Kiowa County / Greensburg 6-2-08 to 6-8-08

KIOWA COUNTY/GREENSBURG
Public Information Update
Monday, June 2, 2008 – Sunday, June 8, 2008

FARMERS MARKET EACH SATURDAY
The Greensburg Farmers Market is back bigger than ever! Brought to you by the Kiowa County Extension Office, City of Greensburg, and Greensburg GreenTown, the market intends to attract vendors from the local area offering fresh produce, baked goods, and other specialty items.

We are looking for more vendors. If you have something to sell, please contact Kiowa County Extension Agent Pam Muntz at 723-2156.

Vendors are responsible for bringing their own display tables and collecting their own sales tax. Each seller agrees to pay 10% of their day’s sales as their fee for doing business at the Market.

Following is a listing of the kinds of items the Market is looking to attract:
· fresh produce from area gardens and farms
· fresh herbs
· cut flowers
· potted plants and flowers
· eggs (please contact the Extension Office for specific regulations related to the sale of eggs)
· baked goods (except those containing milk)
· locally-made craft items
· nuts
· honey
· vinegars
· jams and jellies

Regulations prohibit the following items from being offered for sale:
· fresh meat and fish
· dairy products of any kind (including cream pies and cheese cake)
· flavored oils
· home canned products (with the exception of jams and jellies)

If you are a consumer who is looking to support local food production, here is a great opportunity! Show your neighbors that you are interested in eating locally, saving on gasoline, and keeping the local economy healthy. Demonstrate to your family how much you care about them by serving them the highest quality foods that the area has to offer.

Tell your friends and neighbors about the Market! Come on down to Davis Park on Saturday from 9 – 11 a.m.!

REGISTER TO VOTE
After the building construction is done and the boxes have been unpacked, stop by the Kiowa County Clerk’s Office to re-register to vote at your new address. Don’t wait until November to register or it will be too late!

KIOWA COUNTY CHAMBER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GROUP
The Chamber Business Development group is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 3, 5:00 p.m. at Brown Auction Center.

The focus of the meeting will be on:
*If we got it right,
*What will year two look like for the business sector of Kiowa County.

We want to stress the importance of county wide input in this meeting, so please tell your friends and bring them with you. Your input is vital to the rebuilding of Greensburg and growth of Kiowa County.

USDA ENERGY MEETING
USDA will be offering an meeting of information for businesses interested in building with the green initiative. The meeting will start at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3 at the USDA Service Center in Greensburg. The meeting will be informal, answering questions and providing information. We know how busy everyone is and will be as concise as possible while being thorough. If you have questions, please contact Jeanette Siemens at jsiemens@sctelcom.net or 770 0233 or Brandon Prough with USDA, brandon.prough@ks.usda.gov.

COMMUNITY POT LUCK DINNER
The public is invited to a Community Pot Luck meal at the Iroquois Center’s (ICHD) Coffee House on Friday, June 6th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. The Coffee House is located in the maintenance building behind Iroquois Center at 610 East Grant. Just bring a covered dish and enjoy visiting with your friends and neighbors. ICHD will furnish coffee, tea, and place settings.

Greensburg Community Blood Drive
The American Red Cross blood drive will be held at the Bethel Mennonite Church on Friday, June 6 from 11a.m. – 5p.m.

Every person who comes in to donate will receive a free T-shirt and will be entered to win a pair of tickets and backstage passes to see Rascal Flatts.

For more information, please contact Cassandra Alcorn at the American Red Cross 316-239-8807 or e-mail alcorncm@usa.redcross.org.

SCKTRO ANNUAL MEETING HELD
South Central Kansas Tornado Recovery Organization had its first annual meeting on May 27, 2008. We reviewed some of our accomplishments for the past year. We are handling 225 cases with the residents of Greensburg and the surrounding areas. Our mission, which is to help meet unmet needs, include help with repair and rebuilding, volunteer labor, donated goods, and spiritual and psychological referrals.

Our main office is 201 N. Main, Haviland Kansas. The phone number is 620-862-5882. Our field office is 615 Illinois in Greensburg, and the phone number there is 620-723-3155. Please call or come in if you need help or have questions.

FEIST YELLOW PAGES
The Feist Yellow Pages are trying to contact businesses that existed in Greensburg prior to the May 4, 2007 tornado. They have removed several names as they do not know the status of the business. If you are interested in a Feist Yellow Page ad, please contact Bob Goth at 620-255-1860.

CONTRACTOR/RECONSTRUCTION INFO
· All contractors must register at City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Contract work is prohibited without registration and/or license. Contractors are responsible for hauling jobsite debris and must plug any sewer lines.
· Building permit applications are available at the Building and Codes office on the square. Hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. Call 620-723-4109 for information about required documentation and information.

KIOWA COUNTY GOVERNMENT
· County Offices are located on the square. Hours are Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
· Court Services and County Attorney are located in the beige trailers located to the north of the courthouse. Hours are Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
· County Commission meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays and the last working day of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Kiowa County Meeting trailer located at 219 S. Oak.
· South Landfill hours are Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The landfill is now charging $3.50 per cubic yard for debris.

KANSASWORKS JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The KansasWorks office is located at 218 N. Main St. Stop by to pick up an employment application or by calling Amber or Christina at 620-723-2030 or 620-388-4993. Hours are Monday –Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Health benefits are provided.

CHURCH SERVICES
· Lighthouse Worship Center is meeting in their temporary facility located at 804 W. Wisconsin. Sunday School starts at 9:30 a.m. Worship and Children’s Church starts at 10:45 a.m.
· First United Methodist Church is meeting in their temporary facility located at 600 W. Lincoln. Worship at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. Contact Pastor Mayhew at 620-723-3338 with questions or concerns
· Catholic Church is meeting in their temporary facility located at 215 W. Morton at 10:45 a.m.
· First Baptist Church is meeting in their temporary facility located at Kyle’s farm ½ mile east, ½ mile north and ¼ mile east of Greensburg. Church begins at 10:50 a.m.
· Peace Lutheran Church is meeting in their temporary trailer at 321 S. Walnut at 11 a.m. For more information, call Pastor Merlyn Lohkre, 620-298-2762.
· First Christian Church is meeting at the SCKTRO Village at 10:30 a.m.
· Faith Tabernacle is meeting at the Greensburg Family Practice temporary facility each Sunday at 10 a.m.
· Greensburg Mennonite Church is meeting at the Mullinville High School Auditorium at 10 a.m.
· Bible Baptist Church is meeting at 605 S. Elm Dr. Sunday School begins at 10 a.m. and Church begins at 11 a.m. For more information call Wesley Carlton at 620-723-2834.

GREENSBURG CITY GOVERNMENT
· City Hall Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.
· City Hall Phone Number is 620-723-2751. The City website is www.greensburgks.org. Check out the website for city services, photos, news and the latest information.
· City Council meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Council work sessions will be held on the Wednesday prior to Council meetings. The meetings and work sessions will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will be held in the Kiowa County Meeting trailer, located at 219 S. Oak.
· Greensburg Planning Commission meetings are held Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Kiowa County Meeting trailer, located at 219 S. Oak.
· Greensburg Trash Routes are running. North/South streets are picked up on Mondays and East/West streets are picked up on Fridays. Trash must be out by 8 a.m. or it will not be picked up.
· Big Well Gift Shop hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The phone number for the gift shop is 620-723-4102.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
· USDA Rural Development – Greensburg office is located in the USDA Service Center, located at 122 E. Illinois. Office hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday, night appointments upon request. For more information, please call 785-628-3081 ext. 4 or 1-800-338-5546 for more information.
· Salvation Army is located in the Barclay College Library. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Contact Deb Folkerts at 620-388-4684.
· Contact U.S. Representative Jerry Moran for assistance with the federal government at 620-665-6138.
· Kansas Housing Resources Corporation is offering several housing reconstruction assistance programs. Call 785-296-5865 or log on to www.kshousingcorp.org.
· Kansas Assisting Recovery Efforts (KARE) is a grant funded outreach project serving the counties of Kiowa, Edwards, Comanche, Pratt and Stafford. Call the Greensburg Office at 620-723-1088, Project cell phone at 785-313-6123 or toll free at 866.327.6578 or e-mail kare1@att.net with questions.
· South Central Kansas Tornado Recovery Organization is providing repair and rebuilding assistance, volunteer labor, donated goods and spiritual and psychological referrals for individuals and families. For more information, call 620-862-5882 or stop by at 201 N. Main St., Haviland.
· United Methodist Recovery Center is located at 322 N. Main in Haviland. Hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Come sign-up for volunteer assistance with clean-up and repair or reconstruction. For more information, call 620-862-5422.
· Hudson Oil Company, H.B. Hudson, founder will provide every family rebuilding or remodeling within the city limits of Greensburg $700. See Tom Corns at the Greensburg State Bank to pick up the application.
· Habitat for Humanity has a Greensburg office located in FEMA trailer B, located SW of the courthouse square. Appointments are available on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Contact Marci Hawks at 316-269-0755 or 316-619-2227.