas Renewal Institute, located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. is a behavioral healthcare center specializing in treating adults and adolescents. The building has approximately 120,000 square feet.
JG Healthcare Solutions is the parent company that owns K.R.I.
The institute administrators e are Jonathan Gross, Chief Executive Officer; T.J. Denning, Chief Operating Officer, Erik Engebretson, Chief Financial Officer, Joe Tinervin, President of Operations and and Mike Sharpmack, Executive Director.
This group of men has worked together at Universal Health Services, Acadia Healthcare, and most recently Discovery Behavioral Health.
“We worked for years together, but towards the end of our time at Discovery, we said we could do this ourselves, help a lot of people and have fun along the way,” Tinervin said.
“The whole idea is to provide safe, effective care that promotes successful outcomes,” he said. “We hope to have a staff environment where people love to come to work.”
K.R.I. will open with 82 licensed beds across four units. The State of Kansas has told Tinervin that the licensure process will be finished by April 15.
There is a 50-bed adolescent psychiatric residential treatment facility, with two units, one for males, and one for females.
These units are located in the former maternity unit and adjacent hall on the north wing of the building.
In addition, there are 32 beds in two units for adults: one for adult residential services and one for detoxification services.
The detox unit is located in the former intensive care area of the hospital with the adult residential services in the hall just adjacent.
“We have thrown a significant amount into the renovation so far,” Tinervin said. “Flooring, paint, equipment, and furniture,” he said.
“It’s all happening right now as we get the units ready to go,” he said.
“The State of Kansas has a significant waitlist,” he said. “We will be servicing residents from all over Kansas, not just southeast Kansas.”
“The state was here last week, and licensure might take until April 15,” he said.
“Our job is to reintegrate people back into their home communities,” he said. “If someone is from another place, they will return.”
“We are not opening with an outpatient level of care…only residential,” Tinervin said. “When and if we build an outpatient level of care, patients from the Fort Scott area will be able to commute for services while those who live outside of the Fort Scott area will be transitioning home and will have the opportunity to participate in KRI Outpatient services remotely through a virtual telehealth platform.”
K.R.I. will be collaborating with USD 234.
To view job opportunities at KRI:
AD: Kansas Recovery Institute Is Hiring For All Positions
Once licensure arrives, people can make appointments at 620-644-1195 and they will also take walk-ins, Tinervin said.
The K.R.I. website: www.kansasrenewal.com
Also housed at 401-405 Woodland Hills Blvd.: Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, Ashley (Medical) Clinic, Care to Share (cancer family support group), I Am Rehab( physical therapy/fitness center), Regional Economic Development Inc., and Diamonds In The Marketplace ( a beauty salon).
