Latest news with #SpringfieldNews-Leader
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hear from local candidates: Nonpartisan coalition hosts interviews for April 8 election
Election season is unfolding with election day on April 8 fast approaching. As in past elections, more than a dozen nonpartisan Springfield-area organizations have partnered to produce a series of candidate interviews allowing local voters to hear directly — in their own words — from those running for elected office. Volunteers with the Informed Voter Coalition, which includes the Springfield News-Leader, collaborated to help voters learn about mayor, City Council, and school board candidates in Springfield and mayoral candidates in Ozark. Starting Tuesday, March 25, candidates will share their ideas and goals in brief conversations to air on KSMU Ozarks Public Radio (91.1 FM). After they air, video versions of the interviews produced by the News-Leader will be added to this story at and on the websites of other coalition members. The coalition selected four contested races to cover, which will air at noon on the following days: Candidates for Ozark mayor Donald Currence, David Snider, and Eddie Campbell participated in the interviews. Candidates for Springfield school board Kelly Byrne, Sarah Hough, David Myers, and Gail Smart participated in the interviews. Candidates Matt Simpson and Bruce Adib-Yazdi for Springfield City Council Zone 4 seat, and Heather Hardinger and Eric Pauly for Springfield City Council General A seat participated in the interviews. Monica Horton, running unopposed for Council Zone 1 seat, and Craig Hosmer, running unopposed for Council General B seat, also participated. Candidates for Springfield mayor Jeff Schrag and Mary Collette participated in the interviews. More: Here's what's on the April ballot in Springfield and surrounding communities in the Ozarks Launched in 2019, the Informed Voter Coalition aims to educate voters and foster engagement between candidates and citizens. All organizations are nonpartisan. Members are: Be Civil Be Heard Drury University's L.E. Meador Center for Politics & Citizenship KSMU Ozarks Public Radio Leadership Springfield League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri Missouri State University's Office of Public Affairs NAACP Springfield Ozarks Technical Community College's Social Sciences Department Rosie Show Me Christian County Springfield Business Journal Springfield-Greene County Library District Springfield News-Leader Please enable Javascript to view this content. Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@ This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield candidates share city, school board thoughts in interviews
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Springfield's Dickerson Park Zoo welcomes Malayan tiger as part of species survival plan
A 9-year-old Malayan tiger is joining Dickerson Park Zoo, according to a press release. Cinta, who was born in California in 2015, came to the Springfield zoo based on the recommendations of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Malayan Tiger Species Survival Plan. The species is considered critically endangered, with only 100 to 250 Malayan tigers in the wild. The species survival plan is meant to "ensure the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied AZA population," according to AZA. Cinta and the zoo's female tiger, Berisi, will potentially be part of that. Cinta is not yet on exhibit to the public as he is acclimating to his surroundings. Dickerson Park Zoo, 3043 N. Fort Ave., is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests may stay in the park one hour after the admission gate closes. For more information, visit More: Here's how animals cope with the cold at Springfield's Dickerson Park Zoo This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield's Dickerson Park Zoo welcomes critically endangered tiger
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greene County homes were listed at higher prices in February. See how much
The median home in Greene County listed for $306,898 in February, up 2.5% from the previous month's $299,450, an analysis of data from shows. Compared to February 2024, the median home list price decreased 4.8% from $322,500. The statistics in this article only pertain to houses listed for sale in Greene County, not houses that were sold. Information on your local housing market, along with other useful community data, is available at Greene County's median home was 1,744 square feet, listed at $170 per square foot. The price per square foot of homes for sale is up 2.6% from February 2024. Listings in Greene County moved steadily, at a median 59 days listed compared to the February national median of 66 days on the market. In the previous month, homes had a median of 65 days on the market. Around 404 homes were newly listed on the market in February, a 7.4% increase from 376 new listings in February 2024. The median home prices issued by may exclude many, or even most, of a market's homes. The price and volume represent only single-family homes, condominiums or townhomes. They include existing homes, but exclude most new construction as well as pending and contingent sales. Across the Springfield metro area, median home prices rose to $322,450, slightly higher than a month earlier. The median home had 1,744 square feet, at a list price of $172 per square foot. In Missouri, median home prices were $289,000, a slight increase from January. The median Missouri home listed for sale had 1,741 square feet, with a price of $167 per square foot. Throughout the United States, the median home price was $412,000, a slight increase from the month prior. The median American home for sale was listed at 1,791 square feet, with a price of $227 per square foot. The median home list price used in this report represents the midway point of all the houses or units listed over the given period of time. Experts say the median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average list price, which would mean taking the sum of all listing prices then dividing by the number of homes sold. The average can be skewed by one particularly low or high price. The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Please leave any feedback or corrections for this story here. This story was written by Ozge Terzioglu. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Greene County homes for sale were listed at higher prices in February
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Springfield area seeing 'very unusual level' of fire risk as storms approach: NWS
In the midst of historic fire weather conditions, a storm system is working its way toward the Ozarks, according to the National Weather Service. Storms are expected between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, and could bring strong winds, thunderstorms and hail up to the size of a baseball. A Red Flag Warning in effect for the area until 1 a.m. Saturday, with the Springfield area being listed among those in "critically extreme fire danger." A Red Flag Warning is issued when a combination of factors increase the risk of fire danger, according to the NWS. "This is a very unusual level of risk in regards to fire across this area," said Kelsey Angle, meteorologist in charge at the NWS Springfield office. "It's fairly unusual to get winds this strong and relative humidity this low and temperatures this warm and fuels this dry all at the same time." The NWS strongly discourages any burning, encourages people to properly dispose of cigarettes, to avoid parking on dry grass and to check trailers for dragging chains. Thunderstorms were developing across eastern Oklahoma and eastern Kansas as of 2 p.m., Angle said, which will move into southwest Missouri tonight. More: Drivers can expect delays, lane closures when I-44 widening project begins next week "As those thunderstorms move into the Ozarks, they will strengthen," he said. "We do expect large hail up to the size of baseballs, damaging winds up to 80 mph and even a few tornadoes" possible, with them being most likely along and to the east of Highway 65. Greene County also has a high wind watch in effect until 8 p.m., with sustained 30 to 40 mile per hour winds and gusts that could reach or exceed 60 mph. Angle said that the wind can be expected to remain strong throughout the evening and into the overnight hours. High wind can damage trees and powerlines, make driving difficult and cause loose objects to be blown around. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: NWS: Springfield could see large hail, up to 80 mph winds, tornadoes
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Springfield MSTA endorses 3 candidates for 2 open SPS board seats
The Springfield chapter of the Missouri State Teachers Association endorsements for three candidates in the April 8 school board race. In a Facebook post late Monday, the teacher organization active in the district for decades announced it will support incumbent Kelly Byrne along with first-time candidates Gail Smart and Sarah Hough. 'Based on member feedback, Sarah Hough emerged as the clear front-runner," wrote Jeffrey Pettibone, president of the Springfield MSTA, in the post. Four candidates are vying for two open seats on the board in April. The seats are currently filled by Byrne, who is on the ballot, and Steve Makoski, who is not seeking a second term. The only candidate who did not receive a nod of support from Springfield MSTA was David Myers. In late January, the group sent surveys to each candidate and all four filled them out. The detailed responses from each candidate were shared with members, who were asked to pick their top two choices. The executive board for Springfield MSTA met Monday to finalize the endorsements, referring to Byne, Hough and Smart as "exceptional candidates." Hough was supported by 58% of members who weighed in on the endorsement while Byrne and Smart received support from 51%. Myers came in fourth with 38%. It was not immediately clear how many members provided feedback. In the post, Pettibone explained why the executive board opted to endorse three candidates. "Our membership had the opportunity to evaluate all four candidates, and while two candidates tied, we prioritized upholding the voices of our members rather than having the executive board make the final decision between them," he wrote. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield MSTA endorses 3 school board candidates, citing tie
