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Pittsburg Mayor Cheryl Brooks says there's much to be thankful for in Pittsburg in her year-end message

As the year is winding down, Pittsburg Mayor Cheryl Brooks shared her 2022 State of the City messageon Monday. KRPS's Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Brooks was first elected to the Pittsburg City Commission in 2019 and was named Mayor earlier this year. In her year-end message, she spoke about ongoing projects such as the 4th street bridge project and the major construction project at the intersection of E. Quincey and S. Rouse.

Brooks, a lifelong Pittsburg resident and long-time business owner in the community, says that she believes the city has pivoted from being a place you move away from in your late teens and early '20s and relocate back to when you want to raise a family. To an all-around location where people want to live their entire lives.

"It's come a long way since I was little. I mean, if you would look at how things used to be compared to what they are now. It's a big change, and I know that every generation changes. But Pittsburg has been growing. And it's definitely a place that I see children staying here forever, hopefully, knock on wood."

Brooks also cited new housing projects in the community and the difficulty getting companies to develop housing in southeast Kansas. For 89 9 KRPS, I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro

Since 2017 Fred Fletcher-Fierro has driven up Highway 171 through thunderstorms, downpours, snow, and ice storms to host KRPS’s Morning Edition. He’s also a daily reporter for the station, covering city government, elections, public safety, arts, entertainment, culture, sports and more. Fred has also spearheaded and overseen a sea change in programming for KRPS from a legacy classical station to one that airs a balance of classical, news, jazz, and cultural programming that better reflects the diverse audience of the Four States. For over two months in the fall of 2022 he worked remotely with NPR staff to relaunch krps.org to an NPR style news and information website.

In the fall of 2023 Fred was promoted to Interim General Manager and was appointed GM in Feburary of 2024.
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