Joplin

The city council, in a 6 to 3 tally, voted in favor of business owners and their ability to sell the small bottles of alcohol that are commonly referred to as ‘Nips’, despite a documented history that 50-mililiter bans reduce the number of public drunkenness calls to law enforcement.

The presentation on Monday night emphasized the need for a publicly owned indoor sports complex, event center amphitheater and convention center. CSL Consultants compared Joplin to similarly sized US city’s such as Cape Girardeau, Missouri which opened its Sportsplex in 2017.

The city council remains divided on whether Joplin can afford salary increases for its roughly 500 employees now, or whether the community should use a ‘wait and see’ approach concerning an uncertain economic forecast and US economy.

Joplin Reads Together aims to increase awareness of the Library and its services, provide a shared experience, and connect our community to our partner organizations - Post Art Library, Missouri Southern State University Spiva Library, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Friends of the Joplin Public Library. Community members can participate by reading the book, tracking their progress on Beanstack, and joining programs offered throughout the month of April.

In the fall of 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the city council increased all city employees' wages by 9% without completing an equity study.

Several events, from golf to baseball and cross country, are coming to Joplin this year, organized by the Joplin Sports Authority, bringing tens of thousands of dollars into the local economy.

On the heels of a February 2022 Wall Street Journal article that named Joplin as the number two city to live in and work remotely in the US, JACC, and MO/KAN officials will highlight job force diversification efforts.

A lot of work has been completed, including a complete roof reconstruction after a devastating fire in December of 2020. Yet, overseas supply chain issues have slowed progress on the multi-million redevelopment project.

The city kicked off its sqeucentenial celebration on Tuesday with a presentation about Joplin's ties to baseball. Dozens of events are scheduled through the Spring and Summer.

Two Friends, Neighbors and Members of the MHD work to highlight Joplin’s Historical Figures during Women’s History Month.