Hello Joplin! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Joplin Empire Market.
📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Joplin? Post it to Joplin photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️
Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Joplin's 'Hopeful Bites' clashes with city on service location (fourstateshomepage.com) — Volunteers with Joplin’s “Hopeful Bites” meal program are at odds with city leaders over serving free lunches on the sidewalk in front of Joplin City Hall. After a city letter citing ordinance and operational concerns, and new worries about food safety, the group pressed the council for answers while the mayor pledged to meet with them to seek a solution.
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2. Joplin High School celebrates early graduation success stories (fourstateshomepage.com) — Early graduates at Joplin High School are wrapping up their credits ahead of schedule, with more than 100 seniors finishing early out of a class of 550. Students like Madelyn Spell and Rahaf Khashan describe how careful planning, online classes, and extra credits opened doors to big next steps, from New York City dance auditions to starting college and pre-med work.
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3. Market Wrap-Up: Monday, Dec. 15 (wlj.net) — Cattle producers around Joplin get a detailed look at Monday’s run at Joplin Regional Stockyards in Carthage, where 11,000 head sold and feeder prices ranged from sharply lower to notably higher. The broader market wrap also tracks national futures, boxed beef values, and Oklahoma auction trends that can influence what local sellers receive in coming weeks.
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4. Police identify victim in Willard murder case (ozarksfirst.com) — Joplin residents are indirectly tied to a Willard homicide case, as investigators say the victim’s caretaker made bank withdrawals in Willard, Joplin, and Springfield before his death. Police have identified the victim and outlined multiple felony charges, while the suspect remains jailed after a denied bond change.
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Ok Joplin! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
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