The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is changing its recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines to make clear that shots made by Moderna and Pfizer are preferred over Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.
The CDC’s advisory committee endorsed the updated recommendation after hearing new data indicating a rare blood clotting syndrome is more common among people who recently got a J&J vaccine than previously believed.
Out of the 54 cases reported in the U.S., nine people have died.
Springfield Police have arrested a man in connection with a stabbing on East Nora Street Wednesday night.
44 year old Randall Smith is charged with first degree assault, 3 counts of armed criminal action and 2 counts of first degree kidnapping.
Smith is being held in the Greene County Jail without bond.
The City of Springfield has received the results from an independent audit of city books.
The results are explained by the city in the following news release:
Springfield City Council received an unmodified opinion, the highest level given, on the City’s financial statement audit from the City’s independent auditing firm, RSM, at a Council Lunch Workshop on Tuesday. The firm indicated that the audit showed no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, or compliance issues.
RSM also audited compliance of the City’s grant programs. In FY 2021, the City spent $38.5 million in federal grant funds. The auditors found no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses when reviewing the City’s compliance with the major federal grant programs.
The City’s Finance Department prepares the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) each year, in compliance with the City Charter, which requires an annual report to the City Council on the financial condition of the City.
The equity of the City at the close of the 2021 fiscal year was just over $1 billion, an increase of $74 million over last year. This is also referred to as net position. Governmental activities increased the City’s net position by $47.4 million. Sales and use tax revenues, the largest governmental category, were about $148 million, or 59%, of total governmental revenues. Revenues from governmental activities totaled $250 million, or 71%, of the total City revenues. Sales tax increased approximately $12 million from last year due to federal monies injected into the economy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The largest portion of the City’s net position, $696.1 million (67%), reflects its investments in capital assets, e.g., land, construction in progress, buildings, improvements, machinery and equipment and infrastructure, less any related debt used to acquire those assets that are still outstanding. The City uses these capital assets to provide services to citizens; consequently, these assets are not available for future spending.
An additional portion of the City’s net position, $57.2 million (6%), represents resources that are subject to external restrictions on how they may be used. The remaining balance of the City’s net position, $285 million (27%), represents unrestricted net position that may be used to meet the City’s ongoing obligations to citizens and creditors.
The Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund is a new fund for fiscal year 2021. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law March 11. The goal is to provide needed relief to local governments, among others, to enable them to continue to support the public health response and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable economic recovery. It will also provide resources to invest in infrastructure including water, sewer, and broadband services.
The City was awarded $40.3 million in coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. The first payment of $20.1 million was received in June. No ARPA-related expenditures had been incurred as of June 30; therefore, the amount received is reflected as unearned revenue.
The Finance Department received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the 44th consecutive year for the 2020 ACFR. The department also received the GFOA Distinguished Budget Award for the 16th consecutive year for the 2022 budget presentation.
“In addition to providing the highest quality of services possible, the City of Springfield must always be accountable for the collection and use of the public’s dollars. Ensuring stability of the City’s financial position is also essential. We take these responsibilities seriously and continue to live by these values,” said City Manager Jason Gage.
One man is in the hospital after a stabbing Wednesday night in the 1600 block of east Nora, southwest of the Glenstone and I-44 interchange.
Investigators say the victim suffered injuries to his upper body, and is listed in stable condition at a local hospital.
Police say they’ve identified a person of interest.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper who was shot on Friday is back home and recovering after undergoing surgery on Wednesday.
Highway Patrol officials said Trooper Colton Beck was shot in the face, giving him an injury to his right eye.
Doctors could not save his eye, so they had to remove it.
Severe thunderstorms pushed from eastern Kansas into the western Ozarks Wednesday evening, bringing damaging winds of 60 miles per hour, and some hail, along with cloud to ground lightning.
The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for all but our far eastern counties (Wright, Ozark and Douglas Counties) until 12:00 a.m. Thursday.
We had reports of large tree down near 1900 Road northeast of Milo in Vernon County around 7:30 p.m.
The weather service issued Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for portions of St. Clair, Barton and Vernon Counties, but those warnings expired by 8:15 p.m.
At 8:11 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service said storms had shown a general decreasing trend over the past 15 to 20 minutes, causing the weather service to not issue any further warnings.
Wind gusts of 50 to 55 miles per hour (just below severe limits) were expected as the line of storms moved into the Stockton Lake area, and parts of Hickory, Cedar, Northern Polk and St. Clair Counties, as well as parts of Barton and Jasper Counties, including Joplin, Carthage and Lamar.
A Wind Advisory remained in effect for much of the Ozarks until midnight, with up to 50 mile per hour wind gusts possible outside of thunderstorms.
A local bank has set up a fund for donations in the name of Highway Patrol Trooper Colton Beck, who was shot in the face following a pursuit last Friday night in Springfield.
Former Trooper Elan Adams, who’s now a mortage officer at Hawthorn Bank, says the patrol has been inundated with calls from people wanting to know how they can help.
Beck, who has a family that includes two small children, is home resting, but family members say doctors couldn’t save an eye injured in the shooting.
This is a personal account, so all checks and money orders need to be made payable to Colton Beck.
Folks who are able to help can mail checks to Hawthorn Bank 321 West Battlefield Springfield, MO 65807.
You can also bring deposits for Beck’s account into any Hawthorn Bank location. Just ask to deposit the money into the Colton Beck Contribution Fund account.
The bank’s lobby hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., and the drive-through hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m.
For a night drop, put checks and/or cash in an envelope and make a note to deposit the funds into the Colton Beck Contribution Fund.
Southwest Missouri Congressman Billy Long is taking shots at some of his opponents in the G-O-P Primary race for U.S. Senate.
At an appearance in Springfield Tuesday, Long accused Attorney General Eric Schmitt of talking a good game, but being too soft on China.
Long says Eric Greitens, former governor of Missouri, is a weak general election candidate and says Greitens was a “pretty unremarkable governor.”
Long also questioned whether Western Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler is realy conservative.
Long, who is in the process of taking a bus to each county in Missouri as part of his campaign, was joined in Springfield by “Moms For America” President Kimberly Fletcher.
Fletcher threw her support behind Long’s campaign, and announced her organization is moving its national headquarters to southwest Missouri.
“Moms For America” describes itself as a national movement of mothers to reclaim their culture for truth, family, freedom and the Constitution.
Other GOP candidates announcing they’ll run in the August, 2022 primary are St. Louis Attorney Mark McCloskey and Sullivan State Senator Dave Schatz.
The U.S. Senate seat opened up for 2022 after Republican Roy Blunt’s announcement he would not seek re-election.
Congressman Long spoke with reporters following his campaign event at Bass Pro Shops White River Conference Center:
Winds are picking up around the Ozarks as we head into Wednesday afternoon, with sustained winds of 20 to 35 miles per hour and wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour through this evening.
The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for all of southwest Missouri through midnight Thursday morning.
High winds could cause small limbs to break and fall. Loose objects may be blown around, and travel may become difficult for high profile vehicles.
A line of strong to severe thunderstorms are possible Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Damaging wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour and frequent lightning will be the greatest risks.
Areas along and northwest of a line from Bull Shoals Lake to Rolla (including the Springfield metro area) are under a “marginal risk” for severe weather.
We’ll keep you up to date with any watches and warnings on 93-3 and AM 560 KWTO.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Department is asking for your help in finding the driver of a pickup that hit a deputy’s patrol cruiser.
Deputy Kelsey Whitcomb responded to a call of a pickup driving in reverse down Kansas Expressway.
The driver then hit Deputy Whitcomb’s cruiser and left the scene.
The truck (see photo) was found abandoned.
They attempted to run the plates but found the back and front plates didn’t match and it had not been registered since it was sold by the original owner several years ago.
Deputy Whitcomb and K9 Zeke were not injured.