Congratulations to three friends of your EDC. The new 600,000-gallon aquarium at the Kansas City Zoo will now be approached via the Randy and Barb Wisthoff Plaza. Announced Wednesday night at Randy’s retirement party, the naming was a reward for the couple’s transformation of our zoo over the last 17 years.
Former Gladstone Mayor and long-time Gladstone leader and Chamber advocate Carol Rudi received the Joe Wally Spirit Award yesterday at the Gladstone Chamber’s luncheon. The award is given to an outstanding citizen in recognition of their continuous support to the Chamber and the Gladstone Community.
Your Clay County EDC has organized a transportation summit to be held this Monday at the Yates-Gill Union 221-222 on the campus of William Jewell College (northwest corner of the quad) in Liberty from 2-3 PM. Congressman Sam Graves, the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has agreed to attend. Also on the panel will be MoDOT’s Director Patrick McKenna. Rounding out the panel will be Ron Achelpohl the Director of Transportation and Environment for the Mid America Regional Council, Jerry Nolte the Presiding Commissioner of Clay County who serves on both the MARC Board and Total Transportation Policy Committee and EDC member Valerie McCaw the President of VSM Engineering who will present the Northland’s priority list.
Please hold the date for December 15th as we will have our Keystone Awards luncheon.
Please join us today for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house celebrating the new home of The Story Center at Mid-Continent Public Library today. This event marks a new chapter for the historic home on the Woodneath Library Center campus, which will serve as a regional center for storytelling. This special project was made possible by the generous donations of local foundations, civic partners, businesses, and community members. There is a ribbon cutting at 4:00 with the open house running from 4:30-6:30. The Woodneath Library Center is located at 8900 NE Flintlock Road, Kansas City, MO 64157. No registration is required. For more information or to request accommodations, please contact Diana Reiter at 816-521-7260 or dreiter@mymcpl.org.
The Northland CAPS program is looking for possible opportunities for their student associates for Spring 2022. Internship experience will take place during normal Northland CAPS class time, 7:30 am – 10:00 am (some AM companies have an 8:00 am start time due to the starting time for their company) for AM associates and 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm for PM associates. These will be unpaid internships for the spring semester. Northland CAPS internships meet IRS guidelines for unpaid internships. Fifty percent of these unpaid internships have been converted to paid opportunities with companies, proving to be a powerful tool in workforce development. These opportunities for Spring 2022 would be from January 18th – May 6th, Tuesday – Friday each week, all students report back to their classrooms on Mondays. We post all available positions by late October, so students can apply in early November and interview with companies in December. These opportunities would be in-person with businesses at their site, students provide their own transportation to locations. If you would like to offer an opportunity just complete this request: www.northlandcaps.org/internshipand they will follow up with you on next steps.
The Mid-Continent Public Library has upcoming Square One classes for Canva for Food Business December1st and 8th and Business Model Canvas Workshop also on December 8th.
Your EDC wants to make sure you know of the great resources provided by our state that address job seekers, employers and our community. The information provided at https://jobs.mo.gov/is both relevant and timely. You can also reach them at 1-888-728-JOBS (5627).
Are you tired of having to get permission to hunt on someone else’s land? Want some acreage and a hunting lodge or event center near Chillicothe? Your EDC is working with Whitetail Properties to sell a piece of property that currently belongs to us. Take a look here.
Did you know that your EDC provides small business loans through our partnership with Midwest Small Business Financing? We want to put your business into buildings and purchase the required fixed assets. Our rates include the Small Business Administration fees and are currently 3.666% for ten years, 3.495% for 20 years and 3.612 for 25 years. Please contact us with any questions. You can read about upcoming SBA trainings and get more information about the SBA’s Resource Partner Training here.
Your EDC helps to sponsor weekly educational programs designed to engage, educate and accelerate communities of entrepreneurs and small business owners. Hosted in-person by iWerx, 1520 Clay Street, North Kansas City, MO 64116, Coffee Connect starts at 7:45 and the program begins at 8. To sign up or for more information click here.
Your EDC’s Friday Facts is your go-to read to see what is happening in our County. We want you to see Clay County while spending your disposable income right here:
Today Level Up Kids 20th anniversary open house November 19th 8-10AM 5416 NE Antioch Rd.
Today North Kansas City Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting November 19th 6-8
Tonight Monster Jam Thunder Alley through November 21 at Worlds of Fun
This weekend Kearney High School presents Cinderella November 16-20
This weekend Liberty High School presents Oklahoma November 18-20th
This weekend Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Corbin Theatre November 18-21
This weekend Winnetonka High School presents SUESSICAL THE MUSICAL – November 19 – 20
This weekend Staley High School presents GREASE – November 19 – 20
This week Gladstone Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting November 23rd 6:00 at Linden Square
This week Kearney Education Foundation’s Turkey Trot 5K November 25th
This week Hillcrest Hope of Liberty’s Giving Thanks 5KNovember 25th
North Kansas City Business Council’s BIG EventDecember 2nd 5:30-7:30
Smithville’s Candyland Christmas December 4th noon – 5:30
Liberty’s Hometown Holidays December 4th from 2-5PM
Excelsior Springs Second Weekends December 10-12th
Excelsior Springs Taste of Christmas December 11th noon-5
Kearney’s Magical Night December 12th 6-9PM
Photos and Cookies with Santa & Mrs. Claus December 11th noon-3 at the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum
Click on the school of your choice to see their calendar of events. Excelsior Springs, Kearney, Smithville, Liberty, Liberty North, North Kansas City, Winnetonka, Oak Park, Staley, St. Pius, Kansas City Christian and Platte County R-3 (yes, part of their district is in Clay County).
The Northland Education and Business Alliance now has its own YouTube channel. This organization just continues to grow and get things right and your EDC is proud to be a part of it. Feel free to view the dozens of videos from various career opportunities right here in Clay County.
