City of Springfield seeking public input on CARES Act funding recommendations

(From the City of Springfield)

The City of Springfield’s draft Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Action Plan (AAP) Amendments and Disaster/Emergency Declaration Amendments to the Citizens Participation Plan (CPP), which contain the funding recommendations for the nearly $1 million in U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, are available for public review and comment through 5 p.m. May 29.

An online survey was conducted May 1-7 to collect public input about the local economic impact of COVID-19 to help develop the City’s funding recommendations. The Citizens Advisory Committee for Community Development then held a public hearing on May 19 on the recommendations.

Written comments on both sets of amendments may be sent to batchley@springfieldmo.gov. All written comments received by noon on May 29 will be forwarded to City Council.

City Council will hold a first reading, public hearing, and possible vote on both sets of amendments at its June 1 meeting, which will take place virtually via teleconferencing technology at 6:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers, Historic City Hall, 830 Boonville Avenue. Citizens wishing to sign up to speak at the City Council meeting are required to contact the City Clerk’s office at 417-864-1443 by 5 p.m. Friday, May 29. The meeting will be live streamed at cityview.springfieldmo.gov/livestream and on Mediacom channels 15.1 and 80 and AT&T U-verse channel 99.

Highway Patrol Arrests May 20-21

Gage A. Bernard, 17, Reeds, driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving, no seat belt

Xollie J. Wilson, 22, Pittsburg, Kansas, driving while intoxicated, no insurance, failed to drive on the right half of the roadway, no insurance








Uriy Y. Dudko, 22, Willow Springs, possession of marijuana, speeding

Winter S. Sparks, 21, Shawnee, Kansas, misdemeanor driving while intoxicated

Springfield issues restrictions as phase two of Road to Recovery begins Saturday

(From the City of Springfield)

Mayor Ken McClure and Springfield-Greene County Health Department Director Clay Goddard announced a new order today lessening restrictions of business and community activities. The order is effective May 23-June 22, however, it will be reviewed prior to June 14, when it could change, if the City is ready to move into another phase.

The City’s Road to Recovery Plan document maps out the next few phases, based on data gathered throughout the phase.

View Mayor McClure’s Phase 2 Road to Recovery order.

View the PowerPoint presentation

The plan maps out the area’s next phases in reopening the local economy. The individual components and phases of the plan are subject to change based on local and national COVID-19 data as well as by measures tracked on the Springfield-Greene County Health Department’s COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard.

Phase 2 includes a 25% occupancy limitation for restaurants, bars, nightclubs, tap rooms, entertainment venues and museums based on square footage of the area. Be sure to read the plan for specific guidance for each facility.

The formula is: (Square footage) / 30 x 25% = Occupancy limit.

Swimming pools are limited to 25% of the bather load of the pool. Playgrounds, parks and trails are open.

Noncontact sports activities are allowed with a 25% occupancy limitation based on the square footage of fixed seating in the spectator area. Noncontact sports practices are allowed with no more than 25 people coordinated in stable, separate groups. Essential retail establishments and businesses considered nonessential can operate with 25% occupancy if their square footage is less than 10,000 square feet. Essential retail establishments and businesses considered nonessential can operate with 10% occupancy if their square footage is more than 10,000 square feet.

Personal care services can operate with a 25% occupancy limitation based on square footage. The occupancy limitation includes employees, and masks are required on the part of the patron and the service provider if the distance between them during the service is less than 6 feet.

Gyms and fitness centers can operate with a 25% occupancy limitation based on square footage. Fitness classes are allowed with 25% of the occupancy limitation based on the square footage of the room being used.

Day cares can open with limitations of stable groups of no more than 25. Day camps can open if the primary role is child care with limitations of stable groups of 25. Private schools remain closed.

In-person religious services, weddings and funerals are allowed to operate with 25% of the occupancy limitation based on the square footage of the individual rooms and the facility.

Regarding public gatherings, special events of more than 50 people on City property or streets requiring a permit are not allowed.

All residents should encourage senior citizens and vulnerable populations should stay at home. Working from home, if possible, is also encouraged. Physical distancing, increased cleaning and hand hygiene are also encouraged. Wearing masks is encouraged during travel and monitoring upon return from non high-risk travel. Quarantine is encouraged upon return from high-risk travel.

The City will be under Phase 2 through June 22, but that may be shortened if the Mayor decided to amend or replace that order to move to Phase 3. The goal of the phased recovery plan is to reopen the community as quickly and safely as possible, while monitoring the spread of disease and taking action to keep the spread of disease to an acceptable level.

The Road to Recovery Plan is a “living” document that serves as a framework for Mayor Ken McClure’s future reopening orders. The plan allows community members and organizations to have a firmer understanding of what recovery looks like, when the spread of the disease is controlled and healthcare, public health and testing capabilities are strong.

Within this framework, community leaders will make decisions approximately every three weeks on whether the community is ready and prepared to take the step into the next phase or if it is prudent to remain in the current phase. Phases are fluid and based on dashboard indicators and state orders. To a large extent, the virus will dictate the timeline of recovery.

This dashboard covers five areas, including:

detailed case information, including total and daily cases based on a person’s onset of symptoms and active, deceased and resolved cases.

hospital capability, which is based on hospital staffing, supplies and space available to respond to COVID-19.

public health capability, which is based on the capability to conduct epidemiological interviews and contact tracing, and risk pertaining to unmitigated community exposure for COVID-19.

testing capability, which measures the estimated community testing capability for COVID-19. The index is based on the available testing and result turnaround time.

regional data information, which measures the estimated public health capability and testing capability for surrounding counties.

West Plains school employee charged with producing child pornography

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

An employee of the West Plains, Missouri, R-7 School District was charged in federal court today with soliciting children to send him sexually explicit photos and videos through Snapchat and Instagram.

Cody Ashton Ary, 29, of West Plains, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Missouri, with one count of producing child pornography. Ary is employed with the West Plains R-7 School District as a paraprofessional and commonly assists with special need students.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Instagram initiated a CyberTip with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Dec. 3, 2019, after Ary allegedly uploaded a sexually explicit video of an 8-to-10-year-old boy to his account.

Investigators found a total of 92 chat conversations between Ary and other Instagram users. 

According to the affidavit, Ary used the screen name “15anime_boy” and identified himself as a 15-year-old male to other users. He allegedly solicited sexually explicit videos and images from other users who identified to be minor males. 

Ary allegedly received dozens of images and videos of child pornography through his Instagram account. Ary asked the child victims to send him videos and images of them stripping, the affidavit says, in exchange for Ary providing Internet links to folders that contained child pornography.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ary’s residence today, where he was arrested.

The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations.

Highway Patrol Arrests May 19-20

Dyan N. Miller, 36, Shell Knob, felony warrant for possession of amphetamines, misdemeanor possession of narcotics equipment

Jesse D. Weaver, 39, Branson, felony possession of methamphetamines, possession of drug paraphernalia

Kyle D. Gentry, 27, Reeds Spring, felony possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine, felony resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while revoked, failure to display valid plates, speeding








Justin A. Baker, 30, Springfield, felony warrant for parole violation, misdemeanor Stone County warrant for failure to appear on domestic assault

Jaime A. Kintner, 43, Springfield, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, no valid license

Dakoda W. Bertalotto, 30, Shell Knob, felony warrant from U. S. Marshals office in Denver, Colorado for failure to appear on vehicle theft, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia

Fremont Avenue to close between Battlefield Road and Woodland Street

(From the City of Springfield)

Fremont Avenue will close overnight between Battlefield Road and Woodland Street beginning at 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 20 as construction begins for the Battlefield Road and Fremont Avenue Intersection and Roadway Improvement project. The road is expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

Approved by voters in 2016, the project will involve the widening of Fremont Avenue to five lanes between Battlefield Road and Sunset Street. Improvements will also be made at the Battlefield Road and Fremont Avenue intersection, with traffic signal upgrades and additional turn lanes.

The overall goal of the project is to increase capacity and improve traffic flow in one of our busiest retail areas,” explains Public Works project manager Jonathan Peitz. 

“Widening Fremont north of Battlefield and providing an additional northbound lane is expected to help reduce the bottlenecks along Battlefield.”

Pedestrian improvements will include new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks along the east side of Fremont Avenue and a multi-use path on the west side. City Utilities will install new steel streetlight poles on the east side of Fremont Avenue in conjunction with the roadway project.

City Utilities completed preliminary electrical work in 2019, replacing deteriorating wood transmission poles with new steel poles.

Construction contractors have been working on locating utilities and relocating gas and water lines around Meador Park for the last few weeks.

The overnight closure is the first full closure of the roadway during the construction phase of the project.

“We’re hoping to limit full closures to night-time hours to impact traffic as little as possible,” says Peitz. “Motorists can still expect lane shifts and lane closures as construction progresses, but we hope to keep traffic moving and will maintain access to all businesses.”

Traffic impacts will be communicated as early as possible via public notice and social media. Digital message boards will be placed to communicate closure details to motorists.

The public can expect construction in the area to begin to ramp up in June with project completion expected in November. The estimated construction cost for this phase of the project is $3.1 million, funded through the City’s ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax.

Springfield man pleads guilty to meth conspiracy

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Springfield, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy that distributed at least 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in a three-county area.

Jordan H. Williamson, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

By pleading guilty today, Williams admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Cass, Greene, and Miller counties from May 14, 2017, to June 20, 2018. Williamson received methamphetamine to distribute from co-conspirator Christina E. Gauger, 39, of Springfield.

According to today’s plea agreement, Gauger was obtaining at least one pound of methamphetamine for distribution every week of the conspiracy. Investigators seized approximately 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine during the investigation.

Williamson is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in this case. Gauger and Robin L. Self, 37, of Springfield, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Jacob B. Piatchek, 26, of Springfield, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.

Under federal statutes, Williamson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Brad Pitt sends congratulatory message to Missouri State University graduates

Former Springfield resident Brad Pitt, who recently won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, offered video congratulations to Missouri State University's graduates.

"Must be strange doing this in these trying times," Pitt said, "but know we're rooting for you. Our money's on you to make this world a better place and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

Pitt graduated from Kickapoo High School and attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism, though he left school to pursue an acting career two credits shy of graduation.

Traffic slowdowns, stops planned next week on I-44 west of Springfield

(From MODOT)

TRAFFIC ALERT: Traffic Slowdowns/Stops on I-44 West of Springfield Tuesday & Wednesday, May 26 & 27

What: I-44 traffic slowed and possibly stopped between Missouri Route 360 and Greene County Route PP/K west of Springfield for rock blasting

When: 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday & Wednesday, May 26 & 27

Traffic Impacts:

-Traffic on I-44 slowed or stopped for up to 15 minutes

-Traffic on Greene County Route T/N at I-44 and westbound Missouri Route 360-to-westbound I-44 ramp stopped for up to 15 minutes

-Missouri Highway Patrol troopers will slow traffic on I-44 with contractor crews stopping traffic on Greene County Route N/T at I-44

-Drivers urged to use caution and follow instructions from flaggers on the road

Details: Contractor crews blasting rock along I-44 west of the Greene County Route N/T interchange to lengthen interchange ramps. Work is part of larger project to resurface I-44 between Missouri Route 360 (Mile Marker 69) and Missouri Route 266/Chestnut Expressway (Mile Marker 72) and extend interchange ramps.

(Weather and/or construction delays will alter the work schedule)

Judge orders Cassville teacher charged with sexually exploiting a minor held without bond

A Cassville High School business teacher charged with sexually exploiting a child will be held without bond while awaiting trial.

In his order, U. S. District Court Judge David P. Rush noted that Brandon Lane McCullough, 31, Branson, had acknowledged to investigators that he could not even recall how many underage girls he had sexually exploited over the past six years.

In the charge facing him now, the probable cause affidavit said McCullough, who is married and the father of two, blackmailed the girl after she sent him sexually explicit photos of herself over the KIK application and applied so much pressure that she attempted suicide.








Regarding potential danger to the community, the Court notes the nature of the instant offense. The Court notes that the current charge involves a child, sex offense, and use of a computer to facilitate the alleged offense (Sexual Exploitation of a Minor). 

The Court further notes safety concerns for the minor female victim. The evidence at the detention hearing established that the defendant received sexually explicit images of the minor victim using Kik through extortion. 

Defendant became more aggressive, demanding more images and videos. 

At one point, the minor victim informed the defendant that she was considering killing herself because she felt trapped, to which the defendant responded, “That’s ur choice.” 

When arrested on the underlying offense the defendant told law enforcement that he could not recall how many minors he had chatted with and how often he had done it because he engaged in the conduct so frequently. 

The Court notes safety concerns for not only the minor victim, but for the community as well. Based on all the foregoing, the Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant is a danger to the community.

McCullough was scheduled to begin a new teaching job at Hollister High School this fall.

Earlier post- Cassville High School teacher charged with sexual exploitation of a child after 14-year-old attempts suicide