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Crawford Co. Mental Health Director retiring

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PITTSBURG, Kans. — A 35-year legacy will soon be coming to an end in Southeast Kansas.

Dr. Michael Ehling has announced his retirement. He’s the executive administrator of the Crawford County Mental Health Center. He started there in 1987 as one of the first home-based family therapists in Kansas, around the beginning of mental health reform in the state. He went on to help develop a system of psychosocial care services and training for case management workers. His work would continue to influence mental health services across the state.

“It was a big challenge, but it was also a lot of fun in terms of being kind of a pioneer or starting the process and seeing it take root and now it permeates all that we do in all the Community Mental Health Centers in the state of Kansas,” said Dr. Ehling.

Ehling plans to retire on November 1st.

In the meantime, he hopes to continue to help with the development of a new addiction treatment center and crisis stabilization unit through the center.

One of his first goals post-retirement — he wants to hike the Camino de Santiago in Europe.

PSU ceramics exhibit explores artist's story

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PITTSBURG, Kans. — An artist’s journey is serving as the inspiration for the newest art exhibit at Pittsburg State. It’s called, “The Night Before,” and is inside the University Gallery. It tells the story — through ceramics — of Assistant Instructional Professor of Ceramics, Mayumi Kiefer. She grew up in Japan where this type of art wasn’t typically done by women.

“It was kind of a battle to myself with ‘How can I fit,’ or ‘How can I do that,’ but when I came here, ‘Oh! It’s ok,’ you don’t have to worry about it. So that gave me a little bit more freedom,” said Mayumi Kiefer.

The exhibit is free and open to the public through August 18th.

McDonald Co. New Teacher Academy

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ANDERSON, Mo. — Some teachers were back in class Wednesday learning the ins and outs of their new school district.

The McDonald County “New Teacher Academy” was held this morning in Anderson. About 40 educators are in the Academy; Some are first-year teachers, while others are simply new to the district. They’re learning about different programs to help them succeed, including the “New Teacher Mentor Program.” It pairs them with other teachers who have a wealth of experience.

“They go through a program their first year and they move on into their second year, and that’s to provide them the support they need to be successful and to learn the things that they need to learn, and the culture and climate of our district and all of those things. I think it’s extremely important that we do that,” said LaDonna McClain, McDonald County Schools Curriculum Director.

The first day of school is August 22nd.

Future of MO marijuana and more on upcoming ballot

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MISSOURI — The November election will feature a long list of races for local voters to decide. And in Missouri, that will include four statewide questions, with marijuana topping the list.

Marijuana is legal in Missouri, with restrictions. But that could be changing.

“In November, we’re going to have the ballot issue for recreational marijuana or adult use in Missouri,” said Alex Williams, MO Made Marijuana Sec.

It would allow anyone 21 or older to buy and use marijuana. It’s a change Alex Williams with Missouri Made Marijuana supports.

“Currently, we’re a medical state where patients can you know, they go through a doctor to come get medical marijuana. However, if the rules change, you know, it could be where anybody would be able to come potentially purchase marijuana. I think it’s great for Missouri,” said Williams.

But that’s not all. A second ballot question would expand how the state of Missouri invests its savings.

“Another one is moving the Missouri National Guard which is currently under the Department of Public Safety – moving it back to its own department. Which is what it used to be years ago,” said Charlie Davis, Jasper Co. Clerk.

The fourth and final question would raise the minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners – something that would affect Kansas City policing.

“I believe one of the most important things that our founding fathers wanted of our citizens is to be an educated electorate. We ask people research the things that are going to be on the ballot. They’re kind of complicated. There are ramifications to some dealing with finances etc. But the most important thing is read what’s going to be on the ballot long before election day, study it get to know it,” said Davis.

They’ll all show up on the November 8th Ballot.

Guns and Hoses Scholarship in honor of recent fallen Joplin PD

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JOPLIN, Mo. — The memories of Joplin’s two fallen police officers will forever be honored. And now, even more so in the world of higher education — thanks, in part, to what happened earlier Wednesday night.

Scholarships in the names of Joplin Police Officer Jake Reed and Corporal Ben Cooper have been established at Missouri Southern. And Bright Futures Joplin helped make it possible. A check presentation was held Wednesday night — with families from both officers in attendance.

“Bright Futures Joplin – the Board, decided to give half of the proceeds from our Guns and Hoses benefit basketball game, to begin, to start scholarships for Officer Reed and Corporal Cooper. The Guns and Hoses benefit game takes place in April and involves Joplin Police Department and Joplin Fire Department,” said Amanda Stone, Bright Futures Joplin, Coordinator.

That game raised more than $14,000, giving over $7,000 to split between the two scholarships.

“What really humbles me is that I have the opportunity in this horrible tragedy to do my part to remember them and to try to keep their story alive and then by this scholarship, these students understanding what it is to go out and to do the job and why it’s so important to be professional and why it’s important to be the best that you can,” said Dr. Tim Wilson, Department Chair, Criminal Justice, MSSU.

Outside of high academic standards, officials say eligible students should also reflect the characters of both Reed and Cooper.

“These two officers gave their lives for people in the City of Joplin, and their story is very, very important. And I hope that anytime a student gets that kind of acknowledgment from somebody who thinks they deserve a scholarship, whoever the scholarship is in honor of, is very important to know about them, what it stands for, and also bring that personal responsibility to them when they go on to college,” said Dr. Kerry Sachetta, Joplin Schools Superintendent

Starting in the fall of 2023, the scholarships will be awarded to two Joplin High School graduates majoring in Criminal Justice at MSSU.

Pittsburg company expansion celebrates ribbon cutting

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PITTSBURG, Kans. — Block22 was established back in 2018 as a way to foster business in Pittsburg, and facilitate growth throughout the city and, Wednesday, it saw that goal come to fruition.

“We bought this building in June of last year as an empty shell, with all kinds of possibilities. Just last month we moved in and made this home and we’re excited to welcome the community in,” said Brandee Johnson, Limelight Marketing Owner & President.

Wednesday afternoon was monumental for Limelight marketing as it welcomed the Pittsburg community into its new home on broadway.

“We’ve grown a lot in the last eight years starting with two employees and we’re now a team of 25 to 30 employees, both here in our local Pittsburg office and across the United States,” added Johnson.

A big accomplishment for the Pittsburg community. Four years ago, Block22 was established to help develop businesses throughout the city, like Limelight.

“The number one example, they went first. They were in Block22 right when it opened. So they started in that area, they grew, they got too big for it, and what you see now is they’ve moved on to a downtown building of their own,” said Daron Hall, Pittsburg City Manager.

“I think when we moved into Block22 we were about a team of eight and as we left we were a team of 28,” said Johnson.

Thanks in part to the businesses Limelight met during its time at Block22.

“We had the opportunity to work side by side with a software development company that we then acquired in 2021, and that has really expanded Limelight and our capabilities,” said Johnson.

Which has allowed Limelight to make it on Inc. 5000.

“This is a shortlist of the fastest growing private companies in the United States based on revenue growth, so it’s a key achievement we feel very proud of and one that I give credit to my team for,” she added.

Miami School District implementing new cell phone policy

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MIAMI, Okla. — An area school district is getting the word out ahead of time on when cell phones can and can’t be used during the school day. And, for some parents, it may take some getting used to.

The start of another school year is a little over a week away in Miami. But district officials want everyone to know ahead of that time when and where cell phones can be used. So they’re using social media to get that word out to both students and parents.

While the cell phone policy hasn’t changed here at the high school this coming school year, that’s not the case for the junior high.

“Students turn their phones off as soon as they get to school, and then they will not turn those phones on until it’s time for them to leave for the day. We understand parents might need their students during the day, if that’s the case, please contact our office and we’ll be happy to get those messages out to students,” said Pam Bevis, 9th & 10th Grade Principal.

While high school students can carry their phones around at any time during the school day, there are times they can’t use them.

“We do not want those cell phones on during class periods but during passing periods, before school, after school, at lunchtime our students are more than welcome to use their cell phones,” added Bevis.

Kanyen Cole will be teaching biology this year at the high school. He’s taught in other districts where it was up to individual high school teachers to come up with their own, and appreciates the effort involved in having one in place in Miami, both for the faculty and students.

“Me instructing people, I think it will help, and I think it will also help them keep their focus on one thing knowing that they can’t check their phones every 30 seconds like they do every day,” said Cole.

Drive-in movie theater showing "Grease"

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CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Route 66 Drive-In Theater in Carthage is showing a movie staring Olivia Newton-John, who passed away on Monday, August 8th.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday (8/12 – 8/14), the Route 66 Drive-In theater is showing the movie “Grease,” which stars the late Olivia Newton-John.

In that film, she shared the big screen with co-actor, John Travolta.

| New Walking Bridge At Carthage’s Kellogg Lake >

Owners of the Drive-In say they show the movie “Grease” every year.

Within hours of posting the movie’s showtime on their billboard, the owners learned of Olivia Newton-John’s passing.

She was 73-years-old and had been battling breast cancer.

After “Grease,” which starts at 8:45 p.m. this weekend, the Route 66 Drive-In will throw back to the 80’s with the movie “Footloose.”

Ottawa County Fair deeply rooted in agriculture

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2022 Ottawa County Fair

MIAMI, Okla. — Starting tonight (8/10), the Ottawa County Fair is offering something for everyone, as more people begin to visit the Miami Fair Grounds.

A packed arena of carnival rides, along with several vendors, opened to fair-goers for the first time since the fair opened earlier this week.

Many 4H and FFA students from across Northeast Oklahoma have already shown several breeds of animals.

Tonight, the best looking sheep at goats were judged in the livestock arena.

Cattle will be featured on Thursday evening.

| Newton County Fair Queen Wears Many “Crowns” >

The grand prize in each animal category will be handed out on Saturday (8/13).

Those who have shown animals here for many years say agriculture is at the heart of the Ottawa County Fair.

“Through showing pigs and raising pigs, I’ve learned that I have a real passion for agriculture, and I definitely want to do something agriculture based through my future. I’m getting ready to go to NEO and I’m going to major in Animal Science and hopefully my passion for agriculture will take me farther and maybe I’ll be able to come back to my county fair in my community to bring that back and bring back what I know about agriculture and advocate,” said Taylor Fent who shows pigs at the Ottawa County Fair.

The Ottawa County Fair comes to an end on Saturday night (8/13) with an event that has become very popular over the years: “The Buddy Show.”

This is where special needs students, mentored by their 4H and FFA peers, show several animal breeds for judging.

Southwest MO judge could fill Appeals Court opening

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MISSOURI — The search is underway to name a new judge for the Missouri Appeals Court, and it could be someone from Southwest Missouri.

Judge Joe Hensley is one of the candidates to fill a vacancy in the Southern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals. He’s been an Associate Circuit Judge in Jasper County since 2015 — and spent 17 years before that primarily in private practice.

He’s one of three Southwest Missouri candidates, out of a list of 17. Associate Circuit Judge Alan Blankenship and Circuit Judge David Cole are both out of the 39th Circuit and cover Lawrence, Barry and Stone counties.

There are two vacancies to fill, with the retirements of Judge Gary Lynch and Judge William Francis, Jr.