LAUREN:
AND... THE SPRINGFIELD POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS HOPING A POLICY
LAUREN:
AND... THE SPRINGFIELD POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS HOPING A POLICY
CHANGE WILL ALLOW RETIRED
OFFICERS TO TAKE THEIR GUNS WITH
THEM
JOE:
PLUS.... A MEDICAID EXPANSION
PROGRAM IN ARKANSAS FACES YET
ANOTHER ROAD BLOCK
FROM THE LEGISLATURE...
THESE STORIES AND MORE--THIS
MORNING ON DAYBREAK.
LAUREN:
GOOD MORNING AND THANKS FOR
JOINING US.
TODAY IS... MONDAY APRIL 1ST
I'M LAUREN BARNAS.
JOE:
AND I'M JOE MURANO.
METEOROLOGIST ELISA RAFFA JOINS
US NOW IN
THE WEATHER LAB WITH YOUR
FORECAST FIRST.
ELISA:
FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT IN
NORTHERN AR
UNTIL 9 AM, TEMPERATURES AT AND
BELOW FREEZING COULD CAUSE
DAMAGE TO PLANTS THIS MORNING.
MAKE SURE THEY ARE COVERED UP!
HIGH PRESSURE SITTING DIRECTLY
OVERHEAD IS
KEEPING US CLEAR AND COLD THIS
MORNING WITH LOWS AT AND BELOW
FREEZING.
CLOUDS WILL INCREASE TODAY AS A
WEAK
DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE
WEST. OUR AIR MASS IS TOO DRY,
SO WE AREN'T FORECASTING ANY
RAIN, BUT WE'LL HAVE FILTERED
SUNSHINE THIS AFTERNOON.
TEMPERATURES STAY ON
THE CHILLY SIDE WITH HIGHS IN
THE UPPER 40'S AND LOWER 50'S -
OVER 10 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE.
WE'LL FLIRT WITH FREEZING
TEMPERATURES TONIGHT,
FROST IS POSSIBLE, PROTECT ANY
SENSITIVE PLANTS. SKIES WILL
ALSO CLEAR OUT.
TOMORROW WE'LL HAVE MOSTLY SUNNY
SKIES AND
STEADY WESTERLY WINDS. AS A
RESULT, HIGHS WILL WARM UP INTO
THE LOW TO MIDDLE 60'S, ABOUT OR
A
LITTLE ABOVE AVERAGE.
CLOUDS INCREASE ON WEDNESDAY
AHEAD OF OUR
NEXT STORM. EXPECT PARTLY TO
MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH BREEZY
SOUTH WINDS AND WARM HIGHS IN
THE UPPER 60'S.
SHOWERS/ STORMS ARRIVE OVERNIGHT
WEDNESDAY
INTO THURSDAY. WE'LL HAVE
SCATTERED SHOWERS/ STORMS AS THE
FRONT COMES THROUGH
ON THURSDAY, HIGHS STAY IN THE
LOWER 60'S.
FOR NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THE
SEVERE THREAT WILL
MAINLY STAY TO OUR SOUTH IN OK
AND AR. IF INSTABILITY, OR FUEL
FOR STORMS, CAN NUDGE
FARTHER NORTH, WE MAY HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT A FEW STRONG STORMS
IN EXTREME SW MO/ NW AR,
STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES!
SKIES WORK TO CLEAR ON FRIDAY,
SUNSHINE
RETURNS ON SATURDAY. IT WILL BE
WARM AND BREEZY ON SATURDAY
AHEAD OF OUR NEXT STORM. HIGH
PUSH INTO THE LOWER 70'S!
SHOWERS/ STORMS RETURN ON
SUNDAY.
LAUREN
APRIL ELECTIONS ARE TOMORROW...
AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW
QUESTIONS THAT COULD
IMPACT YOUR WALLET.
SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES INCLUDE
... THE SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC
SCHOOLS BOND ISSUE... THE
REPUBLIC SALES TAX... AND THE
LAWRENCE COUNTY 9- 1-1 QUESTION.
SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS'
PROPOSITION S WILL FUND 39
PROJECTS... IDENTIFIED BY A
CITIZEN
TASK FORCE.
IF PROP S PASSES... THE PROJECTS
CAN BEGIN IMMEDIATELY.
(Stephen Hall / Springfield
Public Schools): "Secure
entrances for 31 of our schools,
as well as six facilities that
will receive major renovation or
reconstruction. As well as a new
early childhood center for
expanded preschool services for
CANDIDATES... VISIT OUR WEBSITE
AT OZARKS-FIRST-DOT-COM.
JOE
THE MISSOURI FREE APPLICATION
FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID DEADLINE
IS HERE.
STUDENTS IN MISSOURI HOPING TO
RECEIVE FEDERAL FINANACIAL AID
HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TO
SUBMIT FAFSA APPLICATIONS.
EACH PERSON'S FINANCIAL
ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED BY
THEIR EXPECTED FAMILY
CONTRIBUTION.
YOU CAN APPLY ONLINE AT
STUDENTAID DOT ED DOT GOV
LAUREN
MAKING NEWS NOW
LAUREN
SPRINGFIELD POLICE ARE HOPING TO
WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOW
OFFICERS TO TAKE THEIR
GUNS WITH THEM ON RETIREMENT
DAY...
POLICE CHIEF PAUL WILLIAMS SPOKE
WITH CITY COUNCIL DURING A
MEETING LAST WEEK TO
EXPLAIN THE SENTIMENTAL VALUE OF
THE GUNS TO THE OFFICERS ...
BUT THE NEWS LEADER IS REPORTING
THAT THIS PLAN COULD ALSO MAKE
THE CITY SAFER...
RIGHT NOW -- THE CITY TAKES THE
OUTDATED WEAPONS AND SELLS THEM
TO A VENDOR WHICH THEN
SELLS THE GUNS BACK TO THE
PUBLIC...
IF OFFICERS WERE ABLE TO KEEP
THEIR GUNS THAT WOULD REDUCE THE
AMOUNT OF WEAPONS THAT
RE-ENTER THE PUBLIC MARKET
WHETHER OR NOT THE OFFICERS
WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY PAY TO
KEEP THEIR GUNS IS UNCLEAR
THE POLICY WOULD AFFECT ABOUT 10
TO 15 OFFICERS WHO RETIRE EACH
YEAR.
JOE
PUTTING CRIME INTO FOCUS
JOE
A HOWELL COUNTY MAN IS EXPECTED
BACK IN COURT TODAY FOR A PLEA
STATUTORY RAPE OR
JOHNATHAN JOHNSON IS CHARGED
WITH EIGHT FELONIES INCLUDING
STATUTORY RAPE OR ATTEMPTED
STATUTORY RAPE AND CHILD
MOLESTATION. HE IS ACCUSED OF
SEXUALLY ABUSING A FEMALE CHILD
FROM APRIL 2018 TO FEBRUARY OF
THIS YEAR.
JOHNSON TOLD AUTHORITIES THAT
THE CHILD BLACKMAILED HIM INTO
VOTED DOWN ITS BUDGET LAST WEEK.
HANNAH ZETTL JOINS US IN
STUDIO NOW WITH THE REASON WHY
HANNAH
THE VOTE COMES JUST DAYS AFTER A
FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKED THE
PROGRAM'S WORK
REQUIREMENT.
THE JUDGE AGREED WITH THE
PLAINTIFFS IN THIS CASE THAT
WORK REQUIREMENTS IN
ARKANSAS FUNDAMENTALLY ALTER THE
DESIGN AND PURPOSE OF MEDICAID.
IT'S A POLICY GOVERNOR
HUTCHINSON SPENT MONTHS FIGHTING
FOR AND NOW HE'S PUSHING THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SEEK AN
EXPEDITED APPEAL OF THE JUDGE'S
DECISION.
MANY REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED
AGAINST THE BILL SAID THERE WERE
TOO MANY UNKNOWNS IN THE
WAKE OF THE WORK REQUIREMENT
RULING.
IN THE MEANTIME -- A LOT HANGS
IN THE BALANCE AS WE WAIT TO SEE
IF LAWMAKERS CAN FIND THE
VOTES TO APPROVE THE MEDICAID
BUDGET.
"Wherever they fall on the
idealogical spectrum with the
work requirement or Arkansas
Works in general, the point is,
this will create a huge hole in
our budget if we don't pass it,
the governor will have to go
back to the drawing board on the
tax cuts, the road plan,
everything, if this gets
torpedoed."
"The work requirement was a big
issue in helping it get the
supermajority that it needs to
pass, and now i think, rightly
so, you see a lot of members
wanting to take step back so
they can have an understanding
of what they're really doing to
appropriate the money and what
the legal situation surrounding
it."
HANNAH
LAST YEAR MORE THAN 18,000
PEOPLE LOST COVERAGE FOR NOT
COMPLYING WITH THE
WORK REQUIREMENT.
BUT HUTCHINSON SAYS LESS THAN
2000 OF THEM HAVE BEEN RE
ENROLLED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
THE YEAR.
JOE
WE HAVE A TRAFFIC ALERT FOR
HIGHWAY 65.
THE EVANS BRIDGE WILL CLOSE AT
SEVEN TODAY AS MO-DOT PREPARES
FOR DEMOLITION OF THE
BRIDGE.
ROUTE 65 DRIVERS MUST USE ROUTE
CC AND J AND BATTLEFIELD ROAD
INTERCHANGES DURING THE
WORK.
NIGHTTIME WORK ON 65 WILL HAPPEN
TONIGHT INTO TMORROW MORNING AND
TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
EVANS ROAD BRIDGE OVER ROUTE 65
IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN CLOSED
UNTIL LATE JULY.
LAUREN
EATING STEAK AND EGGS -- AND
FUNDRAISING -- THAT'S HOW SOME
SPENT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON......
SOME PEOPLE MAKING
PURCHASES BEFORE THE EVENT
ACTUALLY STARTED...
NICK COPELAND/CO-OWNER PITS N
GRILLS
"WE PRESALE THE EGGS AND THEN
THE PEOPLE GET
TO COME UP HERE AND EAT THE FOOD
AND ITS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
EVERYBODY CAN GET SOME IDEAS AND
SOME RECIPES AND JUST HAVE A
GOOD TIME.."
LAUREN
THIS YEAR'S EGGFEST SUPPORTED
THE GREENE COUNTY 100 CLUB --
WHICH SUPPORTS THE FAMILIES OF
FALLEN POLICE OFFICERS AND
FIREFIGHTERS...
JOE
THE DISCOVERY CENTER IS OPENED
ITS NEW MINI GOLF GAME TO THE
PUBLIC YESTERDAY.
WE GOT A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK OF
SOME PEOPLE TESTING OUT THE
9-HOLE COURSE OVER THE
WEEKEND...
EACH HOLE HAS A SPECIAL THEME --
DISCOVERY CENTER
STAFF SAYS ITS BEEN A FUN
EXPERIENCE SO FAR.
ALEX VERDUGO/MUSEUM DIRECTOR AT
DISCOVERY
CENTER
".......Pretty big hit so far.
It's been the member soft
opening.
so anyone that's a member here
at the discovery center got a
little sneak peek which has been
great. and its been pretty busy,
poppin', people have been loving
it......"
JOE
poppin', people have been loving
it......"
JOE
THE MINI GOLF GAME WILL BE A
PERMANENT ADDITION TO THE
CENTER...
JOE
PLUS -- KELLOGG SELLS OFF A
PORTION OF ITS SNACK STASH....
TO THE OWNER OF NUTELLA. YOUR
MONEYWATCH IS NEXT.