Absentee voting has started on the April Municipal Elections in Greene County.
The ballot includes a proposal for the City of Springfield to raise the hotel tax by 3% to fund a new convention center, along with elections in various local districts.
In-person absentee voting will occur at the Greene County Elections Center, 1126 N. Boonville Avenue, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the day before the election.
Voters must present a valid photo ID for in-person absentee voting.
A Douglas County judge sentenced Bobby Lee Banks to life in prison without parole for second-degree murder, following his Alford plea in the 1989 death of Kelle Ann Workman.
The state dropped charges of kidnapping and forcible rape in exchange for the plea.
Workman was abducted while mowing a cemetery in Douglas County.
A Douglas County judge sentenced Bobby Lee Banks to life in prison without parole for second-degree murder, following his Alford plea in the 1989 death of Kelle Ann Workman.
The state dropped charges of kidnapping and forcible rape in exchange for the plea.
Workman was abducted while mowing a cemetery in Douglas County.
Law enforcement across the nation are mourning the deaths of two Christian County Sheriff’s deputies who were shot and killed in the line of duty on Monday.
Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, 30, joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office on March 14th, 2025. Sheriff Brad Cole says though his time with the agency was brief, his commitment to serving others and protecting the community was clear from the very beginning.
Ramirez was shot and killed by Richard Bird from Galena during a traffic stop around 4pm Monday on Highway 160 near Highway HH in the Highlandville area.
A manhunt for Bird ensued and ended early Tuesday morning when the suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement in Reeds Spring, but not before three other deputies were shot, two from Christian County and one from Webster County.
Deputy Michael Hislope, 40, died from his injuries early Tuesday. Sheriff Cole says Hislope served the community honorably since October 28th, 2019. Cole says he was a dedicated deputy, a trusted colleague, and a valued member of the sheriff’s office family.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff says “these men answered the call to serve, putting the safety of others before their own, including serving our nation in the U.S. Army. Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Christian County will never be forgotten.” “We ask our community to keep their families, friends and fellow deputies in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Sheriff Cole said.
The two deputies who were shot and wounded include one from the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and one from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say their injuries aren’t believed to be life-threatening.
Law enforcement across the nation are mourning the deaths of two Christian County Sheriff’s deputies who were shot and killed in the line of duty on Monday.
Deputy Gabriel Ramirez, 30, joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office on March 14th, 2025. Sheriff Brad Cole says though his time with the agency was brief, his commitment to serving others and protecting the community was clear from the very beginning.
Ramirez was shot and killed by Richard Bird from Galena during a traffic stop around 4pm Monday on Highway 160 near Highway HH in the Highlandville area.
A manhunt for Bird ensued and ended early Tuesday morning when the suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement in Reeds Spring, but not before three other deputies were shot, two from Christian County and one from Webster County.
Deputy Michael Hislope, 40, died from his injuries early Tuesday. Sheriff Cole says Hislope served the community honorably since October 28th, 2019. Cole says he was a dedicated deputy, a trusted colleague, and a valued member of the sheriff’s office family.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff says “these men answered the call to serve, putting the safety of others before their own, including serving our nation in the U.S. Army. Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Christian County will never be forgotten.” “We ask our community to keep their families, friends and fellow deputies in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Sheriff Cole said.
The two deputies who were shot and wounded include one from the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and one from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say their injuries aren’t believed to be life-threatening.
Governor Mike Kehoe says the deaths of two Christian County deputies and the wounding of two other officers serve as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices law enforcement officers make to keep our communities safe.
Kehoe posted on Facebook “I am grateful for the collaboration between the law enforcement officers, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and federal partners in taking down the perpetrator.”
Kehoe added “Claudia and I are keeping the families of both deputies who were killed, those officers injured, and the entire Southwest Missouri law enforcement community in our prayers.”
Missouri’s Senior U-S Senator, Josh Hawley, says he and his wife are praying for the families.
And U-S Senator Eric Schmitt is calling the incident “a devastating loss for Christian County.”
Christian County State Representative Jamie Ray Gragg says his heart is broken for the families and that senseless acts like this are beyond comprehension.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver the 2026 State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
The address will be delivered in the House of Representatives chamber in the U.S. Capitol.
You can stream the President’s address live here beginning at 8 o’clock.
The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Christian County deputy is in custody.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the Blue Alert for the killer of Deputy Gabriel Ramirez is over.
KWTO News has learned the suspect, Richard Dean Bird, was captured in the Reeds Spring area just after 12:40am Tuesday following what’s been described as a gun battle with law enforcement on scene.
Scanner reports indicated possibly 3 to 4 more officers had been shot during a standoff with Bird. We do not have updates on their condition.