AIRPORT DRIVE, Mo. —
“Outstanding response to a catastrophic incident and leadership in fostering resilient and prepared communities.”
That’s why the residents of Joplin and Jane Cage, chairwoman of the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team, were honored on Thursday with the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, in announcing the award, lauded Cage for creating the “Listening to Joplin” plan. Our community of Joplin was recognized for deciding together to build more resilient schools, develop stronger standards for home construction and to develop shared buildings to use as storm shelters.
Tough stuff for sure. The recognition, of course, comes for Joplin’s response following the May 2011 EF-5 tornado that killed 161 people and destroyed a third of our town.
But, the time for standing tall continues. In fact, the Joplin City Council today will make a decision that will affect the town for decades. It’s a decision that requires bold leadership and commitment to this town.
In a special meeting at 12:15 p.m., the City Council will consider ordinances that would establish a tax increment financing district and authorize associated tornado recovery projects.
It took the city nearly two months to get to this point. Negotiations and discussion went on until finally the funding plan was approved by all 11 members of the TIF Commission.
Council approval of the TIF district will set in motion recommendations of CART, the organization that brought together all the ideas of the residents of Joplin.
It’s why Cage and Joplin have been recognized with an honor that bears the name of a man who on Sept. 11, 2001, led a massive evacuation of Morgan Stanley’s 2,700-person work force located in the South Tower, saving the lives of many of his co-workers.
Is Joplin tough enough to live up to this honor?
Of course it is. But it will take continued forward movement on the part of city leadership.
That’s why we urge the City Council to approve the ordinances that will come before it today.
Opinion
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Discussion
Our View: Tough enough
- Opinion
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Our View: ‘Why?’ has no answer
Just hours before, there was breakfast and laughter. There were pictures on the walls and memories in every room.
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Our View: Absent from House
We can’t figure out why two Missouri legislators think they should be elected to the U.S. House when it appears they can’t seem to show up to take care of business in the Missouri House.
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Your View: Terrorism is terrorism
In the May 13 issue of The Joplin Globe there was an Associated Press article concerning the New Orleans shooting.
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Your View: Should we be outraged?
Were there effusive apologies following the lockdown of Boston as most of the continent indulged vicariously in the ongoing manhunt?
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Your View: Terrible injustice
I see this Jasper County nuisance law as a terrible injustice on the rights of the residents of Jasper County.
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Other Views: Conflicts in SEC
Money talks. In the continuing dispute over the all-too-cozy relationship between the people who create and sell financial products and the people who rate their risk, the money says: Shut up and let us do what we want.
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Phill Brooks, columnist: Missouri Senate did what Founding Fathers had in mind
George Washington once described the Senate as being like a saucer in which you pour coffee or tea.
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Our View: Fixing failure
Some 1,200 injured workers will finally get the payments they are owed. In its final week in session, Missouri’s General Assembly, through bipartisan efforts, passed a solution to address the insolvency of the state’s Second Injury Fund.
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Herb B. Kuhn, guest columnist: Delaying Medicaid reform could hurt rural Missouri
The Missouri Legislature missed a rare opportunity in the just-ended session to transform Medicaid and make a real difference in the lives and health of hundreds of thousands of our neighbors. Rural Missouri has the most to lose from the legislature’s failure to act.
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Kevin Wilson, guest columnist: When fear wins out, so do the terrorists
I’m going to make a bold statement that’s sure to draw a lot of comments, but hear me out before reaching for the keyboard to type a rebuttal.
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