Month: September 2023

 This sotry courtesy of Jessica Hammer of OzarksFirst.com-

A woman from Wheatland is dead after a single-car crash west of Galmey.

According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 66-year-old Brenda L. Fisk was heading westbound on County Road 159 four miles west of Galmey just before noon on Sunday.

The crash happened when the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Fisk was driving went off the right side of the road before hitting an embankment and going airborne. The car flipped multiple times. Fisk died at the scene.

This is Troop D’s 103rd fatality for 2023.

This story courtesy of Jessica Hammer of OzarksFirst.com 

A head-on crash near Stockton has left four people injured, including two teens who were seriously hurt.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the crash happened Sep. 10 around 2 p.m. on State Highway 39 eight miles south of Stockton.

A northbound Jeep Renegade and a southbound Ford Five Hundred crashed head-on in the northbound lane.

A 16-year-old girl from Springfield was riding in the Ford with the 18-year-old driver from Greenfield. Both were airlifted to a Springfield hospital.

The Renegade was driven by a 26-year-old man from Springfield who was also flown to a Springfield hospital. His 22-year-old female passenger was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

A traffic stop has led to a drug bust and a man being arrested.

Springfield Police say 46-year-old Corey Williams is in the Greene County Jail facing charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Officers stopped Williams’ vehicle and found 38 pounds of methamphetamine.

Officers arrested Williams without incident.

A man from Springfield will spend several years on probation after being convicted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Investigators say Rostell King was seen on surveillance footage with his ex at the Vue Apartments on East Walnut in July of last year.

The footage shows him punching and kicking the victim, leaving her with scratches, bruises, a broken tooth and 12 stiches.

King pleaded guilty to a first-degree assault charge and was sentenced Wednesday to five years probation.

Prosecutors believe his actions should have warranted time in prison, and say this was not an isolated incident, according to the victim.

 This story courtesy of Carissa Codel of OzarksFirst.com-

A public hearing between the Department of Natural Resources and those concerned for the Pomme de Terre River is being scheduled after multiple questions were raised about a slaughterhouse potentially polluting the river.

Pleasant Hope residents want answers about Missouri Prime Beef Packers’ proposal to dump 350,000 gallons of treated wastewater into local waterways each day.

“There’s a correct way to treat your waste,” said John Bledsoe, a member of the Missouri Stream Team. “I think that dumping it in the river is a shortcut.”

Missouri Prime Beef Packers is hoping to use a new technology called iLeaf to treat the waste before disposing of it in the Pomme de Terre River.

“When we talk about significant degradation, that was a word that was questioned a lot,” said Water Pollution Control Branch Chief Heather Peters with DNR. “All we’re saying is that it’s not insignificant.”

Insignificant degradation is discharge that wouldn’t cause any harm to water whatsoever.

The Governor has asked the President for a federal disaster declaration.

Governor Mike Parson requested that President Biden approve a disaster declaration to provide federal assistance for 33 counties in Missouri impacted by severe weather in July and August.

Storm systems brought tornados, powerful winds, heavy rain, and flooding.

The federal assistance would cover the infrastructure damage estimated at over $14-million dollars.

Here is the news release with the names of the counties in the declaration.

(Jefferson City, MO) – Today, Governor Mike Parson requested that President Joe Biden approve a major disaster declaration to provide federal assistance in 33 counties in response to multiple severe weather systems that impacted Missouri from July 29 – August 14. These storm systems generated tornadoes, straight line winds, heavy rain, and flooding across the state, leading to significant damage to public infrastructure.

“For the past several weeks, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been working tirelessly and in close coordination with our federal and local partners to document widespread damage as a result of the severe weather that repeatedly struck Missouri late this summer,” Governor Parson said. “We are confident that federal assistance will be forthcoming and appreciate all the work that’s already been done by SEMA, local responders, and partner agencies to help our communities recover.”

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments conducted by SEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and local emergency managers estimate more than $14 million in infrastructure damage and emergency response costs eligible for federal assistance.

Governor Parson is requesting Public Assistance for the following counties: Adair, Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Camden, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Dade, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Henry, Iron, Knox, Madison, Maries, Mississippi, Morgan, New Madrid, Ozark, Perry, Scotland, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Ste. Genevieve, Taney, Vernon, Wayne, and Worth.

If approved, local governments and qualifying nonprofit agencies may seek federal assistance for reimbursement of emergency response and recovery costs, including repair and replacement costs for damaged roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure.

On August 5, Governor Parson signed Executive Order 23-08 activating the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan in response to continuing severe weather. On August 4, an EF-2 tornado in Baring, Missouri, located in Knox County, destroyed or caused major damage to more than 35 residences as well as the town’s post office, fire station, and several other buildings. More than 30 people were displaced from their homes.

That same night, torrential rain in Adair County led to flash flooding and dozens of emergency calls. Hundreds of thousands of Missourians also lost power during the incident period due to strong winds downing trees and utility poles.

Individuals with unmet needs should contact United Way 211. Call 2-1-1 for assistance or visit http://211helps.org. For additional resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri, please visit recovery.mo.gov.

The cause of death for Springfield Central and Drury University graduate, and legendary The Price is Right host Bob Barker has been released.

Barker, who was 100 days shy of his 100th birthday, died as a result of Alzheimer’s Disease, according to a report first released by TMZ.

His death certificate indicates he had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years, and also listed hypertension and high cholesterol as “other significant conditions” in his passing.

Barker hosted The Price is Right for over 30 years, from 1972 to 2007.

He was a 1941 graduate of Central High School and then attended Drury University on a basketball scholarship, graduating with honors after serving in the military during World War II.