Stories from Saturday, November 26, 2011

With an effort under way in Missouri to legalize marijuana, area law enforcement officials say the move, if approved, is not likely to open jail cells. "Very seldom do we make just a marijuana arrest," Thayer Police Chief David Bailey said Nov. 18. Instead, when a suspect lands in the Thayer City Jail on marijuana possession charges, they usually have committed other crimes, or the marijuana was discovered during a traffic stop, Bailey said...

A Viola High School teacher is recovering at St. John's Hospital in Springfield after being injured in a deer hunting accident. Larry Luther, 57, was climbing down from a tree stand on his farm on Thursday, Nov. 17, when a step nailed into the tree came loose, causing Luther to fall to the ground...

On September 14, Cooper Realty of Melbourne was the winning bidder as Horseshoe Bend's historic Hillhigh Resort was sold at auction. But, a Horseshoe Bend company, with a track record of attracting large numbers of visitors to town, has wound up with the job of renovating, revitalizing and running the resort...

Tammy Curtis Staff Writer The Ash Flat City Council held a special meeting Nov. 14 to fill a vacancy created when former council member Stacey Bratcher moved out of his ward. During an executive session, the group considered four applicants for the position. Based on experience, Rodney Hallmark was selected to fill the position for the remainder of the term...

Before a crowd of well wishers, friends, family and fellow Republican's, State Representative Linda Collins-Smith announced on Nov. 15 that she will seek a state Senate seat, during a luncheon at Lyon College in Batesville. Collins-Smith was elected as a Democrat in November 2010, and, in August of 2011, announced she was switching to the Republican party...