Month: January 2024

A number of school districts in the Ozarks have called off class Wednesday, two days after ice blanketed much of southwest Missouri.

The following public schools and colleges are not in session Wednesday:

Alton

Ava

Bakersfield

Dora

Eminence (AMI Day #2)

Fordland

Gainesville

Glenwood R-8

Hartville (AMI Day #4)

Koshkonong

Lutie

Mansfield (AMI Day #2)

Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty

Norwood (AMI Day #4)

Plainview (AMI Day #2)

Plato (Daycare Open)

Seymour (AMI Day #1)

Skyline R-2 (Norwood)

Success

Thayer

Thornfield

West Plains

Winona (AMI Day #2)

A man from Galena is in custody facing charges of animal abuse after almost 30 dogs were found dead on his property.

34-year-old John Griffiths was arrested earlier this year by Stone County Sheriffs deputies after several reports of neglected animals were called in.

When authorities arrived, they found the remains of 29 dead dogs and other animals on the property fighting over the bodies.

Deputies also discovered numerous dogs restrained without access to food and water, and inadequate shelter to combat the recent frigid temperatures.

The Stone County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force to rescue another 55 dogs that were found malnourished on the property.

There were also other dead animals found at Griffiths’ residence, deputies say, including goats, a cat, and several birds.

He is charged with 29 counts of animal abuse at this time.

Months after hosting Saturday Night Live and gaining even more fame, renowned comedian Nate Bargatze is starting a new comedy tour, with a stop in the Queen City.

The comedy star, who uses a family-friendly style with clean language, announced “The Be Funny Tour” earlier this year, which will feature a stand-up performance at Great Southern Bank Arena.

The performance will be June 28, with tickets going on sale this Friday, January 26, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Tickets are $39.75 and can be purchased by visiting the Missouri State University box office website, or by calling (417) 836-7678.

Missouri Department of Transportation officials say MoDOT trucks were involved in more than 35 crashes during Monday’s icing event across the state.

MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna says some trucks slid off the road even with chains on the tires.

McKenna says 13 trucks slid off the road in southwest Missouri.

Springfield City Council members are considering a bill to regulate entertainment devices offering monetary prizes.

The “no-chance” games are popping up across Springfield and the bill would prohibit their operation due to reported negative impacts on neighborhoods.

Citizens provided nearly an hour-long testimony in reaction to the bill.

The measure will not affect “legitimate” arcades that may offer toys and similar items as prizes, as well as live games that may offer monetary prizes.

A news release from the city of Springfield says examples include games offered for fan entertainment during sporting events, which are not viewed as creating the same negative impacts created by “no-chance” devices.

Mayor Ken McClure says the entertainment devices offering monetary prizes “can result in detrimental impacts to the players of such devices.” “Regulation is necessary for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare of our community” McClure said.

A number of schools in the Ozarks have called off class again Tuesday because of icy roads. Here’s the list of public schools not in session.

Ava

Bakersfield

Bradleyville

Cabool (AMI Day #3)

Camdenton

Chadwick

Climax Springs (AMI Day #5)

Couch (AMI Day #5)

Crocker

Dallas County R-1

Dent-Phelps

Dixon

Dora

Eminence (AMI Day #1)

Fordland

Gainesville

Galena (AMI Day)

Gasconade C-4 (AMI Day #4)

Glenwood R-8

Green Forest (MO) R-2

Hartville (AMI Day #3)

Hickory County R-1 (Skyline)

Houston

Koshkonong (AMI Day #6)

Laclede County (Joel E. Barber) (will be made up on 3/8)

Laclede County R-1 (Conway) (NO AMI)

Laquey

Lebanon (AMI Day for students)

Licking

Lutie

Macks Creek

Manes (AMI Day #5)

Mansfield (AMI Day #1)

Mark Twain-Taney County

Marshfield

Mountain Grove

Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty

Newburg

Niangua (AMI Day #1)

North Wood R-4

Norwood (AMI Day #3)

Oak Hill R-1

Phelps County R-3

Plainview

Plato (Daycare closed)

Raymondville R-7

Richland

Salem, MO

School of the Osage

Seymour

Skyline R-2 (Norwood)

Skyview

Success

Summersville

Swedeborg (Make up day 3/1)

Texas County Technical College

Thornfield

Van Buren

Warsaw (Make up day 1/29)

Waynesville (OPEN, but running snow routes)

West Plains

Willow Springs

Winona (AMI Day #1)

With temperatures beginning to rise in southwest Missouri, and the possibility of ice melting soon, City Utilities in Springfield is beginning to pick back up operations.

Effective at noon Monday, CU officials say the transit service has resumed. Buses began departing the Transit Center at that time to help residents get across the city.

CU Media Relations Manager Joel Alexander says that due to the current road conditions, travel times may be effected as drivers attempt to safely transport people throughout Springfield.

With a snow, ice, rain mix causing dangerous road conditions for residents across the Ozarks, the City of Nixa is keeping its offices closed for Monday afternoon.

In a statement this morning, city officials say offices will remain closed all day today, as they anticipate rain and rising temperatures to melt the snow by Monday evening.

With that anticipated melting, the Nixa City Council is still expected to meet at 7pm tonight as scheduled.

Drew Douglas, Public Information Officer for the City of Nixa, expressed his gratitude for city employees by saying:

“And thank you to those city staff and public servants who were working today despite dangerous weather such as police and public works crews who will be doing everything they can to make roads as safe as possible and to continue providing public safety services.”

Travel is hazardous across the Ozarks Monday morning as freezing rain continues to fall.

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 3 p.m. Monday for much of southwest Missouri, while areas south and east of Springfield (Christian, Webster, Wright, Douglas, Ozark, Howell and Texas counties) are under an Ice Storm Warning.

The National Weather Service measured .10 inch of ice at 6:00 a.m. at its office in northwest Springfield, and forecasters say areas northwest of I-44 can expect a glaze to .10 inch of ice, with areas southeast of I-44 getting anywhere from .10 to .30 inch.

Areas in the higher terrain south of I-44 in the Ice Storm Warning may see anywhere from .25 to .40 inch of ice, and combined with south winds gusting up to 20 to 30 miles per hour, localized power outages and tree damage are possible.

Freezing rain is expected to turn to rain by late afternoon, with road conditions improving for the evening commute.

Get road conditions from across the Ozarks and around the state of Missouri here with the MoDOT Traveler Information Map

Here’s the latest packet from the National Weather Service on the Winter Weather Advisory and Ice Storm Warnings, expected ice amounts and travel impacts.

Springfield City Utilities says due to the road conditions, C-U Transit services will not be operating until later on Monday. An update will be provided as travel conditions improve.

Freezing rain and ice accumulations have forced a number of schools to call of class Monday.

Springfield Public Schools have called off classes, along with Missouri State University, Evangel University, OTC and Southwest Baptist University.

Here’s the list of southwest Missouri public schools and colleges/universities that are not in session Monday.

Alton

Ash Grove

Aurora

Ava

Baptist Bible College

Blue Eye (AMI Day)

Bolivar

Branson

Camdenton

Cassville (AMI Day #3)

Cox College (Classes and clinicals are cancelled)

Crocker

Dadeville

Dallas County R-1

Dent-Phelps

Dixon

Dora

El Dorado Springs (AMI Day #3)

Eminence

Evangel University

Exeter

Fordland

Gainesville

Gasconade C-4 (AMI Day #3)

Glenwood R-8

Golden City

Green Forest (MO) R-2

Hermitage

Hollister

Houston

Humansville

Laclede County (Joel E. Barber) (Day will be made up 2/23)

Laclede County R-1 (Conway) (NO AMI)

Laquey

Lebanon (AMI Day for students)

Licking

Lockwood

Logan-Rogersville (AMI Day)

Lutie

Macks Creek

Mansfield (NO AMI)

Marionville

Mark Twain-Taney County

Marshfield

Midwest Technical Institute (Morning classes cancelled. Campus will open at 10:00 a.m.)

Missouri State University (Virtual Learning Monday, Offices closed)

Missouri State University-West Plains (All campuses closed, remote learning implemented)

Monett (AMI Day #3)

Mt. Vernon

Nixa

North Wood R-4

Oak Hill R-1

OTC-Springfield, Lebanon, Republic Center, Richwood Valley, Table Rock and Waynesville all closed)

Ozark

Plato (Daycare closed)

Pleasant Hope

Purdy (AMI Day #3)

Republic (AMI Day #4)

Raymondville R-7

Richland

Rolla

Salem, MO

Shell Knob

Skyline R-2 (Norwood) (AMI Day #1)

Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar campus) (Virtual Learning Monday)

Southwest Baptist University (Mountain View campus) (Virtual Learning Monday)

Southwest Baptist University (Salem campus) (Virtual Learning Monday)

Southwest Baptist University (Springfield campus) (remote learning/remote work)

Southwest Barry County R-5 (AMI Day #4)

Sparta (Makeup day Monday, 2/5)

Springfield R-12 Schools

Springfield Catholic Schools

Springfield Lutheran School

Stoutland

Strafford (AMI Day)

Summersville

Swedeborg (Make up day 2/2)

Texas County Technical College

Thornfield

Van Buren

Verona (AMI Day)

Waynesville

West Plains

Wheatland (AMI Day #3)

Willard

Willow Springs

Winona