One hundred years ago today, May 17, 1917, a group of Carthage business leaders gathered to form a club designed to help make the community a better place.

The Jasper County Commissioners voted on Tuesday to make the intersection of Fir Road and Lone Elm Road south of Carl Junction into a four-way stop as one way to try to cope with the traffic that will be diverted to Fir Road when the Center Creek bridge on Highway 171 is closed for replacement on May 30.

Page Wagner Jr., owner and operator of Wagner Jewelry passed away on May 14, 2017. He was 92 years old.

David F. Harris, 77, Carthage, MO, passed away Sunday morning, May 14, 2017 at his home.

Carthage native Robert Downey, 65, would kill for a ribeye steak. Neosho High School Senior Kelsey Allen, 17, loves brisket. But neither Downey nor Allen dares touch the foods they love anymore because of a tick bite. And yes, they miss it.

Carthage voters will likely be asked in August to allow the city to continue collecting a 2.75 percent sales tax on purchases of vehicles, trailers, boats and other items purchased out of state.

The first time Cristina Couch saw Carthage Firefighters Mat Fasano and John Browder on April 29, she and her husband were huddled with their two young children on the roof of their mobile home which was surrounded by flood waters and wedged against a tree and utility pole.