Special Education Coop to hold 14th annual Job Olympics

Approximately 150 students in the Wyandotte Comprehensive Special Education Cooperative will gather to learn and practice job skills in a friendly competitive environment.

The students will be a part of the 14th Annual Job Olympics, set for Friday, April 4, at the Bonner Springs PE Center. The event will take place from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. Job Olympics is a competition developed to promote transition and employability skills for a broad continuum of secondary students with disabilities.

Students have the opportunity to practice skills such as sacking groceries, basic carpentry, sorting mail and folding laundry. New events this year will include: food preparation, making change with a cash register, the value of money, sending an e-mail, completing a job application online, typing a Word document, manning a condiment station and first aid.

Medals will be awarded to first through third place winners in each category. All teachers also will pick a winner from their class who will receive a “Hardest Worker” medal.

For more information on the event or to sign up to be a volunteer, contact Cheryl McDonald, [email protected], 913-627-7831; or Dorothy Page, [email protected], 816-838-6920.

County unemployment rate unchanged at 8.5 percent

Unemployment in February in Wyandotte County was 8.5 percent, according to the Kansas Department of Labor.

The rate was almost the same as the previous month, and was down from one year ago, when it was 9.2 percent, according to the figures released this week.

The number of unemployed persons in Wyandotte County was counted as 5,827 in February.

Linn County had the state’s highest unemployment rate with 9.5 percent, with Wyandotte County second highest.

Statewide, the unemployment rate in February was 4.9 percent, up slightly from 4.8 percent in January and down from 5.6 percent one year ago.

It was the first time in more than five years that the state unemployment rate has remained under five percent for three straight months, officials said.

During the month in Kansas, government gained 8,800 jobs; other services added 600 jobs; professional and business services were up 500; and education and health services were up 500, according to state statistics.

Reporting job losses statewide over the past month were construction, which dropped 2,500; manufacturing, which lost 800; and trade, transportation and utilities, which decreased 800 jobs.

 

Mild weather in today’s forecast

Friday should be a day without rain or storms, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 51 today, and skies will be partly sunny. A north wind will be around 6 mph.

Tonight’s low will be around 34.

Saturday, look for temperatures of 60 and sunny skies.

Sunday, temperatures rise to 73. Sunny skies and south winds of 13 to 18 mph, increasing to 19 to 24 mph, are in the forecast. Wind gusts could reach 32 mph on Sunday.

Sunday night brings a chance of showers after 1 a.m.

Monday’s forecast is mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

For those who are interested in planting a garden, take note: temperatures could reach a low of 32 degrees on Monday night.