Month: May 2021

Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ work with the American Rescue Plan will have someone at the helm who is very familiar with the needs of Springfield and Greene County.

CFO announced Thursday that former Greene County Administrator & former Springfield Assistant City Manager Tim Smith will be heading up CFO’s efforts on pandemic recovery and rebuilding resources.

“In just the most recent plan, Springfield and Greene County will be eligible for about $100 million in federal funding,” CFO President Brian Fogle said in a statement. “Additional funding resources will be available for other programs, including the nonprofit sector. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Springfield-Greene County and being prepared with the best information and coordination will allow us to take full advantage of the funding.” 

Smith’s official role is a part-time position as American Rescue Plan Recovery Funds Coordinator. CFO head Brian Fogle said he vetted the idea of a temporary coordinator position for the funds with various civic leaders who said it would be the best way to avoid duplication of effort and focus the funds on the most “effective use.”

“It aligns with Springfield-Greene County’s long record of collaborative public leadership,” Fogle said. “Tim Smith was the first person who came to mind as an ideal candidate for this role.”

Smith retired in 2014 as Greene County Administrator after serving the county since 1992. He was a Deputy City Manager for Springfield from 2014 to 2017.

“I completely agree with Brian that this is a ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ for our community,” Smith said in a statement. “Because of Springfield’s unique collaborative culture, we will be in a position to maximize the benefits to the community.” 

Students at Ozark Middle School are going to be learning without walls thanks in part to a pair of grants from Bass Pro Shops.

Bass Pro provided more than $3,000 to the school for their outdoor classroom and Outdoor Pursuits class.

“We’re thankful to Bass Pro for supporting our Outdoor Pursuits class and our outdoor classroom,” Ozark Middle School Principal Eric Russell said in a statement. “Students are now going to be able to learn and thrive in outdoor settings.”

The Outdoor Pursuits class a OMS teaches students first aid and survival skills. They are given instruction in orienteering, disaster awareness, and firearm safety.

The students also participate in physical activities like kayaking and hiking. Bass Pro provided new kayaks and other equipment needed for their events.

The funds will also be used to purchase lumber to allow the group to build 27 new benches, as well as wheelbarrows and other equipment needed to do landscape improvement efforts.

“This grant will allow students to have a more workable space in the outdoor classroom area; providing seating and other essentials for teachers to use the classroom,” Russell said. “The functionality of the space will improve and be more user friendly for our teachers. Overall, the outdoor classroom will create a fun learning environment for students and staff to enjoy.”

The grants applications were the desire of OMS science teacher Matt McPheeters, who said the outdoor classroom space allows classes to see “real life examples” of things discussed in classes.

The man who is credited with being the driving force behind a 911 service for Taney County has died in a bizarre accident in Lake Taneycomo.

Branson police received a 911 call on Wednesday, May 5, that a car had driven into Lake Taneycomo off River Valley Road.

First responders arrived at the scene and saw a vehicle in the lake, which had somehow wedged under a private dock. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the dam’s floodgates to slow the water so it would be safe for emergency personnel. The rescue personnel removed a male victim from the car and attempted life saving measures but he victim was declared dead at Cox Hospital Branson.

The Taney County Coroner said the victim is 87-year-old David Woolery of Branson. Woolery was the first Taney County 911 Administrator.

The accident is still under investigation.

Greene County officials announced Wednesday the Emergency Rental Assistance Program has passed more than one million dollars in assistance provided to community members who have had trouble paying rent due to COVID-19 issues.

The County, along with their six partner agencies, have received more than 5,400 calls asking about the ERA program.

The County released this breakdown of calls:

• 1,848 (direct calls and agency call-backs) were screened for eligibility.
• 993 appointments were booked according to each partner agency procedure.
• Of 579 completed appointments, 518 have finalized information from landlords and utility companies.
• 471 awards have been distributed.
• To date, the program has awarded $1,071,194.92.

“This pandemic continues to have an impact that reaches far beyond physical health and wellness. That is why programs like the ERA were developed,” Greene County Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon said in a statement. “These funds are intended to help ease a financial burden and be a resource for recovery.”

The County received over $8.7 million from the federal government’s ERA program to distribute to the community.

Anyone in need of the services is urged to contact only one of the county’s partner organizations:

• Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) 417-447-0554
• Consumer Credit Counseling Services 417-889-7474
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks 417-888-2020
• Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri 417-268-9998
• Council of Churches of the Ozarks 417-887-3545
• The Salvation Army 417-862-5509

The Nixa Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding two young men suspected in a robbery.

The suspects stole alcohol from the Signal gas station near the intersection of 160 and 14 in Nixa. The robbery happened just after 11 p.m., and when the clerk tried to stop the men, she was knocked to the ground where she hit her head.

The men were caught on security cameras (image shown above) and while police have leads they have not been able to identify the thieves.

If you recognize either suspect, you’re asked to call the Nixa Police Department at 417-584-1030.

The suspects could face a charge of robbery in the second degree, which could bring a sentence of 5 to 15 years upon conviction.

The Nixa School District has broken ground on a new performing arts center that is scheduled to open in the fall or winter of 2022.

The building, called the Aetos Center for the Performing Arts, is the result of a 2019 ballot issue that also provided for an increase in teacher salaries.

“Today is a big day,” Nixa Superintendent Dr. Gearl Loden said. “Today’s a day you’re going to smile even more than normal. We’re in a great community, and today highlights the support for our schools.”

Aetos is the Greek word for eagle, the mascot for the district.

“Much like the Greeks, with this building we further engrain theatre and the Arts as part of our community and culture here at Nixa,” school officials said in a statement.

The $16 million project will not only be used for school events, but the district will look for ways to rent out the facility to bring revenue into the district and community.

Two Ozark High School JROTC Teams have come home from a three-day national competition as the best teams in the nation.

The Ozark Mountainettes Unarmed Team and the Ozark Mountain Guard Armed Team both were named the Overall National Champions at the Army Service Nationals and All-Service Nationals held April 29 through May 1.

“As we began our year we knew we had to work unbelievably hard to make every moment count,” drill team instructor Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason Allen said in a statement. “I put a challenge to both my Armed and Unarmed teams to show up everyday, budget time for personal growth and excellence every morning, and we will achieve success. As the year progressed, I started to see something incredibly special within both teams. Their commitment to excellence, growth, accountability and each other was infectious.”

In addition to the team titles, the top three Army unarmed cadets came from the Ozark Mountainettes. Cadet Madisyn Miller was the top Individual Unarmed Drill Cadet. Sarah Cazier was second, and Kaylin Spradling came in third.

The teams placed:

Unarmed Team the Ozark Mountainettes

• Unarmed Exhibition Dual Cadets Peyton Wofford and Halle Thompson – Third
• Unarmed Exhibition Dual Cadets Mackenzie Wofford and Summer Williams – First Army; First All- Service 
• Unarmed Inspection – Third Army; Second All-Service  
• Unarmed Regulation Commander’s Trophy to Cadet Mackenzie Wofford – First All-Service
• Unarmed Regulation – Third Army; First All-Service
• Unarmed Color Guard – Third All-Service
• Unarmed Exhibition – First Army; First All-Service
• Overall Unarmed National Champions – First All-Service; Third Army

Armed Team the Ozark Mountain Guard

• Armed Exhibition Solo Cadet Tyler Merchant – Second Army; Fifth All-Service
• Armed Exhibition Dual Cadets Tyler Merchant and Jonathan Mcgee – First All-Service; Second Army
• Armed Inspection – Fourth Army; Fourth All-Service
• Armed Regulation Commander’s Trophy Cadet Jacob Priest – First All-Service
• Armed Regulation – First All-Service
• Armed Color Guard – First All-Service
• Armed Exhibition – Second Army; Second All-Service
• Overall Armed National Champions – First All-Service; Army Runner Up

The Springfield City Council received a presentation at their Tuesday lunch session regarding the upcoming budget.

City staff will be presenting the budget to the Council in a series of Lunch sessions throughout the month of May. The timeline as designed by staff has a first reading of the budget at the Council’s regular session on June 1. (That meeting is Tuesday night rather than a normal Monday night; May 31 is Memorial Day so the city is closed for business.)

“While our sales tax growth over the last year is very strong compared to budget, the budget projection was for sales tax to decline by 6%,” City Manager Jason Gage said. “When we compare against the 2019-2020 actual sales tax collected, this year’s sales tax revenue is estimated to grow roughly 2.5%.”

The presentation to Council Tuesday showed that general fund revenues for Fiscal Year 2020 was three percent below budget. The city also picked up over 1,000 new jobs and $290 million in new capital investment from Kraft, Convoy of Hope, and a new airline maintenance base at the airport.

Gage said the city’s general fund is the primary focus of his budget processing because it provides most of the high-profile city services.

“My first priority in developing the FY22 budget relates to preserving employee jobs and addressing employee recruitment and retention. Employee recruitment and retention is the foundation for implementing City Council’s priorities of public safety, economic vitality, and fiscal sustainability,” Gage said.

The next Tuesday lunch will review revenues; General Fund budget highlights come the following week.

A Springfield man was accidentally shot as he drove past an apartment complex on Kansas Expressway.

Springfield police have been investigating the incident since the shooting took place on April 26. Police reports say that Holden Kendrick was driving on Kansas Expressway in the area of Kensington Park Apartments when he “heard an explosion” and felt an injury happen to his left arm.

Officers who arrived on the scene examined Kendrick’s injuries and determined they were consistent with gunshot wounds. Police found evidence a bullet entered through the open passenger side window of Kendrick’s car, grazed his chin, and then struck his left arm.

Police then found a man in the parking lot of the apartment complex that said his gun accidentally discharged in his apartment. Officers found a rifle inside the apartment and a screen door with an apparent bullet hole in it.

Kendrick was transported to a hospital for his injuries, and the man with the gun has been cooperating with investigators.

The man who once ran for the House of Representatives in southwest Missouri and later killed three people in a shooting at a Jewish Community Center in Kansas, has died in prison at age 80.

The Kansas Department of Corrections said in a press statement Tuesday that Frazier Glenn Cross, also known as Frazier Glenn Miller, was found dead at the El Dorado Correctional Facility where he had been serving a sentence for capital murder, attempted murder, assault, and firearms convictions. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, but prison officials says that preliminary indications are that Miller died of natural causes.

Miller shot and killed 69-year-old Dr. William Corporon, his 14-year-old grandson Reat Griffin Underwood at the Overland Park (Kansas) Jewish Community Center, and 53-year-old Terri LaManno at a nearby Jewish retirement community, on April 13, 2014, stating that he “wanted to kill Jews” before he died. Miller believed at the time he was dying from chronic emphysema. None of Miller’s victims were Jewish.

Miller was sentenced to death for his crimes, but had appealed to the Kansas State Supreme Court on the grounds he should not have been allowed to represent himself. The case was pending at the time of his death.

At the time of his crimes, Miller was living in Aurora, Missouri, after moving from North Carolina. He had founded the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1980s, and later the White Patriot Party. He had served three years in prison on weapons charges for plotting to kill Morris Dees, the co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In 2006, he ran for the House of Representatives in the 7th Congressional District as an independent candidate, and also ran as an independent write-in candidate in the 2010 Missouri Senate election. Miller’s campaign ads, which included anti-semitic and racist messages, were the subject of a FCC ruling that stated radio stations could not stop the airing of the messages due to federal election laws that require federally licensed broadcasters to offer commercial air time to federal candidates. Then Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster and the Missouri Association of Broadcasters disputed that Miller was a bona fide candidate for office, and thus stations could refuse to run his ad.

Koster and the broadcasters pointed out to support their claim that Miller had stated on a white supremacist message board “Federal elections offer public speaking opportunities we can’t afford to pass up, and come only once every 2 years,” meaning he was only saying he was a candidate to air racist and anti-semitic messages.

An ABC investigation found that Miller had been an informant for the FBI and that he was given a new identity as Frazier Glenn Cross after being released from prison in 1990. Miller had been arrested by U.S. Marshals in Ozark Missouri on April 30, 1987 as a fugitive from justice. Miller then claimed he was done with “the movement” and wanted nothing more to do with them. He accused former colleagues of murder and testified on behalf of the government.

The government outlined several of Miller’s crimes while with the White Patriot Party, including an arrest in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was found in a car in mid-act with a black transvestite prostitute that Miller later told the Southern Poverty Law Center he lured to their meeting with the intent of beating them. The federal prosecutor later approved a plea deal where Miller was recommended to serve a five-year prison term for his testimony against his former white supremacist comrades; Miller served less than three years.

It is unclear when Miller abandoned his new life as Cross and resumed his hard-core white supremacist acts as Frazier Glenn Miller.