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After further reviewing the damage of the March 14 tornado that tore through Bakersfield, the National Weather Service has revised its damage survey results to reflect a much bigger path - both in width and length, higher wind speeds and more related injuries caused by the twister.
Width is now...
photo courtesy of JB Duke The Ozark County Sheriff’s dispatch log shows that the call reporting a house fire on Latham Lane off T Highway in the Mammoth/Howard’s Ridge area was made at 9:26 a.m. Wednesday, March 26. Lick Creek Fire Chief Jerry Rowlett said that, despite quick response time, the fire was coming out of the roof in one area by the time firefighters arrived on scene. The home was a complete loss.
Fire marshal investigators were unable to determine the cause of a March 26 fire at a home on Latham Lane off T Highway in the Mammoth/Howard’s Ridge area due to the extent of the damage, according to Mike O’Connell with the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
“The structure was mostly collapsed...
photo courtesy of Connie Smiley The congregation of True Hope General Baptist, located at 5907 Highway 160 in Theodosia, funded Ozark County’s OATS bus transportation from April through June, allowing the essential service to continue without interruption.
When this front page was first being put together late last week, this article told a totally different tale than it does now - and that happy change is all thanks to the generous hearts found at True Hope General Baptist Church in Theodosia.
It was announced last week that the OATS Transportation...
Tony Wagner
More than three decades after two women were brutally attacked in a remote wilderness area outside Branson, justice has been handed down - thanks to the verdict reached by an Ozark County jury last week.
After a four day jury trial, held March 24-27, Tony Wagner, 63, was found guilty of two counts...
Ozark County Emergency Management Director Curtis Ledbetter recently led two groups of officials through Bakersfield, the first step in the process to, hopefully, open up various program so aid to both residents and local government impacted by the March 14 tornados.
The officials are from the...
The City of Bakersfield posted to its Facebook page March 22, updating residents there on city facilities in the aftermath of the March 14 tornado.
The post said that Jerry Bean had been busy at the wastewater treatment facility insuring that the infrastructure is working properly there. “What a...
The Ozark County Courthouse was decked out over the weekend with a new seal, affixed to the east side entrance. The commissioners said that Alan Kyle of Ozark Metalworks in Theodosia redesigned the new county seal and completed the metal piece. The seal features a farm scene, water sports on the lake, fishing, county mills, wildlife and more. It says “Ozark County, Missouri. Linking the Pride of the Past to the Promise of the Future.” “We loved our old logo,” said Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise. “But it was dated and…now we have a professional logo.” Kyle has been redesigning and updating metal signs in Theodosia, and his talent caught the eye of county officials. The community feedback so far has been “awesome,” said Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton. Times photos/Jessi Dreckman
Ozark County Commissioners were happy to say that the highly contested “use tax” took in a larger than average amount of money during the month of February.
According to Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton, Ozark County collected just under $34,000 from the use tax in February, up from the average...
photos by David Vaughan There were more than a dozen fire departments who responded in mutual aid to the Spicewood fire off N Highway last week.
This year is shaping up to be one to remember in the Ozarks as Mother Nature has thrown a gamut of dramatic weather our way. In the two weeks, Ozark Countians saw rain, hail, a massive tornado, warm sunny days, below freezing temperatures and even a little sleet and snow.
In the mix of that crazy...
photo by Ed Doiron As of now, the tornado in Bakersfield is rated as an EF-3, which means evidence shows wind speeds of 140 miles per hour. The investigation is ongoing though, and the NWS has until May to finalize its decision.
The National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a preliminary opinion that the tornado that tore through Bakersfield March 14 is rated as an EF-3. What does that mean, how is it determined and is the rating the final determination of the destructive tornado? We spoke with Warning...
Photos by Karla Smith Above, a group of Bakersfield students work to help clean up Bakersfield Pride Park Sunday afternoon following the destruction of the baseball/softball facility by an F-3 tornado that swept through the town Friday night. This is the second time the stadiums and park have been ravaged by mother nature. In 2017, the park sustained immense damage from flooding, and the community worked together to clean it up and make needed repairs. This time, though, the park is a complete loss and will have to have a total rebuild. Below, Kyle Clayton uses his equipment to clean up downed trees and debris from the tornado.
When the deadly tornado swept through Bakersfield Friday night, it missed the school campus but completely destroyed Pride Park, the school’s baseball and softball complex, according to Superintendent Dr. Amy Padgett.
It’s the second time the baseball and softball complex has been demolished by...