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Volume 4 | issue 2 | june 2013
oplin Metro Magazine
12 i n each i ssu e
12 on the cover: Area casinos make
region an entertainment destination
24 living: Phelps House offers ornate view of the past
10 the 10-spot
44 Profile: Julie Yockey takes director
55 the J list
gear up for busy Fourth of July
position at Carthage Public Library
46 profile: M & M Bistro
33 style: Clothing by Ambiance
48 Profile:
of shared roadways
38 Profile: Stream Team monitors
6 the scene
42 profile: Liberty Pyrotechnics workers
30 taste: Jim’s Steak House 36 Profile: Cyclists raise awareness
others to read
Kelcey Schlichting teaches
56 the parting shot
52 minding your business: Hideout Harley-Davidson
the health of Shoal Creek
T HE J T EA M EDITOR Scott Meeker Phone: 417.627.7272 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: smeeker@j-magazine.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kevin McClintock Phone: 417.627.7279 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: kmcclintock@j-magazine.com
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4 Calendar
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andra Bryan Stefanoni Stephanie Davis Goad Ryan Richardson
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Roma Harmon Regina Carnahan Barry Linduff PHOTOGRAPHERS T. Rob Brown Roger Nomer Curtis Almeter Drew Kimble COVER ILLUSTRATION T. Rob Brown COVER DESIGN Barry Linduff
GRAPHIC DESIGN Gaila Osborn T HE J O P L IN G LO B E
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Brent Powers Phone: 417.627.7233 E-mail: bpowers@joplinglobe.com
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Mike Beatty Phone: 417.627.7291 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: mbeatty@joplinglobe.com
SALES MANAGER Janette Cooper Phone: 417.627.7236 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: jcooper@joplinglobe.com
EDITOR Carol Stark Phone: 417.627.7278 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: cstark@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 Joplin Metro Magazine 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 responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.
from the editor
stepping up to the plate next month, while I’ll be taking a contributing editor role as I focus on other duties. Kevin has been a major component of this publication’s success in the last few years, so readers will definitely be in good hands.
Strangely enough, though, I enjoy the concept of gambling. I’ve seen movies such as “Rounders,” “21” and “Casino” several times, and I like hearing stories from friends who have placed their bets in Vegas or at local casinos.
In other staffing news, this issue also marks the final contribution from staff writer and photographer Stephanie Davis Goad, who has been with us since we launched in 2010. She’s been a pleasure to work with, and we wish her well as she begins her duties as the executive director of international programs at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. Ryan Richardson, who wrote this month’s story on the bicyclists, is joining the magazine staff as a writer/ photographer, so be watching for his contributions to the magazine.
This month marks my final issue as editor of Joplin Metro Magazine. Associate Editor Kevin McClintock will be
Thanks for reading!
Scott Meeker Editor Joplin Metro Magazine
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Finally, special thanks to T. Rob Brown and Barry Linduff, who took a stunningly inept design sketch and created what you see on the cover. (Fun fact: There are 73 Js in the playing cards being held.)
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Also in this issue, you’ll meet Julie Yockey, the new director of the Carthage Public Library; learn about a group of local bicycle enthusiasts who want to stress the importance of sharing the road; meet members of the Wildcat Glades Stream Team as they work to monitor our water quality; and take a tour of the historic Phelps House.
Also, keep an eye out for next month’s issue. Joplin Metro Magazine will be serving as the official publisher of the 2013 Route 66 International Festival program for those attending the event. We’re planning some special coverage of the famed Mother Road and hope you’ll come along for the ride.
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Those local gaming venues are the focus of this month’s issue. From Downstream to Grand Lake Casino, it’s a booming business that makes an impact on the region’s economy. In addition to a roundup of the casinos, you’ll find a guide to upcoming concerts and an interview with John Rokos, who talks about his two decades as a table dealer and his journey from the Vegas Strip to the Four State Area.
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’m not much of a gambler. My poker face is pretty weak, I don’t have a lot of luck when it comes to cards and I’ve never really enjoyed putting money on the table in the hopes that I might win some more … probably because I usually don’t.
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calendar
July A ‘ Sta r - Spa n gl e d ’ l au g h From June 28-30 and July 5-7, Stone’s Throw Dinner Theater in Carthage will be tackling a romantic comedy written by the legendary Neil Simon: “The StarSpangled Girl.” In 1960s San Francisco, Andy Hobart does everything he can to keep his struggling, two-man, radical underground newspaper, The Nitty Gritty, going— he steals food from the supermarket and other people’s laundry from the dry cleaners, and holds off his creditors. He lives with nerdy Norman Cordell, who writes the entire newspaper. But then a perky Southern girl, Amy Cooper, moves into their apartment complex. Norman falls instantly in love with her (or rather with the way she smells) and neglects his writing, causing Andy untold headaches. The play will be directed by Stone’s Throw veteran Shanti Navarre. Details: 417.358.9665.
ART Art W or k e r s Cr e at i v i t y a n d Am e r i c a : Through July 7 at Spiva Center for the Arts, Kansas City artist Hugh Merrill presents his American-themed art with works by invited local artists. Visitors add to the exhibit through hands-on gallery projects. Hours for the exhibit are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: 417.623.0183. FA M I LY
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F o u rt h of J u ly c e l e br at i o n : 3 p.m. Thursday, July 4, in Landreth Park. Live entertainment will feature Big Smitty, Duke Mason and Felonius Monk. Fireworks show will begin at 9:50 p.m. Details: 417.624.0820.
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‘ T h e B oom G o e s O n ! ’ Beginning at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, June 28, the annual fireworks display at the Spirit of 76 Park in Mount Vernon. Details: 417.466.2122. M u d D ay Pa rt y: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Joplin Public Library. Children up to fifth grade can celebrate nature by listening to stories, painting a masterpiece, snacking on an earthy treat or having fun digging in the mud. Children under 6 years must be accompanied by an adult. Details: 417.623.2184.
J opl i n V i n tag e M a r k e t: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 13, at the John Q. Hammons Holiday Inn Convention Center. There will be 100-plus dealers selling antiques, collectibles, toys, comics, marbles, art, books, dolls and furniture. Details: 417.782.1000. L E G O Clu b : 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 14, at Joplin Public Library. The event will have a pirate theme. Children through fifth grade are invited to attend. Details: 623.7953. T h i rd T h u r s d ay: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 18, downtown Joplin. The monthly event features numerous art galleries, live music, food and more. Details: www. downtownjoplin.com. R e d D i rt R e l i c s R o a d s h ow: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Joplin. A show for all lovers of “junk.” Free goodie bags for first paid adults at the door and more than 100 door prizes will be given away. Live music and concession stand. Details: 417.782.1000. S P EAKE R S Ad u lt S u mm e r R e a d i n g : 6 p.m. Monday, July 8, Joplin Public Library. Dr. Virginia Lass with the Missouri Humanities Council will present a program covering guerrilla warfare in Civil War Missouri and the women it impacted. At 6 p.m. Thursday, July 25, Bill Martin will discuss the underground tunnels of Joplin, the town’s mining history and its link to gangsters. Details: 417.623.7953.
F I T NESS B i g T i m e Yo u t h T r i at h lo n : 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29, Missouri Southern State University campus. Rufus Racing will partner with Ozark Center for Autism to produce an event specifically for youth with autism that will be in addition to the traditional youth event for ages 5-14. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Ozark Center for Autism. Details: www.rufusracing.com. Yog a i n N at u r e : 9 a.m. Saturday, July 20, Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center. Enjoy exercise on the banks of Shoal Creek. Cost is $3 for members, $6 for non-members. Details: 417.782.6287.
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T i m e w i t h T u rtl e S : 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, July 13, at Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center. Help celebrate the Year of the Turtle and search for turtles. There will be a hike, stories and a craft. Details: 417.623.2184.
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NAT U R E S h o a l Cr e e k Cl e a n - u p: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 29, at Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center. Sponsored by Missouri American Water and Aveda, in partnership with Missouri Department of Conservation, the clean-up will begin at Grand Falls in Joplin and end at Schermerhorn Park in Galena, Kan. There will be lunch at the Southeast Kansas Nature Center in Schermerhorn Park. Details: 417.782.6287.
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the scene
Joplin Memorial Run
Photography by T. Rob Brown
Olympic runner Deena Kastor (left) poses for a photo with Carl Junction resident Kelsey Kuykendall, who placed second in the 20-25 age group of the 5K race. Kastor was the featured speaker at the banquet held the night before the run.
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A fractured ankle didn’t keep 14-year-old Jonathan Johnson from the finish line during the Joplin Memorial Run. Nearly 2,300 runners participated in the half marathon, 5K and 1-mile kids run.
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Children take off from the starting line during the 1-mile kids run, held as part of the Memorial Run activities.
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the scene
Benefit for Moore, Okla.
Photography by Roger Nomer
T-shirts worn by the Probation and Parole staff showed their support for Moore, Okla. which was hit by a tornado on May 20.
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Violet Haut, 3, digs into a hamburger during the fundraiser. The burgers were donated for the event by Backyard Burgers.
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Courtney Smith (left) a probation and parole officer, serves up a hamburger to Keith Brandon during a benefit at the Probation and Parole office, 1919 N. Range Line Road. Proceeds were sent to Moore via the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
the 10 spot
s u mm e r r e a d s
By J Mag staff
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Summer reads
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Library shares titles popular with patrons
“ T w i c e a B r i d e ,” by M o n a Hodg s o n The fourth book in the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek romance series is about a young widow who comes to town to work as a painter. But some other new arrivals in town threaten the bonds of the Sinclair sisters.
“ M a d R i v e r ,” by J o h n S a n dford Investigator Virgil Flowers (who has his own series apart from Sandford’s “Prey” novels) tries to stop three teens’ crime spree through rural Minnesota.
“ NY P D R e d,” by J a m e s Patt e r s o n In the criminal justice system, a special task force is tasked with protecting the wealthy and powerful. These are their stories. BUM-BOMMMM!
“ T h e F orgott e n ,” by D av i d B a ld acc i In Baldacci’s latest thriller, Army Special Agent John Puller arrives in Paradise, Fla., to investigate his aunt’s death. He soon learns that despite the town’s pleasant name, there’s a conspiracy lurking underneath.
“ S h i v e r ,” by K a r e n R ob a rd s This new suspense novel by Robards is about a repo service employee who is taken hostage by a dying man, and soon learns that she and her son have been targeted by a drug gang.
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“ M e rr y C h r i s tm a s , Al e x Cro s s ,” by J a m e s Patt e r s o n This might be one to cool down with. The 19th in Patterson’s Alex Cross series involves a holiday hostage standoff.
“ T h e B l ac k B ox ,” by M i c h a e l Co n n e lly Connelly’s latest crime novel once again features Det. Harry Bosch. In this outing, Bosch finds a connection between a recent crime and a murder that took place during the L.A. riots two decades earlier.
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“ T h e R ac k e t e e r ,” by J o h n G r i s h a m The latest legal thriller from Grisham (released last fall) involves racketeering, corruption and murder: the perfect recipe for a summer pageturner!
“ Notor i o u s N i n e t e e n ,” by J a n e t Eva n ov i c h Evanovich brings back bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, who must track down an embezzler who has skipped town.
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The Joplin Public Library shared with us 10 of their most sought-after titles. Pick one of them up today!
“All T h i n g s N e w,” by Ly n n N . Au s t i n Austin’s historical novel is set in the aftermath of the Civil War, as three women try to pick up the pieces of their lives.
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ith summer here, there’s no better time to kick back, soak up some sun and dive into a good book. And for many Joplin readers, it seems their novel of choice is either of the thriller, crime or historical romance variety.
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on the cover g a mb l i n g
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he Four-State Area is home to major casinos. Combined, these 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 thrillseekers and tourists; in turn, generating jobs and boosting the local economy.
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By Kevin McClintock Photography by Ryan Richardson and Curtis Almeter
In Nicholas Pileggi’s introduction to his best-seller “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. 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.
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. “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.”
D ow n s tr e a m C a s i n o R e s ort 69300 E. Nee Road | Quapaw, Okla. 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.”
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
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. 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.
O u tpo s t C a s i n o 69701 E. 100 Road | Wyandotte, Okla. Back in May, a lucky player at the new 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.
Details: 918.666.6770
Q ua paw C a s i n o 58100 E. 64 Road | Miami, Okla.
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.
There are no golf courses, concert arenas or conference halls located inside Quapaw Casino. Just gaming.
The $90 million Indigo Casino features a large gaming floor, a hotel, an RV park and several restaurants. The
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I n d i go S k y C a s i n o 70220 U.S. 60 | Wyandotte, Okla.
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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.
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Details: 918.919.6000, www.downstreamcasino.com
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Wyandotte Nation Casino features 532 class-two and classthree 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.
45,000-square-foot gaming floor offers the old off-track betting and bingo games made popular at the old Bordertown location. The bingo room comfortably seats 540. Standard Vegas-style table games also exist — 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 Twin Bridges Restaurant offers a variety of options, both lunch and dinner menus, that satisfy even the largest appetites. Menus offer steaks and salads, burgers and tasty sandwiches such as meatloaf. There’s also the Twin Bridges Lounge and Patio, as well as a deli. Details: 918.678.4946
The hotel offers 117 guest rooms and 19 suites, as well as an outdoor heated pool, including cabanas, and a waterfall. 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.
B u ffa lo R u n C a s i n o 1000 Buffalo Run Blvd. | Miami, Okla. 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.
Details: 888.992.7591
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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.
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Buffalo Run Hotel features relaxing accommodations, including 12 one-room, king-bedded suites and an executive boardroom.
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W ya n dott e N at i o n C a s i n o 100 Jackpot Place | Wyandotte, Okla. Nearly $20,000 in winnings was earned by five individuals over the last month, which enforces the Wyandotte Nation Casino logo: “Always a Good Win.”
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
Grand Lake Casino 24701 S. 655th Road | Grove, Okla. Grand Lake Casino offers a benefit no other area casino can claim: a nearly 47,000-acre lake. 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.
The Clubhouse Restaurant offers five American and Italian-style dining, and a full-service lounge at the Starting Gate Lounge. Details: 918.542.7884
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.
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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 Vegasstyle electronic games, as well as a personalized off-track betting parlor with tracks from coast to coast and close to home.
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T h e Sta bl e s C a s i n o 530 H. St. SE | Miami, Okla.
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: 918.541.9463
• Operated by the Miami Nation, the M i a m i T r i b e E n t e rta i n m e n t C a s i n o features 95 slot machines, electronic bingo and hot seat drawings. It is located at 202 S. Eight Tribes Trail. Details: 918.542.8670. • A part of the huge Buffalo Ru n C a si no, the P e or i a G a m i n g C e n t e r 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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The casino, which is operated by the 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.
• The Wyandotte Tribe operates the Lu c k y T u rtl e C a s i n o, 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.
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High Winds Casino 61475 E. 100 Road | Miami, Okla.
In addition to the large casinos, you’ll find locations that are more quick-hit stops on the way to the larger venues.
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By Scott Meeker
Going
all in
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Downstream chairman says casino has exceeded expectations as an entertainment hub
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hen Downstream Casino held a ceremony earlier this year marking the opening of the new $50 million Kappa Hotel, officials noted the major contribution that the casino makes to the area’s economy. Those numbers include an annual impact of $26 million in Missouri and $10 million each in Kansas and Oklahoma. John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw Tribe’s business committee, says that Downstream has become a thriving component of the local economy, with more than 1,100 employees and a commitment to serving tribal members. And what’s more remarkable, he says, is how quickly the casino came to fruition after plans for it were announced just six years ago. Berrey spoke with J Magazine about the initial vision for Downstream and what the future holds for the casino.
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J : How do e s t h e Q ua paw T r i b e b e n e f i t from t h e casino? Berrey: It benefits the tribe in several ways. It receives a $10 million contribution each year from the cash flow, and then there’s tax money and jobs. All of that is turned into services, including law enforcement, health care, scholarship programs and senior housing. We’re able to do a lot of stuff for a lot of people.
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J : D ow n s tr e a m r e c e n tly op e n e d a n e w h ot e l . How lo n g wa s t h at i n d e v e lopm e n t ? Berrey: It was always part of our master plan. By about 2011, our hotel was full all the time. Kappa Tower is doing great. Last month we reached a 90-percent occupancy rate, Monday through Sunday. The indoor pool and spa are doing fantastic. It think it’s going better than we thought it would.
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J : W h at h a s b e e n t h e h i g h po i n t, i n yo u r op i n i o n ? Berrey: That’s hard … but I think that the relationships that we’ve developed with the community have been the high watermark for me. A lot of things have happened to this region over the last five years, including the tornado and recession, but we’ve developed such great relationships with our employees and vendors.
J : W h at do yo u t h i n k t h e f u t u r e h old s for D ow n s tr e a m ? Berrey: Right now, we’re trying to fill out all of the bits and pieces, and we’re still working on the Kansas side. We’d like to turn that part of the area into an economic engine by adding more retail and bringing more people over. We’re also working on a wastewater treatment system, which will help with the economic development in Southeast Kansas.
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J : Loo k i n g b ac k o n t h e l a s t f i v e y e a r s , do yo u t h i n k t h at v i s i o n h a s b e e n f u lf i ll e d ? Berrey: I think it has. It has exceeded everyone’s expectations.
J : W h at h a s t h e e co n om i c i mpac t of D ow n s tr e a m b e e n o n this area? Berrey: We did a study that showed that we’ve had $1 billion impact (on the region), which is exciting to me because it goes to show that all that hard work that everyone has put into this thing has paid off. From the employees, to our neighbors, to people we buy stuff from … we’ve built our own economy out of this.
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J : W h at wa s t h e or i g i n a l v i s i o n for D ow n s tr e a m C a s i n o ? Berrey: A couple of people had visions for it. J.R. Matthews, the vice president of the tribe at that time, convinced the rest of us to jump on board. Everyone became so enthusiastic about what we wanted to do, which was to create regional resort destination.
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By Kevin McClintock Photography by T. Rob Brown
John Rokos is the Table Game shift manager at Downstream Casino and Resort. But for 20 years, he worked in Vegas, spending most of his time inside the Treasure Island Casino, where he functioned as a highstakes blackjack table dealer.
Winner winner, chicken dinner!
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hey say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But for John Rokos, sometimes the stories are just too good to ignore.
jack table dealer, however, he can safely say he’s seen about everything one could imagine seeing inside a Sin Citybased casino.
Rokos, who worked for decades as a dealer on the famed Vegas strip, now serves as Table Games shift manager at Downstream Casino and Resort. “If you prod him, he’ll give you a lot of stories, but not all of them could be published,” said Sean Harrison, Downstream’s public relations manager, with a wink. The two men are good friends.
He’s been at the blackjack table, presiding over a game, and come face-to-face with card counters (and not very good ones, at that). He’s seen guys cap their bets, meaning they put more money on top of their bets when they don’t think anyone’s looking. He’s seen cheaters in cahoots with some of the casino dealers. A few times, he’s seen men come in with loaded shoes of chips. He once even saw a man, banned from a prominent casino, come to Rokos’ table dressed as a woman. “I’ve pretty much seen it all,” Rokos said with a laugh. “It’s been a pretty good life so far.”
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Table games manager talks journey from Vegas Strip to Downstream
No, John wouldn’t know anything about the Mafia owning the casinos back in the 1950s or of card counters taking trips out into the remote desert, never to return. That’s fodder for Hollywood. In his 20 years as a high-stakes black-
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Rokos studied to be an accountant in college, but when he went to Vegas, the bright neon lights captured his
John Rokos learned the tricks of the poker trade both at a Nevada-based dealer’s school and inside this famed Vegas casino, Treasure Island. The casino, Rokos said, “was the major leagues.”
“Nobody just walks up and starts doing what they’re doing. They have to learn it.” He started out at the Poker Place, a small-time casino on the northern part of the Vegas Strip. He moved up to the Gold Coast Casino. “They were little places,” he admitted. Think of them as the low-ball clubs of baseball minor leagues, he said. “It was like rookie ball. But I learned a lot while I was there.
He was there for six months. He likely would have been happy with a longer stay there, but destiny again came calling. He found himself working the casino floor of Treasure Island casino, which sits right next door to his dream destination, The Mirage. “Yeah, I finally broke into the big leagues,” Rokos said. In roughly a year’s time, he’d gone
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Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games found in the United States. The object of the game is to draw cards that total as close to 21 as possible — without going over. Each player receives two cards. The dealer receives two cards. One card face up and one card face down. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10 and aces may count as 1 or 11. All other cards count as face value. Players may elect to stand or hit their hands. If a player hits and his or her total is more than 21, the player “busts” (loses). If the dealer busts, and the player doesn’t, the player wins. The player wins if his or her total is closer to 21 than the dealer’s total. If the player and dealer have the same total, it is a “push” (a tie). When a player receives an ace and a 10-value card as his or her first two cards, the player has “Blackjack” and wins three-to-two on the bet. Unless, of course, the dealer also has Blackjack, then it’s a push.
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“I went over there and they started me out right away and the money there – man, you were getting a $50 bill every night. And at the time, it would be cash, not checks like it is today, so it was a $50 a day job. Oh man, I was living in hog heaven then. It was awesome.”
What is blackjack?
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To achieve that goal, he enrolled in a Vegas-based community college and learned the tricks of the blackjack trade. “It was an actual dealer school; they had this classroom set up like a casino: table games, craps, roulette, slot machines – they had it all,” Rokos said. “And we learned it all there. Took me about two months (to graduate.)
Luckily, somebody from the Gold Dust came in, saw him working and promptly offered him a job. “He said, ‘Hey man, how’d you like to come over to my place?’” Rokos did, and it was big step up in his Vegas career. Using baseball vernacular, think of it as a player promoted from low-A ball to the Triple-A squad. That’s where the Gold Dust stood in the hierarchy of casinos, Rokos said.
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While working inside the vault, “I started talking to dealers and I found out what kind of money they were making. So I thought, ‘Hmmm, you know what? I’m going to go be a dealer.’”
It was tough, he admitted. Rokos was lucky if he made $4 in tips on any given day. And that was considered a good day.
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His dream was to deal cards inside The Mirage.
And if you were there longer than six months, you might as well forget about it. You might as well get out of the business.”
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attention. In 1995, he launched his gaming career, starting out exchanging cash inside a stuffy “coin vault.” “It was way out there, way up on the northern part of the Strip,” Rokos said of that initial casino. “It wasn’t a very nice place.”
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When asked about Hollywood movies concerning the shenangians inside Vegas casinos, Downstream’s John Rokos said a few are spot-on while others are just downright laughable. “Ocean’s Eleven” was a fun movie but a bit goofy, while the Bond flick “Casino Royale” made poker look fun.
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Here’s a few of Rokos’ observations: “21”: The film is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team as told in “Bringing Down the House,” the bestselling book by Ben Mezrich. Rokos: “Not one of my favorites. The scene where they beat the crap out of the guy?” A chuckle. “No — doesn’t happen.” “Casino”: Martin Scorsese’s epic tale — based on real-life events —about the Mafia’s height of power in Las Vegas features some of the best work from Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone. Nicky’s (Pesci) death scene in the cornfield is one of the most brutal examples of mob retribution ever put to film.
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Rokos: “That was back in the day — old Vegas. It’s changed quite a bit” since then. “But it’s pretty accurate.”
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“The Cooler”: The movie sets out with a fairly simple romantic comedy premise about a loser who can’t catch a break and then he finds love. The all-star cast (William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello) and dark tone elevate the film into something special. Rokos: “Probably one of my favorite (casino) movies. Very accurate. What’s cool about this one is it shows (the transition) between old Vegas and new Vegas.”
John Rokos has seen it all: cheaters and men dressed as women, all vying to beat the Vegas odds.
from the forgotten north-end of the Vegas Strip to the beating heart of the city that never sleeps. He would work at Treasure Island from 1995 to 2007. “It takes about six months to a year to become proficient in (dealing) poker,” Rokos said. “It takes about that long to recognize patterns. After a year, you can pretty much have it down pretty good.” Like he did with blackjack, he went back to school to learn the intricacies of the roulette wheel. During one of his first times at the roulette wheel at Treasure Island, admittedly nervous, he snapped the ball onto the spinning wheel. And yes, there is a special knack to it, he said. They teach you how to do it correctly. But this time, the
ball went right into the wheel and right back out. “The ball ends up hitting this guy right in the eye,” Rokos said with a shake of his head. “And he falls back out of his chair like he’s been shot from a cannon. Ah – it was funny. You could hear it crack on his (face).”
“There you go,” the man said to the dumbfounded girl, and bid her a good day.
Was the guy mad? “Nah,” Rokos said. “I think he got a free buffet out of it. It was pretty embarrassing, though.”
When Rokos’ wife decided to attend nursing school in the Four State area in 2007, they moved from Las Vegas to Oklahoma. He joined Cherokee Casino in Catoosa, Okla., for one year, before joining Downstream as a dual/rate shift manager during its pre-opening phase in June, 2008. He was named Downstream’s Team Leader in 2010. He currently resides in Pittsburg, Kan.
Another time, he was hosting an Australian billionaire — the type, Rokos said, who could bet $30 million on a given night without a bat of an eye — who had taken a shining to one of the casino waitresses. When he found out the woman had a $150,000 mortgage on her house, he threw her a chip.
At Downstream, Rokos oversees up to 60 employees at any given moment, and on weekends hits the gaming floor roughly five to six times a night to oversee the dealers at their tables and to meet and greet the guests. Without a doubt he is Downstream’s undisputed gaming veteran. “We consider John our senior gaming guy,” Harrison said. Rokos said area residents are lucky to have Downstream located where it is at. “It IS Vegas,” Rokos said. “Yeah, without a doubt, you don’t find something like (Downstream) just anywhere. The look, the atmosphere, the sounds — it’s all Vegas. What we have here is very, very special.”
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Rokos could easily write a book about what he’s experienced during his tenure at Treasure Island. He remembers one game when a heavy roller was betting $100,000 a hand, using “pumpkins” — fat, orange chips worth $25,000. “And I never saw a tip from him,” Rokos said. “A lot of the (high rollers) never do.”
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One popular Vegas game Rokos never did attempt to learn was craps. “Tough game,” Rokos said. “It takes five months to learn it and about five years to master it. There are so many different bets in that game and there’s a lot going on in a crowd around a craps table.”
Did a multi-millionaire ever tip Rokos like that? “No,” he said with a chuckle. “I wish.”
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Legend has it that, back in the 1950s, every Vegas-based casino offered a three-piece chicken dinner with potato and veggie for $1.79. Because a standard bet back then was roughly $2, once a person won a bet, they had enough cash for a nice chicken dinner. Thus the triumphant bellow.
614 FALLON TERRACE WEBB CITY, MO
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Where did the famed “Winner winner chicken dinner” cry come from?
C a n ’t f i n d “ t h e o n e ” for you?
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www.joplinkellerwilliams.com
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By J Mag staff
Music comes alive! Summer concerts offered at area casinos A wide range of music – from country icons, to Southern rockers and metal heads – will be featured at local casino music venues in the coming months.
LoC a s h Cowboys The LoCash Cowboys will perform at 8 p.m. Monday, July 1, in the Indoor Peoria Showplace at Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla.
The 80-year-old country icon released his latest album, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” in April. Tickets range in price from $80 to $40, for general admission. Details: 888.396.7876.
F r a mpto n ’s G u i ta r C i r c u s Peter Frampton is set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, at Downstream.
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The country music duo’s self-titled album was released in June. The show at Buffalo Run is presented as a listener appreciation show by KIX 102.5. Details: 918.542.7140.
W i ll i e N e l s o n Willie is on the road again, and his tour will bring him to Downstream Casino at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 5, as part of the casino’s summer concert series.
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The Guitar Circus tour finds the Grammywinner sharing the stage with friends and special guests. His 1976 album “Frampton Comes Alive!” remains one of the best-selling live albums of all time. Ticket prices range from $60 to $20. Details: 888.396.7876.
3 8 Sp e c i a l a n d t h e C h a rl i e D a n i e l s B a n d A co-headlining show featuring 38 Special and the Charlie Daniels Band will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at Downstream.
Jake Owen Country artist Jake Owen is set to appear at Downstream at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2. Since releasing his debut album in 2006, he’s had several singles on the Billboard charts, including “Yee Haw,” “Startin’ with Me” and “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.”
Both bands are known for their Southern rock roots, with Daniels best known for the hit song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Ticket prices range from $60 to $20. Details: 888.396.7876.
Tickets range from $80 to $40. Details: 888.396.7876.
T h e B a n d P e rr y The Band Perry will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, at Downstream. The sibling trio released their debut album in 2010, with their second, “Pioneer,” in April of this year. Their latest album features the song “If I Die Young,” which reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs and Adult Contemporary charts. Tickets range from $80 to $40. Details: 888.396.7876.
M otl e y Cr u e The notoriously hard partying metal band is set to perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, in the outdoor amphitheater at Buffalo Run Casino.
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Tickets are $75 for premium seating and $40 for general admission. Details: 918.542.7140.
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Ranked among MTV’s “Top 10 Heavy Metal Bands of All-Time,” Motley Crue’s last album was 2008’s “Saints of Los Angeles.”
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phelps home
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By Scott Meeker Photography by T. Rob Brown
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Victorian treasure Phelps House offers ornate view of the past
“Now fair betide who here abide, and merry may they be. And fair befall who to this hall repair in courtesy.” Judy Goff reads the inscription found in the great hall of the historic Phelps house in Carthage, then offers a quick translation. “It’s saying ‘We hope that those who come to visit will be happy,’” says Goff, a volunteer and member of the board for the home that is owned and managed by Carthage Historic Preservation Inc.
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Built in 1895, the Victorian mansion at 1146 Grand Ave. offers a window to the past. The home was designed
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phelps home
by Col. William Phelps, who came to Carthage after the Civil War. His first wife, Lois, died in a runaway buggy accident in St. Louis while their home was still under construction.
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Giving a tour, Goff points out that all of the woodwork is different in each room. It ranges from a light walnut to cherry and oak on just the main floor. Similarly, all 10 of the fireplaces found in the mansion have a different trim. One of the most unique features on the first floor is the conservatory. Filled with natural light, plants can be watered without fear of causing water damage thanks to a floor drain. During restoration work in the room, the acoustic tiling was removed from the ceiling. “We found a beadboard ceiling which had been there from the beginning,” says Goff. “It needs some work, but it’s in remarkably good shape. We were pleased to find it.” The first floor also includes a ladies parlor – which includes furniture purchased at the 1904 World’s Fair continued on page 28 26
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in St. Louis – and a gentlemen’s smoking room. On the second floor is an interconnected series of bedrooms, each with its own beautiful décor. Referred to as “chambers,” they also have a call system which rings down to the kitchen on the main floor. One fanciful touch can be found on the bedroom doors: the rounded, crystal door knobs. Goff says that they can be difficult to replace. “I’ve found a couple of them on eBay, but they don’t come free,” she says. Up another winding, wooden staircase is the ballroom. The ornate ceiling has been repainted to reflect the original design, which is a brilliant, starry sky. Goff says the room once served as a billiard room and can point to the spot where the table once sat.
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The third floor also houses bedrooms which were utilized by maids and other house staff.
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Goff says that funds raised by the historic preservation group have been used toward restoration efforts in recent years, including a new roof and dealing with some unwanted visitors in the form of bees, which tried to make the Phelps House their home. The elegant mansion is frequently rented for weddings, receptions and other events. Tours are offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Wednesday, April through November. For more information, call 417.358.1776 or visit www. phelpshouse.org.
taste
jim’s steak house
written and photographed By Andra Bryan Stefanoni
A steak I in the community
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Leroy Castagno, who owns the restaurant started by his father, is the only person who cuts the steaks at Jim’s.
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Jim’s Steakhouse owners talk about restaurant’s longevity
t was a big deal whenever Jim Castagno had a $100 day at his restaurant, which started in 1938 in a railcar where John’s Sports Center is now, at 1806 N. Broadway in Pittsburg, Kan. So big he’d ring a bell to celebrate.
Forty-five years later, Leroy still is there — now as the owner. He’s the only one to cut the meat the restaurant serves, from strips to rib-eyes and T-bones to the restaurant’s most popular dish: sirloin tips. “We serve 38,000 orders of them a year,” he said.
By about 1950, the former WWIIera Army mess sergeant had thought he’d hit the big time when he was able to invest $500 in what’s now Jim’s Steak House, a block to the north at 1912 N. Broadway.
His wife, Elaine, the restaurant’s house manager, began serving at Jim’s in high school and earned enough money to put herself through college. Today, they have 26 people on the payroll.
Jim’s son, Leroy, now 59, grew up just a few blocks away, and when he got home from school his job was to do the prep work for the evening’s business.
The couple spoke with Joplin Metro Magazine about what has made their business a success for 75 years, and what advice he has for those trying to replicate a great steak at home.
J : Yo u r pa r k i n g lot i s a lways f u ll , a n d t h e r e ’s a lmo s t a lways a l i n e of c u s tom e r s wa i t i n g to b e s e at e d. W h at k e e p s t h e m com i n g ? Leroy: I try to get the highest grade choice meat I can buy. We offer the best quality we can find. If something isn’t right, we don’t sell it. Some weeks I’ll put it into hamburger and take a cut rather than serve it as steak. I can tell the tenderness of meat just by my finger. I can tell really just by looking at it, from having done this so long. If it’s not the best I can serve, it eats at me.
Jim’s Steak House has become a fixture in Pittsburg, having opened more than six decades ago.
We also have no heat lamps, and no servers — the waitress who takes your order is the one who brings it to you, custom cooked, and she knows exactly who got what. That’s very important; we don’t want food sitting there waiting to be served.
Rick Ellsworth, a cook at Jim’s Steak House, moves a completed order to the window.
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J : Yo u r k i tc h e n i s v e r y s m a ll — a lmo s t a g a ll e y k i tc h e n . How a r e yo u a bl e to m a n ag e in it? Leroy: It saves steps, we waste no steps. We are able to put out 45,000 orders of onion rings a year in it. We have cooks who have been with us 12 years who we’ve trained, and they do their job very, very well. We also hire a separate cleaning staff who come in after close of business each night, because I don’t want my cooks to have to divert their attention to that. Every second on a steak matters. Every second.
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J : It m ay b e a lmo s t i mpo s s i bl e for a h om e coo k to r e pl i c at e o n e of yo u r s t e a k s e x ac tly, b u t i f o n e w e r e to tr y, w h at a dv i c e do yo u h av e ? Leroy: Don’t use frozen steak. Look for marbling — that’s the white flakes in meat that make it tender. That’s not to be confused with the white strip running through it; that’s the connective tissue and will make it tough. Cut those out if you can. Season it with salt, garlic powder, pepper as it cooks. Pay attention to it; don’t walk away.
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J : Yo u ’ v e s a i d t h i s r e s tau r a n t i s yo u r l i f e . W h at h av e t h e po s i t i v e s a n d n e g at i v e s of t h at been? Leroy: (Elaine) was in labor with one of our sons, and I was on the phone trying to get a fryer fixed. Elaine: It’s definitely been our life. It is six days a week. But it’s been a good life. We’ve met lots of wonderful people — kids, then grandkids, then great-grandkids. That’s been great.
style
fas h i o nabl e f i t
By 12Eighty-One Photography
Fashionable fit Clothing by Ambiance 2401 E. 32nd St.
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fas h i o nabl e f i t
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Model: Lilia Sodderstrom
Dress by Lemon Loves Lime: $78 Necklace by Lil’ Diva Jewelry: $25
style
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Model: Ellie Sodderstrom
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Top by Olian Maternity: $92 Jeans by Olian Maternity: $70
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profile
ride of silence
written and photographed by Ryan Richardson
D
estry Allgood remembers flying off his bicycle after being clipped by a passing car last March during a late evening ride, landing him an overnight stay at Freeman Hospital. He never saw the driver, nor did the driver bother to stop after he was separated from his bike. “I Supermanned a bit and then I tucked and rolled before I came to a
A puncture wound, skinned head and a case of road rash were Allgood’s rewards for following the law.
growing group of cyclists from across the nation riding to raise awareness for those who have been injured or killed while biking. Entering into its second year locally and the 10th year nationally, the Joplin ride was one of 368 events worldwide that day focusing on awareness of cyclists on shared roadways.
As he tied a red armband to his right arm during the May 15 Ride of Silence in downtown Joplin, Allgood joined a
The ride united over 30 cyclists in a silent, 6.5-mile ride through Joplin, hitting several of the main roadways
stop. I took a second to process that it had just happened.” Allgood said. “I had my lights on, I wasn’t on the sidewalk. I followed the law like I was supposed to.”
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More than 30 riders showed up to participate in the 2013 Ride of Silence in Joplin. Over 13,000 riders throughout the world participated in the 10-year anniversary of the event.
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Group works to raise awareness of shared roadways
‘A culture of cyclists’
through the city. Event organizer Constance Everitt said one of the main goals for the ride was to enhance visibility for the group so that injuries become less commonplace. “People notice when 20 or so riders roll through on the street and that’s what is important,” Everitt said. “Both motorists and the riders need to know the expectations of the other because it is a shared roadway. With this many people out at once, they have to stand up and notice us.” Everitt became involved with the Ride of Silence after losing longtime friend Larry Jones, of Carl Junction, in a biking accident in 2010. The avid cyclist was hit from behind on Ivy Road, just south of Oronogo. The driver of the truck failed to see Jones on his bicycle and hit him from behind, according to a report from the Missouri Highway Patrol. Jones died later that afternoon. That’s when Everitt became a bike safety advocate in Joplin. “The city isn’t against us, but it take time to grow support through events like this,” Everitt said. “It takes police helping everyone to know what laws are in place and keeping them enforced for both the cyclists and the motorists.” The first Ride of Silence started as a memorial ride in Dallas for cyclist Larry Schwartz, who was killed when he was clipped by a school bus mirror. What was thought to be a one-time event attracted over 1,000 riders that year and has now grown to a worldwide
Aaden Walker looks out of a child seat attached to Eric Carl’s bike during the Ride of Silence. Walker’s mother and Carl’s fiancé, Kelly Walker, joined the pair in the 6.5 mile ride.
Participants share stories of injuries sustained while bicycling through the area. Many of the riders donned armbands to raise awareness for cyclist’s safety during the event.
event bringing nearly 12,000 cyclists across all seven continents together each May. Many of the Joplin riders have become familiar fixtures on the roads throughout the city over the past year. As part of a local bicycling collective, members of The Crawlers have brought a new sense of camaraderie to local cyclists through weekly rides together. As one of the group’s founders, Daniel Valentine remembers starting out a year ago with just four riders hitting many of the downtown bars. “It started off as just a one-off event with a few friends about beers and bikes. We started picking up weekly after a while before we thought about pushing it more,” Valentine said. “It is just monstrous now on how big it became so quickly. We’re not a scene, this isn’t a trend. This is something
that just came together organically and it developed into a community.” Co-founder James Marcum said that the increased numbers has brought a voice to cyclists throughout the city. “We’ve been to the council to speak about our safety and they (the Joplin City Council) get it,” Marcum said. “We’ve kept a positive rapport with them and that is so important in the rebuilding process of the city. We’re in a shift in development and we are speaking up now so that we get in on the ground floor. It’s a good start because we want to build a permanent culture of cyclists here in Joplin.” That culture of cyclists is what brought Destry Allgood back to the road after his accident. “This isn’t just something to do,” Allgood said. “This is a brotherhood. We love each other and what we share out there.”
Kyle Flanner, Joplin, shows both a red and black armband for awareness. The red armbands are worn by riders who have been involved with a bicycle crash and the black armbands are worn by riders wanting to raise awareness for cyclists on the road.
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profile
JoAnn Carnagey (left), of Carthage, and Joplin resident Val Frankoski collect water samples for testing.
stream team
By Scott Meeker Photography by Roger Nomer
It’s a team effort Wildcat Glades group monitors the health of Shoal Creek
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he waters of Silver Creek are chilly on this morning, but Karen Kemp doesn’t seem to mind as she wades into the water, which comes up just past her tennis shoes. She unscrews four plastic bottles and bends down, filling them one at a time with water from the creek. Climbing the bank and back up to the bridge, she prepares a series of chemical tests that will provide some valuable data.
Other members of the Wildcat Glades Stream Team are busy conducting tests of their own, from checking the temperature of the water to its pH levels, and then recording the results. From there, they have three other
stops to make in order to get a picture of the health of Shoal Creek (which Silver Creek feeds into). The volunteer program is a valuable one, says Chris Pistole, education director at the Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center and coordinator of the local Stream Team group. “Our team formed shortly after the center opened because we knew that Shoal Creek was such an important part of the park and the community at large,” he says. “It’s the main source of drinking water for Joplin and Neosho. The mission is to protect the creek … to monitor and protect the water quality.” Four times a year, the team gathers
to test the chemistry of the water, as they did earlier this month, to gauge the health of the water and learn what might be impacting it. Two other times throughout the year, members will wade in to stir up the water for the purpose of biological monitoring. The purpose of the latter is to examine the macroinvertebrates, which Pistole says are organisms large enough to see with the naked eye. “Most are insects, but it includes crustaceans and mollusks,” he says. “Their presence and health can tell us about that point in the stream.” The Stream Team – a program offered through the Missouri Department of Conservation – is open to anyone,
and professional training is used to help get them started. It’s what Pistole terms a “citizen science project.” “The team gets to be the eyes and ears for the professionals, who can’t be everywhere at once to monitor the thousands of miles of rivers and streams in the state,” he says. Kemp, a Joplin resident who joined the Wildcat Glades team four years ago, says that there were several reasons
Nancy Funk consults with Karen Kemp on a reading obtained through a test of creek water near Wildcat Glades. The Stream Team collects data on water quality several times each year.
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Karen Kemp measures a sample of water taken from Silver Creek. Kemp has been with the Stream Team for four years.
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Using materials from a field kit, JoAnn Carnagey prepares a chemical test of water from the creek.
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Parker Mortuary and crematory
1502 S. Joplin, Joplin, MO 64804 (417) 623-4321
“It’s the main source of drinking water for Joplin and Neosho. The mission is to protect the creek … to monitor and protect the water quality.” —Chris Pistole
www.parkermortuary.com
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that motivated her to join the team. “We live right on Shoal Creek, so I have a vested interest in it,” she says. “Not to mention the fact that I drink the city water.” Pistole says that the No. 1 pollutant in Missouri streams is actually sediment – caused by erosion which winds up in the water. “It has huge impacts on the ecosystem in the streams,” he says. “With Joplin and all of the rebuilding that is going on, one thing people need to know is that they should take precautions at these new construction sites.
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Typically, the readings used to determine the health of Joplin’s streams ends up in the classification of ‘good’ to ‘excellent,’” says Pistole. “We’re trying to monitor their health over time. If one time you get an abnormal result, it doesn’t mean that the stream is ruined forever.
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“That’s why the long period of monitoring is so important. We’re looking for changes in the pattern.
profile
stream team
(From left) Simmens Udell, Nancy Funk and Karen Kemp, all of Joplin, go over instructions for water quality testing during a recent Stream Team testing at the Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center.
Abnormalities raise a red flag if it continues to get worse or continues to be at that level. That would start further investigation and the (Department of Natural Resources) might want to come down to look at it.”
For more information about the Wildcat Glades Stream Team, call 417.782.6287.
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While there is a small but devoted group of regulars who turn out for the Wildcat Glades Stream Team activities, Pistole says that he’s been encouraged by interest in the program overall. During a training session held in April, 27 people attended. Not all of those will wind up joining the Joplin group, but he says that a number of the participants expressed interest in it. “You have to get certified by attending one of the Stream Team trainings,” he says. “But once you go through the introductory training, you can adopt a stream and begin monitoring. We’re hoping we can grow our Stream Team.”
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on the cover
liberty pyrotechnics
Written and photographed by Kevin McClintock
Red, white and
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obbie Wyrick loves things that go boom. “It’s fun,” the 19-year-old said. “I get to blow stuff up — legally.”
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Wyrick has worked for Liberty Pyrotechnics for about a year. Liberty Pyrotechnics, owned by Newton County resident Scott Wheeler, has provided for and produced some of the area’s most spectacular fireworks displays in recent memory, including the annual Independence Day celebrations in Joplin, Carthage and Grove, Okla., as well as displays for businesses, large weddings and even high-school football halftime shows.
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A closer look at the mortar tubes.
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Liberty Pyrotechnics workers gear up for busy Fourth of July
Over the past year, Wyrick has participated in about 60 shows. That’s roughly 4,000 shots per show. Altogether, he’s supervised or directly shot more than 240,000 individual fireworks during his tenure with Liberty.“I like to blow things up,” Wyrick said with a grin. “Everybody loves fireworks. I (just) like making people happy.” Scott Wheeler has operated Liberty since 2008, his wife, Kara, said. Company personnel can design a show with a client or design and shoot a show complete with delivery, clean-up and liability insurance. They can also design a show with the
Robbie Wyrick, 19, mounts the metal mortar tubes inside a wood rack. Eventually, these tubes will be plugged with a fused 8-inch shell and, when the time comes, a lit fuse will send it high into the sky.
latest state-of-the-art firing system that is choreographed to a customized music program. Really, the size of a show is based on a city’s or corporation’s budget. A $4,000 show will have certain types of fireworks and a time limit. A $12,000 show will have more “oohs” and “ahhs” and can last up to 30 minutes, Wyrick said. “Lots of times they will want certain things when we do the contract, but from there it’s pretty much up to us. If they want a special show, say, like an (American flag firework, where explosions create the Star Spangled Banner in the sky), then that’s a special order.” Aside from Wheeler, other professional shooters employed by Liberty include Keith Jenkins, Shawn Hardy and Carl Standridge. “We have shooters in different places,” Wyrick said. “We (plan, design or execute) about 1,000 to 1,500 shows during the year, and about 800 of those are on the Fourth of July. We do quite a few shows.”
Sometimes, with electronic firing, wires can get crossed and a show will fire either out of sequence or simply not fire at all, leaving a lagging spot in the middle of an up-tempo show. “When you light it, and it’s lit, you know it will go up,” Wyrick said. Truthfully, what he does now with Liberty Pyrotechnics isn’t all that far removed from when he was running around as a kid with a lit punk in his hands. “Except we now wear
Other types of firework shells are the “Willow” (all sparks), the “Peony” (colored stars with tails), the “Chrysanthemum” (spherical stars without tails) and a “Horsetail” (longburning stars that glitter as they fall to the ground). The one thing Wheeler and Wyrick don’t want to see during a show is what they term “dead sky.” “You don’t want 30 seconds of silence,” Wyrick said. “We hate that. We want the show to look as good as possible, with as much action as possible.”
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Wyrick’s favorite pyrotechnic is the salutes. These devices are primarily designed to make a loud report and may or may not have a visual effect. “They go up and make a big bang — nothing fancy. But I love them.”
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Liberty’s employed shooters likes to do it the old-fashioned way, using the lit fuses. “We still do it, though it’s really up to city ordinances.” Some cities outlaw hand-held firework displays. “We’d rather hand fire, really, because then you know that 100 percent of the show will go up.”
The firework shells they use to turn night into day can range from 2.5 inches, on up to the monster-sized 16-inch shells. Missouri regulations limit the size of the fireworks used to 8 inches, Kara Wheeler said.
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There are two ways to set off a firework display. One is through electronics, from a board, where fireworks inside their metal mortar tubes are launched with a push of a button. And then there’s the “old” school way — men running around lighting the fuses with long torches.
protective gear, and back then I didn’t have anything on but shorts and a T-shirt.”
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Back in April, a series of thunderous explosions rocked Joplin one evening. Many Joplin residents jumped online to find out what was going on. Was it fireworks? Where? Webb City? Carl Junction? Somewhere outside Joplin? In reality, it was the company’s annual shooters school, which was taking place at Carousel Park on Joplin’s west side.
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profile
Julie Yockey
By Kevin McClintock Photography by Ryan Richardson
Starting a new chapter Julie Yockey takes director position at Carthage Public Library
J
ulie Yockey, an award-winning middle school librarian from Lamar, assumed the duties as director of the Carthage Public Library on June 10. “For me, and my love of libraries, this is a dream come true,” she said.
“The Carthage Library is one of the many historical focal points of this community, and as a librarian I think it is the most beautiful library I have ever been in,” Yockey said. “There is much to offer all of our patrons from all age groups and reading abilities.”
Yockey, described by Gary Cole, president of the Carthage library board of directors, as “very energetic and extremely qualified,” succeeded Jennifer Seaton, longtime library director who resigned after her husband accepted a new job in Kansas City.
Yockey has been the middle-school librarian at Lamar since 1992 and also worked at the Barton County Public Library for two years. A certified library director, she holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree from Missouri State University.
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Working for a Carnegie library, she said, was a very special opportunity.
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Her husband, Jim, works at the
J : Yo u d i d wo n d e r s w i t h t h e L a m a r M i ddl e S c h ool l i br a r y. W i ll yo u tr y to do t h e s a m e i n C a rt h ag e ? Yockey: My love has been the teens. When I found out the Barton County Public Library needed a teen director, I accepted the job and built summer programs that received exemplary distinction from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences for the way I collaborated the public library with the school library. For 25 years I had a record-setting reading program at Lamar, using the Mark Twain and Truman Reading Programs for middleschool students. I created a program like no other in the state and I was able to (garner) much community support.
J : W h at do yo u pr e f e r , a K i n dl e or a h e av y boo k i n yo u r h a n d s ? Yockey: I love to read on my Kindle and iPad, (but) there is nothing like the smell of a new book.
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I believe in a culture of professionalism and communication. One of my strengths, I believe, has been the ability to get and keep the school and community abreast of what was happening in our libraries. When the community understands how important the library can be in their life, they want to be part of it.
J: Is there a huge d i ff e r e n c e b e tw e e n a p u bl i c l i br a r y a n d a s c h ool - b a s e d l i br a r y ? Yockey: The public school and public library settings are both driven by the State of Missouri Standards. They are different in that at school, everything is geared for curriculum/ student needs, while the public library is geared towards the desires of all ages of people. I believe the Carthage Library is already a huge focal point of the community, and we will continue
J : D i d yo u r e a d to n s of boo k s w h e n yo u w e r e l i ttl e ? Yockey: I was not a book worm at an early age. One reason I feel I have been an advocate for children and reading is that 40 years ago, when I was in grade school, there was no such thing as a child with a learning disability, but that is exactly what I had. I could not read or do math, and it took until sixth grade for me to have a teacher that understood what I needed, and she taught me and changed my life forever. This is why I became a teacher. Since then, I have read everything I could get my hands on. Jerry Spinelli is my favorite children’s author, for his book “Maniac Magee.” My favorite “big girl” author is Nora Roberts.
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J : W h at c h a n g e s , i f a n y, w i ll yo u m a k e to t h e C a rt h ag e l i br a r y ? Yockey: An efficient leader does not go into a new position with “drastic change” in mind. One of the things that impressed me so much while I was interviewing for this position is the longevity of the staff. Almost all of the staff members have worked for the library more than five years. This says a lot about the leadership they have. It is already a fine-tuned machine.
to maintain and add technology and programs for all patrons.
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Last year, Yockey received the Progressive School Library award from the Missouri Association of School Librarians for her efforts to help motivate kids to read.
Library enabled me to see just how much I loved the public side of libraries. People in the community use the library for so many reasons. It is a cool place to sit and read or use the computer when it is hot outside, as well as a warm and cozy place to be when it is cold. You can take classes on technology, check our e-books with our new “Overdrive” program, attend programs for the young and adults, read a newspaper or magazine, study quietly with friends for a test or just pick out a great book to read.
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Barton County Memorial Hospital as a physical therapy assistant. They have four children and six grandchildren.
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profile
M & M Bistro
Story and photography by Stephanie Davis Goad
Under new management Iranian family revamps Joplin bistro
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W
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hen Mehrdad “Jef ” Alvandi came to the U.S. to study electrical engineering at Norwich University in Vermont back in 1976, he never dreamed he would be operating a restaurant in the U.S. 37 years later.
to me that I buy it so we worked out an agreement,” says Jef, who runs the business side of the bistro.
Jef and his wife, Minoo, originally from Tehran, Iran, took over the restaurant formerly known as Arde’s Bistro, located at 407 S. Main St. in Joplin. In March, they opened the establishment under the name M&M Bistro.
He didn’t have any experience running a restaurant; however, he operated a food-production factory in Malaysia for several years. The bistro would be a welcome challenge. Jef and his family packed up and moved to Joplin to live out the American dream. “It (the bistro) was closed for about a year, and it took us three months to meet all the requirements and get our license,” he says.
When Arde Khaleghi, the restaurant’s former owner decided to retire, he approached his lifelong friend Jef about taking over the business. “He said he was going to sell and suggested
M&M Bistro, appropriately named for Jef ’s Iranian name (Mehrdad) and his wife, opened its doors under its new name on March 26. Since that time, Jef says they’ve seen many new customers,
but they serve a lot of regular customers, too. “I would say that 80 percent of the customers came here when it was Arde’s,” says Jef. While he takes care of the bistro’s finances and serves as manager, Minoo, along with another chef, prepares the food. On the menu are many of the same Mediterranean dishes once served at Arde’s, such as Moussaka (a Greek dish with layers of eggplant and spiced meat), hummus (a dip made from chick peas) and tabouli (a Mediterranean salad made from bulgur wheat). “The most popular dish is the Mediterranean platter because it has everything,” says Jef.
The couple’s son, Siyavash, who prefers to be called “Siya,” assists in the restaurant by seating customers and waiting tables, among other duties. His father says Siya is handy at fixing things in the restaurant, as well.
Mehrdad “Jef ” Alvandi – joined by his wife, Minoo, and son, Siya – are from Tehran, Iran. M&M Bistro is their first venture in the restaurant business.
Siya says he likes helping at the restaurant and particularly likes the people of Joplin. “It’s a hard job, but at the moment, it is kind of enjoyable and the people are nice and friendly.” He says the bistro has a lot to offer its customers.“It’s good food at a reasonable price, and it’s good service. It really is.” M&M Bistro offers a daily special, which includes an entrée and soup for $6.95. Jef says in addition to dine-in and carry-out service, M&M Bistro offers a catering service, a banquet center that seats 120, and an outdoor-café for those who prefer to eat outside. Jef adds that the restaurant is off to a great start, and that he’s already planning ahead. “In the future we would like to do more catering and events in the banquet center,” he says.
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While “Jef ” Alvandi handles the business side of the restaurant, his wife, Minoo, prepares the food.
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profile
Kelcey Schlichting
Written and photographed by Kevin McClintock
Overco ming o dd s
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Blind student helps ot hers
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learn to read English
Carthage High School junior Kelcey Schlichting, who is blind, follows along with her braille display keyboard as two English Language learners, freshmen Yeison Gonazlez and Michael Juarez, read aloud from a book.
Which is where 16-year-old Kelcey Schlichting steps into the picture. This A-plus student is teaching Gonzalez, Juarez and a third English Language student how to read and write in English. All the while, Schlichting is overcoming her own obstacles, though they have nothing to do with language barriers.
Exactly, added Debbie Wolf, who serves as the school district’s vision teacher and has worked with Schlichting since she was a little girl. She can understand that they were initially thinking. “How is a blind girl going to help me read a book? But she did it and it’s been a (huge) success.”
Schlichting is blind.
While Wolf spoke, Gonzalez was nodding his head in agreement. “She’s really smart,” he said of Schlichting. “Sometimes we think that when somebody has a disability, that they are mentally disabled,” said Gober. “We don’t realize that a physical disability doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a mental disability, as well.”
But thanks to a brand new iPad Mini, as well as her trusty braille display keyboard, she began helping Gonzalez and Juarez with their reading skills and word pronuncia-
“Yeah,” added Schlichting, “you can be blind but that doesn’t mean you’re dumb. I don’t know either of them realized how much I could do, with me not being able to see, but after the first
Sixteen-year-old Kelcey Schlichting has used her new Ipad Mini and trusty braille display keyboard to help three of her fellow students learn and understand the English language.
couple of times they could see I could do quite a lot.” The same could be said of Gonzalez and Juarez. “That’s what I tell them,” Gober said. “They are very smart but they get trapped in the (English) language and they can’t (easily) get their thoughts out, or they can’t say it or write it as easily in English as they could say it or write it in Spanish.” With their close interactions with Schlichting, the student’s Englishspeaking and writing skills have flourished. “We’ve had a few others tutored (by other students) but none of them have taken to it as passionately has Kelcey has,” Gober said. She hopes
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After all, sentences such as“the bandage was wound around the wound” or “the farm was used to produce produce” would leave many scratching their heads in puzzlement. And then there are all those kooky English idioms floating out there: “biting your head off ” or “ugly as a stick.”
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While both boys can speak English competently, they are still learning the finer nuances of the language when it comes to reading and writing it.
Naturally there was some trepidation at first when they were all placed together in the same room, said English teacher Carissa Gober. “I could tell they were a little hesitant,” she said. “I told them to give Kelcey a try, but they were looking at me like I was crazy.”
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Both Yeison Gonzalez, 16 and Michael Juarez, 14, can speak fluent Spanish. While both would love to be able to say the same about their adopted English language, they find themselves struggling to keep up with their native classmates.
tions in early January. “I’ve enjoyed helping these two,” Schlichting said during a study session in the school library. “(Gonzalez and Juarez) have inspired me to keep going no matter what happens. I know they have overcome obstacles. I know I’ve overcome obstacles. We’re learning from each other.”
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nside Carthage High School, two freshman and a junior are using technology and teamwork to overcome several personal obstacles.
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profile
Kelcey Schlichting
“I guess a lot of it is that I like helping people.” Schlichting can come back and tutor again next year as a senior. “It’s just something I like doing,” Schlichting said. “I guess a lot of it is that I like helping people.” Together, the four have read through several classic pieces of literature, including Frank R. Stockton’s “The Lady, or the Tiger” as well as Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” That story, by the American father of horror, had all of them stumped. “That one was the most challenging (story) yet,” Schlichting said with a chuckle. “There was a lot of strange phrasing. Nobody really got it. Nobody (today) really talks or writes like that anymore.”
“Sometimes I’ll just stop and say, ‘OK, do you understand this?’ And sometimes I’ll ask them to paraphrase what they’ve just read; to make sure they understand completely what they are reading and getting out of it what they need to,” Schlichting said. “It’s amazing to see her typing in stuff... and the way that she reads them on paper, on fingers, that’s amazing,” Gonzalez said. He wore a big grin as he watched Schlichting’s fingers dance across the braille keyboard.
Juarez added that their friend teaches them “in a way that makes it easier for us to understand,” he said, in a way that a professional teacher couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Schlichting and Wolf have worked together for years. As a fifth-grade student at Steadley Elementary, Schlichting visited Los Angeles to compete as a finalist in the Braille Challenge, where students are tested in tasks that include spelling, proofreading, comprehension, speed and accuracy. And as a freshman, she was an important part of a pilot program at Drury University in Springfield that taught blind and visually impaired students about life on campus, including navigating throughout the campus, available disability services and useful technologies.
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While the students read the stories aloud from their literature text books, Schlichting follows along with her
braille display keyboard. Instead of using her eyes to read, she uses the sensitive pads of her fingertips, reading the ever-changing buttons on the display sentence by sentence, insynch with the words spoke aloud just a few feet away from her by Gonzalez and Juarez. Gober or Wolf can follow along by reading the iPad’s screen.
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This display helps teachers follow along as the students read the text — either from a book or from the braille reader.
Michael Juarez, 14, said of Schlichting’s tutelage: She “makes it easier for us to understand;” in a certain way that a professional teacher couldn’t or wouldn’t do.
Wolf jokingly calls herself Schlichting’s
The tutoring program, Wolf said, “has been a really good fit for Kelcey.”
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Not surprisingly, the 16-year-old wants to be a teacher after graduating from college. Her love for reading has helped her accomplish so many farranging goals. “I think my ninth-grade English teacher, Glenda Arner, was really amazed by how fast I read,” she said. “I read faster than anyone in my class, and I think it just amazed her, too. I was always the first one done with a story.”
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When they moved on to contractions, there were 285 altogether. “Kelcey memorized them faster than anyone I know,” Wolf said.
second mother. “I’ve always been pushing her to be as independent as she could be; preparing her for college life and for her to be able to do everything on her own.”
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“She’s very special,” said Wolf of Schlichting, who is the R-9 district’s only total blind student. “She has always been in regular classes the whole time. When she learned braille in kindergarten, you start out with the alphabet, and then you work into contractions, and then sentences, and then paragraphs and then short stories, and so on. Kelcey started out with the alphabet — she was given 10 letters to learn” in a week’s time. “Kelcey had those memorized overnight.”
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After 40-plus years, Scott and Nancy Hutson sold Cycle Connection to a trio of new owners: Stratton and Marc Murphy, and Eric Sternberg.
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“Big Paul,� who works at the new Hideout HarleyDavidson, poses atop a beautiful Hog.
minding your business
H i d e o u t H a r l e y - D av i d s o n
By J Mag staff Photos by 12Eighty-One Photography
Welcome to the Hideout Cycle Connection receives new owners; name
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oplin’s popular motorcycle attraction, Cycle Connection, has changed ownership and name. The Harley Davidson dealership at 5014 Hearnes Blvd. has now become Hideout Harley-Davidson. The switch took place earlier this year.
JOPLIN MEMORIALS Formerly Joplin Granite Co.
Si Memorials specialize in Headstones and Markers and have designed and built hundreds of Monument Tributes & Memorials for veterans, civic groups, individuals and to mark events that have touched the lives of many.
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1306 South Main, Joplin, MO • 417-623-0633
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Scott and Nancy Hutson, who owned the motorcycle shop, sold their longtime business to a trio of men: Stratton Murphy, Marc Murphy and Eric Sternberg. The three owners have two other Harley-Davidson dealerships in South Texas: Desperado Harley-Davidson and Mad Board Harley-Davidson.
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H i d e o u t H a r l e y - D av i d s o n
minding your business
The Hutsons said the transition was a difficult choice, but the right choice, though there were spilled tears during the process. Harley-Davidson has had a long and distinguished history in Joplin. In 1970, Jr. Mills Cycle World, owned by Wilma and Ronnie Miles, became a franchised Harley-Davidson dealer in midtown Joplin, selling cycles from a 3,000 square-foot facility. Only July 17, 1999, the present-day building was built within eye sight of I-44. By April 21, 2007, the building had expanded again, from 15,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet. Hideout Harley-Davidson carries a full-line of MotorClothes, parts, motorcycles, as well as finance and insurance. The 14,000-square-foot service department offers expert-level technicians.
Some of the cycles for sale inside the showroom. Cycle Connection, now under new ownership, was changed to Hideout Harley-Davidson.
And the Harley-Davidson tradition of helping the community will continue under the new ownership.
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“A great deal of effort is put forth
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A beautiful bike on display. With gasoline prices nearing $4 a gallon, motorcycles and their exceptional gas mileage are being sought now more than ever.
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throughout the year in raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, including the Annual MDA Ride for Life, and Annual Black & Blue Ball that were started by Jr. Mills Cycle World,” the store’s website states. “Hideout will continue those events because they are a need in our community to help raise money for MDA.” For more 417.623.1054.
information,
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parting shot
Kicking Up Their Heels
Photography by Roger Nomer
Kappa Alpha members Sam Nguyen (foreground) and Chris Adams sprint from the starting line during the Walk in Her Heels race held this spring on the campus of Missouri Southern State University. The event was held as part of Alpha Sigma Alpha’s Sexual Assault Awareness Week. 56