Tag Archives: My Town

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.

Construction trends in Carthage top last year's numbers

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CARTHAGE, Mo. — 2022 is shaping up to be a busy construction year for the City of Carthage.

2021 saw 155 building permits issued, a total worth $42-million including a multimillion dollar expansion at Schreiber Foods. So far this year, the city has already seen 134 permits, putting them on track to outpace last year’s numbers. That’s everything from businesses to new homes and apartments through the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

“We do have 33 new construction homes being built – which for us that’s quite a bit. We have several commercial structures being built, around seven. And then also we do have some MHDC housing with around 55 units,” said Greg Dagnan, Carthage City Admin.

Total building permits, including smaller projects like plumbing and a new roof, topped 600 last year. That’s also seeing a growing trend in Carthage this year.

Joplin Empire Market marks 5th summer and reflects on progress

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JOPLIN, Mo. — There’s a great list of options if you’re looking for a farmer’s market in the Four States.

But one Joplin site is growing beyond the traditional crafts and vegetables.

“We are in the Empire Market Building. We’re at 931 East 4th Street,” said Lori Haun, Downtown Joplin Alliance.

A spot to buy tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and much, much more.

“Things are good. We’ve got more farmers and more produce this year than we’ve ever had,” said Haun.

She points out it isn’t limited to produce with options for jewelry, homemade soap, decorative glassware, and even the Joplin city flag.

“So just a really fun place to come and get some kind of funny, quirky gifts that are local, that are very Joplin-centric,” said Haun.

Even how you shop has changed since that first season kickstarted by pandemic restrictions.

“During covid, we shifted, within the first couple of weeks, we shifted to an online platform where you could pre-order, and that is ongoing. That’s been a really nice convenient tool. It expands the number of vendors that we have, we actually have some vendors online that are only online. You can just pull up and we’ll load those into your car,” said Haun.

You might think of it as a kind of next-level farmer’s market.

“It really is, City Market is kind of the best thing that’s a super familiar term locally, but we would equate it to Soulard Market in St. Louis or River Market in Kansas City, something like that. That’s a very kind of multifaceted,” said Haun.

Shoppers have been buying locally there since 2018, but that’s just the first floor of the building.

“We now use almost all the whole building every day. The upstairs of the facility are actually offices that we rent out to entrepreneurs and small businesses and other nonprofits and things like that. So, it’s a very low-cost place for them to do business. So, that’s a nice piece of it. The market itself, of course, has vendors and farmers and stuff all day every Saturday all year round,” said Haun.

She points out the permanent structure gives them options not available at a typical farmer’s market.

“You know, it being in a facility gives you a lot of opportunities outside of just setting up tents in the parking lot and it’s a much more structured, much more consistent environment, and a little friendlier for both customers and vendors on Saturdays to, you know, know they’re under a roof and inside walls,” said Haun.

But the building itself is much older and has hosted some very different businesses.

“It’s a 1906 building, originally Joplin Casket Company. So, it’s got a fun story but yeah, I mean, Empire had been here in this building for over 100 years,” said Haun.

Meanwhile, the Empire Market is still evolving with room to grow in the future.

“We’ve got a whole pavilion that we haven’t done anything with that is another 11,000 square feet under a roof that could be expanded,” said Haun.

MSSU creates scholarship in honor of fallen JPD officer

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JOPLIN, Mo. — The memory of a fallen Joplin officer is creating a legacy for the future at Missouri Southern.

It’s the Officer Jake Reed Memorial Scholarship, designed to honor Reed’s sacrifice and support students interested in criminal justice.

The endowed scholarship will be awarded annually. It has a number of supporters already, including the Reed family and Kappa Alpha fraternity, to which reed belonged to.

Four smaller scholarships are also in the works, likely one-time awards, two each in Reed’s name as well as Corporal Ben Cooper.

The two men lost their lives in the line of duty back in March.

Neosho pool to re-open following repairs

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NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho municipal pool will soon be open for business once again.

Just over a week ago the pool was forced to closed because of peeling in the recently applied resurfacing material (seen below). But now, according to the city’s Facebook, repairs have been made and it’s ready to open.

To celebrate the occasion, Neosho Parks Department has announced in conjunction with Neosho YMCA that Friday, June 24th will be a free swim day as well as the pool’s official reopening.

Visitors will be let in at 12:30 PM.

NEOSHO, Mo. — An area pool could soon be back in business again soon.

The Neosho Municipal Pool re-opened for the summer over the Memorial Day weekend. It closed shortly after because chunks of resurfacing material started peeling off the sides, which caused the pool to leak.

A Kansas City-based company had installed a new surface a few weeks before the holiday weekend. That company will do it again at no additional cost to the city.

“The pool will then be treated with the finished product, finished coat on the following day which will be Wednesday, then it has to cure for four days before we can fill it back up and we plan to have the pool back in operation by the end of next week anyway,” said Clint Dalbom, Neosho Parks Director.

Officials say it may be a good idea to call the municipal pool during the middle of next week to make sure they still plan to reopen it on Thursday or Friday.

We’ll keep you updated, as well.