Springfield News-Leader Columnist Speaks at Creekside and is Featured on Dateline NBC in Same Week

Steve Pokin has been part of the Springfield community since 2012. He gained local notoriety when he began his columns: “Pokin Around” and “The Answer Man” for the Springfield News-Leader (the local newspaper). In these columns, Mr. Pokin answers questions written in from the community about topics ranging from the truth behind local legends to news about well known businesses and restaurants. He also, on occasion, does investigative reporting. On March 27th, Mr. Pokin spoke to almost 40 of our community members about his journey as a journalist–highlighting stories he had written along the way. He said he loved Springfield and loves writing these columns because they are a way to learn and experience the Ozarks in a new way, and keeps journalism fresh. The community members were captivated by his presentation and left talking about questions they wanted to write in to the paper. Three days later, Steve Pokin was featured on Dateline NBC for his investigative series about a local murder and its unusual set of circumstances. He has always been a local celebrity, but we found it inspiring to be in the midst of a journalist who has now found nationwide acclaim. We cannot wait to see what The Answer Man answers next!