issue 1 volume 5 may 2014
54 Joplin hospitals 56 Giving blood 62 Geriatric services
CHAPTER 2 Diversity, Ingenuity Drives the Area
CHAPTER 4 - Medical Hub
16 EaglePicher 18 TAMKO 20 Empire District 24 Leggett & Platt 26 Ott Food Products 28 Schreiber Foods 30 Cardinal Scales 32 La-Z-Boy 34 Pitsco 36 Mobile apps
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CHAPTER 5 - Keeping it Fun
66 Entertainment/music venues 68 Casinos 74 Joplin Outlaws 76 Miracle Field 78 Joe Becker 80 Professional soccer 82 Millenium Tennis 84 Rivers and lakes CHAPTER 6 Shaping Minds for the Future
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CHAPTER 3 Homemade and Homespun
40 Specialty foods 44 Candy House 46 Breweries/Wineries 50 Crafters/Artists
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90 MSSU 92 PSU 94 Crowder College 96 NEO Parting Shot
THE J TEAM
THE JOPLIN GLOBE
EDITOR Kevin McClintock Phone: 417.627.7279 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: kmcclintock@joplinglobe.com
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Mike Beatty Phone: 417.627.7291 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: mbeatty@joplinglobe.com
MAGAZINE WRITER Ryan Richardson
EDITOR Carol Stark Phone: 417.627.7278 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: cstark@joplinglobe.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andy Ostmeyer • Wally Kennedy Emily Younker • Susan Redden Andra Bryan Stefanoni • Roger McKinney Joe Hadsall • Jim Henry Mark Schremmer • Jordan Larimore Katie Lamb • Michael Coonrod David O’Neill • Bobbie Pottorff Jeff Lehr • Richard Polen CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Roger Nomer Laura Sisk T. Rob Brown Ryan Richardson B.W. Shepherd Michael Coonrod COVER DESIGN Allison Ezell GRAPHIC DESIGN Publications Press, Inc. CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Brian Huntley Regina Carnahan Michael Duntz Allison Ezell Lindsey Gregory
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Brent Powers Phone: 417.627.7233 E-Mail: bpowers@joplinglobe.com SALES MANAGER Janette Cooper Phone: 417.627.7236 Fax: 417.623.8550 E-Mail: jcooper@joplinglobe.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jack Kaminsky Phone: 417.627.7341 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: jkaminsky@joplinglobe.com DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINES Julie Damer Phone: 417.627.7323 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: jdamer@joplinglobe.com J Mag is a publication of Newspaper Holdings Inc. and is published monthly. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter. The publisher assumes no responsibilty for return of unsolicited materials.
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8 Rebuilding Joplin 13 Builders and volunteers
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CHAPTER 1 - Making it Home Again
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from the editor
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Sometimes we tend to take for granted the town that we live in, the area that surrounds us, and we are often blinded to the neat little things about our town and the Four State area that makes it so unique. Which is why the title of our super-sized May edition is called “We Make It Here.” To that end, we are highlighting all the areas that makes Joplin and our area unique, like no other place found anywhere in Missouri or the U.S. We take detailed look at foods created here, unique artists, businesses and industry.
• Within 40 miles of your doorstep are three established wineries and a small-town brewery? • Joplin is unique in that it has two major, regional hospitals inside its borders? • There are nine major casinos with 10,000-plus slots within a 35-mile radius? • Forget Iowa — Joplin has its own ‘Field of Dreams’? • Venerable Joe Becker Stadium has hosted baseball since 1913?
For instance, did you know that...
• There are four major recreational/fishing/resort lakes within 85 miles of Joplin?
• Empire Electric employees and volunteers, since 1987, have given tens of thousands of gifts to area children during the holidays?
Additionally, this edition marks the start of the fifth year for J MAG, and my first year as editor. We thank you for your support and feedback over the last 48 issues and look forward to bringing you many more.
• Webb City’s Cardinal Scale has been manufacturing industrial scales since 1950? • Three teachers on a budget of just $50 established the Kansas-based Pitsco back in 1971? • The Joplin metro area is home to hundreds of restaurants, cafes and bakeries, many creating and displaying unique tastes only found here?
As always, you can reach us here by e-mail at kmcclintock@joplinglobe.com, by mail at J MAG, 117 E. Fourth St., Joplin, Mo., 64801, by phone at 417.627.7279, or you can find us on Facebook.
Kevin McClintock Editor, J MAG
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• There are two major universities and two hugely-successful two-year institutions within 40 miles of Joplin?
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• TAMKO creates in just two weeks enough shingles to repair every Joplin roof damaged by the 2011 tornado?
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• EaglePicher has introduced a revolutionary grid energy management system that can control and regulate the supply and demand of power, saving money across the board?
• Joplin now fields its own professional soccer team?
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In 2004 Twistersafe saw a need to design a better saferoom. We used our extensive welding, manufacturing and engineering experience to design and build the very first Twistersafe. It out performed all of FEMA testing requirements. February 2005 we displayed at Joplin HBA home garden show, with a disappointing response to a safe room no one had ever seen before. People would tell us these would never hold up to a large tornado, however we knew better and continued on the path to save lives. Then it happened. May 10th, 2008 EF 4 tornadoes destroyed much of Picher, OK. Moved east hitting a home with a Twister safe installed. Skepticism continued until Joplin EF 5 TORNADO. After having more then 7 Twistersafes hit and still standing and saving countless lives Twistersafe has grown into the premier safe room manufacturer in the area. Each room is custom built and installed from a small sit down style room to massive commercial saferooms including a bolt together as well as custom doors. Experience counts! Choose Twistersafe, your life might depend on it...ARE YOU TWISTER SAFE?
Making it Home Again
chapter 1 REBUILDING JOPLIN BY WALLY KENNEDY PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA SISK
Joplin poised for growth Churches, businesses played important roles getting city on its feet
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t has taken three years and more than $1 billion in new construction for Joplin to get back on its feet after the tornado of May 22, 2011. Most of the businesses have come back. Most of the churches have come back. All of the schools will be back this fall. Since the storm, more than 1,280 homes have been permitted for construction in Joplin. Another 203 apartment buildings and duplexes also have been rebuilt. Nursing homes are returning, too.
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City officials estimate that Joplin’s population of 50,150, according to the 2010 census, declined only 4 to 4.5 percent because of the tornado that wiped out one-third of the city. Despite the loss of population, there is a sense now that Joplin has put down a foundation for its future over the last three years and that Joplin’s destiny is of its own making now. “The Joplin community is in a phenomenal position at this point in time,” said David Wallace, with Wallace Bajjali Development Partners, the city’s master developer. “Look at where we are. We have brand new 8
“Wildwood Ranch is taking off,” she said. “It’s opening up that whole area. That’s good news. Instead of hearing from builders in Webb City or at Briarbrook, I’m hearing from builders at Wildwood Ranch.” A new 170-room skilled nursing home recently opened in Wildwood. A new fire station has been built near there. St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the elementary school are under construction nearby.
Monaghan, who rode out the tornado by jumping into the bathtub at the old rectory near 25th Street and Moffet Avenue, said, “For the congregation, this has been uplifting to watch the construction of our new church and school.” Joplin High School also will reopen in August. Soaring Heights and Irving Elementary Schools, and East Middle School reopened in January.
A Fun Place To Shop!!!
Of the 29 churches that were destroyed or damaged by the tornado, only three did not come back. The recovery of those churches and those that survived outside of the tornado zone played a key role in getting
Underscoring how bullish he is, Wallace said, “Joplin is poised to accelerate its growth and its economy beyond anytime it has ever seen in its history.”
Spring Fashions Arriving Daily!
Housing growth Crystal Harrington, director of the Home Builders Association of Southwest Missouri, views the opening of Mercy Hospital Joplin in March 2015 as a catalyst for that growth. “The Mercy recruiting department will bring a lot of new talent to Joplin. These will be new doctors and people with hightech jobs,” she said. “When that happens,
Goodwill
Now Open In Joplin & Carthage 2102 Range Line Rd. (Joplin) 132 W. George Phelps (Carthage)
The new Irving Elementary School stands near the intersection of 32nd Street and McClelland Blvd. The new building replaces the old school destroyed in the storm.
Hours: M—S 9—6:30 pm Sun—Noon til 6 pm
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Wallace said the goal now is to take Joplin to the next level, using recommendations from CART, the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team, as a blueprint for the future.
An example, she said, is Wildwood Ranch on the west side of Joplin.
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“When you put all of those assets together, you see that Joplin is now in a tremendous position. We need to be shouting that from the rooftops. This is why you would want to move your family or your company to Joplin.”
“I have a builder now who is working on houses for three doctors. The housing market is not booming yet, but it is starting to snowball a bit.”
Father Justin Monaghan, pastor of the church, lives in a home in the development. “We’re going to open the school on Aug. 13, the beginning of the school year,” he said. “The church will open a couple of weeks after Christmas.”
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“We have brand new education facilities that will promote a tremendous attainment of education in the city of Joplin. We have a brand new training school for workplace development. We’ll have brand new cultural assets.
housing is going to go crazy. I’ve said that all along.
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first-class medical facilities that recently have been built or are under construction. What a great regional draw for people in need of health care,” he said.
www.goodwilltulsa.org
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Joplin to the point where it is today. Dan King, secretary/treasurer of the Joplin Ministerial Alliance, said he has visited many of the churches that have recovered from the storm. “In all of these churches, we saw life and activity, and hope and rejoicing in getting back together again — to build back better than they were,” he said. “That spirit was there, that we have come through this together to be better than before.
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“I’ve seen older congregations reaching out to younger people with programs and activities they would not have dreamt of before. The tornado was not a blessing, but God made it a blessing despite the tragic circumstances.”
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‘Church has left the building’ In the aftermath of the tornado, he said local churches “were transformed from something inside the walls to something outside of the walls. It reminds me of my favorite T-shirt that I saw after the tornado. It said: ‘The church has left the building.’ That was symbolic of what we were doing as a faith community.” King said the churches of Joplin contributed far more to Joplin’s recovery than anyone realizes. He estimates that upward of 90 percent of the volunteers who came to Joplin were faith-based. Records show that 182,044 volunteers, including those registered through AmeriCorps and from other
El Vaquero, the popular Mexican restaurant, was one of many destroyed by the EF-5 tornado. It is now back in Joplin and open for business on Main Street. organizations who have reported hours, have served Joplin and Duquesne since May 22, 2011, logging more than 1.5 million hours of service. Home construction has been aided by relief organizations that include Rebuild Joplin, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri and Samaritan’s Purse, which combined have helped build or repair hundreds of homes to date. So far, Rebuild Joplin has constructed 125 homes. The goal for this year is 60. Catholic Charities has repaired or rebuilt 150 homes. Habitat for Humanity recently completed home No. 81 and has several more homes in the works
and others planned. Samaritan’s Purse constructed 15. Harrington said Joplin provides a good base for jobs because of the variety of businesses that operate here. That, coupled with a relatively low cost of living and the rebuilding of new homes, schools, churches, nursing homes and businesses, means Joplin is poised to grow. “We are just primed. I think we’re right at the beginning of where we’re going to blow everybody’s socks off,” she said. “But we must remember that we have paid a tremendous price. We can’t ever forget what has given us this opportunity. We have had to endure a lot of heartache.”
St. Mary’s Church Opening December 2014!!!!!!
St. Mary’s School Opening August 2014!!!!!!
chapter 1 BUILDERS AND VO LU N T E E R S WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY RYAN RICHARDSON
Volunteers key with rebuilding Building homes brick by brick
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our walls. A front door leading into a living room. A porch overlooking a backyard, complete with a swing set and a growing tree for shade. These simple facets of a home were taken away by the May 22, 2011 tornado for many Joplin residents, leaving them to wonder how they could ever get that back. In the months following the clean-up, that answer came from the hands of ready volunteers throughout the country. Through the volunteer coordination efforts of Rebuild Joplin and the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity, those eager volunteers were immediately organized and put to work.
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Executive director of Rebuild Joplin Thomas Corley has helped place nearly 10,000 volunteers on home rebuilding projects throughout the tornado zone. That number is still staggering to Corley.
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James Jacobson marks an additional cut to a length of trim for a door leading to a deck.
“Ten thousand volunteers is a fifth of the weekend population of Joplin and that is amazing to us, even with our small role in connecting those individuals to a job that can be done here,” Corley said. “I think there is a recognition of the outpouring of support from national volunteers to help rebuild Joplin. There is a level of gratitude that I have for these groups that I can’t ever
This house on Jackson Avenue is one of 54 homes Rebuild Joplin volunteers are rebuilding.
“Every two weeks, we will have a new rotation of 10 people who come to assist efforts in Joplin,” Spradling said. “We sent 150 people last year from nearly every office of our
Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity director of development Barbie Huff said the dedication by volunteers has been the single biggest reason that the rebuilding process is where it is. “There are still things to be done and it is going to take a few more years. But it is coming faster than we thought originally. That’s what volunteers have done for Joplin,” Huff said. “We had some folks on the ground almost immediately after the tornado. People were ready to help and have shown back up to help multiple times. We wouldn’t be even close to where we are now without that help from nationally. There wouldn’t be a chance for us to be where we are now.” Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers have finished 82 homes since the 2011 tornado, with plans for another three scheduled to be completed by the end of May. Initial construction has already began on their 2014 projects. “We’ve already poured the foundation on some of our 2014 builds and we are
Though the main face of Habitat for Humanity has been home rebuilding since the tornado, volunteers have been focused on other projects inside of the rebuilding zone through the Habitat for Humanity Brush with Kindness project. Last September, nearly 200 volunteers helped with outdoor beautification projects throughout the city. Building on last year’s success, Huff said that two dates have already been scheduled this year to continue the volunteer project. “We are going to do this again on August second and September sixth because of what we can accomplish in a day,” Huff said. “It is just a day of volunteering, but for some of these homes that we are helping, we are getting them through tasks that they simply couldn’t have done by themselves.” While the volunteer projects have majorly assisted the rebuilding efforts in Joplin, both Corley and Huff agree that it is vital that it needs to continue. “We’re not done here. The notion that the rebuilding process is over is just incorrect. We’re here until the job is done,” Corley said. “While there is certainly a level of true thanks for all of those who have come to help, we’re still in the thick of it. We still need the focus, we still need the support just as much as we did two years ago.”
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In April, for example, Farmers Insurance Group sent a contingent of 10 volunteers from all over the country to assist Rebuild Joplin’s recovery efforts at a project on Jackson Avenue. Group leader Bryce Spradling, a Kansas City resident, said the effort is a company-wide initiative to assist in disaster areas. His group of 10 workers pulled from cities like Austin, Texas to Grand Rapids, MI. encapsulates the cosmopolitan nature of volunteers who have come to work in Joplin.
“When the tornado hit, there was such a concern from us at Farmer’s to help,” Spradling said. “Being on the ground here, you can still see the devastation and where people can still help. That’s why I feel people are still coming out to volunteer.”
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Stephen Czubek places a coat of primer on a door, preparing it for a final paint job once it dries.
During those two weeks, every member of Spradling’s group will put 80 hours into the home on Jackson Avenue.
getting some walls up,” Huff said. “We are anticipating 8 to 10 homes in the next year. I would estimate we will have at least 500 volunteers on the ground through those projects.”
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Through 80 hours of work in a two-week span, volunteers from Farmers Insurance will continue their year-long volunteer efforts in Joplin.
Since the tornado, Rebuild Joplin has completed 73 home repairs and 54 home rebuilds, while being on track for another 70 projects in 2014, thanks to the efforts of volunteers. Though the volunteer effort has dwindled a bit from the initial outpouring, dedicated groups are still showing up to help where needed.
country and we are looking to exceed that this year.”
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forget. Those people are the ones who gave their time to do something selfless.”
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IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE AND IN YOUR BACKYARD Leggett & Platt has been a member of the Four States community since our start in 1883, but our products and people can be found all around the world. Did you know Leggett & Platt components are found in about 80% of cars manufactured in North America, Europe, and Asia? Or that we’re the largest independent manufacturer of bedding and residential furniture components in North America? How about that we own our entire innerspring process from start to finish? And guess what – if your office chair tilts or swivels, we probably had a hand in that too. But even though we have a global reach that includes a wide range of products and 19,000 employees in 18 countries, we’re proud to call the Joplin area home!
Diversity, Integrity Drives the Area
chapter 2 E AG L E P I C H E R BY WALLY KENNEDY PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER NOMER
EaglePicher technologies Finding markets for batteries that store renewable power
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rders are coming in and the prospects for more are encouraging. If the trend continues, EaglePicher Technologies could soon be hiring more people to build its patented PowerPyramid. Based in Joplin, EaglePicher (an OM Group company) has a lengthy history of manufacturing state-of-the-art batteries and power systems for the defense and aerospace industries, with work in recent years to expand its expertise into other critical applications such as energy storage solutions. The PowerPyramid — a hybrid battery that combines old and new systems to form a multi-tiered cell that fits inside a portable cargo container — was unveiled in June 2012 at the company’s plant in the Crossroads Business and Industrial Park in Joplin.
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At that time, the patent for the cell was pending; the company now has a patent on the system, according to Jackie Kennedy, spokeswoman for EaglePicher.
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A detailed shot of the Peak Shaver project, which uses the Power Pyramid, a grid energy battery management system. This system can control and regulate supply and demand of power from wind and solar, integrating it into the grid as needed. It can save money by storing energy when grid energy costs are low at night and then provide power in the daytime when grid energy costs are higher.
The battery system can control and regulate supply and demand of power from wind and solar, integrating it into the grid as needed. It can save money by storing energy when grid energy costs are low at night and then provide
power in the daytime when grid energy costs are higher. When it was unveiled, Randy Moore, president of EaglePicher Technologies, said, “We are here to acknowledge and participate in the start of a new chapter in the story of the energy industry in the United States and quite possibly the world.” While PowerPyramids have dominated EaglePicher’s focus, company engineers also have come up with a new mobile unit that they think will be ideal for military operations in remote areas and for use in response to natural disasters.
Mark Matthews, president of Arista Power, said, “We believe our Power on Demand system is made to order for the New York City market due to New York’s high electricity and demand rates and that there are literally thousands of buildings in the New York City area that are candidates for this system.” EaglePicher also recently installed and commissioned a Power Pyramid system at the ATK launch systems site in Promontory, Utah, and was recently awarded a contract with Carthage Water & Electric Plant for a system there.
The new system will be used by CW&EP officials to learn more about the renewable technologies available and how they might be used by utility customers, according to Chuck Bryant, superintendent of the utility’s electric division.
multiple battery types and sophisticated control systems to address the frequency, duty cycle and storage needs of the conventional and renewable power sources that make up many Department of Defense microgrids.
EaglePicher also was awarded a contract in February from Erigo Technologies LLC of Enfield, N.H. Erigo’s contract, funded under the Department of Defense Rapid Innovation Fund and awarded by the U.S. Corp of Engineers on behalf of the U.S. Northern Command, calls for delivery of an innovative system employing
Dave Lucero, EPT’s Director of Alternative/Grid Energy Storage, said “Not only will it validate our scalable approach for smart microgrid applications, it provides a flexible solution for operations at DOD bases that struggle with electrical power disruptions.”
Kennedy said the concept was inspired by the tornado that struck Joplin on May 22, 2011. The mobile unit will be powered by two sets of solar arrays that provide energy for a number of operations. It will provide a place where emergency personnel and others can recharge their cell phones, and could be a platform for a small cell tower.
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From New York to Utah One of the first PowerPyramid orders was for Arista Power’s “Power on Demand” system for a large multi-story building in New York City. The energy-storage solution is being incorporated into the design of the building to reduce utility costs.
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“This mobile unit will have military and commercial applications,” she said. “We are hoping that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the Red Cross will acquire these for use when they deploy to a natural disaster.”
Matt Housh, program manager at EaglePicher, talks about a mobile unit, powered by two sets of solar arrays, that can provide energy for a number of operations, ideal for military or emergency operations in remote areas responding to natural disasters, such as the 2011 Joplin tornado.
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chapter 2 TAMKO BY ANDY OSTMEYER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER NOMER
TAMKO, a Joplin institution Amid constants, company embraces technology, change
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t was 70 years ago this year that E.L. Craig, at age 69, arrived in Joplin and acquired a streetcar barn where he would begin producing shingles the next spring. His wife, Mary Ethel Craig, named the new company TAMKO, after the five states that represented the company’s original market: Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, and it would soon grow to become one of the region’s largest employers. Today, the old street car line can still be seen next to the plant, and while there might be much that Craig would recognize seven decades later — and shingles are still the heart of the company now known as TAMKO Building Products — there also is much that would surely astound the company founder.
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Giant robotic arms, for example, lift and precisely stack heavy bundles of shingles three at a time — work that used to be done by hand.
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The use of robotics to help stack heavy bundles of shingles helps save injuries, because the job was normally done by hand.
“This helps us work with our brains, not with our backs,” said company spokesperson Ron Cook, during a recent tour of the old street car barn on High Street, where shingles are still made. That technology also helps reduce workplace injuries, which is the goal of the company’s ZISC, or Zero Incident Safety Culture.
Along with shingles, TAMKO today offers cements and coatings, waterproofing, decking material and railing, steel shingles and more. TAMKO has grown from its streetcar-barn birth to become one of the key players in the roofing industry.
While much has changed, there are some constants. One of those is weather.
There’s been one other constant along the way: Craig’s family.
And today, their son, David Humphreys — Craig’s grandson — is president and chief executive officer.
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His daughter, Ethelmae, who went to work for her father in the 1950s, directing TAMKO’s operations, is still there. She has been with the company 65 years. She remains chairman of the board. It was her husband, J.P. Humphreys, who took the company through much of its growth during the 33 years he ran it.
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“Technology is really something TAMKO is embracing,” Cook said.
Cook said about 80 percent of the shingles and roofing material that the company makes are for replacement and repairs, not new houses, and the company can track dramatic hurricane seasons, for example, and large hailstorms through its sales spikes. Tornadoes, even large ones such as the one that hit Joplin in 2011, don’t cause those kinds of spikes. Cook said the High Street plant makes enough shingles in just two weeks to repair all the roofs damaged in Joplin in 2011.
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Recent innovations also include apps for contractors and customers, and a homeowner today could use his iPad to compare decking options and colors, for example, or different shingle colors, or even find a contractor.
A robotic arm precisely stacks shingles onto a pallet at the TAMKO plant on High Street.
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Privately held, TAMKO guards information closely for proprietary reasons, but Cook said that today there are four shingle manufacturers in the United States that have approximately 90 percent of the market, one of those being TAMKO. The company has a dozen manufacturing plants, including in Columbus, Kan., and Lamar, a dozen district offices and warehouses from Salt Lake City, Utah, and Phoenix, Ariz., out west, to Tampa, Fla., in the Southeast. The company’s workforce has grown to about 1,500 people nationwide.
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chapter 2 EMPIRE DISTRICT BY BOBBIE POTTORFF PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Keeping Joplin charged A key part of the community it serves
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ypically, customers don’t really have a choice about which utility company they use. Whether it’s water, gas or electric, choices of service providers are usually governed where a person lives. With that being said, why would a large utility company like Empire District Electric invest time and energy contributing to the communities it serves? The answer is simple… Empire is a part of the communities it serves. “At Empire, giving back to our communities is an important part of who we are,” said Robin McAlester, communications specialist for Empire. “Each fall, our employees open their hearts to support the many agencies included in the United Way family.”
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Empire was recognized as the top large company campaign in Southwest Missouri by the United Way.
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Most people know that Empire District has been providing power to the area since the early 1900s, and an extensive history on the company’s website.
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Empire workers are teamed with students at Jefferson Elementary School during a recent tree planting project.
What’s more interesting than transmission lines and power generation, however, is how this giant company and its 751 employees
“If there is one thing we’d like those who attend to remember about the event, it is the model of planting the right tree in the right place.”
A picture from 2011 showing Empire’s tornado recovery efforts.
In addition to tree giveaways, Empire has been a sponsor of the Wildcat Glades Nature Center since it opened more than five years ago. Several Empire employees volunteer their time in numerous ways, such as water quality testing, special events and leading nature programs for the center. Employees have also led major projects at the nature center such as tree planting, habitat restoration projects, and nature exhibits and displays.
McAlester says Empire has been doing an annual, free tire drop off since 2002. She says the environmental impact is enormous. “Since that time, the Company has used about 98 million pounds of TDF, or approximately 4.9 million tires,” she explains. “The TDF burned at Asbury accounts for approximately one percent of the plant’s total fuel mix by weight.” The Missouri Department of Natural Resources credits tire collection efforts with saving landfill space, reducing mosquitobreeding populations, and reducing the amount of coal that must be mined to keep up with electricity demands. Improved Air Quality New environmental mandates take effect next year, and Empire is in the process of complying with those mandates while making sure they continue to provide lowcost energy to customers.
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Wayne Hartin takes out tires from the back of a trailer during the Empire Tire Collection.
Trees beautify the community and offers the potential for energy conservation; it also gives Empire the chance to share the concept of planting the right tree in the right place.
Empire District, however, takes that waste and creates power for its customers – one collection event provides about a two-day supply of tire-derived fuel (TDF) for the Asbury Power Plant.
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“This will be our 6th year to celebrate Arbor Day by providing trees to our customers in the Joplin area,” says McAlester. “It might seem strange for a utility to give away trees, but there are three simple reasons we hold this event.”
Old tires lying around are not just bad for the environment, but because they usually hold water they are also attractive to diseasecarrying critters like mosquitos.
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Pillars of Life Besides destroying a very large number of electric poles and power lines, the Joplin tornado scoured the landscape of trees. While that is not the reason Empire gives away trees, it has helped bring back some of the beauty and life to the damaged area and kept Empire’s designation by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Line USA Utility.
Problematic Waste Another environmentally friendly program is Empire’s Tire Drive.
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contribute to the Joplin Metro area by way of community service projects.
“We have a major construction project going on at the Asbury plant that is about 75 21
percent complete.” says McAlester. “We are very proud of this project.
WE ARE MISSION CRITICAL
“Not only will it allow us to reduce emissions and comply with all current EPA regulations, but it will also allow us to continue to provide safe, reliable energy for customers from a local source and keep the jobs and economic benefits of the plant in our local area.” The cost of the project is about $112 to $130 million. They are improving and adding features such as an air quality control system and a carbon injection system. Construction began in the spring of 2012, and they expect it to be completed by early 2015.
For more than 45 years, our employees have supported some of the most sophisticated defense and aerospace programs in U.S. history.
SINCE 1967 47 YEARS IN JOPLIN
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WE ARE PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE JOPLIN COMMUNITY.
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1505 Maiden Lane | Joplin, MO 64801 417-781-3200 | www.ducommun.com
“Additionally,” McAlester points out, “the project at times had up to 150 project workers on site – some local and others from outside the area – utilizing local goods and services.” Other long running and very important community service projects include the Empire Elves Program, Project Help and the Energy Star Program. Santa’s Little Helpers Since its inception in 1987, the Empire Elves Program has given tens of thousands of gifts to its customers throughout the four states. “Wish lists are oftentimes so simple – things we take for granted,” McAlester says. “They may include gloves, socks, or slippers to stay warm during the winter.” Other items requested by customers
are things like stationery or stamps to communicate with those friends far away; pet food and supplies for their furry companions, and non-perishable food items like tuna or pasta or even hard candy. Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project Help, first introduced at Empire in 1982, has raised over $775,000. The funds donated to the program by Empire and its customers have gone to nearly 5,500 households, touching the lives of more than 13,000 residents. “Donated funds have allowed Project Help to provide emergency assistance to customers who are in need,” explains Lynda Thompson, manager, Customer Service Support and Project Help board member. Customers who wish to give to Project Help may add a dollar, or more, to their bill payment each month, or fill in and return the pledge card that is located on the Empire website. Each month, the amount of the pledge will be shown on their Empire bill. “It’s the generosity of area residents that has made this program a success,” adds Thompson. “Neighbors helping neighbors.” Star Certified You would think an electric company would want you to use more electricity so they could charge you more. Right? Well Empire’s ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award speaks volumes about how that is not what Empire wants.
Jerry Munster and Doyle Holt are seen here helping with the Christmas Elf package delivery.
The company began offering the ENERGY STAR program to customers in 2006. “The award recognizes Empire’s work to promote energy efficient construction and help protect the environment through its partnership with ENERGY STAR,” remarks McAlester. Additional Empire programs include Low Income Weatherization and High Efficiency Central Air Conditioner Rebates, which have assisted more than 1,400 and 2,100 customers, respectively. “Together, the utilization of these programs has resulted in estimated annual savings of more than six million kilowatt hours or nearly $600,000,” say McAlester. “Best of all, these savings continue over the life of the home.”
chapter 2 LEGGETT & PL ATT BY SUSAN REDDEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER NOMER
Keeping Carthage on the map
Local plants considered some of ‘best performing’ operations in company
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hances are good that when you lie down on a bed, sit on a sofa or lean back in your vehicle, you are coming into contact with a product that was developed or manufactured — or both — by Leggett & Platt Inc. The Standard and Poor’s 500 firm based in Carthage is a leading manufacturer of parts for bedding and upholstered furniture, and the company’s Flex-O-Lator Branch, also in Carthage, manufacturers vehicle seat components for most major auto brands.
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While Leggett & Platt operations are today located around the world, about a half-dozen company operations can be found around Carthage where the company was founded more than 130 years ago. About 2,200 workers are employed in Carthage-area plants and at company headquarters, according to Susan McCoy, vice-president of investor relations.
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The firm started with the L&P bedspring, produced by J.P. Leggett and C.B. Platt and patented in 1885. The partnership was incorporated in 1901 and the company has operated continuously since then. Company stock was publicly traded starting in 1967 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange starting in 1979.
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Sheila Robertson, a machine operator for Leggett & Platt, works with an assembler at the company’s Branch One plant in Carthage.
Ginger Keller, a machine operator, examines overmold cushioning at the company’s Flex-O-Lator plant.
Acquired in 1988, Flex-O-Lator manufactures seat suspensions and lumbar systems for companies such as Ford,
“We have seen significant growth in the last several years in a product category called ‘comfort core,’ which is Leggett’s name for mattress inner springs that are individually encased in fabric. These products have grown in popularity within the bedding
Other Carthage area operations include L&P Wire Tie, L&P Machine Products, and Talbot Industries, in Neosho, which manufactures wire display racks for major retailers and snack food and beverage companies.
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Leggett & Platt also has the world’s largest spring manufacturing operation and, to supply it, one of the largest wire mills, both in Carthage.
The company also is seeing growth in its line of adjustable bed products, recently winning contracts with two major mattress manufacturers.
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The Flex-O-Lator operation last year completed a $5.1 million expansion that added 12 jobs. The project included construction of a new warehouse so the current warehouse could be used to add new automated systems to the manufacturing operation.
industry and they are replacing traditional inner springs at certain mattress price points,” she said.
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Today, the firm’s operation spans four business segments — residential furnishings, industrial material, commercial fixtures and components and specialized products.
Chevrolet, Jeep, Hyundai, Toyota and Kia. “Lumbar systems are standard in the driver’s seat of most vehicles, and often in the passenger side. Cars are more sophisticated and more convenience-oriented, and for us, that means more content per vehicle,” McCoy explained.
“These local facilities are some of the bestperforming operations in the company,” McCoy said.
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“In 1979, sales were $215 million; in 2013, they were $3.75 billion,” McCoy said.
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chapter 2 OTT FOOD PRODUCTS BY SUSAN REDDEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA SISK
Carthage’s Ott Food Products Famous for salad dressings and so much more
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t’s a family-owned local company, but Ott Food Products competes alongside top national brands when it comes to salad dressings, sauces and dips. The company has operated since 1954 at 705 Fairview Ave., Carthage, expanding four times at that location, according to Ryan Brunnert, a managing partner. It employs about 16 people, not counting sales staff, who work to manufacture 44 dressings and sauces, 10 institutional salad dressings and mayonnaise products, 40 private label dressings and six barbecue sauces under the Silver Dollar City brand.
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Products are distributed through brokers in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and parts of Colorado.
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The company was started in Carthage in 1947 by Walter Ott, a petroleum engineer and chemist. Ott opened a restaurant and wanted to develop his own recipe for a dressing to serve on salads. So many customers began asking for the dressing to take home that Ott closed the restaurant a year later to concentrate on making salad dressings. The business at first was a three-person
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Food Manager Ryan Brunnert talks about popular Ott food projects produced by the Carthage plant, like the portioned dressing package he holds in his hands.
operation — Ott, his wife Ruby, and one worker — housed in a whitewashed garage. The business, which moved to its current location in 1954, was owned by the Ott family until 1979, when Ruby Ott sold it to Jack Cready, Brunnert’s uncle. Brunnert and his sister, Stacey Larsen, bought the business from Cready nine years ago. Casey, Ryan’s wife, and Dustin Larsen, Stacey’s husband, also are managing members. “We have workers who have been here longer than we have — some as long as 30 years. We have great employees and we wouldn’t be here without them,” Brunnert said. He said he also believes the company stands apart from its competition because it’s smaller and can be more responsive to customers.
including marinades, sauces, dips and spreads. The company web site also offers recipes for different uses for the dressings. In addition to grocery store sales, products are marketed for sales to schools, restaurants and other bulk users in quantities ranging from single-serving sizes to 144-ounce jars. The company is introducing a new bottle that will be on the market in the next several months. Brunnert said it is similar to the shape of the original glass bottle in use for years. “This is only our third style of bottle; we used glass bottles until 2000,” he said.
Ryan Brunnert watches bottles of dressing flash by on the production line.
Ott Food Products also is active in community efforts, especially supporting local sports teams including the Carthage Tigers, and Little League and softball teams, Brunnert said.
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“We try to make our products on demand, after they’re ordered, to keep them as fresh as possible. Of course, they’re going to be stable on the store shelf, but everything is better when it’s fresh,” he said.
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The company’s original product, Ott’s Famous Dressing, is still the most popular, followed by vidalia onion and poppy seed dressings. Brunnert said sales people work to market the salad dressings and other products, Some of the new bottle designs for the Carthage-based company.
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chapter 2 SCHREIBER FOODS BY BOBBIE POTTORFF PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Historic partnership Schreiber Foods and City of Carthage a perfect match
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alt Disney released his 12th animated film, Cinderella. The game show Truth or Consequences debuted on television, and closer to home, Schreiber Foods opened a manufacturing plant in Carthage. If this were a game of Jeopardy, the correct answer, or rather question, would be this: What are important events that happened in 1950? In the case of Schreiber Foods, that important event was that the plant became a pillar of the community.
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“We’ve had a great relationship with people in the Carthage area for many years,” says Andrew Tobisch, Director of Communications for Schreiber Foods. “We enjoy being an active part of the community.”
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Carthage’s location makes it perfect for manufacturing and distribution in all industries, and Schreiber Foods has continued its partnership with the city for those reasons and many others for 64 years. “The great people of the Carthage area also provide many advantages that enable us to create sustainable value for our customers with high-quality products, winning business solutions and exceptional service,” Tobisch says.
The company is in the middle of a $2.5 million expansion and renovation project at the Fairview Ave. facility. Tobisch says when the construction is complete, the company intends to expand the workforce.
The online reviews of Schreiber Foods from current and former employees are mostly positive. A few reviews point out the cons of working for a large company while others say the pay is good, along with the incentives and room for advancement.
In 2012, Schreiber issued its first ever “Responsibility Report.”
A few of the goals highlighted in the Responsibility Report include environmental impact improvements. As a company and a community partner, Schreiber Foods wants to reduce the amount of waste and byproducts created in their industry. The company has built a wastewater treatment facility that it says will be able to generate enough electricity to power about 1,200 homes. Reducing waste in everything the company does, from packaging to water usage, is a top priority for Schreiber Foods. According to the Responsibility Report, the goal is to “reduce, reuse or recycle” about 80 percent of the company’s waste. The company also wants at least ten of its plants to be 95 percent landfill free, and they want to reach those goals by the end of 2015.
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Some of the food they produce is also donated to food banks like Ozarks Food Harvest.
The company provides cheese, yogurt and private-label products to fast food operations, grocery chains and wholesalers.
Schreiber Foods says its “unity is one reason customers continue partnering with them year after year.”
“Simply put,” he says, “our customers need assurance (and proof) that we are running our enterprise in a responsible manner.”
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“We call ourselves partners in the Carthage area,” Tobisch explains. “We made a significant contribution to the Area Community Health Emissaries Healthy Smiles program last year.”
According to Forbes Magazine, Schreiber is the world’s largest “customer-brand” dairy company. It is also No. 2 in the United States for the production of cream cheese.
The company says that because they are a global company, they embrace diversity and people with different experiences and different backgrounds.
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The company is privately owned by the employees, so they are a little guarded about naming the products they make in Carthage and the amount of money they pour into the area, but they are not guarded about contributing to community projects.
One of the very important aspects the company stresses is the “partner” component of being an employee. The company is now owned by 5,700 partners.
President and CEO Mike Haddad said he was “conflicted” about putting out such a report after so many years in business.
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The company is based in Green Bay, Wis., and employs 7,000 people worldwide with 800 employees in the Carthage area.
Schreiber is a $4 billion company with food production and distribution centers in ten other countries, as well as facilities scattered across the United States.
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chapter 2 CARDINAL SCALE BY KATIE LAMB PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Tipping the scales Webb City company making scales since 1950
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he act of weighing on a scale has not changed much over time — a downward force is applied to a scale platform or weighing tank, and then a measurement readout is given. However, what has greatly improved with advancing technology is how the weight readout is utilized. Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Co., headquartered in Webb City, has evolved with the advances in technology since the company was founded in 1950 by W.H. Perry, who began building industrial-type, heavy-capacity scales.
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“Cardinal Scale continually invests in new technology to improve our engineering, factory production and marketing,” said Jonathan Sabo, vice president of marketing and spokesman for the company.
Clint Wood operates a saw to cut steel tubes used in the manufacture of the company's heavy-duty truck scales. 30
“Our scales can now connect with a number of different types of devices for that weight readout to be used by PCs, programmable logic controllers, printers and other peripherals. We’ve added USB output to many of our scale indicators, and the latest advancement has been Wi-Fi connectivity with our scales.”
As wireless has become more popular in the consumer technology world, Sabo continued, the company’s scale customers are also now wanting to have Wi-Fi output on their weighing equipment, too. “To keep up with the competition and lead in our industry, we’re continually investing in new technology to stay competitive,” he said. Sabo said a few different things have made Cardinal Scale successful over the years, including the 315 people currently employed by the company.
“A strong Midwestern work ethic that our employees apply in our factory production daily has been vital,” Sabo said. “Cardinal Scale employees traditionally show up early and work late while going hard all day long. Combine that with a lower cost of living in the Joplin area, and it has helped Cardinal Scale remain competitive in a global market and advancing competition from China.”
essentially doubled the types of scales it manufactures and opened up a whole new market of medical, food service and shipping industry scales for it to sell. “As a result of the purchase of Detecto, we are now the largest manufacturer of medical scales in the United Scales,” he said.
One of the biggest moves in the company’s history was purchasing a company called Detecto in 1981, which
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Scott Ford assembles a USA-made Cardinal Scale load kit used in tank and hopper scales.
Kim Erwin assembles the electronics inside a Cardinal digital weight indicator LCD display. 31
chapter 2 L A-Z-BOY BY ROGER MCKINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Operating for 44 years
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Neosho plant employs more than 700 people
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La-Z-Boy currently has around 730 employees at its Neosho factory. Construction started there in 1969, with the first employees hired in 1970, according to Amy Hellebuyck, company spokeswoman. That plant followed the success of the company’s Reclina-Rocker, the first chair that both rocked and reclined. According to the company, that chair alone boosted company sales from $1.1 million in 1961 to $52.7 million a decade later.
Snow also said the plant places a high priority on safety and environmental concerns. “The manufacturing team recently achieved over three million hours without a lost-time injury, became a zero-waste-to-the-landfill facility through our team’s strong focus on recycling and we continue to challenge ourselves daily to lower our energy footprint by utilizing best practices in energy conservation.”
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One of those U.S. plants is in Neosho, at 4301 Howard Bush Drive, where workers have been making upholstered recliners and sofas for customers since 1970.
“I’m very proud of the accomplishments our team at Neosho has achieved over the past 44-plus years and most recently these great milestones,” Snow said. “I’m thankful to be associated with such a great team of people.”
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In its last fiscal year, it did $1.3 billion in sales, an increase of more than 8 percent from the previous year.
Hellebuyck said there were no current plans to expand the plant or employment in Neosho.
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Today, La-Z-Boy — based in Monroe, Mich. — is a publicly-traded worldwide company that along with its production plants, also has 97 Furniture Galleries stores around the country.
“Since 1969, the La-Z-Boy Neosho team and its employees have been a very important part of the company’s overall success,” Bill Snow, vice president of La-Z-Boy Midwest, said in a recent statement. “Our dedicated employees have delivered over 15 million pieces of furniture to our valuable customers, while maintaining very high standards of safety, quality and community support.”
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a-Z-Boy has come a long way from its first chair. In fact, that first recliner, built in the 1920s, was actually a folding wood-slat porch chair contoured to the curves of the human body. The first upholstered recliner came out in 1929, but it didn’t have a name. The company held a contest that included such entries as the Sit-N-Snooze, Slack-Back and Comfort Carrier. But La-ZBoy was the winner.
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chapter 2 PITSCO BY KATIE LAMB PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PITSCO
Pittsburg company fills education niche Company produces classroom, lab tools and products
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he president of a Pittsburg, Kan. company founded in the basement of a home more than 40 years ago says the future is looking bright. In March of 1971, three teachers who founded Pitsco invested $50 each and took no salaries for the first four years. They agreed there was a need in the industrial arts education field for a company that could provide simple educational products and fast service. During the first four years, the founders — Harvey Dean, Max Lundquest and Terry Salmans — operated the company on evenings and weekends, with help from their wives and, occasionally, their children.
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After purchasing the others’ shares, Dean began devoting himself full time to the company. Since then, Pitsco has grown to include 165 employees and sales in all 50 states and more than 50 countries.
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Those products range from hot air balloon kits to wind tunnels, from kits for building balsa bridges to solar panels for engineering projects.
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Final Assembler Jeff Lowery uses the TETRIX Building System to help him construct a component inside the Pitsco Education’s manufacturing plant in Pittsburg, Kan.
Lisa Paterni started working for Pitsco nearly 20 years ago. Now president of the
company, Paterni said one of the driving forces behind its success is the creativity and innovation within the company. “That’s really driven by our owner, Harvey Dean,” she said. “Beyond that it goes to our people and the expectation of making sure we take care of the customer.” In 1997, Pitsco joined with Lego Educational Division to form the Pitsco Lego Educational Division, which is the exclusive United States distributor of upper-elementary solutions by Lego Educational Division.
Paterni said she recently received an email from a customer who praised the work of an employee.
The customer had a question regarding how to operate one of the company’s products. So, the employee took a video on an iPhone and sent it to the customer, making the instructions easier to follow.
In the email, the customer told Paterni the video was a perfect idea and said: “If I was a puppy, I’d have two tails to wag.”
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But of all the things Pitsco has to brag about, Paterni said she is most proud of the hard work employees put into making sure teachers have quality products that help students succeed.
Pitsco Education CEO Harvey Dean shares car advice with shopper Tabby Clarkson during the company’s Fall Festival, a charity fundraising event held annually on the company’s main campus in Pittsburg. Employees raced air-powered bottle rocket cars, one of many proprietary education products produced and sold by Pitsco.
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In 2012, Pitsco was recognized as the Governor’s Exporter of the Year in Kansas. During a ceremony, Gov. Sam Brownback had the chance to try out TETRIX, which Pitsco researcher and developer Paul Uttley based on his childhood erector set. Today, students use it to make various robotic and radiocontrolled products.
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Pitsco’s products have been used in more than 5,000 classrooms and labs across the United States. Six hundred of its products are proprietary, meaning employees conceptualized, designed and produced them.
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chapter 2 MOBILE APPS BY ANDRA BRYAN STEFANONI PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Amping up on the ‘Apps’ Joplin’s Ron Yust creates corporate smart phone apps
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hen it comes to technology, Joplin native Ron Yust, 58, can spot the next big thing.
“Usually the hobbiests or consumers start using something and companies jump in,” said Yust, who knew when mobile devices began increasing in popularity in the commercial market that there soon would be a niché for them in the corporate one, as well.
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“The next wave will be mobile technology and I think it will be huge,” he said.
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Yust, who attended McAuley High School before rising up in the ranks at Empire District to IT director, now creates mobile app frameworks to capitalize not just on available technologies but to streamline efficiencies that impact workflow and a company’s bottom line. In preparation for anticipated Y2K issues at the turn of this century, Yust had been working on replacing computer systems for Empire, but the traditional route in seeking a vendor for a custom product was cost-prohibitive — to the tune of millions. Yust had ideas on how to build a custom framework for Empire, and the end result won awards.
“It allowed other developers to add features to create a custom system,” he said. The same idea drives his company’s latest project, Spark. “The consumer side with tablets and smart phones has hit hard,” Yust said. “Now it’s going to the corporate side.” “What will happen is, you have service vehicles now that use laptops — police, utilities technicians — and they’re going to start going to more inexpensive devices like tablets. The forecast is by 2017 that it will be a 4:1 ratio of devices being tablets or mobile, versus PC based,” he said. “At some point, mobile will replace desktop and laptop units.” Yust’s mobile app framework for the corporate world was snagged by Empire, which in the Kansas City area is using it on the gas service side of business.
When the work is complete, they can indicate it live in the field. It’s immediate. They can get real-time orders coming in and don’t have to go back to the office. It’s great for the crew, the customers and the company,” he said. The boon to it being mobile device-based is that it affords users GPS and mapping abilities, as well, because wi-fi and cellular abilities are built in, unlike with laptops. Yust worked on the app framework parttime in the evenings and on weekends for several years, with an emphasis on making it completely customizable by an individual company’s IT department. “The framework is prebuilt,” he said. “It’s very easy for someone in the company who knows nothing about technology to use
it. You just describe the business model you want and the framework hooks all the pieces together.” Although he offers it to other companies, Empire is “the showcase that validates the technology,” he said. “It demonstrates workflow optimization.” Its functionability is unlimited, Yust noted: It could be used by a warehouse-focused company to track inventory, for example, because tablets have cameras and scanning capabilities for barcodes. “It’s much more inexpensive than each company hiring someone to create something for them, has a greater degree of flexibility and the cost and ease of use are key selling points.”
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“Used to be, gas crew guys would wake up, drive to the office across town, have service orders printed off on paper, then drive out to the field. They’d complete the order, then bring the paperwork back in, enter it into the system, and service at a residence or business would be either switched on or off,” Yust said.
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Now, those crews use 10-inch tablets. “From home, a crewman can see work orders online and drive directly there. Smart phone in hand, Ron Yust shows off one of his corporate apps.
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Homemade and Homespun
chapter 3 S P E C I A LT Y F O O D S BY KEVIN MCCLINTOCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER NOMER AND T. ROB BROWN
Savoring those specialties Unique foods in Joplin area abound
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hen Tom and Ann Galbreath moved to Joplin from icy Minnesota, they knew they were moving into a more friendly and laid-back area of the country. What they didn’t expect to find in Joplin was a city rich with unique restaurants offering unique foods. The type of dishes found in Joplin and the surrounding area simply couldn’t be found in the great white north, the couple said.
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“I couldn’t believe the number of restaurants here. For the population of Joplin, we were amazed,” said Tom, who owns a bar and grill and campgrounds just south of the new Mercy Hospital. “In Minnesota, there wasn’t nearly as many of these restaurants there. You had two or three places to choose from. That’s not what you get here.”
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Granted, many of the restaurants found in Joplin are chains, but there are dozens of locally-owned restaurants for those with the choosiest palates.
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Liz Easton specializes in made-to-order, artisian gourmet, jumbo cupcakes as well as dessert cakes. She uses only the finest quality ingredients, made fresh, delicious and artistically customized just for her customers.
“Sadly, there aren’t as many unique restaurants as I’d like there to be, but there are a lot more than there used to be,” said Laura Harrington-Dudley, who owned the popular Columbia Traders on S. Main St. “I
Added Joplin Globe food columnist Cheryle Finley: “Looks like we have mutinational and diverse palates as well as those favoring expected mid-western offerings. From chicken fried steaks to sushi, flavors mild to inferno, if you have a hankering for it, you can find it in Joplin.
But Fred Herring and Red Wilcoxson’s famed chili-splashed dish isn’t the only food — or restaurant — that is uniquely “Joplin.” Casa Montez Mexican Restaurant is Joplin’s oldest Mexican restaurant. Its handmade tamales are a Joplin favorite, and its signature cheese dip has been voted more than once as the best found anywhere in the region. The restaurant’s
Jason Miller is the owner and head chef of both Instant Karma Hot Dogs and The Joplin Eagle Drive-In. Instant Karma is a marriage of two concepts: a hot dog stand and a French bistro.
margaritas have also been selected as the best found in Missouri by readers of the VIA Magazine. Hackett Hot Wings, Joplin’s locally-owned chicken wing restaurant, is known for its chicken wings and its wet and dry rubs. Those wings and sauces, in fact, were voted Missouri’s best wings by Missouri Life Magazine. Floyd Hackett receives 54 cases, or 2,000 pounds, of wings to his S. Main Street restaurant each week. The wings are washed, rubbed and marinated in a freezer for half-a-day before they are fried in 100 percent soy sauce. He’s also created 13 homemade rubs and sauces. The rubs include season (the house rub),
cajun, lemon pepper, jerk and greek. The eight wet rubs are Bar B.Q., honey, hot & honey, beer, mild, hot, suicide and Smokin’ Hot. Liz Easton said she “backed herself ” into her cupcake business, but “ baked herself into it” might be a better description. “I made several of them for a friend, and then she served them to her friends,” says Easton, owner of Cupcakes by Liz in Joplin. Each of her Artisan gourmet cupcakes are hand designed and would take an iron will to resist gobbling down. She said a lot of trial and error went into her recipes,
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“We do have a lot (of restaurants),” said Harrington-Dudley, who also served for years as a board member of the Missouri Restaurant Association. “I think we act as a hub for a lot of small surrounding communities. Many of the people from Seneca, Neosho, Diamond, Webb City and so forth come here to eat dinner. I think we support a lot more than our general population.”
“Hard to believe I won’t sit on one of those stools again and order spaghetti red with pickles,” wrote Finley back in 2012. “As much as the spaghetti red, or maybe more, I will miss those wonderful servers who became friends. They made my day each time I leaned against the counter and shoveled in my lunch. It has been my pleasure for more than 40 years to be a customer and be made to feel like part of the family.”
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The above numbers have helped Joplin become the fourth largest metropolitan area in Missouri — behind only Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield. Just in Jasper and Newton Counties alone, there are 230 restaurants, which is far more than most cities of comparable size.
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Joplin’s population stands at roughly 270,000 during the work week. On the weekends, those numbers swell to 500,000 people, many of them from the surrounding Missouri towns as well as cross-border residents from Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Joplin’s specialty dishes Sadly, one of Joplin’s most cherished signature dishes from one of its most famed restaurants is no longer available to the public — Fred and Red’s, which opened in 1923. For generations, locals craved the restaurant’s award-winning spaghetti red, along with the restaurant’s homemade fruit pies. Owner Larry Wilcoxson, who had worked at the tiny greasy spoon since the age of 11, served the last spaghetti red serving at 5 p.m. on March 16, 2012. That spaghetti red dish, with noodles slathered with chili, was a signature Joplin dish. Anthony Bourdain, of the hit Travel Channel series “No Reservations,” was filmed in an episode called “Ozarks” sampling the prized plate.
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have been pleased with the number of locallyowned restaurants that have popped up in the last year. It is becoming more unique every day... and as more of the unique family-owned restaurants come available, the community support has increased.”
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but she didn’t have to look far for her main source of culinary inspiration. “My grandmother was a fabulous cook,” she said. “I make a lot of her recipes.” Specialty Food Distribution Inc., located in the Joplin/Webb City Industrial Park, makes thousands of fresh tortillas every day. They are packaged and shipped within the following 48 hours to a number of Mexican restaurants and stores for sale.
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Eric Dicharry and Jamey Smith have a thing for local. The Joplin men who own and operate the Mohaska Farmhouse, the old Green Yates building on South Main Street, place a great deal of weight on buying local food products to stock their restaurant’s shelves.
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The hillbilly bacon, served on many of their savory sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas comes from Hatfield Meats near Neosho, and their Italian sausage comes from the Ozark Heritage Farm, south of Joplin. Much of their produce comes from local growers like Fredrickson’s in Carl Junction or from growers at the Webb City Farmers Market. “We know where it (their food supplies) come from and we know that it’s not being injected with steroids,” Dicharry said. “If it’s not in season, we order it. If it is in season, we go get it,” Dicharry said. The cornerstone of the Mohaska Farmhouse kitchen is probably the red brick wood-fired oven where the
restaurant cooks turn out hand-crafted pizzas. The pizza dough, as well as all of the breads served at the Mohaska Farmhouse, are handmade daily with organic flours, sea salt and spring water. Ironically enough, the restaurants sits across the street from where Junge Bakery, home of Bunny Bread, once existed. Anderson’s Ice Cream & Cinnamon Rolls is back in business inside the Candy House on Missouri Highway 86 following a long hiatus. The Joplin favorite was opened back in 2012 by Billy and Karli Garrigan. “We will feature 10 flavors of ice cream each day,” they said. “Every morning on our Facebook page, you can see the flavors of the day. We’re about to add two new flavors: cookies and cream, and banana and chocolate chip. “We’re using the same methods they used in the 1930s to make ice cream. It’s a craft. It’s not something you mass produce. You make it fresh by hand every day.” The original Anderson’s Ice Cream was founded by Carl and Freda Anderson in 1936, during the throes of the Great Depression. The family’s ice cream parlor at the southwest corner of 30th and Main streets helped satisfy Joplin’s craving for something cool and sweet for 60 years. The ice cream made at Anderson’s today is richer than most. Most ice cream has a butter fat content of four percent. Anderson’s is 14 percent.
“It’s truly iced cream,”Garrigan said. “We use no milk and only natural flavors. No sugar is added. When it gets warm, it does not melt to a liquid.” Instant Karma Gourmet Hot Dogs on South Main Street is best known for its crazy, insightful food specials, from the peanut butter and jelly fries and peanut butter and jelly burger to the Jalapeno corn dog crab claw with Cajun steak fries dipped in chipotle. But one of their popular homemade sides is the Boulevard beer cheese dip, a perfect accompaniment to a dog or burger. Eric Stuhlman, his wife Carman and his daughter, Anna, have made Carmen’s Apples into a Joplin staple. From their store on Range Line Road, the three create, sell and deliver for free roughly 100 pounds of fruit arrangements, caramel apples and chocolate-covered fruit each day. “We sell 88 apples a day, 30 bags of strawberries, 30 bags of pineapples, about 25 bulk mixed fruit bowls and 15 bags of chocolate-covered bananas,” Eric said. “About 100 pounds of fruit leaves... each morning and 100 pounds of fruit comes back... each night.” Regional unique specialties In Webb City, Mucho Mexico, which offers a unique Mexican buffet, is a citywide favorite. One of the authentic Mexican items found in the buffet is a traditional Molé, a bitter cocoa sauce mixed in with red peppers for a
Ana Stuhlman, with Carmen’s Apples, decorates chocolate-covered fruit. The homegrown and family-operated company, at one time based out of their home’s kitchen, creates tasty and fresh snacks for area customers. unique taste. The Molé is simmered and thickened into a sauce. And just down the road, Roswitha’s Schnitzelbank offers authentic German fare. As Roswitha quipped, yes, the restaurant is housed in a barn, “but you don’t have to eat with the horses.” Favorites are a bratwurst dinner with bavarian sauerkraut and sweet-tasting Kartoffelsalat, or warm German potato salad. Also be sure to save room for Roswitha’s smooth-tasting German chocolate with a shot of cognac. While a malt or shake aren’t specific to our area, says Cheryle Finley, “a malt
Over in Carthage, authentic Mexican food can be found inside the DOS Arcos Restaurant, at 1061 S. River St.
offer choice aged steaks and a full line of roasts, burgers and patties, along with pork chops, roasts, sausage and bacon and ham, as well as buffalo, a taste of the exotic. The processing plant is on Paradise Lane in Carthage while the meat market is located on W. Fir Road.
While each restaurant has its staunch supporters, the owners of both restaurants cry “fowl” at the suggestion that any sort of bitter rivalry exists between them.
“Ask for the open-faced taco on steamed corn tortilla as it is not on the menu. Like a hamburger is to us, these tacos are what most Mexicans eat at home in Mexico,” said Adam Gregg of Edmond, Okla.
Up north in Neosho, Hatfield’s Smoked Meats, 7329 Gateway Drive, is a great place to purchase meat to fill up the freezer at home. They butcher and smoke locally raised meat, and their hillbilly bacon is an area favorite.
“Back in the day, I’m quite sure there was,” said Lipoglav. “Both businesses were right next to each other in the middle of nowhere. They probably fought for every customer they got. But now, both places are established and are doing great.”
Since 1959, the Cloud family of Carthage has been offering custom meat butchering and locker service for area farmers. They
“Taste depends on a mix of everything,” said Chad Neece, owner of Hatfield’s. “But you have to start off with a quality product.”
Six chicken restaurants in Crawford County — Chicken Mary’s, Chicken Annie’s, Pichler’s Chicken Annie’s, Barto’s
“It looks like we have muti-national and diverse palates as well as those favoring expected mid-western offerings,” Finley said. “From chicken fried steaks to sushi, flavors mild to inferno, if you have a hankering for it, you can find it in Joplin.”
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or shake at Bradbury Bishop Deli is a blast from the past when it’s served in a soda glass in the vintage malt shop surroundings.”
Karen Zerngast, one of the owners of Chicken Mary’s, said their restaurant shares a similar origin, having opened in 1942 by Mary Zerngast after her husband was injured.
Inside the Meadowbrook Mall sits The Mall Deli, a Pittsburg institution since the 1970s. Southeast Kansas residents love the great deli sandwiches, but what they most prize is the deli’s homemade creamy Italian dressing. Everyone in Pittsburg raves about it. So much so the deli owners are now bottling and selling the dressing so fans can buy it in bulk and take it home with them. One reviewer on Yelp said they would suck the dressing up using a straw if they could. Pittsburg residents often squirt the dressing on Club crackers for a quick and tasty (and free) appetizer.
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Billy Garrigan offers up a sample of lemon ice cream to a customer at Anderson’s Ice Cream & Cinnamon Rolls. Garrigan and his wife, Karli, has been baking 12 dozen cinnamon rolls each day at the parlor, which will feature 10 flavors of ice cream every day.
“Her husband, my grandpa, was hurt in a mining accident and lost a leg,” said Lipoglav. “He couldn’t work anymore. She supplemented her income by feeding the miners at her house. She added on to her house three times. We didn’t build a real restaurant until 1972.”
“It’s kind of like how Springfield became known for its cashew chicken,” Zerngast said. “We just serve food at a reasonable price, and people can depend on it being good. For two restaurants to still be in business for more than 60 or 70 years, that’s amazing.”
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Donna Lipoglav, co-owner of Chicken Annie’s, said her restaurant has been around for more than 75 years. It was created in 1934 by her grandmother, Annie Pichler.
Idle Hour, Gebhardt’s Chicken and Chicken Annie’s Girard — were collectively named as one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Cuisine by the Kansas Sampler Foundation a few years back.
Wally Kennedy, Andra Bryan Stefanoni and Mike Pound contributed to this story.
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Across the border into Kansas, Pittsburgh has become the fried chicken capital of the world. In fact, two of these famed chicken places — Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s — was the subject on a Travel Channel program back in 2010.
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chapter 3 CANDY HOUSE BY EMILY YOUNKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN AND ROGER NOMER
Sweet bliss! Candy House delivers sweet treats across Southwest Missouri
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n the production area of the Candy House hangs a framed print of Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz sitting at a candy-making assembly line, just moments before the conveyer belt speeds up and the women begin stuffing the chocolates in their clothes and mouths to keep up with the frantic pace. The real-life candy-making business in Joplin actually isn’t much different — although it’s significantly less hectic than it was portrayed in that iconic “I Love Lucy” episode, coowner Terry Hicklin says with a laugh. The Candy House, founded in 1970, has become a major local supplier of chocolates, candies and other sweet treats in Joplin and across Southwest Missouri.
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Hicklin and his wife, Pat, bought the business in 1999. At that time, candy production was still done primarily by hand, and some items such as caramels were limited in sales to one pound per person because they couldn’t be made quickly enough to meet the demand, he said.
Old-fashioned candy sticks for sale inside the now closed Minerva Candy Store. 44
Much of today’s production is still done by hand, but improved production lines and new equipment have allowed staff to make the candy in bigger batches to keep up with
“We make our living from the community, so I think we need to give back to the community,” he said.
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Popular products are English toffee, caramel-pecan clusters and anything with sea salt, which has become the latest trend in the candy world, Hicklin said. Most of the Candy House’s business occurs between September and April, encompassing Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter, he said.
The Candy House is also beginning to give back some of its time and resources to the community. It recently partnered with Joplin Schools for a fundraiser in which students sold candy apples, with proceeds going toward Bright Futures and the Operation College Bound program. It also frequently donates gift baskets or gift cards to fundraising opportunities that benefit non-profit organizations, Hicklin said.
Tabitha Garrett checks a chocolate mold at the Candy House.
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The entire production — from buying the ingredients to creating the nutrition labels and shrink-wrapping the boxed candies — is done in house, Hicklin said.
New this year at the Candy House was its “Sugar Rush” program, which hosted students in its store during spring break for short candy-making lessons. Hicklin said the available slots sold out immediately. He hopes to launch a similar program soon that could draw people in during Joplin’s Third Thursday events.
Vicki Stewart (left) and Joanna Woods mix a batch of caramel corn at the Candy House in Joplin.
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In the large production room early one morning in April, several employees form an assembly line to finish eight racks’ worth of strawberry cream chocolates. Each of the pink cream centers are placed on a chocolate-laced conveyer belt that whisks them along to be coated in chocolate and hand-drizzled in pinkcolored chocolate by another employee. After a 15-minute journey through a “cooling tunnel,” the finished chocolates are boxed and ready to go.
But retail operations at the two locations in Joplin, on South Kentucky Avenue and Redings Mill Road, and in Springfield are only part of the equation. The Candy House offers a number of products through other corporations, such as s’more packages for Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, popcorn packages for Hobby Lobby and chocolate business cards stamped with any business’s logo.
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demand. The large kitchen contains several stainless steel tables hooked up to cold-water pipes to keep them from overheating, automated stirrers with built-in thermometers and a machine purchased from a Wisconsin candy factory that air-pops corn for the Candy House’s popcorn products.
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chapter 3 BREWERIES & WINERIES WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL COONROD
Sweet red wine and bubbly brew Wine and beer makers shine in local area
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efore Harry S. Truman, before the St. Louis Browns, even before Jesse James, there was winemaking in Missouri. Native Americans cultivated grapes prior to European settlers’ arrival. The arrival of German and later Italian, immigrants in the 1800s, brought the fruit of the vine to our nation. The first Missouri State Entomologist, Charles Riley, saved the French wine industry by shipping insect-resistant rootstocks to be grafted onto the European vines. Missouri was the largest producer of wine until the transcontinental railroad elevated California to first place. Missouri remained in second place until prohibition shuttered the industry.
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After more than 70 years, vineyards are again sprouting in the Missouri soil. More than 100 wineries now dot the landscape statewide, with an estimated financial impact of $1.6 billion as of 2009.
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“A vineyard’s like a very demanding mistress: always needing something,” says Erv Langan of Keltoi Winery near Oronogo. Langan purchased the property in 1997, and planted the first grapes the following year.
Erv Langan, owner of Keltoi Winery just north of Joplin, inspects his vineyard. The winery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. WednesdaySaturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. It takes the vines several years to mature before they produce quality grapes. Keltoi started selling commercially in 2005. “We want to make a quality wine for Missourians to drink,” says Keltoi’s Vintner, Andrew Pennington. “We’re out to make the best quality of wine that we can, we’re not just into mass production of wine.”
A St. Vincent dry red and an Alainn dry, crisp white wine — two of the many flavored wines produced at the Keltoi Winery.
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A brief ride to Galena, Kan. reveals the Sunflower State is also embracing the grape. Vogel Family Vineyards grow varieties not usually seen in this area, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Their most popular wine is a late harvest Riesling called Legato. Currently, Vogel wines
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“People are looking for something that’s made in their area; something they can drive by and see in their fields,” says Pennington. “They want something unique to the area.”
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He also points out that customers love local products.
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Open beer bottles ready for filling and shipping.
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are only available online, though they hope to have vintages available in retail stores by July.
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Heading back to Carthage, we find White Rose Winery. It, like Keltoi, is an “Irish Winery” with the added benefit of being a bed and breakfast. Their menu features Irish breakfast options, such as soups, salads and pork loin or broiled rib eye for dinner. Traveling north to Nevada brings you to DeLaney Vineyards and Winery. Having spent several years perfecting their wines, DeLaney has been open for just over a year. Their Country Red, Blackberry and Apple wines are their biggest sellers.
A jaunt down I-44 brings you to William’s Creek Winery in downtown Mount Vernon. Open since 2007, William’s Creek has won several medals for their customers’ favorites, including a silver medal at the Florida State Fair for their 2011 Vignoles and a bronze medal for their 2012 Chambourcin at the 2013 Finger Lakes International competition. Outside Walnut Grove, 7C’s Winery has been introducing the public to their Estate wines and meads. Mead is wine made from honey and they offer several varieties, including blackberry, peach and habanero. Owner Dwight Crevelt says the mead is so popular they have trouble keeping it on the shelves.
In the countryside north of Springfield, you’ll find OOVVDA Winery. OOVVDA stands for: Overboes’ Own Viking Vintners Distinctive Alcohols. With a winemaking lineage going back to his grandfather, Brian Overboe turned his hobby into a profession. Open since 2005, you can visit OOVVDA seven days a week (except some holidays) and their wines are available at several area retailers. Heading south to Lewsi Winery, you can watch the eagles from a bluff overlooking Table Rock Lake, then drop by the three other vineyards in the Branson area. Stone Hill Winery opened in Branson since 1986, and has won a Governor’s Cup Award for their 2007 Cross J Vineyard Norton.
Lindwedel Winery features wines produced in the state of Missouri as well as two non-alcoholic grape juices which can be purchased on their website. You can catch a “Wine 101 class” or a private tasting with friends at Mount Pleasant Winery in Branson. Their Pink Catawba is a customer favorite and they recently introduced Going Coconuts and Toasted Almond, which are wines made with ice cream, brandy, and sugar. What if wine just isn’t your thing? Missouri also has craft breweries. You can get a meal and a cold beer at Bootlegger’s Restaurant and Brewery or Springfield Brewing Company. White River Brewing Company
A mural on the outside of the OOVVDA Winery in Springfield.
Brewing beer is a hobby for some, but for these two friends, it’s a tasty way of life; and one they take seriously. The two friends do the entire beer-making process by hand.
“Beer’s fun, we’re all about love. Who doesn’t want love and fun,” asks owner Jeff Schrag. “You’ve got the Mother’s name right there. Love your Mother’s. [It] works out great.”
“We are making a session beer that is light enough to enjoy in one setting,” Struwe said. “A good beer is a beer that you enjoy drinking and our goal is to make that beer available to the public.”
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Three Blind Mice and Lil’ Helper are Mother’s top sellers, with Tow Head in third place.
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Closer to home, just across the border back in Galena, Kan., Keith McCoy and Mark Struwe are determined to put “micro” back into microbrew beer with their Belleville Brewing Co.
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on Commercial Street is a new arrival. They sell their beer in single 22-ounce bottles. Three years after their first batch of beer, Mothers Brewing Company has more than tripled their production from 2,300 to 8,600 barrels.
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chapter 3 CRAFTERS & ARTISTS BY DAVID O’NEILL PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Art in view
This spring, the area’s art scene is in full bloom
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rt has the power to enrich our lives and alter the way we view the world, and for residents of the Four States, there’s no deficit of artistic expression.
Whether you want to make art or simply appreciate it, following are some unique art happenings in the area, and who’s putting on the show.
Art shows and arts and crafts fairs beckon area residents, in addition to art classes for ages 5 to 95, and even monthly downtown rambles devoted to fine art.
JOPLIN • Spiva Center for the Arts — In the main gallery, from May 17 to July 6, look for “Kathy Ruth Neal: Wood at Play,” featuring work by self-taught wood carver Kathy Ruth Neal. Her work depicts whimsical characters in vignettes of American Life. In the Regional Focus Gallery, look for “Michael Gory: Luminary Animals,” a show of Gory’s paintings, distinctive for their glowing, intense color and fluorescent expressionism. Upstairs, find a show of 10 quilts created from original artwork by nearly 1,200 third graders who visited Spiva in 2013. For more information, visit spivaarts.org.
What makes the area’s arts community so unique, says Jo Mueller, executive director of the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts, widely known as the anchor visual arts organization in the four-states region, “is the depth and breadth of talent you find here in all disciplines. There’s so much going on, it’s getting more and more difficult to decide what to see, or what you can stand to miss.”
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For the more creative among J MAG’s readership, there are hands-on instructional events led by professionals at area venues like Local Color Art Gallery, Phoenix Fired Art, artCENTRAL and the Spiva Center.
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“I think people in this area have been starved for ways to express their creativity,” says Local Color’s Percilla Penner. “Many have never painted a picture before and are thrilled with the result.”
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Michael Gory’s “Golden Reverberations”
• Third Thursday Art Walk — Part of the Downtown Joplin Alliance’s Third Thursday event — you guessed it, on the third Thursday of each month between March and October. Art and crafts venues spring up throughout downtown on these nights; some is for sale, and some is for show, but it’s all there to enjoy. There’s also a shuttle to galleries a bit farther away from Third Thursday events in the downtown area, including the Spiva Center for the Arts, Local Color Gallery and Phoenix
WEBB CITY • Webb Street Studio — Webb City mayor John Briggs, also a talented artist and muralist, has on display a variety of original figurative artworks at his studio downtown. He also offers a wide variety of services including photo restoration, art appraisal and consulting. For more information, call 417-529-7242.
NEOSHO • Neosho Arts Council — The Neosho Arts Council will host the third annual
• Spanker Creek Farm Arts & Crafts Fair — This outdoor event is held along the banks of Spanker Creek in Northwest Arkansas, May 2-4, just north of Bentonville. For more information, visit spankercreekfarm.com.
COLUMBUS, KAN. • The Maple UnCommon Hotel & Gallery — A boutique hotel and gallery occupying a 1914 brick building that was once a JC Penney store, Maple UnCommon features rotating monthly exhibition by area talent in its grand lobby area. For more information, call 417-438-5931.
BENTONVILLE/BELLA VISTA, ARK. • Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art — “The William S. Paley Collection: A Taste for Modernism” will spotlight selections from the private collection of CBS founder Bill Paley. The exhibition features more than 60 paintings, drawings and sculptures by modern masters including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne and Paul Gaugin. For more information, visit crystsalbridges.org. • Art on the Creek — On May 2 and 3, round 50 local artists and artisans set up shop at the Wishing Spring Gallery site in Bella Vista. Art media include watercolors, oil, stained glass, pottery, photography and
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• Phoenix Fired Art — This Joplin landmark is a community clay studio and gallery featuring the work of around 30 professional artists from Missouri and surrounding states who work in ceramics, silver jewelry and blown glass. The studio participates in the Downtown Joplin Alliance’s Third Thursday and offers classes for beginning to advanced students. It also offers a Summer Mud Camp for kids. For more information, call 417-437-9281.
• Cherry’s Fine Art & Framing — Situated right on the Carthage Square, this gallery and custom framing business features plenty of artwork by local talent. On the weekends, hear live music at the Woodshed, the gallery’s music venue. Art classes are held for all ages every Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. For more information, visit cherryscustomframing.com.
PIERCE CITY • Pierce City Arts Festival — Now in its sixth year, the festival is scheduled for May 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Around 40 artists and authors will be on hand for the event, which will feature hands-on art activities and activities, all free or for a small charge. For more information, call 417-489-3041.
fiber and fabric. For more information, visit bellavistafestival.org.
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• Joplin Public Library — The Joplin Public Library is endowed with artistic treasures of its own. Next time you’re there, stroll to the rear of the library to find Post Memorial Art Reference Library, which houses antique furniture and rotating exhibitions by area talent. Says Post Library director Leslie Simpson, “We promote local artists, everything from realism to abstract, sculpture to photography. You don’t see furniture and artwork like this outside of a museum, and it’s right here in Joplin.” Visit postlibrary.org for more information.
Herman Jaeger Festival May 1 through May 4 at the Neosho Civic Center. Part of the festival is an exhibit of artifacts from Newton County’s wine making period from 1865 to 1895, and numerous other events are also planned in conjunction with the event. For more information, call 417-451-2885.
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• Local Color Art Gallery — Once a month, usually on a Thursday, Local Color hosts “Vino and Van Gogh,” a hands-on event wherein students, from the inexperienced to the pro, paint their own Impressionist art in the style of the Old Masters. For more information, visit localcolorartgalleryjoplin.com.
CARTHAGE • artCENTRAL — Through May 11, the gallery presents “Layers,” an exhibition featuring paintings by Patti Beavers and Becky Golubski. The organization’s Annual Membership Show, which runs June 20 to 29, features work by its unique artist membership base. Also offered at artCENTRAL are adult workshops led by artist members and a two-week artCAMP each summer. For information, call 417358-4404.
This is one of 10 quilts on display from the upcoming 3rd Grader Art Project.
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Fired Art. For more information, visit downtownjoplin.com.
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Next March... expect more.
More services. More comforts. More care. The new Mercy Hospital Joplin is taking shape, bringing advancements in medical technology, treatment and patient care. It’s part of our commitment to help you find the health you need to get more out of life.
Your life is our life’s work. mercy.net
Medical Hub
chapter 4 JOPLIN HOSPITAL S BY JEFF LEHR PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN AND ROGER NOMER
Emergency care just minutes away Two hospital systems make Joplin a regional medical hub
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ith the new $335 million Mercy Hospital Joplin poised to open next year and Freeman Hospital West recently christening a specialty pediatric clinic, Joplin keeps growing as a regional medical services hub. “It really is a state-of-the-art facility,” Michele Stewart, chief operating officer at Mercy, said of the new, nine-story hospital taking shape in recent months at 50th Street and Hearnes Boulevard. The 260-room hospital set to open next March replaces the former St. John’s Regional Medical Center that was destroyed in the tornado of May 22, 2011, and storm hardening has been a focus of its design and construction, Stewart said.
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Critical patient areas, such as the intensive care units and emergency department, feature the highest impact-rated window systems available of a type used in hurricane-prone sections of the country, while windows in the remainder of the building will feature laminated safety glass.
Madison Harris giggles as her heart is examined by Lois Dailey, charge nurse, at Children’s Kansas City. 54
The building boasts a precast concrete exterior more resistant to flying debris than brick, plaster or metal panels. Mercy also has
The operator of Joplin’s other top-rated hospital, Freeman Health System, recently teamed up with Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City to open a specialty pediatric clinic on the campus of Freeman Hospital West.
Freeman also opened a new family medicine clinic this year in Carl Junction. Tiffany Huffman, a family nurse practitioner, will serve the clinic’s patients with the collaboration of Dr. Troy Eichelberger and Dr. John Paulson.
$400,000 worth of work. Renovations began on the first floor main hallway of Freeman Neosho Hospital about a year ago and proceeded upstairs to patient-care areas. Nurses stations are being remodeled this year. A newly renovated medical records department opened in April. Renee Denton, administrative services director, said the jewel of the hospital’s renovations is the new La-Z-Boy Therapeutic Services Center, which will centralize cardiac rehabilitation, infusion therapy, wound care and cardiac stress testing services.
Smaller affiliated hospitals in Neosho and Carthage operated by Freeman Health System and Mercy, respectively, also are seeing new construction and growth in services.
Bucking a trend that has seen the loss of surgical services in smaller communities, Freeman Neosho Hospital now has a full-time, board-certified surgeon with laparoscopic training on staff. Dr. Donald Wonder took up practice there in October, performing endoscopies and colonoscopies among other surgical procedures.
Freeman’s 25-bed critical access hospital in Neosho has been undergoing
Mercy McCune-Brooks Hospital in Carthage has plans to construct a medical
office building north of the hospital to house Mercy Clinic Pediatrics and Mercy Clinic Women’s Health, currently located on Buena Vista Avenue and Hazel Street in Carthage. Pam Barlet, marketing and communications manager for the Carthage hospital, said the project is still in the planning stages, but the new building is expected to offer about 14,000 square feet of space for the two clinics. Mercy’s acquisition of the Carthage hospital led to an expansion of Mercy Hospital Joplin’s emergency department and a sharing of staff, including board-certified, emergency medicine trained physicians, with Mercy McCune-Brooks. The Carthage hospital also recently introduced a new hospitalist approach to patient care. The hospitalist team of doctors and nurse practitioners work closely with primary doctors in managing the care of patients during hospital stays.
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New to Mercy Hospital Joplin will be a neonatal intensive care unit where parents may stay in the room with their child, Stewart said. People undergoing outpatient surgery for prep work and the second phase of recovery.
The clinic is a significant expansion of the health care and behavioral health services Freeman Health System offers, including cancer care, heart and vascular care, neurosciences, orthopaedics and women’s services. Freeman has more than 300 physicians representing 60 specialties.
A closer look at the new hospital.
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Imaging services, the cardiac cath lab and operating room will be located in close proximity within the emergency department for ease in moving patients from one to the other. The hospital also features a “real-time” tracking system designed to eliminate the problems staff sometimes face in quickly locating the medical equipment they need.
“Children and their families will no longer have to travel hours away to receive life-saving care,” said Paula Baker, Freeman’s president and chiefexecutive officer. “Thanks to our partnership with Children’s Kansas City, a nationally recognized pediatric hospital, we have brought that care to the children of our region.”
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Stewart said another high priority in the design has been the principle of “putting patients first.” She pointed to a decentralized nursing station concept as an example. There will be a nurse’s desk outside every two rooms to provide close contact with patients and to make sure they are not being neglected, she said. The patient rooms will all be private with individual temperature controls and natural lighting.
The 1,832-square-foot Children’s Kansas City Clinic at 3333 McIntosh Circle Drive, Suite 6, features five exam rooms and offers advanced pediatric care in cardiology, endocrinology/diabetes, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, nephrology, rheumatology, and telemedicine.
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sought to construct inpatient care units with heavy storm doors and sturdy walls and to protect mechanical and electrical systems to prevent interruptions in patient care.
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chapter 4 GIVING BLOOD BY DAVID O’NEILL PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
A real lifesaver
Why blood donation is critical,and what to know about giving
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s a life-giving stride people can make for their fellows, blood donation leaves a most impressive footprint.
The demand for it is staggering: It takes around 225 donations each day to meet local patient needs, and blood transfusions occur in area hospitals every five minutes, says Chris Pilgrim of Community Blood Center of the Ozarks.
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“There’s simply no substitute for blood in a hospital setting. However, donation is in the background. You don’t think about it until it is needed.”
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Considering that someone in the United States needs a transfusion every two seconds, “the need is constant, but the supply isn’t always,” says Marci Manley of the American Red Cross Blood Services Greater OzarksArkansas Region. Needed, but often unheeded. “Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, but just 8 percent of those individuals actually donate,” Manley says. Why?
CBCO donors provide all of the blood used for patients at 38 hospitals in a 38-county region, including the hospitals in Joplin. Last year, nearly 100,000 people attempted a donation at CBCO. The American Red Cross Blood Services Greater OzarksArkansas Region, which serves Southwest Missouri, Arkansas and the Memphis, Tenn., area, saw 57,862 volunteer blood and platelet donors at blood drives and blood donation centers in 2013. Before it’s used, donated blood undergoes stringent testing for blood-borne pathogens like hepatitis, HIV, syphilis and the West Nile virus. It then undergoes processing, which consists of placing each donation in a centrifuge and separating
Adds the American Red Cross’s Manley, “Donations can be used to help a variety of individuals including traumatic accident victims, premature babies, chemotherapy patients, organ transplant recipients, and those with blood disorders like sickle cell disease.”
The structure sustained structural damage that required rebuilding from studs and the foundation. But like so many in the area, townspeople who’d worked in that battered structure picked themselves up after the storm and dusted off, their sights set on relief.
Who Should Donate As blood can be used in a wide range of medical scenarios, Pilgrim stresses that most anyone in good health should at least look into it. Basic criteria include age and weight.
“Our first priority was to our employees and helping them with their immediate needs. Then we were able to turn our focus onto the community,” a Biolife spokesperson says. To help its own, BioLife allowed employees to maintain employment through various forms of transitional employment or leaves while we were rebuilding the center.
“You need to be at least 16 years of age, with written permission from a parent, and weigh at least 110 pounds. You also need to be feeling well and healthy at the time of your donation,” Pilgrim says. Some specific restrictions take into account recent travel, current medications or past medical issues. Pilgrim notes that some issues can cause potential donors to be deferred from giving blood, either temporarily or permanently, “The best thing to do if you think you might face deferral is to call CBCO or visit our website.” Anyone willing can also show up to the blood drive itself, where questionnaires and simple physical exams flag issues that preclude donation. The tattooed among us sometimes think they’re excluded from donating, another misconception. Explains Manley: “The deferral requirements vary from state to state. People with tattoos can present to donate blood if their tattoo was applied by a state-
Then BioLife, a part of Baxter Healthcare Corp., provided support for Joplin community relief efforts both locally and on a corporate scale through the Baxter International Foundation, which donated $10,000 to the Southwestern Missouri American Red Cross. “Eligible employee gifts to the American Red Cross were matched through the foundation’s matching gift program,” the spokesperson adds. Baxter also shipped lifesaving medical products to the area on May 27, 2011, through AmeriCares, its humanitarian aid partner. Headquarter workers also commandeered a 13’ truck stocked with items such as high chairs, and other necessary items communities families lost in the storm.
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Your Donation’s Wide Reach The sheer quantity of blood that both Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) and the American Red Cross collect and distribute, on a regional scale, is nothing short of incredible. Nor is its comprehensive spectrum of uses.
“That’s why each donation can save multiple lives— it’s used in multiple ways,” Pilgrim says.
Like so much else in the Joplin area, BioLife Plasma Services’ 32nd Street facilities were ravaged by the May 22, 2011 tornado that would change things forever.
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Those who do donate to help others may not even be aware that a single blood donation can help save up to three lives, as Manley points out. That said, donating becomes less like a random act of kindness than a crucial obligation.
BioLife’s Post-Tornado Relief Effort
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“We realize needles can make some people anxious,” Manley says. “But most donors agree blood donation is not painful.
the blood components, each of which is earmarked for a specific use at an area hospital.
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Both Pilgrim and Manley agree the biggest reason more people don’t give is simply because they aren’t asked. Another oft-cited reason is our age-old aversion to needles.
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College students smile as they give blood. regulated parlor using sterile needles and ink that has not been reused. Those who receive tattoos in a state that does not regulate tattoo parlors must wait 12 months after receiving the tattoo to present to donate blood. Both Arkansas
and Missouri are regulated states, so there is no deferral for a tattoo obtained in a regulated parlor.”
physically are get a good night’s sleep, eat a solid meal the night before and drink plenty of fluids, preferably water.
Before You Give The best ways to prepare for a donation
Set aside about an hour for the procedure. “A typical donation should
take less, and interestingly, only about five to 10 minutes of that time is spent giving blood. The rest is spent answering questions, engaging in a mini-physical and testing after the blood is given.” Postdonation, it’s best to just take it easy and
avoid heavy lifting or excessive exercise for about 24 hours.
Two Great Services One Convenient Location
Manley also urges donors to keep in mind that eligible donors aren’t limited to donating just once or twice a year. “It’s possible to donate whole blood every 56 days, or every 8 weeks,” she says.
Primary Care Clinic Walk-ins Welcome Visits start at $29
MO Medicaid accepted Other insurers coming
Walk-in Lab
No doctor order needed 10,000+ tests available
Take Care of Your Health Here
apclinic.net Carl Smith FNP-C Quentin Caswell FNP-C
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1901 E 32nd St #20 Joplin MO (417) 781-2046
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Affordable & Convenient
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Says Pilgrim, “if you’ve never donated before, try it once. If you don’t like it, you never have to give again. But I’m betting that you’ll enjoy that lifesaving feeling and become a regular donor. It feels great to save lives.”
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Kansas City
Joplin Proud to serve both. How far would you travel to make sure your child gets the best care? Luckily, Children’s Kansas City is right around the corner, so the only road you’ll be hitting is the road to recovery. Located right here in Joplin, with the full support of 600 pediatric specialists, we’re bringing world-class care closer to home.
So the next time you consider a pediatric specialist, consider the pediatric specialists of Children’s Kansas City. Freeman Health System Campus 3333 McIntosh Circle Dr., Suite 6 ChildrensKansasCity.org
Children’s Kansas City JOPLIN • FREEMAN HEALTH SYSTEM
Area Hearing & Speech Clinic 2311 S. Jackson Ave. Joplin, MO 64804 Hany J. Mikhail, Au.D., FAAA Doctor of Audiology We look forward to serving you.
(417) 781-2311 www.areahearing.net
We are the future of Joplin and continue to support the growth of our community.
chapter 4 G E R I AT R I C S E RV I C E S BY RYAN RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Senior health 101
Senior citizens have dedicated health option
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enior citizens in Joplin and the surrounding area need dedicated health services to address their unique needs. Through health screening, dedicated treatment and a myriad of testing options, several health providers in the area have come together to meet the needs of the Four States’ geriatric community.
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The biggest geriatric health provider is located on the Freeman Health System campus in Joplin. Opened in 2009, Freeman Center for Geriatric Medicine provides comprehensive medical assessments for senior health. Supported by resources only a hospital-based provider can supply, the center offers many services in one location, providing easy access for patients, families, and caregivers. The center treats the whole person and can help with issues such as mobility, movement, memory disorders, medication, and wellness. Freeman Center for Geriatric Medicine completed an expansion in 2012 that included the addition of four new patient rooms and an infusion area, where patients can enjoy recliner-lift chairs while receiving their prescribed IV medications or injections. For staff geriatrician Dr. Henry Petry, the
One of the biggest fights the doctors at the geriatric center go up against is dementia disorders like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. While there isn’t a cure for any of these diseases, Petry said that is where the mission of extending the quality of life comes in to play. “The earlier that we can diagnose it, the better we can help them with
“Short-term memory loss is a big deal especially in the reminders of everyday tasks,” Stokes said. “Because the symptoms
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“Most of the patients that we see at their age have a longer list of medications that need reviewed. We try to narrow down their medication after a review that can take up to an hour,” Petry said. “A lot of times medications can conflict with each other and when you are going to several specialists who are prescribing different medications, the drug interactions aren’t always spotted.”
Senior citizens in the area have good, dedicated options when it comes to their healthcare. While the chance for health complications grows as age increases, those needs can be filled in the Joplin area by quality choices for both preventative care and by expert care after a health concern.
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Patients new to the center have a thorough evaluation when they first visit, to identify any conflicting health issues that may not have been properly treated by specialists, Petry said.
Caregiver assistance is also a duty that falls to different services throughout the area. Nate Stokes is the owner of Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services in Joplin, which is a national home care agency that focuses on bringing quality healthcare to senior citizens. Stokes says the biggest concern should always be the health of the person involved, regardless of the symptoms of dementia.
are so different, the care has to change based on the person. When we are in a home, we help establish a routine with them so that those tasks are handled and that their care continues to be a priority. Their meals are cooked nutritiously; their medication is taken on schedule. Effectively, we are here to give a hand with their judgment, which can be impaired.”
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“We try to keep people out of nursing homes by extending quality life for them while offering them safety, so they can stay out of an institution,” Petry said. “We’d rather have them healthy and at home than in an institution.”
not only medicine, but also to help their diet and exercise,” Petry said. “It is about quality of life to help them continue their lives. We try to also assist the caregiver, who in many cases is a significant other or their children.”
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services that the hospital provides comes down to extending the quality of life for their patients they see.
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Thank you, Four-States, for your continued support. Come see our newly rebuilt building! pm 3 m 11 a y s l a i c rda Spe u h t c a n S u L y99 Monda for only $4. hes c n u l 8
Monday M ondayy - Thursday 11 - 10 pm Friday - Saturday 11 - 11 pm Fr Sunday 11 - 9 pm 2412 South Main Joplin, MO 417-553-0446
DAIL Flav Y DRIN 22o or Mar K SPEC g z IA Fros Mucho aritas S LS ty M u Mug ode s We nday! 17o lo G zD dn Lim omesti oblet T esday! eM c arga Draws uesday s! Thu Frid ritas o r s da nt ay & Satu he Roc y! ks rday !
Keeping it Fun
chapter 5 ENTERTAINMENT & MUSIC VENUES BY JOE HADSALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN RICHARDSON
Sound stages
Joplin area offers plenty of places to catch great live music and other performances
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hile the Joplin area doesn’t have a large arena that draws the kind of acts that travel to Kansas City or Tulsa, there are plenty of places that offer great music, comedy and other performances.
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Big deals As Memorial Hall in Joplin has sat largely vacant of major concerts, the area’s casinos have upped their entertainment game by adding big spaces for shows. Downstream Casino and Buffalo Run regularly attract some of the biggest names in entertainment, from recent performances by comedian Bill Engvall to country legend Willie Nelson. The casinos offer large indoor spaces and even larger outdoor arenas to accommodate
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Aaron Lewis, lead singer for the rock group Staind, has ventured into country music with the release of his debut solo album, “Town Line.” Lewis performed live recently at Joplin’s Downstream Casino.
• Downstream recently announced a portion of its summer concert series for its outdoor Pavilion. The lineup includes a mix of legends and up-and-comers, including Sammy Hagar, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Little Big Town and the Doobie Brothers. Its outdoor Pavilion can handle the crowds, as well. The casino has attracted big names in classic entertainment — recent concerts include performances by The Straits, Little River Band, Huey Lewis and the News and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.
Me Like Bees Lead Singer and guitarist Luke Sheafer joined the band in 2009. Since joining the band, they have released an EP and a fulllength record. They are one of the most popular local bands in Joplin. bar includes spinoffs such as the danceclub 180 Lounge and the fondue and martini bar Far Side of the Moon.
Downtown Local music is alive and thrives at several venues in downtown Joplin, which offer a sweet-sounding options for nightlife:
• JB’s Piano Bar is a relatively new addition — the bar recently celebrated its fourth anniversary — but has already become an anchor of Joplin’s downtown scene. Dueling pianos take the spotlight at the large complex, located at 112 S. Main St. The indoor space is large enough to hold a crowd of hundreds and draws a mix of pianists, local bands and touring acts, including singer Carter Hulsey. The
Other venues Other places that feature live music regularly include Guitars, Solace, Turtlehead’s, Silverado Dance Club, Old Broadway Club, Steel Rooster and Rock 3405. A list of which acts are playing where is featured each week in Enjoy! Look for the weekend entertainment section each Friday in The Joplin Globe.
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great times. Local performers are regularly featured here, including favorites such as Totojojo and Diversity Band.
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• The Kitchen Pass is one of Joplin’s longest-running venues. For more than 25 years the Pass has hosted a variety of entertainment, from musicians to comedians. It also has also played host to cultural explorations — Pro Musica Joplin has brought chamber music ensembles in for special concerts, and the Crowder Jazz Orchestra regularly performs an open rehearsal for patrons and diners. The nightspot, located at 1212 S. Main Street, features the indoor Bypass Stage and a large outdoor, multi-level patio area that offers plenty of great views and
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• Miami’s Buffalo Run snares more of the modern rock bands touring through the area, as well as upward-trending country acts. Performers such as Motley Crue, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Kellie Pickler and Hinder have played the casino’s Indoor Peoria Showplace or outdoor stage.
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Third Party members Patrick Beckett and Mike Sullivan share a duet on the band’s cover of Gorillaz song “Clint Eastwood.” The cover has become a staple at Joplin-based band’s shows.
• Blackthorn Pizza and Pub is synonymous with local entertainment, having hosted bands such as Brutally Frank and Me Like Bees on its stage. Virtually every weekend features a showcase of bands from around the area. The stage is one of the smallest in the area, but every buzz worthy band in the Four-States usually finds a way to play it.
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chapter 5 CASINOS BY KEVIN MCCLINTOCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN RICHARDSON AND KEVIN MCCLINTOCK
All in!
The Four-State Area is home to nine major casinos
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ombined, these nine casinos offer nearly 10,000 slots, more than a thousand hotel rooms and suites, hundreds of gaming tables, more than a dozen restaurants, several concert venues and two golf courses. In turn, these establishments annually bring in millions of dollars from thrill-seekers and tourists; in turn, generating jobs and boosting the local economy. In Nicholas Pileggi’s introduction to his bestseller “Casino,” he sums it up best when he wrote, “There is probably no type of business in the world where as much paper money is handled on a daily basis by more people under more scrutiny than in a casino.
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“Trying to beat the casino ... is what brings everyone to town.”
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Here is a look at the area’s casinos and what each has to offer in terms of gaming, lodging, dining and entertainment.
Major Casinos
There are two hotel “towers” — Osotouy and Kappa — offering 374 luxurious guestrooms and suites. Scattered throughout the resort are five restaurants and two bars, including the resort’s signature “Red Oak Steakhouse,” the popular “Legends Sports Bar” as well as the “Devil’s Promenade, the center bar on the casino floor. Also included at Downstream is the 7,500-seat Venue, which features big acts, including Tony Bennett, who was the resort’s very first featured live show. And located nearby is the 18-hole Eagle Creek Golf Club, formerly Loma Linda Country Club. Details: 918.919.6000 www.downstreamcasino.com
There are no golf courses, concert arenas or conference halls located inside Quapaw Casino. Just gaming. With more than 500 gaming slots, Quapaw Casino offers the most popular games for the ultimate gaming experience, with jackpot winners and non-stop action 24 hours a day, non-stop. “It’s just about gaming,” says William Pritchard, who makes a stop at Quapaw Casino at least once a month. “Nothing fancy — it’s just gaming. Ultimately, that’s why we go to casinos.”
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Owned by the Downstream Development Authority on behalf of the Quapaw Tribe, the casino has a million square feet of building space, including a 70,000-square-foot gambling floor. It has more than 2,000 slot machines, more than three dozen table games and a multiple table poker room.
58100 East 64 Road • Miami, OK
Aside from the 500 slots — which includes Royal Reels, Liberty 7’s, Money Bags, Keno, Lucky Ducky and Monopoly — the casino also offers nearly 10 gaming tables: blackjack, Crazy4Poker and three-card poker. The Jackpot Grill offers daily food specials, and there’s also The Paw, where folks can relax with live music, karaoke and weekly drink specials. Details: 918.540.9100 www.quapawcasino.com
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Since 2008, Downstream Casino Resort “provides a Las Vegas-style entertainment experience for everyone. Whether you prefer high energy surroundings or a more intimate experience, Downstream Casino Resort offers new ways to play influenced by the rich history of Native American culture.”
Quapaw Casino
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69300 East Nee Road • Quapaw, OK
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Downstream Resort Casino
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Indigo Sky Casino
70220 U.S. 60 • Wyandotte, OK Before Indigo Sky, there was Bordertown Bingo & Casino. For years, officials with the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma wanted to supersize the site, adding a hotel and other amenities. On Sept. 5, 2012, that dream became a reality. The $90 million Indigo Casino features a large gaming floor, a hotel, an RV park and several restaurants. The 45,000-square-foot gaming floor offers the old off-track betting and popular bingo games made popular at the old Bordertown location. The bingo room comfortably seats 540. Standard Vegas-style table games — single-, double- and 6-deck blackjack; three-card poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Crazy Four Poker and Let It Ride. There are more than 1,200 electronic games, including penny, 5-cent and 25-cent all the way up to $25 machines. Off-track betting and Texas Hold ‘Em is held in a separate room. The hotel offers 117 guest rooms and 19 suites, as well as an outdoor heated pool, including cabanas, and a waterfall feature. Expanded dining options include a new restaurant, named Shawanoe, that features Southwest flavors. Other options include three restaurants in the Three Sisters Food court, including a 24-hour Woodland Grill, fresh deli-style sandwiches at the Ridge Cafe, pizza and pasta at Stone Valley Pizza and classic American cuisines at the Sky Grille. The Echo Ultra Lounge is one of the hottest bars in the area, with specialty cocktails. A 44-slot Whispering Woods RV Park includes a large pavilion with two barbecue pits, showers, laundry and walking trails. Details: 888.992.7591
Outpost Casino
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69701 East 100 Road • Wyandotte, OK Last year, a lucky player at Outpost Casino, managed by the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, hit a Wheel of Fortune jackpot for winnings of $157,017. And in the end, that’s really what a casino is all about — staring Lady Luck in the face and gambling it all with a lucky spin or roll of the dice. Outpost Casino, open 24 hours, offers a greater variety of gaming on more than 260 machines — VGT, AGS, IGT and Ballys. The facility also offers the popular Players Club as well as expanded concessions. Details: 918.666.6770 70
Buffalo Run Casino
1000 Buffalo Run Boulevard • Miami, OK The popular Buffalo Run Casino, located on the edge of Miami, offers six-deck, double deck and single-deck blackjack tables; three-card poker and Crazy4Card Poker; Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Ultimate 3 Card Face Up, 21+3 and Texas Shootout. As a tribute to the original “Coleman Theatre Beautiful,” Miami’s best-known landmark, Buffalo Run Casino has dedicated its elegant restaurant to the tradition of the house. With theater pictures and bold colors setting the stage for the decor of the restaurant,. Menu items include catfish and shrimp, breaded flounder, chicken fried steak, live and onions, chopped sirloin, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan and frog legs. Also located inside the casino is the open 24-hour Joe’s Outback Grill, featuring snack bar items and a full Americana menu. Buffalo Run Hotel features relaxing accommodations, including 12 one-room, king-bedded suites and an executive boardroom. Making a vacation trip complete is the Peoria Tribe of Indians-owned Peoria Ridge, an 18-hole championship golf course featuring rolling hills, water hazards, Bermuda fairways and roughs, and lightning fast bent grass greens. Details: 918.542.7140
Wyandotte Nation Casino
100 Jackpot Place • Wyandotte, OK
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The Twin Bridges Restaurant offers a variety of options, both lunch and dinner menus, that satisfy even the largest appetites. Menus offers steaks and salads, burgers and tasty sandwiches such as the meatloaf. There’s also the Twin Bridges Lounge and Patio, as well as a deli.
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Wyandotte Nation Casino features 532 class-two and class-three games with denominations ranging from 1 cent to $10. There are slots and a variety of table games that include sixdeck blackjack, three-card poker and single deck Superfun 21. There’s also the expanded High Limit Room. In 2012, the room topped more than $5 million in hand-paid jackpots.
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Nearly $20,000 in winnings was earned by five individuals over the last month, which enforces Wyandotte Nation Casino logo: “Always a Good Win.”
Details: 918.678.4946 71
The Stables Casino 530 H. Street SE • Miami, OK Open 24-hours, The Stables, a joint venture of the Miami Indian Tribe of Oklahoma and the Modoc Indian Tribe of Oklahoma, offers live blackjack, more than 500 Las Vegas-style electronic games, as well as a personalized off-track betting parlor with tracks from coast to coast and close to home. The Clubhouse Restaurant offers five American and Italian-style dining, and a fullservice lounge at the Starting Gate Lounge. Details: 918.542.7884
High Winds Casino
61475 East 100 Road • Miami, OK
The casino, which is operated by Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, houses the Bedlam Steakhouse. Open Tuesdays through Sundays, the restaurant offers lunch and dinner items, including baby back ribs, grilled pork chops, grilled jumbo shrimp, prime rib sandwich, beef burger and classic reuben.
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High Winds Casino offers multiple gaming experiences: mechanical reels, video reels and video poker. Games that are offered include penny and dollar slots, and the newest IGT titles. Overall, there are 300 gaming machines.
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Details: 918.541.9463
Small Casinos In addition to the large casinos, you’ll find locations that are more quick-hit stops on the way to the larger venues. • The Wyandotte Tribe operates the Lucky Turtle Casino, 64499 E. Hwy. 60, which features 113 Class 2 games. Also found inside the facility is the Turtle Stop Diner, convenience store, showers and gas pumps. It is open 24 hours. Details: 918.678.3768
Inside, there are nearly a dozen table games, including blackjack, 3-card poker, crazy 4-card and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em. There are also more than 800 slot machine. The End Zone Restaurant and Bar — open 24 hours a day, seven days a week — features fine dining in a casual atmosphere in addition to a full service bar. Located two miles from the casino is the Grand Lake Casino Lodge. A complimentary shuttle will take guests to and from the casino and hotel. Details: 918.786.8528
Details: 918.542.8670 • A part of the Buffalo Run Casino, the Peoria Gaming Center at 1350 N. Hwy. 69A is a 4,200-square-foot casino where “high pay-out gambling” takes place in a “low-key atmosphere.” There are more than 200 gaming machines and a snack bar on the premises. Details: 918.540.0303
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This 24-hour casino, operated by the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe, offers 45,000 square feet of gaming and live entertainment. Located eight miles north of Grove on Highway 10, it sits less than a mile of a busy arm of Grand Lake.
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Grand Lake Casino offers a benefit no other area casino can claim: a nearly 47,000acre lake.
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24701 South 655th Road • Grove, OK
• Operated by the Miami Nation, the Miami Tribe Entertainment Casino features 95 slot machines, electronic bingo and hot seat drawings. It is located at 202 S. Eight Tribes Trail.
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Grand Lake Casino
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chapter 5 J O P L I N O U T L AW S BY MARK SCHREMMER PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN
Outlaws to begin sixth season
Search will begin to find new home for 2015
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oplin Outlaws president and general manager Mark Rains said his summer collegiate baseball team has developed a growing fan base over the past several years. “This is our sixth year,” Rains said. “We’re playing at historical Joe Becker Stadium. It’s a wood bat league. It’s a minor league environment. We have a mascot and games for the kids. It’s competitive baseball, and it’s pretty inexpensive to watch. “It takes a while to build a base. For awhile no one knew who we were or what we were about or where we played. But you just keep plugging at it. Last year, we doubled our attendance after moving from the Joplin Athletic Complex to Joe Becker Stadium. And I expect the crowds to be a lot better this year.”
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The Outlaws will open the 2014 season with a non conference game at Rossville on May 29, and their first home game will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 31 against Ozark. Joplin will play Ozark at 5 p.m. June 1 at Joe Becker. The home opener will include 25-cent hot dogs and a canned food drive. The Outlaws also will recognize the players from the city’s Miracle League. Max Ayoub slides safely into third just ahead of the throw during a game against the Sedalia Bombers.
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“We’re working on it,” Rains said. “We should have an idea when this season starts where we will be playing next year. Our intentions are to stay in Joplin. Almost all of our host families are from the Joplin area. We can’t put on the program without host families. To pick up and move to a different town and find new host families would be pretty tough.” Area kids have fun donning adult Joplin Outlaws uniforms and trying to run as fast as they can around the base paths.
Some of the Outlaws’ key dates for 2014 include Humane Society Night on June 6, Father’s Day on June 15 when the team will recognize Wounded Warriors and Breast Cancer Awareness Night on June 27. Tickets are $3 for adults, and those 12 years old or younger are free. For more information on the Outlaws’ schedule and roster, go to www.joplinoutlaws.com.
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The Outlaws won’t be able to play at Joe Becker in 2015, but Rains said he hopes to keep the team in Joplin.
“We’re not sure how it’s going to go,” Rains said. “Everybody will want to watch the new team and see the renovations to the stadium. We understand that, but we still have our fans. We won’t always be at home at the same time, and it gives fans options.”
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The city has entered a lease agreement with the ownership group, WLD Suarez LLC, to bring an American Association independent minor league baseball team to Joe Becker Stadium beginning in 2015. More than $9 million in renovations to the stadium are scheduled to begin in August.
If the Outlaws do stay in Joplin, it will make the market more competitive with a new minor league team in the same town.
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Joplin Outlaws pitcher Matt Kasenbeck prepares to release the ball toward the plate against the visiting Nevada Griffins at Joe Becker Stadium last summer.
While the Outlaws are locked in to play at Joe Becker in 2014, the team will have to find a new home for 2015.
Rains said playing at Missouri Southern’s new stadium, which is expected to be complete in 2015, is one possibility.
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Joplin’s regular season will include 24 home games with 23 at Joe Becker Stadium and one at JayCee Ballpark in Pittsburg on July 3 against Nevada. The Outlaws’ final regular season home game is scheduled for July 15 against Sedalia.
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chapter 5 M I R AC L E F I E L D BY JIM HENRY PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN
“Everybody hits and everybody runs” Miracles happen at Will Norton Miracle Field
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he baseball league at the Will Norton Miracle Field in Joplin is growing. Last year approximately 50 boys and girls played in the league. This year almost 70 players signed up for the spring league, which began in May. The schedule has been expanded from two games on Saturday mornings last season to three games this year. “It’s been very exciting to be a part of this league,” said Cameo Harrington, the public relations chair on the board for the Miracle League of Joplin. “The growth has been excellent.”
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The league is open to anyone ages 5 to 20 with any disability. Players are given shirts identical to those worn by major league players, including the Cardinals and Royals.
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“We have kids in wheelchairs, kids using walkers, kids on the autism spectrum,” Harrington said. “Everybody hits and everybody runs. Every child swings until they hit, and everybody makes it all the way around the bases.
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Paiten Hilton, 5, of Carthage, shows his excitement after scoring a run last May at the Will Norton Miracle Field inside the Joplin Athletic Center.
“Every child is given a buddy who will help them. Some of them need a lot of help, some
If there was a disappointment in the league’s first year, it was the ribbon-cutting ceremony kept getting rained out. As a result, this season began with a ribbon cutting. The field, located in the Joplin Athletic Complex north of Schifferdecker Park, is named after Will Norton, a Joplin High School student killed in the May 22, 2011 tornado.
“The field is gorgeous. It’s completely flat, so kids with wheelchairs and walkers can get around on the bases. It’s softer, so if somebody does fall down, it doesn’t hurt as much as falling on hard ground. They also built a full handicap-accessible play area behind the field.”
Plans for the field, however, were discussed the year before the tornado. “Miracle League is an international program with about 500 fields across the country and in a couple of other countries,” Harrington said. “This is a project that Daybreak Rotary started talking about in 2010. We wanted to figure out how to bring a field to Joplin.
“A lot of these kids have brothers and sisters who are playing sports all over town. For many of them this is their first opportunity to do something like that. It’s amazing to watch kids blossom in those six weeks. Some start out very shy
“The Norton family is heavily involved. Will’s sister Sara is on the board. The family is at every one of the games. They have been very supportive and active with the league and the field.
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and quiet, and by the end of the season they are the ones who are making the most ruckus and looking for applause from the crowd. You can see how much it means to them and how much it helps them express their personalities. The parents are just so thankful … for a lot of them it’s the first time they’ve seen their child participate in a sport period.”
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don’t need really any help at all. They will help them swing and get around the bases … buddies help them however they can.
Trenton Fast, 6, of Jasper, throws his arms up and cheers as he heads toward third base with assistance from Chanci McGowen of Joplin.
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Tatum Ashford, 6, of Joplin, throws the ball back to the pitcher during a recent game in Joplin.
“Following the tornado, there were so many new donations that came in from other Rotary Clubs across the world. That’s one of the things Rotary likes to do, spend money on a project, something that is a lasting project rather than temporary. We also had a big donation from the Keller Williams Foundation. Mark Norton, Will’s father, is a Keller Williams realtor, and they requested the field be named after Will.
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chapter 5 JOE BECKER BY MARK SCHREMMER PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN
Home of the home run Joe Becker Stadium an institution since 1913
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hen the renovations to Joe Becker Stadium are complete, Shawn Suarez said he is confident the result will be something that will make the Joplin community proud. “It’s going to be a jewel,” said Suarez, who is a co-owner and general manager of an independent minor league baseball team that will begin play at Joe Becker Stadium in 2015.
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Joplin City Council members on Jan. 21 approved a lease agreement for the stadium to be the home of the American Association team formerly known as the El Paso (Texas) Diablos. The lease requires the city to spend $4 million in upgrades to the stadium. The WLD Suarez ownership group will spend $5.3 million for additional upgrades, including parking.
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Demolition crews began clearing houses near Joe Becker Stadium in early April to increase parking spaces. Work to the stadium itself won’t begin until August, so that the Joplin Outlaws can finish its 2014 season, and the annual Premier Baseball tournament can be played. Renovations will include adding seating to increase capacity to about 4,200, as well as
creating new lighting, new restrooms, new locker rooms and other upgrades to meet American Association standards. Plans also call for the creation of lawn seating, improving the concession area and other developments. “The biggest thing is just updating the stadium to modern standards,” Suarez said. “We just have a laundry list of things we need to do before we can play there, such as creating the locker rooms and team offices.” Joe Becker Stadium is about 100 years old. Players at Joe Becker have included such Hall of Famers as Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial and Ty Cobb, current all-star pitcher Clayton Kershaw, as well as AllAmericans from Missouri Southern and other MIAA schools.
“The field is great,” Suarez said. “Give credit to the grounds crew for doing a great job. As far as the field is concerned, it’s already up to our standards for play.”
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Joplin’s team will sit out the 2014 American Association season, but will compete in 2015.
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While the stadium will receive many improvements, the field will mostly keep the status quo. Suarez said the field’s unique right-field hill will remain.
Chris Cotten, Joplin’s parks and recreation director, poses in the stands of historic Joe Becker Stadium, which is the focal point of a proposal that would see a major upgrade and play by the now-El Paso Diablos. The proposal is now being investigated by city staff for the Joplin City Council’s consideration.
“It’s going to be a great entertainment value,” Suarez said.
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“The history is a huge part of it,” Suarez said. “When we first came out here, we didn’t realize exactly how historic Joe Becker Stadium was. To be able to play in a place where Mickey Mantle played is not a situation you come into very often.”
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chapter 5 JOPLIN DEMIZE BY JORDAN LARIMORE PHOTOGRAPHY BY B.W. SHEPHERD
A new game in town Joplin Demize kick off season on May 16
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ports fans in Joplin will have another option for entertainment in town beginning this spring.
On Jan. 31, city officials announced that Joplin attorney Ed Hershewe and Chris Cotten, director of parks and recreation, had collaborated to bring a semi-professional soccer club to Joplin. Hershewe is the team’s owner. The Joplin Demize will be comprised of players of all ages, many from area colleges. Director of Soccer Operations Chris Hanlon said the Demize is unlikely to pay its players initially while the team establishes itself financially, but players in the Demize’s league, the National Premier Soccer League, who are willing to forego their amateur status can be paid.
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On March 23, the team and its coach Johnny Adame held an open tryout. About 50 wouldbe minor league players turned out, and Adame found some talent.
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Richard Basurto, of Los Angeles, Calif., blocks a kick during recent Joplin Demize tryouts.
Richard Basurto, of Los Angeles, Calif., blocks a kick during recent Joplin Demize tryouts.
“I’d say probably from this tryout, we’ll probably look to sign probably seven to eight guys that I’ve seen,” he said. Among them was a pair of local players, Ryan Estus and Dominique Salcedo.
Romero grew up in Joplin but attended high school in Nixa. When he was younger, he said, his friends and family were forced to travel out of Joplin to see high-level soccer. “It actually means a lot (to me),” he said. “ ... I think this is going to open up a lot of doors for some good players to be seen.”
Joplin High School senior Jon Ponce sprints during recent tryouts. Estus is a 2013 Joplin High graduate who has played at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo. and transferred to Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan. “I think it’s great for the development,” he said. “We’ve always had good talent here but nowhere to go to showcase it.”
The Demize’s regular season home opener will be May 16 when they host Oklahoma City FC. Hanlon said the team’s goal is to draw 400-500 fans to each home game. “We’d like to sell out every game,” he said. “That’s our goal. And if we fall a little short of that this year, then we’ve got something to work toward in the future.”
Kaleb Romero is another local product expected to suit up for the Demize.
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“Dominique Salcedo, he’s another one, he’s a current Joplin High School senior,” Adame said. “So he’s another player that I think... can break into the team and maybe get some time on the field. He’s a younger kid, he’s like, I don’t even think he’s 18 yet. But he’s a kid that can develop; he’ll be someone to look out for.”
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Joe Padilla, of San Francisco, Calif., mock dribbles during warm-up exercises at tryouts for a new professional soccer team called the “Joplin Demize” as part of the National Premier Soccer League held back in March inside the Joplin Athletic Complex.
The Demize will play at the Joplin Athletic Complex, where bleachers from the vacant Gabby Street Park have been converted, a press box is being constructed and FEMA bus stops have been repurposed as team bench hubs.
The new Joplin Demize logo.
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chapter 5 MILLENIUM TENNIS BY RICHARD POLEN PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
A full range of recreational activities Youth tennis tournaments extremely popular
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full range of recreational activities are offered at Millennium Tennis and Fitness Club, including competitive tennis tournaments for adults and youth. The swimming pool at the club opens at the end of May, and summer camps begin in the first week of June, said Brad Bigando, senior club manager. “You can do whatever — tennis, cardio, running,” Bigando said. “It can’t be too cold or too hot.” Recreational and fitness opportunities include a weight room, aerobics room for fitness classes, saunas and massage therapy. The club also maintains a pro shop for its tennis offerings.
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Summer tennis camps begin June 3 for youth based on skill level. Fees include use of the outdoor pool. Youth tournaments include the Missouri District Open for the months of May, June, September, October and December.
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The “4 Lukes” – Luke Johnson, Luke Ralston, Luke Miller and Luke Goodhope — have collected all the stray balls after a session of Millenium’s After School Tennis Program.
Executive director of tennis Marianella Padron has 17 years of experience in tennis coaching and program management. Michael Wheelan, a former
assistant coach for the University of Tulsa’s men’s tennis program, is the academy and tennis programs director. “She does teaching a lot as well as Mike,” Bigando said. “Our junior program has been really popular and we’re proud of that. “We’ve had several kids go on to play in college. Any time you can play in college, it’s a big deal. There are a lot of opportunities to play in college.” The organizers are involved in regional U.S. Tennis Association Missouri Valley events in May, August, October and November.
Tennis greats Bjorn Borg of Sweden, Yannick Noah of France and Johan Kriek of South Africa attended a special kickoff event in 2000.
The club has hosted professional tournaments sponsored by the Association of Tennis Professionals and USTA Pro Circuit futures and challengers.
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Millennium, founded by David and Debra Humphreys, opened in November, 1999.
The kids standing and smiling are members of Millennium’s popular After School Tennis Program. They include: Jem Kionisala, Gabi Laird, Lilly Cornell, Luke Goodhope, Christopher Wheelen, Nicholas Turney, Jaden Durling, Juliana Joseph, Carter Churchwell, Henry Dwyer, Grant Durling, Logan Adams, Luke Johnson, Noah Hamlett and Luke Ralston.
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“No matter where they are in the district, they can still make it and not have to spend the night,” he said. “The one-day junior tournaments have been the same way and they’ve been really popular.”
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“We need to do one or two a year for adults just to keep their interest,” Bigando said. “The wave is going to oneday events instead of the whole weekend.
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chapter 5 RIVERS & LAKES BY KEVIN MCCLINTOCK PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Sparkling waters Four States Area is home to a number of lakes, rivers and creeks
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issouri may not have as many lakes and waterways as Minnesota, and it may not be known as the “Natural State” like our neighbors to the south, but the Southwest Missouri region is still home to large reservoirs that measure in the tens of thousands of acres. In those waters — lakes, rivers and creeks — lie a wealth of fish — bass, crappie, catfish and many other species. Here is a rundown of area lakes and waterways, including those found in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
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• Table Rock Lake, one of Missouri’s best bass lakes, sprawls across Missouri’s Arkansas border. With a surface area of about 50,000 acres, some of the best fishing can be found in the lake’s arms and coves. Largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and white bass are abundant, and crappie, walleye, bluegill and catfish swim there, as well. Late spring and early summer offer peak fishing, but you can catch fish at just about any time of year.
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• Stockton Lake’s 25,000 acres of water offers some of the best walleye fishing in the entire Show-Me State. You can also catch bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish. A number of public access areas and boat
• Grand Lake ‘0 the Cherokees is a nearly 47,000-acre lake in Northeast Oklahoma that draws a high percentage
facilities around the lake. Paved access roads wind through twelve developed parks. These parks have modern campsites offering electricity and fire rings with drinking water, showers, and restrooms nearby. Other facilities, such as picnic sites, swimming beaches, hiking trails, boat launching ramps and sanitary dump stations are also available in the parks. There are 12 recreation areas with
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• Beaver Lake is a man-made reservoir in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas and is formed by a dam across the White River. Beaver Lake has some 487 miles of natural shoreline. With towering limestone bluffs, natural caves and a wide variety of trees and flowering shrubs, it is a popular tourist destination. The Army Corps of Engineers has also constructed a variety of recreational
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of travelers and fisherman from Missouri. This deep and rocky lake is consistently ranked among the top bass fishing lakes in the United States. Grand also houses a wide variety of other sport and non-sport fishing. Due to its northwest to southwest orientation, it attracts sailboaters from across the country as well.
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ramps provide a gateway to the lake, not the least of which is Stockton State Park. The park has boat launches and ample open shoreline, plus a marina, swimming beach, cabins and camping facilities. Fishing includes black bass and crappie.
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Table Rock Lake
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Stockton Lake
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677 campsites along with seven fullservice commercial marina concessions, which hold 1,750 rental slips. There are eight national bass tournaments per year and many other fishing tournaments catering to more than three million annual visitors. • Shoal Creek is an 81.5-mile-long stream in southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas. It begins in Barry County, Missouri southwest of Exeter, and flows west through Newton and Jasper counties in Missouri before emptying into the Spring River near Riverton, Kan. in Cherokee County.
During its course in Missouri, it creates Grand Falls, a large waterfall south of Joplin, Missouri, and runs through Wildcat Park, which holds the best remaining examples of the globally unique chert glades and is also home to the Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center. Grand Falls is 25 feet high and spans the entire creek from bank to bank. It is called Missouri’s largest, continuously flowing natural waterfall. In the 1890s a hydroelectric plant was built at the site but has since been abandoned. A theatre, boat houses, a German Village and a
dance pavilion were built near the falls in the early 1900s, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad shuttled visitors to the site. • The Roaring River is a 14.9-mile-long river in Barry County. It is a tributary of the White River, into which it flows in Eagle Rock, Missouri. This section of the White River is a reservoir called Table Rock Lake. A source of the Roaring River is Roaring River Spring, in Roaring River Hollow. The river flows through Roaring River State Park and Mark Twain National Forest. Rainbow trout and brown trout are the most popular fish found there.
• Big Sugar Creek is a 47-mile-long waterway in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri. The creek starts near the Arkansas state line. Only about 24 miles of it is floatable during the spring and summer. Big Sugar starts from three tributaries. One flows north from Garfield, Ark., and one west near Seligman, while another, south from Washburn. Starting near Powell in McDonald County, and continuing for approximately 25 miles and then ending at the creeks confluence with Little Sugar Creek, is a stretch popular for canoeing and kayaking. A recent improvement to
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• The Elk River and its scenic tributary, Big Sugar Creek, have become a favorite float with canoeists in the western part of the state. Big Sugar provides good camping and fishing, and is an unusually clear stream. In the Pineville and Noel areas, summer cottages are numerous,
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area of the state has a distinct natural history, featuring many plants and animals that are less common or absent in other areas of Missouri. The park also offers a three-mile hiking trail.
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the area is the Big Sugar Creek State Park, in which about 80 percent of its more than 2,000 acres have been designated as the Elk River Breaks Natural Area, which is protected as a perpetual, undeveloped area that features a wide diversity of wildlife, birds, plants and forests. This
• Indian Creek is suitable mainly for spring floats but has one of the best general gradients in the Ozarks. However, the gradient is steady and there are really no unusual features in terms of falls or spectacular runs. It is just a good, steady, fast run through relatively undisturbed countryside, in spite of its closeness to civilization.
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but the Elk below Noel again has a more isolated quality. Fish that can be found here include smallmouth bass, Northern Rock bass (goggle-eye) and Channel Catfish.
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Shaping Minds for the Future
chapter 6 MSSU BY EMILY YOUNKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER NOMER
MSSU ‘products’ gaining employment University leads the way in criminal justice and education
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f you’re looking for a locally educated and certified teacher or law enforcement agent, look no further than Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, which is a top producer of graduates in the criminal justice and education fields. About 600 students — nearly 11 percent of the total student body — are enrolled in the teacher education program, making it one of the top degree programs at Missouri Southern, said Deborah Brown, interim department chair. “For many of them, it’s almost a calling,” she said. “They want to make a difference in students’ lives.”
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The program provides bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education, elementary education (the most popular option, drawing about half of students in the department), middle school education, secondary education, special education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It also partners with other Missouri universities to offer master’s degrees in teaching and education. In addition to student-teaching in local school districts, future educators are also Jared Prater, a MSSU sophomore criminal justice major, takes target practice during a recent small arms training session.
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Brown said roughly 75 to 80 percent of graduates stay local, finding teaching jobs within a 70-mile radius of Joplin. “We’re really proud of the work they do once they’re out there in the schools,” she
The department offers bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice administration and juvenile justice as well as a joint degree with the computer science department in
The crime scene investigation option is the most popular among students in part because of television shows such as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “Law and Order,” said Michael Hulderman, interim department chair. “It’s just how the media portrays it so much, and it’s interesting,” he said. Graduates have “pretty unlimited” career
options, Hulderman said. Depending on their interests and professional goals, they have entered the fields of local, state and federal law enforcement, probation and parole, juvenile justice, private security, conservation, law, highway patrol and family and child services, he said.
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Criminal Justice Between 450 and 500 Missouri Southern students are criminal justice majors, representing about 8 percent of the total student population and making it another popular degree program on campus.
crime scene investigation and computer forensics. The department also offers two associate’s degrees and several minors.
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said. “We put out a good product, and we’re happy to have our name behind them.”
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required to participate in community service projects as part of their portfolio, Brown said. Many of them volunteer at the annual Special Olympics competition in the spring, at non-profit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, or at events in local schools, she said.
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David Newell, continuing education coordinator for criminal justice (left), looks over a target with Don Bailey, a senior criminal justice major, during a fire arms training session on the Missouri Southern campus.
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chapter 6 PSU BY ANDRA BRYAN STEFANONI PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
PSU Gorilla pride University programs credited for student placement
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wo departments that began as small programs at Pittsburg State University some 30 to 40 years ago have grown to achieve the status of school, have earned state and national recognition and are boasting placement rates for their graduates of 100 percent. “The key to it is to have a vision and then grow your resources. And you have to have patience,” said Jim Otter, chairman of the School of Construction. “It has more than paid off.” Otter, himself a student at PSU in the late 1970s, earned a degree in construction engineering technology in 1981.
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“At that time, we had a three-room program in Whitesitt Hall. We had very little. But we had faculty with great vision who laid the groundwork to get us to where we are today,” said Otter, who joined the faculty in 1984.
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The school offers three tracks: A bachelor of science in nursing, a registered nurse to BSN track and a master of science in nursing. On the horizon is a possible doctor of nursing practice program, for which a proposal has been submitted to the Board of Regents and a decision is expected later this year.
The school, now housed in the state-of-the-art Kansas Technology Center, has 324 majors in three areas: Construction management, environmental safety management and construction engineering technology. About 70 to 80 of them graduate each year. The program has seen 100 percent placement every year consistently since it began, Otter said.
As a result, students now participate in six to eight competitions a year as compared to a previous one or two. They also have access to cutting-edge technology in which the school has invested, including iPads on job sites, laser scanners, robotic systems and software that allows for immediate change orders or verifications to speed the process. Students also now participate in numerous service learning projects throughout the Pittsburg community, allowing them the chance to engage in
Otter credits large companies like Kansas City-based J.E. Dunn and Columbus, Kan.-based Crossland Construction, as well as dedicated faculty and supportive administration, with the growth of the program. “We’re not done continuing our vision,” he said. “We’ll keep moving forward.” School of Nursing Since the 1970s, PSU’s Irene Ransom Bradley’s School of Nursing has undergone a similar journey. At that time, nursing education was making a conversion from being hospital-based to a university setting.
Pomatto joined the faculty just a year after earning her degree, and now as the school’s director, has seen growth of the program in not just numbers, but also in diversity. “We have more men joining the program, and more underrepresented minorities,” she said. “We also have a more diverse faculty program; in the last 10 years, we’ve begun employing more men in faculty roles. That’s been a very enriching experience.” The school offers three tracks: A bachelor of science in nursing, a registered nurse to BSN track and a master of science in nursing. On the horizon is a possible doctor of nursing practice program, for which a proposal has been submitted to the Board of Regents and a decision is expected later this year. The program typically has 70 students in pre-licensure graduating each May, about 30 in the RN program graduating in July and December, and about 20 earning master’s degrees.
Construction Engineering is one of two departments at Pittsburg State University which has earned state and national recognition.
“Our employment rate for each category is consistently at 100 percent with six months to a year of graduation for those who have sought careers in their degree areas,” Pomatto said. Even better, Pomatto said, is that at least 80 percent of the school’s graduates last year went to work in PSU’s service region, which means they’re serving a rural area where they “can really make a difference.” The region’s hospitals open their doors quickly to PSU nursing students, she said, because of their reputation for quality. Pomatto credited other departments across campus, from biology to family and consumer sciences to psychology to sociology in contributing to their education and training.
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Learning Projects A few years ago, after a lengthy approval process, the school was approved and equipment, labs, professional development, faculty and funding followed “that made a world of difference for what we wanted to do,” Otter said.
Students also have had opportunities to work in construction on internships and in part-time and full-time jobs literally next door at the PSU’s $30 million Center for the Arts and around the corner at Via Christi Hospital’s $20 million Surgical Center and Pinamonti’s $5 million Wellness Center.
“She always knew the program would continue to grow and make its mark,” said Mary Carol Pomatto, who was in the department’s second graduating class. “She had a vision, and we helped her realize it.”
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“We just started scratching and clawing our way up to evolve our program. It’s been a long journey.”
This spring, they’re busy building a track for an international Society of Automotive Engineers Baja competition, in addition to working with internal and external constituents to plan where cars will be stored, public access, entryways and more.
Cecelia Waggoner, the department’s first chair, is credited with writing grants that helped to build McPherson Hall, which still serves as home to the nursing program, and advocating for it at the state level.
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Otter credits his former instructor, Bill Wilson, with predicting it would take 30 years to build a program; that would give a generation of students time to get jobs and work their way up in construction related industries, then become influential as leaders and decision-makers, and finally, to connect those companies with PSU and its graduates.
real-world project management. In the past two years they’ve completed a pavilion at an elementary school and a shelter and a restroom/shower facility at an RV park, among other things.
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“Even in the economic downturn, we placed all of our students,” he said.
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chapter 6 CROWDER COLLEGE BY ROGER MCKINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER NOMER AND T. ROB BROWN
Crowder’s new leader 51-year-old institution has seen expansion in locations, enrollment
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ennifer Methvin will soon take over leadership of a thriving and growing Crowder College.
Methvin, vice chancellor for academics at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, was hired as the president by the Crowder Board of Trustees in February. She officially starts her job in July. She will join interim President Kent Farnsworth, a former Crowder president, for a transition month in June. She called Farnsworth a mentor and an inspiration. She is the community college’s first woman president in its 51-year history. “I feel very fortunate,” Methvin said. “I think there are so many opportunities to reach more students and to grow the economy and create jobs in the area. Crowder’s just poised to do that.”
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She said she’s fortunate to be taking over a college that’s in such good shape, but there’s also pressure to continue the growth.
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Jill Dill, of Anderson, checks out the nursing mannequins at the Russell and Sally Davidson Nursing Skills Lab at the Crowder College’s McDonald County campus. Dill’s grandfather and grandmother-in-law were donors to the lab.
“Our adjunct faculty number is a little high,” Methvin said of part-time instructors, an issue she plans to tackle. “It is a very fiscally well-managed institution.”
The moment of the groundbreaking to the new building at the Crowder College’s campus in Webb City.
Jennifer Methvin
Crowder students are partnering with students from Drury University, Springfield, to build a solar-powered house to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathalon in the fall.
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A new, 22,000-square-foot building with a 9,000-square-foot safe room is scheduled to open at Crowder’s Webb City campus for the start of the fall semester. The building at 600 S. Ellis St. also has a $6 million construction cost, paid for with a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the college building fund and private donations.
The board of trustees in January bought the 64-unit Roughrider Village apartment complex, west of campus, for $3.5 million. It will be ready for occupancy by students in time for the fall semester.
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Over the past eight years, credit hours taken by Crowder students has increased by 95 percent. The student head count in the fall semester was at 5,845 students. Officials attribute the enrollment growth to expanded locations throughout the nine-county service district. Besides the main campus in Neosho, the college has locations in Cassville, Webb City, Nevada and Jane and also offers classes at Carthage, Greenfield, Lamar, Monett and Mount Vernon.
The opening marked the resignation from the board of James Tatum, for whom the building was named. He had served 50 years on the board, most of them as president, and was instrumental in establishing the college in 1963.
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A state audit of Crowder’s finances, released in August 2013, rated the college as “fair,” noting several areas of improvement needed.
A Crowder initiative that allows motivated students to earn an associate’s degree while still in high school is available in Neosho, Joplin, Carl Junction, Carthage, Liberal and Aurora.
A program for international paramedic students began this school year.
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Pam Hudson, director of the Crowder College (McDonald County campus), welcomes the crowd to the high-tech James B. Tatum Hall in Jane in January. It had 100 students enrolled.
Crowder opened its McDonald County location, James B. Tatum Hall, in Jane in January. It’s a mile from the Arkansas border. It had 100 students enrolled in January. Private donations paid for $1.65 million of the total construction cost of just over $6 million. The cost of the property was $750,000.
The Webb City campus has around 1,000 students and officials have said the new building will give the college the capacity to accommodate 2,000 students.
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chapter 6 NEO BY RYAN RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
NEO continues growing trends Expansion seen inside the classroom and on the field
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ost two-year colleges struggle with maintaining an identity outside of being a springboard to bigger scholastic endeavors or for student-athletes to showcase their talents to larger schools.
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At Northeast Oklahoma A&M, home of the Golden Norsemen, the college has bucked that trend to carve out an identity of their own. As the largest, two-year residential college based in Oklahoma, NEO is a beacon of educational development for students across the Four States area. The Miami-based campus has swelled to over 3,000 students for the 2013-14 school year, while increasing the number of degrees conferred by 33 percent since 2006. During that time, the school has also increased athletic opportunities by adding an equestrian program and restarting the wrestling program.
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That increased enrollment has also put many Native Americans on the path to graduation. Thanks in part to the school’s American Indian Center for Excellence (AICE), the Native American population on the campus now comprises 20 percent of all enrolled students. The Native American graduation rate has risen to 30 percent, which is above the 24 percent of the school’s overall graduation rate. NEO president Dr. Jeff Hale cited the programs success in part to the cooperation of local tribes.
The hiring of coach Joe Renfro, one of the most successful junior college wrestling coaches of all time, showed the commitment that the school had in building a high caliber program that could compete with the best junior colleges in the nation. Renfro, who was fresh off a national championship with Labette Community College in Parsons, Kan., proved to be the catalyst that would vault the program into the national spotlight. In their first season, the Renfro led Golden Norsemen brought home their
Wetlands project helps clean water Thanks to a joint effort between the Peoria Tribe of Indians and the NEO science and math chair Mark Grigsby, the campus will soon open a $250,000 wetlands project that will serve as an educational opportunity and as a chance at environmental cleanup for Tar Creek, which runs through campus. The creek, which has been long polluted by mining waste from upstream, will be diverted into retention pools on campus where local grass will help remove chemicals from the water before releasing it back into the creek. Construction started on the wetlands in the spring of 2013 with the digging of four ponds, 18- to 24-inches deep, where native fish and plants will be introduced. The main holding pond, which takes up most of the area, has been cleared and equipped
with the pumping system for the creek. Grigsby now is researching what plants to introduce into the area in the spring. After the plants are introduced, the wetlands site should be completed during this summer, he said.
right here on campus and give them a hands-on lesson in local nature.”
“There is enough work that shows that plants can take up some amount of metals,” Grigsby said. “If we can show that the plants we introduce through this wetlands project help clean up the water, it will show the EPA that they have options, natural options, for cleanup assistance.”
For Grigsby, the wetlands project represents a winning situation for NEO and the Peoria Tribe. “They did the legwork in getting the grant prepared and approved,” he said. “The school, and the creek, will get the full benefit from their hard work.”
In addition to the benefit to the local environment, Grigsby said, students attending NEO will use the site for educational purposes. “We are a two-year school, not a research facility, but we will still be using this land for studies,” Grigsby said. “We have a great opportunity to take our basic biology students in the field
A gazebo will be constructed south of the holding ponds to be used as an outdoor classroom.
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Wrestling With a new 7,800 square-foot, $1.3 million facility that was opened during the fall of 2013, the reemergence of the school’s wrestling program was poised to make a big splash on campus.
“It was a great way to bring the program back to the school,” Renfro said. “We’ve got a great future ahead of us if we keep working hard.”
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“It is the only organization to my knowledge that caters specifically to Native American students in higher education,” Little Axe said. “It is an honor for our college and our organization to see this success in our students.”
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AICE director Claudia Little Axe said the program is unique to college campuses.
first NJCAA national team title which also included a national championship for 174 pounder Payne Hatter and runnerup finishes from Josh Walker, Michael Williams and Zack Dobbins, third-place finishes from Mark Hobson and Evan McGee, a fifth from Shelby Krout and eighth-place finishes from Josh Ailey and Caleb Cotter. During the March 25 meeting of the Miami City Council, Renfro and the team were honored with a proclamation by the city.
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“The partnership between our nine local tribes, and their leadership, and NEO A&M continues to have a positive impact on Native American student success,” Hale said. “I appreciate very much the hard work of our staff at AICE and the great support from our tribal chiefs.”
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Parting Shot T H R O W I N G S PA R K S PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN
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Chris Dudley, a welder with Prestressed Casting of Springfield, trims a piece of metal tubing with a saw last month at the construction site of the new Joplin High School.
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