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Ozark News

Ozark Police Reporting Ongoing Scame

Police in Ozark are warning residents that scammers are “spoofing” the police department’s phone number.

Authorities say the caller asks for personal information so they can pay an outstanding bond or fine.

Ozark PD says it does not ask people to pay fines over the phone.

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Ozark News

Property Tax Law Under Question by Greene County Collector

Greene County Collector Allen Icet says a new law allowing counties to freeze property taxes for senior citizens needs clarification.

Senate Bill 190 allows counties to freeze property taxes for people eligable for social security, own a home, or pay property taxes on a home.

Icet says the bill has no guidelines to determine who is eligible or what happens if property taxes decrease. Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon says the law does not have the details necessary to implement it.

The law is scheduled to go into effect August 28th.

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Ozark News

Dickerson Park Euthanize Giraffe

The Dickerson Park Zoo had to euthanize a giraffe.

Gidget was the matriarch of giraffe herd at the zoo.

The giraffe was suffering from arthritis and was unable to move.

The giraffe was brought to the Dickerson Park Zoo from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 1993.

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Ozark News

Teenager Charged with Stealing in Ozark; Suspect in Springfield Shooting

A teenager is in custody on several charges of stealing, but is also being investigating in connection with a shooting in Springfield.

Investigators say 19-year-old Talon Voight had parked his car at a business on Jackson Street in Ozark July 14th when he shoved his hand inside an outdoor trash can.

Police were called to the scene and found a wallet in the trash can, along with credit cards, drivers license’s and social security cards belonging to three different people inside his vehicle.

Voight is facing five felony counts of stealing.

Officers also say they found ammunition in the car, at which time they were informed that Voight was a person of interest in a shooting that had injured one in Springfield July 13th.

No charges have been filed in connection with the shooting at this time.

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Ozark News

Officials Hope to Have Construction Projects in Springfield Completed by End of Summer

Despite being the hottest part of the year, the summer months are some of the most busy for construction workers in southwest Missouri.

With dozens of roadway projects underway in the area, officials say many of them should be completed by the time fall rolls around.

Springfield Public Works says the following list of projects should be completed in the near future:

  • Cherry Street between Weller Avenue and Barnes Avenue
  • Elm Street between the railroad and Barnes Avenue
  • Park Avenue between Atlantic Street and Kearney Street
  • Florence Avenue between Saint Louis Street and Cherry Street
  • Cox Avenue between Battlefield Road and Butterfield Street
  • Grandview Road between Barnes Avenue and Neergard Avenue
  • Grant Avenue between Jean Street and Norton Road

City officials also say they expect the Jefferson Streetscape Project to be pretty much complete by the second week of August.

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Missouri News

Blunt Added to Board of Directors for Southwest Airlines

Former US Senator Roy Blunt has been added to the board of directors of Southwest Airlines.

Blunt was a member of the US House for 14 years before serving as a Senator for 12 years.

Southwest Airlines Chairman Gary Kelly says Blunt brings with him experience as Chairman of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee.

Southwest Airlines is based in Dallas.

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Missouri News

Missouri Right to Life Endorses Ashcroft for Governor

The Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee has chosen to offer Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft their exclusive endorsement in the 2024 race for Missouri’s Governor.

Their endorsement in the Republican primary field excludes the top two other Republican candidates, Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, and State Senator Bill Eigel.

In an interview with Missouri Right to Life’s Dave Plemmons on Wake Up Springfield Tuesday morning, Dave Plemmons discussed how the PAC believes strongly in Senator Eigel’s pro-life credentials, but that they believe Secretary Ashcroft is the strongest candidate for the job. Plemmons noted that the PAC does not feel that Lt. Governor Kehoe is a strong supporter of the pro-life standards that the PAC upholds.

The Missouri Right to Life press release notes, “As Missouri Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft has strongly defended the Right to Life when called to do so. His positions consistently align with Missouri’s pro-life majority voters. Ashcroft has the executive skills as Missouri’s top election officer, and most importantly, he has demonstrated his passion for saving the lives of innocent unborn children, vulnerable seniors and those with disabilities.”

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Ozark News

Ash Grove Bond Issue Fails In Recount

The secret manual recount of ballots from the Ash Grove school district’s failed bond issue in April has yielded the same results.

The Ash Grove Commonwealth reports superintendent Dr. Aaron Gerla delivered the update at the June 29th school board meeting.

“Proposition Kids,” which would have secured nine point four million dollars to add on to Ash Grove Elementary School, needed 57-point-one percent of the vote to pass, but only received 56-point-nine percent.

County clerks from Greene, Dade and Lawrence counties participated in the recount.

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Ozark News

Monday Afternoon’s Severe Weather Recap

Severe weather struck the Ozarks Monday afternoon.

The National Weather Service in Springfield received reports of ping pong ball size hail at Pleasant Hope and golf ball to quarter size hail in Lebanon.

Several reports of trees blown down in Seymour and Niangua.

Seymour also reported shingles blown off a roof and a hotel sign blown down.

A tree was blown down across west Highway 32 at Halfway.

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Ozark News

Gas Main Explosion in Springfield; Hundreds without Power

City Utilities in Springfield say hundreds are without power after a gas main exploded in the city.

Officials say the explosion happened at around noon Monday on South Charleston Avenue near Lake Springfield.

The fire caused an evacuation due to the potential for expansion and the possibility of downed power lines.

Reports say maintenance was occurring in the area, which CU believes may have been the cause of the explosion.

No injuries were reported. There is no timetable for when power could be restored at this time.