Tag Archives: My Town – Pittsburg

How a revolutionary book has ties to southeast Kansas

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PITTSBURG, Kans. — One of the most important books in American literary history has direct ties to Girard and Pittsburg, Kansas. It was one of the most influential and shocking books in American history.

A Girard-based Socialist newspaper called “The Appeal To Reason” hired a then-unknown writer named Upton Sinclair. Sinclair was tasked with infiltrating the Chicago meat-packing industry and write about what he saw. At first, the newspaper only printed sections of Sinclair’s work before it was eventually published in its entirety in book form. It lead to sweeping labor law reform.

“There were changes in the food industry. Teddy Roosevelt was the President, he was incensed when he first saw what was in the book and he really didn’t think it was real, it was true, and he quickly found out that it was and there were changes made in the food preparation and meat industry,” said Steven Cox, University Archives.

But the story didn’t end there. Workers were cleaning out a house in Girard several decades ago when they discovered hundreds of pages of what turned out to be Sinclair’s own handwriting. They turned over the papers to then-University Archivist Gene Degruson.

“He compiled from the various newspapers that we have in our collection – the serialized version of it, put it all together then started really comparing it to the book and realized there was stuff left out of the book. And so he publicized a few years after that the sort, or the suppressed or lost edition of ‘The Jungle,'” said Cox.

Degruson appeared on the NBC Today Show back in 1989 to promote the unabridged version.

Sinclair said about his book, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident, I hit it in the stomach.”

PSU international students adjust to life in America

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PITTSBURG, Kans. — Beginning next week, students from all over the Four States will leave their homes behind and start their college careers at Pittsburg State. Other newcomers to PSU are from the other side of the world.

This week, foreign students are getting acclimated to the culture shock of life in the American Heartland. But Gracie Ruble says international students aren’t anything new to the university. She says there are over 100 students from 25 different countries.

“We care a lot at our International office and I think just Pitt State as a whole, about making sure they feel comfortable. So just during the orientation process, what we do is we help put them into groups and just as a great way to help them feel not so isolated and alone,” said Ruble.

“And it’s my first time in the USA, so it’s a good experience and opportunity to get international experience, get a better education,” said Azizkhon Hojiakbarov, From Uzbekistan.

Some international students are only spending a semester at Pitt State, while others will be there for two years to finish off their bachelor’s, while others will be there all four years.

Ruble says students have the option of being paired with an American family, an American student, or other foreign students during their stay at the university.

Back-to-School shopping impacts local economy

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PITTSBURG, Kans. — If you have to go out and shop for back-to-school items, why not shop local? That’s what the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce is asking residents to consider doing. Chamber President Blake Benson says there is a ripple effect for every dollar spent in your town.

“When you spend a dollar in your local community, 68 cents of that stays in your community because then that store owner, they pay their employees, their employees then go out and also support local businesses. When you go to another community, 100% of that dollar stays in that community, so your community doesn’t get any of that support,” said Benson.

In addition to helping area merchants during very challenging economic times, Benson says it also generates sales tax dollars which help provide residents with local services.

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.

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.