Ozark

What started out as a blow-out ended up as a nail-biting drama as the Class 4, District 11 baseball district championship went down-to-the-wire. It certainly didn't look that way early as Ozark, the number 2 seed in the district, jumped out to a 7-0 lead over the top-seeded host team Kickapoo.  Ozark starting pitcher Cody Holzer allowed just three-hits and no runs over the first five innings, and when the Tigers Hayden Stancer scored two more Ozark runs in the 7th inning with a base-hit to right field, Ozark seemed to be in clear command with a 7-0 lead.

Monday and Tuesday, May 16th and 17th, the Class 4 boys state golf championship will take place at the Twin Oaks Country Club in Springfield.  And Ben Hogan and Justin Timblerlake will be there. No, not the legendary golfer with the line of golf equipment Ben Hogan...or the multi-talented singer, movie star, dancing Brittany Spears ex-Justin Timberlake. These well-known names are members of the Ozark high school golf team, who are considered serious challengers in the team competition.

OZARK, Mo. -- A new B&B Theatre opens Friday night.  The 45,000-square-foot theatre features 12 screens. "The B&B Theatres Ozark/Nixa 12 will be the Springfield area's first theatre boasting all-digital projection and Dolby 7.1 surround sound in every auditorium," a news release says.  "The icing on the cake is the monstrous B&B Grand Screen. This 53-foot giant occupies the largest auditorium in the building and seats a whopping 230 guests.  That screen, coupled with 7.1 Dolby surround sound, RealD 3D technologies, Christie projection, and 18-inch stadium risers creates an absolutely unforgettable experience at the movies.

OZARK, Mo. - A Springfield man died after his vehicle crossed a centerline and struck another vehicle head-on on a road outside Ozark Monday afternoon. James A. Kachingwe, 38, was pronounced dead three and a half hours after the 12:20 p.m. collision, in which his vehicle veered into an oncoming lane on Farmes Branch Road one mile north of Ozark, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Kachingwe was driving a 2005 Chrysler Sebring, which struck a 1989 Chevrolet C20 truck.

OZARK -- The adrenaline was pumping on Sunday at the Ducks Stadium parking lot in Ozark. The Ozark Mountain Region of the Sports Car Club of American staged an autocross. An autocross is a timed competition in which drivers navigate one at a time through the course.    Drivers can bring any car they want to run. Organizers say it's the best way to put the pedal to the metal without getting in trouble. The club meets once a month and the course is different each time.

OZARK, Mo. - School officials in Ozark briefly evacuated an elementary school there after a metal cup in a microwave caused fire alarms to go off. The incident took place at North Elementary School Monday morning, school officials said. Firefighters responded and found no fire and that students weren't in danger. Students were taken to Upper Elementary School as a precaution, according to Ozark school officials.

NIXA, Mo. -- Searchers found a brother and sister who decided not to go to school on Thursday morning.  Members of the Nixa Fire Department found them about 10 a.m. walking towards Ozark. The district said Dustin Reynolds, 14, and Renee Reynolds, 11, left their home about 6:40 a.m. to walk to their bus stop.  Police said Dustin is in the 7th grade.  Renee is in the 5th grade. Zac Rantz, a spokesman for the Nixa School District, said the school resource officer activated the alert system and started the search for the children about 9 a.m. after their mother reported them missing.  Rantz said they were last seen running away from their bus stop.

OZARK, Mo. -- Investigators aren't sure they'll be able to find the cause of a fire that destroyed a mobile home early Tuesday afternoon.   The home is a total loss.   Ozark firefighters arrived six minutes after getting the call but the home was fully engulfed in flames.   High winds fanned the flames and added to the difficulty for the firefighters.  Crews from Nixa and Logan-Rogersville departments helped at the scene. The fire was near 12th and Kirkwood off South Street.

OZARK, Mo. -- Some kids here got a chance to go shop for Christmas with some special friends on Sunday.  Eighty children paired up with Ozark police officers as part of the department's Shop with a Cop program. Each child, referred by Christian County Children's Services, got $100 to spend.   The event is made possible by community donations. Officers hope it will help the kids see them in a positive light; they started this program 12 years ago.

OZARK, Mo. -- Police are investigating the murder of a 50-year-old man who was found with a gunshot wound to the head.  The body was found in a parking lot on the 1400 block of West Hall Street on Sunday. Detectives believe the murder took place sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning.  No arrests had been made by Sunday night, but police said they have a person of interest stemming from security video of the crime scene.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Springfield Public Schools is once again bringing ArtWorks to children in the fourth through eighth grades this summer. From Springfield Public Schools : ArtWorks will be held at Sequiota School, 3414 S. Mentor Ave. again this year. This program is for students who will be going into the 4th to 8th grades next school year.  Dates: June 3rd to June 14th. (nine day session).  No artworks on Friday, June 7th.  Morning session takes place from 8:30-11:30 a.m., with tthe afternoon session 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Registrations will be accepted starting 9 a.m. Monday, April 15th at the Kraft Administration building, 1359 East St. Louis Street.

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. - A community near the Lake of the Ozarks is gearing up for the opening of a new shopping center -- and it's bringing some national retailers to town. On Wednesday morning, Dierberg's will open its new shopping center. They're holding a ribbon cutting ceremony just before the doors open at 9 a.m. The mayor and other city officials will be there to celebrate the grand opening of several stores. The 77,000-square foot grocery store will include a JJ Twig's bar and restaurant, as well a UPS Store.

EUREKA SPRINGS, Ar. -- Ever want to own an Ozarks landmark?  Now's your chance. Pivot Rock is for sale along with 95 adjoining acres near Eureka Springs.      The sale includes the natural bridge, gift store, and other rock formations.      Pivot Rock has been featured in several books and magazines from around the world, including "Ripley's Believe It Or Not. "  The owner has looked over the property since 1976 and is ready to retire.      The asking price is $695,000, and is being offered through Mountain Country Properties.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo -- It's another sign of a strengthening economy--car sales are bouncing back here in the Ozarks. It's to the point for some dealerships that demand has been so high, keeping up with inventory and staff has been a challenge. "We had the tsunami in Japan that impacted us greatly. We had the recalls a couple of years ago," said Reliable Toyota managing partner Tony Stubblefield, "on top of the recession there has been some turmoil. " That turmoil appears to be a thing of the past.

SPRINGFIELD -- Mothers from around the Ozarks attempted to help break a world record on Saturday by changing their babies diapers--cloth diapers. It was part of an international Earth Day event to break the record of more than 8,000 diapers changed at one time.      At the Greater Springfield Farmers' Market, in the parking lot of the Battlefield Mall, more than 50 mothers changed their babies into a cloth diaper. The goal, organizers said, was to show parents cloth diapers is an option for modern families.

SPRINGFIELD, -- As events continue to unfold in Boston, people in the Ozarks are finding ways to honor those hurt in the marathon. Some marathons will take place this weekend. Many will have tributes to the Boston victims. Camp Barnabas, an organization that helps children with disabilities go to summer camp, is hosting a half marathon in Springfield. While you can no longer sign up to run, those with the camp are inviting everyone to participate in a memorial. On Saturday morning at 7:30 A.M. there will be a flag ceremony, prayer and a moment of silence before runners start the race.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Storm Prediction Center has issued a new tornado watch through 5 a.m. for a large area of Missouri. Local Missouri counties included in the watch are the following: Barry, Barton, Benton, Camden, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, McDonald, Miller, Newton, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Stone, Vernon and Webster. Arkansas counties included in a tornado watch that is effective until 6 a.m. include Carroll County, Washington County, Benton County and Madison County.

TODAY 40s/50s north 60s central Upr 70s south Cloudy north, mostly cloudy south. A few early showers/storms. TONIGHT 60s Warming up for many; a few showers possible. WEDNESDAY Near 80° Variable clouds, quite warm. Isolated storms. 12-hour forecast 24-hour forecast 7-Day Forecast Pollen Count Satellite & Radar Almanac Good morning!

BRANSON, Mo. -- Paul and Melissa Adler were relieved when they stepped off the plane at Branson Airport on Tuesday afternoon; they had lived through a life-changing ordeal in Boston. "It feels great. It feels great to be home, Yeah. It's wonderful to be back," the pair said. Melissa had reached the pinnacle of the running world when she qualified for the Boston Marathon.      Years of training led her to the premier race . It was everything she had thought it would be, and more, she said.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The National Weather Service has issued a Thunderstorm Watch for the northern half of the Ozarks. The watch includes Barton, Bates, Benton (MO), Camden, Cedar, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Henry, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, Miller, Morgan, Newton, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Vernon, and Webster Counties. The biggest threat includes high winds and hail.  This storm system begins an active weather pattern for the Ozarks over the next few days.