The Springfield News-Leader from Springfield, Missouri • A1

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2022 PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Volume 132 No. 306 Home delivery pricing inside Subscribe 800-695-2005 $3.49 Weather High Low Sunny and breezy. Forecast, 2A QEAJAB-42035u TikTok bill Senate approves Hawley bill banning TikTok from government devices. 7A The Sports Commission is tapping into a budding new market with the launch of its Spring- Esports Coalition. The new organization, fo- cused on competitive video-gaming, is among only a few of its kind in the country.

A launch party for the coalition was held at the Vib Best Western on Thursday, Dec. 15, with a crowd made up of Sports Commission members, Con- tender eSports and other community members. Contender eSports, a video game center headquar- tered in is one of the leading organiza- tions working with the coalition. Upon its launch, the coalition is focusing on three main initiatives to connect all ages of gamers: Missouri High School Esports Invitational Esports Cup Missouri High School Esports Showcase Esports is a quickly growing industry. Compared to the 79 million Americans who watched major league baseball content last year, 84 million Amer- icans watched esports content, Sports Homeowner Caleb Arthur reconnected with a generous mail carrier via phone call Thursday night, after about a week and a half of searching for the man.

After reading the story about the inability to locate mail carrier Brian man, real estate agent Maria Galgano felt com- pelled to help. husband works for Arthur, who owns Sun Solar, a solar energy equipment sup- plier. Galgano said she used a free, public people search website to locate phone number. She called the number, left a voicemail and not long after, received a call back. Galgano shared contact information with and by the evening, the two had reconnected by phone.

Arthur said the two hope to meet in person soon to discuss what they can ethically do with the over $5,500 Arthur raised with a GoFundMe fundraiser for the man. According to United States Postal Service federal regulation, mail carriers may not receive more than $50 from a customer in one calendar year peri- od. Nearly three weeks ago, visited the Ar- family home with $500 cash as an apology for their mailbox. Earlier in the fall, the door on the cast iron mailbox fell when man opened it. According to Arthur, the mailbox was about 30 years old and the door coming loose was simply a sign of its age.

The interaction of handing over an enve- lope, which contained the cash, to wife Ra- chel was recorded on the Nest security cam- era. Caleb posted a portion of the security camera footage on TikTok, to share generous deed, which went viral quickly. As of Thursday, the video has 3.1 million views. Encouraged by TikTok users commenting on his video, Caleb created the GoFundMe for with a goal of $4,000. Within just three days, the fundrais- er reached its goal.

Hoping to avoid a USPS ethical violation, Caleb said he is going to try to gift the GoFundMe mon- ey to family. If this cannot be done, he said he will refund all of the donations. Homeowner reconnects with mail carrier Caleb Arthur as plans to meet Greta Cross News-Leader USA TODAY NETWORK Despite the cold temperatures and wind, more than 100 people gathered outside Thursday afternoon for the dedication of Jordan Valley Community Health newest addition The Roy Blunt Center for Family Health and Wellness. history and our future are in large part due to the work of our United States Sen. Roy Blunt, who we want to thank and congratulate for his contributions to health said Mike Schnake, JVCHC board chair, during the dedication ceremony.

Blunt was busy in on Thursday and Fri- day. He gave the commencement address at Missouri State University, attended the terminal renaming in his honor at National Airport and attended the groundbreaking for the addition to the building formerly known as Temple Hall now Roy Blunt Hall on campus. The new health center, which is housed in what used to be a Price Cutter on the corner of Grand Street and Kansas Expressway, a central location for women and children to receive care. There, people can access outpatient surgical procedures in one of the four operating rooms, vision services, dental services and medical care. Schnake estimates that about 41,000 patients will visit the center annually.

work in Congress helped pave way for community health center The women and section of the center will open to patients on Jan. 3, 2023 nearly 20 years to the day that JVCHC opened its location in a strip facility named for Sen. Roy Blunt, who championed clinics Susan Szuch Springfield News-Leader USA TODAY NETWORK U.S. Senator Roy Blunt speaks at a dedications of Jordan Valley Community Health Center's new building named after him, the Roy Blunt Center for Family Health and Wellness, at the corner of Kansas Expressway and Grand Street on Thursday. NATHAN NEWS-LEADERSee BLUNT, Page 6A financing available.

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The setups were unveiling during the launch of the Esports Coalition. PHOTOS BY GRETA NEWS-LEADER Organization aims to connect gamers of all ages Greta Cross News-Leader USA TODAY NETWORK Sports Commission Executive Director Lance Kettering speaks to a crowd about the launch of the ESports Coalition at Vib Best Western on Thursday. The ESports Coalition will run on community membership. Membership is $100 annually, which includes access to monthly networking events. In 2023, the coalition will host its Missouri High School Esports Invitations, The Corporate Cup and Missouri High School Esports Showcase.See ESPORTS, Page 3A Penalty decline: Report by Washington-based nonprofit calls 2022 the year of executions.

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