Regulating data centers stalls in Missouri

By Sterling Sewell and Max Quinn

Columbia Missourian 

The rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers is far outstripping efforts to regulate them in Missouri and other states.

As a result, communities are left with failed legislation, hastily called moratoriums and divisive local elections to address the massive industrial facilities popping up across rural America.

“Legislation traditionally lags very far behind technology, and that can create some problems,” said state Rep. Mike Costlow, a Republican from Dardenne Prairie. His bill and others regulating data centers failed to get a vote in the Missouri legislative session that ended May 15.

At the local level, St. Louis suburb St. Charles is one of the first cities in the country to enact a local moratorium on data center construction. In Festus, south of St. Louis, voters in the April election rejected a slate of four city council members who supported a local data center.

Weeks earlier, hundreds of residents mobbed a city council meeting, and council members were escorted out by police. Petitions seeking recall elections for the mayor and other council members who backed the project were certified last week. The city of Independence, a Kansas City suburb, voted out two council members who approved tax breaks for a data center company.

Local government meetings around the country have been attended by throngs of residents strongly opposition to data center development in their communities.

Other states are struggling to regulate data centers. Maine would have been the first to pass a statewide moratorium on data centers, but the governor vetoed the proposal. Georgia tried to implement a moratorium, but the bill stalled in the session that ended in April.

Alli Finn, director of community partnerships at AI Now, a policy research firm in New York City, said state and local regulation is desperately needed to moderate explosive growth. According to a Stanford University report, the United States hosts 5,427 data centers, more than 10 times any other country, with hundreds more in development. This rapid growth is driven by cloud computing, streaming services and artificial intelligence use.

The Midwest is one of the hottest growth areas, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Missouri has at least 91 active data centers of various sizes, according to Data Center Map. At least 14 data centers are in various stages of development across the state, according to Missouri News Network reporting.

Data centers use massive amounts of energy and water. One data center can use as much electricity as 80,000 households, according to a report from consulting firm McKinsey and Co. Some have the potential to use up to 5 million gallons of water daily, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.

“Our current laws around zoning, economic development, water and energy use were not at all built for this moment of rampant data center buildout,” Finn said.

Missouri's attempt at legislation

During a February press conference, state Rep. Colin Wellenkamp, a St. Charles Republican and chair of the House Future Caucus, announced his intent to make AI and data center regulation a top priority in Missouri’s legislative session.

Wellenkamp and other caucus members introduced legislation regulating water and electricity use for large-load users, like data centers.

“It’s a bipartisan effort that addresses urgent needs in our state that aren’t going away, “ Wellenkamp said. “They’re only going to get more urgent.”

But his bill and identical legislation sponsored by Costlow never made it to the House floor for debate.

House Bills 3362 and 3364 were aimed primarily at utility regulation and customer protection. They would have required large water users, excluding agricultural users, to receive a permit from the Department of Natural Resources. They would have codified requirements for water and electric utilities to create tariff schedules for large-load users and Public Service Commission-approved contracts between large-load users and utility companies.

Wellenkamp’s district covers parts of St. Charles, which in 2025 became one of the first cities in the country to pass a temporary moratorium on data centers, in part due to water supply concerns from residents.

Wellenkamp said the bill was not meant to block data center development, but instead to find a balance between community needs and business needs.

“These things are already here,” Wellenkamp said. “It’s a matter of ‘How do we get the best of both worlds?’ and I think everybody wants that.”

Environmental regulations proposed

Another member of the Future Caucus, state Rep. Marty Joe Murray, a St. Louis Democrat, proposed legislation adding several environmentally conscious regulations.

Murray’s House Bill 2239 would have required data centers that use 100 megawatts of power to use a closed loop or other low-water-use cooling system, ensuring that excess water is not used to cool data centers’ electronic components.

The bill would have required data center operators to submit a report on their health and environmental impact to the Department of Natural Resources each year. These reports would be made public on the department’s website.

Murray said he was inspired to put his legislation forward after public meetings on data center proposals in St. Louis called for more transparency.

Among other proposed legislation this year were bills from state Rep. Scott Cupps, a Republican from Shell Knob, and state Sen. Tracy McCreery, a Democrat from Kirkwood. Cupps’ bill would have banned using incentives for data centers, discouraged placing data centers on agricultural land or near recreational areas or state waterways, and created a state board to approve new projects.

McCreery’s bill aimed to increase transparency about data centers’ environmental impacts, including energy, water and noise.

None of these bills had a legislative hearing.

If these bills had reached the Senate, they likely would have been referred to the committee chaired by outgoing state Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Republican from Lee’s Summit. Cierpiot, sponsor of last year’s major energy bill, has signaled reluctance to implement further regulations on large-load users.

Missing tax revenue

Cierpiot has said he doesn’t get the opposition to data centers, especially at a local level.

“I don’t really understand it because (of) the taxes they bring to a district for the school districts and for the local governments. The state really doesn’t get much off of it, but the locals do,” Cierpiot said. “Some communities would really benefit from a large data center as far as a tax base.”

Murray said he is not opposed to the development of data centers, and that Missouri may need taxable data center development.

Missouri, like many states, is under a constrained budget future as federal COVID-19 funding runs dry. Missouri also is expecting lower general revenue after a 2025 law eliminated the capital gains tax.

While data centers could generate tax revenue, Murray said that transparency and environmental regulations should be in place to ensure that data centers provide benefits.

“As a state, we need more revenue,” Murray said. “We have an economic need for business and enterprise in our state, and if this is the lever that they are trying to use, we need to make sure we have some regulations in place.”

That could take a while.

“The Senate is going to have to come around with this; they’re going to have to treat it one way or the other,” Wellenkamp said.

Local backlash

As state legislation has failed, local officials have dealt with data centers, often facing backlash.

St. Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer saw the benefit of the tax revenue that would have come from a 440-acre, $1 billion data center proposed by developer CRG.

“I’d love to have the $9 million a year,” he said. “Our casino generates about as much as the data center.”

But after residents fought back on Facebook and meetings turned into shouting matches, Borgmeyer said there was no hope for data centers in his town. Community members feared a data center’s potential impacts on their already contaminated water supply and rising electricity rates.

“The public does not want it, and so therefore I’m supporting their wishes,” Borgmeyer said.

In St. Charles, the city council approved a one-year ban on data centers in August 2025. On May 19, eight months into that moratorium, the council approved another measure effectively banning data centers permanently.

Borgmeyer believes the resistance to data centers was misinformed and overly reactive to things like nondisclosure agreements, which he said are necessary for sensitive business deals.

“A — it’s a highly, highly competitive situation and B — it’s just not good economics to develop that way where everybody else knows all your business,” he said. “So, the NDA became the villain.”

St. Charles City Council member Justin Faust told the House Future Caucus during its November meeting that transparency is key. He said if data center developers want community buy-in, they need to get ahead of residents’ concerns.

Faust said the data center developer in St. Charles provided limited information, and representatives from the company could not answer basic questions. He cited this lack of transparency as a reason for the moratorium.

“We have to answer to our residents in a timely manner,” he said. “Saying, ‘Trust me, I’ll get that information later,’ is not acceptable on any terms.”

Lessons learned

Former leaders in the Kansas City suburb of Peculiar have had two years to reflect on their rejection of a proposed data center in 2024. The New York Times reported that residents were concerned about increased water rates, traffic, noise pollution, light pollution and the loss of their small-town way of life.

Former Alderman Zach Poland said data center opposition was so “publicly vile” and “vicious” that it led him not to seek reelection.

“I was exhausted, frustrated, discouraged and had determined that public service was not for me, and I would be done after my term,” he said.

Public acrimony led City Administrator Mickey Ary and Mayor Doug Stark to resign.

Poland emphasized that communities should not let opposition shut down discussion. He advised officials faced with data centers to declare their neutrality early.

“If I was to do that again, I think I’d need to be a little bit more bold and say ‘Just hold on, nothing is done,’” he said.

In Festus, new council members will have to deal with the debate over the proposed $6 billion CRG data center, which the company proposed after failing in St. Charles.

Murray said state regulations on local government action may not be the solution to problems posed by data centers — but elections are.

“That’s what elections are for,” Murray said. “If they feel as though their representative isn’t listening to them. … They always have the means to change that person next August.”

Creating comprehensive regulations

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To Finn, of the AI Now Institute, data center regulation needs to be comprehensive.

Finn co-authored the North Star Data Center Policy Toolkit, which provides options for local, state and regional authorities. Suggested interventions include establishing conditional use permits, limiting tax incentives and subsidies, implementing air pollution measures, regulating noise, requiring fair labor practices, promoting grid stability and renewable energy infrastructure.

“We are seeing that it is very hard to move forward all of the comprehensive legislation and protection that is needed at a state level in a way that matches the speed of this buildout,” Finn said.

Moratoriums are a good way for communities to have more time to develop regulations, Finn said. For example, Maine’s proposed moratorium would have created a regulatory body to oversee development.

“Moratoriums are only as good as what happens when they’re in place or after,” Finn said.

Wellenkamp thinks moratoriums will continue as long as cooperation is strained between local governments and data center developers.

“If the industry does not answer citizens’ concerns and start being more transparent, talking to localities, being partners with localities in this buildout, life is just gonna get harder for them,” Wellenkamp said.

Abigail Cornell contributed to this reporting.

Three businesses fail Joplin Health Department inspections

Three businesses failed Joplin Health Department inspections this week, according to information posted on department website.

Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse, 511 N. Range Line Road, Big Apple Travel Centers, 2110 S. Prigmor Avenue, and Super Donuts, 1901 E. 32nd Street, received failing grades.

Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse

Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse received three priority violations and 13 core violations.

Priority violations were recorded for the following:

-An employee touched a phone with a gloved hand while prepping and trimming beef cuts.

-Potentially hazardous foods were being cold held above 41 degrees.

-Live cockroaches were seen in the kitchen.

Core violations can be found at this link.

Big Apple Travel Centers

Big Apple Travel Centers received two priority and 11 core violations.

Priority violations were noted for the following:

-Food items were being cold held above 41 degrees

-A food package in the pizza kitchen walk-in cooler had been compromised by condensation or a leak of non-potable water.

Core violations can be found at this link.

Super Donuts

Super Donuts received one priority violation for having food stored in non food-grade bags and two core violations.

Core violations can be found at this link.

***

The following establishments passed inspection.

Walgreens, 3222 S. Main Street

Vaphual Asian Market LLC, 2207 W. 7th Street

Sam's Club: Meat and Rotisserie, 3536 S. Hammons Boulevard

Sam's Club: Retail/Dairy/Deli, 3536 S. Hammons Boulevard

Imperial, Inc., 1831 S. Roosevelt Avenue

Sam's Club: Bakery and Produce, 3536 S. Hammons Boulevard

Jimmy John's, 3030 S. Main Street (re-inspection)

MSSU Mayes Cafeteria, 3950 E. Newman Road

Red Lobster, 3131 S. Range Line Road

Braum's, 2510 S. Main Street

Fairfield Inn Breakfast, 3301 S. Range Line Road

Freeman West Kitchen, 1102 W. 32nd Street

Queen's Bee, 3106 S. Connecticut Avenue (re-inspection)

Walmart Neighborhood Market, 2426 S. Maiden Lane

Sam's Club: Cafe, 3536 S. Hammons Boulevard

Mosa Hibachi and Sushi, 501 W. 7th Street (re-inspection)

Home 2 Suites Breakfast, 3000 S. Range Line Road

Casey's, 2501 S. Main Street

AT&T Company Kitchen, 4001 S. Richard Joseph Boulevard

Roller City Entertainment, 2800 E. 24th Street

Charley's Cheesesteaks, 101 N. Range Line Road

Cunningham Snack Bar, 2401 S. Maiden Lane Road

 

Missouri appeals court keeps tax overhaul on Aug. 4 ballot with revised summary

By Rudi Keller

Missouri Independent

The proposal directing lawmakers to eliminate the state income tax by expanding or increasing sales taxes will remain on the Aug. 4 ballot but the summary voters will see must be changed, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

The decision, which is subject to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court, upholds the ruling of Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh that the plan meets constitutional requirements. But the appeals court rejected Limbaugh’s opinion that the ballot summary is fair and sufficient.

If an appeal is filed and the Missouri Supreme Court takes the case, it would have to hear arguments and deliver a decision on Monday or Tuesday. The final day under state law for courts to make changes to the primary ballot is Tuesday.

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced May 22 that he would put the constitutional amendment, his top legislative priority for the year, on the August primary election ballot. Amendment 5 would require lawmakers to set revenue growth triggers for cuts to the top state income tax rate. To speed the process, it would allow a five-year window for bills that would add sales tax to goods and services currently exempt.

n the unanimous decision written by Judge Thomas Chapman, the appeals court rejected arguments that the proposal improperly amends the constitution. While the amendment may have an impact on other articles in the constitution, everything it contains in its text is in the taxation article, he wrote.

There are provisions in the proposal that exempts new taxes imposed by lawmakers from requirements for statewide votes on tax increases. It would also authorize the state auditor to change the tax rate for constitutionally mandated sales taxes supporting state parks and soil erosion control and the Department of Conservation.

The court recognizes that Amendment 5 “expressly identifies a number of provisions in other articles of the Constitution as being affected by the resolution,” Chapman wrote. “However, these affected provisions from other articles all relate to taxation.”

Quoting a Missouri Supreme Court ruling from 2024 on a challenge to the amendment legalizing abortion, Chapman wrote that the court “will not construe the multiple articles requirement ‘to prohibit voters from approving or rejecting a constitutional amendment proposed by initiative petition simply because the proposed amendment may (if and when it goes into operation) be construed to alter or affect the application of a preexisting constitutional provision.’”

The ballot summary needed to be changed, the court ruled, because it did not provide enough information.

“We agree that the resolution does not sufficiently inform voters of the resolution’s expansion of the General Assembly’s sales and use tax authority and the elimination and suspension of existing constitutional limits on taxation,” Chapman wrote.

Chuck Hatfield, attorney for the plaintiff challenging the ballot measure, tried to convince the judges during arguments Thursday that the proposal’s use of the word “notwithstanding” to create exemptions from various provisions is improper.

If lawmakers add the sales tax to more transactions, it would create a windfall of new revenue for constitutionally mandated sales taxes.

Amendment 5 would grant the state auditor power to lower some, but not all, of those rates to reset revenue levels to the previous lower amounts.

That provision, Hatfield said, violates the constitutional rule limiting proposed amendments to one article of the constitution. Amendment 5 amends the taxation article, while the sales taxes that could be adjusted are in the article describing the executive branch of state government.

“When they try to address all these other effects, then you’re going to have to do that separately, because those other taxes that you’re trying to affect now are set elsewhere in the Constitution,” Hatfield told the judges.

Marc Ellinger, the attorney for a political action committee called Put Missouri First, said the provisions of Amendment 5 are all properly placed in the taxation article. Language creating exemptions to other sections was needed to make the plan work, he said.

Put Missouri First was created to campaign in favor of Amendment 5. It intervened in the lawsuit initiated on behalf of Missourians for Fair Taxation, the committee created by the Missouri Association of Realtors that is opposing Amendment 5.

“The notwithstanding language, the Supreme Court has said multiple times, is designed to eliminate a conflict, not to create one,” Ellinger said. “And I think what the appellants in this case are trying to do is to use that language to say there is a conflict. You don’t know what the legislature is going to do in the future, so you don’t know whether you know some of the conflicts that are being discussed may never actually occur.”

Ballot language

The argument over the ballot language for Amendment 5 in court on Monday was about the first thing that voters would see. That should be the most important thing the proposal would do, Hatfield said, arguing that it is the power to expand the sales tax to any goods or services that should come first.

The version written by lawmakers, he said, leads off with a statement about eliminating the income tax through revenue growth. Lawmakers already have that power without Amendment 5, he said.

“That language is a political commercial for what they want to accomplish,” he said. “It is not a legal statement.”

The language is sufficient, said Louis Capozzi, state solicitor general, because it alerts voters to the main purpose of eliminating the income tax. Expanding the sales tax is an optional way to accomplish that, he said.

“It is theoretically possible that revenue will just go up because Missouri is more pro-business,” Capozzi said. “I mean, that was the Kansas hope. It didn’t really work out, but revenue can also go up under the proposal if the General Assembly increases sales and service tax.”

The court completely overhauled the ballot summary written by lawmakers and revised the “fair ballot” language prepared by the secretary of state to explain ballot measures to voters.

In its revision, the court linked the elimination of the income tax to the expanded sales tax base and explicitly states that it allows new goods and services to be taxed.

“The resolution’s curtailment of constitutional limits on the taxing authority in Missouri makes it necessary for a sufficient summary statement to inform voters so that they may assess the costs and benefits of the resolution and make a voluntary decision regarding whether to grant new authority to their legislature,” Chapman wrote.

Barring a final change by the Missouri Supreme Court, the ballot will say:

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:Require legislative phase-out of the individual state income tax based on revenue growth, and authorize the expansion of sales and use taxes;
Curtail constitutional limits on taxing goods and services; and
Require local tax rate cuts without reducing school funding if local sales tax revenue increases?”

The fair ballot language changes, Chapman wrote, were intended to make it clear to voters that rejecting the amendment would not alter the legislature’s power to reduce or eliminate the income tax.

Joplin Police Department launches Operation Silver Shield to support senior citizens

(From the Joplin Police Department)

The Joplin Police Department has announced a new initiative designed to provide better support for some of Joplin’s most vulnerable populations.

JPD Chief Richard Pearson unveiled the department’s new initiative, Operation Silver Shield, a program that provides wellness checks to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. These services will be offered to any resident age 65 and over, as well as anyone with a verified disability. The service is available to residents within the Joplin city limits. 

The wellness checks will be conducted by members of the Joplin Police Sentinel Unit and the JPD Co-Responder Unit. The Sentinels are staffed by trained volunteers who have completed the Joplin Police Department Citizens’ Police Academy, and the Co-Responder Unit is comprised of full-time civilian employees provided through the Ozark Center.

Operation Silver Shield will be conducted on a routine basis (weekly or bi-weekly) and is focused on at-risk Joplin residents who benefit from being checked in on by caring individuals. To be included on the list (or to request that an individual be added), citizens should call the Joplin Police Department’s main phone line.

“This is a program we are introducing to ensure that seniors and disabled individuals don’t get overlooked or have their needs go unmet,” said JPD Chief Richard Pearson. “We live in a civilized society in which we don’t just ignore our elderly and disabled. And we have that ability in Joplin to try to address some of those needs without increasing the workload on sworn officers.”

Pearson explained that sworn law enforcement officers will be involved only if a wellness check reveals a need for such escalation. The new program primarily utilizes trained volunteers and non-sworn officer staff who are already experienced with these calls. 

It is a need for which the City is seeing growing demand. The US Census Bureau reports that 19.4% of Joplin’s residents are over the age of 65, and that 16% of Joplin residents have disability status (defined as serious difficulty with hearing, vision, cognition, or ambulation). These percentages in Joplin are higher than the state’s average– the City has a .7% higher population of seniors and a 5.3% higher population of disabled individuals. City officials attribute this to Joplin’s robust health care offerings and more affordable cost of living.

“I have run into many seniors during my career who have needs that don’t technically rise to the level of requiring an official police response. Many times, those individuals don’t request assistance because they worry it will be a nuisance or a waste of an officer’s time,” Chief Pearson said. “This initiative is designed to provide a dedicated and caring resource for those who need routine wellness checks. We have trained individuals who want to help, and it is the right thing to do.”

For more information about Operation Silver Shield or to request that an individual be added to the list, contact JPD at 417-623-3131.

Joplin man charged with fifth DWI

A Joplin man with four DWI convictions has been charged in Newton County Circuit Court with driving while intoxicated following an April 20 traffic stop by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The felony charge against Jerry Edward McCammon, 60, was filed Thursday.

From the probable cause statement:

On April 20, 2026, at approximately 0901 hours, I was advised of a single vehicle crash involving a driver with open alcohol containers. I arrived at approximately 0917 hours and observed a black Kia Sorento in a ditch. The driver was identified as Jerry E. McCammon, a 60 year-old male from Joplin, Missouri. 

While speaking with McCammon, I observed an open Bud Ice can in the center console, smelled a strong odor of intoxicants, and noted his slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes, and unstable balance. 

McCammon admitted to consuming multiple alcoholic beverages throughout the night and stated he had
consumed a beer and a shot approximately 30 minutes prior to my arrival.

Tow truck driver XXXXXX stated he saw McCammon operate the vehicle, and that after attempting to assist him, McCammon drove the vehicle into the ditch. McCammon was unable to complete field sobriety testing and exhibited poor coordination, swaying, stumbling, and falling backward.

Based on his impairment, I placed McCammon under arrest for driving while intoxicated at 0924 hours. He was advised of his Miranda rights and later consented to a breath test. After proper observation, McCammon provided a breath sample at Freeman West Hospital, resulting in a blood alcohol concentration of .229%. 

McCammon's previous DWI convictions were posted on the complaint.

1. On or about November 2, 1994, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on July 9, 1994, in Joplin Municipal Court, and

2. On or about September 16, 1999, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on July 7, 1999, in Barry County, and

3. On or about October 23, 2018, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on November 19, 2017, in Jasper County, and

4. On or about March 13, 2023, defendant was found guilty of driving while intoxicated for events
occurring on February 5, 2022, in Jasper County.

Joplin man, awaiting trial for first-degree murder, arrested by feds on weapons charge

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Joplin, Mo. man was charged in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Andre E. Swindell, 41, was charged in a one-count criminal complaint and had his initial appearance in federal court this morning.

The complaint alleges that officers with the Joplin Police Department located firearms connected to Swindell while executing search warrants at his residence in connection with a homicide investigation on Feb. 28, 2026.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Joplin, Missouri Police Department.

***

The Joplin Police Department issued the following news release March 16 in connection with the murder investigation mentioned above:

On March 16, 2026, Andre E Swindell was taken into custody for charges related to the shooting death of Anthony Campbell that occurred on February 28, 2026.

The incident occurred in the 500 block of Joplin Avenue. Swindell was taken into custody without
incident after turning himself into local authorities. He is currently being held on no- bond warrants at the Jasper County Jail.

Over the course of the investigation, probable cause was developed for the arrest of Swindell, 40, of Joplin, for the charge of First-Degree Murder. The Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office filed arrest warrants for Swindell including First Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

This investigation is still active and ongoing. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is still encouraged to contact the Joplin Police Department. Contact options include calling Sergeant Jason Stump at 417-623-3131 ext. 1620, submitting information to TIP411.com, or by using the “Joplin PD” app from your app store.

The Joplin Police Department would like to thank M.E.T.S. Ambulance and the Joplin Fire Department for their quick response to the initial incident. Additionally, thank you to our law enforcement partners with the United States Marshal’s Service, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the Carthage Police Department for their assistance.

The murder charge against Swindell is still active in Jasper County Circuit Court. Online records indicate Swindell was free after posting a $10,000 bond May 18 until his arrest on the federal charge. He is being held in the Greene County Detention Center in Springfield.

Northpark Mall owner sells 10 acre parcel of Maryland mall

(From CBL Properties)

Today CBL Properties (NYSE:CBL) announced that it has closed on the sale of a 10.468-acre parcel of land on the northeast side of Harford Mall in Bel Air, Maryland, to SJC Ventures as part of a future masterplan mixed-use redevelopment. The sale is consistent with CBL’s ongoing strategy of unlocking value from underappreciated land and assets that can be redeployed into higher-yielding opportunities.

“The sale of this parcel at Harford Mall illustrates the inherent value of CBL’s real estate and the attractiveness of our locations for future development,” said Stephen D. Lebovitz, chief executive officer of CBL Properties. 

“In the current market, new development is constrained by a lack of available real estate. We believe there’s great potential for future land sales across our portfolio. Including this transaction, CBL has more than $30 million of land sales to mixed-use and multi-family developers in process across its portfolio, highlighting the embedded value within our portfolio and demand for well-located real estate in high barrier to entry markets.”

The land parcel includes the former Macy’s location, which is expected to be demolished to make way for a future mixed-use development. Additional phases of the overall Harford Mall site redevelopment will be announced in the coming months.

(CBL Properties owns Northpark Mall in Joplin.)

Jasper County Sheriff's Office releases names in Sarcoxie murder-suicide

(From the Jasper County Sheriff's Office)

On 06-05-2026 at approximately 8:42 AM, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a residence in Sarcoxie in reference to two deceased people. 

At the scene, the deceased bodies of David S. Harrison, 62, and Aleasha Harrison, 58, husband and wife, were located inside the residence. Both had suffered gunshot wounds.

Investigation into the incident indicates that David shot Aleasha and then shot himself.

Next of kin has been notified.

The Sarcoxie Police Department continues to assist with the investigation which is ongoing.

Dade County sex offender arrested for failure to register

(From Dade County Sheriff Ryan Robison)

On June 3, 2026, deputies with the Dade County Sheriff's Office arrested Billy Lewis of Everton, Missouri, for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender pursuant to Missouri Revised Statutes §§ 589.400–589.425.

On June 4, 2026, a no-bond warrant was issued for Lewis on the same charge.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is entitled to a fair trial where guilt or innocence will be determined by the judicial process.

The Dade County Sheriff's Office remains committed to enforcing Missouri's sex offender registration laws. These requirements exist to help protect our communities and ensure accountability. We encourage citizens to remain vigilant, stay informed, and report any suspicious activity or information regarding criminal violations to law enforcement. The safety of Dade County residents continues to be our highest priority.

McDonald County Memorial Day weekend patrol leads to five arrests

(From the McDonald County Sheriff's Office)

On May 23, 2026, the McDonald County Sheriff's Office, in cooperation with the Anderson Police Department, conducted a directed patrol operation in the Noel, Lanagan, and Pineville areas during the busy Memorial Day weekend.

The operation focused on traffic enforcement, crime prevention, and maintaining a visible law enforcement presence throughout the county during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

During the patrol, participating officers conducted 59 traffic stops, resulting in 5 arrests for various violations. In addition to enforcement efforts, deputies remained proactive in addressing criminal activity throughout the county.

While the directed patrol was ongoing, McDonald County Sheriff's deputies located a stolen vehicle in the 3100 block of East State Highway 90. The vehicle was recovered and the investigation into the theft was coordinated with the appropriate agencies.

The McDonald County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Anderson Police Department for their assistance and partnership during this operation. These cooperative enforcement efforts help improve public safety and demonstrate the commitment of local law enforcement agencies to keeping our communities safe.

Sheriff Robert Evenson stated, "Operations such as this allow us to increase our presence in areas of high activity, address traffic concerns, and proactively combat crime. We appreciate the continued support of our law enforcement partners and the citizens we serve."

The McDonald County Sheriff's Office remains committed to working with local, state, and federal partners to ensure the safety and security of all residents and visitors to McDonald County.