The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces participating retailers that will be offering a shopping promotion to celebrate Kansas Day on Saturday, January 29th. Patrons wearing apparel with Kansas or a sunflower will receive 10% off their purchase. Participating stores will have a Kansas Day poster in their place of business.
Kansas Day commemorates The Sunflower State being the 34th state to enter the Union in 1861. The Chamber encourages shoppers to celebrate Kansas Day and thank a local store owner for doing business in our great state.
In addition to this local shopping promotion organized by the Chamber, Kansas Tourism invites Kansans to Give a Toast to the Sunflower State on Kansas Day and post their own tribute to the 34th state to social media using the hashtag #ToTheStarsKS Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, January 27th at 8 a.m. hosted by Friends of Fort Scott NHS.
It will be held at First United Methodist Church in the Fellowship Hall, located at 301 S National Ave. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site’s mission is to be a friend of the National Historic Site and their primary purpose is to support the National Historic Site in a partnership through activities that may include fundraising, volunteerism, education, advocacy and research. To do that they need to raise funds and they raise funds through their Flag Subscription Program.
They are kicking off their 2022 Flag Subscription Program in January.
For the last three years, they have put a full size flag in front of the homes of subscribers for the 5 flag holidays — Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Veteran’s Day.
Any member business or organization wanting to host Chamber Coffee in 2022 is encouraged to contact the Chamber to save a date by calling 620-223-3566 or emailing [email protected].
***
USDA Rural Development Kansas Highlights Its Year of Accomplishments in Jobs, Business Opportunities, Education, Health Care and Housing for Rural Kansans
TOPEKA, Jan. 26, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kansas, Under Acting State Director Dan Fischer, today highlighted the year’s accomplishments in helping rural Kansas residents and businesses access housing, health care, economic developement and other essential services.
“USDA Rural Development Kansas has had a very successful year helping rural residents through our housing, community and business programs,” Fischer said. “When rural Kansas has access to clean water, affordable homes, and good jobs, all of Kansas is more likely to succeed.”
Rural Development Kansas awarded more than $292 million in loans, grants and loan guarantees in Fiscal Year 2021. This includes $209 million for the purchase of homes by low-income individuals and families, nearly $51 million to improve water and waste disposal systems, and nearly $28 million to improve community facilities and access to essential services.
Rural Development offers many programs to assist rural communities and their residents. For example:
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. Follow us on Twitter at @RurDev_Kansas.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
###
Deborah Kay Parker, 70, of Redfield, Kansas, passed away Sunday, January 23, 2022, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was born January 19, 1952, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Neil Benjamin and Anna Mae (Powell) Smith. She married Ronald Dean Parker on April 18, 1971, in Fort Scott, Kansas, and he survives of the home.
Deborah graduated from Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1970.
In addition to her husband Ronald, Debra is also survived by her mother, Anna Smith, of Fort Scott; her children, Jeff Parker and Kim of Norfolk, Virginia, Kimberly Phillips and Adam of Fort Scott, and Beth Blankenship and Jeremy, also of Fort Scott; eleven grandchildren, Marra, Gabe, Conner, Alyssa, Damion, Kenny, Jessica, Russell, Gabe, Keira, and Ben, and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Neil Smith.
Jeff Feagins will conduct funeral services at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2022, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home with burial following at the Fort Scott National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
In a continuing effort by Bourbon County and the City of Fort Scott leadership to combine services, the city’s tourism department will come under the Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.
Jackson Tough, the City of Fort Scott’s Tourism Director moved his office into the Bourbon County REDI office at Landmark Bank today.
“The city commission voted, this month, to move their tourism (department) over to Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.,” Rob Harrington, REDI director said. “Jackson Tough will remain a city employee.”
Funding Is From Bed Tax
The city’s tourism department is funded through a Transient Guest Tax, Harrington said. “Any money left from the transient guest tax, after the administrative stuff, payroll, FICA, and any incumbrances…will come to REDI for marketing.”
The transient guest tax, commonly known as the “bed tax,” is imposed by a city or county on transient guests of hotels, motels, and tourist courts, according to 2006-022 | 9/1/2006 | Kansas Attorney General Opinion (washburnlaw.edu) The purpose of the tax is to provide revenue “to promote tourism and conventions.”
“Convention and tourism promotion,” is defined as follows, according to the website:
“‘Convention and tourism promotion’ means: (1) Activities to attract visitors into the community through marketing efforts, including advertising, directed to at least one of the five basic convention and tourism market segments consisting of group tours, pleasure travelers, association meetings and conventions, trade shows and corporate meetings and travel; and (2) support of those activities and organizations which encourage increased lodging facility occupancy.”
The guest tax has been in force in Fort Scott since Jan. 1, 2014 and is 6 percent, according to Transient Guest Tax Rates and Filers (ksrevenue.gov)
REDI To Provide Oversight
“I’ll oversee the funds to see they are being used appropriately, for what they are supposed to be,” Harrington said.
“Tourism will be under REDI jurisdiction, we’ll be responsible for tourism marketing,” he said. ”
The city and county officials have been working together in economic development, finance management, and human resource services, in recent years, to share resources. Tourism will now be a shared service.
|
|
~Kansas Day is Saturday, January 29, 2022~
TOPEKA– Kansas Day is this Saturday, January 29, and Kansas Tourism is inviting everyone to help celebrate our state’s 161st birthday. This annual commemoration of Kansas’ statehood is designed to help us reflect on our state’s history while highlighting the things that make Kansas special. Kansas Tourism is proud to elevate the holiday with new appreciation and pride for our state.
“Kansans are famously humble people—it’s not in our nature to boast,” said Bridgette Jobe, Kansas Director of Tourism. “But this Kansas Day, we are shouting from the rooftops our love for our beautiful, unique, exciting and welcoming state. We invite all Kansans and those who love Kansas to join in our celebration.”
There are several ways to get in on the statewide social tribute. Details can be found in the Kansas Day toolkit at TravelKS.com/KansasDay.
To participate:
First, on January 29, make your own special salute to the Sunflower State on your social media channels. Make sure to use the ‘To the Stars’ format and #ToTheStarsKS as outlined in the toolkit.
Second, Kansas Tourism is premiering a new video tribute for Kansas Day 2022. Make sure you are following Kansas Tourism on social media to watch and share the new video. Surprises are in store for those that engage with and share the video! A lucky few participants may win a ‘To the Stars’ Gear Giveaway. Stay tuned to the Kansas Tourism social channels for more information.
Third, print out a Kansas Day poster to hang in your business window, classroom, office, or community announcement board to share the Kansas Day excitement. The free poster download is available in the toolkit.
Finally, get your official Kansas Tourism ‘To the Stars’ gear at TravelKS.com to show your Kansas pride year-round. A new limited-edition series featuring a custom Kansas inspired design by Hutchinson artist Brady Scott is now available.
Additional information and educational resources can also be found on the Kansas Day toolkit.
Follow Kansas Tourism on social media.
https://www.facebook.com/TravelKS
https://www.instagram.com/kansastourism/
The mission of the Kansas Tourism Division is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism is a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages the states travel website TravelKS.com, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support. The ‘To the Stars’ marketing campaign developed by Kansas Tourism honors the states motto of Ad Astra Per Aspera.
