West Plains

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Police say 14-year-old Jason Spurling died from a single gunshot wound to the chest Friday night.  An autopsy is scheduled this week for the West Plains teenager to give an official cause of death. Officers say a 15-year-old friend is the one who pulled the trigger - however, all signs point to it being accidental. The investigation is ongoing.  Police say they're still trying to figure out where the gun came from.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- A third person is charged for a murder in Howell County.  Bradley Jenkins, 22, of West Plains, was arrested just before midnight Monday in Willow Springs.  Jenkins, like co-defendants Daniel Baird and Heather Bennett, faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action for the death of Jackie Yarber last Friday night.  Investigators say Yarber was stabbed or possibly run over by a vehicle. ...

Emergency management says Saturday night's flooding in West Plains is the worst the city has seen in 20-years. Easter Sunday gave residents a chance to see the damage.  It seems like everyone has a story to tell from the Howell County area. Many residents could only sit and watch and wait to see what would happen to the flood waters.  For some, the flood's current took away landscaping stones while for others, crept anxiously close to their front step.

WEST PLAINS, Mo., -- Emergency management teams will be surveying storm damage on this Easter morning in West Plains. A Saturday soaker brought nearly six inches of rain to the area and flooded some homes and businesses with as much as two feet of water.      Crews were also called out to rescue stranded drivers and to help stabilize propane tanks that had come loose in the rising waters.      While the clean-up may put a damper on easter plans, local officials tell us the worst situations can bring out the best in each other.

West Plains, Mo: A run to benefit the Zizzer Cross Country Team will be held on February 16th in West Plains. It's called The 1st Annual Heart of the Ozarks Half Marathon and 10K. Both races will start at the Southern Hills Shopping Center at 7:30 AM on the 16th. Here's information from the race director: Race Perks: • Official race t-shirt to all participants. • Half Marathon finishers will receive a finisher's medal. • Refreshments provided post race.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Long-time Mayor Joe Paul (J.P.) Evans passed away on Saturday night at the hospital here.  He was 81. Evans had been mayor of West Plains since 1999.  While the exact cause of his death hasn't been released, he had undergone open-heart surgery at a hospital in St. Louis and was recuperating from that operation. Mayor Pro Tem Jack Pahlmann will become mayor.  Robertson-Drago Funeral Home will handle the funeral and burial.  

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- The Howell County Sheriff's Department and the Ozark Police Department are investigating the death of a 10-month-old girl on Tuesday morning.  Sheriff Mike Shannon says officers were called to the hospital in West Plains about 7:45 a.m. after the girl died. Shannon hasn't released other details about the baby's death.  An autopsy in Columbia on Friday morning could tell investigators more about the girl's death.  Howell County Coroner Tim Cherry says state law requires an autopsy and formal death investigation on nearly every child who dies under age 1.

A couple of local schools are jockeying to be named as having the best mascot in the country. The West Plains Zizzers and the Bolivar Liberators have been entered in USA Today's Best Mascot Contest. First-round voting began on Monday, and will continue until March 5, when the winners from each state will go into the regional voting. From there, a top mascot will be picked. You can get online and vote for your favorite mascot here .

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Law enforcement officers arrested a third person in connection with a murder in West Plains over the weekend. Bradley Jenkins, 22, of West Plains was arrested Monday night by the Howell County Sheriff's Department.  Daniel Baird, 24, and Heather Bennett, 21, both of West Plains, were also arrested for the murder. All three are charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.  Investigators believe the three suspects killed Jackie Yarber while they were stealing his truck.

WEST PLAINS, Mo--While dozens of football games are taking place on Friday, there's one game that really stands out in the Ozarks. The night started just like any other High School Football night. Players stretched as cheerleaders got the crowd ready. But Friday night was different in West Plains because a check was given to their opponents. Nearly seven thousand dollars collected in two weeks.  Dozens of people wore Hope for Joplin t-shirts.  Showing that off the field, we are all on the same team.