JOMO Jive
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☕️ Looking to recycle your Christmas tree?

☕️ Looking to recycle your Christmas tree?

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Matt
December 30, 2025

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Good Morning, Joplin. It’s the last newsletter of 2025. Whether you’re out celebrating New Year’s Eve or proudly staying home Wednesday, drive safe and start 2026 on the right foot. And if you’re setting resolutions… we believe in you. Even more than you believe in yourself.

Reminder: There will be no JOMO Jive this Friday! Next week we’ll be back in full swing.

In today’s JOMO Jive:

How to recycle your Christmas tree
Joplin Empire Market reopens
City holiday closures and road work

Let’s get to it.

— Matt Thompson

P.S. If you find something useful in today’s Jive, please share it with someone who definitely isn’t staying up until midnight on Wednesday.

HOME OF THE WEEK

🎄 Christmas Tree Drop-Off Sites Open Through January

If you’re taking down your Christmas tree, the City of Joplin has made it easy to dispose of natural (live) trees responsibly. Starting December 26 through January 31, residents can drop off undecorated trees at three designated locations. Look for posted “Christmas Tree Drop-Off” signs at each site.

Humphrey Park on Utica Street
McIndoe Park at Glendale Road and Jackson Avenue (southwest corner of the parking lot)
Public Works Center at 1301 West 2nd Street.

Some discarded trees may be collected by the public for use in fish habitat projects, with remaining trees chipped by City staff. The Joplin Recycling Center also accepts many holiday-related items, including non-metallic wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, bottles, cans, greeting cards, cooking oil, and old Christmas lights. The Recycling Center is located at 1310 West A Street and is open Tuesday and Thursday from noon–6 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. It is closed Sundays, Mondays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

🥐 Empire Market Reopens January 3; 2026 Events on the Horizon

The Downtown Joplin Alliance announced that Empire Market will reopen with regular hours (10:00 AM–2:00 PM) on Saturday, January 3, 2026, welcoming the community back to kick off the new year.

While the full 2026 event schedule will be released soon, several January and February highlights are already on the calendar. Visitors can look forward to:

January 17 - 7th Annual Chili Cookoff
January 31 - National Seed Swap Day at the Market
February 14 - Paris Week

Individuals interested in becoming a vendor during the 2026 season can apply online at downtownjoplin.com/joplin-empire-market. For questions or additional information, contact Leann Halsey at [email protected].

🏨 A Landmark Year for Construction in Joplin: 1925

The year 1925 marked a significant period of growth and construction in Joplin. During the year, a total of 612 building permits were issued, representing $1,072,127 in construction costs. Of these permits, 232 were issued for new buildings and 380 for improvements to existing structures. Approximately $800,440 was spent on new construction, while $271,687 went toward repairs and enlargements. Several major projects completed that year would leave a lasting mark on the city’s architectural landscape…

Read the rest of the article here

🎆 Holiday Closures & Trash Schedule Changes

City of Joplin offices will be closed on Thursday, January 1, in observance of New Year’s Day. The closure includes Public Transit, the Recycling Center, and the Joplin History & Mineral Museum. City Hall and most City services will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, January 2.

🏛️ Joplin History & Mineral Museum Closed in January for Updates

The Joplin History and Mineral Museum will be closed to the public throughout January 2026 for remodeling and exhibit improvements. During the closure, crews will remodel the circus room, upgrade several existing exhibits, and complete work on a special 100th anniversary Route 66 exhibit.

The museum is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, with plans to debut the updated Route 66 exhibit at that time.

📺 City Council Meeting

The January 5, 2026, City Council meeting will air live on KGCS-TV as scheduled, but the replay will move to Wednesday, January 7, due to Missouri Southern basketball coverage on January 6.

🚧 Nighttime Lane Closures Planned on Range Line Road (Jan. 5–7)

As a heads up for drivers, nighttime lane closures are scheduled at the intersection of 7th Street and Range Line Road beginning Monday, January 5. Work will take place nightly from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., continuing through Wednesday, January 7, with lanes reopening each morning.

The closures will affect the inside southbound lane on Range Line Road near 7th Street, as well as the inside eastbound left-turn lane on 7th Street, preventing turns into the closed southbound lane. Crews will be replacing three manhole frames and covers as part of coordinated utility work with the Missouri Department of Transportation.