The Morning Sun

You can take Jatinder Kumar out of India, but you can’t take the India out of Jatinder Kumar. Kumar, a Pittsburg State University graduate who traveled to the U.S. in 2007 to further his education, was among the crowd of hundreds at Sunday night’s Diwali festival, an annual celebration hosted by PSU’s Indian Student Association. Full Story »

Pittsburg firefighters secure a car turned on its side during a simulated accident Monday afternoon as part of a week-long certification for EMS through the state. Interim Pittsburg Fire Chief Scott Crain said firefighters would be working on everything from lifting and stabilizing vehicles to assisting patients in confined space and patient extrication. Full Story »

The city of Girard has hit its Low-to-Moderate Income threshold, meaning that the city will be eligible for extra grant funding in the future. Full Story »

Nearly everybody agrees health care reform is needed — but there are different opinions on just how the current system should be changed. That was the general conclusion Sunday from a national health care forum sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Southeast Kansas. Full Story »

The Pittsburg Public Library may get its new entry after all. After initial bids came in too high for a new east entry vestibule, staff went back to the drawing board, including passing a contract amendment with Williams Spurgeon Kuhl & Freshnock Architects, Inc., to cover additional geotechnical expenses on the property. Full Story »

USD 250 Board of Education members heard grim news about possible cuts to state funding for education during the Monday board meeting. On the bright side, the board also heard from two groups that want to assist with school improvements. Full Story »

Do you expect the health care bill to pass through the U.S. Senate? ( trends ) Full Story »

Pvt. Joseph Foster took a bullet in the leg during the Fort Hood shooting rampage. He pauses when he's asked about the mayhem, then credits a stout heritage with bringing him through the ordeal and leaving him eager for his scheduled January deployment to Afghanistan. Full Story »

Don't look for the Senate to quickly follow the House on health care overhaul. Full Story »

The Indian Student Association, one of Pittsburg State University’s largest international student groups, put on quite the show Sunday during the annual Diwali festival. Full Story »

The glow from a health care triumph faded quickly for President Barack Obama on Sunday as Democrats realized the bill they fought so hard to pass in the House has nowhere to go in the Senate. Full Story »

He was coming back to town anyway, so why not bring along a country music superstar? Platinum recording artist Jason Aldean headlined a major charitable event in Fort Scott on Saturday created by native son and Atlanta Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche. Full Story »

Since the economy began its free fall a little more than a year ago, jobs have been slashed, hours have been cut and wages have decreased. It seems that the only thing that has gone up is the unemployment rate and the number of people who need help. Full Story »

The combination of a stray animal problem that continues to get worse and a city ordinance that is too vague to effectively deal with the issue has caused headaches for Arma City Administrator Tim Schook. The first part of the problem is simply that too many Arma residents let their pets run free throughout the city. In 2008, Arma police received about 310 calls from concerned citizens reporting ... Full Story »

Carol Slack, of Pittsburg, takes a carriage ride with her grandson, Colton Doll, of Wichita, on Saturday during the Christmas Open House in downtown Pittsburg. Carousel Carriage of Chanute, owned and operated by Mary Jordan, provided the rides. Full Story »

Dr. Alexander Konopelko’s fascination with outer space may have been influenced by pop culture, but his scientific research in astrophysics these days is without a doubt far beyond the average star gazer – both intellectually and in proximity. “I watched a lot of movies about space research growing up. I loved Star Trek,” said Konopelko, a physics professor at PSU whose area of study focuses on ... Full Story »

Two Pittsburg State University ROTC teams earned top placement at a Ranger Challenge competition held Oct. 24 at Camp Dodge near Des Moines, Iowa. Full Story »

The local Salvation Army will begin its annual kettle campaign in less than two weeks, and more bell-ringers are needed to help the organization meet its fundraising goal. Full Story »

Throughout the year, there are numerous times when the weather ruins, delays, postpones, hinders or washes out events. It seems like the weather is the cause of a lot of bad news and little good news. Full Story »

The Salvation Army Coat program has been a smashing success, said Gary Gugala, Salvation Army captain. Full Story »

Citing a difficult budget and rising health care costs, the Crawford County Commission Friday approved a contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas. Full Story »

When Northeast High School began its affiliation with Kansas Association for Youth two years ago, its charter members vowed that their school would one day host a major KAY conference. Full Story »

When state revenues drop, it affects almost everything that the state does. Full Story »

Today Board of Regents’ Chair Jill Docking of Wichita issued the following statement regarding the new Fiscal Year 2010 state revenue estimates that were released yesterday: “Throughout the current budget crisis, the state’s public higher education system has consistently demonstrated its appreciation for the difficult challenges confronting state policymakers.  As policymakers have sought to ... Full Story »

The unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent for the first time since 1983 — and is likely to go higher. Full Story »