Daily brief (2/23): Top picks from the Springfield media

Today will be mostly sunny and breezy, with a high of 64.

Wind gusts could reach speeds of up to 43 mph. A cold front will move in by tomorrow, and temperatures will drop. It will remain mostly sunny, but the high will be 46.

Saturday will be another sunny sky, with a high of 50.

Today’s picks

• News-Leader: 200 postal jobs may be affected by proposed closing. Postal workers learned Wednesday night that the Springfield processing facility will close, affecting up to 200 jobs at the center. (Other coverage: KSPR, KY3, OzarksFirst)
• OzarksFirst: Lawmakers considering expanding term limits. A resolution under consideration in the Missouri Senate seeks to put term limits on the attorney general, state auditor, secretary of state, and lieutenant governor.
• KY3: Commission proposes adding sexual orientation, gender identity to protected categories. The Mayor’s Commission on Human Rights has proposed adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the protected categories against discrimination in Springfield. The City Council must approve the measure for it to take effect.
• KSPR: Wrongly convicted man tries to get life back on track. Zack Stewart spent four years in prison after being convicted of killing David Dulin, 53, of Hurley. His conviction was overturned on appeal, and new evidence exonerated him.
• KSMU: Civility Project celebrates one-year mark. Next week, the Civility Project in Springfield will host a number of events in town to celebrate its one-year mark. Among the activities: a poetry slam, a movie and discussion at the Moxie Cinema, and a free soup dinner at the Cook’s Kettle.

Daily brief (2/22): Top picks from the Springfield media

It will be another unseasonably warm day in the Ozarks. Skies will be mostly sunny with a high of 66, according to the National Weather Service.

The rest of the week will be sunny, with temperatures dropping slightly into the weekend. Tomorrow’s high will be 62, but Friday and Saturday will dip back into the 40s.

Today’s picks

• KY3: Council members reluctantly certify Feb. 7 election results. The Springfield City Council certified the Feb. 7 election results with the minimum number of “yes” votes — five — after a proposal requiring employers to check employees with the federal E-Verify system passed narrowly at the polls. (Other coverage: News-Leader, OzarksFirst)
• KSMU: Nixon hopes to continue Missouri’s export growth. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon came to Springfield this week to visit a local steel manufacturer and tout Missouri’s record year for exports in 2011. He’d like to see that trend continue with his program called “Missouri Works.” (Other coverage: News-Leader, OzarksFirst)
• OzarksFirst: New Nixa fire chief sworn in. Jon Trent, who has been with the Nixa Fire Department for 20 years, was sworn in Tuesday night by the city council.
• News-Leader: Marshfield teen wins Youth of the Year. Shaynna Shoemaker, 16, was named Youth of the Year by the Springfield Boys and Girls Club. The honor earns her a $12,000 scholarship.
• KSPR: Prosecutors in two counties pursuing synthentic-marijuana cases. Investigators in Taney and Polk counties served six search warrants at businesses and homes looking for synthetic marijuana.

Daily brief (2/21): Top picks from the Springfield media

Today will be mostly sunny with a high near 56. Winds will be brisk, though, with gusts of up to 21 mph.

Wednesday and Thursday will be unseasonably warm with highs topping the 60-degree mark. Friday will return to more February-like temperatures in the mid 40s. No precipitation is expected the rest of the week.

Today’s picks

• KY3: Last families return to Missouri Hotel. One month after a fire evacuated the Missouri Hotel, the last family displaced has moved back into the Springfield homeless shelter.
• KSMU: MSU sets record for spring enrollment. Missouri State University’s official enrollment for the spring semester is 19,715, up eight students from last spring. It’s the highest on record for the state’s second-largest university.
• OzarksFirst: Police report spike in car break-ins at Osage Beach. Several purses, wallets and other personal items have been stolen from cars parked along Osage Beach Parkway north of Highway 42.
• News-Leader: Lake at Doling Park getting new lease on life. The lake basin at Doling Park has been drained and cleaned, and the north-side park is on tap to get a new aquatics center.
• KSPR: Springfield airport looking at security changes. Officials at the Springfield-Branson National Airport are mulling their options after changes to federal regulations make it easier for airports to hire private security companies.
• News-Leader: Greene County legislators seeking to extend tax credits. Three bills in the Missouri General Assembly are making their way through the legislature that would extend or reinstate tax credits used to bring in donations for area nonprofits such as Isabel’s House, Ozarks Food Harvest, and the Child Advocacy Center.

Daily brief (2/20): Top picks from the Springfield media

Today will have increasing clouds as the day progresses, with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. A high of 52 is expected.

Tonight, rain is likely with periods of showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight. It will be breezy, with winds gusting up to 33 mph.

Skies should clear by tomorrow, which will be mostly sunny. A high near 53 is expected. The rest of the week should be mild, as highs top the 60-degree mark on Wednesday and Thursday.

Today’s picks

• News-Leader: MSU adding finishing touches to rec center. Workers are finishing the Foster Recreation Center on the Missouri State University campus. The $30 million project, which has been delayed by weather, is schedule to open in June.
• KY3: University of Missouri curators considering tuition hike. After the governor announced cuts to higher-education funding, the University of Missouri Board of Curators plans to look at tuition hikes of up to 9 percent at some of its campuses.
• KSPR: Springfield Fire Department seeking $1.2 million grant. The Springfield Fire Department is applying for a $1.2 million grant that would build and staff a 13th fire station in the city, at Chestnut Expressway and Eldon Avenue.
• KSMU: Community Partnership director retiring. Melissa Haddow, longtime director of the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, is retiring after 18 years of service. The nonprofit organization works to prevent domestic violence and abuse in 21 southwest Missouri counties.
• OzarksFirst: North Point Church opens Nixa location. North Point Church has opened its third location in the area, at a shopping center in Nixa off Highway 160.

Daily brief (2/19): Top picks from the Springfield media

Today will be sunny, with a high of 49. Tonight will remain clear and dip below freezing, as the low drops to 30.

Tomorrow has a slight chance of showers before noon but will otherwise be mostly sunny, with a high of 53. It will be breezy, with strong gusts approaching 38 mph.

Showers are likely tomorrow night, and a thunderstorm is possible. Skies should clear again by Tuesday, though, and the high will remain in the 50s.

Today’s picks

• OzarksFirst: Missouri schools encouraged to train more how to use defibrillators. The Missouri State High School Activities Association is pushing to make sure more people are trained to use automatic external defibrillators.
  
• News-Leader: Springfield clinic provides care to children regardless of income. The Jordan Valley Community Health Center in downtown Springfield provided health care to more than 34,000 people during 2011.
• News-Leader: Foreclosure deal may help some but could cause short-term spike. Missouri, along with 49 other states, signed a deal with some of the country’s largest lenders to settle claims involving incorrect paperwork on home loans. The deal could mean payments to some consumers, but it could also lead to a short-term spike in foreclosures.
• KY3: Woman sentenced to 30 months after embezzling $717,000. A Republic woman was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison without parole after she pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $717,000 from St. John’s Mercy Health Care Systems and the College of Nursing. (Other coverage: OzarksFirst)

Daily brief (2/18): Top picks from the Springfield media

Today will be cloudy, and rain chances will linger throughout the day and night, according to the National Weather Service. The high will be 46.

Skies should clear out by tomorrow, with a sunny day and a high of 47. Monday will be more of that same: Mostly sunny, with a high of 54.

Today’s picks

• News-Leader: Council considering ways to spend museum tax funds. The Wonders of Wildlife museum in Springfield plans to give up future revenue from the museum tax district, and the city is considering a couple of options for the money: paying down debt or investing in new facilities.
• KY3: Basketball player’s family sends thanks to community. Teammates of Spokane student Forrest Varney, who died after collapsing during basketball practice, took the court Friday in his honor, and Varney’s family released an open letter of thanks to the community. (Other coverage: OzarksFirst)
• KSPR: Missouri family farms not continuing. The next generation in farm families are not following the path of their parents, which is leading to a cattle shortage and higher prices.
• OzarksFirst: Ozarks gardeners bracing for bug battle. A mild winter means insects will be out in force in the Ozarks as the weather heats up.
• KY3: History museum moves closer to relocation. The History Museum of Springfield-Greene County is in the process to moving to Park Central Square. For the past three years, the museum has been renovating space in the old Barth’s department store; officials hope the project will be completed next year.
• TagSGF: Area’s largest gaming conference starts today. Visioncon, now in its 20th year, will host a variety of role-playing and gaming events today and tomorrow at the Howard Johnson hotel in Springfield (formerly the Clarion) (3333 S. Glenstone Ave.).
• News-Leader: CoxHealth settles one-third of radiation lawsuits. Two years after CoxHealth admitted to exposing  patients to excessive amounts of radiation, 27 of 66 lawsuits against the Springfield hospital have been settled.

Daily brief (2/17): Top picks from the Springfield media

Today will be partly sunny, with a high of 54, according to the National Weather Service.

A 40 percent chance of showers moves into the forecast tonight, and rain chances linger Saturday morning. Tomorrow will remain mostly cloudy, and a high of 45 is expected.

Sunday will be sunny, with a high of 46.

Today’s picks

• News-Leader: Three cases of E.coli linked to sprouts in Greene County. The source of an outbreak that has sickened people in five states including Missouri appears to be sprout seeds, according to Greene County’s top disease investigator. (Other coverage: KSMU)
• KY3: Some Osage Beach restaurants go smoke-free. Although the push for a citywide smoking ban has died down, several restaurants including City Grill have already gone smoke-free in anticipation of a possible ban in the future.
• KSPR: Springfield Public Schools tests class for 3-year-olds. Springfield Public Schools is trying out a new program for 3-year-olds because more children are coming to kindergarten unprepared.
• OzarksFirst: Court orders Camdenton schools to stop filtering LGBT websites.A federal district court has ruled that the Camdenton School District must stop filtering educational websites about gay, lesbian, and transgender issues.
• OzarksFirst: Mormonism in the Ozarks. Thousands of Mormons live and worship in the Ozarks, and those outside the religion have begun taking more of an interest in light of the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, who is a Mormon.

Daily brief (2/16): Top picks from the Springfield media

Fog and clouds this morning will gradually give way to clear skies. High of 50 is expected today, according to the National Weather Service.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny, with a high of 55. But clouds will return on Saturday and drop the temperatures back down to 44. A brisk wind will gust up to 21 mph.

Today’s picks

• News-Leader: Spokane student collapses, dies after basketball practice. Spokane student Forrest Varney, 17, collapsed and died during basketball practice Wednesday. A cause of death is under investigation. (Other coverage: KSPR, KY3, OzarksFirst)
• OzarksFirst: Missouri committee considering changes to sex-offender registry. A Missouri House committee is looking at changing the state’s sex-offender law to reduce the number of people on the registry and restrict public information about those on the list. (Other coverage: KY3)
• KSPR: Monett considering $6.3 million improvement project. The city of Monett is looking at a $6.3 million stormwater project designed to prevent flooding.
• KSMU: Animal control program hits adoption milestone. The Springfield-Greene County Health Department’s animal control program has gone 16 weeks — the longest period on record — without having to put an animal down.
• OzarksFirst: Ozark School District helping teachers get master’s degrees. Ozark School District plans on bringing classes to schools this summer to help teachers earn their master’s degrees.
• News-Leader: Panel studying potential discrimination against felons. A new city committee is examining whether convicted felons face employment discrimination, even years after they have served their punishment.

Daily brief (2/15): Top picks from the Springfield media

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm are expected today, according to the National Weather Service. The high will be 55.

Up to a quarter-inch of rain is possible, although rain could be heavier with thunderstorms. Temperatures will dip to 34, but a 50 percent chance of rain remains in the forecast tonight.

Skies should clear by tomorrow, becoming mostly sunny. A high of 48 is expected. Friday will be even better: Sunny and a high of 58.

Today’s picks

• OzarksFirst: State moves to include cell phones in do-not-call law. The Missouri House of Representatives is reviewing a proposal that would allow residents to add cell phones to the state’s No Call registry.
• News-Leader: Smoke-ban repeal petition contains flawed language. The petition to repeal Springfield smoking ban and replace it with the previous ordinance contains language that was declared unconstitutional in 2008 by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• KY3: New arena at Drury receives environmental certification. Drury University has received a gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for energy-saving features on its new O’Reilly Family Event Center. The features cut utility costs by about 40 percent, according to university officials.
• News-Leader: Missouri Senate jumps into contraception debate. The Missouri Senate committee has approved a measure that would allow employers to refuse to cover birth control, abortions, or sterilization procedures based on religious beliefs. (Other coverage: OzarksFirst)
• KSPR: Auditor says Bolivar misappropriated money. Bolivar Mayor John Best said Tuesday that $500,000 of city money ended up in the wrong account, according to an internal audit.
• KSPR: $1 million grant to modernize emergency radio system. A $1 million federal grant will help fire departments in Springfield and Greene County upgrade their aging radio systems.
• KSMU: Child safety program offers free fingerprinting for kids. The Keeping Kids Safe Project by S.I.P. (Safety in Prints) Kids will provide digital-quality fingerprinting for parents to keep on file in case of an emergency. The fingerprinting fair will be from 3-7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Reliable Toyota.

Daily brief (2/14): Top picks from the Springfield media

Happy Valentine’s Day! A cloudy start will gradually clear today, making way for mostly sunny skies and a high of 44.

The day will also start above freezing in some areas, so the snow should be melting.

Rain is possible tonight after midnight, and showers are likely tomorrow, with up to a half-inch of precipitation possible. A high of 54 is expected.

The rain should clear out by Thursday, with sunny skies into the weekend.

Today’s picks

• OzarksFirst: Council chooses Jeff Seifried for open seat. Jeff Seifried, manager of regional development for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, was picked by the City Council to fill the Zone 1 seat vacated by Nick Ibarra. (Other coverage: KSPR, KY3, News-Leader,  | Council delays action on red-light cameras: KY3, News-Leader, OzarksFirst)
• KY3: Jackie Johns reward fund turns into scholarship. A reward fund established to find the killer of Nixa teen Jackie Johns, who was murdered 27 years ago, has become a scholarship fund. The reward was never given because the suspect was linked to the murder through DNA evidence.
• KSPR: Springfield police tout record-keeping technology. Springfield police say a new $500,000 records-management system is helping the department be more effective at fighting crime.