Local News - The Morning Sun

Local governments wrestle with mill levies

Exclusive subscriber content

GIRARD, Kan. — The Crawford County Commission on Friday approved the 2024 budget. Although the commissioners actually lowered the county’s mill rate from 48.39 to 46.94, they elected to … more

By Dustin R. Strong / [email protected] | 9/16/23

Lisa Ayala, M.D., was recently announced as the new family medicine physician at Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHCSEK). She will provide care at CHCSEK’s Pittsburg South clinic, located at 1011 S. Mount Carmel Place, which offers women’s health services such as obstetrics and mammography.

CHCSEK announces new family physician

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHCSEK) recently announced its new family medicine physician, Lisa Ayala, M.D., who will provide care at CHCSEK’s Pittsburg … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/15/23

Miners Hall Museum to host special program, book signing

FRANKLIN, Kan. — A program and book signing by Juliet Patterson, author of Sinkhole – A Legacy of Suicide, will be held at Miners Hall Museum at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/15/23

Cherokee County Sheriff reminds the community crashes can happen anywhere

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Kan. — Motorists often think a serious crash can only occur on busy highways. However, according to the Kansas Highway Department of Transportation, over half of fatality and … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/15/23

Lindy Lawson (left), president of the Pittsburg Sunflower Kiwanis Club, and Kiwanis member Debbie Hurt Walker (right) awarded the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation grant of $500 to Tess Watson, founder of Dream Big Little One, during a recent Kiwanis meeting. Dream Big Little One is a non-profit organization which seeks to provide beds for children in need in the area and the surrounding communities. Before the meeting started, Walker also presented Watson with a trunk load of handmade pillowcases, quilts, bedding, and stuffed animals — much of it made by the ladies in the Little Balkans Quilt Guild.

Dream Big Little One awarded $500

Lindy Lawson, president of the Pittsburg Sunflower Kiwanis Club, and Kiwanis member Debbie Hurt Walker awarded the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation grant of $500 to Tess Watson, founder of Dream Big Little One, during a recent Kiwanis meeting. more

9/15/23

Amber Chrysler of Joplin and her dogs Peter, a terrier mix, and Kent, a Labrador Retriever, collected quite the haul at last year’s Bark in the Park, winning first and second in Best Trick category, and Peter taking Best in Show.

Bark in the Park returns to Pittsburg

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Presented by the SEK Humane Society and Arck Construction, the ninth annual Bark in the Park returns to the Pittsburg area on Saturday at Schlanger Park. From 11 … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/15/23

Carl Brenner, chief of interpretation and resource management at the Fort Scott National Historic Site as well as the acting superintendent, gave the opening remarks during Thursday’s Special Naturalization Ceremony.

Fort Scott National Historic Site hosts annual naturalization ceremony

Exclusive subscriber content

FORT SCOTT, Kan. — Nearly one hundred people raised their right hands and took the oath to become U.S. citizens during the annual Special Naturalization Ceremony at Fort Scott National Historic … more

By Aaron Pyle / [email protected] | 9/15/23

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover) speaks with SEK residents on Thursday at the Homer Cole Senior Community Center in Pittsburg. Senator Masterson spoke on a variety of issues in a Q-and-A session, including taxes, the Kansas Corporate Commission’s new powerline, and the difficulties in campaigning in today’s political environment.

Senate leadership visits Pittsburg

Exclusive subscriber content

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover) spoke with SEK residents on Thursday at the Homer Cole Senior Community Center. The purpose of his visit was to gain support … more

By Dustin R. Strong / [email protected] | 9/15/23

Pittsburg Mayor Ron Seglie, with Mary Gilpin of the Oceanus Hopkins Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, reads a proclamation declaring the week of Sept. 17 to 23 as Constitution Week in observance of the 236th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. Gilpin and members of the DAR will be visiting area schools throughout next week promoting and celebrating the Constitution.

Mayor declares next week Constitution Week

Exclusive subscriber content

Pittsburg Mayor Ron Seglie, with Mary Gilpin of the Oceanus Hopkins Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, reads a proclamation declaring the week of Sept. 17 to 23 as Constitution Week in observance of the 236th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. more

9/14/23

Building Health delivers report on homelessness to Pittsburg commission

Exclusive subscriber content

PITTSBURG, Kan. — It was standing room only during the Pittsburg City Commission meeting on Tuesday. Officially a work session, the event was streamed live and rolled into the regularly … more

By Dustin R. Strong / [email protected] | 9/14/23

Week-long WritersFest to kick off this Sunday

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The second annual WritersFest, a week of literary- and writer-related events directed by the Pittsburg State University Department of English, will kick off on Sept. 17. It … more

Special to the Morning Sun / [email protected] | 9/14/23

Pittsburg Multigenerational Choir director and Pittsburg High School vocal music teacher Susan Laushman prepares choristers for its upcoming concert, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 30 at Pittsburg’s Memorial Auditorium.

Pittsburg Multi-Gen Choir prepares for concert

Exclusive subscriber content

PITTSBURG, Kan. — With a concert slated for late October, choir members of the Pittsburg Multigenerational Chorus have been practicing at Pittsburg High School every Wednesday and Friday since … more

By Aaron Pyle / [email protected] | 9/14/23

Throughout Wednesday morning, students and faculty at Pittsburg State University gathered in the downstairs area of the Overman Student Center for “Coffee with a Cop,” hosted by the Office of University Police & Public Safety. With the Office of University Police & Public Safety, Pittsburg Police Department and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office in attendance, attendees interacted with the local police agencies and enjoyed a free coffee and bagel courtesy of Einstein Brothers Bagels.

Coffee and camaraderie

Exclusive subscriber content

Throughout Wednesday morning, students and faculty at Pittsburg State University gathered in the downstairs area of the Overman Student Center for “Coffee with a Cop,” hosted by the Office of University Police & Public Safety. more

9/14/23

City of Pittsburg receives KDOT funds to make improvements to intersection

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The City of Pittsburg was awarded $1.5 million from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to complete infrastructure improvements at the intersection of Joplin St. … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/14/23

Pittsburg housing projects receive funding

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Two housing projects in Pittsburg were awarded federal grant funds and tax credits through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), which will go toward 14 new … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/14/23

Approximately 30 teams from across the southeast Kansas region gathered at the Red Iron Activity Center in Columbus on Wednesday for the inaugural Southeast Regional Senior Unified Olympics where athletes competed in several events from speed walking to cornhole.

SOKS hosts first-ever Senior Unified Olympics

Exclusive subscriber content

COLUMBUS, Kan. — A first-of-its-kind Special Olympics Kansas (SOKS) event made its debut this week in Columbus. The 'Southeast Regional Senior Unified Olympics' was held Wednesday … more

By Aaron Pyle / [email protected]\ | 9/14/23

Local artist Liz Darling (left) — who uses watercolor, ink, and various other media for her illustrative, organic paintings that often feature fungi, lunar imagery, and the female body — discusses the creation of some of her paintings during a panel discussion Saturday, Sept. 9 at Toast in Pittsburg. Her works were shown to those who attended by Toast co-owner Heather Lynn Horton (right).

‘The Craft of Art’

Exclusive subscriber content

Mona Jurshak, Allen Childers and Liz Darling, all local visual artists, share insights on their creative processes during a panel discussion hosted by the Pittsburg Arts Council Saturday, Sept. 9 at Toast in Pittsburg. more

9/14/23

A variety of games are offered at Thursday Toast game nights.

Tabletop takes over Toast

Exclusive subscriber content

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Geek culture has become mainstream. From the Marvel Cinematic Universe dominating the box office for over a decade to everyone in love with Baby Yoda from "The Mandalorian," geek … more

By Char Strong / [email protected] | 9/13/23

The Southeast Kansas Recycling (SEKR) Center hosted its Fourth Annual Golf Tournament on Sept. 10 at the Country Side Golf Course. In attendance were, front row, from left: Cassandra Steinbrook, operations manager; Cadence and Maverick Babcock; and Jan Hula, development coordinator. Second row, from left: Kim Brewer, Country Side Golf Course; Ashley Babcock; Vicki Babcock; Adam Babcock; and Jim Triplett, SEKR president. Back row, from left: Rachelle and Ezra Babcock. The Tournament was recently re-named the Jerry Wayne Babcock Memorial Golf Tournament in honor of the previous operations manager, who passed away in April. SEKR and the Babcock Family is thanking the 60 participants who attended, as well as the sponsors who made the event possible.

Recycling Center hosts annual golf tournament

Exclusive subscriber content

The Southeast Kansas Recycling (SEKR) Center hosted its Fourth Annual Golf Tournament on Sept. 10 at the Country Side Golf Course. more

9/13/23

On Wednesday, Sept. 13 and Thursday, Sept. 14, U.S. 400 at Cherokee will be closed to allow the South Kansas & Oklahoma (SKOL) Railroad to make repairs to the railroad crossing.

U.S. 400 at Cherokee to close for railroad crossing repairs

CHEROKEE, Kan. —The South Kansas & Oklahoma (SKOL) Railroad plans to close and repair the crossing on U.S. 400 at Cherokee on Wednesday, Sept. 13 and Thursday, Sept. 14. The crossing will … more

Staff Reports / [email protected] | 9/13/23