From staff reports
news@joplinglobe.com
A proposal to locate the Joplin Police Department’s special-enforcement unit on the west side of the city in the Iron Gates neighborhood will be presented today by Chief Lane Roberts to the Joplin City Council.
The council meeting is delayed a day from Monday because of Labor Day.
Jason Burns, assistant police chief, said the unit would serve the entire city but would be located on the west side of town as a sort of substation. The purpose of the unit is to give people a chance to contact officers without having to call or visit the main station.
Burns said the unit involves officers who go into the community and look for root causes of problems to reduce calls for patrols. The unit includes bicycle, rapid response, K9, warrants, Drug Abuse Resistance Education and traffic officers.
That is to be one of the topics of discussion at the council’s informal meeting at 5:15 p.m. today.
Grants to several local organizations for events that might attract visitors to the city will be considered during the council’s regular session at 6 p.m.
The Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau proposes to give grants in varying amounts to nine local events.
Those are the Missouri Southern State University 2009 homecoming celebration; St. John’s Regional Medical Center for “Matters of the Heart”; The Bridge for the JoMoPro BMX event; Boomtown Days (two grants) for the festival and for its 10K and 5K runs; Ozark Christian College for its “Preaching and Teaching” convention; Spiva Center for the Arts for PhotoSpiva; Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center for its “Birdathon”; and the Dogwood Trailblazers for a convention walk it will hold.
Amounts of the grants were not listed on the council agenda. Vince Lundstrum, director of the bureau, was out of state Friday and unavailable for comment.
The grants are given each year so that the organizations can advertise to try to pull people into town to spend tourism dollars.
The council also will consider:
n An agreement with Cochran, Head, Vick & Co. to provide auditing services for the city. The cost of the agreement is not listed on the agenda.
n Purchase of right of way from property at 2802 and 2820 Connecticut Ave. for widening of Connecticut Avenue. The cost is $28,200 for both pieces of property.
n Lease agreements with the federal government for the air traffic control tower at the Joplin Regional Airport, and space at the airport for equipment and personnel.
n Contracts to demolish buildings at 1423 W. Ninth St., 617 S. High Ave., 1839 Perkins St. and 603 S. High Ave.
Local News
Jopiln council to hear police substation pitch
- Local News
-
-
City wants to buy weather radios for those without
Phil Jones had been working on a construction project outside his house all day on May 22 and was unaware that a tornado watch had been issued. Once he was inside, though, his weather radio went off, and he learned that a warning had been issued.
-
Architects present preliminary JHS plans at community meeting
Reaction appeared mostly supportive Thursday night among the roughly 50 people who attended a community meeting at which architects presented their preliminary site plans for the future combined Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center.
-
Confessed shooter testifies against co-defendants in Pittsburg murder case
Rickey Smith testified Thursday that as he came in the back door of Ryan Bailey’s home in Pittsburg with a 9 mm pistol in his hand, Bailey looked up from the couch in his living room.
-
School district’s proposed street-closing plan questioned
Plans to close some streets near the proposed Joplin High School drew questions, including a challenge from a former Joplin mayor, during a public hearing this week.
-
Neosho council approves new golf cart contract
The purchase of golf carts was back on the agenda this week for the Neosho City Council. City Attorney Steve Hays said there were errors in the financing terms that were part of a bid approved last month for the purchase of 55 gas-powered carts from E-Z-Go for $144,195, so the purchase of a new fleet was rebid.
-
Mike Pound: Spirit of competition evident during double-overtime game
When I played basketball in high school, I played in several very close games.
Now, some people who may have known me in high school are probably laughing right now and saying, “What Mike meant to say is that when he was in high school, he came very close to playing in some games.” -
Mo. optometrist filed $40 million refund claim
A southwest Missouri optometrist who filed a tax return claiming a $40 million refund has been sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison.
-
Okla. receives waiver from No Child Left Behind
Oklahoma’s top education official reacted with glee Thursday with the announcement that the state is one of 10 states being granted a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law that requires students be proficient in reading and math by 2014 — but focused on getting students to “just pass the tests.”
-
Kan. House approves bipartisan redistricting bill
Power in the Kansas House is likely to shift next year from rural parts of the state to the Kansas City area after members overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill Thursday for redrawing their districts.
-
Fugitive in 1993 British heist arrested in Ozark
A man suspected of stealing about $1.5 million from a security van in England in 1993 has been arrested in southwest Missouri.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
