"G. I. HOLIDAY
JUKEBOX" at the Great Plains Theatre
Tues, Dec 13th to Sun, Dec 18th. Times Vary
401 Cottage Avenue
(785) 263-4574
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1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND BUSINESS AFTER HOURS - ALMOST HOME REALTY
Thu, Dec 5th @ 5 pm
109 S. Buckeye Avenue
(785) 263-5028
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Chamber Board of Directors
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Kyle Becker, Chairman
Marc Beswick, Past Chairman
Todd Moore, Vice Chairman
Raelyn Swisher, Secretary
Diane Miller, Treasurer
Matt Engle
Denise Guy
Jeff Hoover
Becky Schwab
Jennifer Waite
David Walters
Julie Roller
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| CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GEARING UP FOR THE NEW YEAR |
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During 2016, the Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce had a successful year partnering with members to promoting commerce, business development, and the interests of our members. Members services have been supplemented or enhanced, including:
- Bi-monthly newsletters with relevant content reaching over 1,900 recipients;
- Banquet with entrepreneurial speaker;
- Digital sign for business, event, and community promotion;
- consistent Business After Hours and Ribbon Cutting events;
- The "Discover Abilene" magazine;
- The "Abilene Means Business" television show hosted by Eagle Communications;
- Webpage upgrade with new and enhanced business, new resident, and visitor content;
- Consistent social media presence;
- Frequent Lunch & Learn and business training seminars;
- Candidate forums (legislative updates coming in 2017); and
- Many more learning, networking; and advertising activities.
All of these will continue and be further improved in 2017. Recognition of the value partnering with other businesses through Chamber membership brings has led to 33 new members in 2016. Membership value will continue improve.
The 89th Annual Banquet will be held on the evening of Tuesday, February 7th at the Eisenhower Presidential Library courtyard and will feature filmmaker and Kansas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame inductee, Jason Opat, who will speak on the rural Kansas economy and the entrepreneurial spirit.
2017 membership renewals have been sent along with a checklist for members to indicated the services, programs, and involvement opportunities they may be interested in.
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Love's Truck Stops requested a zoning change to Highway Commercial for 65 acres at the southeast corner of the Fair Road and I-70 interchange, which sits just west of the Russell Stover Chocolates plant. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the zoning change to the City Commission. The zoning change and subsequent platting would allow Love's to build a full service truck stop with automobile and truck fuel pumps, convenience retail, restaurant and amenities for truckers. it is anticipated that approximately 70 truck parking spots would be located on the site to allow of long-term parking. Love's representative, Steve Walters, indicated that they would like to have the truckstop operational by this time next year.
Mrs. Cora Cossel has purchased The Hair Emporium (106 NW. 3rd Street) from Vicki Simenson. Cora has been employed at the business and we wish her great success in her new venture.
USD 435's Barb Brittan, School Board President; Dr. Denise Guy, Superintendent; and Assistant Superintendent Chris Cooper, held a ribbon cutting and hosted public tours of the recent gymnasium and auditorium addition to the high school.
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| Abilene High School Addition Ribbon Cutting |
Dr. Wendy Dinkel has given notice of her resignation from
Memorial Health System and Heartland Health Care Clinic effective February 16, 2017. Dr. Dinkel has been a member of the MHS medical staff for three years. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to proceed with your selection of a new provider, please contact Heartland Health Care Clinic at (785) 263-4131.
Kansas Best Real Estate held a business after hours and coat drive on the 1st of December, which was very well attended. Heidi Anderson and staff put on a great party. Kevin Smith won the door prize and James Lambert (Kansas Gas Service) won the 50-50 cash raffle.
Memorial Art Company has purchased the former Kirby House (205 NE. 3rd Street) site and will be making improvements to the remaining building and grounds.
Koffman Electric (125 N. Elm) has applied for a zoning change for the property behind their existing building to allow for expansion of the business.
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Esther Carlson |
Memorial Health System announced the addition of a new Advanced Practice Provider (APP). Esther Carlson, Nurse Practitioner, will begin seeing patients at Heartland Health Care Clinic in February 2017. Carlson is from Solomon, KS. She earned her Master's in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner Specialization) from Wichita State University in 2002. Since then, she has been providing care for patients in the Abilene/Solomon/Salina area, and was previously employed by Memorial Hospital as an APP in the emergency department. Carlson is experienced in providing care for pediatrics, adults and geriatric patients.
Work is progressing on the new Astra Bank building located on Eagle Drive.
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James' Random Thoughts ....................
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Home Occupations Vital to New Business Growth
Yesterday the Abilene Planning Commission heard an application by a seamstress to change the zoning regulations to allow home occupations within the High Density Residential (R-3) zoning district. In addition, the amendment included deleting an allowable space provision for home occupations in accessory structures. The zoning regulations contain a list of customary home occupations and includes performance standards to minimize a home occupation's impact on the residential nature of neighborhoods. Although these may seem like small changes, they do represent the removal of government regulations that hamper small business development. It is commendable that the Planning Commission is doing their part to lessen the red tape to starting certain types of businesses.
I recently saw a graphic on Facebook that showed four residential garages. The garages were identified by the name of the businesses that were born in those structures. The companies were Apple, Disney, Google, and Hewlett Packard. When someone has a hobby that becomes their passion (or dare I say obsession), it starts to occupy space in their homes and garages. Most of us have those areas: the scrapbooking room, the woodworking shop, the music room, the craft room, a canning area in the basement, or mechanic shop in the garage. We all are really into something and in some cases it may be something unique to our community. There are some of us who enjoy our passion to the point that we bring our ingenuity into the process by finding better ways to engage in the hobby. Some may have finely honed skill in the hobby which becomes known to others such that our work becomes appreciated and desired by others. Unfortunately, few of us are ambitious enough to monetize our passions and take the risk necessary to derive our livelihood from it. We like the security of being an employee, even if it's not necessarily how we would like to spend our lives.
Removing even basic limitations to people's vocational creativity, makes it more likely that the entrepreneurial spirit will be kindled in someone who may otherwise just shrug their shoulders and say, "Zoning won't allow it". However, it is also true that those who have the drive and determination to build a small business from scratch are likely to believe that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. At least now some of them won't have to ask for forgiveness from the City of Abilene.
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