Community

The Horseshoe Bend Theater/Music in the Mountains will be having their Christmas Show on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. Make plans to join us for our Christmas Show featuring Brenda Doty and crew. Come hear some of your favorite Christmas and gospel songs. The doors will open at 5 p.m with hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. Show will start at 6 p.m. This will be a donation only show. Hope to see you there...

On Wednesday Dec. 5 at 10 a.m., the members of the Country Quilters Quilt Guild will host their 20th annual Christmas party in the Orange Room of the NAEC in Salem. A pot luck meal is scheduled with a ham compliments of the Guild Treasury prepared by Vice president Ann Wilson. Home baked Christmas Cookies form the members will be desert...

Arkansas Department of Corrections North Central Unit chaplain Patrick McCown recently announced the start-up of this year’s annual Christmas gift sack program which provides each of the 800+ inmates in Calico Rock with an individual gift sack for the holidays...

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church invites you to attend this year’s special services. There will be three midweek advent services on the theme God With Us on Dec. 5, 12 and 19 at 5 p.m., followed by a lite supper prepared by the Shepherd’s Guild with funding from a Thrivent Action Team...

Elite Home Health today announced that it has been named a top agency of the 2018 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For 13 years, HomeCare Elite has annually identified the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall...

The Thayer Rural Fire Department will be having a chili supper on Saturday, Dec. 8, following the Christmas Parade starting at 4:45 p.m. and lasting until 8 p.m. or until they run out of food. The cost of the dinner is by donation and the funds will help with the operating expenses of the Thayer Rural Fire Department. ...

The Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) was an exciting place to be in 2018! Sixteen businesses resided within the incubator this year. Five new businesses moved into OzSBI while four businesses graduated out. OzSBI helped launch 8 new startups through our Affiliate program and spent an entire weekend with over 40 entrepreneurs, who gathered for a Techstars Startup Weekend at the incubator. ...

Officials at Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc. (HOEC), report that approximately 1,391 members were without power following severe weather that moved throughout the HOEC service area. According to the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) Statewide Outage Map, more than 8,300 members were affected across the state. ...

Jennifer Campbell, RN, and Maggie Beshears, LAC, were recently selected as the recipients of the 2018 Outstanding Alumni Award. Both White River Health System (WRHS) employees were recognized during the Arkansas Community College (ACC) Awards brunch in Little Rock. Jennifer Campbell was selected by Ozarka College, and Maggie Beshears was selected by the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville...

Hercules answers “I love you” with his sing-song version when you tell him that you love him. Amazingly intelligent, he picks up new commands easily, is good on a leash (learned in no time) and good in the car. He is definitely a dog who loves companionship and wants you to hold his paw, which is just another way he communicates. ...

The Arkansas Aviation Historical Society at its 35th annual Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame Ceremony, Nov. 8, in addition to recognizing four outstanding Arkansans for their significant contributions to the development of aviation either in the state or nation, distributed 10 $3,000 scholarships to students enrolled in aviation degree programs at Henderson State University and Ozarka College, the two institutions of higher learning in the state so licensed. ...

Highland VFW Post 4772 invites all veterans and their spouses to the Artisan Restaurant, located in Highland, for a Christmas celebration on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. Dinner is a choice of six entrees from a special menu. A donation of $5 per person is requested with the VFW paying the remaining balance...

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas will be coming to Centennial Bank in Highland, Ark. on Dec. 15! Your friends at Centennial Bank invite you to join them for cookies, punch, hot cocoa and photos with Santa! “This is a great time to bring out your kids and grandkids for a memorable photo opportunity,” said Trisha Bushey, Branch Manager at Centennial Bank. “The cookies and hot cocoa will be fresh, too!”...

The Arts Center of North Arkansas thanks everyone who came to our Handcrafted Holiday Bazaar. We are not through with Christmas gifts yet! This week we have three opportunities for everyone to come make something personal and special for your loved ones! On Friday, Dec. ...

The Online Statewide Master Gardener Training Sessions will be available beginning Jan. 2 and ending March 31. There will be a suggested timeline for the course week-by-week, but as with most online classes, you can work at your own pace, as long as you have completed the class by March 31. This is a great opportunity for those who are not able to attend in-person trainings during normal business hours...

Evening Shade will host an Old Fashioned Christmas Saturday, Dec. 8 beginning at 1 p.m. downtown. There will be many events throughout the day beginning with a visit with Santa at 1 p.m. Activities will begin at 3 p.m. and include a home decorating contest, coloring contest and more...

Rosemary Lopez, mother of two, moved to Arkansas 15 years ago looking for a new life. She fell in love with the area and the people. Rosemary, an Entergy Scholar Award Recipient from the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund of the Ozark Foothills, is graduating from Drury University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services this year and embarking on a new career path...

The eighth annual Toys For Tots Christmas Concert, billed as “A Good Old Country Christmas” will be held Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. each night. New gifts for children to be donated may be dropped off either day. This annual event is presented to raise Christmas gifts for the children of Howell County, and the counties immediately surrounding Howell County. ...

The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety and transparency in the U.S. health care system, on Nov. 8, released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. Ozarks Medical Center (OMC) was one of 832 (32 percent) hospitals to receive an “A” for its commitment to reducing errors, infections and accidents that can harm patients...

High school senior Hannah Sorrells is presenting her senior project by directing the hilarious production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” written by Barbara Robinson. This Christmas classic follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” These six kids show up at Sunday School for the treats and get involved with the pageant without a clue as to the meaning of Christmas...

Salem United Methodist Church will host their annual Soup-Chili Lunch on Thursday, December 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Choose from a variety of soups and chili and your choice of dessert for $8. Delivery is available for three or more orders at a location. Phone 870-710-0720 for delivery. Delivery orders choose from vegetable soup, potato soup or chili; white or chocolate cake; cornbread, crackers and cheese, and bottled water...

This is part one in a two-part series. Many civilians commonly assume that people “retire” from the military when they leave the service, which isn’t always the case. Receiving a discharge, or separation, is not the same thing as military retirement. ...

The Horseshoe Bend Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the annual Christmas parade and visit with Santa! ‘Through the Years’ is this year’s parade theme and it will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1, beginning at 10 a.m. Santa will be visiting with kids and posing for photos at the chamber office directly following the parade. The Horseshoe Bend Fire and Rescue will also be set up at the chamber office after the parade grilling brats and hotdogs...

Melbourne News By David Helm Billy Joe French celebrated his birthday Nov. 19. Brenda Morris also celebrated her birthday this week. Slayton Wheeler was inducted in the Beta Club. David Helm, Connie and Steve Wheeler, Michael Wheeler and Holly Cooper spent Thanksgiving Dinner with Stacey and Brock Wheeler, Chris Moser and Slayton Wheeler. We enjoyed the food and fellowship...

The Salem Chamber of Commerce and the Fulton County Fair Association have scheduled a meeting to work on the second annual Ozarks Sports and Outdoor Expo on Monday, Dec. 3 at 12 noon at the Hickinbotham Miller Bldg. at the Fulton County Fairgrounds. ...

The Mammoth Spring VFW 7831 and Auxiliary sponsor the Toys for Joy Drive for the Mammoth Spring and Thayer areas. Boxes have been placed throughout Mammoth Spring and Thayer. We help many children throughout the area. Boxes have been placed at Mammoth Spring Library, Mammoth Spring City Hall, Cothams Auction Barn, Thayer Dollar Store and Thayer Country Cottage. ...

The Ozark Mountain Music Makers at the Music Barn will host the annual Pie and Bake Auction to benefit their Christmas Party. The auction, which will also include other donated items, will be held Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. The Christmas Party will be held Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. Santa will be there the evening of the party with something for kids of all ages...

Centennial Bank recently donated $100 to the Highland Middle School BETA Club in assistance for their second annual Silver Tree Project. “We collect these items to take to them (seniors) at Christmas time. A lot of people tend to think about the children and there is nothing wrong with that, but we forget about the elderly in the nursing home that don’t have family or may not have gotten a gift or anything in several years,” Alanna Russell, BETA Advisor said. ...

Surrendered by a family who could not afford to keep her, Nikki knows heartbreak. She’s come a long way in her foster home since then and is on her way to being whole again. Beyond cute, little 23-pound Nikki is lovable, cuddly, small and intelligent. Her soft floppy ears, short legs and bright brown eyes will melt your heart. She is the perfect lap dog for anyone who wants a companion and forever friend. Please call Friends of Cherokee Animals at 561-596-3397, for more information about her...

Well the finally the holidays are in full swing. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving gathering. We just want to remind everyone to come on out to ACNA’s Holiday Shopping event coming up this Saturday and Monday. On Saturday, Dec. 1, the times will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; on Monday, Dec. 3, the times are 5 to 7 p.m. Come see what our talented artists have in store for you...

The skating rink in Batesville’s Riverside Park is back for the holiday season! Batesville’s White River Winter Wonderland will be in full swing, with one of its main attractions which is a 40-by-40-foot ice-skating rink under the Riverside Park Amphitheater in Riverside Park. The Batesville Parks and Recreation Department manages and operates the skating rink each year as a part of White River Waonderland...

Are you interested in learning more about fostering, adopting or volunteering? Department of Children and Family Services and The CALL invite you to attend an informational meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. at the North Arkansas Electric Co-op, 225 South Main, in Salem...

St. Michael’s Catholic Church Knights of Columbus Breakfast will be held Sunday, Dec. 9 after the 9 a.m. mass. It is free to all parishioners. Merry Christmas from the Knights of Columbus.

This year marks the third annual ‘A Very Melba Christmas’ presented by the Melba Theater of Batesville, with the assistance of local business partners. The past two Christmas seasons have brought thousands of movie goers from far and wide to see old classic films on the big screen. ...

The Fulton County Retired Teachers Christmas meeting will be Tuesday, Dec. 4. We will be singing at the Southfork Rehab Center in Salem at 10 a.m. Afterward, we will go to The House of Pizza in Mountain Home for lunch. All retired teachers and school personnel is invited...

Tis the Season to be Jolly… and we are ready. Calico Rock Museum and Visitors Center is proud to announce once again, the Living Windows. On Dec. 8, all 13 storefront windows on historic Main Street are decorated with a Christmas theme with living people. Each year the windows are filled with all the joy of the holiday...

The Cherokee Village Community Developer will host the annual Christmas in the Village celebration at the Cherokee Village Town Center on Monday, Dec. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event, a collaborative effort between the community developer, town center merchants, the Arts Center of North Arkansas and the Spring River Innovation Hub, will be open to the public and includes live music, the annual tree lighting ceremony and a visit from Santa...

White River Health System recently received a grant from the Blue & You Foundation to purchase two satellite backpacks for WRHS’s telemedicine program. The satellite backpack provides internet access in areas with little or no broadband support. According to the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), Telemedicine, also known as Telehealth, encompasses a range of services, from health monitoring and patient consultation to the transmission of medical records...

White River Health System (WRHS) joined a statewide antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention collaborative recently formed to address the increasing dangers resulting from multiple drug-resistance organisms (MDRO). Established by a one-year grant funded by the Arkansas Department of Health, the program is administered by Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC)...

Dr. Ryan Roberts recently joined Ozarks Medical Center (OMC) Medical Group as an Anesthesiologist. Dr. Roberts has board certification in anesthesiology. He completed his medical degree at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Ark. and completed an internship and residency at University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC). His undergraduate degree is from University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark...

An Alzheimer’s Support Group meets each Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the West Plains Library. The group provides an opportunity to interact and get help and support from other people dealing with dementia issues. The meeting is designed for people with dementia and caregivers dealing with dementia. ...

Please bring your favorite Christmas snack and join the Democratic Party of Fulton County for their last meeting of the year on Nov. 26 at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Salem. Social hour will start at 5 p.m. and the business meeting will follow. For more information, contact Vice Chairman Heath Shrable at 870-612-0374 or Secretary Carolyn Lewis at 870-321-3193...

All members of the community are invited to a free Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. at Mammoth Spring High School Cafeteria. The event is sponsored by Mammoth Spring Cares. For more information, or to volunteer or donate, contact Penny Case at 870-371-0878 or Brad Pierce at 870-847-2981...

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 695 of West Plains will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 12 noon at Chen’s Garden Chinese Restaurant, 1705 Gibson Avenue, West Plains. LaWayne Downs from Springfield Blue Cross and Blue Shield will be the speaker. All active and retired federal employees and spouses are invited to attend...

Ozarka College will host their 8th annual holiday event on Nov. 30 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. This event is free to the public and will take place in the John E. Miller Education complex, at Ozarka College in Melbourne. This year’s theme is, “Holidays in Who-ville” and families are invited to join Ozarka College for a Dr. ...

Mammoth Spring will be having their annual Christmas program Saturday, Dec. 15. The parade will start at 6 p.m. The Christmas court and crowning will take place next to Simmons Bank immediately following the parade. This program is being sponsored by the Spring River Lions Club as a community service project...