Latest news with #StateoftheCommunity
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Connections, growth and more discussed at State of Community event
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Empowering the community of Wichita Falls. That's the big goal Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce CEO Ron Kitchens aims for during the State of the Community event. 'Change is good. It is something that we promote,' panelist and Con Potencia Co-Founder, Ismael Duran, said. Duran spoke from an arts and culture perspective. As an art advocate, Duran hopes that community members will continue to see the importance of the arts as a part of their identity. 'It is something that, hey, we have to be a part of,' Duran said. 'The arts and culture within the community need to reflect who we are as a community. That way, everybody can get a sense of pride of the community itself.' Chicago Bear Adrian Colbert, also a Wichita Falls native, echoes that sentiment. But his work has already begun with neighborhood cleanups in District 2. He says while seeds have been planted for growth, he hopes audience members plant more seeds in the community. 'To see everybody together and having people express what they're doing and what they're working on and what they're working towards,' Colbert said. 'It's important because if someone doesn't know what you're doing within the community, then it's hard to be supportive.' The two believe the city is in a good spot to support its goal of growth. 'One step at a time. That's all it takes, is one foot in front of the other,' Colbert said. 'Supporting each other and communicating. Communication is so important, and reaching goals because this is going to take a collective effort and a team effort.' 'The platform that we had, it was nice to have that and have it implanted in people's minds that, 'hey, we are a big part of this community',' Duran said. As the community fosters connection to empower growth. Duran and Con Potencia are gearing up for Loco for Cinco on Saturday, May 3 at Travis Park in downtown Wichita Falls. Colbert is planning another community cleanup soon. Both say they are opportunities for the community to support. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Network with top employers at Ohio University's April career fairs
Ohio University Chillicothe will host two Bobcat Career Fairs in April, offering students and alumni a chance to explore various career paths and connect with potential employers, according to an announcement. The first fair, scheduled for April 22, will focus on business, health services administration, communication and nursing careers. The second, on April 24, will highlight opportunities in law enforcement, criminal justice, psychology, history, social work and sociology. Both events will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shoemaker Center. More: The Chamber of Commerce's State of the Community event provides update on Ross County Employers interested in participating have until April 11 to register. They will be provided with tables, chairs and lunch, and will have the opportunity to meet with students seeking jobs or internships. 'The Bobcat Career Fairs are an opportunity for career exploration and making connections. Student attendees will have the opportunity to network with employers,' said Sarah Dreitzler-Swenson, career development coordinator at OU Chillicothe. Students can expect to meet organizations from a variety of industries, including banking, technology, tourism, insurance, healthcare, social services and education. To help students prepare, three virtual career workshops — Resume Basics, Interview Basics and Professionalism Basics — are planned. Students who complete all three workshops will receive a portfolio for their career fair materials. Swenson also recommends students have their resumes reviewed during a career coaching appointment prior to the event. Participants are advised to wear business casual attire. Those in need of such clothing can visit the Student Resource Center Career Closet in Bennett Hall 129. The April 24 fair will conclude with a fashion show featuring outfits available at the Student Resource Center. More information about Career Services can be found on the Ohio University Chillicothe website. This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Ohio University Chillicothe to host Bobcat Career Fairs April 22 & 24
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Speakers talk education, community needs during Harbor Springs State of the Community
HARBOR SPRINGS — Community leaders and residents met at the Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs on Thursday, March 13 to discuss the State of the Community. The event featured people from various sectors of the Harbor Springs community speaking about the work they're doing in education, business, public safety and more. Bonnie Kulp, executive director of the Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, and Derrick Brown, the board chairman for the chamber, spoke during the event. "Our mission to promote, enhance and contribute to the success of our business community and enrich the visitor experience guides every action we take," Brown said. "Over the past year, we've continued to build on our strong tradition of community engagement and economic development." He added that the chamber has 464 active members, including 46 new ones that joined in 2024. Additionally, there are 74 nonprofit members, many of whom are sponsored by other businesses and community members for their membership. Additionally, the weekly newsletter has more than 4,600 contacts with a 57% open rate. The chamber was also able to award a $3,000 culinary scholarship during the group's 29th annual Taste of Harbor Springs event. Harbor Springs Public Schools Superintendent Brad Plackemeier and Char-Em ISD Superintendent Scott Koziol spoke about their organizations and the opportunities they offer for area students. Plackemeier said the district is lucky to offer as many options as it does for such a small district, with less than 800 enrolled students. From things like robotics to CTE courses to athletics, there are many extracurricular options for students in Harbor Springs. Harbor Springs hosts the audio engineering and video editing, drones and cosmetology CTE courses for the ISD. Next year, Plackemeier said the cosmetology program will likely have students with enough hours to allow them to offer haircuts and facials. Plackemeier also spoke about the status of construction projects taking place in the district, including the new Shay Elementary School. The brand new school is open for its first year. Koziol spoke about the various CTE courses that are available to local students, as well as the funding that goes to each district as a part of the ISD's regional enhancement millage. The 10-year millage proposal allows districts to offer more options and opportunities for their communities. Koziol added that there are 1,300 students in the Char-Em ISD enrolled in its special education services, which cover ages 0-26. More: Harbor Springs schools get ready for summer construction projects City manager Victor Sinadinoski spoke about various projects happening in the city during the State of the Community. For example, Sinadinoski provided information about construction projects coming to Kiwanis Park, the continued work from the planning commission on updating the zoning code and the electrical substation project that is needed to handle the added electrical load during the summer. Additionally, he touched on collaborations between the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society and the city in creating a historical corridor. That partnership will continue with the addition of a locomotive to Shay Park and upgrades to the Andrew J. Blackbird Museum and Shay Hexagon House. More: Harbor Springs Area Historical Society wrapping up fund drive for Main Street projects Harbor Springs Police Chief Kyle Knight celebrated the successes of the past year, including collaborating with Harbor Springs Public Schools to host a School Resource Officer. Since Knight started at the department in 2017, he said he has seen the average age of the staff go down and miles traveled and time on foot patrol go up. "One of my objectives being the chief is to try to get us out on the road," Knight said. "Be visible, be available and just make a difference — and part of that is we do less reports and it's helped us." He also spoke about the department's reaccreditation from CALEA, which they earned again in 2024. Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage Pellston Regional Airport Director Ryan Bachelor spoke about his work at the airport and the impact it has on the community. According to Bachelor, the airport directly or indirectly provides $60 million of economic impact to the region. Bachelor added that one of his goals at the airport is to help update infrastructure. He also hopes to bring more education, mentioning a Char-Em ISD CTE class that teaches area students how to fly and helps them work towards a pilot's license. The airport will see a new flight this summer, bringing even more passengers to Northern Michigan. Back in September, the airport announced that a 4-year contract will allow SkyWest to offer flights to Chicago via United Airlines. More: Pellston Regional Airport to offer flights to Chicago starting next spring Seth Johnson, president and CEO of the United Way of Northwest Michigan, spoke about the group's work and the needs they see in their communities. One statistic Johnson highlighted is that 34% of the people in the United Way's region are considered Asset Limited, income constrained and employed, or ALICE. "I just like to say that means 34% of the households in Emmett County are one flat tire away from an emergency," he said. "They're one flat tire away from really having to make tough decisions, and that's the reality that we have. At United Way, we are working to address that in many different ways." The group works to make sure resources are readily available for people in the community, from housing support to child care to dental care. In Charlevoix and Emmet counties in 2023, Johnson said United We Smile, a free dental clinic offered with the support of University of Michigan School of Dentistry, donated $110,000 worth of dental work. The full 2025 Harbor Springs State of the Community report can be found at — Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@ Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KarlyGrahamJrn. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Harbor Springs State of the Community 2025 speakers give local updates
