Community

If you are living with a health condition or care for someone who does, this workshop is for you. Having a health condition does not mean that you have to stop doing the things you love to do. By attending this workshop once a week for six weeks, you will learn to manage symptoms, eat healthier, fight fatigue and pain, lessen your frustration, communicate more effectively with others about your condition and get tips on making daily tasks easier...

On Wednesday, July 21, during a press conference at the State Capitol, Governor Mike Parson announced the launch of a statewide COVID-19 vaccination incentive program, MO VIP, to encourage vaccination among all Missourians age 12 and up. Over the next three months, 900 Missourians who have or will choose to be vaccinated will win cash or education savings account prizes in the amount of $10,000.  ...

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, testing methods have constantly evolved and changed. Most recently, the popularity of at-home COVID-19 testing kits has grown due to their ease of access. While these kits have benefits, Ozarks Healthcare physicians are cautioning community members about their accuracy and what steps to take after getting a positive result from an at-home test...

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is warning Arkansans about scam callers who will pull at your heartstrings and attempt to steal your money. Potential targets will receive a panicked phone call from a person claiming to be a relative, oftentimes a grandchild who is in jail or the hospital, who needs money right away. ...

Look up – way up. That’s where we’re headed. Where I-beams float effortlessly high overhead, carefully guided into place by powerful machinery. Where steel and glass converge in a colossal design that appears to almost touch the sky. These magnificent structures were elaborately designed and intricately built. ...

Missouri University of Science and Technology announces the names of students who made the honor list for the Spring 2021 semester. To be included on the honor list, students must have carried a minimum of 12 hours and had grade point averages of 3.2 or above out of a possible 4.0...

Cody and Amanda Voyles of Mammoth Spring, Ark., are the parents of a baby girl, Remington Lee Voyles, born June 17, 2021, at 11:15 p.m. at Ozarks Healthcare. She weighed 6 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 and 3/4 inches long. Her siblings are Elliot, 6 and Adalynn, 3. Her grandparents are Melvin and Teresa Voyles of Ellsinore, Mo., and Joey and Kathy Elliot of Mammoth Spring...

Cody and Amanda Voyles of Mammoth Spring, Ark., are the parents of a baby girl, Remington Lee Voyles, born June 17, 2021, at 11:15 p.m. at Ozarks Healthcare. She weighed 6 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 and 3/4 inches long. Her siblings are Elliot, 6 and Adalynn, 3. Her grandparents are Melvin and Teresa Voyles of Ellsinore, Mo., and Joey and Kathy Elliot of Mammoth Spring...

Ozarka College’s Culinary Program recently held its annual Teen Cooking Camp for ages 12-16. Each participant worked in teams to cook four-course age-appropriate meals each day. The theme of the camp was Mise en place, a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. ...

Fidelity Communications, a member of the Cable One family of brands, recently awarded a $5,000 grant to Java Cats School-Based Enterprise at Thayer R-II School through the company’s Charitable Giving Fund, which launched in January 2021. Through this program, the company awarded more than $100,000 in grants earlier this summer to 30 nonprofit organizations across its 24-state footprint...

Fidelity Communications, a member of the Cable One family of brands, recently awarded a $1,000 grant to CASA of the Third Judicial District through the company’s Charitable Giving Fund, which launched in January 2021. Through this program, the company awarded more than $100,000 in grants earlier this summer to 30 nonprofit organizations across its 24-state footprint...

Area will be a unit of Pinnacle Mountain State Park The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (ADPHT) held an event today at Lake Sylvia Recreation Area to officially mark the beginning of operating and managing the area as a unit of Pinnacle Mountain State Park. ADPHT has signed a historic property lease with the United States Forest Service (USFS) to do so. The USFS will continue to partner with ADPHT and Arkansas State Parks (ASP) in the environmental management of the area...

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved a budget increase of $5.73 million today at its monthly meeting to cover the costs of several pressing projects. The largest project on the list is the renovation of Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery, which produces trout, for $3.27 million. An additional, $3.5 million was approved in June. With today’s approval, the total cost to renovate the hatchery will be $6.7 million...

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) recognized the service and sacrifice of World War II veteran Edith Mitchell in ‘Salute to Veterans,’ a series recognizing the military service of Arkansans.  Mitchell was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina on December 24, 1921. ...

By Deanna Vale A great weekend was enjoyed for our King Family Reunion on Saturday June 12 at the Ravenden Municipal Building. We certainly appreciated that the Ravenden mayor opened the building for gatherings again. We were disappointed that we could not meet last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic...

The Bluegrass and Fried Chicken Festival will be held Aug. 6-7, at Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Ark. The music festival will feature an extended show on Friday night, a Saturday matinee, and a Saturday evening extended show. The new event, which is sponsored by Stone Bank and the Arkansas Arts Council, features local, regional, and nationally touring bluegrass bands at Ozark Highlands Theater, the park’s 1,000-seat indoor music venue, and delicious Southern fried chicken at The Skillet Restaurant, also located on-site at the park.. ...

Kids Indoor Games: Living History Academy will be held Aug. 7 from 9 to 11 a.m. and is free. Today we are surrounded by countless things that hold our attention, but what did they do way back when? Come join park staff to play with 19th century toys and games and learn how people entertained themselves prior to internet and electricity! This program is a part of Powhatan’s Living History Academy, a program designed to introduce younger audiences to historic learning experiences that they help bring to life. ...

Williams Baptist University received a $7,500 gift from First National Bank of Lawrence County Wednesday in support of the Williams Works program. The check was presented to WBU President Dr. Stan Norman by Paula Haskins, assistant cashier and head teller for the Walnut Ridge branch of the bank...

A book signing and speaking event will be held Saturday, Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon with author George Jared at Ash Flat Library. Jared is the author of “Witches in West Memphis: The West Memphis Three and another false confession.” Books will be available for purchase...

Legal Services of Southern Missouri (LSSM) is a private, not-for-profit corporation, serving 43 counties in southern Missouri. With offices headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, and branch offices located in West Plains, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, and Rolla, Missouri, LSSM combines public funding and the commitment of private attorneys to assure that low-income families have access to legal representation in civil matters...

You may have heard that it’s important to take the emotions out of investing. But is this true for all emotions? Certainly, some emotions can potentially harm your investment success. Consider fear. If the financial markets are going through a down period – which is actually a normal part of the investment landscape – you might be so afraid of sustaining losses that you sell even the investments that have good prospects and are suitable for your needs...

Missouri State University awarded 2,954 degrees to students in spring 2021. The commencement ceremonies took place May 13-14, at JQH Arena. The following local students earned degrees: Jesse Bridges, of Alton, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude...

As the halfway point of the “100 Deadliest Days” between Memorial Day and Labor Day approaches, MoDOT wants to remind motorists to be mindful of safety every trip, every time. Motorcycle fatalities are climbing in Missouri. So far this year, there have been 65 motorcyclists fatalities - an increase of 25% from this time in 2020. Thirty-five of these motorcyclists were not wearing a helmet. There were only two such fatalities at this point last year...

The bill was part of a vulnerable person’s omnibus package Youth experiencing homelessness will soon have new protections under the law, thanks to a bill passed by the Missouri General Assembly during the 2021 legislative session. House Bill 432 contained more than twenty provisions to protect vulnerable persons...

Jason Smith for Congress has announced a record-setting fundraising quarter, with 950 individual donors (56% first-time voters to the campaign) and contributions from individuals in 86 of Missouri’s 114 counties, demonstrating a strong base of support for the Congressman’s conservative message.  71 percent of individual contributions were for $200 or less.  Overall, the campaign raised $536,215.13 from April through June – the highest total that the campaign has ever reported – with cash on hand of $1,622,314.80 at the end of the fundraising quarter.. ...

Look up – way up. That’s where we’re headed. Where I-beams float effortlessly high overhead, carefully guided into place by powerful machinery. Where steel and glass converge in a colossal design that appears to almost touch the sky. These magnificent structures were elaborately designed and intricately built. ...

National Farmers Market Week 2021 is from Aug. 1 through Aug. 7! Each year, farmers markets across the country recognize National Farmers Market Week! Follow the Oregon County Farmers Market on Facebook to stay in the loop and preview the great produce and local crafts...

The West Plains Economic Development Corporation is pleased to host a hiring event at the West Plains Civic Center on July 22, 2021 from 2 to 6 p.m. This event is designed to connect job seekers with local employers. Currently, there are 29 local employers with more than 350 open positions who plan to be at the Hiring Event. Some of the employers will be conducting on-site interviews...

Plant lovers who can’t wait until December for Christmas poinsettias can celebrate in July. Although not as splashy as its winter relative, painted leaf poinsettia is a mid-year gift, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund...

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s Local Records Division is pleased to announce 23 grants totaling $283,584. These awards include 17 Local Records Grant Program awards totaling $144,809 and six Electronic Records Grant Initiative grants worth $139,775. ...

The Conservation Federation of Missouri’s (CFM) is pleased to announce that House Bill 369, which includes the Prescribed Burning Act and other favorable conservation legislation was signed by Governor Mike Parson today. Representative Tim Taylor (R-Bunceton) sponsored HB 369 and worked hard with House and Senate members to ensure its passage. Senator Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City) sponsored a similar bill in the Senate and provided amendments to further additional conservation goals...

Drury University is incentivizing students attending its residential day school to get vaccinated to help fight the spread of COVID-19. “Our students showed incredible leadership and community spirit last year in doing everything possible to keep one another safe as we held in-person classes,” says Drury President Dr. ...

Shared Stewardship is a collaborative approach to land management that builds on a long history of cooperation and partnership.  In April, the Missouri Agreement for Shared Stewardship was signed. This agreement provides a mechanism for land managers like Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), and Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to work even more collaboratively with partners to identify priority projects, coordinate investments, and implement restoration of natural communities on a landscape scale.. ...

With COVID-19 on the rise and the start of a new school year around the corner, Ozarks Healthcare will offer the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for area student athletes participating in free athletic physicals for from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 22, at Ozarks Healthcare Pediatrics located at 312 Kentucky Ave. in West Plains...

37th Judicial Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are pleased to announce that a new executive director has been hired and will begin on Monday, July 19. Connie Pendergrass is a retired teacher and school administrator who has spent many years working with and advocating for children in our community. She has also been working as a Volunteer Advocate with CASA since early 2019, which gives her the unique opportunity to see how the system works from both sides...

Governor Michael L. Parson has signed into law legislation designed to crack down on copper thieves, as well as those who steal precious metals and catalytic converters. The legislation, HB 69, was earlier given strong bipartisan approval by the Missouri General Assembly...

State Rep. Mike McGirl was pleased after Gov. Parson on Tuesday, July 13 signed SB 72 into law creating “Random Acts of Kindness Day,” among other state designations. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Karla Eslinger, originally designated the first Friday in May each year as “Law Enforcement Appreciation Day,” and had a number of similar provisions added. ...

Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced that for the second year in a row, the Treasurer’s Office average initial response time for Sunshine Requests was less a day. During the fiscal year that ended June 30, the Treasurer’s Office received 123 Sunshine requests. The average initial response time was 0.76 business days, a decrease from the previous year...

Program will be presented in-person on July 20 and virtually on July 21. Birds are important environmental indicators and they play significant roles in keeping area ecosystems. People can get an update on the status of bird populations in southwest Missouri and other parts of their ranges at the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) program “Birds: A Pulse Check on Birds of Southwest Missouri.” This program will be presented in-person on July 20 from 6-7:30 p.m. ...

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s Securities Division is seeking penalties and restitution from a Missouri man and his Chesterfield-based company after St. Louis residents were allegedly defrauded out of $81,000. Between January 2017 and June 2018, Loy Dennis Maxey and his company, Fresh Start Credit Services, LLC, allegedly sold promissory notes and misappropriated a majority of the money for his own benefit. ...

May Scheve Reardon, executive director of the Missouri Lottery, has been re-elected to chair the Powerball Product Group for a second year by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). In this role, Reardon works with other lottery directors, leading the group charged with enhancing Powerball’s offerings to create more chances to win and larger jackpot prizes...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $17 million for conservation partners to help protect and restore critical wetlands on agricultural lands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is prioritizing proposals that focus on assisting historically underserved producers conserving wetlands. Proposals from partners are due Aug. 15...

Couch FFA will host a Cornhole Tournament and Fish Fry on Saturday, July 17 at Couch High School Agriculture Building. Registration is until the day of the event. The tournament is open to players 14 years old and older. Teams must be two players. It is $20 per team. Prizes will be awarded for the top three teams...

UM Broadband Initiative outlines community-driven process for local expansion. Adoption of broadband has the potential to boost a community’s economic growth and quality of life. But in much of Missouri, especially rural areas, the high-bandwidth wirelines to connect households and businesses don’t exist...

With over one million spinal procedures performed in the U.S. annually, spine surgeons have worked tirelessly to develop the safest, most effective, and least daunting therapies to offer patients. We’re honored to share how one local nurse is looking forward to an active retirement thanks to a robotic-assisted navigational procedure now being performed at Ozarks Healthcare...

Steven Ryan and Chloe Axelson of Alton, Mo., are the parents of a baby boy, Rowan Lyle Ryan, born June 8 at 7:01 a.m. at Ozarks Healthcare. He weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. His sibling is Rayven-Tate, 2. His grandparents are Bill Axelson and Deidre Brown of Alton...

West Plains native Crockett W. Oaks III has been tapped as the new director of business and support services at Missouri State University-West Plains. He began his new duties on July 1 and replaces Scott Schneider, who recently was named vice president for administrative and finance services at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma...

Today’s manufacturing industries need highly skilled workers. Area residents can learn how to develop those skills to increase their employability at Missouri State University-West Plains’ (MSU-WP) Technology Showcase. The free, drop-in event is set for 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Technology (GOCAT), 395 Jackie D. Garrett Ave., in West Plains...

New and returning students will enjoy a full, in-person college experience at Missouri State University-West Plains this fall. Interim Chancellor Dennis Lancaster said the university’s staff is back on campus and ready to help students return to in-person classes, on-campus events and a host of student activities after modifying operations this past academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic...

Officials at Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc. (HOEC), report that approximately 1,300 members across their system were without power as a result of storms that moved through the service area over the weekend. Cooperative personnel began working to safely restore power to all members. ...