Month: March 2023

A man from Springfield is accused of threatening officers while robbing an area grocery store.

41-year-old Jerimiah Green is charged with second-degree burglary, resisting arrest and armed criminal action.

Police were called to the grocery store on West Commercial Sunday morning after an alarm went off. The store was not open at the time.

When they arrived, they found Green inside the store with a large knife after forcing his way in through the front door.

Officers attempted to negotiate with him, and asked him to drop the knife, which he refused.

He later told police to shoot him and even threw the knife at authorities to try and escalate the situation. He then told police he had a gun, and made a finger gun gesture at officers.

Police say they then went outside and formed a perimeter around the store before going back in and finding Green in the rafters of the building.

Once he was arrested, Green admitted to authorities that he was under the influence of meth.

A bar in downtown Springfield is increasing security measures following allegations of women being drugged at the business.

City of Springfield Spokeswoman Cora Scott says more than one woman has filed a police report about possibly being given a date rape drug at Inner Circle Vodka Bar on west Walnut.

The owners of the bar posted on Facebook they’re aware of the allegations and are taking steps to promote safety at the establishment and do not believe any staff members are involved in drugging customers.

Springfield Police are investigating a fatal crash that happened Wednesday evening.

The crash happened at Republic Road and National Avenue around 5 p.m, when a Chevy Silverado driven by 51-year-old Christopher Coburn ran off the road and struck a culvert made from landscaping blocks.

Coburn died from his injuries at a hospital.

If you have any information about this crash, please contact the Springfield Police Department.

Springfield is getting an Arena League football franchise, starting in the summer of next year.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon, the league’s founders Tommy Benizio and Tim Brown, announced the city was selected to have a team.

Benizio began the festivities thanking the city of Springfield for its hospitality, and shared his excitement for the team and league.

Later during the presser, league commissioner Tim Brown, former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer, made the announcement official.

Springfield, Missouri is the first city chosen for a franchise with The Arena League.

The league is unique in some of its rules, which includes a 6-on-6 style of play versus the traditional 8-on-8 that most arena leagues play.

Fans will also be able to judge officials following games, different than any other football league in the U.S.

For those excited about the new team, you can visit the leagues Springfield website, where you can vote on the team name, team colors, and look at pricing options for season tickets.

The season will begin in June of 2024, with home games being played at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds at the new Wilson-Logistics Arena.

TAL (The Arena League) signed a three-year lease with the fairgrounds.

The arena is under construction, but is expected to be completed by March of next year.

A gallery of photos taken from the press conference can be found below:

Two women from Waynesville have been charged with the murder of a child.

Angela West and Shamira Buford are charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, and child abuse.

West and Buford allegedly tied the 5-year-old girl to a bed to stop her. The two are being held in the Pulaski County Jail.

City officials say the number of overdose deaths due to heroine and fentanyl is falling in Springfield, despite police finding more drugs in the area.

In 2022, Springfield Police seized four times as many opiates in 2022 than it did in 2021.

Despite that, health officials reported less deaths from drug overdoses last year than in 2021.

Experts say the drop in deaths can be attributed to the overdose drug Narcan becoming more widely available, as well as city groups helping those with addiction find paths to sobriety.

Springfield Police are investigating a homicide early Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to a call from a man about a woman not breathing at a house on South Clifton Avenue.

They found 41-year-old Crystal Dye of Springfield.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy showed internal injuries and bruises on her body.

Police arrested the man who made the call, 59 year old Jerome Poole, on a second-degree murder charge Wednesday.

He is being held without bond.

A federal U.S. judge has ruled that Missouri’s Second Amendment Preservation Act is unconstitutional.

Judge Brian Wimes said in his decision violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which states that federal laws supersede laws of the individual states.

Law enforcement officers have expressed concerns since the bill was introduced, saying it would make investigating gun related crimes more difficult.

The bill is designed to prohibit local police from enforcing federal gun regulations.

Wimes also said the bill “exposes citizens to greater harm.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says his office plans to appeal the decision.

TOMORROW IS THE DAY SPRINGFIELD OFFICIALLY FINDS OUT IF IT WILL GET AN ARENA LEAGUE FOOTBALL TEAM. THE NEW INDOOR LEAGUE HAS ANNOUNCED SPRINGFIELD IS AMONG TEN FINALISTS TO HOST A TEAM IN THE INAUGURAL 2024 SEASON. HOME GAMES WOULD BE PLAYED IN THE NEW 66-HUNDRED SEAT MULTI-PURPOSE ARENA BEING BUILT AT THE OZARK EMPIRE FAIRGROUNDS. N-F-L HALL OF FAMER AND HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER TIM BROWN IS THE COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW ARENA LEAGUE, AND WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THURSDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT.

The newly re-founded Arena Football League will be in Springfield Thursday afternoon to announce whether the city will receive an AFL franchise.

Springfield is being considered as one of ten finalists to receive an AFL team.

The complete list of cities named as finalists can be found below:

• Kansas City, Missouri
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Waterloo, Iowa
• Dubuque, Iowa
• Rochester, Minnesota
• Duluth, Minnesota
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Rockford, Illinois
• Wichita Falls, Texas

A press conference will be held Thursday morning, where the owners of the AFL will be in Springfield to announce a new partnership with the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.

Tim Brown, Heisman Trophy winner and NFL hall of famer, who is commissioner of the league, will be in attendance at the press conference.

We’re paying more this week in the Springfield area to fill up our gas tanks.

The price of regular unleaded jumped to $3.19 a gallon from Tuesday into Wednesday at many gas stations around town.

Prices were hovering arounf $2.99 a gallon at the begining of the week. Experts say one of the reason is the switch to a more expensive Sumer blend. Also, more drivers will be on the road for Spring Break in the next two weeks.