Community

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Haffner; Critical legislation seeks to prevent for-profit abuses of eminent domain The Missouri House passed HCS HB 527 on Feb. 25, giving final approval to critical legislation to safeguard and strengthen private property protections for Missouri’s family farms. Sponsored by Representative Mike Haffner (R-Pleasant Hill), lawmakers passed the bill with a vote of 123-33, which will now move to the Missouri Senate for consideration...

Online event will have tips on finding the right tree for the right place. Trees are planted for many reasons, including aesthetics, wildlife habitat, shade, energy conservation, erosion reduction, and in remembrance of an event or person. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds landowners that when adding trees to your property, planning should come before planting. ...

On Feb. 25, Governor Mike Parson proclaimed February 20-27, 2021, as National FFA Week in Missouri on behalf of nearly 26,000 members of Missouri FFA. Missouri FFA President Justin Eddy of Columbia received the proclamation on behalf of the 2020-2021 Missouri FFA State Officer team...

Public nominations are open now through March 22 for Missouri’s next Poet Laureate. The Missouri Poet Laureate fosters the art of poetry, encourages literacy and learning, and encourages the reading and writing of poetry across the state, enriching Missourians’ lives by sharing and promoting poetry through public appearances, readings, workshops, and digital and social media...

Jean’s Healthway is the most recent business to graduate from the Ozarks Small Business Incubator’s (OzSBI) affiliate program. The business was purchased by Rachel and Jeff Barry on Dec. 30, 2020. Jean Farbin, the previous owner, started the business in her basement in the late 1970’s and decided it was time to retire after celebrating her 86th birthday.  ...

Personal property and real estate taxes for Arkansas residents are due Oct. 15. Fulton County Tax Collector Michalle Watkins would like to remind residents those payments can be made anytime. Beginning March 1, payments for 2020 taxes were allowed to be made, partial or in full. Payments can be made in any amount at anytime, as long the balance is paid in full by Oct. 15. Partial payments can only be made for 2020 taxes, meaning if your bill is not current, partial payments will not be accepted...

University of Missouri Extension wants to know how row crop farmers and others in the Missouri agricultural industry prefer to receive their agricultural information. MU Extension weed specialist Mandy Bish said the brief survey asks farmers and others in the ag industry, such as seed and chemical dealers, to share what types of information sources they use...

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has funding available for projects that will protect Missouri’s waters from pollution caused by stormwater runoff, also known as nonpoint source pollution. Responses to a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for this federal grant funding are due by April 1...

A $2,500 donation has been made by Arvest Bank to Ozarks Healthcare’s Foundation to support “Nurturing Hope: A Community Cancer Project.” The project includes the ongoing expansion of Ozarks Healthcare’s Cancer Treatment Center’s chemotherapy suite, the construction of a healing garden, and the purchase of new equipment...

Alton Bank is proud to announce the promotion of Kelly Haddock to cashier. Kelly has worked at Alton Bank since 2015. She has held multiple positions such as teller, bookkeeper and loan secretary. Her experience in multiple departments and dedication to her job has made her a valuable employee at Alton Bank, which has led to her promotion as cashier. Kelly looks forward to being customer’s go-to-person when handling their banking needs...

Missouri State University awarded 1,534 degrees to students in fall 2020. The commencement ceremonies took place Dec. 11, 2020, at JQH Arena. The following local students earned degrees: Destini Ball, of Thayer, graduated with a Master of Science, Counseling...

After Arkansas’s historic snowfall has melted away and the temperatures return to more consistent weather, Arkansans are left to deal with pesky scam callers pretending to be utility providers. Scam artists will pose as utility companies and prey on unsuspecting Arkansans then ask for immediate payment over the phone. This scam causes far too many Arkansans to lose their hard-earned money...

The March membership meeting of the Hardy History Association will be Thursday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. This month’s meeting will be on Facebook Live and on Zoom for dues-paid HHA members. Join the Hardy History Association Facebook group page to view the event, or look for the emailed Zoom invitation...

Knights of Columbus of St. Michael’s Catholic Church will hold their famous bratwurst lunch on Saturday, March 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The lunch will be served with German potato salad, sauerkraut and a bun. Drive thru in church parking lot. In case of rain, the lunch will be served the following Saturday on March 13...

Ozark Pride is an up and coming non profit hopeful. This year, as a way to introduce the organization into the local community, Ozark Pride is hosting a Pride Celebration on May 22 at Loberg Park in Hardy, Ark. at 2 p.m. There is no charge for vendors to set up a booth and there will be lots of good food, good music, as well as awesome vendors and a mass wedding ceremony at 5 p.m. in the park. Couples who wish to be married that day can simply bring their marriage license to the event...

On March 8, we observe International Women’s Day, a celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Of course, women still tend to encounter more obstacles than men in the pursuit of financial security. Let’s consider a few of them...

Ozarka College recently was named to the 2020-2021 Military Friendly Schools list by VIQTORY Media. The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members and veterans as students. This is the twelfth consecutive year that Ozarka College has received this distinction...

National Anthem Day on March 3 commemorates the day the United States adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. During the War of 1812, lawyer Francis Scott Key witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, on Sept. 13-14, 1814, and later wrote the words as a tribute to the defenders of the fort, who survived 25 hours of bombardment from British naval forces (more than 1,500 190- pound cannon shells) and severe thunderstorms to save the city of Baltimore...

When Kyle Harrington was five-years-old, he was introduced to origami. “I tried to fold the basic models such as the crane or frog, but I wasn’t very good. I quickly grew disillusioned, and quit,” said Harrington. Then in his late teens, he picked it up again, this time trying harder. ...

The Ash Flat Library is having a book signing for Mark Gordon. His book is “The Flatlander’s Redneck Epicurious Cooking with Mark Gordon and Friends”. The signing is on Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m. at the library, located at 11 Arnhart Street in Ash Flat...

Brad and Allison Bouland, of Jonesboro, Ark., announce the upcoming marriage of their daughter, Colby Mekele Bouland, to Colton Wayne Binkley, son of Keith and Kristy Binkley, of Walnut Ridge, Ark. The couple will be wed May 15 at Echoes of the Past Village in Thayer, Mo. Invitations will be sent...

Missouri University of Science and Technology announces the names of students who made the honor list for the Fall 2020 semester. Thomas Hawks, Doniphan, Mo., engineering, junior; Garrett Blum, Thayer, Mo., history, sophomore and Evan Simer, Thayer, Mo., aerospace engineering, sophomore...

The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team will take on the St. Louis Community College Archers at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, at the West Plains Civic Center. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17, the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) game was rescheduled due to inclement weather, Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Jared Phay said...

The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) and the Committee on Transfer and Articulation (COTA) hosted its annual conference on Feb. 19, titled “2021: A Transfer Odyssey.” Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference was held virtually for the first time, with more than 250 educators and advocates throughout Missouri sharing ideas on how to ease the burdens college students often face when transferring from one college to another...

Teacher training series explores linkages between ecological, human health. For many, our connections to the natural world have taken on new significance over the past year and spending time in nature has provided a safe haven for living life outside our homes. Even the origins of the coronavirus pandemic reveal important lessons about how we think about our connections to ecological communities...

Developing a thriving rural Missouri is important to FCS Financial. The Shaping Rural Missouri grant program offers Missouri 4-H and FFA organizations $500 grants to implement projects that will benefit their rural communities and youth development...

COVID-19 vaccination clinics that were scheduled to take place through Ozarks Healthcare Feb. 15-19 have been rescheduled. On Feb. 15, Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced the cancelation of all COVID-19 mass vaccination events in partnership with the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services, and State Emergency Management Agency that were scheduled to take place this week in the interest of safety due to extreme winter weather...

Webinars will help producers provide safe, healthy food to customers. Missouri fruit and vegetable growers can enroll in upcoming no-cost or low-cost online produce safety training. Webinar topics include creating a food safety plan for USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training, produce safety best practices and wildlife control for produce growers, said Londa Nwadike, an extension associate professor of food safety for the University of Missouri and Kansas State University.. ...

Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) officials have extended the deadline to apply for scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. The March 1 deadline has been moved to March 31.  “With the COVID-19 pandemic still a factor, college planning continues to be a challenge for high school seniors,” said Interim Chancellor Dennis Lancaster. “We wanted to give prospective students more time to complete the admissions process, file their FASFA and fill out the scholarship application.” ...

Providing expert care for your breathing problems without a referral during a pandemic Ozarks Healthcare pulmonologists are now providing care at Ozarks Healthcare’s rural clinic locations in Gainesville, Mountain Grove, Thayer and Winona. If you face acute or chronic breathing problems or any complex illness primarily affecting the lungs, Ozarks Healthcare’s pulmonologists can help. ...

Wichita State University has announced the names of more than 3,500 students who were on the WSU dean’s honor roll for fall 2020 including Alyssa B. Dahlke, of Thayer. To be included on the dean’s honor roll, a student must be enrolled full time (at least 12 credit hours) and earn at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale...

On Feb. 19, 1966, James Ronald Johnson and Ruth Ann Brawley were marrined the home of Brother Finis and Tula Johnson. Brother Finis performed the ceremony. For 10 years the couple made their home in Kansas City, Mo. James worked for Montogomery Wards. They had three children: Randy, Tina and Mike...

Farmers and landowners in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 14-county North Arkansas Quail Focal Landscape Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects in Arkansas have until April 30, 2021, to submit applications to receive financial assistance to implement conservation activities...

COVID-19 vaccination clinics that were scheduled to take place through Ozarks Healthcare Feb. 15-19 have been rescheduled. On Feb. 15, Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced the cancelation of all COVID-19 mass vaccination events in partnership with the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services, and State Emergency Management Agency that were scheduled to take place this week in the interest of safety due to extreme winter weather...

The Spring River Innovation Hub, in association with the City of Cherokee Village and the National Endowment of the Arts, is facilitating a virtual community forum via Zoom on Thursday, March 4 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., regarding the recently awarded Our Town Grant. The forum is an important aspect of the community engagement process, and will introduce grant activities along with the master planning process. The forum will include a presentation, Q&A and community dialogue...

With the decrease in COVID-19 cases in the county and across Arkansas, White River Health System (WRHS) continues to modify visitor hours to better suit our patients and visitors. Starting Feb. 17, each patient hospitalized for conditions other than COVID-19 may now designate, upon admission, one person to stay with them through their entire stay...

A week of rising temperatures will give those in Arkansas agriculture a window to assess damage and losses caused by a week of record cold and snowfall. The National Weather Service at Little Rock said snowfall totals for Feb. 14-18 ranged from 6 inches to more than 22 inches. The heaviest snow fell in a band from Texarkana to just east of Stuttgart. Temperatures dived into single digits and below zero in many parts of the state, with Fayetteville seeing a reading of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit...

Temperatures plunged to record lows across Arkansas Tuesday morning, falling to single digits or even negative numbers, even in the southernmost reaches of the state. Jeff Hood, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in North Little Rock, said some areas of the state reported lows more than 10 degrees below previous records...

Now that we’re a few weeks removed from 2020, it’s a good time to reflect on such a momentous year. We can think about developments in the social and political spheres, but we also learned – or perhaps re-learned – some valuable lessons about investing...

Ozarka College is pleased to announce that enrollment in the Paul Miller Fitness Center is being offered free of charge to all local law enforcement officers and active duty military members. “We are so very fortunate to have such dedicated and capable law enforcement in our region. This is a modest way we at Ozarka may thank them for their service.” said Dr. Richard Dawe, Ozarka College President. “It is also an opportunity for active military home on leave to use our facilities.”...

Strawberry River Chapter DAR met in a Zoom meeting Feb. 6 with 17 members and one prospective member in attendance. Following the opening ritual, the chapter registrar presented an update on new member applications and supplemental applications. Co-Chairs Clara Sample Ballard, Patty Sample and Nancy Weaver have prepared a Valentine’s project for the 330 residents of the six nursing/rehab centers in the tri-county area served by our chapter; Clara updated members on their progress. ...

On Feb. 9, both varsity teams are scheduled to be in action at home in conference games against Pocahontas. On Feb. 12, the Highland Rebels are scheduled to play the Mammoth Spring Bears in non-conference action at Mammoth Spring. The Brookland Lady Bearcats lead the conference with a 13-0 conference record...

Will Hehemann, writer/editor UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences Researchers at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences are studying the potential of converting animal byproducts to multifunctional biochar – charcoal made from biomass, Dr. ...

Will Hehemann, writer/editor UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences As COVID-19 continues to spread, social distancing remains a reality for Americans, Linda Inmon, Cooperative Extension Program associate-family and consumer sciences for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said. Because of this, everyone’s screen time has greatly increased...

By Tracy Courage U of A System Division of Agriculture Arkansas crop producers who want to get better control of their water use during the 2021 growing season will have several opportunities through a two-day soil health school. The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will offer a two-day soil sensor school Feb. ...