Month: April 2022

After round one of strong to severe thunderstorms hitting the Ozarks late Sunday night and early Monday morning, forecasters say there remains a severe weather threat into Monday night.

The National Weather Service says winds up to 60 miles per hour and quarter size hail are the main hazards into the evening hours.

Areas south of I-44, especially near the Missouri-Arkansas border, have the highest risk for severe storms Monday.

After a mostly dry and warm day on Tuesday, yet another round of severe weather is forecast Tuesday night into Wednesday

KWTO will have the latest watches and warnings on 93-3 and AM 560.

Zimmer Midwest Communications is pleased to announce the addition of former Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr to its show lineup on the new KWTO (93.3 FM/560 AM).

The Elijah Haahr Show will air weekdays from 4-6 p.m. on KWTO, featuring local information and interviews, politics, finances, and entertainment.

Haahr joins a local lineup that includes another former Missouri House Speaker. Wake up Springfield with Tim Jones airs each weekday morning from 5:30-9:00 on KWTO.

Haahr was born on a farm in Iowa and was raised in rural southwest Missouri, graduating from Ozarks Technical Community College and Missouri Western State University before attending law school at the University of Missouri, where he graduated with honors in 2008.

After practicing law in Missouri and Oklahoma and successfully litigating trials in state and federal court, Haahr served eight years in the Missouri General Assembly, culminating as the state’s 77^th Speaker of the House from 2018-2021.

Haahr is the first Speaker in state history from Springfield and was the youngest in the nation at the time he assumed the position.

“Growing up in the Ozarks, my day started with KWTO every morning. It’s a dream come true to host a show on these airwaves and be a part of our listeners’ drive home,” Haahr said.

Zimmer-Springfield Operations Manager Tom Ladd says adding Haahr was a no-brainer for a station that’s quickly becoming known as the “Speakers’ House.” “Elijah brings a passion for radio and a connection with listeners. His show will be informative, but it will also be a lot of fun,” Ladd said.

The Elijah Haahr Show on KWTO debuts Monday afternoon at 4:00 on 93-3 A-M 560 KWTO.

12:10 A.M. UPDATE: A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for Jasper County until 6:30 a.m. Monday. Between one and 2.5 inches of rain has already fallen, and flash flooding is ongoing in the Joplin, Carthage, Webb City and Carl Junction areas.

12:05 A.M. UPDATE: Several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are in effect for southwest Missouri, including one for southeastern Barton, northeastern Jasper and Dade Counties until 1:15 a.m., for southeastern Cedar and northeastern Dade Counties until 1:00 a.m., and for Hickory, northern Dallas, northern Polk and southwestern Camden Counties until 1:00 a.m. 60 mile per hour winds and quarter size hail are the biggest threats with these storms.

A long line of storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and large hail up to the size of golf balls are pushing across southwest Missouri early Monday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for most of southwest Missouri until 4:00 a.m. Monday. That watch now includes our far eastern counties.

93-3 and AM 560 KWTO will have the latest watches, warnings and damage reports from storms as they sweep across the area.

A cold front will bring chances for severe thunderstorms Sunday night into Monday morning, with another round to affect areas south of I-44 Monday evening.

More severe weather is expected Tuesday afternoon and night, with the most widespread severe storms Wednesday into Wednesday night, including large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes.

Ahead of the storms, gusty south winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour will be possible.

The highest winds will be over far southwest Missouri.

Use caution while driving, and tie down or move in loose objects.

Large hail and damaging downburst winds will be the biggest threats from Sunday night’s storms, but a tornado may be possible along the frontal boundary.

Showers and thunderstorms will continue on Monday as the front slows or stalls across the area, with afternoon heating leading to more storm development, mainly along and east of the front in the southeastern Ozarks.

On Tuesday, a strong cap should suppress any storm development through the afternoon hours, but storms are expected to fire up in eastern Kansas and move east into our area throughout the night.

Instability and shear will diminish with these storms as they push east, limiting their severe potential, so the best potential for severe weather Tuesday night will be in our far western counties along the I-49 corridor.

There is still some disagreement in models on where the surface low will track on Wednesday, but there remains the potential for all modes of severe weather, including tornadoes, with the current forecast.

93-3 and AM 560 KWTO will keep you up to date with the latest watches and warnings, along with spotter reports of storm damage.

From a Springfield Police Department News Release:

Springfield, Mo. – The Springfield Police Department has identified the person involved in the recently reported incidents concerning a red Chevy Cruze and will continue to investigate these incidents.

Anyone with information regarding these cases should contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).

The St. Louis Cardinals got six shutout innings from veteran starter Adam Wainwright and shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-0 on Opening Day at Busch Stadium.

Wainwright (1-0) allowed five hits, struck out six, and did not walk a batter.

Tyler O’Neill was the big star at the plate, putting St. Louis on the board in the bottom of the first with an RBI single, then clubbing a three run homer over the wall in left field in the bottom of the 2nd off Pirates starter J.T. Brubaker (0-1) to give St. Louis a 4-0 advantage.

Harrison Bader doubled to lead off the 6th inning, was moved to third on a grounder by Tommy Edman, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Carlson to make it a 5-0 Cards lead.

St. Louis hit two homers in the 9th off Pirates reliever Aaron Fletch, including a solo shot to left by Edman, and later a two run home run by third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Just before Arenado’s blast, O’Neill picked up his fifth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly.

Three Cards relievers, Nick Wittgren, Genesis Cabrera, and Ryan Helsley, backed up Wainwright with one scoreless inning apiece.

In his first game back in a Cardinals’ uniform, designated hitter Albert Pujols went 0-5, reaching on an error in the 3rd.

A sellout crowd of 46,256 witnessed Opening Day at Busch Stadium, with the traditional Clydesdales parading around the warning track and the Cardinals Hall of Famers wearing their red jackets.

After an off day on Friday, the series resumes Saturday afternoon with a 1:15 p.m. game between the Pirates and Cardinals.

Miles Mikolas takes the mound for St. Louis against Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller.

As the Missouri State Senate debates on a bill that would make sports betting legal in Missouri, many of the state’s professional sports franchises are urging politicians to do just that.

Representatives for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, and reps from the St. Louis Cardinals and Blues were in Jefferson City on Wednesday. The representatives testified in favor of the bill.

Sponsors of the bill have stated that, if passed, the bill would bring in upwards of $15 million in extra revenue for Missouri. The bill also states that 90% of that money would go towards education in the state.

The bill started its journey in the Missouri House and passed. The bill’s passage in the Senate is not as sure, as major debate as to the wording of the bill rages on.