Month: November 2022

The Missouri Department of Transportation officials say the department is losing about 60 employees a months, mostly due to pay.

Workers got a 2% raise last January and the legislature approved a five and a half per cent cost of living adjustment, but MODOT director Patrick McKenna says that is not enough.

McKenna says 75% of employees who left MODOT in the last five years left because of low pay. McKenna says the department has almost 900 positions open now.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce has honored retiring Senator Roy Blunt Thursday.

The Chamber presented Senator Blunt with the Missourian in the Arena Award, which is the chamber’s highest recognition for elected officials.

The award is for advocating for Missouri employers and workers.

The identity of a bicyclist who died after being struck by a vehicle last month has been released.

The crash happened on October 12 near the intersection of Division and Kansas Expressway.

55 year-old Joseph Hamer of Springfield was stuck by a pickup turning from Division.

Police say impairment is not suspected in a crash.

Hamer died at a local hospital a few days later.

The medical examiner reported the name to the Springfield Police on Thursday.

Nearly a dozen business and community leaders gathered Thursday at our KWTO studios in Springfield for our sixth CEO Roundtable.

Educational, law enforcement, mental health, development, banking, insurance industry and tourism leaders spent an hour and a half at a luncheon discussing everything from the strength of our local economy, whether we are in or headed for a recession, the future of development in Springfield following last week’s no vote on Galloway Village, attracting and retaining top talent, and crime in our community.

KWTO will use this discussion to help develop future programming, including interviews on Wake Up Springfield, The Elijah Haahr Show, and Watching the Ozarks with Bonnie Bell.

Thanks to those who participated in the CEO Roundtable:

Jeff James—American Print Products

Dr. Matt Hudson—Ozarks Technical Community College

Kirk Elmquist—Branson Lakes Area Tourism and Community Enhancement District

Dr. Brad Johnson—College of the Ozarks

Ryan Allison—Ollis/Akers/Arney

C.J, Davis—Burrell Behavioral Health

Sam Coryell—TLC Properties

Chief Paul Williams—Springfield Police Department

John Griesemer—Erlen Group

Bryant Young—Insurors of the Ozarks

Callie Carroll—Old Missouri Bank

Zimmer Midwest Communications holds our CEO Roundtable events quarterly in Springfield.

The Aurora fire department is investigating a fire that caused 50 thousand dollars worth of damage at a house in their city.

The home is at the corner of Plumb street and Madison. Five area fire departments assisted the Aurora Fire Department battle the fire.

No one was injured in the fire.

Light snow and flurries will be possible this evening and overnight, especially North and East of Springfield.

The National Weather Service says little accumulation is expected. The precipitation may briefly start as rain, but change over to snow in the early evening.

Limited moisture will keep any totals on the very light side.

Be careful driving on bridges and overpasses, which will freeze quicker than the ground.