Have you ever wondered what your student will do when they finish high school? What job, what career, what are the employment options? Is college or technical school an option? Will they live with others? Will they need support or will they live independently? more

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.)--The deadline is quickly approaching for Missouri agriculture students interested in applying for a 2025 Missouri Corn Scholarship. High school and college students pursuing a career in an agriculture-related field must submit the necessary forms no later than Feb. 14 to be eligible for one of seven $1,000 scholarships awarded by the Missouri Corn Growers Association, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, and the Missouri Corn Foundation. more

Stockton, MO-“Adding value to your cattle helps make your cattle operation profitable,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist. Therefore, MU Extension is partnering with Missouri State University to provide the SW MO Beef Cattle Conference, which will educate cattle producers on strategies that will add value to their beef cattle operation. more

A new nonprofit is launching in Christian County to serve our neighbors in need. Christian County Cares (Community Action and Resource Services) goal is to insure basic needs are being met. Our focus will be on immediate needs and filling in current gaps in our system. We will partner with area nonprofits to supplement and serve our community needs. On March 1, we will be hosting a Paddle Party Fundraiser at Cassidy UMC Church. Tickets are $20 and include a meal and 2 paddles for pre-registered. The registration form is on the Christian County Cares Facebook page. Our website is christiancountycares.org. Email is christiancountycares@gmail.com. more

SPRINGFIELD, Mo - Drury University students will provide free tax preparation through the university's IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. The annual tax preparation service is open to the public and is designed to benefit low-income taxpayers. more

Bobbie Gipson, age 73, passed away on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, after a short illness. Bobbie was born and raised in Chicago, Ill. She attended and graduated from Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam, Wisc. After graduation, she met and married Steven Pate. While he served in the army they lived in Germany. Following their divorce they remained friends. She then met and married Kenneth Gipson. While he served in the Navy they lived in Philadelphia, Penn., New Orleans, La., and Dallas, Tex. Following Ken’s death in 2005 Bobbie met John Duncan and they moved to Nixa. more

White River Valley Electric Cooperative held a ribbon cutting on Thursday, Feb. 6, to dedicate their new building that will serve the residents of Christian County. The Nixa Chamber of Commerce, Ozark Chamber of Commerce, and Sparta Chamber of Commerce along with more

Springtime in nature has fostered creativity in songwriters for generations. As a result, people have long been able to mark the end of winter by listening to lyrics about April showers, May flowers, and robins that are bobbin.’ However, you won’t find any songs about ’possums having young in the spring. That’s probably due to the fact that, of the several emotions opossums evoke from humans, musical admiration isn’t one of them. Quite the contrary – most people find their sneering facial expressions disgusting, their lumbering gait clumsy, and their overall appearance repulsive. more

I notice that I’ve given a “C” rating to every movie I’ve reviewed in 2025. That’s four straight times I’ve basically said that the movie, while not worth writing off entirely, isn’t worth recommending. I even split the review last weekend and gave out two “C” ratings. Director Mel Gibson’s “Flight Risk” ends the “C” streak. It doesn’t end the streak by earning my recommendation, but by being a movie that I feel is indeed worth writing off. more

A Nixa teen is one of three people who have been arrested in the Feb. 3 shooting of a man in Dupo, Ill. Kingston Todd, 16, is charged as an adult with First Degree murder, possession of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification (FOID), and forgery. Also arrested was Bryce Rhodes, 18, of Festus, Mo., who was charged with unlawful sale of a firearm, possession of a firearm without FOID, and obstructing justice. A 15-year-old juvenile, who was not identified, was charged with First Degre murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and possession of a firearm without FOID. more

Attendees at the Ozark Community Awards Banquet, held at the Ozark Community Center on Saturday, Feb. 8, enjoyed an evening of fun and festivity as they gathered to honor teachers, first responders, and others who made outstanding contributions to the community in 2024. In addition to the awards, the highlights of the evening included a catered dinner, the traditional game of Heads & Tails, and a live auction. more

We are not looking forward to this week's weather forecast. There is a lot going on in the schedule, and bad roads are not good for that. But we are luckier than most places around the U.S. more

Repeating Events: more

The following events are happening at your local library in February. For more information or to register, please call 417-724-6100 or visit christiancountylibrary.org/newsletter more

Midwest Marruci Baseball (MMB), a competitive baseball program in Ozark, is raising money to help the family of one of their youth ball players with a GoFundMe page. more

Cynthia “Cindy” Elaine Gardner, age 51, of Billings, Mo., passed from this life on Feb. 1, 2025. She entered this life on Sept. 1, 1973, in Branson, Mo., the daughter of James Junior Lewallen, and Billie (Chase) Cody. Cindy was saved and baptized in the spring of 1996 at Verona Baptist church in Verona, Missouri. more

JEFFERSON CITY – It’s been an active year for earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), with 293 minor quakes reported in the past 12 months. Though most were too small to be felt, they are an important reminder that southeast Missouri is located in the heart of the NMSZ, which generated some of the most powerful earthquakes ever to jolt the nation. more

Warren Hibbard more

Robert Rysted more

Christine Wilson more

Alesia Faye Gordon more

Lawrence "Larry" McKoy, a devoted family man, Navy veteran, and cherished friend to many, passed away surrounded by his loved ones on Jan. 26th, 2025, in Springfield, Mo. more

One of Missouri’s larger birds of prey is a common, yet interesting, winter wildlife sighting for people who drive along the area’s gravel roads and highways. more

A now-former Christian County corrections officer found herself behind bars at the jail she worked at after she allegedly smuggled methamphetamine into the Christian County Jail. Heaven Sutton, 22, faces one count of delivery of a controlled substance. more

Ozark, MO – The Ozark Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Growcock to fill a vacant seat on the board following the recent departure of former member Guy Callaway. Growcock will serve the remaining term, which extends until April 2026. more