Month: August 2021

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department and local healthcare leaders will hold a media availability at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to provide an update on COVID-19 cases and hospital capacity.

Watch the event live here when it begins:

There will also be an announcement from the health department, Community Partnership of the Ozarks and Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

The update comes on the heels of the health department’s update Tuesday morning showing 24 new deaths from COVID-19 reported between August 4th and 10th.

Of those deaths, leaders say nine occurred in July, bringing the total number of deaths last month to 67.

So far in August, the average age of Greene County residents who have died from the virus is 59.

The two youngest victims were in their 30’s.

The health department says since January, 94% of residents who have died from the virus were not fully vaccinated.

Although hospitalizations and fatalities among fully vaccinated people are rare, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests immunocompromised individuals may have a reduced response to the COVID-19 vaccination, leaving them more susceptible to illness.

Missouri State University is starting a new semester with students, faculty, staff and visitors required to mask up when they are indoors.

The policy is subject to modification and will be re-evaluated every 30 days.

The indoor masking requirement does not apply to Greenwood Laboratory School or the Child Development Center, which will develop their own masking policies.

There are some exceptions to the indoor masking rule, including while inside residential rooms within residence halls, while inside apartments within university apartment buildings, and while exercising at indoor campus exercise facilities in designated exercise areas, including Foster Recreation Center, Hammons Student Center, Plaster Stadium, and McDonald Hall.

Speakers or performers will also be exempt when at a speaking platform that allows for a minimum physical distance of at least 20 feet between the speaker/performer and the audience.

To help folks keep cool and stay safe during this week’s Heat Advisory in the Ozarks, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board has adjusted pool schedules and is offering cooling center options.

Silver Springs Pool at 1100 north Hampton in Springfield will stay open until 8 p.m. Tuesday and again on Thursday.

Fassnight Pool at 1300 south Campbell stays open until 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Outdoor pool admission is $3 for youth and seniors, $4 for adults from 1-5:30 p.m.

Admission drops to one dollar or free with a canned food donation every day from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and that discount rate also extends to 8 p.m. when the pools remain open late.

Food donations benefit Ozarks Food Harvest.

The park board says the public is also welcome to cool off in the water at the Ozarks Stream and Fountain at Jordan Valley Park, 635 E. Trafficway.

The fountain runs daily from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., with fountain shows every hour on the hour, and a longer show from 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

All three Springfield-Greene County Park Board Family Centers, as well as Jordan Valley Ice Park, open their entrance lobbies as free public cooling centers during Heat Advisories.

All lobbies have seating, restroom access and air conditioning.

The Family Center locations and lobby hours are:

Chesterfield Family Center, 2511 west Republic Road

Dan Kinney Family Center, 2701 south Blackman Road

Doling Family Center, 301 east Talmage

Monday through Friday, 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Saturday, 7 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Searchers have found the body of a swimmer missing since yesterday at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The Highway Patrol says the body of 21 year old Sean Jouglard of Waterloo, Illinois was recovered Monday around the 20-mile marker of the main channel.

He left the boat Sunday to swim and never resurfaced.

A woman injured in a crash over the weekend has died.

Springfield Police say 60-year-old Martha Wimmer from Springfield died at the local hospital from her injuries.

The crash happened on Friday near the corner of Warren Avenue and Olive Street.

Wimmer’s car was struck on the driver’s side by a pickup truck as she was turning into the entrance of Study School.