Cardin News

By Krista Duhon news@joplinglobe.com COMMERCE, Okla. - The serving of hot meals to senior citizens in Commerce and Quapaw has been restored, thanks to the generosity of neighboring community leaders.

Payment/reservations: Major credit cards. Call 604-681-2120. Drinks: Beer, wine and tequila.

A new organic water treatment system has cleaned up one-fifth of contaminants that enter into the lead- and zinc-polluted Tar Creek stream in northern Ottawa County.

By Krista Duhon news@joplinglobe.com QUAPAW, Okla. - Carol McGowen wiped away bittersweet tears Saturday as she and her family members walked through Quapaw's newest subdivision, now home to 19 homes removed from the former mining communities they once called home.

In less than a week, the town of Picher will officially close its city offices. As the community prepares for the last of its residents to move away, about 40 people turned out Tuesday evening for a meeting of the Lead-Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Trust.

It is about time that Uncle Sam started taking notice of the legacy left by lead and zinc mining in the Treece, Kan., area.

PICHER, Okla. - Bobo, a 3,800-pound concrete gorilla, is coming home. For years, the mascot for the Picher-Cardin Gorillas stood outside of the high school, but with the demise of the school as part of the buyout of the town, many of the artifacts and much of the memorabilia from the district went up for auction earlier this month.

David Marlin of Conway, Mo., and his daughter Amber, 4, pose with the Picher gorilla, which he purchased at the Picher school auction on June 14.

Everyone, in one way or another, showed up to bid. It was, after all, an auction.

Picher Oklahoma's population has been dwindling. For most former residents this weekend was the last opportunity for them to walk the halls of Picher-Cardin schools.

Why join? KRMG Local News Thousands of items from the Picjer-Cardin School District were auctioned off Sunday.

One small Oklahoma town has seen its share of trouble, from toxic dumpsite to a series of destructive tornadoes.

Thousands of pieces of school memorabilia have been auctioned off in Picher. After serving the town for generations, the Picher-Cardin School District is permanently closed.

As a soon-to-be college graduate pursuing a career in journalism, my future doesn't look promising - and it's I and my generation that are to blame.

The concrete gorilla statue of the Picher-Cardin School District's mascot is among thousands of items the school will put up for auction.

Eleven graduates of Picher-Cardin High School have participated in the school's final graduation ceremony.

PICHER, Okla. - The 11 members of the 2009 Picher-Cardin School District graduating class crossed the stage and accepted their diplomas as the last senior class before the school district locks the doors for good at the end of this term.

Picher High School graduate Jonathan Redden hugs John Garner after receiving his diploma Friday.

Residents of Picher, Oklahoma say the storm passed just to the north of them. That didn't stop the town from feeling some of the storm's impacts.

A decades-old building that was part of the original mining community partially collapsed overnight, city officials said this morning.