Month: February 2022

Several colleges and universities in the Ozarks closed early on Wednesday as a winter storm bears down on southwest Missouri.

Some school districts in the Ozarks that held class on Wednesday also had an early dismissal.

Here’s the list:

Baptist Bible College—Closed early at 12:00 p.m.

Drury University (All Campuses)—Closed early at 12:00 p.m.

Evangel University—Closed early at 12:00 p.m.

Lakeland R-3 (Deepwater)—Early dismissal at 1:45 p.m.

Midwest Technical Institute—Closed early at 12:30 p.m.—-no afternoon or evening classes

Missouri State University—Closed early at 1:00 p.m., including Greenwood and Child Development Center

Osceola—Early dismissal at 1:00 p.m.

OTC (Lebanon, Republic Center, Richwood Valley, Springfield, Table Rock and Waynesville): Closed early at 12:00 p.m. Classes moved to remote instruction.

Phelps County R-3 (early dismissal at 12:00 p.m.)

Southwest Baptist University (closing early at 2:00 p.m. Check blackboard for class details)

Waynesville (early dismissal at 12:00 p.m. 6-12 released at noon and K-5 released at 1:00 p.m.)

Weableau (early dismissal at 12:15 p.m.)

The Ozarks braces for our second winter storm this month.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from Noon Wednesday through 9 p.m. Thursday for areas along and south of I-44, with a Winter Weather Advisory for areas along and north of a line from Lamar to Warsaw.

The National Weather Service says we’ll see mixed wintry precipitation, including freezing rain, sleet and snow.

The highest freezing rain accumulations will occur along and southeast of Interstate 44.

We’re expecting anywhere from .10 to .25 inch of freezing rain in the Springfield area, with .25 to .50 inch from Branson to Ava and West Plains, down into northwest Arkansas.

Very little freezing rain will occur with this storm north of Springfield.

Those areas will see more sleet and snow, although snow/sleet accumulations will be on the light side, with a trace to one inch north of I-44, and less than an inch of snow south of the interstate.

Areas from Warsaw to Osage Beach could see up to two inches of snow, with two to three inches of sleet and snow in the Columbia area.

As far as impacts go, forecasters say we’ll have minor impacts for sleet and snowfall along and north of I-44, and moderate impacts for ice accumulation over far southern Missouri.

Keep up to date with road conditions in the Ozarks and across the state with the MoDOT Traveler Information Map.

A Springfield City Councilwoman has vacated her seat to run for the District 30 State Senate seat in the Missouri General Assembly.

Zone One Councilwoman Angela Romine’s seat immediately became vacant when she filed to become a candidate, according to Springfield’s City Charter.

She will be running against incumbent State Senator Lincoln Hough.

A woman is dead in an unusual accident on Pump Station Road near Roby in Texas County.

The Highway Patrol says 41 year old Elizabeth Keeping-Hudson of Edgar Springs was killed when a tree fell on her S-U-V.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bakersfield

Bradleyville

Cabool

Chadwick

Gainsville

Houston

Koshkonong

Lead Hill

Lutie

Ozark

Plato

Shell Knob

Success

West Plains

The Republican-led House of Representatives in the state of Missouri passed a pair of bills that looks to protect employers who do not want the COVID-19 vaccine.

The first bill passed will prohibit public employers from requiring their employees from being vaccinated against COVID-19. That bill has exceptions for health care facilities that are required to had a vaccine mandate under federal law.

The second bill is designed to protect employees who have held beliefs against the COVID-19 vaccine, whether it be religion, health, etc. The bill also ensures that those who are unvaccinated can still receive unemployment benefits and ensures their eligibility for organ transplants if they choose to be unvaccinated.

With each bill passing the House, the bill now moves to the Missouri State Senate for approval.

Candidates for the U-S Senate and Congressional races in Missouri showed up as early as 8 a.m. at the Missouri Secretary of State’s office on the opening day of filing for the August primary.

Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens and St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey had filed for their place on the ballot for U-S Senate by 9 a.m.

Southwest Missouri Congressman Billy Long, who also filed for U-S Senate Tuesday, used a press conference to go after his fellow GOP candidates.

Long’s primary target is Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, who also filed.

Hartzler has been endorsed by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley.

Long says he talked to Hawley recently, adding “I’m going to cancel his vote for Hartzler.”

Long also confirmed back in December, former President Donald Trump offered to endorse him if he dropped back to run for his U-S House seat.

Both Long and Hartzler say they’ve heard from Trump within the last 24 hours.

Long said he had a voice mail and Hartzler says she spoke to the former President, but there’s been no talk of an endorsement from him.

Hartzler told reporters Greitens is the only Republican candidate in the race she would not support if he won in August.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for counties along the Missouri/Arkansas border from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon.

Freezing rain accumulations of a quarter to a half inch and up to an inch of sleet and snow are possible south of Springfield.

Forecasters say be prepared for slower than normal traffic, an increased risk for crashes and the potential for power outages.

Sleet and freezing rain will develop on Wednesday and mix with, then change over to snow on Thursday.

In Springfield, we’re expecting a wintry mix, with lesser ice accumulations than counties along the Missouri/Arkansas border.

Very little snow accumulation is expected in the Springfield metro area.

Water is topping some low water crossings in the eastern Ozarks Tuesday morning following heavy rain overnight.

A Flood Warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday for Douglas, Ozark, Howell, Taney and Wright Counties.

Those areas have seen a widespread .75 to 1.5 inches of rain.

Some areas experiencing flooding include Mountain Grove, Ava, Forsyth, West Plains and Willow Springs.

Check out road closures due to flooding and road conditions during wintry weather with the MoDOT Traveler Information Map.