Webb City R-7 welcomes 31 new teachers
August 19, 2026
The public is invited to take part in the annual City of Joplin auction, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19.
Held every fall, the surplus auction takes place in the Street Maintenance Barn at the Public Works Center, located at 1301 W. Second St.
The auction will begin at 9 a.m. Citizens are invited to attend and bid on any of the items. This year’s inventory includes hundreds of items such as computers, office equipment, and heavy machinery.
Those interested in machinery and/or vehicles can view those by appointment starting Monday, Sept. 14. To make an appointment, call (417) 624-0820, ext. 1566.
The other auction items will be available for view an hour before the auction starts.
The full list of items is available online.
Over the last year, Ozarks Food Harvest continued efforts to support people facing hunger in southwest Missouri by providing 23 million meals to children, families and seniors through its network of faith-based and community charities.
From July 2025 to June 2026, the food bank increased distribution efforts through its Mobile Food Pantry program, Weekend Backpack Program and partnerships with over 270 local charities spread across 28 counties in its service area. Additionally, the food bank awarded its network more than $700,000 in grants to aid hunger-relief efforts in southwest Missouri.
The food bank also invested nearly $2 million in food purchases over the last year. More than 570,000 meals were distributed through their Mobile Food Pantry program which helped feed more than 25,000 individuals facing hunger across southwest Missouri. Cumulatively, Ozarks Food Harvest distributed nearly 27 million pounds of food.
“Hunger remains an urgent crisis in southwest Missouri. As children head back to school and the holiday season approaches, the food bank will need the community’s assistance to get folks back on their feet, “ said Dr. Meera Scarrow, Ozarks Food Harvest’s board president. “The board of directors is proud to support Ozarks Food Harvest’s ongoing commitment to end hunger across southwest Missouri.”
Ozarks Food Harvest’s Retail Rescue Program also saved nearly 8.6 million pounds of edible food from being sent to the landfill. The Retail Rescue Program coordinates pick-ups of food donations, including fresh produce, frozen meat and dairy from 242 grocers weekly.
Food insecurity also continues to impact southwest Missouri. The number of neighbors experiencing food insecurity has risen 40% in the last three years – that’s an additional 61,000 neighbors now experiencing food insecurity.
“Families in southwest Missouri continue to face challenges as the cost of housing, groceries and childcare remains high,” said Bart Brown, president and CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “The Food Bank is dedicated to ending hunger by helping our neighbors in southwest Missouri put food on the table.”
Through its network of 270 local charities, Ozarks Food Harvest serves more than 90,000 unduplicated children, families and seniors monthly.
