FHSU University Relations and Marketing

NetWork Kansas will have a new host next spring for its fourth Kansas’ Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge — Fort Hays State University.

The statewide competition will be Monday, April 24, 2017, in FHSU’s Memorial Union.

“We are thrilled to have found a partner in FHSU to host next year’s state championship,” said Anne Dewvall, E-Community Partnership manager for NetWork Kansas. “Fort Hays State is as dedicated to encouraging young entrepreneurs as we are.”

The competition gives Kansas high school students experience in the process of making a business proposal — students must research, write and submit an executive summary. If their business concept is chosen as a finalist, they will then have the opportunity to pitch their venture to a panel of judges that consists of local entrepreneurs, bankers, and investment experts.

Winners of the local challenges, sponsored by NetWork Kansas-designated E-Communities, will then compete in the statewide challenge at FHSU, an event that, in addition to the competition, will feature tradeshow displays, presentations and lunch for the participants.

“FHSU is excited to host the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in April 2017,” said Henry Schwaller, director of the FHSU Center for Entrepreneurship. “It is an honor to partner with NetWork Kansas on this prestigious program and welcome these creative and innovative young entrepreneurs to the FHSU campus.”

“The innovation and creativity of the students’ ideas is incredible, and it shows that programs like the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge ensure that Kansas will have a very bright future,” said Schwaller.

Dewvall said participation grew from four Kansas communities to 22 in the first three years. The third competition, held last spring, had 242 high school and middle school students representing 151 businesses in the local competitions.

“This year we expect even more communities to participate,” she said.

“We’re honored to have so many bright young minds on our campus and share our entrepreneurial Tiger spirit with them. Our goal is to make sure that every student has a wonderful experience and has an opportunity to learn more about our Entrepreneurship program,” said Schwaller. “We have a wide array of activities — from our state-of-the-art courses to Dane G. Hansen Scholarship Hall, the nation’s first residence hall for creative, innovative students — and we hope that every student has a chance to experience all we offer.”

“I am very proud that Fort Hays State has been chosen to be the host of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge,” said university President Mirta M. Martin. “Young entrepreneurs are critical to the future of western Kansas, our state and our nation, and Fort Hays State has become the destination of choice for all those bright minds who wish to translate dreams into businesses.”

She continued, “As I said when we dedicated at Homecoming the first-in-the-nation entrepreneurship residence hall, our faculty, our staff, our community are fully devoted to ensuring that students with an entrepreneurial drive turn their ideas into successful companies.

“The high school competitors of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge are coming to the right place. We are excited that they are joining a community where the entrepreneurial spirit is ingrained in our history, in our DNA. We’re glad they are coming to Fort Hays State! Welcome home.”

NetWork Kansas, (www.networkkansas.com) is a non-profit organization established by the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 as the Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship. Its primary focus is encouraging and promoting entrepreneurship in Kansas. Its sponsors are the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Small Business Development Center.

NetWork Kansas designates certain communities as E-Communities and works with them “to create local, sustainable funding programs as well as creating a virtual network of expertise and educational resources for entrepreneurs at the local level,” according to its website. The program has grown from six communities in 2007 to 55 today.

To date, E-Community partnerships have resulted in more than $7.7 million in loans to more than 285 businesses and $35.5 million and more in additional capital from other sources.

For more information, contact Anne Dewvall (email: [email protected]; phone: (316) 425-7059), visit the website, www.networkkansas.com, or call NetWork Kansas at (877) 521-8600.

KDA

MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has been awarded $283,597.28 through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a program which serves to enhance opportunities for specialty crops. According to the USDA, specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.” KDA has selected several recipients to further utilize the funds through specific projects.

“This grant program offers the outstanding opportunity to promote the growth of specialty crops in Kansas,” said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey. “We have been granted these funds to help improve the education, innovation and availability of these agribusinesses in Kansas which will encourage economic growth of the agriculture industry.”

The following is a list of Kansas projects that will be funded by the grant:

· Kansas Rural Center, Enhancing Specialty Crop Production and Profitability, $47,337 — Provide research of best management and conservation practices for specialty crop production, as well as the dissemination of information, in order for producers to improve production and profitability of their operations.

· Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, Specialty Crop Incubator Program, $60,382 — KDA will continue its partnership with Seward County Community College, Liberal, to provide a specialty crop incubator program, allowing small specialty crop businesses to enter the industry. Conferences will be offered focusing on business management and specialty crop knowledge, while educational opportunities for area schoolchildren will be expanded.

· Highland Community College, Wine Business Incubator Project, $90,000 — Extend upon their previous efforts by creating and providing a wine incubator to be utilized by prospective Kansas enologists. Staff will be provided in order to assist with day-to-day activities of the incubator, as well as mentorship of clients.

· Kansas Department of Agriculture, Education Program for Great Plains Growers Conference, $34,090.81 — Provide conference registration reimbursement and stipend for specialty crop producers to attend the Great Plains Growers Conference located in St. Joseph, Mo.

· K-State Research and Extension, Strengthening Food Safety Education for Kansas Fruit and Vegetable Producers, $33,352 — Partner with K-State Research and Extension to provide training and resources for Kansas fruit and vegetable growers on produce safety, particularly related to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Personnel will undergo a train-the-trainer workshop, enabling them to provide training to producers within the state.

For more information about how the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is utilized in Kansas, visit KDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant webpage at agriculture.ks.gov/specialtycropblockgrant. For information about these specific projects, contact Kellen L. Liebsch, KDA economist, at (785) 564-6726 or [email protected].

DHDC

The final Downtown Hays Market of the season is this Saturday, Oct. 22, 7:30-11 a.m. in the parking lot at 10th and Main.

To end our wonderful 2016 season we hope you’ll come out to enjoy live acoustic guitar from local talent, Blake Ruder.

Blake has opened for some great acts over the years such as The Marshall Tucker Band, Foghat, CCR, Little River Band, and The Ataris. He’s traveled around Kansas and has performed in numerous shows, including the Wild West Fest in Hays.

Thank you all for supporting the market and all of our vendors. We look forward to seeing you again in 2017.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The investment group, Hays Extended Stay Hotel Partners LP based in Liberty, Missouri, is asking for two Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) from the city of Hays to benefit a planned new development project north of I-70.

The group has purchased a parcel of property in the vicinity of Home Depot with the intent of constructing a Towneplace Suites hotel by Marriott immediately north of IHOP and Hampton Inn.

Two separate CID petitions have been submitted, according to Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood.

The first request seeks to impose a 1% CID sales tax on the hotel property only. A second petition seeks to impose an additional 1% CID sales tax on the hotel property and the JT Travel Plaza property which is under construction. The developer of  the convenience store project is not asking for any incentives and will not benefit from any incentives requested.

Proceeds from both CIDs will go to reimburse Hays Extended Stay Hotel Partners LP for the $9.6 million estimated costs associated with construction of the hotel.

Wood said Hays Extended Stay Hotel Partners LP has already submitted the necessary paperwork to the Ellis County Economic Development Coalition including petitions to create the two CIDs, an application for economic development incentives, a cost benefit analysis and the required application fee. A term sheet will be reviewed by the city commission as required by the city’s economic development policy.

If approved, the total sales tax at the Travel Plaza would be 10.5%, and the total sales tax at the hotel would be 16.5%.

Each CID district would impose a 1% tax for 22 years. According to city of Hays Finance Director Kim Rupp, it’s estimated the CID districts could generate $2.1 million in revenues.

Commissioners will review the request during their Thu., Oct. 20 work session. The entire agenda may be seen here.

KDA

MANHATTAN–More than 65,000 FFA members, alumni and guests are gathered in Indianapolis, Ind., for the 89th National FFA Convention & Expo, which runs through October 22. Kansas FFA members join their peers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to live out the year’s motto “Transform Purpose to Action.” Kansans are encouraged to virtually join the opening convention session beginning Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. CDT, www.ffa.org/convention.

“FFA members transform their purpose into action by making their voices heard and by educating others on the importance of agriculture and growing our resources every day,” said Taylor McNeel, a student at Southern Arkansas University who is serving as 2015-16 National FFA President. “During the convention and expo, we can learn from one another how we can continue to grow leaders, strengthen agriculture and build our communities.”

During the week Kansas FFA members will participate in service projects, share their musical talents in the national band, chorus and talent, compete in national career development events, interview for chapter and proficiency awards, experience motivational speakers and fulfilling workshops, and interact with industry leaders at the Expo.

Among those in attendance will be Bethany Schifferdecker of Girard, Kan. Schifferdecker is representing the Kansas FFA Association as the 2016 National FFA Officer candidate. Schifferdecker served as State FFA Vice President in 2014–2015. She is the daughter of Mark and Nancy Schifferdecker. Additionally, Kurt Dillon is beginning his term on the National FFA Board of Directors. Dillon is the agricultural education program consultant and Kansas FFA advisor for the Kansas State Department of Education and works in partnership with the Kansas Department of Agriculture to enhance and support agricultural education including FFA.

Kansas agricultural education programs have seen growth over the last several years. Building from last year’s successful launch of five new agriculture education programs at Bluestem, Emporia, North Lyon County, Southern Lyon County and Sylvan-Lucas Unified, KDA would like to formally recognize Wichita Southeast, Stanton County, Pratt Skyline, Shawnee Mission South, Brewster and Independence for understanding the importance of school-based agricultural education and initiating programs in their schools this academic year.

The Kansas FFA Association was chartered by the National FFA Organization in 1928 and has a current membership of 9,059 members in 186 chapters. FFA is found in both rural and urban areas with chapters located in or near the cities of Garden City, Hays, Hutchinson, Lawrence, Manhattan, Newton, Olathe, Pittsburg, Salina, and Topeka. FFA members can be found in 91 of the 105 counties across Kansas.

“The Kansas Department of Agriculture is committed to helping grow agriculture in Kansas, and a trained workforce and young people interested in a career in agriculture are critical to economic growth in our state,” said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey. “Agricultural education with a combination of classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experience, experiential learning, leadership and skill development through FFA is key to development of the skills which are desired and essential for the future of the agriculture industry, our state’s largest employer.”

For more information about the Kansas FFA Association, go to www.ksffa.org. For more information about the National FFA Organization and the 2016 National FFA Convention, go to www.ffa.org.