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Pipkin Middle School New Location Proposal Voted Against

Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission has voted not to recommend that the new Pipkin Middle School be built at it’s proposed location.

The vote was 8-1.

Planning and Zoning Commissioners say they have concerns about accessibility for emergency vehicles and how the school would fit into an area surrounded by industrial businesses and so close to railroad tracks.

The School Board will have to approve the location with a two-thirds majority to override the Planning and Zoning Commission.

This article is provided by Ozarks News – 93.3 KWTO
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Demi Lovato Reveals She Still Has Hearing Loss & Vision Impairment Following 2018 Overdose

Demi Lovato was lucky to survive her 2018 drug overdose, immediately after which the musician suffered three strokes and a heart attack. But in a raw new interview with Andy Cohen for SiriusXM, Lovato shared that almost exactly five years out from the near-fatal incident, they still experience hearing loss and vision impairment as a result.

“I wouldn’t change my path because I don’t have any regrets,” the 30-year-old “Cool for the Summer” singer began. “When I think about things, the closest thing that I get to a regret is when I overdosed … that overdose caused me a lot of … it actually caused a disability. I have vision impairment and hearing impairment to this day.”

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“I don’t drive because I have blind spots in my vision,” she continued. “It’s a daily constant reminder. You know, anytime I look at something, like, I have blind spots in my vision when I look at your face, and so it’s a constant reminder to stay on the right path because I never want that to happen again.”

Lovato was rushed to the hospital July 24, 2018, after overdosing on heroin, having relapsed earlier that year after six years of sobriety. The former Disney star is now sober, revealing last year they completed another round of treatment in 2021 before starting work on 2022 album Holy Fvck.

“Luckily in the mind state that I’m in now — you know, being sober, having a clear head — I just think in a more positive mind space and I’m not focusing on the shame at all,” she reflected. “I know I have a lot of sympathy for where I was at that time and the choices that I made and I understand why it happened and what happened, but there’s no shame that comes with it because it was just a life lesson that I had to learn.”

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In recent years, Lovato has pivoted from pop to rock music — even holding a “funeral” for their former genre — and recently announced that an album of rockified versions of older pop hits such as “Heart Attack” and “Sorry Not Sorry” called REVAMPED is dropping in September. But Lovato also told Cohen that she’s not necessarily done with pop music forever and even dreams of collaborating with Kelly Clarkson someday.

“I never say never because you never know what’ll happen, but I’ve just been really influenced by rock music and it’s what I have fun performing live,” Lovato shared. “It was just the path that I took at that time and then when I started, I got sober and I was reevaluating everything in my life including my music and I was like, ‘What makes me happy?’ Like, that’s the most important question and I was like, ‘What makes me happy is listening to rock music and performing rock music.’”

Watch Lovato on SiriusXM above.

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Juanes, Elena Rose, Edgar Barrera & More Songwriters Who Could Score Big at the Latin Grammys

So strong and deep is the tradition of the cantautor, or singer-songwriter, in Latin music that the Latin Recording Academy is carving out more space for such multifaceted artists. This year, it debuts its best songwriter of the year category as part of the also newly created songwriting field. As with the mainstream Grammy Awards, the category recognizes songwriters credited as writers or co-writers on at least six tracks where they are not the performer, producer or engineer.

In addition, another new category, best singer-songwriter song, will fall under the singer-songwriter field (which has existed since the inception of the Latin Grammy Awards almost 25 years ago and has included the best singer-songwriter album award). To be eligible for this new award, at least 51% of the lyrics on singles or tracks must be in Spanish, Portuguese or any native regional dialect and must be from a singer-songwriter album competing in the best singer-songwriter album category that year. Below are six songwriters who stand a good chance of landing in one ­— or both — of the newly unveiled categories.

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Elena Rose

As fans wait for Elena Rose to drop her long-awaited debut album, the Venezuelan singer-songwriter has kept busy with a string of singles recorded under her own name, plus a plethora of hits in the pop and urban realms. As one of the first women to actively collaborate with reggaetón stars, Elena Rose has opened the door for a new generation of women songwriters — making her a prime pick for the first class of best songwriter of the year nominees. The prolific collaborator has co-written massive hits like Karol G and Becky G’s “MAMIII,” Bad Bunny’s “Party” and, this year, TINI and Maria Becerra’s “Miénteme.”

Edgar Barrera

Perhaps the most versatile songwriter in Latin music today, Barrera has spent over 100 weeks on Billboard’s Latin Songwriters chart, second only to Bad Bunny, thanks to credits on cross-genre hits. In the past 12 months alone, the 32-year-old has worked with regional Mexican act Grupo Frontera on all of its hits, including blockbusters like “un x100to” with Bad Bunny and “Frágil” with Yahritza y Su Esencia. He also boasts credits on Manuel Turizo’s global smashes “La Bachata” and “El Merengue,” as well as multiple singles performed by longtime collaborators Maluma and Christian Nodal, among others, making him a shoo-in for the best songwriter of the year category.

Edén Muñoz

The former frontman of norteño group Calibre 50 has emerged as a successful solo artist and a sought-after songwriter for artists like Pepe Aguilar and Christian Nodal, among others. In June, the SESAC Latina Awards honored Muñoz as regional Mexican songwriter of the year for the fourth consecutive year thanks to a long string of hits. At this year’s Latin Grammys, Muñoz may be a contender in the best singer-songwriter album and song categories with his first solo studio album, Consejos Gratis (for which he wrote 13 out of its 14 tracks), boasting clever lyrics full of wordplay with uptempo fare and romantic ballads.

Gale

The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter got her start writing for other artists while she honed her solo chops. Now, in the wake of the release of her debut album, Lo Que No Te Dije, Gale could be nominated in all three songwriting fields. Her personal strain of alt-rock and pop was highlighted throughout her album and best heard on the uptempo, rock-leaning “Problemas” (making her a likely nominee in the best singer-­songwriter album and song categories). She could also be a contender in the best songwriter category thanks to co-writes for the likes of Manuel Turizo and Marshmello (“El Merengue”), Juanes (“Ojalá”) and Aitana, Emilia and Ptazeta (“Quieres”).

Juanes

The Colombian veteran arguably reshaped the singer-songwriting mold when he burst on the scene with his 2000 debut album, Fíjate Bien. In 2023, he’s still innovating, albeit in a more collaborative fashion. On his new album, Vida Cotidiana, Juanes brings in many co-writers, including Tomás Torres and Alexis Díaz-Pimienta. But the album’s standout song, “Gris,” a revealing look into his longtime marriage, is his alone. A Latin Grammy favorite, Juanes is a contender for the best singer-songwriter album and song categories.

Keityn

The Colombian songwriter-producer was ASCAP’s 2023 songwriter of the year — a perfect setup for his inclusion in the inaugural group of best songwriter nominees. A favorite co-writer for two of the biggest Colombian stars of the moment — Shakira and Karol G — he worked alongside Bizarrap and Shakira on the surprise smash “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart earlier this year. Keityn also has songwriting credits on Shakira and Karol G’s “TQG,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100. It’s no small feat for a 26-year-old — nor is regularly writing hits for Manuel Turizo, J Balvin and Maluma (including the global smash “Hawái”).

This story will appear in the July 15, 2023, issue of Billboard.

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Severe Storms With Damaging Winds and Large Hail Possible Friday Evening and Overnight

A strong storm complex will move into the Ozarks Friday evening, and it will be capable of producing damaging winds, large hail and localized flash flooding.

The National Weather Service says wind gusts up to 75 miles per hour will be possible, as well as quarter size hail.

Areas west of Springfield from I-49 to Monett and Stockton are under a level three “enhanced risk” for severe weather, while the rest of the Ozarks is under a level two “slight risk.”

Forecasters say the tornado threat is very low, with damaging winds being the biggest threat.

Widespread rainfall totals of 0.5 to 1.5 inches are possible through Friday night, with localized amounts of two to four inches possible under heavier storms.

Areas that have received recent significant rainfall may be more vulnerable to flash flooding.

We’ll have live updates of any watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service, as well as damage reports, on 93-3 and A-M 560 KWTO.

This article is provided by Ozarks News – 93.3 KWTO
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Taylor Swift Replaces Herself At No. 1 In Australia With ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’

After completed the Swift Sweep last week on the ARIA Chart, Taylor Swift has retaken the chart throne with Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (via Universal), setting another record in the process.

Swift’s third and latest “Version” release debuts at No. 1, for her 11th leader in Australia, a feat that includes three rerecorded titles.

By replacing herself at No. 1 on the latest tally, published July 14, Swift becomes the first artist to do so since the ARIA Charts began in 1983, according to ARIA.

For the previous week, Taylor locked up the entire top five on the ARIA Albums Chart, a level of dominance never seen before on the national survey. Swift continues to swamp the top tier, with four of the top five titles, and six of the top 10. It’s a similar story on the national singles tally, where Taylor takes nine of the top 20 spots.

It takes a little heavy metal magic to disrupt Swift’s dominance on the ARIA Albums Chart.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard prevents another sweep, as the Aussie act bows at No. 2 with possibly the longest album title of the year: PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation (via KGLW)

PetroDragonic Apocalypse equals King Gizz’s career peak of No. 2, achieved with four previous albums: Flying Microtonal Banana (2017), Infest The Rats’ Nest (2019), Chunky Shrapnel (2020) and Butterfly 3000 (2021)

The prolific band has released 24th studio album (including five in one year), 15 live albums, three compilations, a remix album, three EPs and snared two ARIA Awards.

Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, “Sprinter” (Virgin Music/Universal) by U.K. rappers Dave and Central Cee races to a fifth week at No. 1.

Finally, South Korean K-pop girl group NewJeans enjoys a top 40 berth with “Super Shy” (ING/Universal), which drops at No. 27. NewJeans has an Aussie connection; Danielle Marsh was born-and-raised in Newcastle, and her bandmate Hanni Pham calls Melbourne home.

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Disclosure Forge Fourth Album ‘Alchemy’: Stream It Now

From their creative laboratory, Disclosure issues Alchemy, their fourth album which had remained a secret until recent days.

Despite the title’s allure of precious metal, Alchemy is also something of a reset. There are no guest features, no samples, it’s independently released and Disclosure “don’t intend to tour it straight away,” reads a statement.

What is does have is energy and bangers, including the previously-released lead track “Looking For Love,” and the kind of no-nonsense floor-stomping house numbers that are big part of Disclosure’s armoury.

But wait, there’s more. Album track “Higher Than Ever Before” is an atmosphere drum ‘n’ bass dynamo, “Sun Showers” a throwback trance gem, and “Talk On the Phone” is a perfectly-produced pop song.

Comprised of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, Disclosure is a heavyweight pair in the electronic music scene. In their homeland, two of their three albums have led the national survey — 2013’s Settle and 2015’s Caracal. Alchemy is the followup to 2020’s Energy, which peaked at No. 4 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.

Released through the act’s own label Apollo Records, Alchemy is “a celebration of us feeling liberated right now,” explains Guy. “We’re no longer signed to a major record label. We’re not going to tour this record. We can do whatever we like and be super creative.”

The LP was reportedly written when the pair were at different stages in their lives, Guy, recently married and settling down in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, while Howard “was reeling from heartbreak and exhausted from a 150-date tour,” reads a statement accompanying the release.

Its creation was a type of alchemy. “There was this combination of deep heartbreak and sadness, but also deep admiration and appreciation,” Howard recounts. “Let’s turn this horrible feeling into something beautiful. The whole idea was to channel pain into beauty—which, in hindsight, is always the aim.”

Stream Alchemy below.

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Friends of Mine: Duran Duran Set Cancer Benefit Concert For Andy Taylor

Duran Duran’s forthcoming North America tour will include a one-off benefit concert for the Cancer Awareness Trust, a special tribute to guitarist Andy Taylor, who is battling stage-4 prostate cancer.

The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame-inducted British band announces the fundraiser for Aug. 19 at The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, CA.

Speaking about the intimate event, Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon says, “We are heading to Northern California, to play many of the songs that we wrote together with our dear friend, Andy Taylor, to help him and others in their fight against prostate cancer. It is the right thing to do.”

Those songs are a collection of gold-standard hits, from “A View to a Kill,” to “Planet Earth,” “Rio,” “Girls on Film,” The Reflex,” “Wild Boys,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Is There Something I Should Know,” “Save a Prayer,” and others.

News of Taylor’s diagnosis reached the band just days before their induction into the Rock Hall last November. His ongoing treatment forced him to miss the induction ceremony, though members of the group used the platform of the show to read a letter from Taylor, addressing for the first time his illness.

Since then, his bandmates have “been made aware of a revolutionary life-extending treatment that they will be funding for cancer patients such as Andy,” reads a statement from Duran Duran.

Adds drummer Roger Taylor: “We would like to thank our fans and the organizers of this benefit who have given us the chance to help our longtime friend and colleague Andy Taylor. We have always described ourselves as a ‘band of brothers,’ and that has never been more true than in this very moment.”

Taylor was lead guitarist for Duran Duran during their heyday in the early-to-mid 1980s, during which time the new wave stars became, without argument, one of the most popular bands on the planet. Now 62, the English rocker performed on DD’s first three studio albums, the self-titled debut from 1981, Rio from 1982, Seven and the Ragged Tiger from 1983, live album Arena from 1984, contributed to the band’s 1986 album Notorious, then split to pursue a solo career.

Taylor reunited with Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor (none of the Taylors are related) in the early 2000s. With the old band back together, Duran Duran released the 2004 album Astronaut, toured, and collected a slew of awards, including the Brit Award for outstanding contribution to British music, the BPI’s equivalent of the lifetime achievement award.

Andy Taylor discussed his health battles, which he has described as “a death sentence,” for a U.K. TV interview earlier in the year.

Playing guitar, however, has had an unexpected benefit. “It’s really helped me to live with the pessimism of an incurable disease,” he noted, “but the optimism of creating music.”

Following the benefit concert, Duran Duran will embark on the second leg of their North American Future Past Tour, in support of their 15th studio LP Future Past, which peaked at No. 3 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart in 2021.

Another album is already in the works, and it’ll feature the talents of Andy Taylor. A statement issued by the band in March reads, “Duran Duran are thrilled to confirm a special new music project is in the works, set for release later this year on BMG. The new recordings will feature extended Duran Duran family and friends, old and new, including our former bandmate Andy Taylor who will join us on guitar on a few tracks.”

Ticket pre-sales for the benefit concert go on sale Monday, July 17 for members of the Duran Duran VIP Fan Community, with the general on-sale beginning Wednesday, July 19 at GuildTheatre.com.

In the meantime, Andy Taylor is in good hands. “I am delighted that we have been able to help turn Andy’s life around, and with the support of Duran Duran and their incredible fanbase, the revolutionary new treatment could well both improve Andy’s quality of life and extend it significantly,” comments professor Sir Chris Evans, founder of The U.K.’s Cancer Awareness Trust. “Andy will receive the latest precision medical treatment, emanating from some recently successful clinical trials, along with the ongoing support that the Cancer Awareness Trust is providing. The incredible support of Duran Duran will mean many more people will benefit just like Andy has”.

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Jung Kook & Latto Team Up for ‘Seven’: Stream It Now

Fortune is in Jung Kook and Latto‘s favor, as the superstar duo teamed up for a new collaboration, titled “Seven,” released on Friday (July 14).

The music video for the track finds BTS singer engulfed in a heated exchange with Han So-hee, who stars in the clip as his on-screen girlfriend, while the two are out at a high-end dinner. A chandelier then falls from the ceiling, disrupting the other patrons while Jung Kook and Han So-hee remained in their argument. “Weight of the world on your shoulders/ I catch your waist and ease your mind,” Jung Kook croons over sultry guitar licks.

The upbeat track marks the first collaboration between the rapper and the beloved BTS member. When the news of the team-up first broke, Latto tweeted “S/O to the Army,” alongside three “7” emojis, a reference to both the song’s title and her own jackpot imagery. The announcement adds to the “Big Energy” superstar’s big year, as she’s fresh off the release of her Cardi B-assisted “Put It On Da Floor Again” — which hit No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Latto recently won best female hip-hop artist at the 2023 BET Awards.

Listen to “Seven” in full below.

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Coco Jones & Justin Timberlake Unite for ‘ICU’ Remix: Stream It Now

Coco Jones’ “ICU” is the gift that keeps on giving. Nearly nine months after the Bel-Air actress first debuted her ballad, Justin Timberlake has now blessed the track with a brand new remix.

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Rumors of a revamp started swirling on Monday (July 10) when Jones took to Twitter to post a photoset that included a collage of ’90s boy bands, a screengrab of a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode and a cartoon drawing of a river. Most fans immediately made the connection that the mystery artist would be none other than Grammy-winning pop superstar Justin Timberlake. Jones later confirmed his appearance on the track during a red carpet interview at the 2023 ESPY Awards on Wednesday night (July 12). “He’s such a legend and he really supports me, so I’m really really happy to have this collaboration,” she gushed.

“ICU” is the second single from What I Didn’t Tell You, Jones’ 2022 EP. The ballad, which was produced by DJ Camper, became Jones’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 63) and spent four weeks atop Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. With both Jones and Timberlake hailing from Disney, the “ICU” remix is an unlikely, but welcome, crossover moment between the two talented multi-hyphenates.

This new version of “ICU” also marks Timberlake’s first musical release of 2023. Last year, he guested on three singles, including songs from Calvin Harris, Romeo Santos and Jack Harlow. His last studio album, the Billboard 200-topping Man of the Woods, landed back in 2018.

Stream the “ICU” remix here:

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aespa Achieves Second No. 1 on Album Sales Chart With ‘MY WORLD’

aespa achieves its second No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated July 15) as the Korean group’s latest release MY WORLD: The 3rd Mini Album debuts atop the list with 39,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending July 6, according to Luminate.

Also in the top 10 of the new Top Album Sales chart, Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape bows at No. 4, Phish nets its highest-charting album ever as its 2000 studio album Farmhouse re-enters at No. 5 after a vinyl reissue, and Lucinda Williams earns her best sales week in over seven years as Stories From a Rock N Roll Heart debuts at No. 9.

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Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of MY WORLD’s 39,000 copies sold in its first week, physical sales comprise effectively all of that sum – and all on the CD format. Like many K-pop releases, the CD edition of MY WORLD was issued in collectible CD packages (more than 16, including exclusive editions for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and the act’s webstore), each containing a standard set of branded merchandise items and randomized branded elements (such as photo cards, posters and stickers).

Stray Kids’ chart-topping 5-STAR rises 3-2 on Top Album Sales with 16,000 sold (down 17%) while Taylor Swift’s former No. 1 Midnights climbs 5-3 with 12,000 (up 9%). Lil Uzi Vert’s latest studio set Pink Tape arrives at No. 4 with a little over 11,000 sold, marking their third top 10-charting effort.

Phish’s studio album Farmhouse, released in 2000, returns to Top Album Sales at a new peak, as the set re-enters at No. 5 with a little over 11,000 sold (up 26,731%) – basically on in vinyl LP sales – after a new vinyl reissue. The set was reissued on 180-gram colored (blue and nebulous green) double-vinyl on June 30. Farmhouse also debuts at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart (a little over 11,000 copies sold) – marking the band’s third leader on the list and its best sales week on vinyl ever.

Farmhouse originally debuted and peaked at No. 12 on the Top Album Sales chart in 2000. With its re-entry at No. 5, it marks Phish’s eighth top 10 on the tally.

ATEEZ’s former leader The World EP.2: Outlaw falls 2-6 on Top Album Sales with 11,000 sold (down 65%), ENHYPEN’s Dark Blood dips 4-7 with 9,000 (down 19%) and Swift’s chart-topping Folklore is pushed down 7-8 with nearly 9,000 (despite an 11% gain).

Lucinda Williams’ Stories From a Rock N Roll Heart bows at No. 9 on Top Album Sales with the singer’s best sales week in over seven years – 8,500. She last sold more in a week when The Ghosts of Highway 20 launched at No. 16 on the Feb. 27, 2016-dated chart with 16,000 sold. Stories is Williams’ third top 10 on Top Album Sales.

Rounding out the top 10 on the new Top Album Sales chart is Swift’s former No. 1 Lover, which falls 8-10 with nearly 8,000 (though up 10%).

In the week ending July 6, there were 1.746 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 2.2% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.420 million (up 4.2%) and digital albums comprised 327,000 (down 5.5%).

There were 652,000 CD albums sold in the week ending July 6 (up 5.2 % week-over-week) and 756,000 vinyl albums sold (up 2.9%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 18.189 million (up 4% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 24.362 million (up 21.2%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 52.387 million (up 7.7% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 42.827 million (up 13.2%) and digital album sales total 9.560 million (down 11.3%).