Month: June 2021
The search for two missing Forsyth teens has come to a tragic end as their bodies have been found inside a vehicle at the bottom of a ravine.
Forsyth police had been looking for Braden Tuck, 18, and Damien Grant, 18, since May 25 when they told friends they were going to look at flood waters. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says their bodies were found as police investigated an accident on Highway H near Chadwick.
Two people were driving past the accident site when they spotted an SUV that had crashed down a steep ravine. Investigators say for some reason the vehicle left Highway H and plunged close to 80 feet into a ravine. A deputy that reached the vehicle saw two bodies inside, later identified as the missing teens.
The Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash and try to determine when it took place.
Branson area residents who are struggling with addictions will soon have some local help.
CoxHealth announced Thursday they will be expanding the CoxHealth Center for Addictions to Branson.
“I am pleased to share that Cox Center for Addictions is opening a location in Branson, Missouri, June 11,” CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards said. “We have many mental health challenges to address together as a community, including supporting those vulnerable to this illness.”
Patients will be given their initial treatment at the Center for Addiction’s Springfield location, but can receive their follow-up treatment at the Branson facility, located at 121 Cahill Road.
“As the needs of our region have evolved, we have worked to expand and adapt, and add new ways to serve,” Tressa Moyle, director of the Center, said in a statement. “We believe that this increased access to services will help even more patients develop strategies to overcome issues related to substance use, which can have devastating impacts if left untreated.”
The Branson facility will initially offer medication management for substance abuse disorders and services for patients with chronic pain management. Cox plans to add additional services as the service grows in Branson.
The Victim Center is getting some more space, but will have to close their offices for almost two weeks to do it.
The Center, which helps victims of crime in southwest Missouri free of charge, is moving to a former credit union building at 815 West Tampa Street in Springfield. This means they will be closing their offices at their old location and won’t have an office available to the public until 9 a.m. on June 14.
While the offices will be closed, the Center will continue to operate their 24-Hour Crisis Line. The number is 417-864-7233. They will also be answering emails to hope@thevictimcenter.org.
Southwest Missouri fans of comics, sci-fi, fantasy, cosplay, and gaming are mourning the loss of the man who lead the area’s biggest pop culture convention, Visioncon.
Visioncon staff posted to social media that the organization’s president, Brandon Shane, died Wednesday at Mercy Hospital from COVID-19.
“Brandon was an amazing guy,” Larry Litle, founder of GeekyKool.com, told KWTO. “I got to know him over the years. He always made everyone feel important and welcome. I watched him work his butt off during Visioncon one year. He must have put in 16 hours straight on his feet. He still made time to talk to us about the convention and what we were doing. He will be so missed in the geek/ nerd community.”
Visioncon staff say they will continue the convention despite the loss of Shane. The 2021 convention held earlier this year was a virtual convention because of the pandemic.
Funeral and memorial information will be posted on the Visioncon Facebook page.
(Headline photo of Shane with actresses from the TV show Firefly courtesy Visioncon.)
Springfield Mayor Ken McClure delivered his annual State of the City address Tuesday morning, declaring the state of the city to be “strong” as it exits the COVID-19 restrictions and moves into a new season.
McClure’s speech focused significantly on the COVID pandemic and its economic, social, and medical impact on the city.
“These times have revealed what truly matters,” Mayor McClure said. “The health and well-being of our loved ones, the resilience of our communities and the importance of the sacrifices made by our essential workers who give their whole selves to serving others.”
In addition to the focus on pandemic related issues, the mayor also addressed other challenges the city faced in the previous 14 months including its response to racial incidents around the nation and economic development issues in the city.
The Mayor became emotional at the end of his speech, choking up on the final lines of his speech.
“Reflecting upon the past 14 months brings me both comfort and grief,” the Mayor said. “Never in my lifetime did I expect to see such impressive displays of service and valiant sacrifices. To those who have lost loved ones forever due to this pandemic, I share your grief. We will never be able to replace those we have lost. But we certainly can continue to take measures to make sure that their deaths were not in vain. I can see clearly now the rain has gone. I can see all obstacles in our way. Gone are the dark clouds that had us blind. It’s gonna be a bright sunshiny day. Thank you for your kind attention. And may God Bless You. And may God Bless the city of Springfield.”
Here is the text of the Mayor’s speech:
Local health leaders are encouraging parents, youth and staff to take preventative measures heading into summer camps to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
The Springfield-Greene County Health Department says although most children who contract the virus have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, some can get severely ill and children can spread COVID-19 to others who may be more vulnerable.
Here are the tips, provided in a news release by the health department:
Get vaccinated
Vaccination is the leading public health prevention strategy to greatly reduce the risk of COVID-19. Currently, vaccine is approved for individuals 12 and older. People who are not fully vaccinated, including children who are not yet eligible for vaccine, are more at risk for illness and hospitalization and need to take extra precautions when around others including masking, washing their hands, and watching their distance.
Camp leaders are encouraged to provide information to staff and parents on the importance of vaccine and establish supportive policies and practices that make it as easy and convenient as possible for staff and others to receive vaccine.
Since camp counselors may spend time with many individuals for different cycles of camp, it is especially important for staff to get vaccinated to prevent potential outbreaks and limit the risk of children spreading the virus to their potentially vulnerable relatives.
A list of vaccine opportunities is available at vaccine417.com. Camps interested in hosting a one-time or recurring COVID-19 vaccination clinic should contact the regional COVID-19 call center at (417) 874-1211 or email coronavirus@springfieldmo.gov for more information.
Click here to watch a PSA produced by local teenagers about how vaccine can help us return to the things we love.
Get tested
Camps should have a plan for what to do if a camper or staff member starts having symptoms of COVID-19, including knowing where they can go to get tested. A list of testing sites can be found at health.springfieldmo.gov/testing
If a fully vaccinated person is exposed to someone with COVID-19, they do not need to be tested for COVID-19 unless they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Any person participating in camp activities who experiences COVID-19 symptoms should get a COVID-19 test.
Stay home if sick
It is vital that camps have flexible sick policies in place to ensure that staff do not spread illness among their peers and campers. Even if an individual is fully vaccinated, they need to stay home if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19 and seek testing.
It is also important that parents do not send their children to camp if they are experiencing illness. While fewer children experience severe symptoms of COVID-19 compared with adults, children can spread the virus to others who are at higher risk of severe illness.
For information on quarantine and isolation protocols, click here.
Additional prevention measures
- Practice good respiratory hygiene (always cover your cough or sneeze)
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces or objects often
- Try to keep activities that require close contact outdoors
- Be sure to keep cool and stay hydrated!
Anyone who has questions about maintaining a healthy camp environment may contact the regional COVID-19 call center at (417) 874-1211 or by emailing coronavirus@springfieldmo.gov.
A new timeline has been released by police looking into the disappearance of two teenagers on May 29.
Investigators say that Braden Tuck and Damien Grant went to play pool at John’s Frosted Mug, and then went to McDonald’s. The truck they were in, a 1999 Black GMC, did not have license plates. They allegedly told friends they were going to look at flood waters on Swan Creek and Bull Shoals Lake.
They have not been seen since. Searches of floodwaters have not turned up bodies or the vehicle.
Grant’s family suffered tragedy over the weekend when Grant’s uncle was killed in the shooting behind Famous Dave’s in Branson.
If anyone has information about the missing boys, you’re asked to call the Forsyth police department at 417-546-3731 or the Taney County Sheriff’s Office at 417-546-7250.
A Springfield man who illegally possessed nine guns has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug and gun crimes.
Christopher Iavolo, 42, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Iavolo admitted that between May 10, 2018 and November 8, 2018 he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene and Cass Counties. He received meth from a co-defendant who made trips to Texas to acquire the drugs.
A search warrant executed at Iavolo’s home on November 6, 2018, found a series of illegally obtained weapons, including a .32-caliber Beretta that Iavolo had tucked into his pants.
Iavolo’s co-defendants, Michael Johnson and Xlyona Sharp, have also pleaded guilty.
Iavolo is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life without parole.