Joplin Progress Committee officially files endorsements

The Joplin Progress Committee, the business group that has more than $19,000 available to influence the April elections, officially filed the list of candidates it will support with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

As previously announced, the committee will support the following candidates:

Joplin City Council-  General seats Miranda Lewis, Ryan Stanley; zone seats- Michael Seibert, Gary Shaw

Joplin R-8 Board of Education- Jeff Flowers, Randy Steele, Shawn McGrew, Lynda Banwart, Jeff Koch (Koch has accepted the endorsement, but will not accept any money from the committee.)

The committee has received more than $8,000 since the beginning of the year. In its fourth quarter filing, the committee listed the following contributors:

Clifford Wert, Webb City, $500

Jane Cage, Joplin, $500

Paula Baker, Joplin, Freeman Health, $500

Veri Properties, LLC, Carl Junction, $500

Brad Beecher, Carl Junction, Empire District Electric Company, $500

Sharon Beshore, Joplin, retired, $500

Dr. Lance Beshore, Joplin, Leggett & Platt, $500

Michael Wiggins, Webb City, Granny Shaffer's Restaurant, $500

Sara Newman, Joplin, retired, $500

Karen Platt, Carl Junction, Choice Marketing, $500

Jerrod Hogan, American Engineering, Inc. $500

Bennie Crossland, Joplin, Crossland Construction Company, $500

Fred Osborn, Carl Junction, Mercy Hospital, $500

Nancy Good, Joplin, Waco Title, $500

Troy Hill, Joplin, BKD, LLP, $500

Henry Robertson, Jr., Joplin, retired, $500

Joplin Building Material Company, $500

Randy Moore, Joplin, Eagle-Picher, $500

J. Hipple Investments, Carl Junction, $500

Ronald Gates, Joplin, Empire District Electric Company, $250

Gary Pulsipher, Joplin, Mercy Hospital, $500

T. J. Franz and Associates, Webb City, $500

Scott Brothers, Webb City, The Insurance Center, $250