Month: August 2021

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur off and on Friday across southwest Missouri, but the severe weather threat remains low.

The National Weather Service says a few strong storms will be possible, with gusty winds and lightning, especially south of Interstate 44 Friday evening.

Locations along and west of Highway 65 stand the best chance of seeing storms Friday morning, with cloud to ground lightning and brief, heavy downpours likely with any storm.

An isolated wind gust to 30 miles per hour is also possible.

Human remains have been found in a field in Ozark.

Police responded to the 2300 block of west Longview Road on Wednesday after getting a 911 call saying a farm worker had come across the remains.

Investigators began searching for evidence Wednesday night, but after it got dark, continued to look for clues on scene through midday Thursday.

Police say they cannot determine if foul play was involved because the remains were in an advanced state of decay.

The police chief says it could be multiple bodies.

There is an active missing person’s case from that specific area, and evidence at the scene leads the chief to believe it could be Quincey Hill and Kenneth Webb, who disappeared in May, 2019.

Marteze “Tez” Ward has been found safe.

Springfield Police released a statement saying that Ward was found safe after officers received tips from the community that helped in the investigation.

The department does not suspect foul play in his disappearance.

Ward was reported missing on August 10th from the area of Fellows Lake.

He had not been seen since late Monday morning.

The department thanked partnering law enforcement agencies and the community for assisting in the search.

Greene County Collector Allen Icet says his office will be closed until further notice because of COVID-19.

Taxpayers can still go online to look up statements and find receipts.

The Assessor’s office remains open.

Anyone needing assistance can contact the Collector’s office via e-mail at collectorhelp@greenecountymo.gov.

After one last day of sweltering heat with triple digit heat indices on Thursday, some relief is on the way to the Ozarks with cooler temps Friday and through the weekend.

There’s also a chance for a few rounds of showers and thunderstorms beginning after midnight Thursday night and continuing off and on through Friday.

The National Weather Service says the best chance for storms overnight will be in the northern Ozarks near Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks.

Those areas may see an isolated strong to severe storm with up to quarter size hail and 60 mile per hour damaging winds.

From Friday morning through the afternoon, the threat for strong to severe storms shifts farther south, with locations along and south of Interstate 44 seeing a chance for damaging winds. However, forecasters say most storms should stay under severe limits.

High temperatures on Friday may still climb close to 90 degrees, but highs Saturday and Sunday should be around 85 with less humidity.

There is some good news in the battle against COVID-19 in Springfield and Greene County.

Health Director Katie Towns says the seven day rolling average of new cases stood at 125 on Wednesday, which is nearly three times lower than last week.

However, more than 300 people are still hospitalized in Greene County with the virus, including several children.

Towns is urging people to get vaccinated, stating more than 50% of Greene County residents age 12 and older have had at least one dose of vaccine.

The health department says 94% of people who have died locally from COVID-19 were not fully vaccinated.

In an effort to get more people vaccinated, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, Community Partnership of the Ozarks and Community Foundation of the Ozarks to launch “Greene for Vaccine,” an incentive program offering a chance for people who get vaccinated to win $1,000.

Anyone who gets a vaccine in Greene County between August 15th and September 18th will be eligible. Those who have previously been vaccinated are not able to participate in the program.

Health leaders say those who receive the first dose of the Pfizer/Moderna or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be automatically entered into a drawing following the end of the week in which they were vaccinated.

The winner will be announced the following Monday.

The five drawings take place on August 23rd, August 30th, September 6th, September 13th, and September 20th.

For more information on the program and a list of vaccination opportunities, you can go to vaccine417.com or call the COVID-19 Call Center at 417-874-1211.

COVID-19 has claimed the life of a prominent Ash Grove physician.

Dr. Mark Smith died last Thursday at age 52 from complications of COVID-19.

He practiced at Ash Grove Family Medical Center.

Citizens Memorial Healthcare says patients can still receive treatment at the Ash Grove clinic from the other medical staff and a doctor from Dade County will also come to the clinic a few times a week.

The City of Diggins issued a boil water advisory for its customers.

The advisory lasts until at least noon on Thursday.

City crews are working to repair a broken water main.