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Colorful leaves, clear water, and nature viewing makes autumn a great time to paddle. A kayak can give floaters great access to many fishing and nature viewing activities and fall is a great time to do some paddling. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants to remind area paddlers that there are several sites in south-central Missouri where MDC fish management and MDC accesses can add enjoyment to a kayaking trip...

Event offers motivation, education for women farmers and ranchers. Temple Grandin, renowned author on animal behavior and autism, will be one of four keynote speakers during the virtual 2020 Pixels of Production – Women in Agriculture conference. Pixels of Production offers women farmers and ranchers a four-night opportunity to learn practical tips and be inspired, says University of Missouri Extension swine nutritionist Marcia Shannon. ...

Starting in the 2020 tax season, more rural Missourians in need will be able to learn about their eligibility for the federal earned income tax credit (EITC), one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty tools targeting low- and moderate-income working families...

Troy Caron, D.O., Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, recently joined the multi-disciplinary Ozarks Medical Center (OMC) Medical Group. Dr. Caron brings over 15 years of clinical experience to OMC Orthopedics and Spine. Dr. Troy Caron is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. ...

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has issued a Request for Information to solicit information on financing needs for Missouri energy infrastructure projects. Information provided by respondents will be considered in assessing financing mechanisms for Missouri energy infrastructure projects, as well as to identify potential in-state projects that could be financed in the near-term and over longer time frames...

State officials began shipping thousands of antigen test kits to public and private schools across the state today. Nearly 330 districts/schools applied to participate in Missouri’s BinaxNOW Antigen Testing Program for K-12 Institutions, requesting a total of nearly 583,000 test kits for use among symptomatic students and school personnel. ...

Come join the Collective Goods (formerly Books are Fun) book fair held in Baxter Regional Medical Center’s Lagerborg Dining Room on Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. BRMC Auxiliary is hosting this fundraiser. All monies raised will be used to provide needed services and equipment for Baxter Regional Medical Center...

Learn how to prepare your soil for planting next spring at a free seminar Nov. 11 at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP). The seminar, “Soil Preparation for Spring Planting,” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. in Melton Hall Room 112. It will cover the importance of soil testing for a successful crop and provide an overview of:...

Helping veterans transfer value and skills to civilian life. Scott Hoad was at a low point this spring, trying to piece together a decent living after being laid off from a job painting commercial aircraft. Then Hoad crossed paths with Amy Patillo, a University of Missouri Extension labor and workforce development specialist based in Springfield...

Effective immediately, old televisions, computers and other electronics are no longer being accepted at the Tri-County Recycling Center, 500 Landfill Road, at Cherokee Village. This policy change is the result of work force limitations at the present time. The Center hopes to be able to reinstate this program at some point in the future but no time frame is in place to do so at present...

Halloween is a big part of the many fall activities we look forward to. However, 2020 brings many risks for our traditional Halloween, Easter H. Tucker, interim family and consumer sciences program leader for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said...

The Fulton County Fair Board of Directors met recently and considered options for funding the 2021 fair scholarship program. In a normal year, the fair would have had a decorated cookie jar contest and the jars filled with home baked cookies would have been auctioned off on the last day of the fair. ...

We have one more wonderful Saturday, Oct. 31, for our 2020 Farmers Market season! Please come join our vendors and enjoy what they have to offer! Be sure and give them a special thanks for bringing you all the great fresh, local produce and locally made products, meats, crafts and more each week. We look forward to another productive season in 2021, we appreciate your patronage and support. See you next year!...

A gift from First National Bank of Lawrence County will benefit the Williams Works initiative at Williams Baptist University.  Chief Financial Officer Amy Fitzgerald of First National presented the $7,500 donation to WBU President Dr. Stan Norman on Thursday...

West Plains Senior Center will give out Thanksgiving goodie bags filled with fruit and cookies for all seniors on Friday, Nov. 20. For more information, call Joy at 417-256-4055.

The Friends of the Thomasville Community Center look forward to the fundraising Christmas Bazaar to be held Nov. 21 and 22. First held in 2017, and again in 2018 and 2019, the Bazaar has become a primary fundraiser to support ongoing maintenance and operational expenses of the community center...

Local eight-year-old boy, Jase Rutledge, reeled in a monster catfish that weighed more than the young man himself. Weighing in at just 54 pounds, using an open faced fishing reel and pole all by himself, Rutledge managed to reel the 55 pound catfish in close enough to the bank so that his grandfather and dad were able to secure it with a fishing net...

Mammoth Spring School Homecoming will be held Friday, Oct. 30. The coronation begins at 5 p.m. in the Mammoth Spring Gym. Senior candidates are: Emily Hamilton, Alaysia Kent and Shelby VanGinhoven. Attendants are: 11th grade: Sara O’Dell, 10th grade: Raylea Pierce, 9th grade: Adrianna Corbett, 8th grade: Kyleigh Williams and 7th grade: Ally Guernsey...

While seasons change, Ozarks Medical Center (OMC) reminds everyone in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas that the recommendations to lower the risks of contracting COVID-19 and flattening the curve remain. As Halloween and other holidays approach, it is important for communities to remember guidelines recommended by national and local health authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19...

Cassie Smallwood (Evening Shade), Chazz Jewel (West Plains, Mo.), Jennifer Case (Mammoth Spring), Joy Wood (Cherokee Village) and Savanna Ingram (Ash Flat) have each received a $1,500 scholarship from Garry and Carol Anne Lawrence. These students are all majoring in nursing at Ozarka College – Ash Flat and have received $500 for fall 2020 semester, $500 for spring 2021 semester and $500 for summer 2021 semester...

All veterans are invited to come by the West Plains Senior Center on Veterans Day on Nov. 11 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a special treat. For additional information, call Joy at 417-256-4055.

The annual Thayer Factory Reunion will be canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See y’all next year! For more information, call Rosie Mainprize at 816-578-2330.

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, the Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) announced new Arkansas Department of Health directives outlining long-term care facility requirements for expanded visitation. “We know that residents and families are eager to see their loved ones,” said Rachel Bunch, AHCA executive director. ...

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is working with national, state and local leaders to bolster the state’s defenses in the lead up to the Nov. 3 general election. “With a momentous presidential election fast approaching, we are strengthening our defenses against the serious threats of cyberattacks, foreign interference and disinformation campaigns,” Ashcroft said. “Our office is working hand-in-hand with federal, state and local officials to safeguard the integrity of Missouri’s elections.”...

My name is Joey Barnes and I am announcing my candidacy for Justice of the Peace District 3 in Sharp County as a Republican. District 3 is in Cherokee Village, Ark. Justice of the Peace District 3 is separated from District 2 by Iroquois Drive and Cherokee Road...

The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (ADPHT), the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) received approval to proceed with a grant program utilizing $50 million in CARES Act funds for Arkansas businesses in industries significantly impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency...

The Ash Flat Library will hold a twenty-five-cent book sale on Saturday, Oct. 31, Halloween, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Free books and treats will be provided for children up to seventh grade.

Support a veteran. We all say this and here is a perfect opportunity to do so. I, Garry Lawrence, am running for the position of Sharp County Justice of the Peace District 2, and am from Cherokee Village. I have 20 years of combined service in the Arkansas Army National Guard and the Navel Air Reserve’s. I also serve on the White River Planning & Development Board , WIOA (Workforce Investment Opportunity Act) , White River Regional Housing Development Corporation and the Ozarka Foundation Board...

This past Saturday, Oct. 17, John Norberg officially announced his candidacy for the position of Justice of the Peace in District 3 of Sharp County. John co-hosted a meet-and-greet at the Spring River Innovation Hub with Garry Lawrence, who is running for Sharp County JP, District 2, and Rob Smith, who is running for re-election to the Cherokee Village City Council...

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission unanimously voted at its regularly scheduled meeting to approve new changes to Arkansas’s regulations on recreational fishing, commercial fishing and aquaculture. The recreational sportfishing regulations changes were announced to the Commission during its March meeting and were circulated in a public comment survey on the AGFC’s website beginning in March. ...

Rob Smith is proud and excited to share that he is running for re-election to represent Ward 4 on the Cherokee Village City Council. The official announcement came at a meet-and-greet on Oct. 17, which Smith co-hosted with Garry Lawrence, who is running for Sharp County JP, District 2, and John Norberg, candidate for JP in District 3...

The Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce 2020 Business Showcase is highlighting these members this week: Second Chance Store and Frontier Lanes in Ash Flat; Booman’s Go Kart and Fair Auto Body & Collision in Highland; and TnT Gymnastics Academy, Wood-n-Things and Ruby’s on Main St. in Hardy...

Protect your family from long-term care costs Like everyone, you want to remain physically and financially independent throughout your life. But if you lose some of this freedom, the last thing you’d want is to become a burden on your family. How can you keep this from happening?...

October is breast cancer awareness month. This is an opportunity to remind Arkansans of the importance of mammograms for early detection and lifestyle changes that could help prevent cancer. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early when it is easier to treat, and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms...

If you’re ready for a hauntingly good time, make plans to attend a performance by Midwest Ghouling Pianos at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) amphitheater. This free event is being hosted by MSU-WP’s University/Community Programs (U/CP) Department. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be moved to the West Plains Civic Center theater...

Michael Seabolt, of Cherokee Village, Ark., completed his first solo flight at the Melbourne Municipal Airport on Oct. 5. He plans to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation – Commercial Pilot upon completion of this program. “It was always a dream and today it became a reality,” said Michael of his first solo flight. “Like scoring my first touchdown, it was a team effort. Thank you to all the staff at Ozarka!”...

Cassie Smallwood (Evening Shade), Chazz Jewel (West Plains, Mo.), Jennifer Case (Mammoth Spring), Joy Wood (Cherokee Village) and Savanna Ingram (Ash Flat) have each received a $1,500 scholarship from Garry and Carol Anne Lawrence. These students are all majoring in nursing at Ozarka College – Ash Flat and have received $500 for fall 2020 semester, $500 for spring 2021 semester and $500 for summer 2021 semester...

Ozarka College is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Kim Wilson as the new Administrative Specialist for the President. “In the event of Katie Norris’ promotion to Director of PR and Marketing, we are fortunate to now have Kim Wilson serving as my assistant,” said Dr. Richard Dawe, President of Ozarka College. “Kim brings extensive executive assistant experience and is happy to be back in Arkansas.”...

Dan Singletary, CEO/General Manager of Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, was recently appointed as a district representative to the Internal Operations Committee of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC), Jefferson City. AMEC provides training as well as other services to the state’s 47 electric cooperatives, which serve more than 560,000 rural members...

First-generation students enrolling at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will receive additional support in their educational efforts thanks to a Title III cooperative grant project with MSU in Springfield. The $2.6 million grant, recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will help the campuses continue to build support systems for retaining these students, MSU officials announced in a news release this week...

The 2020 Pixels of Production – Women in Agriculture online conference offers women farmers and ranchers a four-night opportunity to learn practical tips and be inspired, says University of Missouri Extension swine nutritionist Marcia Shannon. The online event, presented via Zoom, replaces the annual Pearls of Production face-to-face, hands-on conference. Topics range from ergonomics to silvopasture, Shannon says...

Missourians will vote on two statewide ballot issues on Nov. 3, after approving one statewide issue at the polls on Aug. 4. The two ballot measures to be decided Nov. 3 include the topics of state legislative redistricting and statewide officeholder term limits. Both issues were placed on the ballot by the General Assembly...

The Missouri 4-H Foundation will host its first virtual quilt auction this fall and is seeking donations of handmade quilts of all sizes, either machine- or hand-quilted. “Proceeds from individual quilts can benefit a county or statewide 4-H program,” said Rachel Augustine, Missouri 4-H Foundation director...

Principal’s List = All A’s Honor Roll = All A’s and B’s Seventh Grade: Principal’s List– Keera Arnold and Emma Crowder. Honor Roll– Coy Amick, Madison Dubois, Ashlyn Fabrizio, Andrew Inman, Dylan Larsen and Lance Morey. Eighth Grade: Principal’s List – Bonnie Combs and Abigail Vernon...

Remedial education rates continue to decline at Missouri’s public colleges and universities, potentially reducing the amount of time and money it takes for many students to earn a degree. The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development recently published its Annual Report on the Condition of College and Career Readiness, showing the number of students needing remedial courses has steadily decreased since implementation of recommended changes to remedial education policy in 2015.. ...

Members of Strawberry River Chapter DAR met Saturday, Oct. 3, with 14 members in attendance. The opening ritual was led by Regent Jan Lusk. Chaplain Janelle Swan installed new members Nancy Weaver and Rona Moore. The Chaplain led attendees in a memorial service to honor the Patriots of Strawberry River Chapter members...

The Salem First Missionary Baptist Church, located on Highway 62 West, between the Salem Post Office and Hill Billy U-Pump, would like to introduce their new pastor and his wife, Elder Monty and Sandy Anderson.

Salem Homecoming Princess Katie Fish (left), Homecoming King Darius Brown (middle) and Homecoming Queen Hannah Guffey (right).

Holly Lovan of Calico Rock has been awarded the annual Dave Rush Memorial Endowed Scholarship for the 2020-21 academic year. Holly will receive $250 for fall 2020 semester and $250 for spring 2021 semester at Ozarka College. Holly is studying to become a Licensed Practical Nurse...