JOPLIN, Mo. — If you haven’t already raked your leaves to the curb – now’s the time.

Weather permitting, the “City of Joplin” will begin its annual “Residential Leaf Pick-Up Program” Monday.

Two crews will start picking up leaves in outlying areas, working their way toward the middle of the city until complete.

If you’re looking to dispose of leaves on your own, you can take them to the “Joplin Compost Facility.”

It’s located at 3457 Eddy Lane in Joplin and is open daily during daylight hours.

The city asks that no trash bags, brush, or tree limbs be left.

Here’s a link to the city’s leaf-pick-up map, where you can see when the crews will get to your neighborhood.

AAA estimates nearly 49 Million people likely traveled by car this holiday weekend.

And, Sunday, is right up there with one of the busiest travel days as everyone heads home.

We caught up with a few travelers at the “Missouri Welcome Center.”

“Today we are celebrating our 26th marriage anniversary and this is the first time on the road. We enjoyed it this year because we could come out because in 2019-20 we were at home not doing any travel. I didn’t think the travel was that bad either on the return.” said the Kumar Family. “I feel like it’s nice driving back to school instead of flying so you can spend more time with friends and family.”

Doing great, we’re driving back from Houston actually, to Missouri, up to Columbia yeah, yeah we’re right in Missouri.” said the Herbert Family. “We just crossed over into Missouri that’s right, we’re on our way to Columbia. Yeah, there was definitely more traffic, I would say, this year than in previous years, it seems like more people are out on the roads to be sure. The restaurants were a lot more crowded,”

“We had a great time while we were down there. My two granddaughters are going home with us and we get to St. Louis and then we’re gonna go on to Chicago
You know it’s really not been too bad but it is a lot heavier this year than the last two years, gas prices are a lot higher.” said Jack Hembree.

“We did until the COVID outbreak. This is the first time in three years, so gas prices are much higher but other than that it’s pretty much the same,” said Ed Simmons. “After staying for four days I was ready to come home.”

What are some tips for a long road trip?

“Know your stops, don’t push yourself. You feel sleepy, go to sleep, you know, don’t push too much because you might wake up in a rolled over the vehicle, so…” said Greg Icenogle “There’s definitely an anticipation to get there, but for whatever reason, it’s always faster just getting home, and I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t seem like it takes as long to get home as it does there.”

JOPLIN, Mo. — The “JOMO Pride” group took time this evening to remember the victims of the tragic “Club Q” shooting in Colorado Springs.

A few dozen gathered under the pavilion at “Mercy Park” tonight for a candlelight vigil.

It’s a way to honor the five lives lost and the several injured after a gunman opened fire at the club last weekend.

The “JOMO Pride” group says it’s important that all voices are heard as the losses last weekend impacted many all over the country.

“I think, you know, us coming together as a community, you know, and showing strength, we feel what they feel. Just because we’re not in the same city doesn’t mean that we don’t have pain for what they’re going through,” said Stephanie Marsh, JOMO Pride Organizer.

The evening concluded as each victim’s name was read out loud before a “silent walk.”

JOPLIN, Mo. — A local woman has likely set the Christmas tree decorating bar high for you.

Meet Marsha Lattimer and her Christmas tree covered in over 300 “Hallmark” ornaments.

She’s been collecting these dazzling and interactive ornaments since 1995.

Each one resembles a special memory for her, like her son’s favorite toys growing up.

They’re all intricately placed, leaving no room for bare spots.

This year, she put her tree up right after Halloween, but even after initially putting it up, she makes adjustments until it is absolutely perfect.

The entire tree brings a sense of nostalgia and Christmas magic.

“Sometimes I’ll just be sitting there drinking my coffee or just sitting, relaxing and just looking at the tree and it just brings back memories and just good times. Just seeing them and, it just takes me back. The good old days were the good old days, they were the best,” said Marsha Lattimer.

Every year, she gets more ornaments to add to her special tree of memories.

JOPLIN, Mo. — Some local kiddos used a bit of science knowledge, today, to create food items.

The “Creative Learning Alliance” in Joplin provided a hands-on “STEM” learning experience, using edible materials.

Kids made homemade butter by shaking cream and salt together in a jar.

Other activities included learning how taste buds work when tasting sour, salty and sweet foods like limes, chips, and candy.

They also learned some chemistry by making pink lemonade “spheres”.

These spheres were liquid, but a unique calcium bond with water gave them that jello-like texture.

“The concepts become real when you do, the learning is in the doing. And so, we want the kids to be hands-on and to take those experiences home with them so that they never leave their minds,” said Neely Myers, Project Coordinator, Creative Learning Alliance.

The next event for the “Creative Learning Alliance” will be a Breakfast with Santa event.

It will take place on December 3rd, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the morning, at the “Joplin Museum Complex”.