Month: April 2024

Tuesday is election day in the Ozarks.

There are contested mayoral races in Willard, Fair Grove, Marshfield, Battlefield and Walnut Grove.

Residents in Springfield and Republic will be voting on amendments to the city charter.

Many communities in the area are having school board races, including Springfield, Willard, Nixa, Ozark, and Sparta.

There are school money issues being voted on in Clever, Sparta, Lebanon, Bolivar, Ava, Fair Play and Halfway.

Also, the Republic, Nixa, Rogersville, Fordland, and Pleasant Hope will vote on marijuana taxes.

One person is dead after a crash outside of Stark City near Neosho.

Highway Patrol Troopers say the crash occurred Sunday afternoon on State Highway 86.

The Lincoln Navigator driven by 87-year-old Nylen Allphin reportedly ran off the right side of the road and experienced a medical emergency.

Allphin was taken to a nearby hospital, but passed away shortly after.

The Ozark Chamber of Commerce announced their new President and CEO Monday Morning, a familiar face to many in the area.

Chris Russell will assume the responsibilities with “A commitment to community, economic development, and supporting local business”. Russell joins the team with the experience of holding the same position for 5 years in the Nixa Chamber of Commerce.

When asked about the position Russell said “Having the the opportunity to bring my passion of success to Ozark and collaborate with the board, volunteers, and the entire community is an immense honor for me”.

Authorities in Osage Beach are still investigating a disturbance that led to a shooting that injured one person.

Officers arrived at the area of Passover Road near a roundabout that includes Mill Road and Wilson Drive Sunday night, where they found the victim with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The victim was rushed to an area hospital. Their condition has not been released at this time.

Investigators say several people were taken to the Osage Beach Police Department for interviews, but did not announce if any arrests had been made.

The identity of the victim, or any potential suspects, have not been made public.

A woman from West Plains is facing charges after a teenage boy came forward to report a sexual assault two years after the incident.

Investigators say Ashlea Pendergrass assaulted the boy two years ago while at a sleepover in her care.

The now 16-year-old was 14 at the time, and told police she told him, “I could get in trouble for this. You can’t tell anyone.”

West Plains Police say Pendergrass is charged with:

• Three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy
• One count of second-degree statutory rape

Court documents say she fled the state before she could be interviewed in the case. She is next due in court on April 19.

The city of Crane announced over the weekend the death of Police Chief Bill Timmsen following an illness.

In a Facebook post, the city said Timmsen, who was appointed chief in 2021, “was not just a guardian of law and order, he was a beacon of hope, a pillar of strength, and a true friend to those that knew him. Chief TImmsen’s leadership was characterized by integrity, empathy, and a deep commitment to justice, making our streets safer and our hearts fuller.”

Timmsen came to the Ozarks with 25 years of law enforcement experience with the Palm Beach County Florida Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities in Douglas County say a woman is dead after a propane explosion at a home near Denlow.

The sheriff’s office says when crews arrived on the scene Saturday night, they learned a man made it out of the house with minor injuries, but wasn’t able to get an elderly woman out of the home.

Several fire crews worked through the night to put out the fire, and on Sunday morning, Sheriff Chris Degase went back into the house with a mini-excavator to move debris in an attempt to find the victim.

Crews discovered the woman’s body around noon on Sunday.

The sheriff says the homeowner had been smelling propane for several days, but couldn’t locate the leak.