Kameron Carter wins spelling bee at Carterville Elementary

February 16, 2022

Kameron Carter wins spelling bee at Carterville Elementary

Carterville Elementary School held its annual selection round of the Joplin Globe Spelling Bee on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Six fourth grade students competed for the chance to represent Carterville Elementary in the finals on March 18 at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School.

By spelling “encyclopedia,” Kameron Carter in Mrs. O’Hare’s class won the champion trophy and best wishes for when he competes in the finals.

Kameron wants to be a football player and enjoys reading “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”

The other awesome spellers he competed against were Hayden Orr, second place; Harper Austin, Colton Passley, Caden Bell and Josie Tupper.

Kameron Carter is now practicing for the big spelling bee on March 18.

The Oronogo Cemetery Association is taking bids for mowing the cemetery starting in the spring.

Requirements are mowing the cemetery, approximately 10 acres, weed eating around stones and trees. No spraying or weed killer around stones but can use spray or weed killer along fence lines. Stones need to be cleaned off as well as main road. Mowing will be done on request by Cemetery Association. All bids need to be in by Friday, March 18, and will be opened March 21. Only written bids will be accepted. Mail to: Oronogo Cemetery Association, c/o Larry Lacey, P.O. Box 83, Oronogo MO 64855.

Being kind

Carterville Elementary students in January focused on being kind.

They learned they can be kind by saying nice things to others, smiling, being happy for others, encouraging friends, offering to help, sharing and taking turns, caring about others, listening when others speak and using good manners.

The school’s January Students of the Month are: (FRONT) James Schmitt, Willow Manning, Ian Santos-Hernandez, Ezekiel Hilbert, Archer Smith, Holly Ekberg, Dallas Packard.

(BACK) Claire Slater, Dawson Hinderliter, Maya Miller, Josie Tupper, Hayden Orr and Brylee Hamilton. (LAUREN THOMPSON PHOTO)

Community helps The Alliance repair from burst-pipe damage

The Alliance of Southwest Missouri is recovering – with community help – from a devastating pipe-burst flood at the former church it is rebuilding at 1601 S. Wall St. in Joplin.

The Jan. 22 burst in the sprinkler system in the attic. Mark Box, the Safe Kids coordinator and driver’s education instructor, was in the building at the time of the incident. “I heard an explosion upstairs. By the time I could run upstairs, I would say within one minute, the entire upstairs was flooded.”

Over 15 community members came to help with the immediate cleanup efforts.

Within 24-hours of the pipe bursting, an anonymous community member donated $2,500 toward the insurance deductible.

Despite the setback, the organization is proud to announce it has not stopped providing programs and services.

Fundraising for the organization’s 1601 at the Core of the Community campaign to restore the 106-year-old building is also continuing.

“We are not going to pull money from a place where donors have designated money towards the capital campaign, even though it would be so much easier and would expedite things,” says Jen Black, executive director.

Until the building is repaired, The Alliance is temporarily housed at The United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, 3510 E. Third St., Joplin.

For information about The Alliance of Southwest Missouri and its opportunities to volunteer and donate, visit www.theallianceofswmo.org or call (417) 782-9899.

Extension Council reorganizes after election of new members

Ten individuals were newly-elected in the balloting that ended January 25, 2022, according to Clint Lambeth, council chair.

Newly elected members to serve two-year terms are: Patrick Bromley, Carl Junction; Charlie Davis, Webb City; Amy Gates, Joplin; Terri Haywood, Joplin; Barbara Hunter, Jasper; Jeremy Jadwin, Carthage; Donya Moll, Jasper; Francis O’Kelly, Carthage; Erick Osen, Diamond, and Dorothy Shull, Carthage.

These members will join the following hold-over members: Gayle Brown, Oronogo; Jeff Brown, Oronogo; Christy Graham, Joplin; Kim Lambeth, Webb City; Dan Sellers, Webb City; Sandra Smith, Webb City;Terry Smith, Webb City; Yesenia Viera, Carthage; Bruce Waggoner, Webb City, and Wayne Wilson, Carthage.

The appointed members to the council are: Tom Flanigan (County Commission), Carl Burton (Farm Bureau), Gail Kreutzer (City of Carthage), and Clint Lambeth (City of Webb City).

The council has four major responsibilities. They are: (1) to advise the University of Missouri on needed extension educational programs, (2) approve the extension staff housed in Jasper County, (3) arrange for financing the Jasper County Extension Center and, (4) hold elections to perpetuate the Council.

Officers for the 2022 council were elected at the annual meeting, Tuesday evening, Feb. 8, 2022. They are: Clint Lambeth, chairman; Dan Sellers, vice-chair; Gail Kreutzer, secretary; Wayne Wilson, treasurer, and Tom Flanigan, co-treasurer.

University of Missouri Extension programs focus on the high-priority needs of Missourians. Each county extension center, with oversight by locally elected and appointed citizens, is your local link to practical education on almost anything. More information is available online at http://extension.missouri.edu.