Springfield school district leaders are looking for input from parents on next
year’s school calendar. In a report Monday, the district’s calendar committee
says there are two options available, one with a longer Thanksgiving break of
two extra days, and the other with a longer Christmas break of two extra
days. Parents should check their email for a link to the options page.
The Missouri Highway Patrol reports eight traffic fatalities in the state over the
Thanksgiving holiday weekend. One of those fatalities was a pedestrian from
Tennessee who was killed while crossing highway 65 just south of Sedalia.
There were two drownings, both at Lake of the Ozarks. the patrol reports 115
people were injured in crashes. Troopers made 113 arrests for DWI and 35 for
drug offenses.
The identities of two people found dead at Lake of the Ozarks have been released.
Investigators say the two victims have been identified as 24-year-old Uthej Kunta and 25-year-old Shiva Kelligari.
Reports say the two men were from India.
According to troopers with the Highway Patrol, Kelligari was swimming in the lake when he began to have trouble swimming.
Kunta then jumped into the water to save him, but both died.
Kunta’s body was found a few hours after authorities arrived, while Kelligari’s body was discovered early Sunday morning.
A man from Ozark County will soon be released from prison following a guilty plea of manslaughter.
42-year-old Brian Dunaway pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year after he shot and killed a man in the Theodosia area.
Reports say Dunaway told police he shot the man after witnessing him assault his girlfriend.
Dunaway also told police the man charged at him before he fired.
Investigators discovered he was under the influence of meth at the time of the incident, which Dunaway later admitted to.
An Ozark County judge sentenced the Theodosia resident to ten years in prison, but ordered the sentence suspended.
A new study by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce shows many parents are
leaving the workforce due to a lack of childcare or the high cost of childcare.
The study shows more than 30 per cent of Missouri parents have left a job or
not taken a job in the last year because of childcare issues. The study reports
that has cost the state’s economy more than 1-point-3 billion dollars. Many
childcare facilities closed during the pandemic and did not re-open.
The Highway Patrol says the bodies of two men from India have been recovered
from Lake of the Ozarks. Troopers were called to the point five mile mark of
the main channel of the lake near Bagnell Dam Saturday afternoon. One victim
was found Saturday evening, while the second body was recovered on Sunday.
Investigators say one of the men began to struggle in the water and went
under. The other man dove into the water to try to save him and did not come
back up.
Four Greene County people are dead and a child is injured today after a multi-vehicle crash on Thanksgiving night.
The crash happened near the intersection of I-44 West Chestnut Expressway when an eastbound pickup truck struck the rear of an eastbound S-U-V and then crossed the median and struck a westbound car head-on, according to the Highway Patrol.
The victims are 33 year old Joshua Wamsley and Danielle Dillman, both of Springfield and 44 year old Patrick and Shandrea Holloway, both of Republic.
Springfield city traffic engineers are keeping a close watch on traffic patterns near busy shopping centers on this Black Friday.
Glenstone and Battlefield is one of the most congested intersections.
Engineers are adjusting the patterns as needed to make sure drivers can get to their destination as promptly as possible.
The best advice to you? If you’re trying to get in and out of a business on a busy street, be wary of when traffic is stopped.
Some drivers might wave you on, but check both lanes and not just the lane that’s stopped.
Many stores in the Springfield area opened early Friday morning to lure Black Friday shoppers.
Kohl’s opened its doors at 5:00 a.m., with Walmart starting at 6:00 and Target at 7:00.
Costco opened at 9:00 a.m. Bass Pro Shops and Academy Sports and Outdoors started the shopping deals at 5:00 a.m., with Dick’s Sporting Goods starting at 6:00.
Best Buy opened at 5:00 a.m., and Home Depot, Lowe’s and Menard’s started their Black Friday hours at 6:00.
A total of 4,437 registered participants have taken part in the 28th Annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk in Springfield.
The first in-person Turkey Trot in three years started Thursday morning downtown despite a rainy forecast, although the rain cleared in time for the starting gun.
Registration was down from the pre-pandemic average of about 7,000.
The annual event is Springfield’s largest timed 5K race at the largest Thanksgiving Day 5K in Missouri.
Here are the award winners:
Overall Female: Rebecca Senn, age 31, at 18:55 (Senn was also the Overall Female winner in 2017 (18:49) and 2019 (19:37).
Overall Male: Daniel Anderson, age 28, Washington D.C., at 15:18.
Masters (40+) Female: Kristen Hall, age 41, at 21:20.
Masters (40+) Male: Toby Dogwiler, age 48, at 17:22 Dogwiler was also the Masters Male winner in 2019 (18:09).
Grand Masters (60+) Female: Liz Kyger, age 63, at 23:07. Kyger also won Masters Female in 2016 (21:05) and 2014 (21:07).
Grand Masters (60+) Male: Eric Sells, age 61, at 21:51.
Two people from Barry County are facing charges of assault after allegedly attacking a victim with a handgun.
Authorities say Jason Swift and Sarena Tucker are charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon after investigators say they attacked a man in the Cassville area and hit him repeatedly with a pistol.
Reports say the assault happened on November 9, and the victim was transported to a hospital due to his injuries.
Swift and Tucker are being held in the Barry County Jail on a $50,000 bond each.