As economy falters, more people giving up their pets (Athens Banner-Herald)

More and more pet owners, succumbing to the pressures of the worsening economy, are turning their dogs and cats over to animal shelters or abandoning the creatures altogether. The trend is putting a strain on some local shelters.

Man sentenced in three burglaries at homes in area (The Joplin Globe)

A man who was sentenced to prison earlier this month for a break-in in January at Crosslines Ministries in Carthage was assessed concurrent terms Monday in Jasper County Circuit Court for three burglaries of rural homes.

Briarbrook group asks council to seek bond issue to buy club (The Joplin Globe)

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Calling the matter a quality-of-life issue, a spokesman for a group of Briarbrook residents urged the Carl Junction City Council on Tuesday night to schedule a bond-issue election in April to finance a city purchase of Briarbrook Country Club.

Drury students put Joplin’s future on drawing board (The Joplin Globe)

A boardwalk spanning gardens of tall grasses leads into a rehabilitated Union Depot filled with indoor botanical gardens and birds fluttering in an aviary overhead.

Miami to begin demolition of flood-damaged homes (The Joplin Globe)

MIAMI, Okla. — Crews on Thursday will begin to demolish the first of more than 70 homes in Miami that were either deemed structurally unsound or were heavily damaged by last year’s flooding.