Torched Goodness at Eudora cafe; Wellness Festival Saturday; Autism Awareness Walk returns; EHS Ed-Tech open house; BU students to perform

As regular readers might remember, Area Roundup about six weeks ago touched on the closing of The Fork restaurant and its rapid reopening as a home base to the Torched Goodness food truck of Julia and Eric Ireland. At that time, Julia Ireland said the couple might look to do something at the site at 826 Main St. other than prepare food for the food truck events, but she wasn’t quite sure what that might be.

That something turns out to be serving regular Wednesday lunch and dinners. Julia Ireland said the small cafe is now open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for lunch and 4:30 to 7 p.m. for dinner every Wednesday. The menu changes every week, but customers can visit Torched Goodness Facebook page starting on Sundays to learn what is available. The menu will also include vegetarian and gluten-free items. Other mainstays include Italian dishes and, of course, the signature creme brulee, she said. Family-sized takeout orders of lasagna will also be available to those ordering by Tuesdays, she said.

Torched Goodness is looking to add a “smoked Sunday” with the arrival of warmer weather in a few weeks, Ireland said. “We’ll bring the smoker out and set up some chairs and tables outside for a smoke-out,” she said.

The couple would like to be open for special Eudora weekend events, but that will depend on what they can fit into the food truck’s busy seasonal schedule, Ireland said.

The 16th annual Baker University/Baldwin City wellness festival will be from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m Saturday at the BU Collins Center, Sixth and Fremont streets. A variety of health screenings will be available, including tests for blood pressure, posture, body fat, bone density, hearing, vision and dental.

Free bicycle helmets will be available for children while supplies last, and two adult and children’s bicycles will be given away.

The seventh annual Autism Awareness Walk will be Saturday at CPA Park in Eudora. The event will be from noon to 2 p.m. with the awareness walk scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The event will include a raffle, silent auction and touch-a-truck sponsored by the Eudora Township Fire Station. Pet World will be at the event from noon to 1 p.m. and Barbwire Barbecue and Cami’s Cake will have food available.

The Eudora High School Vocational Technical Center will have its third annual car show and open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the technical center, 2203 Church St. The event will include an auction, FFA plant sale, raffle and family fun activities. Door prizes and barbecue will be available.

Baker University will have its 2017 Honor Recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the McKibbin Recital Hall in the Owens Musical Arts Building at the school’s Baldwin City campus. Performing will be students Ethan Herring, clarinet; Lara Finley, mezzo soprano; Hannah Greer, flute; Michael Sturm, trombone; Brianna Morris, clarinet; and Madison Haefke, mezzo soprano.

The Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon will be from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Lumberyard Arts Center. Speakers at the meeting will be Russ Johnson, CEO of Lawrence Memorial Hospital; and Brian Dennis, of the University of Kansas Small Business Development Center.

The Eudora Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon will be from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Eudora Community Museum, 706 Main St. The guest speaker at the luncheon will be Douglas County Commissioner Nancy Thellman.