Over 400 residents in the Kaiser area are without power this morning after a car crashes into an electric pole.

Crews from Ameren are currently working the scene down D road.

No further details are available at the moment.

Photos shared on the Lake Area Happenings Facebook Page show a vehicle turned upside down and power lines strewed across the roadway.

We will bring you more information as it becomes available.

A woman is dead and multiple others are hospitalized following a boat crash on Lake of the Ozarks

The Highway Patrol’s water division says it happened at the 18-Mile mark of the Main channel Saturday morning just after midnight, when a 2005 Formula was that traveling upstream struck a 1995 Sea Ray that was going downstream.

The collision destroyed the Formula boat, causing one person to be ejected, 2 people to be seriously injured and 2 others to receive minor injuries.

The majority of the injured where flown to University Hospital in Columbia, including 43-year-old Brad Steinkuehler and a 13 year old minor both from High Ridge, MO. 42-year-old Scott Comia of O’Fallon, MO and 43-year-old Jason Ashby of Eureka, MO were transferred to Lake Regional.

42-year-old Dawn Stienkuehler of High Ridge, MO was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to Allee Holman Howe Funeral home.

The driver of the Sea Ray, 52-year-old John Bennett of Ne Haven, MO was not injured and is now facing 3 BWI Charges.

The National Weather Service says some strong to severe thunderstorm could affect the Lake area throughout the day on Tuesday.

Here are the details below.

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri
Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Limited hail risk.
  Limited thunderstorm wind damage risk.
  Limited flooding risk.
  Elevated lightning risk.
  Limited excessive heat risk.

DISCUSSION...

A few isolated storms will be possible through the early morning
hours. Cloud to ground lightning and brief heavy rain will be the
main risks.

Additional scattered storms are then expected to develop late this
morning and continue into the evening hours. A few of the
strongest storms will be capable of gusty winds up to 60 mph and
hail up to the size of pennies. Brief heavy downpours and
frequent lightning will also accompany the storms. Localized flash
flooding will also be possible.

Heat index values will warm into the middle 90s to near 100
degrees.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

Scattered thunderstorms will again be possible on Wednesday
and Thursday. Daily isolated thunderstorm chances will then occur
this weekend.

Heat index values in the middle 90s to around 100 degrees will
occur each day.

Photo Courtesy of Lake Resident Tanya Steggall-Newberry

The operator of a boat that crashed near the 15.9 mile marker of the Main Channel Tuesday night might be hurt.

Corporal Brian Geier (Guy-er) with the Missouri Highway Patrol.

He tells KRMS News they’re looking for the operator of the boat, who ran away after the crash.

Guyer says the boat that crashed was a 42 Fountain and it was about 15 feet from the water.

He also says they believe they have identified the operator, but there’s no word on an arrest.

If you’re heading out the door, you’ll need more than an umbrella.

Meteorologist Gene Hatch with the National Weather Service says we can expect to see two rounds of storms today, one this morning and another this afternoon, bringing in damaging winds, hail the size of quarters and isolated tornadoes.

He says if you’re planning to be on a boat you should pay attention to the changing conditions.

Once the storms move out, the heat will settle in. We’re expecting heat indexes to get as high as 107 by the end of the week.

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri
Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Limited tornado risk.
  Limited hail risk.
  Elevated thunderstorm wind damage risk.
  Limited flooding risk.
  Limited lightning risk.
  Limited excessive heat risk.

DISCUSSION...

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible this morning
into the early afternoon across portions of central Missouri.
Severe thunderstorms are possible with this afternoon`s activity.
The hazards include lightning, large hail up to the size of golf
balls, damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph, and an isolated tornado.
Additionally, locally heavy rainfall is possible. For areas from
southeast Kansas to south central Missouri, heat indicies will
climb to near 100 degrees this afternoon.

For tonight, a few lingering isolated showers and thunderstorms
will be possible through the early evening hours.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible
on Thursday and Friday. A few of the thunderstorms on Thursday may
become strong to severe.

Heat index values of 100 or greater are likely Friday into early
next week.

Severe weather is expected throughout the day today in the Lake Area.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Doug Kramer.

He tells KRMS News these storms could be dangerous for boaters caught on the water.

Kramer says there is the potential for 70 mile an hour winds and tennis ball sized hail.

He recommends putting a weather radar app on your phone and keep tuned to KRMS for the latest changing weather conditions and possible warnings.

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri
Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Limited tornado risk.
  Limited hail risk.
  Limited thunderstorm wind damage risk.
  Limited flooding risk.
  Limited lightning risk.
  Limited excessive heat risk.

DISCUSSION...

Afternoon heat index values will range from the upper 90s to the
lower 100s this afternoon.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon and
evening across much of the region. Several of these storms could
become severe, with large hail up to the size of tennis balls, and
70 mph wind gusts possible. A tornado or two may also occur with
the most intense thunderstorms.

There will be a limited risk for flash flooding in locations that
receive training thunderstorms.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

An extended period of excessive heat is expected beginning
Tuesday and continuing through at least Thursday. Heat index
values could exceed 105 degrees in some areas.

Photo Courtesy of the City of Camdenton

Former City of Camdenton Alderman and well-known Lake native Dan Hagedorn has passed away.

According to the city, Hagedorn spent thirteen years with the city from 2004 to 2017, of which 10 of those years was as President of the Board

Hagedorn’s Son and color play-by-play announcer of the Camdenton Lakers on 935 ROCKS Luke Hagedorn remembers his Dad.

Dan Hagedorn penned this poem about being an Alderman.

Twice on Tuesdays – by Dan Hagedorn

Two times each month, six aldermen meet,
To consider new codes and the balance sheet.

Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash

If you’re looking for fireworks shows tonight, there are plenty at hand.

You can view the celebrations at The Lodge of the Four Seasons and Point Randall Resort in Lake Ozark, Margaritaville Lake Resort in Osage Beach, Millstone Marina in Gravois Mills and Bear Bottom Resort in Sunrise Beach, as well as the Cities of Warsaw, Eldon, and the Camp Bagnell RV Park.

Most of the shows kick off just past 9PM.

Here’s a full list so far for July 4th:

EAST SIDE:

Lodge of the Four Seasons

Fireworks at Dusk around 9:15 p.m

Via water at the 13 Mile Marker of the Main Channel. By land is only for resort guests.

(573)-365-3000

Margaritaville Lake Resort (Formally Tan-Tar-A)

Fireworks between 9 – 10 p.m.

Via water at the 26 mile marker of the Main Channel. By land is for resort guests only.

(573)-348-3131

Point Randall Resort

Fireworks between  9:15 – 10 p.m.

By water at the 2 Mile Marker of the Main Channel inside McCoy Branch Cove. By land is for resort guests only.

(573)-365-2081

Camp Bagnell RV Park

Fireworks around dusk

By water on the Osage River or on land at 401 Old Bagnell Road, Eldon, MO

(573) 693-1275

City of Eldon Independence Day Festival

Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. at the Eldon Air Park located at 532 Airport Rd, Eldon, MO

(Note: Some festival events are being canceled due to weather, Fireworks show is still on)

1 – 5 p.m. is a Free Family Kick Ball Tournament

4 – 8 p.m. there are Craft Vendors, Face Painting & More

4 – 11 p.m. there will be a Food Truck Village

7 – 9 p.m. expect Live Music

(573)-392-2291

WEST SIDE:

Bear Bottom Resort – Fireworks show starts at 9:45 p.m with live music by Dirt Road Addiction starting at 7PM.

38MMof the Osage Arm by water or by land at 123 Bear Bottom Dr, Sunrise Beach, MO 65079

(573)-374-6905

Millstone Marina & RV Resort

Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

By water at the 7 Mile Mark of the Main Channel or by land at 18096 Highway O, Gravois Mills, MO 65037

(573) 372-6272

Holiday Hills Marina

Fireworks around 9 p.m.

At the 66 Mile Marker of the Main Channel by water or by land at 2839 Lick Creek Rd, Edwards, MO 65326

(573) 345-3733

The Wet Spot Bar & Grill

Fireworks at dusk.

By water at the 59 1/2 Mile Marker of the Main Channel or by land at 33880 Ivy Bend Rd, Stover, MO 65078

(573) 372-9903

The city of Warsaw at Drake Harbor

Fireworks at dusk.

View by boat at the 90 mile marker of the main channel or by land, on Drake Harbor at W Harrison St, Warsaw, MO 65355.

(660)-438-5922

Other fireworks events:

Playin’ Hooky 4th Of July Fireworks Cruise

Starts at 8:30 p.m.

The 49-passenger catamaran departs from Buck Creek Cove at the 8 MM at the Mystic Marina located at 32697 Green Hills Rd, Gravois Mills MO 65065.

The cost is $25 per person

Missing your show? Please e-mail us at [email protected] and we will add it to our list.

Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash

A Reminder for boaters this Holiday Weekend.

A new law requires boats longer than 40 feet to idle in to coves 800 feet or less.

Captain Matthew Walz with the Missouri Highway Patrol’s Water Division.

He says the width of coves in question is measured from dock to dock and likely applies to coves wider than 800 feet, in some cases.

The Water Division also approved a new rule back in June following a public hearing, requiring boats 40 feet or longer to idle through the Big Niangua arm, between mile markers 9.5 to 16 into Ha Ha Tonka Cove, where it becomes the Niangua River.

Here are a look at the Coves and areas with limited no wake in effect:

For the Main Channel:

Lynch Hallow Cove

Jennings Branch Cove

On the Gravois Arm:

Portions of Indian Creek Cove

Portions of Mill Creek Cove

In the Glaize Arm area:

The Watson Hollow Cove, aka Girl Scout Cove

On the Niangua Arm:

The 9.5 Mile Marker to the about 16 Mile Marker into the Niangua River

Officials with the Highway Patrol’s Water Division say there could be more to come following additional public requests for hearings based on the new law that took affected in April/May, which was filed more than a year ago.

Photo by Tomek Baginski on Unsplash

It’s going to be a warm one for this holiday weekend.

Daytime highs in the low 90s are expected but the heat index could make it feel like it’s over 100 degrees.

Physician’s assistant Ryan Rogers with Lake Regional Hospital says it’s a good idea to wear light colored clothing made of light fabrics and that hand-held fans will not protect against the heat in these temperatures.

Rogers also says it’s important to pace yourself while active outside and remember to drink lots of water or sports drinks, not including energy drinks.

The national weather service gives us more details on the Holiday heat and weekend forecast:

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Missouri
Ozarks and extreme southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Limited hail risk.
  Limited thunderstorm wind damage risk.
  Limited flooding risk.
  Limited lightning risk.
  Elevated excessive heat risk.

DISCUSSION...

Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur at
times from this morning into tonight. Gusty winds up to 50 to 60
mph, small hail, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall
will be possible with a few of the strongest storms.

Maximum heat index values of 90 to 100 are expected today,
highest over western Missouri and southeastern Kansas.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Very warm and humid conditions will persist into the upcoming
holiday weekend along with daily chances for showers and
thunderstorms.

Hear Lake Regional’s Ryan Rogers speaking about the heat with Christian Blood on the Ozarks Today below:

Road construction will come to stop for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Maintenance engineer Todd Miller with MoDOT.

He tells KRMS News lane and bridge closures already in place will remain during the holiday weekend.

Miller says you should expect heavy traffic in the Lake Area and changing weather conditions could also effect driving conditions.

Governor Mike Parson passing the Fiscal 2021 Budget on Tuesday.

Due to those shortfalls, they had to put in nearly $450 Million dollars in restrictions.

Dan Hawg with the Office of Administration.

He says that includes restrictions on the Department of Education, Natural Resources and the Highway Patrol.

The total state budget is approximately $35.3 billion, including $10 billion in general revenue.

Governor Parson Signs FY 2021 Budget Bills

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – Today, Governor Mike Parson signed the FY21 budget bills passed by the General Assembly.

The total state budget is approximately $35.3 billion, including $10 billion in general revenue.

“Every year, the General Assembly is committed to protecting Missouri taxpayers’ hard earned money with a fiscally responsible budget,” Governor Parson said. “Although this legislative session looked very different due to COVID-19, we appreciate the General Assembly for pushing through these difficult circumstances and creating the Fiscal Year 2021 budget.”

Since taking office, Missouri’s economy and financial health have been of utmost importance to Governor Parson. Last year, the state budget left $100 million on the bottom line in order to respond to any unexpected revenue declines. Governor Parson also proposed to do the same for next year, ensuring another year of responsible state budgeting and savings.

However, COVID-19 has severely impacted Missouri’s anticipated economic growth, and the state is now experiencing significant revenue declines.

To ensure Missouri is prepared to deal with the economic impacts of COVID-19 going forward, Governor Parson issued vetoes for 17 items totaling nearly $11 million. Governor Parson also announced over $448 million in budget withholds. These restrictions include nearly 150 items across state government.

“COVID-19 is unlike anything we have ever experienced before,” Governor Parson said. “As difficult as these decisions are, we are experiencing an unprecedented economic downturn, which means we are having to make unprecedented adjustments in our budget.”

Despite these challenges, Governor Parson’s administration is hopeful that the economy will recover quickly, which may allow for the release of some withholds later in the year. The state also anticipates opportunities in the coming weeks to help offset shortfalls.

To view the FY 2021 appropriation bills, click here. To view the full list of expenditure restrictions, click here. 

Photo by Tomek Baginski on Unsplash

Summertime heat arrives in the Lake Area, and it’s going to be here for awhile.

You can expect daytime highs well into the 90s this week.

Meteorlogist Doug Cramer with the National Weather Service.

He tells KRMS the heat index by the middle of the week could reach 100 to 105 degrees.

He also says it’s important to have plenty of water nearby if you’re out on the lake or working outside this week.

We’ll get more on the weather from the Weatherology weather center coming up here on KRMS.

Additional bags of salad are being recalled from HyVee and Fresh Express across the Lake area.

Now more than 12-salad types are included in the recall due to potential contamination of Cyclospora.

Nearly all of the 12 to 13-ounce bags from all dates are being pulled from the shelves.

Residents who’ve recently shopped at HyVee or Wal-Mart and purchased any of these salad bags, should return them immediately for a refund or simply throw them out.

Full Press Release:

Fresh Express, out of an abundance of caution, has issued a voluntary recall of branded and private label salad products produced at its Streamwood, IL facility that contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and/or carrot ingredients due to a possible health risk from Cyclospora. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200 illnesses have been reported in connection with a current outbreak of Cyclospora occurring in primarily Midwest states.

The Lake Area is remembering a legend.

Joseph Boer passed away on Father’s Day at the age of 84.

Mary Boer, Joseph’s wife of 25 years tells his story:

This is Joseph’s history as told on the old Blue Heron Website.

Holland born Joseph H. Boer, arrived in America on Christmas Day in 1956. After growing up in Den Haag and surviving the war and all of its strife, trials and tribulations including the Hunger Winter in Holland he served in the Dutch Army then qualified to be included with special quota immigrants for displaced persons of WWII.  After his invitation to the US he left his homeland, traveled to America and became a US Citizen in 1961.

​
Holland 
At the age of 16 he attended a trade school in Holland, known in the USA as Culinary School, and was employed for the traditional 6 months training as an apprentice in upscale restaurants as well as a stint in Switzerland at the Hof Ragaz Spa Hotel.   He was then a Sous Chef at the Belgiam Embassy in Den Haag where he prepared extraordinary dishes for Ambassadorial celebratory functions. Joseph was later drafted in the Dutch army where he became skilled in cooking for whole battalions of Anti-Aircraft personnel.

USA
Upon his arrival in the US he was employed at the Wolhurst Country Club in Littleton, Colorado where he earned $1 a day and payed $1 a day for room and board.  After four months of earning only tips he received a $100 gift from a customer.  It was that generous gift that allowed Joseph to purchase a very cheap car which he drove to Kansas City which was the first large city east of Littleton.

​Kansas City 
It was in Kansas City that he worked at the Muelbach Hotel as a captain in the Terrace Grill.  From there he moved onto work at the Colony Steak House under his favorite employer and adviser Ralph Gaines and to this day holds a reverence for this man and the impact he had in Joseph’s life.  While under his employment he was then inducted into the US Army where he served 2 years.  After his stint in the service he returned to The Colony Steak House and became Manager.  From here he moved on to manage the Meadowbrook Country Club.

Lake of the Ozarks
These progressive experiences gave him the confidence and skill needed to move to Lake of the Ozarks where he opened his first restaurant, The Top Deck at Mai Tai.
This restaurant was located on the top floor of the then MaiTai Resort.  After two and a half years the resort bought out his lease and he moved onto a small operation on the Bagnell Dam Strip called Lefty’s Little Chef Steak House.  It was here that Joseph created his signature dish the Batterfried Lobster Tail which has followed him throughout his culinary journey.  While at Lefty’s Steak House he was contacted by the owner of Westgate Lanes in Jefferson City Missouri, an hour away from the lake, and he opened his Potted Steer Restaurant inside the bowling alley.  His waitresses wore fringed denim cowboy shirts and wescots and had cap pistols on their belts and when a certain steak was sold they pulled the trigger and popped their toy guns!  The Potted Steer closed in Jefferson City after two and a half years of business.  He continued at Lefty’s when an opportunity then arose to buy the Grand Glaize Cafe which he renamed The Potted Steer and subsequently ceased operations at Lefty’s on the Bagnell Dam Strip.  After an extensive renovation he opened this new restaurant on June 22, 1973.  The success of the Potted Steer Restaurant became apparent when 80 plus people would show up and stand in line outside in front of the restaurant for the first seating which in the early days only accommodated 74 people which became a tradition throughout its years of operation.  Hand Cut Aged Steaks, fresh trout from Troutdale Farm delivered twice weekly and of course the enormous quantities of his Signature item The Batter Fried Lobster Tail made The Potted Steer an institution.  His signature items have carried over to the Blue Heron where the tradition continues.  In 1984 the site for the Blue Heron Restaurant came available and was the perfect setting for an elegant, romantic and special occasion restaurant.  He purchased the land and home from Glen and Alice Wood in January 1984.  In the winter months that followed an extensive remodel took place and transformed the home into what was the Blue Heron Restaurant.

The number of COVID 19 cases continue to rise across the state and in the Lake area, but some state officials say there is a gap.

Dr. Randall Williams with the Missouri Department of Health.

He says they do have a way to determine if cases are getting out of hand.

Since testing began, there have been over 18,800 cases of COVID 19 in the show me state.

In the Lake area there have been 94 total cases, of which there are currently 23 active cases with 3 people who’ve been hospitalized.

A St. Louis man is behind bars following an altercation at Backwater Jacks on Sunday.

Osage Beach Police say the they were called out for a man allegedly selling marijuana to patrons who refused to leave.

When officers arrived, they found 33-year-old Garrick Moore attempting to leave in his car.

Police say officers had to “jump” to avoid Moore who attempted to leave the premises.

At one point, Moore rolled down his window and officers witnessed a hand gun in his lap.

Police say they quickly pulled the gun from the car and he was taken into custody.

He was seen by staff at Lake Regional before being taken to the Camden County Jail where he is being held on no bond.

The official press release is below:

-City of Osage Beach- BACKWATER JACK’S DISTURBANCE

On June 21, 2020 at approximately 8:06 pm Officers were dispatched to Backwater Jacks, 4341 Beach Drive, Osage Beach, regarding individuals allegedly selling marijuana to patrons and refusing to leave the premises.

Upon arrival security pointed out the individuals and advised the driver of one of the vehicles, later identified as Garrick N Moore, b/m, 33, from St Louis, was possibly intoxicated.

Moore began to back out of the parking space, seen the Officers, and pulled back into the space.

As the Officers approached, Moore once again began pulling out of the parking space but at a faster speed, backing into another vehicle.

Moore then began to drive forward and turned the vehicle towards the exit as an Officer approached the vehicle.

An Officer observed the driver turn the vehicle into their direction, at which point the Officer yelled for Moore to stop.

Moore quickly accelerated toward the Officers causing them to jump out of the way, avoiding being hit.

Moore continued to jerk the vehicle forward in aggressive spurts toward the Officers until he nearly hit his friends vehicle, at which point an Officer was able to bang on Moore’s window, again ordering him to stop and turn his vehicle off.

Moore rolled down his window to speak with the Officer, who observed a black handgun sitting on his lap.

Moore reached with his left hand from the window console towards his lap area.

The Officer reached inside the vehicle with both hands, grabbed Moore’s wrist putting Moore’s left hand in a wrist lock.

The Officer yelled to the other Officers “Gun!” and used his right hand to grab the gun from Moore’s lap, securing the weapon.

When Officers attempted to place Moore into custody, he became combative, and a wrestling match ensued.

Eventually Officers were able to secure Moore and he was examined by Osage Beach Ambulance Staff and transported to Lake Regional Health Systems.

While at the hospital Moore become combative and once again had to be restrained.

Moore is charged with three (3) counts of Assault 1st Degree or Attempt – Serious Physical Injury or Special Victim; Resisting/Interfering with Arrest; Possession of Marijuana of 10 Grams or Less – Prior Drug Offense; and Driving While Intoxicated.

Moore has a warrant out of St Charles, Missouri for Failure to Appear, on an original charge of Driving While Revoked/Suspended.

After being released from Lake Regional Health Systems, Moore was transported to the Camden County Jail, where he continues to be held with “No Bond”.

A Lake Ozark woman is behind bars following a drug bust in Callaway County that netted nearly $300,000 in drugs that were planned for Miller County, according to Miller County Sheriff Louie Gregoire.

Andrew Owens of Lake Ozark

Gregoire says they’ve been tracking 42-year-old Andrea Owens of Lake Ozark for weeks.

She’s being held with no bond and is facing numerous drug charges.

The investigation into Owens was conducted through 6 different agencies, including the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.

Earlier in the day Moniteau Deputies had a similar bust, when a K-9 Unit identified drugs during a traffic stop.

Officials say Dean Phebus of Butler and Christopher Pickens of Nevada were taken into custody for possession of methamphetamine’s, scales and what’s believed to be counterfeit money.

They’re being held on $25,000 bonds each.

The Camden County Health Department is now reporting 13 active COVID 19 cases.

That brings the total lakewide up to 26 active cases across the 4 County region.

According to health administrator Bee Dampier, of the 13 active cases only 1 person is currently hospitalized and the rest are at home in self-isolation.

The new cases bring Camden County’s overall total to 56, with 42 recovered and 1 death.

If you shop at HyVee, listen up.

The company is recalling their 12 oz Hy-Vee bagged garden salads over a possible contamination of Cyclospora.

Officials say the manufacturer Fresh Express produces the white labeled bags for HyVee and a few other retailers.

The FDA says if the you have the salad bags from either HyVee or Fresh Express, you should throw it out or return it for a full refund immediately.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (June 20, 2020) — Hy-Vee, Inc., based in West Des Moines, Iowa, is recalling its 12 oz. Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad product across its eight-state region due to the potential that it may be contaminated with Cyclospora. The potential for contamination was brought to Hy-Vee’s attention when Fresh Express – which manufactures the product – announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) have been investigating an outbreak of Cyclospora in the upper Midwest section of the United States.

In their investigation, they have identified certain products linked to the outbreak – including Fresh Express’ private label products at retailers across the country that were impacted – including one for Hy-Vee. The recall is limited to 12 oz. Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad, all UPCs and expirations dates. The product was distributed to Hy-Vee grocery stores across its eight-state region of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. No other Hy-Vee food items are impacted by this recall.

Hy-Vee has not received any reports of illness due to consumption of its Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad. Customers who purchased this product should discard it or return it to their local Hy-Vee store for a full refund.

Symptoms of cyclosporiasis begin an average of seven days after ingestion of Cyclospora. Symptoms of cyclosporiasis may include: watery diarrhea (most common), loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and low-grade fever. If not treated, symptoms can persist for several weeks to a month or more. People who are in poor health or who have weakened immune systems may be at higher risk for severe or prolonged illness.

Consumers with questions may contact Hy-Vee Customer Care representatives 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-772-4098.

For more information, see the FDA’s announcement here.

Missouri Senator Roy Blunt is urging his colleagues to pass the Justice Act, a police reform legislation that includes plans to improve training, transparency and accountability among police departments

Blunt speaking on the Senate Floor.

He says those cameras work as a deterrent for escalation on both sides.

Blunt is an original co-sponsor of the bill, which was introduced by South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support the JUSTICE Act, which was introduced by U.S. Senator Tim Scott (S.C.). The police reform legislation includes measures that will improve training, transparency, and accountability at police departments across the nation. Blunt is an original cosponsor of the bill.

Blunt also reiterated his call for the Justice Department to aid local police reform efforts.

Following Are Excerpts From Blunt’s Remarks:

“Mr. President, over the weekend, we celebrated Flag Day where we honor our country’s flag as a symbol of unity. It’s also a symbol of all the struggles we’ve gone through as a nation and the struggles ahead of us. Harry Truman, one of his desks he used on the Senate floor is right here in front of me, once said that Flag Day is also a chance for us to consider what we want the flag to stand for. So I think it’s appropriate that we’re considering the best way we can make sure that the flag stands for all we want it to stand for and for all of us.

“Senator Tim Scott has introduced the JUSTICE Act that would bring us closer to that idea. I was glad to be a co-sponsor of the bill. I think this bill has the potential to make a real difference in how we deal with the real important issue of and difficult issue of police reform, and making sure that our communities are both safe and secure. You know, you can be safe in the sense that you’re not in danger, but people also need to feel secure, meaning they have confidence that they’ll remain safe and that they’ll be treated fairly while they are safe. We need to be sure that all the people of our country believe that justice can be blind, but it can also dispense justice without fear or favor.

“Policing by its very nature is mostly a local function, there are around 18,000 police departments across the country. And most of the reforms can best be made at the local level or the state level. … But I think there are some things we can do both in the Congress and the administration. I think Senator Scott’s done a really good job of finding what many of those things are and how to make them happen with bipartisan support. There’s a lot in this bill that just simply increases transparency and accountability.

“More reporting so the Justice Department has an idea of areas where problems seem to arise more frequently and maybe shouldn’t. An area of reporting so a troublesome officer has all of those troubles reported. If they had problems with these issues of fairness or constitutional protection and if that officer is applying at another law enforcement agency, that information should be readily available.

“There are two important ways to give people a sense of security and we do that recognizing that the majority of police in this country are not only not a problem, they do an incredibly hard job and they do it in an incredible way. It’s a job that we have to have. It has to be conscientiously, professionally, and courageously done and law enforcement officers all over America do it. They get up and do a hard job every day they run to danger when others run away. …

“Frankly, I think the hardest job in America might be to be the spouse of a law enforcement officer. Law enforcement officers really generally have a sense, there are occasions when this isn’t the case, but generally have a sense whether they’re in imminent danger or not. A person who cares about them, the person who loves them, wonders all day, what at this exact moment is that individual facing and are they safe or not? …

“I think if there is a systemic problem in a department, it’s hard for that department to solve that problem. And so some of what Senator Scott’s legislation does helps create the tools that they might need to get that done or the tools that we might need as outside helpers to say here’s a department that somebody needs to look at. His legislation can assure us that the small group of people in law enforcement who aren’t conducting themselves the way that everybody else in law enforcement does, that there’s transparency, that there’s reporting, that things can’t just be swept under the rug, that an officer can’t go from one department to another without the new department knowing exactly what they’re getting.

“This legislation sets up more funding to make sure that body cameras are widely available and have to be used if you have them. And I think there’s plenty of evidence since 2014, when we had really the beginning of the modern body camera movement, that if you’ve got those cameras on your body and you’ve got them on, that the escalation of violence for whatever reason happens much less frequently. …

“Sharing records, as I said before, critically important so that one bad officer doesn’t get passed from one department to another. There are things in the realm of training where this legislation helps officers get training on tactics to de-escalate a situation when it comes out of control. Officers want this kind of training. Officers want the kind of training that makes it easier for them to understand if they’re in a situation where mental health is the problem or opioid addiction is the problem or drug addiction is the problem. Are you dealing with a real criminal here or are you dealing with somebody who has gotten themselves in a situation that you need to figure how to get them in a different and better place?

“While we need to move quickly to take up this legislation, I think there are some areas where the administration can act and is acting based on announcements that were made this week and things that weren’t announced this week. I talked to Attorney General Barr a couple of weeks ago as these incidents began to become more clear in the sense of problems that could be within entire police departments and encouraged him to restore more of the pattern-and-practice reviews that were part of what the Justice Department used for about a decade. They were in place until November of 2018. I think they need to be back in place.

“Now, we know from past usage that they don’t have to be used on any situation or every situation, but they can be used. We’ve seen them used in my state, in Ferguson, Missouri and surrounding St. Louis County that had a much bigger department ask for a voluntary review, in the City of St. Louis, which has a big police department but not as big as St. Louis County in 2014, 2017. Whether that review was voluntary or even if it involved a consent decree, I think that the case can be made that things happened in those three departments that might not have happened otherwise. …

“President Trump took some additional steps that I was supportive of and I talked about earlier this week…officers with better tools to deal with mental health, homelessness, addiction issues.  Excellence in Mental Health, Missouri is one of the eight Excellence in Mental Health states. This is legislation, bipartisan legislation, that I’ve worked on for several years with Senator Stabenow from Michigan. It allows law enforcement to connect people with the help they need and wind up having them someplace more appropriate than either jail or court. In fact, Mr. President, the Department of Health and Human Services, in monitoring this program, says it’s led to a 60% decrease in jail time. …

“Maybe it’s on the iPad that they are carrying with them where they can get that 24/7 connection with a health care professional. Certainly benefits from the training that many Missouri officers have had now in crisis intervention. In Kansas City, in St. Louis County, in St. Louis City, in Springfield, I’ve ridden with officers and talked to officers and watched how this happens and that builds confidence.

“Senator Scott’s bill builds the same kind of confidence. Now I’ve heard some of our friends on the other side say, ‘well, I’m for 80% of what’s in that bill.’ No, they don’t even say that. They say ‘I’m for 80% of the bill.’ Now, what’s the difference? Being for 80% of the bill means there are things in it you don’t want, but they also say more frequently, no, that bill has 80% of what I want in it already. Well, let me remind our friends how you make a law.

“You make a law under the Constitution, the House passes a bill and maybe you like that better. The Senate passes a bill and maybe the Senate has 80% of what you’d like to see in the final bill in the Senate bill. And then you go to conference. …

“A solution that gets you 90% of what you want or 80% of what you want is the alternative to 0% of what you want, if you want to be a legislator, you’ve got to figure out that that is a better path for you to take than the 0% path. It’d be tragic next week if the result of the House deliberation in this month, if the result of the Senate deliberation is that there’s no further discussion because everybody decided if it wasn’t everything they wanted, they didn’t want to have the process that we used to call, and the Constitution calls, and civics books call the legislative process.

“These are not the first struggles we face together as a nation. We have come a long way. We still have a long way to go.

“Remember the Constitution doesn’t talk, doesn’t even promise a perfect Union. It promises a more perfect Union. You get to a more perfect Union one step at a time, not all at once.

“My guess is we’ll always be on the journey toward a more perfect Union. But Senator Scott has given us an opportunity to take some of the important steps on that journey and make the Union more perfect than it is right now.”

If you’re planning to attend today’s Water Safety Seminar, you’ll need to change your plans.

With the recent uptick in COVID cases, the Water Safety Council has decided to cancel today’s event.

The committee indicated that nearly 80 people, along with 10 guest speakers, were expected to attend the event at the Lodge at Port Arrowhead.

They are now looking into rescheduling the event for a later date.

PRESS RELEASE:

A major transporting event is being moved to Lake Area due to COVID restrictions in it’s usual hometown of Sparta Illinois.

Here are the details issued in a press release late Thursday by the Tri-County Lodging Association.

Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association is excited to announce that the Grand American Shoot, hosted by Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA), is going to be held at the Missouri Trapshooters Association (MTA) range in Linn Creek, Missouri in 2020.  The AIM Championship will be held August 2nd through 4th, 2020, and the Grand American Championships Shoot will be held August 5th through 15th, 2020.  This event will bring between 3,000 TO 5,000 participants and visitors, from all over the world, to the Lake area over a two (2) week time period.  The economic impact is estimated to be around $12 million for the area.

Lagina Fitzpatrick, Director of Sales, first learned that this event was seeking backup locations in late April.  The event is usually held in Sparta, Illinois.  Ms. Fitzpatrick stated: “The Executive Director of Amateur Trapshooting Association contacted our office at the end of April about the possibility of moving the event if the State of Illinois did not loosen their restrictions and allow the event to take place in Sparta.  We were one of several locations they were looking at as an alternative to host the event.  We learned two (2) weeks ago we were selected as the backup location if they were not allowed to host the event in Illinois.”  Ms. Fitzpatrick sent a letter of interest and invite, along with Lake of the Ozarks collateral, to each Amateur Trapshooting Association Board member in early May.  It was known that this Board had set a deadline of June 15th, 2020, for this decision to be made.  During the six (6) week waiting period, Ms. Fitzpatrick reached out to the lodging community to pull together rates and availability for this event as the impact will be huge for lodging facilities during the tail end of the summer season.  Also during this time she worked with ATA on a location for the Hall of Fame Banquet.  ATA selected The Lodge at Port Arrowhead to host this event on August 11th, 2020.  

Ms. Fitzpatrick said: “COVID-19 has devastated the tourism community across the world.  We are saddened by the circumstances for the relocation and appreciate the confidence and trust the ATA has in our community to step up and host this elite event.  The economic impact it will have on the Lake area and the State of Missouri is substantial in a much-needed time.  Tri-County Lodging Association is thrilled to welcome all the attendees and spectators of the Grand American Shoot to our little piece of paradise.  We know they will have an outstanding event and enjoy their stay and return for future visits.”

Tony Shockley, Missouri Trapshooters President, stated: “We are excited to announce that the MTA home grounds will be the location for the 121st Grand American World Trapshooting Championships and the AIM National Youth Trapshooting Championships.  The MTA is honored to make the Home Grounds available to the sponsoring organization, the Amateur Trapshooting Association, headquartered in Sparta, Illinois.  This even fulfills one of the dreams of the late W.F.J. Fienup, the founder of the Foundation in 1968, that made the MTA possible.  His dream was for the Grand American Championships to be held at MTA.  As Missourians, we want to do our best to welcome all that attend.  There is plenty to do and see in the Ozarks so come prepared to have a great time, see you at the Grand!!”

For more information about Amateur Trapshooting Association and the Grand American, visit their website at www.shootata.com

With internet options limited in parts of Camden County, one commissioner is working to expand coverage with wireless internet from Wisper Internet.

Camden County Commissioner Don Williams tells KRMS News if you have line of site to one of their towers, internet service that’s faster and more reliable than satellite internet service is available.

Williams says Wisper is looking to expand in the area and the company was named the winning bidder by the FCC for the Connect America Fund Phase II, a grant worth over $220 million dollars.

Photo Courtesy of Lake Area Fools on Facebook.

Firefighters from all over the lake area are battling a massive blaze at the Emerald Bay Condo Complex in Lake Ozark.

It’s unknown at this time how the fire started, however residents on social media say they heard an explosion shortly before flames engulfed the building.

It also remains unknown if anyone was in the building at the time of the fire.

Crews are still working this active scene both by land and water (14MM) at this time.

Stay tuned to KRMS for the latest.

COVID 19 restrictions are now a thing of the past for the Show Me state.

Governor Mike Parson giving the green light to move out of Phase 1 and allowing the state to “get back to work.”

He says the only restrictions in place will be made on the local level, of which there are none so far in the Lake Area.

Photo Courtesy of Lake Resident Joshua Robinson

It’s estimated that more than 500 boats participated in the Trump Birthday parade across the Lake area this Saturday.

The parade made its way from Camden on the Lake to Captain Ron’s, while stopping at a few spots along the way.

The parade was organized as way to show the nation’s support to President Donald Trump and to celebrate his birthday.

Additionally, thousands more participated in parades in several states including Florida, California, New York and Michigan

A University of Iowa football player and another man from West Des Moines, Iowa are seriously hurt after a crash on Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri Highway Patrol says Hawkeyes free safety Jack Koern and Cole Coffin ran into a boat while riding a PWC at the 4 1/2 mile marker of the Gravois Arm around 7 o’clock Friday night.

In a news release from the Hawkeyes now says Koern is expected to survive.

Both Koern and Coffin were taken to Lake Regional Hospital.

Three passengers on the boat that was hit were not hurt.

Lake of the Ozarks State Park Public Beach. Photo Courtesy of MO STATE PARKS

Only one beach remains closed as we head into the weekend across the lake area.

The Department of Natural Resources says the Campground Beach at Harry S. Truman state park in Warsaw is still closed due to flooding damage.

Both beaches in the Lake of the Ozarks State park and the Main beach at the Harry Truman Park are open this weekend with no swimming restrictions.

The state of Missouri’s about to take another step toward moving beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Next Tuesday marks the beginning of the second phase of the ‘Show Me Strong Recovery Plan’ for Missouri.

Governor Mike Parson made the announcement during his Thursday press briefing in Jefferson City.

Governor Parson says Missouri’s meeting the four pillars needed to move ahead, which include COVID-19 testing capabilities, abundant PPE supplies, hospital capacity and data.

The Lake Area’s closing in on Phase two of the ‘Show Me Strong Recovery Plan’ for Missouri.

Governor Mike Parson extended Phase I at the end of May saying the June 15^th expiration would fall in line with Missouri’s COVID-19 state declaration of emergency.

Parson says Missouri has not only met those four pillars, but the state has exceeded expectations.

The Governor extended Phase one of Missouri’s economic re-boot at the end of May.

You can watch the Governor’s Press Briefing this afternoon on our Facebook Page.

School districts across the Lake region are worried about their budgets as we head into the new school year.

Last week Governor Mike Parson announced there would be more than $130 Million dollars cut from The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is challenging for the Lake’s rural school districts.

Gary Cuendet is the Transportation Director for Camdenton R3 Schools. He tells KY3 TV one way they save money is by having school buses that are of the same brand, and they buy fuel in advance.

Cuendet says it would be nearly impossible to join bus routes together due to the size of the district.

As far as staffing and new programs are concerned, some districts are putting it on hold for now.

Superintendent Dr. Shawn Poyser of the Warsaw R9 School District.

He says the budget cuts the state has made to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education hit the lake area districts harder than major cities.

One of the ways they’re cutting back is by switching to a 4-day school week, which reduces their transportation costs.

Photo Courtesy of Lake Resident Scott Ehnes

Photo Courtesy of Lake Resident Scott Ehnes

As tropical depression cristobal continues to dump rain across the Lake region, one area is now starting to flood.

Images seen above show water levels high across the streets of Versailles, making some areas virtually impassible at this time.

Please avoid the area if possible while ckty officials determine the next course of action.

Chart from the National Hurricane Center

Tropical Depression Cristobal is dumping a lot of rain across the Lake Area

Meteorologist Doug Kramer with the National Weather Service in Springfield.

He tells KRMS News they haven’t seen any major flash flooding in our area yet, but additional storms this evening could get severe.

Motorists are being cautioned to watch for flooded low water crossings and Kramer says when in doubt, turn around don’t drown will always be your best option.

Tropical Depression Cristobal has its sights set on the Lake area, which is prompting a Flash Flood Watch.

Corey Rothstein with the National Weather Service in Springfield.

He tells KRMS News the main threat with this system will be heavy rain fall of 1 to 3 inches.

That can lead to Flash Flooding of creeks and streams, as well as local low water crossings.

The organizers of a Black Lives Matter protest scheduled for Sunday in Camdenton are speaking out.

Makayla Stanton is one four people organizing the rally. She tells KRMS News a Facebook event page was started after the first protests was cancelled and it’s now set to take place from noon until 7 in the Camdenton town square.

Stanton also says the demonstration is going to be peaceful and she doesn’t want this event to be confused with other civil unrest happening around Missouri and the U-S.

Stanton says some people involved in nationwide protesting after the death of George Floyd have another agenda.

Another organizer, Brian Knox, explains why they feel this protest is important for the Lake Area.

The Camdenton Police Department and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office have pledged to protect the rights of the demonstrators and also the welfare of people in the area and both public and private property.

There have been no new cases of COVID 19 following the Memorial Day weekend events at the Lake.

Dr. Randall Williams with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

So far, the only COVID report is from an individual out of Boone County who tested positive shortly after returning home.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch indicates there were no cases related to the Lake events for any St. Louis residents, despite ramped up testing.

The Lake area remains at only 6 active cases of Coronavirus out of 62 total cases, of which 55 people have recovered and only 1 person has died.

Here are the latest details on Tuesday’s UNOFFICIAL election results.

OTC Campus Question:

• Annex Camdenton School District to OTC District: FAILED – NO – 3,151 / YES – 989 (100% reporting)

Lake Ozark Questions:

1. Road Bonds: PASSED: YES 153 / NO 66
2. Use tax: PASSED: YES 129 / NO 90

Mayors:

• Eldon: Trevor Vernon 367 (100% Reporting)
• Barnett: AJ Behrens -23 (100% Reporting)

Alderman’s:

• Lake Ozark Ward 2: Dennis Klautzer 56 (100% Reporting)
• Lake Ozark Ward 3: Mark Maples – 29 (100% Reporting)
• Stover 1: S. Fischer
• Stover 2: V. Dale
• Laurie Ward 2: Shepherd

Trustees:

• Four Seasons: Luanne Ruck -113 (100% Reporting)
• Sunrise Beach: Gerald Jasper -27 (100% Reporting)
• Gravois Mills: (Vote for 3) Hugins, Newkirk & Write In

Fire Departments:

• Mid-County Fire Director: Charles McElyea -1,018 (100% Reporting)
• Osage Beach Fire Director: Richard Goedde -462 (100% reporting)
• Sunrise Beach Fire Board: Denise Dill -347 (100% reporting)

Sunrise Beach Fire PROP B:

• PASSED – 475 Yes to 177 No (100% reporting)

Iberia Fire Prop 1:

• PASSED – 186 YES to 100 NO

School Boards:

• Camdenton R3: (Vote for 3) Courtney Hulett (2,602), Callie Henze (2,561) & Troy Risner (2,218) (100% Reporting)
• Macks Creek R5: (Vote for 3) Michael Parrack (149), Sara Stoufer (127) & Scott Gould (127) (100% Reporting)
• Climax Springs R4: (Vote for 3) Joshua Wolfe (158), Adam Roberts (138) & Shannon Hodges (137) (100% Reporting)
• Stoutland R2: (Vote for 3) Josh Kincaid (117), Candice Williams-Reeves (99) & Ellen Henson (92) (100% Reporting)
• Eldon R1: (Vote for 3) Michael Holland (947), Jerome Kaibell 2 (781) & Viktor Krantz (694)
• Iberia R5: (Vote for 3) Simon Edwards (221), Kyle Nichols (213) & Rachel Imperato (186)
• Miller R-3 (Vote for 3) Steven Wilson (104), Nathanial Boggs (98) & Darin Blackenship (87)

Eldon Prop 1:

• Passed 1,049 YES to 268 NO

Cole Camp extension of  transportation tax:

• Passes 97 YES to 35 NO.

Here are the direct links to the latest result tally’s from each county:

Camden

Miller

Morgan

Benton

The June 2nd Elections are around the corner and a number of items are on the ballot for each county. See below to see where your county stands.

Camden

Miller

Morgan

Benton

Photo by Hanson Lu on Unsplash

Lake area businesses continue to report an uptick in the local economy.

Speaking with KB on the Ozarks This Morning, A OK RVs’ Monte King says demand for RVs has skyrocketed since the stay-at-home orders expired, but some models are short due to COVID Closures at major RV manufacturing facilities.

King says he was able to get a number of newer RVs ordered prior to the start of the crisis.

Across the Show-Me-State, other RV businesses owners also say they’ve seen an uptick in their sales as well, some besting record numbers from nearly 10 years ago.

Other lake business owners tell KRMS News this continues to be a record breaking year for them. Bud Simmons from Mariner’s Pier 31 Marina reported last week that they’ve sold record numbers of boat and boat slips. Area gas docks are reporting an overwhelming number of fuel fillups since the season started. And rental agencies say they’ve either sold out for the weekend, or were near capacity since the stay-at-home orders were lifted statewide.

Hear KB’s full interview with Monte King from A OK RV’s below:

Backwater Jacks in Osage Beach. Photo Courtesy of BWJ.

Backwater Jack’s owner Gary Prewitt is responding to the announcement of a COVID 19 case following the “Zero Ducks Given” party on Memorial Day weekend.

On Friday, Camden County Health Officials announced that a Boone County individual tested positive for Covid 19 and had visited Backwater Jacks, Buffalo Wild Wings and Shady Gators over the holiday weekend.

Here are the details on the COVID Case:

Camden County Health Department has been notified of a Boone County resident who has tested positive for Covid-19 after being in the Lake area on May 23 & 24. The case arrived here on Saturday and developed illness on Sunday, so was likely incubating illness and possibly infectious at the time of the visit. Due to the need to inform mass numbers of unknown people, we are publicly releasing the following timeline, which was provided by the case. Investigation is in progress by Boone County Health Department, with Lake Area Health Departments assisting with local contacts. There have been no cases reported in Camden County residents this week.

Saturday May 23

Backwater Jacks ~1-5pm
Shady Gators and Lazy Gators Pool 5:40pm-9pm
Backwater Jacks 940pm-10pm

Sunday May 24

Buffalo Wild Wings 1pm-2pm
Shady Gators ~2:30pm until~6:30-7pm
Taxi from Shady Gators to private residence around 7pm

The public who may have been in these places is asked to please monitor for symptoms

Here is Prewitt’s official response.

The following is a press release from the Camden County Health Department. More details to follow in KRMS News:

Screenshot taken from Viral Video that showed patrons packing area pools during the Memorial Day weekend. Video from CBS affiliate station.

All eyes will be on the Lake Area this weekend thanks to a viral video showing vacationers ignoring social distancing last weekend.

With the warm and clear weather expected, tourists are already making plans to visit the Lake, but many seem unconcerned about the Coronavirus.

Missouri resident Brady Cutter.

So far there has been no change in the way businesses will tackle social distancing this weekend, nor has there been any mandates handed down by the state or local health departments.

In Camden County, Sheriff Tony Helms made it clear that Social Distancing is not a crime and therefore people cannot be arrested for violating it.

A man is dead and a woman remains hospitalized following a shooting in Benton County.

It happened Wednesday afternoon in the Grandview Beach area outside of Warsaw.

Benton Sheriff Eric Knox tells KRMS News 44-year-old Donald Leven allegedly went inside the house with a gun to try and intimidate 47-year-old Rebecca Duncan and the witness.

The case remains under investigation.

The ‘Show Me Strong Recovery Plan’ for Missouri will end Phase One on Sunday.

Governor Mike Parson speaking at his Wednesday press briefing in Jefferson City. He says overall Phase 1 was a success.

He is planning to announce additional details about Phase Two during his press briefing later today.

That briefing can be viewed on our Facebook page.

Backwater Jacks in Osage Beach. Photo Courtesy of BWJ.

The Owner of Backwater Jacks in Osage Beach is responding to the ongoing national media attention pegged at the establishment.

It follows viral video that showed patrons ignoring social distancing guidelines during a Memorial Day weekend pool party.

Owner Gary Prewitt had this to say about the incident:

With the recent coverage of the Lake of the Ozarks this weekend, especially our venue, we would like to address the following:
1. No laws were broken. Social distancing is not a crime. As stated by the Camden County Sheriff: “Camden County is a tourism-drive economy and each business is working hard to follow the state’s guidelines and protect their patrons and staff. Those who frequented the businesses, bars and restaurants at the lake this weekend made a conscious decision to attend each event and frequent each location. It was the right and responsibility of each individual who made those decisions to access the risks inherent to those decisions.“
2. Non-contact thermal checks were conducted at both entrances to the pool by medical staff hired for the event. This upset many customers, however it was an additional layer we chose to implement. Anyone with above 100.4 temperature was refused entry.
3. Personal bottles of FDA-approved hand sanitizer were made available for free to all attendees upon entry and for the duration of the event.
4. Despite false reporting, the name of the event “Zero Ducks Given” had absolutely nothing to do with the pandemic situation. This is the third year of the event series that takes place on each holiday weekend.
5. Unfortunately, our business is seasonal and nearly a third of our season has already been lost. The initial shut down has already had a tremendous impact on many of our staff and their families. All staff were given a choice of whether they wanted to work without any negative consequences if they chose not to.

We understand that there are many emotions and feelings involved on every side of the pandemic situation. Any hateful messages attacking our business, our customers, our staff, or other businesses in our community will not be tolerated and removed from our social media. For our loyal customers who stand in support, thank you. For customers we may have lost, thank you for your previous patronage and we hope to win your business back in the future. We love our customers and will continue to do our best to provide delicious food, drink and entertainment at Backwater Jack’s.

Official press release below:

Sheriff Tony Helms

The Camden County Sheriff defending the lake area….

Speaking with CNN’s Don Lemon on Monday Night, Sheriff Tony Helms says unlike other states, Missouri’s laws on COVID 19 are significantly different.

The response follows a viral video which shows visitors packing lake area pools and restaurants and not adhering to social distancing requirements.

That led to the health directors of both St. Louis and Kansas City to request that residents who visited the Lake this weekend “self-isolate” for 14-days.

St. Louis taking it a step further by issuing a travel advisory on the lake area, which has caused an uproar on social media.

Lake residents in numerous Facebook Groups call the advisory “ridiculous” and say the video is a “narrow view” of the lake area in general.

They say the video only tells the story of “select areas” and isn’t a true representation of the entire community, of which many were following social distancing guidelines and have been for months now.

Here’s a look at the full interview with CNN’s Don Lemon on Monday Night.

"I can't enforce something that's just not a law."

CNN's @DonLemon speaks to Sheriff Tony Helms about video of a Memorial Day weekend pool party at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

The gathering violates social distancing measures intended to limit the spread of Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/eGM6yJVQAa

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) May 26, 2020

Patrons pack the pool in a viral video shot by CBS reporter Scott Pasmore of Arizona, photo is a screen shot of the video posted to Twitter.

Memorial Day weekend at the Lake getting national attention in the wake of COVID 19

Viral video making the rounds on national media, showing patrons at area bars and restaurants, celebrating like it was a normal party weekend.

John Custer of Four Seasons Property Management. He Tells KRMS News all of his rental homes were filled with vacationers who want to get out after being cooped up for so long.

Custer says the video only shows a fraction of the tourists this weekend. Many of his guests say they stay on the water or inside the homes the rented, just to get away from it all.

He also says despite the negative issues there, it’s an overall positive as many lake businesses depend on this revenue to remain open. That’s because the lake only gets 3 to 4 months to make their income, as a opposed to year round places like St. Louis or Kansas City.

Here’s a look at the video that was first posted to Twitter by CBS reporter Scott Pasmore of Arizona.

No covid concerns at the lake of the ozarks😳 #loto pic.twitter.com/Yrb4UNM64u

— Scott Pasmore (@scottpasmoretv) May 24, 2020

Lake Race 2020 is officially canceled.

The race was originally planned for May 29-30, but officials had postponed it until later in the year due to Covid-19 concerns.

Lake Race President Tom Abbett tells KRMS News the decision was made because of 2 main issues. 1, the OPA & ABPA series did not have any open dates that could work with the Lake Area and shutting down the boating traffic for the races and 2. The only date OPA could do would coincide with the annual in water boat show with the Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealers, which they didn’t want to take away from their already scheduled program.