MISSOURI — The Better Business Bureau is warning about the dangers of using apps to earn money and rewards.

The BBB says cash back apps like Ibotta and Rakuten are popular, but consumers should do their research before downloading any apps.

Cash back app companies build relationships with stores and brands and receive commission for users purchases.

The apps then pass along a part of the commission to consumers.

Stephanie Garland, BBB Regional Director, says, “If you are going to do this and participate, choose an app that fits your shopping pattern. So does that mean that you want to have coupons? Do you want price comparisons, do you need a passive cash back app that runs in the background of your phone and tracks your purchases or is it that too intrusive? Think about your shopping habits when you’re choosing this.”

She says consumers should never pay a fee to use a cash back app and if any apps ask for a fee that could be a scam.

Before downloading an app check its ratings here .

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage High School is helping students find the perfect prom dress.

Saturday students browsed through more than 120 gently used dresses that were donated by students and the community.

A student volunteer says it felt good to help others find a nice dress at a low price.

Hannah Putnam, Carthage Senior, says, “It makes me excited to know that so many girls are getting to have a beautiful dress for prom.”

The school says they will continue selling some dresses leading up to prom.

They will be donating some of the dresses to Goodwill.

NEOSHO MISSOURI –“Being able to grow and expand just means we are reaching more people and able to affect more people,” said Danielle Warren, co-owner of Indian Springs Brewing and Company.

Warren wanted to expand the business with the concept of a “Bed and Brew” AirBNB.

“It’s exciting! It feels like another new beginning, when we opened the tap room in 2017. It’s a very similar feeling to that, just excitement to share things with our friends and local people,” said Warren.

The idea is that this new space will give tourists a place to stay while they explore all that the city of Neosho has to offer.

“We love downtown Neosho and we love that it has come to life a little bit more over the last few years. Bike trails have been added to Neosho recently, and when that happened, and the disc gulf community. There’s a lot of people that are needing places to stay in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. We have always loved the idea and decided to go for it,” said Warren

The brew house already has people booked for April and ready to stay in the one bedroom beer-themed apartment.

“I am super hyped about the AirBNB. I am a customer with Indian Springs. I’m there quite a bit, I really love the tap room, I love the sense of community that they have there and it’s a really great place to spend with friends, family, and everybody else. I was super excited to have another way that I could help support the business,” said Adriana Henrey, patron.

The apartment is expected to welcome its first guests next month, so the owners hope it will bring new faces to the Neosho community.

“I think it’s just kinda a hidden gem people don’t realize all the things that are here. I’m not from here and it’s really, I moved here before a lot of the things like the bike trails and all of that came to be and the more it grows the more the community and family feeling it has,” said Warren.

If you are interested in booking your stay with Indian Springs Brewery CO., click here.

PITTSBURG, Kans. — All hands were on deck today for a fire in Pittsburg Friday morning.

Around 7:30 the Pittsburg Fire Department was alerted to the fire at 9th and Broadway at an apartment building.

All units responded quickly to the fire and were later joined by Frontenac and Baker township fire departments.

Police barricaded the streets while the residents of the apartments were evacuated

Dennis Reilly, Pittsburg Fire Chief: “We were able to evacuate the building and we ended up with a working fire between the ceiling and the roof line of the building, we’ve been out here for about four and a half hours now, the fire’s under control, we’ll probably be out here for a couple hours to make sure to make sure the hotspots are extinguished.”

The building sustained significant water and fire damage, but Reilly is hopeful the building will remain in tact.

An investigation is being conducted to find the cause of the fire.

ANDERSON, Mo. — One local elementary school teacher made it possible to have a new lab for her students.

Anderson Elementary School teacher Heather Nalley saw that there was a need for her pre-K to fifth grade students to know how to learn everyday skills at home such as folding, cleaning laundry, and even making simple meals like mac & cheese.

She was able to get in contact with Lowe’s in Neosho to get new additions for the lab through their Heroes Program. Lowe’s donated a new fridge, cabinets, counter tops, washer and dryer, and a stove.

Heather Nalley, Teacher: “It’s amazing because really we had the plan to put a refrigerator in here to kind of get us started the program started and um so I really called Lowe’s to ask for one appliance and they just came up with this whole program and we are so thankful and grateful that they came and did this for us.”

Nalley hopes to use the lab next semester once there aren’t as many COVID restrictions.

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kans. — Due to an ongoing problem, part of a southeast Kansas park will be restricting it’s access.

The City of Baxter Springs announced it will be closing the road to Riverside East along the city lagoons.

This was due to an ongoing problem with illegal dumping and vandalism across the roads.
Baxter Springs had tried solving this problem but the littering continued.

The park itself will remain open, but the road is now only open to foot traffic and authorized vehicles.

NEOSHO, Mo. — Residents in Neosho will be seeing a new change to Morse Park.

Hickory Creek was approved to have a new bridge that will be 6 feet higher, allow more traffic to safely pass through the stream, and high enough for kayaks to boat through.

In the past, the creek would overflow and flood, with tree debris stopping the flow of the river causing more problems for the park. The current bridge was built in the 1900’s and city officials thought it was time for a change.

Clint Dalbom, Parks Director: “In my mind having a nice bridge here across hickory creek and about the middle of the park. Um it will be a tremendous addition to the park it’s going to be a very very active bridge..”

Dalbom says he hopes construction will start in early July or sometime this fall. The park’s clean up team is removing trees around the river for preparation of the new bridge.