Joplin High School

JOPLIN, Mo. -- A music legend is helping make sure Joplin students have plenty of musical opportunities, even after the tornado on May 22 that destroyed $3.7 million worth of music program supplies.  The Manilow Music Project , and singer Barry Manilow himself, made a stop in Joplin on Thursday morning. It's been five months since the tornado, and the old Joplin High School still sits tattered and torn.  All the suppplies for the music program were destroyed when the tornado hit, but students and staff are doing their best to move on.  The visit from Manilow and the donation of $300,000 worth of musical instruments are a high note for the students of Joplin.

JOPLIN, Mo -- Senator Roy Blunt makes a stop in Joplin to tour the new temporary schools. Classes started this week for students in Joplin. The senator caught up with a few seniors to check out their new school. Senior Jeff Herr has gone to school for three days in this new facility. He says his teachers have already put him to work. "I'm still getting used to it, to walk around a new school and go to new classes. They are already giving us homework which isn't really nice, (laughs)

JOPLIN, Mo. -- A big construction company is in trouble after allegations that it ripped off workers.  Urban Metropolitan Development of Atlanta, Ga., faces felony charges because it's accused of not paying workers the right amount after the tornado in Joplin last year. Urban Metropolitan was hired to demolish Joplin High School, Old South Middle School and Irving Elementary.  The company got the job done, but investigators say its executives lied to the state and the school district about much it cost to do the work.

Joplin --  It's been two months since a devastating tornado barreled through Joplin and neighboring town Duquesne.   While progress is moving along, there is still much to be done and that includes in the business sector.      "More than 450 in the direct path were destroyed or damaged beyond repair--that is approximately 20% of all the businesses in our two communities," explained Rob O'Brian, the president of Joplin Chamber of Commerce, as he spoke before a Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Capitol Hill on Monday.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-- Joplin schools are beginning the demolition process and planning for new schools.   Although they'll have insurance money to rebuild, building schools that will best serve future generations will take a little more.   A unique fundraiser is commemorating the past to raise funds for the future.  Bricks that spent years in the walls of Joplin high school and came crashing down on May 22nd are now part of a fundraiser to help rebuild Joplin schools. "Well, my wife, right after the storm, was volunteering at the school, working through the superintendent's office, and she said almost every day that went by, they got a call from somebody out there wanting a souvenir brick from the high school," says Gary Burton.

Using photos provided by Google and MJ Harden, a GeoEye Company, National Public Radio has created a before and after image of the area around Joplin High School before and after the tornado. Viewers visiting the NPR site can use a slider bar to see the stark before and after difference.  

JOPLIN, Mo - Joplin City Leaders say they've approved nearly $635 million worth of building permits to help with construction following the EF-5 tornado. The permits cover all residential and commercial construction.  The biggest one was issued to build the new Mercy Hospital.  Not included in the total is the $180 million permit to build the new Joplin high school.

JOPLIN, Mo. -- More than 1,000 Boy Scouts and Scout leaders from seven states are in Joplin lending a hand this weekend.  Scouts are picking up debris at schools and helping teachers get temporary classrooms ready to host students starting this month. It was a day for Scouts, many of whom are Eagle Scouts or aspiring to be Eagles, to help the Joplin Eagles as they worked outside the destroyed Joplin High School. "I thought, 'If that was me, I would want people to come and help me.'  I figured I should try to help these people," said Scout Mike Driscoll.

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Hogs came north to grab a unique football player. Joplin High School athlete Brad Hefley signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound all-stater played linebacker and tight end for the Eagles his senior season. Hefley transferred from Riverton High School across the line in southeast Kansas, where he earned all-state honors. Scout.com rates Hefley as the 25th best middle linebacker in the country.

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Joplin High School Vocal Music Department is one of the winners in the “Glee Give a Note Contest” presented by Twentieth Century Fox Television, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and its new Give a Note Foundation.  The “Glee Give a Note” campaign, started more than three months ago, will distribute $1 million to 73 schools nationwide in grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to help save struggling music programs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The city of Joplin will be the real winner in Friday's preseason game between the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams. The Chiefs and Rams will use the annual Governor's Cup game at Arrowhead Stadium to recognize rescue teams and volunteers from the city's tornado recovery.  Nearly 500 victims of the storm and volunteers will attend the game.  Arrowhead Stadium will also play host to the Joplin High School versus Raymore-Peculiar...

JOPLIN, Mo -- Senator Roy Blunt makes a stop in Joplin to tour the new temporary schools. Classes started this week for students in Joplin. The senator caught up with a few seniors to check out their new school. Senior Jeff Herr has gone to school for three days in this new facility. He says his teachers have already put him to work. "I'm still getting used to it, to walk around a new school and go to new classes. They are already giving us homework which isn't really nice, (laughs)

JOPLIN, Mo. -- For Joplin High School seniors, the first day of their senior year didn't feel like they thought it would. "It was basically like my freshman year all over again; I really didn't know where anything was at and it was a littte nerve-racking," sayid senior Raycee Thompson. A classmate, Kellie Stringer, agrees, "I kind of feel like a freshman again, because you have to hold your schedule and you don't know where you're going," she said. "The familiar faces are the same but, walking down the hallways, it's like you're in a movie or something," said senior Nathan Stripling.

Joplin --  It's been two months since a devastating tornado barreled through Joplin and neighboring town Duquesne.   While progress is moving along, there is still much to be done and that includes in the business sector.      "More than 450 in the direct path were destroyed or damaged beyond repair--that is approximately 20% of all the businesses in our two communities," explained Rob O'Brian, the president of Joplin Chamber of Commerce, as he spoke before a Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Capitol Hill on Monday.

His NBA career has included stops at San Antonio, Portland, Golden State and currently Minnesota. But Anthony Tolliver hasn't forgotten where he came from. And the Springfield Kickapoo product who led the Chiefs to the state championship in 2003 and a number 12 national ranking decided to his part to help Joplin by holding a summer camp for over 100 players from kindergarten through 8th grade. Joined by former NBA all-star and current Timberwolf assistant coach Reggie Theus as well as Missouri State Bears like Will Creekmore and Justin Fuehmeyer,the atmosphere felt like any other summer camp.