The weekly Chamber Coffee, hosted by the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta on the Fairgrounds in honor of the weekend event, gave business members of the community an opportunity to make announcements as well as meet new members Thursday morning.

Pioneer Harvest Fiesta organizers David McCord, Peggy Niles and Allen and Jackie Warren described weekend festivities which will include a downtown parade Thursday, machinery auction Friday, and quilt and arts and craft shows available throughout the weekend.

Admission for the entire weekend is $5 per person and free for children under the age of 12 years.

Those in attendance were also introduced to representatives from the new G & W Foods company located on 6^th Street east of Highway 69. Grand opening festivities will begin next Wednesday and continue for about three weeks.

Other announcements made by local businesses included:

• The Fort Scott National Historic Site will host a naturalization ceremony Friday at 10:30 a.m.
• Mercy Hospital with the police department and sheriff’s office are sponsoring a drug take-back program Saturday at Convenient Care on S. National, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Those with expired or unused medication are encouraged to bring them so the departments can properly dispose of them.
• Rita Baker of Mercy Hospital said after 17 months of investigations and planning, their recommendations for moving forward and improving finances was approved in St. Louis Wednesday afternoon, allowing hospital services to continue in Fort Scott.
• Fort Scott Community College and area businesses will participate in Manufacturing Day on Oct. 2, including booths set up at the college as well manufacturers providing tours of their businesses to visitors.
• Deb Madison of Medicalodges will be honored for her more than 20 years of service on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with a retirement reception at Medicalodges, 8-9 a.m.
• Tri-Valley Developmental Services will hold a fundraiser for United Way during the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta event over the weekend.
• The Highland Apartments in Fort Scott have 2- and 3-bedroom apartments available.
• G & W Foods is looking for community members with historical photographs of Fort Scott that the business could make copies of to decorate their interior with.