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Good Morning, Joplin. You’ve still got some time before Halloween, but file these away if you always wait until the last minute… All you need is a white t-shirt and a Sharpie. Write “Go ceilings!” on the shirt. You’re a ceiling fan. Write “Life” on the shirt and hand out lemons. Draw spots on the shirt. You’re a cow. Or a dalmatian. Write numbers on the shirt. You’re someone people can count on.

In today’s JOMO Jive:

• Maple Leaf Festival

• Pumpkin Patches & Corn Mazes

• New Data Center Regulations

Let’s get to it.

— Matt Thompson

P.S. If you find something useful in today’s Jive, please share it with someone who makes their kid(s) a fresh Halloween costume every year. No buying!

FEATURED EVENT

🍁 Carthage Maple Leaf Festival

📆 Friday, October 16 & Saturday, October 17
📍 Historic Downtown Carthage

One of the Four States' biggest fall traditions is celebrating its 60th anniversary! The Carthage Maple Leaf Festival wraps up a week of festivities with its signature parade, live entertainment, local vendors, and family fun.

🎶 Friday, 8 PM: Free Concert on the Square featuring MEMBERS ONLY.

🏃 Saturday, 7 AM: Maple Leaf 5K along the parade route.

🥁 Saturday, 9 AM: The nearly two-mile Maple Leaf Parade through historic Carthage.

🛍️ Saturday: Arts and crafts, food vendors, classic cars, and tractor displays.

🎸 Saturday, 1 PM: Free after-parade concert featuring ENCORE, plus family activities.

Come celebrate 60 years of fall fun in America's Maple Leaf City!

SPONSORED BY V’s Barbershop

Shopping for the men in your life isn't always easy, but V’s Barbershop makes it a little simpler! Whether it’s a fresh haircut, a classic hot lather shave, or just some well-deserved relaxation, V’s delivers an old-school barbershop experience with a modern touch.

And with the holidays still a little ways off, here’s an idea worth keeping in your back pocket: V’s offers gift cards! 🎁 Because looking sharp never goes out of style.

Book an appointment, purchase a gift card, or learn more at V’s Barbershop!

THE DIGEST

🎃 Pumpkin Patches & Corn Mazes Around Joplin

Fall is in full swing, and there's still time to enjoy one of the season's favorite traditions! Whether you're hunting for the perfect pumpkin, getting lost in a corn maze or just looking for a fun family outing, there are several farms within a short drive of Joplin offering plenty of autumn fun. Here's a roundup of local spots worth exploring:

• 🌽 Exeter Corn Maze — Exeter, MO: Corn mazes, pumpkin picking, family activities and nighttime haunted attractions.

• 🎃 Ol' Yale Farms — Pittsburg, KS: A family-friendly pumpkin patch with seasonal farm activities and plenty of fall photo opportunities.

• 🌽 Thistleknot Creek Farm — Oronogo, MO: A nearby option for corn maze adventures and seasonal farm fun.

• 🚜 Aurora Maize — Aurora, MO: A five-acre corn maze, hayrides, farm animals and other activities for the whole family.

• 🎃 Pickin' Patch Farm — Marionville, MO: Traditional pumpkin picking, hayrides and a hay-bale maze.

• 🍂 Onward Acres — Miller, MO: A seasonal farm destination with pumpkins and family-friendly activities.

Hours, admission prices and seasonal availability vary by location. Check each farm's website or social media before heading out.

🚜 Old Fashioned Hayride Returns to McClelland Park

Friday, October 16 | 6:00–9:00 PM | McClelland Park, Joplin

Grab your flannels and get ready for some fall fun! Joplin Parks and Recreation is hosting its annual Old Fashioned Hayride at McClelland Park this Friday evening. This free, family-friendly event features traditional hayrides, a spooky hayride for those looking for a little fright, bounce houses, yard games, a hay bale trail and music from a DJ.

Families can also enjoy hot dogs, s'mores, hot chocolate and food trucks while soaking up the autumn atmosphere. Bring the whole crew for an evening of old-fashioned fun! Check out Joplin Parks and Recreation for more information.

💋 Mean Girls: The Musical at Crowder College

October 23–25 | Elsie Plaster Auditorium | Neosho, MO

Get in, loser. We're going to the theatre! Crowder College's Theatre Division is bringing Mean Girls: The Musical to the stage October 23–25, featuring a cast of college students, local high school students and community members. Based on the hit movie, the musical follows Cady Heron as she navigates high school cliques, popularity and the notorious Regina George and her crew, "The Plastics."

Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Elsie Plaster Community Center, 601 Laclede Avenue in Neosho. The production is rated PG-13. For tickets or accommodations, purchase online, email [email protected] or call 417-455-5678.

🏺 Ceramic Pitchers at Spiva

Saturday, October 17 | 2:00–4:00 PM | Spiva Center for the Arts

Get your hands dirty and create something beautiful at Spiva Center for the Arts! Join instructor Daria Claiborne for a hands-on pottery workshop where you'll build your own functional ceramic serving pitcher. Participants will learn clay hand-building techniques, add unique textures and decorate their creations with colorful underglazes.

The class is open to ages 16 and up, and no prior pottery experience is required. Finished pieces will be fired in Spiva's kiln and ready for pickup in approximately 2–4 weeks. The workshop costs $45, and registration is available online.

LOCAL BUSINESS

SPONSORED BY

Stock Market

Algonquin Power & Utilities - $AQN ( ▲ 0.96% )  

Leggett & Platt, Inc. - $LEG ( ▼ 1.29% )  

Owens Corning - $OC ( ▼ 0.78% )  

General Mills, Inc. - $GIS ( ▲ 0.76% )  

La-Z-Boy Inc. - $LZB ( ▼ 1.28% )  

CIVIC UPDATES

🏗️ Joplin Adopts New Data Center Regulations

As data centers continue popping up across the country, Joplin is establishing some ground rules. In August, the Joplin City Council approved new regulations limiting data centers to heavy industrial zones and requiring at least 300 feet of separation from homes, schools, churches, and other protected properties.

The regulations also establish noise limits, require water-saving cooling systems, and set environmental standards. Perhaps most importantly, developers must cover the cost of utility infrastructure upgrades required specifically for their facilities, rather than passing those costs along to existing utility customers. Developers must also disclose anticipated water and electricity usage, construction timelines, and estimated job creation.

The goal? Make room for potential economic development while protecting Joplin residents and resources.

WEATHER

Friday: 🌡️ 45 | 56 💨 

Saturday: 🌡️ 38 | 59 ☀️ 

Sunday: 🌡️ 42 | 66 ☀️ 

MSSU SPORTS

Recap:

🏐 Volleyball (7-12)
Wednesday 10/14 at HOME vs University of Arkansas Fort Smith | W 3-1

⛳️ Men’s Golf
Monday 10/12 - Tuesday 10/13 at Newman Invite MIAA Points Event | 3rd Place (+21)

⛳️ Women’s Golf
Sunday 10/11 - Tuesday 10/13 at Nebraska Kearney Regional Preview | T-13th Place (+65)

Upcoming:

🏈 Football (1-5)
Saturday 10/17 at University of Nebraska at Kearney | 1:00 PM

🏐 Volleyball (7-12)
Friday 10/16 at HOME vs University of Central Oklahoma | 6:00 PM

⚽️ Soccer (3-5-4)
Friday 10/16 at Emporia State University | 2:00 PM

FEEDBACK

We’d love to hear your feedback! Reply to this newsletter or take the poll to let us know how we’re doing!

Want to sponsor JOMO Jive? Send your inquiry to [email protected]

THANKS!

Thank you for reading JOMO Jive today. See you again Tuesday!