City of Springfield

An annual fall festival in Springfield will not go on as planned because of a surge in COVID-19 cases in southwest Missouri due to the delta variant. 

The Birthplace of Route 66 festival had been set for August 13th and 14th.  It was not held last year because of the pandemic.

Springfield city manager, Jason Gage, said the festival’s steering committee made the right decision to cancel it again this year.

Kansas City’s mayor has some new ideas for addressing his city’s mental health needs after a visit to Springfield on Friday.

Quinton Lucas toured Burrell Behavioral Crisis Center with Springfield Mayor Ken McClure.

Springfield City Council voted unanimously Monday night to amend city ordinance to remove requirements to wear face masks outdoors except for gatherings of more than 500 where people are less than six feet from one another. 

The decision comes after the CDC last week announced new guidelines that said it’s safe to unmask outdoors if you’re vaccinated.  The agency also declared it was safe for unvaccinated people to participate in outdoor, unmasked activities with members of one’s household or other fully vaccinated people. 

Starting Wednesday (4/7), Brookside Drive, between Kings and Green Avenues in Springfield, will close for about seven months.  The city is working on the Fassnight Creek Stormwater Improvement Project at that location, and the closure will allow for roadway and sanitary sewer construction.

A major cleanup effort will get underway soon in Springfield.  Clean Green Springfield will be held during April and May.  The event will include cleanup and beautification opportunities, including neighborhood cleanups, roadside trash pickups, plantings, stream cleanups and more.

In May, the city will offer chances for residents to dispose of things like tires, mattresses, appliances and electronics at no charge.

Springfield police are conducting a Crosswalk Yield Check at a crosswalk in the northern part of the city this week.

Springfield city officials said in a news release the officers will be monitoring a crosswalk for four hours each day at Atlantic and Campbell near Reed Middle School.

Sequiota Park is a popular place for playing, relaxing, hiking and picnicking.  The Galloway Creek Greenway, which was designated in 2003 as a National Recreation Trail by the National Park Service and American Trails, runs through it.  But the park's boundaries encompass only 12.7 acres.  That could soon change.

The City of Springfield wants to know what you would like to see included in the Renew Jordan Creek master plan.  An online public visioning survey is available through February 7 at renewjordancreek.com.

Jordan Creek, which flows through downtown Springfield, was channeled through a series of underground culverts beginning in the 1930s, according to city officials. 

Springfield Environmental Services is asking area residents to help them meet a recycling challenge.  The department wants to see 100 tons of paper recycled at the city’s drop off sites between November 15 and December 17.  And, so far, 51.5 tons of paper has been recycled.

More than 85 tons is collected per month, on average, at the city’s recycling centers.

Wrapping paper can be recycled as long as it doesn’t contain foil or glitter.  You can also recycle things like tissue paper, paper towel and toilet paper tubes and food boxes.

The City of Springfield wants to know what its residents think about the future of Commercial Street and the Forward SGF Comprehensive Plan.