Wednesday, March 19, 2025

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Good Morning, Joplin. Third Thursday is tomorrow, and that’s all the reason you need to get out of the house. You can stop blaming winter for your seasonal depression now.

In today’s JOMO Jive:

• Third Thursday

• Joplin Tornado Netflix Documentary Now Available

• Liberty Utilities Public Commend Period Nears End

• Joplin Parks and Recreation Pool Passes

Let’s get to it.

— Matt Thompson

P.S. If you find something useful in today’s Jive, please share it with someone who has already made the annual switch from hot to iced coffee.

THE DIGEST

Third Thursday - Go Green Downtown 💚 

The well-known and much-anticipated Third Thursday kicks off tomorrow in downtown Joplin! The Downtown Joplin Alliance begins its 18th season of the event with a “Go Green Downtown” theme. They encourage all attendees to wear their best green outfits.

Third Thursday is held from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM and will feature over 100 vendors on Main Street!

✅ Here’s what you can expect:

• Live music from Paul Blakely, Erik & Erika French, Cody Rawlings, and David A Loving

• More than 25 food trucks and food booths

• Bloom has a Bloom Dog dinner special

• Vino Noir will have a “wine garden” set up in front of 528 & 530 Main St

• The Main Event (611 S Main) will have a mixologist inside making cocktails, a themed photo booth, and outdoor seating

• Interactive LEGO popup inside the Christman building at 5th & Main

• Vintage car cruise on the 100 block

• Artisan market on the 500 block

• Bounce House for kids

SPONSORED BY ADAMS LAWN CARE

☀️ Spring is (basically) here, and it’s time to get your yard looking its best! Our team of dedicated lawn care pros delivers top-quality mowing and maintenance in Joplin, Carl Junction and other surrounding areas.

✅ Reliable & professional service
✅ Weekly or bi-weekly scheduling available
✅ Keep your lawn looking great every weekend!

📅 Now booking for 2025! Don’t wait—secure your spot today!

📩 Send us a message or call 417-621-5705 to get on the schedule! 👊🏻

Joplin Tornado Netflix Documentary Now Available 🎥 

For some, May 5th is just a date in history. For Joplin, MO, it’s a date that changed the course of our city and our lives forever. While there have been many videos, news coverages and books detailing the tornado and the impact it had on Joplin, Netflix’s large budget documentary is sure to take you on a rollercoaster of emotions.

I attempted to watch this as soon as it became available late last night, but it must not have dropped exactly at 12 midnight. I have a feeling that calling it an emotional journey will be a complete understatement. From being in the tornado, the trauma of what it did to the people and landscape of our city, and the pride of being a resilient resident of this community, this film is sure to capture it all.

While it may be difficult for some to watch, I will be doing my best to power through.

Watch here.

Liberty Utility Public Comment Period Nears End ⚡️ 

If you’re upset about the cost of your electric bill or the level of service you’ve been receiving from Liberty Utilities, you’re not alone. But if you don’t want those rates to get even higher, you need to take action. There is public comment window open, but it closes in less than a week!

Last November, Liberty Utilities sent a request to the Missouri Public Service Commission asking for a 92-million dollar increase, or about 16%. Now, they’ve almost doubled their request, seeking 152-million dollar increase, or about 30%. To put it into perspective, a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours would have to pay an extra $33 to $39 a month.

March 25th is the last day to voice your informal complaint. You can do this by calling the Missouri Public Service Commission at 1-800-392-4211 or by going to their Submit A Complaint page and filling out a Formal or Informal Complaint Form.

Joplin Parks and Recreation Pool Passes 🏊️ 

Are you a regular pool-goer? Then you’re going to want to take advantage of this deal, which is only happening this week! From now until March 24th, you can purchase discounted passes for Cunningham Aquatic Center AND Schifferdecker Aquatic Center!

To get your pass, visit the Athletic Complex at 3301 W 1st St, Joplin, MO 64801 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. They’ll take your picture for your pass. 🎟️ 

Pool Pass Pricing:
Family - $160
Adult - $80
Child - $72
Senior - $72
Additional Child/Sitter - $12

WEATHER

Wednesday: 🌡️ 37 | 68 🌧️ 40%

Thursday: 🌡️ 32 | 53 ☀️

Friday: 🌡️ 40 | 63 💨 

🦁 Lions Claim National Championship and Two All-American Honors at DII Indoor Track & Field Championships

The Missouri Southern men’s and women’s track and field teams qualified ten student-athletes for the 2025 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, where they brought home a National Champion title in the women’s 60m dash and two All-American honors in the women’s shot put.

This year’s Championship was highlighted by Joy Udo-Gabriel winning the National Championship in the women’s 60m dash finals. Udo-Gabriel set the DII all-time record in the event once again, while also breaking the National Meet Record and the MSSU School Record for the seventh time this season with a time of 7.11 seconds. She’s now tied for third in the women’s 60m dash across all divisions for the 2025 indoor season.

Dailynn VanDeren and Briar Gillum competed in two events, earning All-American honors in the women’s shot put. VanDeren finished in fourth-place with a personal best throw of 15.51m, while Gillum finished in seventh-place with a personal best throw of 15.18m.

Recap:

⚾️ Baseball (16-8)
3/18 at Newman University | W 25-24

What’s Happening

Family Events

Game Night | Thursday 5:30 PM
Location: Joplin Public Library

Springtime Watercolor at Wildcat | Thursday 6:00 PM
Location: Wildcat Glades Education Cottage

Special Events

Wednesday:

Trivia Night | 6:45 PM
Location: Chaos Brewing Company

Midweek Movies: Curated by Jake Bennett | 8:00 PM
Location: Royale Cinema Lounge

Thursday:

Webb City Farmers Market | 11:00 AM
Location: Webb City Farmers Market

Third Thursday | 5:30 PM
Location: Downtown Main Street

Spiva in Bloom 2025: Opening Reception and Awards | 5:30 PM
Location: Spiva Center for the Arts