West Plains Daily Digest Sunday, July 19, 2026
Ty's Take
Seems like a rough stretch on our roads and in our vehicles—two accidents in as many days, a side-by-side rollover that caught three people, and another wreck out toward Willow Springs with four more hurt. You don't need me to tell you that spring weather around here can turn on a dime, and these Ozark curves don't forgive careless speed, but it bears saying anyway. Meanwhile, life goes on: the I Ran from the Cops 5K is still coming up, which ought to draw folks out for a good cause, and that's the kind of community gathering we need more of right now. Been covering these roads long enough to know that sometimes a week like this just happens, and sometimes it's a reminder that we're all driving past each other's houses.
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Weather Alerts
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 1:26AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
* WHAT...Heat index values between 100 to 105 expected. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Higher humidity levels combi...
Ozark Radio News
Three People Injured in Side By Side Rollover
Three Sikeston residents suffered injuries Saturday afternoon when their side-by-side vehicle rolled over on US 160 near Gainesville. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the 2025 Polaris Razor overturned at 4:20 p.m. while the driver was performing doughnuts in the roadway.
Registration for I Ran From the Cops 5K is Open
The Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce and Police Department are now accepting registrations for the 2026 I Ran From the Cops 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk. The community event is set for Saturday, September 12, 2026, with activities beginning at 8:00 a.m.
RESIDENT DEATH AT SOUTH CENTRAL CORRECTIONAL CENTER
A 55-year-old inmate at South Central Correctional Center in Licking died Friday afternoon. Jerry Rau, who was serving consecutive life sentences for statutory sodomy charges, was pronounced dead at 12:57 p.m.
Accident Near Frove Springs Injures Two
A Springfield man and a young girl were hurt Friday evening in a Wright County accident on Missouri 5 north of Grovespring. The northbound Jeep Cherokee left the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned in the 7:50 p.m. crash.
Four Injured in Willow Springs Crash
Four people were injured Friday evening when an 18-year-old driver's Ford Ranger left the roadway and hit a tree on County Road 5120 south of Willow Springs. The single-vehicle accident occurred at 6:30 p.m. and involved two teenage passengers.
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