The Salem City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24 in the City Council Meeting Room at City Hall. All members participated. Mayor Daniel Busch called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. The first order of business was to consider the minutes from the August meeting. The minutes were presented and approved...

Fulton County Quorum Court met Sept. 14 to discuss unfinished business (a hazard mitigation plan), an update on the judge’s research on a new courtroom proposal and an update on the Humprey’s Ford Bridge (Spring River Bridge). Fulton County Treasurer Barry Abney was first to give his report. ...

As of this summer, Fulton County has been collecting the one-cent sales tax implemented by voters for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, for one year. According to information from Fulton County Treasurer Barry Abney, in 2019, the tax generated $481,446.69 and so far for 2020, has generated $592,993.01. Though passed in a special election held in December 2018, the tax didn’t go into effect until April 1, 2019 and June 2019 is the first record of the sales tax...

An opportunity has been made available for those who have warrants or fines in Fulton County according to an announcement made by Fulton County District Judge Larry Kissee. Kissee said from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, anyone who has a warrant or owes a fine in Fulton County, the City of Salem or the City of Mammoth Spring has an opportunity to clear the fine at half cost...

The Fulton, Sharp and Izard County Clerk’s Offices are all urging residents to take advantage of an online program that can educate voters. Voter View is an option found on the Secretary of State’s website that allows Arkansas residents to enter their name and birthdate to receive vital voting information. ...

Each year, the National FFA Organization honors FFA members who show the utmost dedication to the organization through their desire to develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education...

Area schools including Alton R-IV, Couch R-I, Koshkonong R-III and Thayer R-II, announced their students will receive free breakfast and lunches through Dec. 31, 2020 or until USDA funds run out. This is an extension of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Program...

Thayer Fun & Friends Senior Center is seeking bids for work needed at the facility. The facility is seeking to have a mop sink installed for which a place has been delegated for placement. In addition, gutters are also in need of being installed. The center previously had to cancel a curbside meal event due to flooding. Regional Lead for Thayer and Alton centers Meghan Haenel stated they need a system to help route the water a different place...

Thayer School District elevated their response level to COVID-19 to yellow or tier two after the first positive case student on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Yellow level includes the campus being open with high protocols in place to mitigate spread of coronavirus. This includes face coverings required for 4th grade through 12th grade students, staff and faculty when social distancing is not possible. This began on Thursday, Sept. 24...

Alton student, Chaney Janes, has received recognition as the National Beta Club’s 6th Grade Language Arts Champion. To receive this honor, she competed in the state Language Arts competition in Springfield, Mo. where she received fifth place qualifying her for national competition...

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Circuit Court Judge Steven Privette ruled land located in the Wild and Scenic Easement, which was acquired by the Department of Natural Resources to be sold. At trial in August, plaintiffs Van McGibney and James Conner, Trustee, were “seeking a declaratory judgement that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lacks authority to purchase lands for a public park which lands are located within the boundaries of the Federal Wild and Scenic Easement. ...

Highland School District teacher, Lana Rodgers, always goes above and beyond to celebrate Constitution Week. Every year she teaches her third-grade students patriotic songs and has lessons centered around the constitution. She creates this wonderful table display and even comes dressed the part. This year she took it a step further and sewed masks for her students...

In lieu of the annual Business Expo, the Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce an alternative virtual promotion to showcase our members this year with weekly promotions from Oct. 5 through Dec. 12. Each week, eight to 10 participating SRACC members will be highlighted through newspaper, radio and Facebook promotions. ...

Tragedy struck in the early morning hours Sept. 26 after an apartment complex in Highland caught fire leaving all who resided there without a home. According to Highland Fire Chief Kal Dienst, the department was paged to the structure fire located at the Soul Harbor Condominiums HPR at the intersection of Madonna Drive and Alma Drive at 3:42 a.m...

Create Bridges is offering another unique opportunity for local businesses. It was recently announced a series of three webinars would be made available through Create Bridges and Retail Minded Founder, Nicole Leinback Reyhle. Reyhle is an industry retail expert, author and Small Business Saturday spokesperson. ...

At the regularly scheduled Salem School Board of Directors meeting held recently, Superintendent Wayne Guiltner updated those in attendance on the classroom addition in the high school. The addition is called the “partnership project” by Guiltner. “The HS 6 classroom addition is complete. ...

Fulton County’s University of Arkansas Extension Agent Cory Tyler recently reached out to Areawide Media about this year’s issue with army worms. Though usually spring-time pests, fall army worms are more common in southern Arkansas and can start appearing in mid-summer, especially in Bermuda grass pastures...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most everything has been impacted including the Cherokee Village Animal Shelter. According to Animal Control Officer Carolyn Parks, the shelter has been working diligently to find homes for resident animals, provide vetting and hold spay and neuter clinics which are open to the community...

St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Cherokee Village will hold a to-go luncheon fundraising event Sept. 26 from 11 a.m until 2 p.m. According to Chuck Wolff the cost of the meal will be $7 and all proceeds will be used to benefit area charities. Lunch will consist of a BBQ pork butt sandwich, baked beans and coleslaw. The plate lunch will be set up in a to-go fashion for those who wish to support the cause...

The clock is ticking on the 2020 Census and time is running out. We’re one week out from the September 30 response deadline and communities across North Central Arkansas are trailing behind. To make matters worse, just weeks ago Census workers across Arkansas were given notice that their jobs would be ending earlier than expected. Their last day of work is now scheduled for Sept. 26, a week before the final Census deadline...

Ozark Acres Suburban Improvement District held their regular meeting Sept. 15. The meeting opened with approval of the agenda and previous meeting minutes followed by the deputy’s report. “We had two DWIs, two domestics, had two vehicles towed off the side roads and have some other things going on,” Deputy Ashton Hester said...

The Sharp County Quorum Court held its regular meeting Sept. 14. County treasurer’s report was given by Wanda Girtman who provided a brief update regarding the county sales tax. “Sales tax is still holding good and is looking good right now. COVID isn’t over with yet and we could still get hit pretty hard... We’re getting ready to start working on the number to start budget before long,” Girtman said...

The Howell County Commission has established a grant program using CARES Act funds for small businesses in Howell County to help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. The Howell County CARES Small Business Relief Program is designed to provide businesses impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency with financial relief through an application-based reimbursement program. ...

Students taking classes at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) during the 2021 spring semester will see a change in the semester’s structure. Instead of offering most classes during one 16-week session, most classes will be divided between two eight-week block sessions...

National Voter Registration Day was Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft urged Missourians to register to vote or verify their registration. In a press release, Ashcroft gave more information about the upcoming election. “With the Nov. ...

The City of Thayer has been awarded $150,000 to purchase a new truck in helping update the current fleet. Fire Chief Mark Arnold is thrilled to receive the grant and said the addition of a new truck will “help the city tremendously”. A press release was issued Monday, Sept. ...

Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas and win cash prizes on November 16, 2020, when Communities Unlimited, Inc., presents “Entrepreneurs Unlimited: A Pitch Contest.”Small businesses are the core of the economy, and Communities Unlimited’s Entrepreneurship and Lending teams work to facilitate the startup and growth of small businesses. ...

Kendra Davis of Cave City, Ark. and Misty See of Concord, Ark. have been awarded the annual Dan “Wally” Pittman Endowed Scholarships for the 2020-21 year. Both students will receive $250 for fall 2020 semester and $250 for spring 2021 semester at Ozarka College...

The Ash Flat City Council held their regular meeting Sept. 8 during which the possibility of a warning system at the detention center was discussed. The first order of business was to approve minutes from the regular August meeting and the special meeting also held in August...

A man Sharp County man was placed under arrest and received multiple felony charges, after it was discovered he had stolen a vehicle and traded it to an unknowing victim, before again trading another vehicle. According to a report from the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department, the charges against Alexander Blake Rouse, 28, stem from an incident occurring July 1, but it was discovered during the investigation, the initial theft regarding these particular charges date back to 2017, when Rouse stole a vehicle in Izard County.. ...

Areawide Media recently received handmade crafted face-masks for its employees. These comfortable masks are truly one of a kind, as the company’s logo was printed on fabric which mimics newspapers. The pattern is unique, and for our staff members, very helpful as they are made to rest around the neck when not in use...

Voters from the Highland School District voted to retain millage during the Sept. 8 Special Election. The initiative to retain the five mills passed by voters in the early 2000s, was laid out by the school district for the election held most recently, in which 1,145 ballots were cast...

On Friday, Sept. 11, Patriot Day, the Cave City Fire Department and Cave City Police Department paid tribute to the fallen police, fire fighters and first responders who lost their lives Sept. 11, 2001. The firefighters and police stood along the streets of the Cave City School Zone from 7:30 to 8:20 a.m., holding the American flag and signs with various sayings...

The days long search for a missing Louisiana woman, Shasta McCann, 22, who was reported missing from Many Islands Road late on the evening of Monday, Sept. 7, came to an end Wednesday, Sept. 9 after the woman was found in Columbus, Miss. After 9 p.m. on Sept. 7, Crystal McCann, mother of Shasta, contacted authorities to report her daughter, who is physically and mentally handicapped, had walked away from the residence at which the family was staying...

Ozarka College Board of Trustees will hold a regular meeting at the Student Center Community Room on the Melbourne campus on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 4:30 p.m. Monthly reports and personnel changes are on the agenda, along with a finance report.

A man from Cave City has been placed under arrest and is awaiting the filing of formal charges of rape. According to a press release from the Cave City Police Department, officers were dispatched to a location on Main Street on Aug. 15 for a report of rape...

Producers in Sharp and Independence Counties are accustomed to seeing Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Conservation Technician Tim Durham in the field, but since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, they are seeing him a lot more...

A joint motion was recently filed by both the prosecution and defense in the case of Rebecca O’Donnell, the woman who pleaded guilty to the murder of former state senator Linda Collins-Smith in August of this year. The documents filed with the Randolph County Clerk’s office to further redact information was ordered to be released following the plea...

As the month of September begins, so does the approaching anniversary of the murder of Rebekah Gould who was last seen alive Sept. 20, 2004. Recently, there have been some updates in the case including the appointment of a new investigator from the Arkansas State Police and the announcement the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible, has been doubled...

A new partnership between two Arkansas legal non-profit organizations means families affected by the opioid epidemic will have access to free legal services. On Tuesday, Sept. 1, Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) and Legal Aid of Arkansas, announced they received a combined $2 million in grant awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide free legal services to families impacted by the opioid epidemic...

Mammoth Spring Chamber of Commerce held its monthly meeting Friday, Aug. 28 at Fred’s Fish House on Main Street. Reports were given on a variety of projects and events. President Trena Spears welcomed members to the meeting and asked those in attendance to introduce themselves as new members, Spring River Trading Post, were present...

A new resource is available to businesses in Sharp, Fulton and Izard counties after a three way partnership between White River Now in Batesville, Create Bridges and the Spring River Innovation Hub launch their new podcast studio located at the Innovation Hub in Cherokee Village...

Local poet, Gary Dotson, submitted the following article and introduction to bring encouragement during these times. Dotson was featured in The South Missourian News’ Thursday, Aug. 27 edition. Church The one true church is alive and well! Faith in Jesus – knowing that He is “the Christ – the Son of the Living God” is the “rock” and foundation of the glorious church that has no walls!...

Living in the Ozarks many of us grow accustomed to the beauty of living in the area and as the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many elements of life, it has also increased interest from some outside the region to move to the region. Area realtors have received increased interest from many throughout the country with an interest of moving, some are from the West Coast include California to Wisconsin, Florida, Texas and Maine...

The City of Koshkonong held their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25. No guests were allowed due to COVID-19. The meeting was made available for viewing on the city’s Facebook page. In new business, council discussed Harvey Allen’s deposition on the 1995 annexation of school property, regarding the city annexing in Gracie Lane, ETC., and Von Allmen’s...

The Arkansas Courts recently recognized the Sharp County Circuit and County Clerk’s offices by awarding them the Data Quality Award from the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts (AAOC). The announcement was made during the Arkansas Court Automation Progress (ACAP) Conference...

A new resource is available to businesses in Sharp, Fulton and Izard counties after a three way partnership between White River Now in Batesville, Create Bridges and the Spring River Innovation Hub launch their new podcast studio located at the Innovation Hub in Cherokee Village...

The Highland School District held a press conference Aug. 27 to share information which would impact every family who has a student enrolled at one of the three campuses. The conference began with a welcome from Superintendent Don Sharp, who then quickly moved into sharing the great news...