Month: May 2021

The city of Branson is holding a final town hall about a new animal ordinance on Sunday, June 6, at the Branson Community Center starting at 6 p.m..

Mayor Larry Milton and Board of Aldermen members are hosting the town halls because they want additional public input ahead of a final vote on the new animal ordinance, currently scheduled for August 24. This final public session will be hosted by Aldermen Jeff Seay and Cody Fenton.

Residents will be able to ask questions of city staff, including the Branson Police Department, and voice concerns about the proposed changes to the staff and aldermen.

The current ordinance is available online.

The origins of the changes began in 2018 when animal control for the city was assumed by the police department from the Taney County Health Department. The Board of Aldermen at the time asked the department to update the current ordinance which does not include public safety issues.

The proposal includes 18 months of research and discussions between animal control units in other cities, zoological associations, the Department of Agriculture, and the Missouri Municipal Leagues.

Here is the proposed ordinance:

Branson-Code-Amendment-Ordinance

The city of Branson is holding a final town hall about a new animal ordinance on Sunday, June 6, at the Branson Community Center starting at 6 p.m..

Mayor Larry Milton and Board of Aldermen members are hosting the town halls because they want additional public input ahead of a final vote on the new animal ordinance, currently scheduled for August 24. This final public session will be hosted by Aldermen Jeff Seay and Cody Fenton.

Residents will be able to ask questions of city staff, including the Branson Police Department, and voice concerns about the proposed changes to the staff and aldermen.

The current ordinance is available online.

The origins of the changes began in 2018 when animal control for the city was assumed by the police department from the Taney County Health Department. The Board of Aldermen at the time asked the department to update the current ordinance which does not include public safety issues.

The proposal includes 18 months of research and discussions between animal control units in other cities, zoological associations, the Department of Agriculture, and the Missouri Municipal Leagues.

Here is the proposed ordinance:

Branson-Code-Amendment-Ordinance

Damaging winds up to 70 miles per hour will be the biggest severe weather threat across the Ozarks Thursday afternoon into early Thursday night.

The National Weather Service says numerous severe thunderstorms are likely during that time period.

There’s also a threat for large hail and flooding, with the large hail risk greatest in areas west of the Springfield metro area.

Forecasters say there is also a very conditional, low confidence threat for hail larger than golf balls and perhaps tornadoes.

The Storm Prediction Center has much of southwest Missouri in an “enhanced risk” for severe weather on Thursday.

We’ll keep you up to date with the latest watches and warnings on 93-3 and A.M. 560 KWTO.

CoxHealth announced they will be reopening their top fitness facility, The Meyer Center, on June 14.

The center will require masking of all members when they are not actively exercising. Temperature screenings will take place at the door along with symptom screenings.

A press release from the hospital said that hours and services will be determined by the Infection Prevention team of the hospital.

“We’re really looking forward to The Meyer Center’s reopening, as we know our members have really missed it, and we’ve missed seeing them,” Chris Flouer, director of CoxHealth Fitness Centers, said in a statement. “However, the health of our employees and members is of upmost importance to us. We are paying very close attention to the number of COVID-19 cases in our area, and have a formula to determine when to reopen additional services based on that data and other indicators in the community.”

The center had been closed twice during the pandemic. The first time was in March 2020 to reduce COVID-19 spread. It reopened in June, but was closed in August so the center could be converted into a daycare for students of hospital staff working extra hours due to COVID-19.

“Now that we have completed our mass vaccination clinics in the center, we eagerly anticipate having our members back, and helping them achieve their health goals,” Flouer said.

A Sheldon, MO man is dead after a head-on collision near Republic.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says that 43-year-old Joseph Bailey died at a hospital after the crash on State Highway N and I-44. Investigators say that a tractor-trailer crossed the center line on Highway N and ran into a car. The vehicles involved then left the highway and crashed into a fence.

The driver of the tractor-trailer suffered minor injuries.

The truck driver has been tested for drugs and alcohol but those results were not released to the press.

Bailey was the 45th death investigated this year by the MSHP.

Frances Lin, Ivie Macy, KOLR

ASH GROVE, Mo. — A new piece of artwork in Ash Grove will help keep the memory of a woman who made an impression in the community.

Jessica Landis passed away following a car accident last week, shocking the residents of Ash Grove who knew her.Investigation into fatal three-vehicle crash in Willard 

“It was devastating. It’s like losing a part of your family member,” said Aleia O’Quinn, Landis’ co-worker.

Landis worked at the Ash Grove Health Center for six years.

“She’s never going to be forgotten,” said Cathy Bird Wallace, who also worked with Landis.

As KOLR-10 reports, a lasting impression was made by Landis with her work helping residents at the Health Center. A pair of angel wings were painted in her honor.

Numerous severe thunderstorms are possible in the Ozarks on Thursday, with large hail, damaging winds, and flooding being the primary threats.

The National Weather Service says the timing of the greatest potential for bad weather appears to be Thursday afternoon and evening.

The Storm Prediction Center has put all of the Ozarks under an enhanced risk for severe weather on Thursday.

Any storms Tuesday and Wednesday should largely stay below severe limits.

Springfield voters will not have their say on a development in the Galloway Village area.

Greene County Circuit Court Judge David Jones ruled Monday in favor of Elevation Enterprises, the developer planning to build an apartment complex and business development across from Sequiota Park. Elevation had sued after the Springfield City Council voted to hold an election after a small group of residents had filed a petition with the city to overturn the approval of the rezoning for the development. The petition gave the city the option to either reverse the zoning approval or put it on the ballot.

Elevation had said the placing of the item on a ballot was a violation of the U.S. and Missouri constitutions. Elevation’s lawyer claimed that the petition was invalid because it didn’t explicitly seek a vote.

Springfield City Attorney Rhonda Lewsader said in a statement the decision confirmed the City’s position that there is a contradiction in the City Charter. State laws regarding property zoning is in conflict with the City’s Charter’s referendum procedure.

“City Council did what they felt was best in the difficult situation of receiving a zoning referendum when Charter provisions conflict and conflict with state law,” Lewsader said in a statement. “This decision makes clear that repealing rezoning through a general election would conflict with state law.”

Changes to the city charter to bring it into line with state laws would require a vote of the citizens. Citizens voted down a potential solution to the conflict in 1994.

Lewsader said they have not made a decision about returning this to the voters.

“In this case, all parties had ample time and opportunity to express their opinions about the original proposed rezoning request, and the matter came before both the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, with public hearings held in front of both,” Lewsader said.

The decision by the judge means unless the city appeals, the zoning change is valid, and the development can take place.

DOC052421-05242021165309

The Springfield Police Department is investigating the death of a man found in a drainage tunnel behind a Walmart.

SPD officials say they do not know the cause of death for the man found Sunday behind the Walmart Neighborhood Market on West Camino Alto around 5 p.m.. They confirmed the death did not appear to be from natural causes, but no other information was available.

They hope to have more information tomorrow.