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Ozark News

Charges Filed in Gas Station Shooting in Springfield

Prosecutors announced Tuesday they have filed charges against a man in connection with a convenience store shooting earlier this month.

24-year-old Armando Garcia is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, as well as a charge of armed criminal action.

Investigators say he fired several shots outside of the Kum and Go located on National and Division in Springfield on August 15.

Garcia claims that another patron of the gas station pulled a gun on him, and he fired into the air to scare them away.

Police say an employee of the convenience store was injured after being hit by shrapnel.

A possible court date in Garcia’s case has not been released.

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Ozark News

Marshfield Moves to 4-Day School Week

The Marshfield School District is going to a four day week.

Superintendent Mike Henry says the change is being made primarily to help teachers.

Students will be in class Tuesday through Friday. Henry says that teachers will use about half of the Monday’s for professional development, and the other half will be days off.

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Ozark News

Kickapoo Students Protest on First Day of School

Several Kickapoo students protested on the first day of school over the removal of Pride flags from classrooms.

Jimmy Anti, the organizer of the protest, says the students were protesting in solidarity with the teachers affected by the policy.

Last week, Kickapoo principle Doctor Bill Powers asked teachers to remove Pride flags from their classrooms.

Powers says the flags violate a policy the district adopted in 2014.

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Ozark News

Governor Mike Parson Calls Special Session, Tax Cuts/Credits on the Docket

Governor Parson has now set a special session for September in the hopes of passing historic tax cuts and agriculture tax credits.

In a release Monday, the Governor issued an official call for the special session that would lower the individual income tax by half a percent, and extend agricultural tax credits by another six years.

According to Parson, the income tax rate would be lowered from 5.3% to 4.8%. There would also be a stipulation raising standard deductions for single and married filers.

The full statement from the Governor’s Office can be read below:

Today, during a press conference at the State Capitol, Governor Mike Parson announced that he has issued the official call for a special session to make historic income tax cuts and extend key agriculture tax credit programs for a minimum of six years. The General Assembly will meet in Jefferson City on September 6, 2022, at 12 p.m. to begin consideration of Governor Parson’s proposed legislation.

“My team and I have been working with our colleagues in the General Assembly and agriculture partners to formulate a plan to adequately extend our critical agriculture tax credit programs and pass the largest income tax cut in state history,” Governor Parson said. “Today, we believe we have that plan and are ready to call legislators back to Jefferson City to get to work on behalf of our farmers, ranchers, and business owners and provide lasting tax relief to every taxpaying Missourian.”

Tenets of Governor Parson’s proposed tax plan include reducing the individual income tax rate, increasing the standard deduction, and further simplifying the tax code. Governor Parson’s proposed plan includes:

  • Reducing the top individual income tax rate from 5.3 to 4.8 percent, a nearly 10 percent cut;
  • Increasing the standard deduction for individuals by $2,000 and by $4,000 for married joint filers; and
  • Eliminating the bottom income tax bracket.

Governor Parson’s tax relief plan means significant savings for Missourians each year. Below are a few scenarios that estimate state income tax savings for Missourians of different backgrounds, based on the State’s tax structure:

  • Senior making $20,000 per year – 100 percent decrease in tax liability;
  • Single adult making $25,000 per year – 32 percent decrease in tax liability;
  • Single mom with two kids making $35,000 per year – 21 percent decrease in tax liability; and
  • Married couple making $125,000 per year – 11 percent decrease in tax liability. 

“Our tax cut proposal means that every taxpaying Missourian, no matter their background, income, or job description, will see a reduction in their tax liability,” Governor Parson said. “Every Missourian will earn their first $16,000 tax free and married joint filers will earn their first $32,000 tax free, resulting in significant savings for millions of Missourians. Our plan puts more of Missourians’ hard-earned dollars back in their pockets and aims to make it a little easier for families to put food on the table and gas in the car.”

Governor Parson’s special session call also includes the extension and creation of several agriculture tax credit programs intended to help develop key areas of Missouri’s agricultural industry, the state’s top economic driver. The sunset for each program will be for a minimum of six years. The call includes:

  • Extending the expiration of the meat processing facility investment tax credit;
  • Creating a tax credit program for retail dealers of higher ethanol blend fuels;
  • Creating a tax credit program for retail dealers of biodiesel;
  • Creating a tax credit program for Missouri biodiesel producers;
  • Creating a tax credit program for establishing or improving urban farming operations;
  • Extending the expiration of the Rolling Stock Tax Credit program;
  • Extending the expiration of the Agricultural Product Utilization Contributor Tax Credit;
  • Extending the expiration of the New Generation Cooperative Incentive Tax Credit;
  • Exempting utility vehicles for agriculture use from state and local sales and use taxes;
  • Creating the Specialty Agricultural Crops Act; and
  • Amending the Family Farms Act to modify the definition of small farmer.
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Ozark News

Eden Village Files Lawsuit Against Attorney General, State of Missouri

After a recently passed bill was signed by Governor Mike Parson, a local business that combats homelessness is attempting to fight it.

House Bill 1606 was signed on July 29th of this year. According to The Gathering Tree, which provides shelter to the homeless, the bill will negatively affect the organization.

The organization alleges the bill only allows government funding for shelter in specific areas such as camping facilities and parking areas, which they say limits their capabilities and could jeapordize their funding.

The Gathering Tree also says the bill increases legal punishment for homeless people if they are caught sleeping on state land and for being seen on sidewalks and streets statewide.

In a statement Monday, the organization says they filed suit in Cole County against both the State of Missouri and Attorney General Eric Schmitt in his current capacity. In the releases’ final paragraph, the organization says their wish is that the lawsuit will prevent the enforcement of the bill.

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Ozark News

Springfield Students Start New School Year: Pay Attention in School Zones

Students in Springfield begin a new school year Monday.

That means extra traffic and buses on the roads.

Make sure you stop and watch at crosswalks and obey the posted speed limit in school zones.

Pedestrians should wait for oncoming traffic to stop before crossing the road.

Police are urging drivers to pay attention, put down the phone, slow down and be aware of your surroundings.

Nixa schools are among the districts starting class Monday.

Ozarks Schools start a brand new school year on Tuesday.

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Ozark News

Illegal Immigrant, Living in Springfield, Sentenced for Child Sex Crimes

A man living in Springfield illegally will spend over 17 years in prison for child sex crimes.

A judge sentenced 34-year-old Alejandrino Velazquez-Hernandez to 17 years and six months in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor.

Prosecutors accused Hernandez of soliciting an 11-year-old girl into sending him sexually explicit images and videos of herself on Facebook. The identity of the child was never revealed.

He pleaded guilty to the charge in February of this year.

Hernandez while conduct his sentence in federal prison without the possibility of parole.

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Ozark News

Fire at Discount Dave’s in Republic

Fire has damaged a business in Republic.

The fire damaged a warehouse containing rolls of carpet at Discount Dave’s on Highway 60.

Firefighters kept the Blaze from spreading to the retail part of the building. No one was injured.

Fire crews from Republic, Battlefield and Brookline responded to the fire.

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Ozark News

Fast N Friendly Robber on the Loose

Police are looking for a man who robbed the Fast N Friendly gas station on West Division in Springfield.

Police say the man went into the store Thursday night with a gun just before Nine, demanded money and fled the scene. No one was hurt.

Authorities say the robber is described as a skinny white man, last seen wearing a hoodie, a handkerchief, and a backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Springfield Police Department.

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Ozark News

Man from Springfield Sentenced in Murder Case

A judge sentenced a man from Springfield Thursday on second-degree murder charges from 2020.

Riley Collier was sentenced to life in prison plus 44 years for second-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors accused Collier of shooting and killing Stanley Simon II in October of 2020.

Invesitgators in the case had found Simon’s stolen truck four days after the murder, with Collier’s debit card inside, and also uncovered text conversations between Collier and another suspect, Michael Stauffer, discussing the homicide.

His sentence will be served concurrently, and without the eligibility of parole.