More than ever before, and especially on every third Thursday of the month, we hear downtown’s heart beating louder than ever.
Truth be told, it might be just the bass from the loudspeakers set up at Spiva Park. Our newsroom is right next door, so we can feel the low vibrations from the musical artists who perform during every Discover Downtown Joplin event.
But we like it. The pulse of Joplin’s downtown is beating more strongly than it has in a while.
The Main Street Joplin organization that hosts the event has started a great monthly tradition. With a foundation on visual arts, downtown venues have hosted all sorts of unique events, from music to children’s activities.
Thursday’s event, the last of the year, hosted the famous Budweiser Clydesdales. For two hours, Main Street was blocked off so that people could get an up-close look at the legendary horses.
All the events are attracting a new, vibrant crowd of people. Organizers say the event draws an average of about 800, and judging from the crowds we see outside our building, we believe them.
Throughout the season, we’ve seen unique art displays, tasted great food, heard great music and met old and new friends. It all adds up to a great investment — Main Street Joplin financed the event with $5,000 that came from the city of Joplin.
Joplin could spend all the money in the world on aesthetic renovations, such as new sidewalks, historic street lamps and flags on every light pole. But it wouldn’t make a lick of difference without the crowds of people bringing life to Main Street.
We congratulate the organizers of this great event, and we can’t wait to see what they cook up for next year.
Opinion
In Our View: Third Thursday a first-class event
- Opinion
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Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
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Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
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Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
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Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
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Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
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Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
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Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
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Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
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Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
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Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
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