Month: December 2021

Winter Speakers Series to start Dec. 11 at Grinter Place

Grinter Place will kick off its Winter Speakers Series at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11.

David Meditz will speak about George Washington Jackson, a Wyandotte County citizen who had ties to the late President U.S. Grant, according to Pat Spencer of the Grinter Place Friends.

The Dec. 11 presentation will include information about a Spanish-American War infantry unit with almost all Wyandotte County residents.

Grinter Place is a state historic site at 1420 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The museum is the 1857 home of Moses and Annie Grinter. Moses Grinter ran a ferry across the Kansas River and was the postmaster in the area.

There is no admission charge for the speakers series. Questions and answers will follow the program, which is expected to be 30 to 45 minutes long.

Tours of the Grinter House will be available. The historic house is decorated for Christmas in the style of the 1850s.

Light refreshments including cinnamon rolls, coffee and tea, will be served on Dec. 11, Spencer said.

Other dates in the Grinter Winter Speakers Series include Jan. 15, Louise Crable, Wyandotte County historian, “Plants and Herbs of the Grinter Era”; Feb. 12, Wyandot Nation of Kansas, Principal Chief Judith Manthe, Wyandot tribal history and culture; and March 12, Bill Nicks, Wyandotte County historian and re-enactor, who has a sunflower collection, will speak on sunflowers since 1861.

In the event of inclement weather, contact the organization to see if the event will still be held. Masks are required for indoor events.

For more information, visit the Grinter Place Friends Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GrinterPlaceFriendsInc or call 913-334-2500.

Statewide virtual job fair today, Thursday

This week marks the KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair.

Kansans seeking employment opportunities are encouraged to participate in the Virtual Job Fair beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8, and ending at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9.

The event will give job seekers the opportunity to meet virtually with multiple businesses. Candidates will be able to upload their resumes to their Virtual Job Fair account as well as live chat and conduct interviews through any digital device such as a computer, tablet or mobile phone.

Registration for the virtual job fair is at https://app.premiervirtual.com/events/c5752352-e113-4d34-acaf-860c97942c71/kansasworks-virtual-statewide-job-fair.

Kansas has conducted 11 virtual job fairs since the first one in 2020. Hundreds of employers and registered job seekers participated in each online job fair.

“KANSASWORKS’ continued efforts to connect qualified job seekers with meaningful employment are making a difference across our state,” Lt. Gov. and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “We are committed to continuing virtual job fairs and other thoughtful strategies to strengthen our workforce and create the best possible job opportunities statewide.”

Those wishing to take part in this week’s virtual job fair must register, regardless of previous participation. Job seekers can find open positions listed on the registration page and are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers may request to engage in a video interview during the virtual job fair.

The Virtual Statewide Job Fair portal features a Job Seeker Training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and login.

The next scheduled KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair is set for Feb. 16 and 17.

Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at 877-509-6757 prior to the events.

KCK school board reflects on violent incidents

The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education paused for a moment of silence and prayer at its Dec. 7 meeting to reflect on student lives that were lost in a violent incident over the weekend.

The district lost a student to a shooting on the weekend on Southwest Boulevard, then another youth was killed in an accident as she was running from the scene.

Additionally, there was a threat of violence at some area high schools on Monday, resulting in some students staying home.

“Anytime we lose a life in this community, or any, it’s senseless, and something that we all need to work together on to put an end to,” said Randy Lopez, board president.

Dr. Anna Stubblefield, superintendent, offered condolences to the families, students and staff who lost family members to gun violence this past week.

She thanked the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Police Department and the KCK police for their response to social media threats that occurred this week.

“The safety and health of our students is our top priority, and we will not take any threats to our school campuses lightly,” Superintendent Stubblefield said.

Student Services initiated the crisis response team to address any questions from students or those who may have heard of the incidents or been affected by it, she said.

Dr. Stubblefield said the district will continue to be vigilant to find out the source of the social media post. She thanked those who let the district know about the posts.

Lopez also extended condolences to the families of students who died over the weekend, and said the district would do everything possible to keep students healthy and safe.

“The recent violence that has resulted in death occurring to former students is unacceptable, and the threats of violence against any individual or school is wrong and unacceptable,” Lopez said. “We must put an end to violence in our community. We can’t do that alone.”

He said everyone in the community needs to come together to love and support the students.

“Violence is never the answer, and our administration and police department will continue to work to keep us all safe,” he said.

“We should not have to mourn the loss of another student,” Lopez said. “I’m asking you to please put an end to the violence and come together as a community to heal.

“For the families that are mourning, I’m so sorry,” Lopez said. “We will rally around you and rally as a community to show the love, the healing and the resilience that we have.”