Howell's It Going, July 19, 2024
Hello and welcome to Howell’s It Going. This is your weekly update on what’s happening in your community. I’m Amanda Mendez, and this is your news.
A local fundraiser has crowned a mac 'n cheese king. The Wayside Park Renovation Committee held a mac and cheese cook-off on Saturday, July 6 at the Mountain View Community Center. According to Ashley Loucks with the committee, it was a wonderful night. She said “(they) raised $991.00 and had ten mac and cheese entries.
First place in the contest went to Daniel Caplinger with 205 points for his bacon mac and cheese; second place went to Sawyer Loucks with 182 points for his carbonara style; and third place went to Todd Loucks with 176 points for his Cajun style.
According to organizers, over 65 people came out and tasted and voted on the mac and cheese cook-off.
All the Republicans who hope to represent Howell County in Jefferson City will participate in a debate at the West Plains Civic Center in the Expo Hall at 6 pm on July 25.
Both candidates for the Missouri State Senate primary will appear in West Plains for a mini debate. Travis Smith and Brad Hudson will debate three to five questions moderated by me, Amanda Mendez.
The bulk of the evening's time will be a question and rebuttal format for candidates for the 154th District of Missouri House of Representatives. The three debating Republicans who will face off in the August 6 primary are Larry Lindeman, of West Plains, Lisa Durnell, of Willow Springs, and Mark Collins, of West Plains.
This event is open to the public, and every registered voter is encouraged to attend. Voters may submit questions the night of the event. Advanced questions can be emailed to editor@howellcountynews.com.
A West Plains man was arrested on the 4th of July after allegedly assaulting multiple people, including children. David L. Lange, age 38, of West Plains, is charged with felony first degree assault, abuse or neglect of a child, first degree endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk, and third degree domestic assault. Lange was held at the Howell County Jail on an amended bond of $5,000 corporate surety only with special conditions.
West Plains Police responded to a residence on West Leyda Street on the evening of July 4 for an assault on multiple victims, according to court documents. Police spoke with four adults and three juveniles under the age of 17 who accused Lange of assaulting them. One adult man accused Lange of hitting him multiple times, Lange's wife accused him of spitting in her face, and two other women said they were assaulted by the suspect.
Among the child victims, one boy said Lange punched him in the left side of the jaw, the second boy said he was hit multiple times in the right ankle, and a girl said she had been hit in the neck with a closed fist by the suspect.
David Lange is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on August 20.
The FBI is renewing efforts to locate Top Ten Most Wanted fugitive Donald Eugene Fields II. He may be hiding in Central Missouri, a few hours-drive from where he used to live in Franklin County. He may also be in the Tampa area in Florida. Fields II has been running from the law since 2022 and may be relying on cash jobs such as tree-trimming. He also has a large tribal print tattoo near his right shoulder. If you have information that leads to his arrest, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $250,000. A conviction is not required for this reward. Fields II, who just turned 60 years old this month, was federally indicted in December 2022 on one count of child sex trafficking.
Fields II is also facing charges including statutory rape, statutory sodomy, child molestation and witness tampering in Franklin County Circuit Court. A state warrant for his arrest was issued by that court after Fields vacated his home and failed to show up for a March 3, 2022 hearing, court records show.
If you have information about Fields II, please contact the FBI online at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5325).
Shelly Mantel, a school board member from the Mountain View-Birch Tree R-III School District, has been elected president of the Missouri School Board's Association for the 2024-25 school year.
The Missouri School Boards' Association, or MSBA, is a not-for-profit organization that exists to help school boards ensure all students succeed.
Mantel was elected during a meeting of the MSBA Delegate Assembly held in Branson on June 24.
This episode of Howell’s It Going is brought to you by Travis Smith for Senate. Vote Travis Smith on August 6. For more information, go to travissmithformissouri.com Paid for by the committee to elect Travis Smith for Senate, Brett Mitchell Treasurer.
With the August 6 primary coming fast, campaign season is in full swing. Republican candidates for governor have made visits to West Plains seeking to court the Howell County vote.
Last week, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe made his first public appearance in the area at Hirsch Feed & Farm Supply on July 10.
All gubernatorial candidates were invited to debate in Howell County, but first Kehoe, then Jay Ashcroft canceled their appearance, citing scheduling conflicts. Both front-runners' campaigns blame each other for being unwilling to debate the other.
ABC’s 538 project shows that Kehoe and Ashcroft have been neck-and-neck in the polls since July 2, when Kehoe jumped ahead six points. The two have traded leading positions in this aggregate poll tracker since then. Bill Eigel trails at eleven percent.
Eigel and Ashcroft made campaign stops in West Plains in June. Eigel met with a small crowd in the Walnut Room of the Civic Center on June 15 and Ashcroft drew a crowd to Colton's Steakhouse in West Plains on June 29.
Ashcroft’s appearance drew notable local Republican leaders including retiring Representative David Evans, Former County Clerk and Collector Dennis VonAllmen, with wife and township committeewoman Judy, Howell County Presiding Commissioner Ralph Riggs.
Representing Howell County at Kehoe’s appearance Wednesday was Collector of Revenue Janet Crow and Recorder Jeff Brasier. Former State Treasurer and Congressman Wendell Bailey was also present, and vocally in support of Kehoe.
Primary election day is August 6. On July 23 No-excuse in-person absentee voting begins with photo ID, and July 24 is the last day to request an absentee ballot by mail.
The Larson Group (TLG) Peterbilt announced last week that its 10,000 square foot expansion in Willow Springs is complete. Previously, the Hill Street facility only offered parts and a mobile service program, Road Guru. With the expansion, Peterbilt will now provide complete commercial truck repair services. Peterbilt has been in Willow Springs since 2013, said TLG Director of Marketing Heather Caldwell. After the introduction of the mobile service program in 2019, the business “really took off,” Caldwell said.
The facility has grown by an additional 2,500 square feet of warehouse space, a drivers lounge with a shower, and eight service bays.
The business employs 30 people and has been able to add additional technician jobs to the local economy. Parts manager Damon Talley and service manager Greg Siegman are in charge at the Willow Springs location.
Parts and service hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Missouri Department of Conservation is revisiting its white-tailed deer management plan and is looking for public feedback on the plan's goals and objectives. Goals of the new plan include deer population management, hunting and recreation, deer health and disease, education, communication, public engagement, and research.
Each year, nearly a half a million hunters pursue deer in the Show-Me State, representing a tremendous boon to Missouri's economy and supports thousands of jobs.
According to MDC, the new plan will provide long-term strategic goals and a framework that directs deer management for the next decade. Areas of focus within the new plan include maintaining deer numbers at biologically and socially acceptable levels, minimizing the effects of CWD on the deer herd, providing citizens with information about deer management and satisfactory opportunities to enjoy deer hunting and other deer-related recreational activities, and conducting research to help inform management of the deer herd.
MDC invites the public to learn more about deer management in Missouri and to read and comment on its draft Deer Management Plan goals and objectives through Aug. 4 at mdc.mo.gov/white-tailed-deer-management-plan-revision.
The Missouri Department of Transportation is conducting an environmental study, called Forward 44, of more than 250 miles of Interstate 44 from the Oklahoma state line to the Route 100 east interchange near Gray Summit in Franklin County. This summer, MoDOT is holding a series of public meetings and encourages the public to give input on their concerns and observations along I-44.
I-44 is a vital east-west link across Missouri. A 2008 study showed the aging route needs additional roadway capacity to accommodate the increased travel demand.
The public is invited to attend one of the public meetings on July 23 at the Joplin Public Library beginning at 4:30 pm, July 25 at Crossway Baptist Church in Springfield starting at 4:30 pm, and August 14 at the Wallace Center in Lebanon starting at 4 pm.
The public is welcome to attend the session and location that is most convenient. All meetings will share the same information which will also be available on the project website. The public will be able to provide comments in person or online at modot.org/forward44 from July 10 through Aug. 21.
For more information on the I-44 Corridor Study, call MoDOT at ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit the Forward 44 website for the latest updates and to sign up for Forward 44 news.
I'm Amanda, and this is Howell's It Going.