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Multiple tornado warnings have been issued across southwest Missouri (AUDIO)

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The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has already issued multiple tornado warnings on Tuesday afternoon across the Ozarks. Tornado warnings have been issued for towns such as Mansfield, Hartville, Niangua and Marshfield.

The small towns of Plato and Competition are also under a tornado warning.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has issued a tornado watch across the Ozarks, which is in effect until 7 p.m. (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)

The NWS’ tornado watch goes until 7 this evening for 14 southwest Missouri counties, including the cities of Springfield, Branson and Ava.

Meantime, the National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis has issued a tornado watch for much of central, eastern and southeast Missouri until 10 this evening. Cities in the tornado watch area include St. Louis, Jefferson City, Columbia, Troy, Farmington and Poplar Bluff.

NWS Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein says West Plains is also in the watch area. He says the watch area there is primarily along, south and east of the I-44 corridor.

Rothstein says golf-ball sized hail and 70 mile-per-hour winds are possible, along with additional flooding.

Mr. Rothstein warns motorists and truck drivers about the additional flooding.

“The main concern also with this will be additional flooding of upwards of two inches on a localized basis, in addition to the two to five inches we saw yesterday with yesterday’s storms,” Rothstein says.

Rothstein says the ground is already saturated across the Ozarks, because of heavy May rainfall.

“So far to date we’ve actually gotten about six inches here in the Springfield area, which is about two-and-a-half inches above normal,” says Rothstein.

The NWS in Pleasant Hill says Kansas City has already received 7.46 inches of rain in May. NWS notes the normal rainfall amount for the entire month of May in Kansas City is about five inches, and today is only May 21.

The NWS in Pleasant Hill also warns that isolated tornadoes are possible today across a large section of Missouri, including Kansas City.

The state Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) traveler map says about 300 state roads are closed.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein, which was recorded on May 21, 2019:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

UPDATED: Springfield couple indicted for embezzlement, bribery in continuing prosecution of former Preferred Family Healthcare executives

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UPDATED: Spokesman for U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri tells Missourinet that this is an ongoing investigation.

A federal grand jury has indicted two former executives of a Springfield, Missouri-based charity for embezzlement, bribes and illegal campaign contributions.  This is another indictment in a series of prosecutions against former executives and staff of the non-profit Preferred Family Healthcare.

Preferred Family Healthcare has cooperated in the two and a half year investigation.

The case was unsealed Thursday against Bontiea Bernedette Goss, 63, her husband, Tommy Ray Goss, aka “Tom,” 63, both residents of Springfield, Missouri, and Boulder, Colorado, and Jeremy Young Hutchinson, 45, of Little Rock, Arkansas

According to the case summary, the indictment alleges that the Gosses, while high-level executives at Preferred Family Healthcare Inc. (formerly known as Alternative Opportunities Inc.), and Hutchinson, who is an attorney and served as a state senator in the Arkansas Senate from 2011 to 2018, along with others, participated in a conspiracy from 2005 to November 2017 to embezzle and misapply the funds of a charitable organization that received federal funds, to pay bribes and kickbacks to elected officials, including Hutchinson.

According to the indictment, in exchange for the bribes and kickbacks offered by the Gosses and other co-conspirators, Hutchinson and other elected officials allegedly provided favorable legislative and official action for the charity, including directing funds from the state’s General Improvement Fund.

The indictment also alleges that the Gosses embezzled and funneled charity funds for their personal benefit, including:

  • causing the charity to pay for chartered air flights for the Gosses to commute between their home in Colorado and their work at the charity’s office in Springfield;
  • providing millions of dollars in interest-free loans to their for-profit companies;
  • charging the charity inflated prices to lease vehicles from their for-profit companies;
  • renting charity-owned commercial real estate to one of their for-profit companies at below-market rates or, in some instances, for free; and
  • using charity funds to pay for personal services for themselves, including child and pet care, housekeeping and cleaning their personal residences, picking up and delivering groceries, and shoveling snow, among other personal services paid for by the charity.

The Alternative Opportunities charity merged in 2015 with Preferred Family Healthcare that serves patients in Missouri and neighboring states. Services include mental and behavioral health treatment and counseling, substance abuse treatment and counseling, employment assistance, aid to individuals with developmental disabilities and medical services.

In a statement provided to Missourinet, PFH says “At the time of the merger proposal, Mr. and Mrs. Goss knew that federal prosecutors were investigating public corruption by AO, but they concealed the existence of that investigation from PFH.”

In September of 2018, PFH sued the Gosses, other former staff of AO, and others who worked with the Gosses for actual and punitive damages.

Win a prize pack to check out the Springfield Cardinals and make plans to take trip to the middle of it all in Springfield. (Google Hangout)

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Check out a Springfield Cardinals game this summer (photo/Springfield CVB)

Check out a Springfield Cardinals game this summer (photo/Springfield CVB)

It’s spring time, the weather is warming up and we’ll be getting our families out of the house to enjoy the outdoors.  Whether you’re planning a day trip, a long weekend, maybe even a family vacation, you don’t have to look very far.  In fact, you can find some cool things to do right here in Missouri.

One area you should look at is Springfield and it’s surroundings.

Springfield is the third largest city in the state and Susan Wade, Public Relations Manager of the Springfield CVB,  tells us in the Google Hangout below, they have plenty to offer from museums, professional sports, and great restaurants.

“Springfield has a lot to offer, everything you would expect from a big city, but small enough that you’re still comfortable,” says Wade.

Whether your family is into sporting events, like the Springfield Cardinals, shopping at Bass Pro or checking out a museum, or spending the afternoon at a spa or golf course, Springfield has much to offer.

“Minor league baseball is all about the experience,” says Dan Reiter, Director of Sales and Marketing Springfield Cardinals.  “Our staff is trying to give people an experience, right from the moment they walk in.”

We want to help kick start your summer by giving you can chance to win prize package.  The winner will be chosen on Tuesday, May 26th, but the winner will receive:

– 2 nights at the Best Western Plus Coach House

– $100 Bass Pro Shops Gift Card

– 4 Springfield Cardinals tickets

– $100 to Gilardi’s Ristorante

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Susan Wade and Dan Reiter join me on this Google Hangout to talk more about making Springfield your next getaway destination.

Springfield area teams rallying around wounded Springfield police officer Aaron Pearson. More events planned to raise money

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Springfield Police Officer Aaron Pearson

Springfield Police Officer Aaron Pearson

Springfield area teams are coming together to help raise funds for Springfield police officer Aaron Pearson, who was shot in the head during an investigation early on January 26th. On Tuesday, basketball rivals Kickapoo and Glendale raised over $2,000 for Pearson at a boys game held at Drury University.

Next Saturday, the Springfield Express junior hockey team announced a fundraiser next Saturday at the home game. The Springfield Express have selected the February 20th game against the OKC Blazers as Officer Pearson Fundraiser Night. All tickets will be $10.00 for Premier and General Admission. All monies collected for this game will go directly to Officer Pearson’s family for support in his recovery. Please come out February 20th and support your this great family and your community.

Missouri State University will host a soccer exhibition match between USL clubs St. Louis FC and Oklahoma City Energy FC on Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. Admission is $5 and a portion of the gate proceeds will benefit the Pearson family. Both teams are affiliated with Major League Soccer Clubs.

Click here to read more on officer Pearson’s story.

Infected Springfield restaurant worker could have exposed 5,000 to Hepatitis A

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The Springfield-Green County Health Department says as many as 5,000 customers at a Springfield restaurant could have been exposed to Hepatitis A.

The Department says one worker at the Red Robin on South Glenstone has tested positive for the virus. Those who ate at the restaurant between May 8 and May 11 are urged to get vaccinated.

4,000 doses of vaccine are on the way to Springfield from Memphis, Tennessee and will be administered at clinics this weekend. The vaccine is said to only be effective if given within 14 days. Pregnant women and individuals with compromised immune systems are urged to visit their doctor.

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that can result in sickness ranging from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to severe symptoms lasting several months. It is easily transmitted from person to person in a food service environment.

The Department says the restaurant is cooperating and has vaccinated other employees.

For details on local vaccination clinics and to view a statement from Red Robin on the incident see this story on the website of our affiliate, KTTS.

Police say all children accounted for after report of abduction in Springfield

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Springfield Police say all of the children at an elementary school matching the description of the reported victim in a possible child abduction have been accounted for.

Two young girls reported what appeared to have been a child abduction Tuesday afternoon. Police responded to Bissett Elementary School where they reviewed surveillance tape and checked on the whereabouts of children match the description given by the girls. No children have been reported missing.

Police are asking any parents who may have disciplined children near the school Tuesday afternoon to talk to investigators.

No Amber Alert was issued in regard to Tuesday’s incident.  Police say with only vague descriptions and no child reported missing, the circumstances did not meet the criteria for one.

See earlier story

Authorities investigating report of an abduction at a Springfield elementary school

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Police in Springfield are responding to the report of a possible child abduction from Bissett Elementary School.

Police confirm they are looking for a white kindergarten-aged girl. She might be wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans and have light hair, but that description is not confirmed. They are looking for a heavy-set black male in his 20s wearing an orange shirt in a grey or blue, older, beat-up vehicle.

A reporter for the Springfield News-Leader, Jonathan Shorman, says a police spokesman tells him camera footage is being reviewed. 

Police are not calling the incident an abduction at this time.

Authorities ask anyone with information to call the Springfield Police.

Attorney General’s Office: Solution for grant loss to domestic violence shelters could come next week

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See the updated story from Friday afternoon

The Attorney General’s Office says it expects the Missouri Housing Development Commission staff to have a proposed solution next week for the domestic violence shelters it turned down for a grant last month.

A shelter for homeless veterans in Columbia revealed on Thursday it had also been denied for that grant.

At least 15 domestic violence shelters were told their applications for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) had been rejected but were not told why. Missourinet has been told that the Commission has not voted on the final decisions on how the grants will be awarded this cycle.

The members of the commission include Governor Jay Nixon, Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, State Treasurer Clint Zweifel and Attorney General Chris Koster. When Missourinet reached out to their offices about the situation, Koster Press Secretary Nanci Gonder issued this statement:

“Funding is critical for our state’s domestic violence shelters. After learning of the cuts in emergency shelter grants, we discussed the issue with MHDC staff and expect they will present a proposal at next week’s meeting.”

The Commission will meet at the Stoney Creek Inn in Columbia Friday, March 14 at 9:00.

After learning about those domestic violence shelters, a shelter for homeless veterans in Columbia reached out to Missourinet to say it had also lost the ESG.

Executive Director of Welcome Home, Inc, Aneisa Sherrill-Mattox, says Welcome Home Inc. has been approved for about $18,000 each of the 8 years she has worked there. Last year the shelter was approved for $50,000.

Like the domestic violence shelters, she has not been told why Welcome Home’s ESG application was turned down and instead was told the shelter is on a list to receive its evaluations.

Sherrill-Mattox says the shelter has already cut two caseworker positions and is cutting programs. She says much of what Welcome Home used that grant for was to provide emergency motel stays for homeless female veterans and veterans with small children.

“Female veterans are one of the fastest-growing parts of the homeless population and there are virtually no services available to them,” says Sherrill-Mattox. “Our shelter, by virtue of how small we are, we couldn’t provide safe housing for them in the shelter so we had relied on the ESG for them to be placed into a motel until a more permanent housing solution could be identified.”

The Nixon Administration has also told Representative Chris Kelly (D-Columbia) and other legislators it is looking for a funding source for those shelters, perhaps using money from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The Office of Administration told Missourinet Wednesday the Administration’s office of Budget & Planning and the Department of Social Services are looking at multiple possible solutions, but have not nailed down any mechanics.

Earlier stories:

Domestic Violence Shelters still waiting for replacement of lost grant

Nixon Administration moves swiftly to back domestic violence shelters after loss of grant

Prosecutor not sure drastic step by Public Defender needed (AUDIO)

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The Public Defender Commission has taken a drastic step, declining new cases in its Springfield office, a drastic step that one prosecutor believes isn’t necessary.

Public Defender Deputy Director Cat Kelly says the Springfield office has exceeded its maximum case load and simply can’t take on new clients. Kelly says the office will operate on a month-by-month basis. [Read more…]

Public Defenders office in Springfield closed to new clients (AUDIO)

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An admittedly drastic step has been taken by the State Public Defender’s office: closing its Springfield office to new cases.

Public Defender Deputy Director Cat Kelly says Greene County courts have been taking a number to steps to reduce the workload on the Public Defender office in Springfield to avoid closing the doors.

“There aren’t any other options,” Kelly tells the Missourinet.

Efforts to lessen the workload on the 20 public defenders in Springfield had some effect, but couldn’t keep the number of cases from reaching the maximum.

“When all other options fail, the only remaining option is to close the doors,” according to Kelly.

Kelly says public defenders simply cannot take on more clients than they can effectively represent. [Read more…]