Month: May 2023

A man from Versailles is in custody after he allegedly assaulted a Camden County Deputy following an argument at a little league baseball game.

Authorities were called to the Ballparks National in Macks Creek on Saturday, May 13, for a dispute between a parent at the game and an umpire, 56-year-old Neil Sidebottom.

Investigators say a witness claimed to be shoved by Sidebottom. When deputies arrived, he umpire refused to cooperate, not giving his name and then walked away.

When a deputy at the scene attempted to stop Sidebottom, he became aggressive and took the deputy down using a chokehold.

Other deputies and parents nearby were able to assist the deputy and get him free.

Sidebottom was then arrested at the scene. He is facing charges of first-degree assault and resisting arrest.

The deputy was treated for minor injuries.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils will perform with the Springfield Symphony in August.

The concert will be held in the Mansion Theater for the performing arts on Saturday, August 19th. Tickets will go on sale this Friday.

Daredevils founding partner John Dillon says playing with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra will highlight the band’s songs in a completely different light.

After nearly two years and over $6 million in construction, the new pedestrian underpass on Grand Street is now open.

Missouri State University announced Friday that the project was completed and accessible.

The underpass, which runs underneath Grand, connects the 1,400 spot parking lot to the campus without students having to worry about the traffic on the street.

The project has received ADA approval with the additions of a ramp for wheelchair access, and an elevator on the north side of the underpass for those with physical disabilities.

Officials say it also includes improved lighting and sidewalks, as well as handrails up and down each side of the underpass.

The project was slated to be completed last year, but the COVID-19 pandemic inflated the cost of supplies, and flooding slowed down construction.

A few isolated strong to marginally severe thunderstorms are possible in the Ozarks after 4 p.m. Friday.

The National Weather Service says any storms that fire up are capable of producing wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour and hail up to the size of quarters.

Areas along and west of a line from Stockton to Monett to Rogers, Arkansas are under a Level 2 “slight risk” for severe storms, while areas east of that line are under a Level 1 “marginal risk.”

We’ll have any watches or warnings issued by the National Weather Service on 93-3 AM 560 KWTO.

A Canadian company plans to build a wind farm near Lockwood.

Bluearth Renewables CEO Grant Arnold says the wind project will be called Buffalo Ranch and will be next to Liberty Utility’s New Kings Point facility.

Arnold says the project will have up to 65 wind turbines.

Tax money from the wind farms goes to counties and school districts. The Lockwood school district already gets 250 thousand dollars a year from the 13 wind turbines in the district.

Governor Mike Parson announced a new state-funded emergency mobile app that school staff members can use to alert first responders to emergencies.

Public and charter schools will be able to sign up for the app which is free to schools and users.

The governor said the app would expedite and streamline emergency response by giving school staff the ability to quickly start an alert from their phone or computer.    

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a car in Hickory County.

Troopers say the victim, 33-year-old Urbana native Lacey Ritch, was walking along Highway 54 east of Weaubleau early Thursday morning when she was hit by a Pontiac Grand Am.

The driver of the car was a 52-year-old woman from Hermitage, whose identity has not yet been released.

Ritch was pronounced dead at the scene at around 4:00 a.m.