Joplin Progress Committee pours $14,000 into local races, including $1,000 from KC bank

The campaign accounts of six local candidates received cash infusions from the Joplin Progress Committee, according to a 40-day-before-election report filed Monday with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The report showed $14,000 going to local candidates, with the bulk of the money, $10,000 going to two Joplin City Council candidates.

In addition to the $5,000 received by both incumbent Mike Seibert and Ryan Stanley, the report shows the four Joplin R-8 Board of Education candidates who are either incumbents or who have been anointed by Superintendent C. J. Huff, Board President Jeff Flowers, board member Randy Steele, and newcomers Shawn McGrew and Lynda Banwart each received $1,000 checks.

Those contributing in varying amounts included the realtor cited in the investigative report by Tom Loraine, a company involved in construction of the new Joplin R-8 school buildings, Sen. Ron Richard, frequent Joplin Globe contributor Anson Burlingame.

The largest contribution to this point is the $1,000 given by the Commerce Bancshares PAC out of Kansas City.

The committee had $10,868.34 at the beginning of the reporting period and has received $10,720 since that time and spent $14,639.49, including $484.47 to the Joplin Globe for advertising.

Those who have contributed to the Joplin Progress Committee since January 1 are listed below:

Steve Koelkebeck, Diamond, SMB $500
Cynthia Schwab, retired, Joplin, $500
Commerce Bancshares PAC, Kansas City $1,000
Kenneth Caviness, Joplin, Vintage Stock, $500
Nancy Morton, Joplin, retired, $500
Infinity Publishing Group, Webb City, $500
Rodney Spriggs, Joplin, Vintage Stock, $500
Audie Dennis, Webb City, Boyd Metals, $250
Charles Kuehn III, Joplin, Four State Homes, $500
Pamela Kuehn, Joplin, Four State Homes, $500
Stephen Barnett, Joplin Printing Company, $250
Robert Morton, Joplin, Zimmer US Inc. $250
Joseph Newman, Joplin, Freeman Health, $500
Carpe Diem Investments, Joplin, $500
Kraft Insurance Agency, Joplin, $500
Michael Pence, Joplin, retired, $250
Joy Cragin, Joplin, retired $25
Janet Burlingame, Joplin, retired, $10
Leland Browne, Joplin, retired, $25.
James Hicklin, Joplin, Abbey Title Company, $500
John Hale, Joplin, retired, $300
Joplin Professional Pharmacy, Inc. $250
Anson Burlingame, Joplin, retired, $10
Ivan Crossland, Columbus, Kan., Crossland Construction, $500
Credit Cars of Joplin, $500
Commttee to Elect Ron Richard $500
Gwen Delano, Joplin, works for Ron Richard, $100
Robert Willcoxon, Joplin, retired, $500

Those who contributed during the last quarter of 2013 included the following:

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