Good morning Springfield! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What has a cap but no head? 🤔 (Answer below!)
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1. Serving the Ozarks: Springfield Police Department (ozarksfirst.com) — Springfield residents will soon see a better-staffed police force, as the Springfield Police Department has nearly halved its officer shortage and expects to reach full staffing within a year. Leaders say this will free up officers to address neighborhood concerns like speeding, and invite neighbors to meet officers informally at Coffee With a Cop on October 6 at shops around town.
2. Springfield's collaboration highlighted in 2026 Community Focus Report (sgfcitizen.org) — Springfield's new 2026 Community Focus Report lays out where the city is thriving and where it's struggling, from housing and food access to child welfare and faith-based support. Local leaders highlight Springfield's strong culture of collaboration while warning that funding cuts, child abuse, and affordable housing shortages still threaten families across Springfield and nearby communities.
3. CoxHealth reaches milestone on specialty children's care center in Springfield (ky3.com) — Families in Springfield can look forward to a new 133,000-square-foot St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth specialty care center on East Primrose, now reaching a key construction milestone. The facility, set to open in 2027, will bring outpatient surgery, pediatric urgent care, and multiple specialty services closer to home, reducing the need for kids to travel outside southwest Missouri for advanced care.
4. Greene County leaders continue to fight against teen-related gun violence (ky3.com) — Springfield and Greene County leaders say a three-year push to curb teen gun violence is yielding mixed results, with overall youth crime down but gun incidents still rising. Outreach workers and SafeHaven in Springfield are focusing on kids as young as 12, offering safe spaces, mentorship, and gun-safety education in hopes of preventing retaliation and improving neighborhood safety.
5. Greene County Commission awards six organizations almost $260,000 to combat opioid addiction (ozarksfirst.com) — Greene County has awarded nearly $260,000 in opioid settlement money to six organizations, including Springfield Victory Mission, Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, and Good Dads, to fight addiction's local impact. The grants will expand education, treatment support, and family-strengthening programs, with officials expecting similar funding opportunities for Springfield-area groups over the next decade as settlement dollars continue to arrive.
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Ok Springfield! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What has a cap but no head?" — A bottle (Thank you Glo M. for sending it in!)
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