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City Receives Blue Shield Designation: The City of Lake Ozark and Lake Ozark Police Department are honored to have been named a Missouri Blue Shield City by Missouri Department of Public Safety.Of this designation for our agency and community, Police Chief James Boren says "I'm honored to accept this Blue Shield City designation, which reflects the outstanding work of our Board of Aldermen, city staff, and police department working in partnership. This recognition from Governor Kehoe and the Missouri Department of Public Safety validates what I've observed throughout my 20-year career here—our community's growing commitment to public safety. During my tenure as chief, I've seen firsthand how the dedication of our officers, combined with incredible community support, creates the foundation for this kind of recognition. This achievement belongs to everyone who has contributed to making our city safer."The Missouri Blue Shield Program, created by Governor Kehoe in January 2025 through Executive Order 25-03, recognizes local governments that make significant efforts to reduce crime, foster law enforcement collaboration, and build strong community partnerships for public safety. “Public safety is the foundation of a thriving community and state. It affects everything from families feeling secure to businesses having the confidence to invest and grow,” said Governor Kehoe. “We designed the Missouri Blue Shield Program to recognize communities that go above and beyond in creating a place where people want to live, work, and build their futures. A Missouri Blue Shield designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of local governments across Missouri who are leading the way in making public safety a priority.”“The Department of Public Safety is proud to work alongside communities like Lake Ozark, that have shown exceptional dedication to enhancing public safety,” said Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS). “This program is about fostering collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. Our goal is to support these efforts, providing resources and guidance to help communities build sustainable, long-term solutions for crime reduction and public safety.”Communities are eligible for a Missouri Blue Shield designation based on their dedication to reducing crime, making substantial investments in public safety, and developing strong collaboration with law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders. Each participating community’s commitment will be reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with the program’s goals. Communities that earn a Missouri Blue Shield designation will receive grant funding for law enforcement training and equipment as part of Governor Kehoe’s Recommended Budget for the State Fiscal Year 2026. Communities will also be featured on Governor Kehoe’s social media pages as well as the DPS website to highlight their participation in the program. The City of Lake Ozark earned a Missouri Blue Shield designation due to its exceptional commitment to public safety. Through officer recruitment and retention efforts, introduction of our K9 program, increased funding to public safety, and an enhanced approach to community policing, we have demonstrated a strong and ongoing commitment to protecting our residents and visitors.

TEST TW WEATHER

Posted on by dan

COVID-19 picture continues to improve in Lake area

Good news on the COVID-19 front for Miller, Morgan and Camden counties.

The Camden County Health Department, the Miller County Health Center and the Morgan County Health Center are reporting that there have not been any recent spikes in new positive COVID-19 cases with currently about 50 active cases despite fears the lake area would see an increase after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Lake Ozark and a busier-than-normal spring retail scene. 

But the agencies say we shouldn’t relax our guard remind everyone to continue COVID-19 spread mitigation efforts such as masking and social distancing for unvaccinated populations to keep our communities safe and healthy.

The three counties combined have reported 8,142 confirmed cases with 174 COVID-19 related deaths since officials began keeping records in March 2020.

While many in our community are being vaccinated, not everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated yet, so we need to continue to be cautious. 

The health departments encourage everyone to be vaccinated, especially the high-risk populations. Since much of our economy is driven by tourism, they also see the importance of prioritizing those working in the service industry. Even if younger people are not as likely to get severely ill, they can still transmit it to the vulnerable. These residents are exposed to hundreds of people every day from all over the country here to enjoy our beautiful lake, so it makes sense for them to protect themselves against COVID-19 infection which will reduce their family and friend’s risk too.

The Lake Area’s three public health departments continue to work with local and state health officials to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. The State of Missouri released recently that those in Phase 2 became eligible for vaccine on March 29 and Phase 3 will become eligible on April 9. Visit covidvaccine.mo.gov to view the State’s phase and tier priority list and to register for potential vaccination clinics. The vaccine is free and can be obtained at many locations in central Missouri.

The agencies recommend businesses to adopt policies requiring the use of masks by their unvaccinated staff. Especially those employees that cannot distance themselves from co-workers and customers such as employees at restaurants, bars, gas docks, and salons. 

For more information for fully vaccinated people, visit CDC’s site: https://www.cdc.gov/…/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html.