Pictured, from left to right, are the new businesses in Atchison County: Rick Shaw, owner of Rickshaw Express, LLC; Jacie McMahon, owner of Midwest Massage; Garrett and Shelby Alsup, owners of Midwest Cleaning Service; Brett and Summer Reeves, owners of Linden Laser Engraving; Mark and Lori Staten, owners of Hoot & Holler; and Ellee and Gena Lloyd, owners of Forest Finds Candle & Soap Co., LLC.

 

President Lori Seymour presents Brad and Julie Burke, owners of Burke and Sons Lumber Company, Inc., with a Milestone Achievement Award for 75 years of business.

 

President Lori Seymour presents Troy Cook with a framed certificate recognizing Rock Port Youth Athletics Association for their Community Improvements to the baseball field in Rock Port.

 

ACDC President Lori Seymour presents Ashlee Driskell, representing Community Hospital-Fairfax, with a Milestone Achievement Award for 75 years of service.

 

Guest speakers Brady Minter (above) and Ashlee Driskell (below) shared their experiences and why they choose to live in Atchison County.

 

Atchison County Development Corporation (ACDC) held its annual meeting Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at the Community Building in Tarkio, Missouri.

ACDC board president Lori Seymour welcomed around 65 guests, also recognizing elected officials in attendance. Board member Roger Martin led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and offered the invocation. Guests enjoyed an excellent dinner prepared by The Roost.

Board member Jill Davis presented the following New Business Awards:

• A Place on Main, located on Main Street in Tarkio and owned by Donovan Spears and Dara Whipple, is an event space with an arcade. Soon, A Place on Main will also house a store selling antiques, man cave items, sports memorabilia and other gifts.

• A Step Above Dance Studio, located on Main Street in Rock Port, is owned and operated by Lynn Hunter and offers dance classes for students four years old and up.

• Forest Finds Candle & Soap Co., LLC, owned by Gena and Ellee Lloyd in Rock Port, makes hand poured coconut soy candles, along with all-natural soap, skincare and beard products, and magnesium products.

• Greenlight Dispensary, located in Rock Port and managed by Mike Farmer, offers medical and recreational marijuana and marijuana products.

• Hoot & Holler, owned by Lori & Mark Staten, is located on the third floor of the Curnutt Center at Tarkio Tech. They offer screenprinting, sign making, letter jackets, patches, embroidery and more.

• Jacob Erdman Agency, LLC / Shelter Insurance, is owned and operated by Jacob Erdman and is located in Rock Port. This agency offers insurance coverage for home, auto, business, life, and more.

• Kollyns Kandles, owned by Stephanie Athen and Brooklyn Jakub, makes hand poured 100% soy wax candles and melts, room sprays, body oils and car diffusers. This business is named after a precious angel baby named Kollyns.

• Linden Laser Engraving, owned by Brett and Summer Reeves in Tarkio, offers custom laser engraving on acrylic or wood signs, aluminum business cards, tumblers, keychains, corn hole boards, ornaments, engravings from handwritten notes, and much more.

• Midwest Cleaning Service, owned and operated by Shelby Alsup in Tarkio, offers residential and commercial cleaning services.

• Midwest Massage, located in Rock Port, is owned and operated by Jacie McMahon, LMT. Jacie offers personalized therapeutic massages at her newly renovated building on Main Street.

• Parker + Clover Daycare, LLC, owned and operated by Kori Chamberlain, is an in-home daycare for all ages in Rock Port.

• Rickshaw Express, LLC, owned and operated by Rick Shaw in Rock Port, transports RV trailers from the factory to dealers across the country.

• River Rock Lanes in Rock Port is now owned by Melanie and Dennis Sherlock. River Rock hosts bowling leagues, offers bowling parties, and is open for lunch four days a week and for dinner on league nights.

• Robin Lewis Designs offers one-of-a-kind freehand art on hats, designed and created by Robin Lewis in Fairfax.

Board member Mary Ann Hull presented a Business Expansion Award to Lola’s Paw Spa in Rock Port, owned and operated by Taya Jones, who has moved to a location three times the size, added two additional groomers, and will soon offer boarding.

Board member W.C. Farmer presented a Community Improvement Award to Rock Port Youth Athletics Association for the upgrades recently made to the baseball field in Rock Port, including an outfield fence project, new aluminum bleachers, dugout renovations, a concrete stub wall and netted backstop behind home plate, and a new scoreboard on the softball field.

Seymour then presented Milestone Achievement Awards to Community Hospital-Fairfax and Burke & Sons Lumber Co., LLC, for the integral roles they have played in Atchison County for 75 years.

Brady Minter and Ashlee Driskell, two outstanding Atchison County natives, shared their stories of choosing to establish their careers and lives in their home county.

Seymour presented the current slate of ACDC officers: Lori Seymour, president; Craig Corken, vice-president; Eryn Stepp, secretary; and Bob Alldredge, treasurer. Alldredge then presented current financials and reminded attendees that this information is always available to the public.

Executive Director Monica Bailey thanked ACDC board and staff for their support and discussed several good things happening around Atchison County. She then highlighted the following ACDC efforts:

• Traditional economic development through incentive creation and management (TIF, EEZ), working regionally on workforce issues like housing and childcare, and responding to leads from the state for businesses looking to establish a new location.

• Business Improvement Grant program: Seven projects funded this year.

• Shop local efforts: annual Shop AC event (November 21 this year), #ShopAC Facebook group, and the third annual AC Artisans Holiday Makers Market (November 2 in Fairfax).

• New business assistance.

• Emerging workforce programs: Careers on Wheels, Youth Professionalism Workshop, 8th Grade Career Day, and Job Shadowing.

• ACDC scholarships for graduating seniors and local individuals enrolled in Tarkio Tech programs.

• Nonprofit Support Grant: Two projects funded this year.

• Community Enrichment Fund: Three events and organizations supported this year.

• Staff support of Tarkio Renewal and Restore Rock Port

• Community Cleanup & Beautification Grant: Two projects supported so far this year.

• Promoting and advocating for Atchison County (including Great Northwest Day).

Bailey dismissed the group, reminding them that #ACisAwesome.