Month: January 2022

Some members of the Springfield School Board are pushing for a mask mandate to be temporarily re-instated for students in the district.

Three members advocated for the mandate to return as the emergence of the Omicron variant has caused the district to temporarily close all schools.

A mask mandate was in place throughout the district since the beginning of the school year, but was dropped in December after a Jefferson City judge ruled on a lawsuit filed by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

A mask mandate is in effect through at least February 4th.

Over 1,000 people in Greene-County tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, and studies are showing the Omicron variant is the primary culprit.

Kendra Findley, administrator of Community Health and Epidemiology with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, reported in a Twitter post that 1,034 people in Greene-County received a positive test result for COVID-19 yesterday alone, surpassing the previous record of 912.

Findley also reported that wastewater samples have shown that at least 99% of the COVID cases in Greene County are from the Omicron variant. Findley concluded her post by urging citizens that while the COVID-19 vaccine is not a cure to the virus, it can offer protection from the potential severity of COVID-19 symptoms.

Local health care leaders say Greene County is far from its peak of cases of COVID-19 from the new Omicron variant.

Mercy-Springfield Communities President Craig McCoy says the data shows the safest thing you can do is get vaccinated.

He says until people get the vaccine, they have every bit as much ability to harm and even kill those around them by spreading the virus.

On Tuesday, Greene County reported 912 new infections of COVID-19, which brings the daily average of the past week up to 591 cases per day.

After temps dropped into the single digits early this morning with wind chills below zero, be prepared for cold weather to continue the rest of this week.

The National Weather Service says temperatures overnight Thursday night into Friday morning will dip down to around 6 degrees.

Forecasters say when it’s this cold, you should dress in two to three layers with a warm hat and gloves.

This will help prevent hypothermia.

Greene County has a $57 million dollar decision to make, and it’s soliciting help from nine members of the community to make sure the money goes to the right places.

The county commission has appointed an ARPA Citizen Advisory Committee to help ensure equitable allocation of the county’s $56.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The group is made up of nine local citizens who bring expertise from a variety of sectors.

The committee will help the County’s ARPA team, led by Dr. Lyle Foster, shape the application’s review and approval process.

Members appointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee include:

• Candace Adams, emergency management retiree and educator
• Kristoffer Barefield, attorney
• David Burton, University of Missouri Extension
• Bridget Dierks, Vice President of Programs CFO
• Rev. Saehee Dsruan, pastor and educator
• Keith Ray Mackie, KRM Counseling and Consulting
• Dr. Mark Maynard Sr., business consultant and retired educator
• Justyn Pippins, small business manager
• Jill Stoner, business owner, Turners

The commission says the majority of those serving on the committee were also part of the CARES Act Relief Fund Advisory Council, formed in 2020.

Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon says the commission is grateful for the citizens who serve on the county’s various boards and committees. “We are especially pleased to present the latest group of citizen public servents who have stepped forward to serve our community.”

An initial deposit of $28,464,260 arrived on May 19th, 2021, and the second allocation of ARPA funds is scheduled to arrive in late spring.

A Springfield man has received a sentence of 13 years, five months in prison for the trafficking of methamphetamine and possession of an illegal firearm.

Jason Hamann, 48, was detained in December of 2018 after a search by State Troopers concluded with the finding of 11 bags of meth, six firearms, over $11,000 in cash as well as a tote containing another five pounds of meth.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday.

Hamann was also arrested in April of 2019 and was found with 37 grams of meth on his person. He will serve his sentence in a federal prison without the possibility of parole.

Schools and hospitals throughout the Springfield Metro are struggling to remain functional as the Omicron COVID-19 variant makes it way through the community.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department reported 912 positive cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, with the percentage of tests coming back positive approaching 50%.

CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards said they received nearly 900 positive COVID tests yesterday due to Omicron. The highest single day total with the Delta variant was just under 200.

The sudden rise in cases has caused Springfield Public Schools to close until Monday, and possibly beyond if cases continue to grow. Superintendent for SPS Dr. Grenita Lathan said the District documented over 850 cases of COVID-19 last week alone.

Edwards also reported that over 500 employees within the Cox system are out sick, leading to those left working at or beyond capacity. Many within the Cox and Mercy systems believe we have not seen the peak of the Omicron surge in Springfield.

Light snow will be possible Wednesday afternoon, primarily along and south of I-44.

The National Weather Service says temps will drop into the mid 20’s by 5 p.m.

Snow accumulations are expected to remain less than one inch.

Forecasters a few slick spots will be possible, but overall, road impacts will be limited.

Cloudy skies will give way to eventual clearing Wednesday night, with temps dropping to around 9 degrees and wind chill readings of around -3.

High temps on Thursday will be stuck in the low 20’s.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department will hold a virtual media briefing Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Leaders from the health department, Springfield Public Schools, CoxHealth and Mercy will provide an update on the ongoing response to COVID-19.

Watch live streaming video of the news conference here beginning at 10:30.