Joplin

Mother of high school player who died sues Joplin district

May 25, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — The mother of a Joplin High School football player is suing the school district over his death after he suffered breathing problems during a football practice.

Joplin police: Death during standoff linked to earlier death

April 1, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Joplin police said Friday the death of a man during a police standoff and the shooting death of another man at a different location are connected.

Donald Wimer, 54, of Joplin, was found dead of a gunshot wound on Thursday after his family had reported him missing, police spokesman Capt.

Man who killed woman found dead with couple’s toddler

March 28, 2022 GMT

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — A man shot and killed a woman and later was found dead inside a Kansas home with their slain toddler after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement, authorities said.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that police in Baxter Springs responded around 7:15 p.m.

Man allegedly assaulting a Joplin police officer is shot

March 20, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Joplin police officer shot and wounded a man who allegedly was assaulting another officer, the police department said.

The shooting occurred late Saturday after officers attempted to check on three people walking in an alley, police Capt.

Joplin officer wounded in shooting is released from hospital

March 16, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri police officer who was wounded in a shooting that killed two other officers has been released from the hospital.

2nd Joplin officer shot by suspect dies; organs donated

March 12, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — The body of a Missouri police officer who was shot along with two other officers earlier this week has been transported to a funeral home after his organs were donated, the Joplin Police Department announced Saturday.

Chief: Second Joplin officer won’t recover from shooting

By MARGARET STAFFORDMarch 11, 2022 GMT

(AP) — A Joplin, Missouri, police officer who was shot along with two other officers this week “will not recover” from his injuries, Police Chief Sloan Rowland said Thursday.

Rowland announced that patrol officer Jake Reed's family said he was being prepared to donate organs.

Joplin mayor: Rally behind slain and wounded officers

March 9, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — In the wake of shootings that left one police officer dead and two others badly wounded, the mayor of Joplin urged residents Wednesday to pull together, just as they did 11 years ago when a massive tornado devastated the southwestern Missouri city.

Police: 1 Missouri officer, suspect die, 2 officers wounded

March 9, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — One Joplin police officer and a suspect have died after a shooting Tuesday in the southwest Missouri city, police said.

Two other Joplin officers remain hospitalized, one in critical condition and the other in serious but stable condition, Assistant Police Chief Brian Lewis said in a news release.

Missouri man charged with animal abuse, threatening police

February 3, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A rural Joplin man has been charged with animal abuse and threatening police after more than 50 animals were taken from his property, Newton County authorities said.

Joplin father charged in shooting death of daughter

January 11, 2022 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man charged in the death of his 17-year-old daughter shot her after she threw a bottle at him during an argument, police say.

Todd Mayes, 59, of Joplin, was charged Monday with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Prayer Nickelsen.

Man killed by police in southwestern Missouri city of Joplin

November 1, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A man was killed by officers over the weekend in the southwestern Missouri city of Joplin, police there said.

Joseph Shane Endicott, 41, of Carl Junction, died Saturday after being shot by police who responded to a call of a disturbance, according to a Joplin Police Department news release.

Patrol: Two drivers killed in wrong-way crash near Joplin

October 27, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Two people were killed in a traffic crash near Joplin after one of the vehicles was driving the wrong way on the interstate, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened Tuesday night on Interstate 44 near Joplin.

Crawford County inmate charged in another inmate’s death

October 18, 2021 GMT

GIRARD, Kan. (AP) — A Crawford County jail inmate has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of another inmate, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Monday.

Gavin P. Wood, 25, of Arma was charged after inmate Dante Martinez, 20, of Pittsburg died on Saturday, the KBI said.

Man found guilty in Joplin woman’s death, shooting of wife

September 23, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Joplin man was convicted Thursday of killing a woman and seriously injuring his estranged wife in a shooting six years ago.

Stephen Thompson, 60, was found guilty of first-degree murder and three other counts in the death of Carissa Gerard and the wounding of his wife, Kristina Thompson.

Eatery owners, managers charged in federal immigration case

August 26, 2021 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Missouri have charged 19 restaurant owners and managers — most living in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma — accusing them of a racketeering scheme to hire and employ immigrants living in the U.S.

Southwest Missouri health system requires employee vaccines

August 23, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — One of Missouri's biggest hospital systems announced Monday that it would require its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, wasting little time after the U.S.

Joplin: City computer shutdown was ransomware attack

August 5, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — The insurer for Joplin paid $320,00 to an unknown person after a ransomware attack shut down the city’s government’s computer system last month, Joplin City Manager Nick Edwards said Thursday.

Joplin man who shot 5 found not guilty by reason of insanity

July 28, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A Joplin man who wounded five people in random shootings has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Attorneys for Tom Mourning Jr., 31, had argued for years that he was schizophrenic and did not understand his actions when he shot at two vehicles on Aug.

‘Network security incident’ shuts down Joplin city computers

July 8, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Law enforcement officers and a cybersecurity firm have been called in to investigate a “network security incident” that caused Joplin city government's computer system to shut down, officials said Thursday.

Rockabilly performer Sanford Clark dead at 85 from COVID-19

July 5, 2021 GMT

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Rockabilly and country performer Sanford Clark, who had a Top 10 hit with “The Fool” in 1956, has died in a Missouri hospital from COVID-19. He was 85.

Clark died Sunday at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, where he had been receiving cancer treatment before he contracted the coronavirus, his publicist and fellow performer Johnny Vallis said Monday.

Team of specialists sent to south Florida to probe collapse

By WILL LESTERJune 26, 2021 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A half-dozen scientists and engineers who specialize in disastrous structure failures are headed to south Florida to collect firsthand information on the cause of the catastrophic Champlain Towers South collapse.

Child sex abuser sentenced to a total of more than 600 years

June 15, 2021 GMT

A child sex abuser from southwest Missouri was sentenced to more than 600 years in prison for 10 felony convictions.

The jury that convicted Daniel Franklin, 62, of rural Joplin, in April recommended that he be sentenced to six terms of 99 years, three of 30 years and one of four years.

Columbia, Joplin win millions in lawsuit against CenturyLink

June 12, 2021 GMT

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The city of Columbia should receive nearly $54 million after a long legal battle with a telecommunications company over unpaid taxes, a judge has ruled.

A ruling from St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo last week also awarded the city of Joplin $1.1 million.

Southwestern Missouri seeing uptick in COVID-19 cases

June 4, 2021 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Health officials in Springfield and Joplin are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations amid relatively low vaccination rates and more people gathering for social events without masks or social distancing.

Former mayor of Purcell charged with stealing from city

June 2, 2021 GMT

PURCELL, Mo. (AP) — Former Purcell Mayor Nancy Wilson has been charged with stealing from the town, the Jasper County prosecutor announced Wednesday.

Wilson, 50, was charged last week with felony stealing after an investigation by the sheriff's department.