Joplin Police Department launches Operation Silver Shield to support senior citizens

(From the Joplin Police Department)

The Joplin Police Department has announced a new initiative designed to provide better support for some of Joplin’s most vulnerable populations.

JPD Chief Richard Pearson unveiled the department’s new initiative, Operation Silver Shield, a program that provides wellness checks to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. These services will be offered to any resident age 65 and over, as well as anyone with a verified disability. The service is available to residents within the Joplin city limits. 

The wellness checks will be conducted by members of the Joplin Police Sentinel Unit and the JPD Co-Responder Unit. The Sentinels are staffed by trained volunteers who have completed the Joplin Police Department Citizens’ Police Academy, and the Co-Responder Unit is comprised of full-time civilian employees provided through the Ozark Center.

Operation Silver Shield will be conducted on a routine basis (weekly or bi-weekly) and is focused on at-risk Joplin residents who benefit from being checked in on by caring individuals. To be included on the list (or to request that an individual be added), citizens should call the Joplin Police Department’s main phone line.

“This is a program we are introducing to ensure that seniors and disabled individuals don’t get overlooked or have their needs go unmet,” said JPD Chief Richard Pearson. “We live in a civilized society in which we don’t just ignore our elderly and disabled. And we have that ability in Joplin to try to address some of those needs without increasing the workload on sworn officers.”

Pearson explained that sworn law enforcement officers will be involved only if a wellness check reveals a need for such escalation. The new program primarily utilizes trained volunteers and non-sworn officer staff who are already experienced with these calls. 

It is a need for which the City is seeing growing demand. The US Census Bureau reports that 19.4% of Joplin’s residents are over the age of 65, and that 16% of Joplin residents have disability status (defined as serious difficulty with hearing, vision, cognition, or ambulation). These percentages in Joplin are higher than the state’s average– the City has a .7% higher population of seniors and a 5.3% higher population of disabled individuals. City officials attribute this to Joplin’s robust health care offerings and more affordable cost of living.

“I have run into many seniors during my career who have needs that don’t technically rise to the level of requiring an official police response. Many times, those individuals don’t request assistance because they worry it will be a nuisance or a waste of an officer’s time,” Chief Pearson said. “This initiative is designed to provide a dedicated and caring resource for those who need routine wellness checks. We have trained individuals who want to help, and it is the right thing to do.”

For more information about Operation Silver Shield or to request that an individual be added to the list, contact JPD at 417-623-3131.

Joplin man charged with fifth DWI

A Joplin man with four DWI convictions has been charged in Newton County Circuit Court with driving while intoxicated following an April 20 traffic stop by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The felony charge against Jerry Edward McCammon, 60, was filed Thursday.

From the probable cause statement:

On April 20, 2026, at approximately 0901 hours, I was advised of a single vehicle crash involving a driver with open alcohol containers. I arrived at approximately 0917 hours and observed a black Kia Sorento in a ditch. The driver was identified as Jerry E. McCammon, a 60 year-old male from Joplin, Missouri. 

While speaking with McCammon, I observed an open Bud Ice can in the center console, smelled a strong odor of intoxicants, and noted his slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes, and unstable balance. 

McCammon admitted to consuming multiple alcoholic beverages throughout the night and stated he had
consumed a beer and a shot approximately 30 minutes prior to my arrival.

Tow truck driver XXXXXX stated he saw McCammon operate the vehicle, and that after attempting to assist him, McCammon drove the vehicle into the ditch. McCammon was unable to complete field sobriety testing and exhibited poor coordination, swaying, stumbling, and falling backward.

Based on his impairment, I placed McCammon under arrest for driving while intoxicated at 0924 hours. He was advised of his Miranda rights and later consented to a breath test. After proper observation, McCammon provided a breath sample at Freeman West Hospital, resulting in a blood alcohol concentration of .229%. 

McCammon's previous DWI convictions were posted on the complaint.

1. On or about November 2, 1994, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on July 9, 1994, in Joplin Municipal Court, and

2. On or about September 16, 1999, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on July 7, 1999, in Barry County, and

3. On or about October 23, 2018, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on November 19, 2017, in Jasper County, and

4. On or about March 13, 2023, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on February 5, 2022, in Jasper County.

Joplin man, awaiting trial for first-degree murder, arrested by feds on weapons charge

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Joplin, Mo. man was charged in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Andre E. Swindell, 41, was charged in a one-count criminal complaint and had his initial appearance in federal court this morning.

The complaint alleges that officers with the Joplin Police Department located firearms connected to Swindell while executing search warrants at his residence in connection with a homicide investigation on Feb. 28, 2026.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Joplin, Missouri Police Department.

***

The Joplin Police Department issued the following news release March 16 in connection with the murder investigation mentioned above:

On March 16, 2026, Andre E Swindell was taken into custody for charges related to the shooting death of Anthony Campbell that occurred on February 28, 2026.

The incident occurred in the 500 block of Joplin Avenue. Swindell was taken into custody without
incident after turning himself into local authorities. He is currently being held on no- bond warrants at the Jasper County Jail.

Over the course of the investigation, probable cause was developed for the arrest of Swindell, 40, of Joplin, for the charge of First-Degree Murder. The Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office filed arrest warrants for Swindell including First Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

This investigation is still active and ongoing. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is still encouraged to contact the Joplin Police Department. Contact options include calling Sergeant Jason Stump at 417-623-3131 ext. 1620, submitting information to TIP411.com, or by using the “Joplin PD” app from your app store.

The Joplin Police Department would like to thank M.E.T.S. Ambulance and the Joplin Fire Department for their quick response to the initial incident. Additionally, thank you to our law enforcement partners with the United States Marshal’s Service, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the Carthage Police Department for their assistance.

The murder charge against Swindell is still active in Jasper County Circuit Court. Online records indicate Swindell was free after posting a $10,000 bond May 18 until his arrest on the federal charge. He is being held in the Greene County Detention Center in Springfield.

Northpark Mall owner sells 10 acre parcel of Maryland mall

(From CBL Properties)

Today CBL Properties (NYSE:CBL) announced that it has closed on the sale of a 10.468-acre parcel of land on the northeast side of Harford Mall in Bel Air, Maryland, to SJC Ventures as part of a future masterplan mixed-use redevelopment. The sale is consistent with CBL’s ongoing strategy of unlocking value from underappreciated land and assets that can be redeployed into higher-yielding opportunities.

“The sale of this parcel at Harford Mall illustrates the inherent value of CBL’s real estate and the attractiveness of our locations for future development,” said Stephen D. Lebovitz, chief executive officer of CBL Properties. 

“In the current market, new development is constrained by a lack of available real estate. We believe there’s great potential for future land sales across our portfolio. Including this transaction, CBL has more than $30 million of land sales to mixed-use and multi-family developers in process across its portfolio, highlighting the embedded value within our portfolio and demand for well-located real estate in high barrier to entry markets.”

The land parcel includes the former Macy’s location, which is expected to be demolished to make way for a future mixed-use development. Additional phases of the overall Harford Mall site redevelopment will be announced in the coming months.

(CBL Properties owns Northpark Mall in Joplin.)

Jasper County Sheriff's Office releases names in Sarcoxie murder-suicide

(From the Jasper County Sheriff's Office)

On 06-05-2026 at approximately 8:42 AM, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a residence in Sarcoxie in reference to two deceased people. 

At the scene, the deceased bodies of David S. Harrison, 62, and Aleasha Harrison, 58, husband and wife, were located inside the residence. Both had suffered gunshot wounds.

Investigation into the incident indicates that David shot Aleasha and then shot himself.

Next of kin has been notified.

The Sarcoxie Police Department continues to assist with the investigation which is ongoing.

Dade County sex offender arrested for failure to register

(From Dade County Sheriff Ryan Robison)

On June 3, 2026, deputies with the Dade County Sheriff's Office arrested Billy Lewis of Everton, Missouri, for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender pursuant to Missouri Revised Statutes §§ 589.400–589.425.

On June 4, 2026, a no-bond warrant was issued for Lewis on the same charge.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is entitled to a fair trial where guilt or innocence will be determined by the judicial process.

The Dade County Sheriff's Office remains committed to enforcing Missouri's sex offender registration laws. These requirements exist to help protect our communities and ensure accountability. We encourage citizens to remain vigilant, stay informed, and report any suspicious activity or information regarding criminal violations to law enforcement. The safety of Dade County residents continues to be our highest priority.

McDonald County Memorial Day weekend patrol leads to five arrests

(From the McDonald County Sheriff's Office)

On May 23, 2026, the McDonald County Sheriff's Office, in cooperation with the Anderson Police Department, conducted a directed patrol operation in the Noel, Lanagan, and Pineville areas during the busy Memorial Day weekend.

The operation focused on traffic enforcement, crime prevention, and maintaining a visible law enforcement presence throughout the county during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

During the patrol, participating officers conducted 59 traffic stops, resulting in 5 arrests for various violations. In addition to enforcement efforts, deputies remained proactive in addressing criminal activity throughout the county.

While the directed patrol was ongoing, McDonald County Sheriff's deputies located a stolen vehicle in the 3100 block of East State Highway 90. The vehicle was recovered and the investigation into the theft was coordinated with the appropriate agencies.

The McDonald County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Anderson Police Department for their assistance and partnership during this operation. These cooperative enforcement efforts help improve public safety and demonstrate the commitment of local law enforcement agencies to keeping our communities safe.

Sheriff Robert Evenson stated, "Operations such as this allow us to increase our presence in areas of high activity, address traffic concerns, and proactively combat crime. We appreciate the continued support of our law enforcement partners and the citizens we serve."

The McDonald County Sheriff's Office remains committed to working with local, state, and federal partners to ensure the safety and security of all residents and visitors to McDonald County.

Joplin woman sues city for bicycle accident on Maiden Lane

The City of Joplin's failure to repair a dangerous condition at the railroad crossing on Maiden Lane caused a Joplin woman to suffer a serious injury while riding her bicycle, according to a lawsuit filed today in Jasper County Circuit Court.

In the petition, Mitsy Welch says she suffered injuries to her left clavicle, shoulder, and head.

From the petition:

On or about June 22, 2021, and for some time prior, the railroad crossing was also in a dangerous condition in that the asphalt immediately adjacent to the rails had eroded, broken, crumbled and/or deteriorated so as create large ruts, craters, and potholes with an exposed iron rail.

The angle of the rails through the intersection combined with the large ruts, craters, and potholes between the rails and the asphalt created a dangerous condition in that two-wheeled cycles, such as a bicycles, scooters, mopeds and the like, passing over the railroad crossing have to pass at a skewed angle whereupon the front tire could become caught in the ruts and/or hit the large potholes and cause the cycle to lose control and crash.

The signage Defendant Joplin placed south of the intersection in a parking lot off Maiden Lane was deficient and dangerous in that it gave only general notice about the railroad crossing and did not warn about the dangerous angle of the rails, the ruts, craters, and potholes between the rails and asphalt, and did not warn about the risk that the front tire of two-wheeled cycles could get caught in the ruts, craters, and/or potholes and cause a crash.

The signage on Maiden Lane was owned by Defendant and constituted a dangerous condition of public property.

Defendant had actual knowledge of the dangerous condition presented by the railroad crossing, intersection and signage in that other two-wheeled cycles had suffered similar crashes at the railroad crossing before June 22, 2021.

Defendant knew or could have known about the dangerous condition presented by the railroad crossing before June 22, 2021, in that the City of Joplin knew that other two-wheeled cycles had experienced crashes because of the condition of the railroad crossing and the condition of Maiden Lane before June 22, 2021.

Plaintiff was operating her bicycle traveling northbound on Maiden Lane in Joplin, Missouri.

As Plaintiff’s bicycle was passing over the railroad crossing located just north of the intersection of Maiden Lane Junge Blvd., the front tire of her bicycle struck the pothole between the rail and the asphalt, abruptly causing her bicycle to become uncontrollable and crash, whereupon Plaintiff was ejected onto the roadway and suffered injury.

Defendant had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition presented by the railroad crossing in sufficient time prior to June 22, 2021, to have taken measures to remedy it, barricade it, guard against it, and/or warn about it.

The dangerous condition of the railroad crossing created a reasonably foreseeable risk of harm of the kind Plaintiff sustained.

The crash aforesaid and the injuries and damages of Plaintiff as described below, are the direct and proximate result of the negligence, carelessness, faults, and omissions of Defendant in one, more, or all of the following particulars, to wit: 

a. not adequately remedying the dangerous condition presented by the railroad crossing;

b. not adequately barricading the dangerous condition presented by the railroad crossing;

c. not adequately guarding against the hazard to two-wheeled cycles created by the dangerous condition of the railroad crossing;

d. not adequately warning about the dangerous condition presented by the railroad crossing;

e. not adequately maintaining the railroad crossing and adjacent asphalt in a condition that was reasonably safe for two-wheeled cycles;

f. not adequately inspecting the railroad crossing; and

g. not adequately erecting signs to warn about the dangerous condition of Maiden Lane at the crossing.

The foregoing negligence, carelessness, faults, and omissions of Defendant directly and proximately caused or contributed to cause Plaintiff to suffer injuries to her left clavicle, shoulder, and head. Said injuries have caused or contributed to cause pain, suffering, anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment and quality of life. Plaintiff has incurred medical, surgical, rehabilitation, and pharmaceutical expenses, as well as other incidental pecuniary and/or economic damages. Plaintiff has also incurred property damage to her bicycle.

WHEREFORE Plaintiff prays for judgment against Defendant for such sum as is fair and
reasonable, together with any and all costs herein incurred and expended, and for such other and
further relief as this Court may deem just and proper under the circumstances.

Welch, who is represented by Patrick Martucci of the Joplin firm of Johnson, Vorhees and Martucci is asking for a jury trial.

Longtime City of Joplin IT director retiring

(From the City of Joplin)

One of the region’s top technology leaders has announced his upcoming retirement.

Mark Morris, the City of Joplin’s longtime Director of Information Technology, will retire September 18th after 25 years of service. As the City’s IT director, Morris has spent years developing his expertise in technology – exploring, launching and supporting the systems that enable departments to do their work for the betterment of Joplin’s citizens. 

Having led the City through decades of technology advancements, Morris will retire with a long list of accomplishments, including guiding the organization through recovery from a ransomware attack, merging the City’s multiple websites into a single site, and exploring and supporting nearly 60 separate software systems for various departments. Notably, Morris also managed the City’s technology needs through the response and recovery of the 2011 tornado. Just one week before the tornado struck, Morris had transitioned the City from an older, slower system to high-speed fiber internet. It turned out to be a critical element to the organization’s work processes and communications. Additionally, emergency response teams, media outlets and government officials from 42 different agencies were soon spread out in City Hall – all needing data and digital connections.

“I always say there is no such thing as a coincidence – it is merely man’s inability to see God’s plan,” Morris said. “Our new provider cranked our service to the maximum speed, and we had only been their customer for five days. What my career has taught me is that it is all about relationships. It isn’t the next big gadget or version of Windows or ERP. It’s about people.”

Morris first came to the City in 2001 after several years with Contract Freighters, Inc. and TAMKO, where he managed technical support. His first office at the City was in the now-police armory at the former City Hall location. Today, IT is a larger team equipped to support the needs of the City’s 14 departments and 600 employees.

“There is no question his tenure with the City has been fundamental,” says City Manager Nick Edwards, who refers to Morris as the “architect” of the City’s technology systems, crediting him with navigating the organization through a rapid rise of complex technology over the past few decades. Adding to the challenge has been the responsibility of managing the key operating systems for departments like Police, Fire, Finance, and Parks and Recreation – each unique in their needs but dependent on sophisticated systems.

“Mark and his team have delivered high-quality, reliable technology for the organization during the most dramatic technology evolution that any of us have lived through,” said Edwards when sharing Morris’s retirement plans with City employees. 

“I also want to express my deepest appreciation for Mark as a person and a leader. He truly cares about his team and does the little things exceptionally well,” Edwards continued. “He is the boss you would want during the hard times. (IT is) a tight-knit group that cares about each other, trusts each other, and supports each other. This doesn’t happen without a great example from the top.”

In retirement, Morris says his priorities will be to care for the acreage he and his late wife purchased near South Joplin, and to support his daughter, a professional aerial gymnast, in her career.

“I think it’s a huge accomplishment that our department has made work something you do, not somewhere you go,” Morris said. “We are light-years away from where we were before. And as a team, we work with everyone and are part of each department’s family. Helping someone achieve something to do their job better is what I will miss the most.”

*The City will soon launch a nationwide search for its next IT Director. For more information, contact the Department of Human Resources at 417-624-0820 ext. 1211.

Leggett & Platt expects merger with Somnigroup to close by end of year

Leggett & Platt officials say their merger with Somnigroup International will close by the end of the calendar year.

The following current report was filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission:

As previously disclosed, on April 13, 2026, Leggett & Platt, Incorporated, a Missouri corporation (the “Company”) and Somnigroup International Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Parent, Sparrow Unity Corporation, a Missouri corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), and the Company, pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving the Merger as a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. 

On June 3, 2026 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, the required 30-day waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), expired.

The Company expects the transaction to close by year-end 2026, subject to the fulfillment or waiver of certain conditions, including, among others, (i) the adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of the Merger by the shareholders of the Company, (ii) the receipt of all clearances, consents and approvals under certain specified competition laws in Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea, as well as under applicable foreign investment laws in Austria; (iii) the effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed by Parent with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the absence of any stop order or pending proceeding with respect thereto; and (iv) the absence of any material adverse effect with respect to Parent and the Company since the date of the Merger Agreement.