Highlandville Police Chief Warren Hagar had four fire protection districts battling a blaze at his home in Christian County early Friday morning.
Nixa, Logan-Rogersville, and Battlefield joined Ozark fire crews in the effort.
Hagar was not in his Nixa, MO home at the time of the fire.
Royal Oak has announced it will close its charcoal plant in Branson in early 2023.
The closing will impact nearly 50 workers.
The company says it will work with its employees to relocate them to one of its ten other locations in Missouri.
Royal Oak is the largest producer of lump charcoal in the United States.
A missing teenage girl has been found safe.
The Branson Police Department says 15 year old Shadalyn Thrash went missing Wednesday night from the area around State Highway 248 and Country Ridge.
Missouri State University will rename Temple Hall for retiring Senator Roy Blunt.
The M-S-U Board of Governors approved the renaming of the building at their meeting Thursday.
The building is the home of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences department.
Blunt is a Missouri State University graduate. He lead an effort to appropriate more than $56 million to support life, health and physical science research, teaching and facilities at M-S-U.
Eric Schmitt has been named Chief of Police in Branson Missouri.
Schmitt served as Assistance Police Chief since 2017, following a 25 year career as an officer in the Denver area.
This announcement follows the resignation on Monday of Jeff Mathews, former Branson Police Chief, as well as a Staff Sergeant in the department. Mathews and the resigned Staff Sergeant have been involved in an internal investigation at the department.
Schmitt has not yet named his replacement, but has said that it will be an internal promotion.
ESPN College football insider Chris Low is reporting Missouri State Football Coach Bobby Petrino is leaving Springfield to become the offensive coordinator at UNLV.
Low tweeted Thursday morning sources tell ESPN Petrino is scheduled to fly to Las Vegas Thursday to finalize the deal with the Rebels.
Neither UNLV or Missouri State has confirmed the report.
Missouri State went 18-15 under Petrino in three seasons, including two appearances in the FCS postseason.
This year’s Bears team went 5-6.
Nixa Police are warning residents of a scam involving people impersonating police department staff.
The Nixa Police say they had several reports from residents saying they were called by a person claiming to be from the police department threatening to serve a subpoena or other “urgent legal matters.”
The scammers are also spoofing the police department’s phone number, but ask people to call another number.
Nixa Police say that if you get a call, don’t send them money, buy gift cards or provide any personal information.
The Highway Patrol is investigating a crash and car fire that caused the death of a 17-year-old in Maries County.
Troopers say the crash occurred along Highway N Tuesday night near Highway 28, when investigators say the driver lost control and ran off the road.
Shortly after the crash, reports say the car caught fire.
The driver of the car, identified as a Dixon resident, was transported to the hospital, but died early Wednesday morning.
Troopers say because the driver is under 18-years-old, their identity isn’t being released.
It is Troop I’s 35th death of 2022.
Authorities are still searching for two teenage girls who have been missing for several weeks in southwest Missouri.
Police in Bolivar say 16-year-old Kaitlynn Dooley went missing on November 14th from her home. Her parents say she went to bed the night of November 13th and was gone the next morning.
Dooley is 5 foot 4, 130 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Another missing teen, 19-year-old Roxanne Pride, is missing from Lebanon, and authorities believe she may be in the Springfield area.
Reports say she was last seen on December 2nd along Hunter’s Creek Drive in Lebanon driving a sedan.
Officers say Pride is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and 100 pounds with dark blonde hair and blue eyes.
Investigators do not believe the girls’ disappearances are connected.
If you have any information about either girls whereabouts, you can contact your local law enforcement agency.
The Branson Police Department is announcing the resignation of their police chief and a staff sergeant.
Former Chief Jeff Mathews and former Staff Sergeant Pat Gray were placed on administrative leave on October 25th as part of a human relations investigation.That investigation has not been completed.
Mathews and Gray reportedly resigned on Monday. A new police chief will be announced Thursday.