Nixa

NIXA, Mo. -- For the first time since a nationwide political uproar over his comments about "legitimate rape," Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin will campaign in the Ozarks on Tuesday. Akin will headline a campaign rally at the headquarters of the Christian Co. Republican Party, 119 Aldersgate in Nixa.  The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Akin is running against incumbent Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill.

NIXA, Mo. -- Investigators are trying to find the cause of a house fire in the Pebble Creek subdivision west of Nixa early Friday. The fire started just before 4:30 a.m.in the 1100 block of North Hidden Spring Road, between Landers Road and Pebble Creek Drive.  The flames started in the basement, then spread through the home. A family was inside the home at the time of the fire but they all made it out safely.  Crews from eight departments assisted Nixa with putting out the flames.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo--A man charged with shooting his neighbor to death in Nixa, is now in the Christian County jail.    Robert Bair, Junior was arrested by U.S. Marshals late Wednesday night in West-Central Springfield.    Bair is charged with second degree murder for the death of 51-year-old Rex Hicks in January.      Bair told police that he felt threatened and was defending himself. But two witnesses told investigators the two were in an argument. Hick's daughter says the shooting stemmed from a fight over 180 dollars.

A special benefit Saturday in Nixa to help a little girl get a much-needed piece of equipment. Two-and-a-half year-old Emmalin Eggleston has CDKL5, an early infantile epileptic encephalopathy which is a type of brain damage that can cause spasms. Saturday's benefit in Nixa was to help raise money to buy her a new part for her wheelchair.  It's a high-low base that'll hydraulically raise and lower her chair.  Emmalin's parents say it's a piece of equipment insurance does not cover.

NIXA, Mo.-- Fire did extensive damage early Sunday morning to a home in Nixa. The fire happened in the 900 Block of East Ozark Jubilee. A passerby called 911 about 3-30 Sunday morning to report flames shooting through the roof. When crews got there, flames were already doing major damage. The Nixa fire department says everyone inside was able to get out of the home safely. Firefighters from Nixa, Battlefield, Ozark and Springfield helped fight the fire.

Old Man Winter provided the snow and two Nixa brothers provided the sweat. The Sales brothers built themselves an igloo.  It took them and some friends four days and in the end, it was sturdy enough for the guys to sleep in. Along with blankets it even had electricity; not sure if they dugout a bathroom in there though... When asked what their parents thought, the boys say their folks told them it was time to get a job. "We used coolers," igloo builder, Ethan Sales said.

OZARK, Mo. -- Jimmie Williamson Jr., 37, pleaded guilty on Friday for conspiracy to commit murder.  Investigators said Williamson tried to hire a hit man for $15,000 in December 2009 to kill his wife.  They said Williamson also wanted a stepson killed. In a separate case, the man from Nixa also pleaded guilty on Friday for second-degree domestic assault.  Christian County Circuit Judge Mark Orr sentenced Williamson to two concurrent seven-year prison sentences.   Seven years is the maximum sentence for domestic assault; conspiracy to commit murder carries a sentence of five to 15 years.

It's getting to be an exciting time of year in area high school basketball as the post-season is not far away.  The district playoffs for the larger classification schools start the week of February 21st with the smaller classes starting a week later. With their district seedings coming up on Saturday, the Glendale boys, ranked 5th in the state in Class 5, helped their chances of geting the number 2 seed with a 66-53 win at Parkview.  And Nixa, who's ranked one-spot behind the Falcons in the state Class 5 rankings at 6th, went to Republic and rounted the Tigers, who were a final four team last year, 72-47.

NIXA, Mo. - The city of Nixa is not looking into purchasing an existing cemetery or property to put a public cemetery. KY3 News reported last week that there is no public cemetery in Nixa, just private cemeteries. A real estate agent contacted the city to notify it of a private cemetery up for sale, but the Mayor says the city has other priorities and it has not looked into what it would take to pay for equipment and employees to run and maintain a cemetery. Plus, he says, it's an issue that citizens apparently aren't interested in. "Maybe, about five years ago, the city tried to do a tax for a cemetery, so if the public is not interested in it, I don't see why council should even be really looking into it right now," Mayor Sam Clifton said.

The quality of life and employment has brought a lot of transplant-residents to the Ozarks. In the last 20-years, Nixa alone has led the state with a population explosion of more than 400% - in 1990 Nixa had 4,706 residents which grew to 19,022 by 2010.  The city has grown into a sprawling place to live, but what about a place to rest?   "Unless you believe in the rapture, you're gonna need (a burial plot)," Rosedale Valley Memorial Gardens general manager, Jerry Blevins said.