An Ozark resident was sentenced to eight years in prison on Wednesday, March 5 at the Greene County Justice Center. Matthew Steven Richardson, 55, received the sentence as part of a plea agreement where he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree child molestation. In return, two other counts of second-degree child molestation were dismissed. more

Ozark High School government students had a rare and exciting opportunity to witness the judicial system in action as the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, held a special oral argument session in OHS’s auditorium on Feb. 27. This event provided students with a firsthand look at the appellate process, allowing them to observe real-world legal proceedings and gain insight into the complexities of the justice system. more

High school seniors Layton Ryan Huff and William Holden Beadle, of Nixa High School have been distinguished as two of the top academic students in the state through the 2025 Missouri Scholars 100 program. This statewide initiative, organized by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals, recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of 100 outstanding students from the graduating class of 2025. more

The Ozark Varsity Cheer (OVC) took first place in the Missouri State Gameday Championship at Missouri State University on Saturday, Feb. 23. It was the team’s fourth consecutive year to win the championship, and their first year as a coed team. more

We love seeing our parents get involved in our elementary schools, especially when that parent is also a teacher at the high school! Dr. Albert Bryant, Ozark High School math teacher, recently administered a Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics Mathleague contest for four East Elementary students. Congratulations to fourth graders Samson Bryant, Duke Kirkman, Henry Witt, and Emy Yerby for stepping out of their comfort zone and taking the test — literally! more

It is going to take some time to get adjusted to the hour change. Could we just leave it one way or the other, so we don't have to deal with it twice each year? more

An alleged attempt to flee from a Nixa Police officer during a traffic stop on Sunday, March 9, led to the arrest of two people. Allana Stanley, 27, of Cassville, Mo., and James Larson, 38, of Seligman, Mo., were located and arrested after the alleged incident. more

Linda Sue Watts (Rickel) more

Elisa “Lesa” Diann Duran, a vibrant soul of 52 years, gracefully departed this world on March 3, 2025, in Springfield, Missouri, where she began her journey on Nov. 24, 1972. more

Charlotte “Elaine” Mann more

Carlene Mayberry more

David Winston Dawson, age 84, of Ozark, passed away in his home early Sunday, March 9, 2025. He was born Aug. 23, 1940, in Springfield, the son of David Winston and Freda Mae (Payne) Dawson. He graduated from Central High School in 1958 and joined the U.S. Navy the same year. After serving his country for three years, David returned home and received a bachelors from SMS (MSU). On June 7, 1963, he and Linda Lea Earls were married. He returned to his education and in 1971 was granted a master's degree from Drury College. more

Alyce Maxine Hughes, a remarkable lady of 102 years and nine months, peacefully passed away to be with her Lord and Savior on Feb. 17, 2025. more

Betty Louise Swadley more

Pierrette Julia (Julie) Thomas more

The Ozark Board of Education voted to hire Richard Fretwell as the Executive Director of Operations at their Feb. 20 open session meeting. The operations position became available following the retirement announcement of Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dr. Curtis Chesick, who has been with the District for the past 20 years. more

Finley River Art Gallery invites artists of all ages to submit entries in its first public competition of 2025. The Gallery sponsors four competitions each year that are open to the general public. more

Finley River Art Gallery will offer free spring classes beginning March 8. Classes are open to teens and adults. Classes are free and all materials are provided; classes run from 10 a.m. to noon. Space is limited, so attendees must pre-register at the Gallery. The first class is Pen & Ink on Saturday, March 8. March 22 is Watercolors; April 12 is Floral Watercolor. May 10 will be collage, and May 31 will be Abstract Watercolor. The Gallery is located at 100 E. Elm in downtown Ozark and is open Wednesday through Saturday,10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Class sign-up can also be done by phone at 417-551-4011 during open hours. more

A Nixa man is facing three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy after it was alleged that he inappropriately touched two minor-aged children. Jacob Amadeus Lorr, 33, was booked into the Christian County Jail on Friday, Feb. 21. more

A Joplin man who allegedly threatened to shoot a man “in the face” at the Walmart in Ozark was taken into custody after he failed to appear at a scheduled court hearing. Michael Brandon Landrith, 43, was booked into the Christian County Jail on Friday, Feb. 21. more

Cleta Marie Werner Fulbright, 81, of Ozark, Mo., passed away on Feb. 23, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith, and music. Born on June 2, 1943, in Brown's Spring, Mo., to Mabel Indiana Harmon Werner and John Clark Werner, Cleta lived a life filled with devotion to her family, her faith, and her passion for music. more

Hello to all my friends out there and enjoy these nice days. more

The AETOS Center in Nixa hosted three showings of Gazillion Bubbles on Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2. Led by bubble artist Deni Yang, the show featured lasers, lights, music, stories, and, of course, lots of bubbles. Children in the audience had the opportunity to come up on stage and take part in the show, and audience members also had the opportunity to have pictures of themselves taken while they stood inside an actual bubble. more

The NCA All-Star National Championship, a national-level cheer competition held in Dallas, Tex. was marred on Saturday, March 1 when a suspected active shooting event caused a mass evacuation of the venue hosting the tournament. According to a social media post by the Dallas Police Department (DPD), the source of the cause for panic actually proved to be a fist fight. more

The Finley River Community Foundation is accepting applications for its 2025 community grant round. All applications are due by the end of the day on March 31, 2025. A total of $10,000.00 is available for programs and organizations in Ozark and Eastern Christian County. more