Cheryle Perkins defeats Angela Thomas in Missouri House District 160 race

Cheryle Perkins has won House District 160 by 45% of the votes against her Democratic opponent, Angela Thomas. In a post on her campaign Facebook page, Angela Thomas said “Congratulations to Cheryle Perkins on her victory. I wish her well and look forward to seeing how she will lead and deliver for our community in the days ahead.”

City Council will discuss $22 million Joplin animal shelter proposal

A new study is recommending Joplin stop relying solely on outside shelter services and build its own city-run animal shelter.

Ozark Center receives $1.46 million grant to expand residential behavioral health care

JOPLIN, Mo. (KOAM) - Ozark Center has received a $1.466 million state grant to renovate a building in Joplin and expand residential behavioral health services in southwest Missouri.

Taney & Stone County Unofficial Election Results Tuesday, November 3, 2026

The unofficial election results from the Tuesday, Nov. 3, election have been released for Taney and Stone counties. In Taney County, the clerk’s office is preliminarily reporting they received a total of 17,901 ballots for 43.31% voter turnout. In Stone County, the clerk’s office is preliminarily reporting they received 13,356 ballots for a 51.2% voter turnout. Results can be found below, as well as by visiting our Election Live-2026 Results page here on MoArk News Now.

Republican Louise Secker wins Missouri House District 161 race

Republican Louise Secker has won Missouri House District 161 against Democrat Aaron Metzger. The race between the two candidates was close, with Secker winning by 218 votes. She’s likely one of the only women to be elected to the district, which covers Webb City and parts of Joplin. Her win maintains Republican control of the district, which has been occupied by Lane Roberts since 2019, who did not seek re-election.

Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex unveils 83-kilowatt solar system to cut energy costs

The Brief

Convoy of Hope deploys flood relief supplies to Georgia, Tennessee amid record disaster response year

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - As emergency crews carry out water rescues following catastrophic flooding across the Southeast, disaster relief teams based in the Ozarks are mobilizing to deliver critical relief supplies. Volunteers and staff at Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center in Springfield are assembling and loading tractor-trailers with emergency...

Springfield voters reject all four city charter questions

Voters in Springfield rejected four ballot questions intended to modernize the city charter during the November 2026 election.

City of Springfield reminds voters of post-election sign rules

Springfield city officials are reminding residents and campaigns to remove political signs from private property within 48 hours of the election and noting that all such signage is strictly prohibited in public rights-of-way.

First contestant to finish historical homes scavenger hunt correctly will receive $150 on city's 150th birthday

The Webb City Area Genealogical Society is celebrating Webb City’s 150th birthday by awarding $150 to the winner of its scavenger hunt and architectural quiz. There are 29 questions requiring the identification of 29 historical houses. There are no duplicate answers. Each house is one of the answers. “It only works one way,” says WCAGS volunteer Marti Pittman.

Spikes in Republic water/sewer billing scaled back from two to 12 years, officials propose slow roll water, sewer rate changes

The Republic City Council is considering a stunning reversal of the steep water and sewer rate increases approved in January 2025. At the city council’s Oct. 20 meeting, Chief Financial Officer Bob Ford introduced a budget amendment pulling back on the 64 percent increase in water and sewer rates in one year, which would continue to rise annually. After an outcry from the public, in March the city froze scheduled increases in water after the first year. Wastewater rates still increased by 16 percent. Under the vision statement of “doing the Right Thing at the Right Time for the Right Reason,” Ford advances what was called a “fairer” bill calculation methodology, “one that is equitable to all rate payers and can be used for both water and wastewater” for the next three years.

Webb City exploring data center ordinances

City leaders say there are no data centers in the works at this time. But they are looking at what other cities, like Joplin, have done to set limits on that kind of construction.

Barry County illegal re-entry case ends with a time-served sentence

A Guatemalan national has been sentenced to time served in federal custody for illegally reentering the United States following a previous deportation. Julien Cristobal-Perez, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool in connection with an illegal reentry offense committed May 25, 2026, in Barry County, Missouri. Cristobal-Perez received a sentence of time served after spending five months and 10 days in custody. He is to be transferred immediately to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for deportation to his native Guatemala.

Ribbon cut on affordable housing development on C-Street

For the first time in over 50 years, there is a new building on Historic Commercial Street in Springfield. Amid a light cool drizzle and against a thrumming backdrop of trains, local leaders and developers Wednesday morning cut the ribbon on the Sankofa building. The development, at the intersection of...

CASA of the Southwest receives $250,000 for Taney County clubhouse

Court Appointed Special Advocates for children, or CASA of the Southwest, will expand in Taney County after receiving $250,000.

Brian Seitz: Looking Forward to Final Two Years in Office

Lakes Area Missouri State Representative Brian Seitz wins re-election to represent the 156th District in what will be his final two years in Jefferson City. Seitz hits the maximum eight years allowed by law when his new term ends in 2028, and during an interview Election Night on Legends 1063’s Election Coverage, he said that he will continue to work hard on legislation to benefit Branson, Hollister, and the Lakes Region.

Crews begin work on Sunshine Street safety improvements

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Some big changes are coming to Sunshine Street. On Monday, MODOT crews started working on safety improvements along just over four miles of East Sunshine, between Glenstone Avenue and Farm Road 199. The primary change will be raising the medians in order to help traffic flow and reduce the number of crashes […]

Beloved Robert E. Smith mural recreated in downtown Springfield after community outcry

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A celebrated tribute to renowned Springfield folk artist Robert E. Smith has returned to downtown Springfield, months after the original public artwork was painted over by a new property owner. A pair of regional muralists has nearly finished replicating the iconic piece along the 300 block...

Former Springfield leaders reflect on Cora Scott’s departure from city

Branson to Honor Veterans During Annual Homecoming Week

The Branson community will once again have the honor and privilege of hosting veterans and their families in the days to come during the annual Veteran’s Homecoming Week. From Thursday, Nov. 5 to Wednesday, Nov. 11, dozens of reunions, ceremonies, memorials, galas and other events will take place across the region as community leaders, organizations and businesses pay tribute to the brave men and women who’ve served as members of the United States military.