Local students host Christmas show for area youth

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Santa made a brief stop today in Pittsburg, Kansas to enjoy breakfast and Christmas performances from local students.

The Breakfast with Santa event kicked off at 9:00 a.m. today in collaboration with the Mount Carmel Foundation.

Here, participants enjoyed a 20-minute performance led by students and written by Senior Ben Shawn as breakfast was served.

Watch KOAM and Fox 14 to see the full story or check back later for additional content.

Click here to learn more.

Holiday Express to stop in Pittsburg today

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Kansas City Southern Holiday Express will return to the 4-States on Dec. 10, making its first stop in Pittsburg in over 2 years.

Officials say the train will stop at Elm & Monroe at 4:00 P.M. in Pittsburg.

The attraction is free, however, the event raises money for a local Salvation Army at each train stop.

Be sure to get out there to see Santa and his reindeer before they continue their journey down the rails.

Watch KOAM & Fox 14 to see the whole story or check back later for additional content.

Click here to learn more.

Local business is expanding to help out more families

PITTSBURG, Kan – Friday, Integrated Behavioral Technologies started construction to expand their facilities in hopes of helping out more families.

Since 2010, Integrated Behavioral Technologies (IBT) has been providing in-home applied behavior analysis services to autistic children and families in Pittsburg and Southeast Kansas.

The SEK team is happy to move out of the little clinic’s three rooms and into a bigger space that will be more accommodating for its personnel, customers’ families, and staff members.

Early in 2023, IBT and Sonshine Child Care will open a new facility to provide clinic-based services for families and kids affected by autism.

The clinic, which will be 2385 square feet in size, could serve up to 30 families.

Despite being based in Pittsburg, IBT expects that residents of nearby cities will contact them for services.

IBT was founded in 2002 to address Kansas’s almost complete lack of autism treatment resources, where 48% of the population is thought to reside in rural areas.

IBT has expanded from Dr. Heitzman-Powell and a small group of professionals working with a small number of families to a business that employs over 75 clinical staff throughout the State of Kansas.

Director Dr. Linda Heitzman-Powell, IBT Founder and Executive, is very excited about the SEK Clinic.

“Since 2014 we have talked about opening a bricks-and-mortar structure in the area with the identification of a site as a part of our 5-year plan. Not only is this a site where families can enroll their children for evidence-based treatment, this is a facility that is specifically designed to address the needs of children with autism and their families from age of first diagnosis until they transition into adulthood,” says Dr. Paige Boydston.

Boydston has been providing services to families in the Southeast Kansas area since 2011. She’s relieved to finally be able to provide greater access to services in a severely underserved area of Kansas.

“Hopefully this center will be a resource to families not only in Pittsburg, but also in the surrounding cities and counties. One of my personal goals is to help train and retain providers and professionals in the SEK area so our work can continue to expand and provide some much needed support to families.”

Pastor Talent and the IBT team are eager to collaborate with Sonshine ChildCare Facility to provide services that are desperately needed in the SEK area.

“Victory Life Church is grateful to be part of this ground-floor opportunity to bring two much needed services together for our community. We know that I.B.T., under the direction of Dr Linda Heitzman-Powell, Dr. Paige Boydston and Jon Durney, has worked diligently to provide services for those individuals with autism and their families in South-East Kansas. We are excited to be a part of this wonderful community project and we look forward to many years of growth and partnership.”

IBT is open to serving anyone in Southeast Kansas and has served families in Pittsburg, Parsons, Ft. Scott, Chanute, Carl Junction MO, and Frontenac.

 

Construction begins on new dog park in Neosho

NEOSHO, Mo. – Scenic Park in Neosho is getting a new addition.

Construction has begun on a new dog park. The city paid more than $17,000 with a separate $15,000 donation for the fencing and some features.

Features range from cones to dogs can run through, a bridge for dogs, a bench for grooming, and even dog watering stations.

The Parks and Recreation Department also applied for a $25,000 grant to add more features.

The dog park has been an addition visitors have been asking for.

It will be free to the public and is expected to open on January 31st.

Abernathy Roofing and Construction goes Toybox shopping

WEBB CITY, Mo. – After you make a Toybox donation, KOAM takes that money and uses it to buy toys to hand out to families in need closer to Christmas.

Our friends at Abernathy Roofing joined us on one of our recent toy shopping trips.

Photojournalist Ty Parks went along to check it out.

 

Pittsburg area women honored for achievements

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Area women are honored in Pittsburg this morning for their achievements.

The award ceremony took place at the Pittsburg State University Overman Student Center. The Pittsburg Area Chambers of Commerce hosted the event.

The breakfast was served to honor the 2023 Women of Distinction and this year’s Kaye Lynne Webb Influential Woman in Business Award winner, Brandee Johnson.

This year’s Women of Distinction winners were:

  • Kelynn Heardt
  • Monica Dawani Angeles
  • Janet Holden
  • Brenda Davis
  • Tess Watson
  • Debbie Clark-Beachner
  • Monica LaForete
  • Lindsay Smith
  • Eva Sager
  • Jessica Jones
  • Katie Merando Falk
  • Katie Swezey

Brandee Johnson to Receive Kaye Lynne Webb Award

“The Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that Pittsburg entrepreneur and business leader Brandee Johnson will receive this year’s “Kaye Lynne Webb Influential Woman in Business” award. The award will be presented at the chamber’s annual Women in Business event on Friday, December 2, at the Pittsburg State University Overman Student Center.

Following a distinguished 15-year career working for leading brands in national and global corporations, Johnson launched LimeLight Marketing in the fall of 2015. In doing so, Johnson created the only digital marketing firm in Southeast Kansas. In just seven years, LimeLight has amassed scores of clients both locally and nationally, and now boasts a team of almost 30 professionals serving companies and organizations around the globe from their newly renovated headquarters in downtown Pittsburg. This success garnered LimeLight Marketing the 2021 Kansas Woman-Owned Business Professional Service Firm of the Year award from the Kansas Department of Commerce, Office of Minority & Women Business Development, and put them on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list.

Johnson has also remained extremely engaged in the community, serving as board chairwoman for the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and as a board member for the Pittsburg State University Kelce College of Business. She also served on the steering committee that led to the creation of the Lord’s Diner.” -Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce

 

 

Arvest Foundation grants a $9k check to local police department

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. – Arvest Bank representatives presented a $9,000 check to the Carl Junction Police Department on behalf of the Arvest Foundation.

Police will use the funds to help buy necessary supplies and trauma medical kits. They can fasten then to officers’ vests in the event of an active shooter situation.

The Arvest Foundation aims to reward individuals who are actively striving to improve the lives of others.

Major areas of focus include:

  • K-12 education
  • Economic development
  • Enhancing the quality of life throughout the Arvest footprint

KOAM’s Ty Parks was there this morning

 

 

 

Local Graduate Nurses continue their education through local hospitals

JOPLIN, Mo. – Local Graduate Nurses were recognized today at Freeman Hospital for their recent accomplishments.

25 local GNs from Crowder College’s Nursing Program have already completed 2 years of schooling as they work to become RNs.

Like a sports signing, these students signed contracts to begin working and gaining experience through local hospital-student programs.

Click here to learn more.

Seneca students collect goods for local food pantry

SENECA, Mo. – Seneca Elementary and Intermediate students wrapped up their friendly competition to see who collected the most food.

Officials say this is an annual event done with Bright Futures, and the class that collects the most food wins a donut party.

Teachers assign each class a food item like cereal or juice, and its up to the students to collect their assigned goods.

This week, all the goods were donated to the Seneca Food Pantry.

Click here to learn more.