Charles “Bud” Norris, age 93, of Ozark, Mo., passed away on Feb. 3, 2026. He was born on July 24, 1932, in Neptune, N. J., to Charles and Bessie (Waters) Norris. more

Lawrence Dale Raines, passed away Feb. 10, 2026. Dale Raines was born on Jan. 25, 1924, in Greenfield, Mo., and was the youngest of eight children, born to Reverend F.B. Raines and Nora Frances McDonald Raines. more

Had a call from a past student of mine. He is quite an artist and is making train pictures for this year's Railroad Day in June. There was a second planning meeting for that day on Friday evening. More and more folks are getting involved with great ideas. Maurice Harris will be doing the ham bar-b-q again this year. Watch for a list of new events after the March meeting. We want rain again this year, but not like last year when we were wading in mud. We need grass. more

Charlotte Ann Smith more

Izekiel David DeVenney more

Robert Reed Hartley was born on July 14, 1948, in Birmingham, Ala. and died on Feb. 11, 2026, in Ozark, Mo. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.S. degree in business and marketing. He was a veteran of the Marine Corps Reserves during the Vietnam War and also served in the Army National Guard Reserves. Rob married Judy Junkins and had two children, Austin and Casey. Rob and Judy owned over forty Mexican restaurants and became multi-millionaires. Rob further worked as Vice President of Marketing at KinderCare Learning Centers, president of The Caring People, and Director of Development for CBN’s 700 Club. Rob moved to Missouri to become Vice President of Marketing for Silver Dollar City and eventually owned Mountain Man Nut & Fruit Company. Later in life, he was awarded Top Salesman at Balboa Bed Company and First Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year at Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium. Rob served on various boards and ministries, giving generously and supporting the local and international church. He considered it his spiritual gift to pray and encourage people. He was an avid photographer who loved capturing nature and people, especially his family. Rob’s funeral was held at Ozark Full Gospel Church on Tuesday, Feb. 17, followed by military honors and burial at Weaver Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Judy; his children and their spouses, Austin and Andrea, and Scotty and Casey; his sister Christy, and his twelve grandchildren, who loved him dearly. more

Donna Lou Spivey more

An Ozark woman has been charged with harassment and furnishing pornography of a minor after allegedly sending an inappropriate picture of her ex-boyfriend to an underage person. Crystal Rachelle Farris, 41, was charged with the crimes in June of last year, and she was booked into the Christian County Jail on Friday, Jan 30, almost five months after she failed to appear for a scheduled hearing on Sept. 2, 2025. more

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced that they were launching an updated version of the Show-Me Zero Plan, Missouri’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, during a press conference held on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at the Transportation Management Center of the Ozarks, in Springfield. During the conference, Joe Jones, MoDOT State Highway Safety Director, spoke about a new addition to the Show-Me Zero Plan called the “Safe System Approach” (SSA). more

February is nearly always a cold month. We tend to stay indoors as much as possible, but it is important to challenge ourselves to get outdoors during this time. Seek to find beauty and joy even on the coldest February days. Dress warm and get outdoors. Most importantly, enjoy being out there. more

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Arvest Bank has made TIME’s inaugural list of America’s Best Financial Services 2026, which recognizes 135 companies for their commitment to excellence, innovation and customer trust in the financial services landscape. more

SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame hosted its annual enshrinement ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 1, and the Mercy Sports Medicine Athletic Training Program was inducted as part of the class of 2026. More than a dozen individuals and two college sports eras were also inducted. more

Ronald Davidson, age 82, of Sparta, Mo., passed away on Jan. 25, 2026, at The Neighborhoods at Quail Creek in Springfield, Mo., where he was treated with love like family. Ron was born to Glenn Davidson and Mary Mae Boor on Feb. 19, 1943 in Great Bend, Kans. He was raised in Dayton, Ohio, until the age of sixteen when his parents moved the family to Chadwick, Mo. Ron graduated from Chadwick High School in 1961. Ron said that he was baptized in the Church of Christ. He was united in marriage to Janet Sue Jenkins on Nov. 27, 1963, in Oldfield, Mo., at the home of his pastor, Jack Richardson. Ron and Sue shared 62 years of marriage before his untimely passing on Sunday. The couple was blessed with one daughter, Julia Ann. more

The Christian County Museum, located on the square at Ozark, is celebrating its 50th year in operation. The museum, which houses a comprehensive collection of the county and its towns’ history, has in the past three months been completely overhauled with 25 new exhibits pertaining each to a specific subject of our county’s unique and vibrant history. more

Jan Dierks Garwood more

It is so good for the snow to have gone. That was too much of a good thing for we farmers who had to feed hungry cows and break ice for them to drink. I ask friends who have no livestock what they did during all that cold, snowy spell, and they just say, “I stayed in the house and did nothing.” more

The Ozark Chamber of Commerce celebrated the Ozark community with the 2026 Community Awards Banquet, held at the Ozark Community Center on Saturday, Feb. 7. The evening’s festivities included a catered dinner, live and silent auctions, live music, and Community Bingo. more

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Mo., timeshare salesman was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to evade taxation. more

Patricia Lee (Kelly) Grigory more

Betty Lou (Moore - Patrick) Tennis more

John Richard Thompson, Jr. more

Alice Sue Strain more

Chadwick native Herrera new animal science faculty member at U of A more

At the Jan. 27 meeting, the Ozark Board of Education approved a one-year contract extension for Superintendent Dr. Lori Wilson, extending her leadership through the 2028-29 school year. more

When Ella Justice, 17, hosts the Five and Two Dinner, her senior capstone project, later this month, she plans to feed more than just the people who are attending the meal. The Ozark High School senior plans to also raise funds for Least of These, Inc., to help those facing food insecurity in Christian County. The dinner will take place at the Ozark Innovation Center on Saturday, Feb. 21. more