South Missourian News

This year’s back to school season is full of uncertainties. Regardless, students need supplies and the Clarity Church organized this year’s Back to School Fair held Wednesday, July 29. The fair, open to any student living in Oregon County or Mammoth Spring, was held at the Thayer Elementary School. Generous donations from local businesses and volunteers made this year another success...

A fatal accident claimed the life of 16-year-old Alyssa Bair on Sunday, June 28. Dealing with the loss of a loved one, especially a child, is devastating. However, when a community comes together to honor a life or to help make family members’ lives easier after such a loss, is an uplifting sight to see...

Zeta Omicron Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi and the Fulton County Fair will submit a plan to the Arkansas Health Department to have the Fulton County Fair Pageants in September. With the size of the Salem Civic Center, that guideline can be achieved. Officials feel the pageants can be approved because of the size of the civic center and the number of entrances for the facility. The tentative date is Sept. 12 and all pageants will be held on that day...

The City of Mammoth Spring is the recipient of a $200,000 grant to build a new senior center. The no matching fund grant through White River Planning and Development will allow for a new senior center facility to be built on the city property next to the Mammoth Spring ambulance building...

There is no question 2020 has been a difficult year for much of the world’s population. From economic uncertainties to famine, it can be difficult to find positivity, but did you know, August is Happiness Happens Month? Not only that, but did you know there is a Secret Society of Happy People (SOHP)... that’s not so secret?...

Evening Shade resident John Kunkel is one of the Sharp County COVID-19 patients. Hoping to shed light on the seriousness of coronavirus, Kunkel has been sharing his coronavirus journey through social media. Using social media might not be everyone's “niche”, however; for Kunkel, he is hoping his painful, and ongoing experience, will open the minds of some. Social media is also therapeutic for Kunkel...

The City of Mammoth Spring is the recipient of a $200,000 grant to build a new senior center. The no matching fund grant through White River Planning and Development will allow for a new senior center facility to be built on the city property next to the Mammoth Spring ambulance building...

A fatal accident claimed the life of 16-year-old Alyssa Bair on Sunday, June 28. Dealing with the loss of a loved one, especially a child, is devastating. However, when a community comes together to honor a life or to help make family members’ lives easier after such a loss, is an uplifting sight to see...

To the citizens of Fulton County: During this time of the COVID-19 crisis, some people have felt the need to try and defraud the government and commit identity theft on some of our citizens. The individuals are attempting to obtain unemployment benefits through identity theft. ...

Additional charges have been added since an initial press release from April 27, regarding allegations of sexual misconduct involving Fr. Gary Carr, who was pastor at Sacred Heart Mission Church in Thayer and St. Mary Parish and principal at St. Mary Catholic School in West Plains...

Every 10 years the decennial census is held to determine to make sure every person is counted in the United States as well as help to determine important factors including funding support for communities. Census 2020 marks the 24th time since 1790 the United States has counted its population and the data collected is used to determine how federal funding is spent, voting district boundaries and Congressional seats for each state...

Thayer Fire Department recently purchased new turnout gear thanks to a grant that City of Thayer Grant Writer Jean Pace was able to acquire for the city. The USDA grant was in the amount of $23,000 allowing the department to purchase 15 complete sets of turnout gear including helmets, jackets, pants, boots and gloves from David’s Fire Equipment in Arkansas...

If you are no stranger to Mammoth Spring State Park then you are more than likely to be familiar with the musical talents of local artist, Dennis Hobbs, who often visits the park to play guitar and sing, even during the hot humid summer days of July...

Fulton County Hospital CEO Curren Everett recently reviewed some statistical information with Areawide Media and how the hospital has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Luckily, very minimal changes have been made in the staffing of FCH. However, Everett said overall, the pandemic has hurt the hospital. ...

The Board of Education of Couch School District R-I, Oregon County, Myrtle, Missouri met in regular session on July 13 at 6 p.m. in the Couch School Board Room. Couch Elementary Board Report • Parents of children who applied for preschool have been notified of acceptance. There are currently 12 students who are three years of age and four students who are four years of age...

A Classic Car Cruise-In and Auction will be held on Saturday, July 25 at Thayer High School. The Cruisin’ for Alyssa Car/Motorcycle Show and Cruise Fundraiser and Benefit Auction for the family of Alyssa Bear will begin at 3 p.m. with the auction at 6 p.m. A cruise between Thayer and Mammoth Spring will be held at 7:30 p.m...

The difficult decision has been made by Mammoth Spring Chamber of Commerce to cancel the 2020 Antique and Classic Car Show after deliberating the topic with Mammoth Spring State Park staff and reviewing new requirements from the Department of Health...

It is not every day you are driving back home from a summer Saturday swim and spot a black bear. However, this is exactly what happened to the Biggerstaff/Corbin family when traveling back home in an area near the Eleven Point River on Saturday, July 18...

The Mammoth Spring Chamber of Commerce held their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, July 9 at Wood’s Riverbend Restaurant. Although the chamber typically meets monthly, due to COVID-19, meetings had been placed on hold since April, making the first order of business to discuss and approve the March meeting minutes...

Thayer Council held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 14. After approving the consent agenda, bills paid and to be paid, a motion was made to amend the agenda to include an ordinance to adopt the 2020-2021 annual budget, 20-year service award for Cindy Callahan and a request for supplies from the electric department. The motion was seconded and carried...

It has been just over three weeks since the discovery of a large sinkhole at High Falls on the Spring River which claimed the life of a woman from Paragould. Immediately following the recovery efforts, signage was placed ahead of the sinkhole on the river to warn river goers of the danger. ...

On Monday, July 13, Governor Mike Parson signed the following eight bills into law. HB 1414 – Protection of Children Modifies several provisions relating to child protection, including homeless youth benefits, protection of foster children, child care facility definitions and background checks, child protection for military families, foster care reform, foster parent rights, and substance abuse treatment waivers...

Beginning July 14, Ozarks Medical Center (OMC) modified visitor restrictions to allow each patient admitted to the hospital to have one visitor, per day from 4 to 6 p.m. Visitors will be screened at the point of entrance and asked to wear a mask. Each patient will be required to have the same visitor for the duration of their stay. Each visitor will be required to remain in the patient’s room at all times...

On Sunday, July 5, a 1998 GMC 2500 driven by James E. Collins, 53, of Alton, was traveling northbound on MO 19, one mile north of Alton, when it struck a horse drawn vehicle driven by John A. Hostetler, 20, of Alton, from behind causing both vehicles to travel off the right side of the roadway, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol crash reports...

Beginning next month, prospective jurors in Oregon County can choose to communicate with the court by text or e-mail, as the Oregon County circuit court implements the new Show-Me Jury system. The Oregon County circuit court will mail new Show-Me Jury questionnaires starting Aug. 3, for jury service beginning Sept. 1...

State education departments in both Arkansas and Missouri are getting closer to deciding what the upcoming 2020-21 school year will look like. Arkansas announced public schools will resume classes Aug. 24. Though an “in classroom” year is being planned, so are plans for distance learning. Individuals schools are deciding factor and most area schools having been gathering information from parents and teachers/staff...

Photo/ Kathy Huddleston A retirement celebration was held on Sunday, June 28 at Couch School for Donna Honeycutt. Honeycutt served the district for 30 years as the bookkeeper. The drop-in reception was held from 2 to 4 p.m. and many co-workers, students, family and friends from Honeycutt’s career, attended the event to wish Honeycutt the best in her retirement. Donna is pictured with her mother, Erma Honeycutt...

Fulton County libraries reopened on Monday, June 15 after being closed for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The library has new hours until further notice, which are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shorter hours are to allow for implementing additional cleaning measures including having books placed in a plastic bin when they are returned, sanitized and quarantined for 48 hours before placed back on the shelves...

The City of Koshkonong held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 23. To comply with federal, state and CDC recommendations for COVID-19 and social distancing, the meeting was closed but was posted to Facebook live as well as a recorded version to the page...

Salers enthusiasts and junior exhibitors gathered in Sterling from the 15th through the 19th of June to participate in the annual Salers Junior National Show. Junior members took part in a wide variety of contests and events throughout the Junior National with a great week ending on the 19th with the evaluation of the cattle by Mat Lewis, Illiff, Colo...

The STudent Advising and Registration (STAR) Orientation sessions for new students who plan to attend Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) this fall have been moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “In light of our continuing concerns with COVID-19 and, subsequently, the question about the necessity of holding this particular in-person event this summer, we have made the decision to switch the scheduled on-campus STAR sessions to a virtual format using Zoom video conferencing,” said Dr. ...

By Lori Garrison Shady Oaks would like to thank those from the Methodist Church in Thayer for their donations each month for Bingo prizes. We would also like to thank Clarity Church for their donation of fireworks. Residents enjoy this event and they look forward to this every year. ...

Dr. Rhyne Putman, a Williams Baptist University graduate and highly regarded theologian, is returning to his alma mater. Putman is joining the administration and faculty at WBU this fall as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Director of Worldview Formation and Professor of Christian Ministries...

A special luncheon was held at the Oregon County Sheltered Workshop in Alton to honor longtime workers and retiring manager Sheila Brown. To begin, Brown expressed gratitude to those in attendance who are active with the Sheltered Workshop including employees and board members...

Visitors had the opportunity to view area artifacts during the open house held at Koshkonong Museum on Saturday, July 4. After receiving many donations and rearranging historic relics already in the building, the museum was ready for patrons. “When we took the museum over, we didn’t know what to expect,” said Koshkonong Alderman Hope Reed...

Created as a reminder of the sacrifices of those who served in the Vietnam War, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall passed through Mammoth Spring and Thayer on its way to Vietnam War Memorial Post 639 in Springfield on Wednesday, July 1. Bikers gathered at the state line of Arkansas and Missouri at The Beverage Shoppe and Gas Plus to escort the wall on its voyage. The wall was viewable for free until Monday, July 6...

Maxine Huckabee, 84, of Poughkeepsie, Ark., died June 28 at her home. Arrangements are under the direction of Qualls Funeral Home in Cave City. Thomas P. Caudel, 89, formerly of Mammoth Spring, Ark., died June 30. Arrangements are under the direction of Bowlin-Cantriel Funeral Services in California, Mo...

An American flag sculpture was donated to the City of Mammoth Spring the evening of Monday, July 6 at the regular monthly meeting. The donation was made to honor the memory of Dave Garner, who was a long-term resident of Mammoth Spring and supported area schools Mammoth Spring Bears and Thayer Bobcats...