Commerce Announces $4.1M Available in Tax Credits Program
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced $4.1 million in tax credits once again will be made available under the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Community Service Tax Credit Program (CSP).
CSP assists private nonprofit organizations and public healthcare entities undertaking major capital campaigns for projects involving:
- Community service, including childcare
- Non-governmental crime prevention
- Youth apprenticeship and technical training
- Healthcare services
Under this program, the state authorizes nonprofit organizations to offer tax credits to donors making contributions towards approved projects. Organizations are chosen through a competitive selection process.
“CSP tax credits help a wide variety of community-led projects come to fruition,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The program benefits organizations and donors alike as they collaboratively work to improve their hometowns by supporting projects that positively impact a community’s overall economic health and quality of life.”
Proposed projects should be unique or one-time in nature and create lasting value for charitable organizations. For example, projects might include a capital campaign, major equipment purchase, major renovation, capacity building, etc.
The application window is open from March 1 through April 30, 2024. Applicants may request up to $200,000 in tax credits. Applicant organizations in rural areas (less than 15,000 population) are eligible for a 70 percent credit. Applicant organizations in non-rural areas are eligible for a 50 percent credit.
If your organization is interested in applying for the CSP program, the Department of Commerce invites you to an introductory webinar at 1:00 p.m. Friday, March 1. Registration is required. For more information and to register, click here.
For questions regarding CSP Tax Credits, visit the Commerce website here or contact Community Development Specialist Sara Bloom here or at (785) 506-9278.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
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Fort Scott Community College Trustees Meet On February 29
The FSCC Board of Trustees will be holding a special board meeting on Thursday, February 29 at 1:00 pm. The meeting will be held in Burris Hall. The recently updated technology is not yet ready to carry a livestream, so the meeting will not be streamed. After calling the meeting to order, the board will adjourn to executive session for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship. A majority of board members may be present at noon to tour student housing, but no business will be conducted during the tour.
Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant Will Open in May at 17 S. Main
The Historic Downtown Fort Scott building at 17 S. Main has seen many different businesses but is known by the residents as the Kress Building.
A new restaurant is slated for opening there whose most recent business was the Pizza Republic, which closed in January 2024.
Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant is anticipating an opening in May, said Robert Coon, who along with his wife, Kim, are the Coon Rentals LLC owners of the building,
There is 5,000 square feet of restaurant, 4,000 square feet of seating space, and a 1,000 square feet kitchen.
“They are remodeling to suit themselves,” Coon said. “They are adding a bathroom and redoing the kitchen.”
“I want to see the business succeed,” Coon said. “I would say Mr. De La Torre ‘s (the restaurant owner) restaurant background is superior.”
The owner of Mi Ranchito is Rulber De La Torre, from the Kansas City area. He has two restaurants in Olathe, two in Overland Park, one in Lenexa, one in Mound City, and one in Gladstone, MO. according to the business’s Facebook page.
“We will employ 20-30 people,” De La Torre said. “We are a full-service restaurant. I will hire all of them from Fort Scott and bring trainers to train for 2-3 months to our standard.”
“There will be a full-service bar,” De La Torre said. “My margaritas are exclusive to Mi Ranchito, a flavor you won’t find anywhere.”
His most sought-after dish is his cream cheese chicken enchilada, he said. But he will also serve American fare: hamburgers and a Kansas City Strip Steak Plate.
To view the menu from Mound City’s Mi Ranchita:
Mi Ranchito Mound City Menu 2023
De La Torre will be celebrating 20 years in the business this year in August.
Hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. (depending on the business flow he said). Friday and Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m., depending on the business.
De La Torre said he chose Fort Scott because it’s close to Mound City where he opened a restaurant two years ago.
“I have people come from Fort Scott to that restaurant and wished they had one here,” he said.
Robert Coon contacted him about opening his restaurant here in Fort Scott, he said.
Some of the equipment left from the last restaurant will be utilized by De La Torre, “but he has an astronomical amount of equipment he is bringing,” Coon said.
The second floor of 17 S. Main has been renovated for professional space, Coon said. “It has 2,500 square feet in space. With two offices, a board room, and a huge foyer.”
Health Advisory, Safety Tips for Prescribed Fire Season in Flint Hills
TOPEKA – Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reminds Kansans that March and April are when large areas of the state’s rangelands are burned by prescribed fire, especially within the Flint Hills.
Prescribed fire is a tool used by landowners and managers to help preserve the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, control invasive species, reduce woody encroachment from species such as Eastern Red Cedar and provide better forage for cattle. Prescribed burning also reduces the risk of wildfires and is effective in managing rangeland resources. Smoke from the burns can influence the air quality of downwind areas. The use of smoke management techniques is vital to reduce the air quality and health impacts.
KDHE will activate the Kansas smoke modeling tool in early March, prior to widespread burning in the Flint Hills. The computer models use fire data and current weather conditions to predict the potential contribution of smoke and air quality impacts to downwind areas. There are approximately 2.2 million acres burned on average in the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma each year.
“We are entering the 14th year that we have been able to provide this important tool for the prescribed fire community,” Jayson Prentice, meteorologist at the KDHE Bureau of Air, said. “We continue to encourage ranchers and land managers to utilize smoke modeling resources, such as the smoke modeling tool to mitigate potential air quality impacts.”
Prescribed burns release large amounts of particulate matter and other pollutants that can form ground-level ozone. Particulate matter and ozone can cause health problems, even in healthy individuals. Common health problems include: burning eyes, runny nose, coughing and illnesses such as bronchitis. People with respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, children and the elderly are more vulnerable to experience symptoms.
Steps to protect your health on days when smoke is present in your community include:
- Healthy people limiting or avoiding strenuous outdoor
- Vulnerable people should remain
- Keep indoor air clean by closing doors and windows and running air conditioners with air
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of
- Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath or severe
For more information about the prescribed burning in the Flint Hills, the Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan, April burn restrictions and the smoke modeling tool, please visit The Kansas Flint Hill Smoke Management Website.
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YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE TRADESHOW EXHIBIT is March 5
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Christian Learning Center Takes Top Prize in Heartland SunPowered Student Challenge
Two high school teams sponsored by Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative took home honors at the first-ever SunPowered Student Challenge, a statewide solar energy competition founded by the Kansas Electric Cooperatives (KEC), Heartland REC, Ten80 Education, and Pitsco Education.
A Heartland-sponsored team from Christian Learning Center in Fort Scott took home the top prize, with each team member winning a $1,000 scholarship. Meanwhile, another Heartland-sponsored team consisting of students in Greenbush’s gifted education program received the “Powerful Presentation” award.
This brand-new competition sought to bring real-world electricity knowledge and industry practices to high school-age students across the state. As solar power becomes more prevalent in the United States, it becomes increasingly important to educate current and future electricity customers about responsible energy consumption, jobs in electricity, and even degrees obtainable in Kansas colleges.
Armed with newfound knowledge and hands-on practice obtained the prior semester, 11 student teams from across Kansas—as far west as Colby and as far east as Fort Scott—joined forces in Topeka on February 5 to perform real-time challenges, present findings, and prove their solar energy knowledge—all before industry professionals.
Event highlights included a speech by Mike Beene, Assistant Secretary of Kansas Department of Commerce and former educator, who spoke to the power of workforce development and Kansas’ desire to invest in its future; scholarships for the winning teams; and the following winners and their sponsors across all categories:
- Overall Champion – Christian Learning Center (Fort Scott), Heartland REC
- Creative Curb Appeal – Colby High School (Colby), Midwest Energy
- Powerful Presentation – Greenbush Service Center (Girard), Heartland REC
- Commendable Collaboration – Thomas More Prep-Marian (Hays), Midwest Energy; Solomon High School (Solomon), DSO; Boy Scouts of America Troop 222B/1222G (El Dorado), Butler Electric Cooperative
With teams already ramping up for next year’s competition, plus plans to expand the event to additional states, it’s looking like the Sunflower State’s inaugural competition will be the first of many. Team registration will be available in the coming months.
The SunPowered founders would like to thank all the 2024 sponsors: KEPCo, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Evergy, Today’s Power, EDF Renewables, and especially the following Kansas electric co-ops who sponsored individual student teams:
- 4 Rivers Electric Cooperative
- Bluestem Electric Cooperative
- Butler Electric Cooperative
- DSO Electric Cooperative
- Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative
- FreeState Electric Cooperative
- Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative
- Midwest Energy
- Pioneer Electric Cooperative
- Rolling Hills Electric Cooperative
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Sedgwick County Electric Cooperative
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Southern Pioneer Electric Cooperative
- Sumner-Cowley Electric Cooperative
- Twin Valley Electric Cooperative
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Victory Electric Cooperative
Bourbon County Arts Council 32nd Annual Fine Arts Exhibit is Feburary 29-March 9
The Bourbon County Arts Council will present its 32nd Annual Fine Arts Exhibit from February 29th through March 9th, at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center, on the Campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.
The Arts Council will host the Chamber Coffee at 8:00 am on Thursday, February 29th, at the Ellis Center.
The Exhibit will be open to the public beginning Thursday, February 29th through Saturday, March 9th, on weekdays from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and on Saturdays, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. A reception to honor this year’s Juror and artists will be held on Thursday the 29th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm; the public is invited to attend and enjoy the opportunity to meet and visit with them about the art.
Artists will have their work on display and for sale in this multi-media exhibit, in categories including Ceramics, Drawing & Graphics, Fiber Arts, Glasswork, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Pastel, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Watercolor.
A “themed” category was added to the Exhibit, with this year’s theme being “Art of Everyday Life”.
An artist may create a piece in any of the above categories, in relation to the theme.
This year, artists from Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma will participate in the Fine Art Exhibit.
Local artists entered include Kathryn Allen, Maggie Brenner, Rylee Coulter, Jewel Endicott, Steve Floyd, Kate Freeman, Lucy Gladbach, Bobbi Kemna, Millie Karleskint, Julie Kibble, Steve Kibble, Terry Koester, Connie Neil, Kadra Nevitt, Eri Popp, Susan Porter, Elisabeth Ross, Kaitlynn Sampson, and Addison Smith.
Cash prizes awarded for category winners are given by the Bourbon County Arts Council in memory of E.C. Gordon, and by the generous sponsorship from these local businesses: the Artificers, Buerge Art Studio, Citizens Bank, City State Bank, Edward Jones-Jamie Armstrong , H&H Realty, Landmark Bank, Lyons Realty, Mid-Continental Restoration, Osage Timber LLC, State Farm Insurance, Union State Bank, and Ward Kraft.
Bill Wilson will serve as this year’s Juror. He is a retired art educator with more than forty years of experience encompassing early elementary through college-level instruction. Most recently having taught visual art for Marmaton Valley, he also spent some time teaching at Allen County Community College. Mr. Wilson states “as an artist, I choose to work in a wide range of media that will allow me to best express my thoughts and ideas”. He is currently exploring metal forging techniques and creating primitive-fired ceramic jewelry.
There is no admission charge for this event, and all are encouraged to come and enjoy an exciting collection of original artwork.
FSCC Trustees Meet February 29 For A Special Meeting
The FSCC Board of Trustees will be holding a special board meeting on Thursday, Feburary 29 at 1:00 pm in the meeting rooms of the Ellis Fine Arts Center. After calling the meeting to order, the board will adjourn to executive session for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship. A majority of board members may be present at noon to tour student housing, but no business will be conducted during the tour.
Kansans encouraged to celebrate Talking Books Week, March 3rd-9th
TOPEKA – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation declaring the week of March 3-9, 2024, Kansas Talking Books Week. According to the proclamation, the federal Pratt-Smoot Act, enacted on March 3, 1931, established free library services for blind adults, administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) in the Library of Congress.
During Talking Books Week, the State Library of Kansas is celebrating services that Kansans with a print impairment can enjoy with a Talking Books account. Governor Kelly’s proclamation highlights the variety of more than 150,000 accessible reading materials and additional information services, including a new statewide sponsorship by the agency of NFB-Newsline. A service of the National Federation of the Blind, NFB-Newsline provides library patrons access to hundreds of newspapers, magazines, emergency weather alerts, job listings, and more by phone, internet, an iOS app, and an Alexa skill.
The Director of the Talking Books Division Michael Lang noted, “we encourage our current and potential patrons to explore the variety of services offered and the options for customization available through Kansas Talking Books. We want every user to find their perfect fit of service to meet their needs.”
Talking Books Week programming will be shared on social media at facebook.com/kansas.
Kansas Talking Books, a division of the State Library of Kansas, proudly serves patrons who are blind, visually impaired, physically impaired, or otherwise print disabled in all 105 counties across the state with the assistance of outreach centers in Norton, Great Bend, and Iola. All services are provided at no cost to the patron. To learn more about services from the State Library’s Talking Books Division, call toll-free 1-800-362-0699 or visit kslib.info/Talking-Books.
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports February 28
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 22nd and 23rd. 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.
In addition to the shopping fun that weekend, there will be plastic multi-colored eggs hidden around Downtown on Saturday the 24th after 10 a.m. suitable for young children to find.
The Chamber encourages the community to join the hunt on March 23rd-24th. Get ‘egg-cited’ to shop local. Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.