Big second half lifts Pittsburg State past Lincoln

WATCH: Pitt State tops Lincoln 66-54 on Monday in its conference opener. Quentin Hardrict leads the way with 20 points. Deshaun English adds a huge double-double. He drops 17 points with 23 rebounds.

Pitt State pulls away to beat Lincoln in MIAA opener

WATCH: Pitt State pulls away to beat Lincoln 78-54 in its MIAA opener. Karenna Gerber scores a team-high 17 points. Tristan Gegg adds 16 points. Grace Pyle (12 pts), Harper Schreiner (10 pts) and Jenna Shipley (10 pts) also finish in double digits.

JPD ensured Christmas Parade safety

JOPLIN, Mo. – Joplin Police Department ensures safety ahead of Christmas Parade.

Parades all over the four states will be taking place, and with Joplin’s Christmas Parade coming up soon and JPD is ensuring that it will be safe.

“Outline the details such as parade routes, entry and exit points. As well as roads that need blocked off.  We work weeks ahead of time in preparation to get our plans lined out,” said Captain William Davis of the Joplin Police Department.

Candy is allowed at the parade but is meant to be handed out and not thrown.

 

Joplin’s City Hall lights up its Holiday-Themed window

JOPLIN, Mo. – The City of Joplin is officially in the holiday spirit as City Hall’s holiday windows are now lit.

Visit Joplin installed a stained glass window that features a scenic view of a winter wonderland.

The three-pane painted vinyl panels resemble a stained-glass effect and complement the windows from last year.

Officials say the artwork on display features local muralist Sandrea Pemberton.

Click here to learn more.

 

 

 

 

BBB gives tips for Giving Tuesday donations

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Better Business Bureau is encouraging donors to give to charities as part of their holiday preparations.

Because tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, the BBB is offering tips to help residents give wisely.

“Try to go with an organization that you recognize,” said Pamela Hernandez with the BBB. ” Sometimes intentionally or not, charities will pick a name that’s similar to a well-known charity. That could be an indication of a scam or just could be somebody with good intentions who went the wrong way and didn’t do their research.”

Officials say to never succumb to reassure by giving up money on the spot and to ask for more information if needed.

Follow these tips:

  1. Don’t assume that charity size and regional scope signal trustworthiness. 67 percent of survey respondents said they trust local charities more than national and 62 percent trust small organizations more than large ones. In BBB’s Give.org experience, however, charities of all sizes and scope can demonstrate good and bad accountability practices.
  2. Don’t assume verifying trust is easy. The Give.org Donor Trust Report shows that younger generations are more likely than older donors to believe that verifying trust is easy and can be accomplished by examining the charity’s appeal alone. Verifying charity trustworthiness is more complex. Donors are encouraged to check out charities at Give.org to verify if they meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability which address charity governance, finances, results reporting and solicitation practices.
  3. Don’t rely on stories and passion alone in assessing trust. The survey results also indicate that 46 percent of Generation Z (ages 18 and 19) and 32 percent of Millennials (ages 20-36) tend to attribute trust to those organizations that demonstrate more apparent passion and sincerity in the appeal. In BBB’s Give.org view, such indicators are not a reliable means to verify trust and could lead younger donors vulnerable to questionable solicitations.
  4. Don’t focus excessively on financial ratios. While financial ratios are an important part of a charity’s overall picture, excessive focus on low overhead spending can be misguided and potentially harmful to an organization’s capacity for service. Consider a more comprehensive view of a charity’s activities in order to make a wise giving decision.

Click here to learn more.

SAFE Kits backlogged in Missouri

JOPLIN, Mo – An anonymous victim of sexual assault spoke with KOAM today to share her frustrations about how long her SAFE kit is taking to come back with the results.

Missouri has untested rape kits dating back to 1997.

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office applied for and received two federal funds to test 70% of kids from 2018 to 2020.

Captain William Davis with the Joplin Police Department says they were also backlogged but now have caught up with all their kits and sent them off to the state criminal office.

Attorney General Eric S. Schmitt wrote a letter about how important and urgent it is to get the SAFE Kits all caught up.

If you want to read the letter or more about the article you can click here.

 

 

 

 

Freeman discusses health care options for lower-income families

JOPLIN, Mo. – Freeman Health System is helping locals get the right health insurance for themselves and their families thanks to a new law.

This year, Employees who cannot afford health care plans from their employer that include the entire family are allowed to enroll in the Affordable Care Act.

Officials say the affordable rate is 9.5 percent of applicants’ income.

That being said, health insurance that exceeds 9.5 percent of income is considered unaffordable and the person can get tax credits from the ACA.

Watch KOAM & Fox 14 Evening News to see the whole story or check back later for additional content.

 

UPDATE: Baxter Springs Police identify victims in Monday afternoon shooting

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. (KOAM) – Update Nov. 29, 2022 – Baxter Springs Police have identified the victims in Monday’s deadly shooting on Lincoln Avenue.

According to Chief Brian Henderson, Jeremy Murphy, 47, of Anderson, Mo. and Craig Guinn, 59, of Pineville, Mo. were found dead at the scene.

Seth Guinn, 27, also of Pineville, was taken to Freeman Hospital for treatment of injuries. Henderson said that he remains in critical condition.

Investigators turned the bodies of Murphy and Craig Guinn over to the Cherokee County Coronor for autopsy. Those are expected to be completed later this week.

 

 

Original Story:

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — Just before 3 p.m. on Monday, November 28, reports of a shooting in Baxter Springs in the 2400 block of Lincoln.

Many had asked if there was still an active shooter. Chief Brian Henderson assures us there is no threat to the public. This was an isolated incident within a residence.

Officers arrived on scene and began life-saving measures. Unfortunately 2 people succumbed to their injuries. We are not releasing any information at this time pending notification of next of kin. A third person was transported from the scene by EMS for life-threatening injuries and is currently at a Joplin hospital.”

Chief Brian Henderson

Chief Henderson tells us the shootings occurred inside the residence which is now  surrounded in crime scene tape.

2400 Lincoln Ave is the extreme SW part of town. The road dead ends as it circles on the south before the former Yellow Freight complex on Powell Road.

Baxter Springs Police, Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves and his Deputies, are on the scene as well as the KBI. KHP also assisted with calls while BSPD were securing the scene.

The man in custody is identified as Kyle Butts, 41, of Independence MO.  He is being held in the Cherokee County Jail pending formal charges by the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office.

Chief Henderson anticipates they will be here all night as a light trailer illuminates the entire property.

This is a breaking news story. Stay with Joplin News First on KOAM News Now as we continue to follow this story.

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Universities team up to help local law students

PITTSBURG, Kan. – A new partnership between Pittsburg State University and the Washburn School of Law is underway.

Officials say the partnership will positively impact students, ultimately leading to money and time saved for those seeking law degrees.

“We have inked a partnership that will allow students to complete a bachelor’s degree as well as a law degree in six years total — three years here at Pittsburg State, and three years at Washburn School of Law,” said Chris Childers, director of PSU’s School of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences, in a press conference Monday in Russ Hall officially announcing the partnership.

The partnership also means a year less in tuition and fees at PSU, he noted, and students who are accepted into the program are guaranteed a minimum tuition scholarship of $5,000 per year at Washburn School of Law.

The announcement comes at a time when demand is high and supply is low: Officials say Southeast Kansas is considered underserved when it comes to the number of cases on the books and the number of lawyers available.

“Kansas will benefit and Kansans will benefit,” said Kansas Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert. “We have a critical shortage of attorneys…especially in rural Kansas.”

Washburn Associate Dean Shawn Leisinger said students in the program also will be able to go into communities in their third year of law school for externships with law firms, serving communities and gaining valuable real-world experience.

Click here to learn more.