As someone who loves the great outdoors, this is my favorite time of the year. I am betting that for most of you reading this, it is your favorite time too. It is a special feeling that comes over us. more

Nixa Police Officer Brent Forgey was recently honored for his work with the community by the Springfield Summit Optimist Club. Members of the civic organization presented the 35-year law enforcement veteran with the 2025 Hero Award on Tuesday, Oct. 7. more

Dorothy Faye McConnell more

A Nixa woman was named the winner of the fourth annual “Perfect Your Pizza” competition in Sonoma, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 13. Emily Jenkins won the contest with her “Fire and Pine Pizza” recipe, which, according to a press release, featured “pepperoni, stracciatella, and a pine nut-chili crisp.” more

Mayor Jared Giddens was honored by the Missouri Public Utilities Alliance (MPUA) during their annual conference on Thursday, Oct. 2. At the conference, Giddens was presented with the 2025 MPUA Public Official Award in recognition of “championing locally controlled utilities.” more

When Christian County residents go to the polls to cast votes in the election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, they will be asked to approve a county-wide use tax that the county commission will put Christian County business owners on a level-playing field with out-of-state vendors who do business with Christian County residents online. Additionally, Nixa voters are being asked to approve an increase of $0.25 per $100 of assessed value to create additional funding for the Nixa Fire Protection District. more

Unless you lived in a city all your life, you have probably driven or walked down an old dirt road. Maybe it was a road home, a road to grandparents’ house, or to a favorite fishing or hunting spot. more

Roger "Butch" Lyle Gold passed away peacefully in his home on Oct. 11, 2025. He was born on Jan. 21, 1947, to Floyd "Tiny" and Neta Lebow Gold in Galena, Mo. Roger was an explosives engineer and worked many years for Conco Quarries, later for Journagan Construction, and Apac Construction. He was a life member of Construction Laborers Local Union 663. He enjoyed fishing at the Maples farm on Crane Creek, day trips with his beloved wife, of 58 years, Jan, and many spontaneous family road trips over the years. His main love was being with his family at any time. more

Learning doesn’t stop after one graduates from high school or college. Long after we have left the classroom, learning can continue to enrich our lives in ways that go beyond making a living or earning a degree. Toward that end, One Nixa offers classes designed to encourage people to pursue learning outside of the traditional classroom. more

Nixa Junior High School held Eaglepalooza, a type of carnival, on the school grounds on Monday, Oct. 13. An estimated 800 people attended the event, which also acted as a school fundraiser, featured 15 different booths with various games and activities, including chalk decorating, tug of war, face painting, and more. The event also included a book fair held in the school’s commons area. more

By Larry Whiteley more

A police officer was recently recognized for his work to protect children from those who would harm or otherwise exploit them. Sgt. Matt Sloan, a 21-year veteran with the Nixa Police Department, was presented with the Voice of Children Award by the Child Advocacy Center, Inc. on Wednesday, Sept. 17. more

Audience members packed the Aetos Center on Wednesday, Oct. 8, as they came to attend "Napoleon Dynamite: Live." The evening included a showing of the iconic 2004 indie movie, as well as appearances by cast members Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico), and Efren Ramirez (Pedro). more

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has received a 2025 Civic Hub grant from the Trust for Civic Life, a national grant maker supporting rural communities. The grant, totaling $250,000, will support work by the CFO and its regional affiliate foundations to bring together people across the region in new and meaningful ways. The CFO is among a cohort of 26 organizations to receive funds from the Trust for Civic Life in this cycle. more

William (Bill) F. Shank more

Nixa, Mo. – Ryett (pronounced "Riot") Johnson, age 10, of Nixa, has officially shattered the Kid’s World Record for the fastest 100-meter run by a 9-year-old boy, clocking in at an astonishing 14.53 seconds. The previous record of 16.62 seconds was held by a boy in Canada. more

The City of Nixa took a big step towards the construction of its new police station on Tuesday, Sept. 30 with a groundbreaking ceremony at the facility’s future location near the intersection of Highway 14 and LeAnn Drive. more

The Nixa and Ozark High Schools crowned their homecoming royalty on Friday, Sept. 26. Tara Venable was crowned Ozark High School’s 2025 Homecoming Queen during the game against Waynesville (the Tigers defeated them, 71-0), while Brody O'Connell and Kinley Sundy were crowned as 2025 Homecoming King and Queen at Nixa during their game against Lebanon. Congrats to this year’s homecoming royalty! more

Hurla Gene “Dink” Thornburg, a cherished spirit of Nixa, departed from this world on Oct. 4, 2025, at the age of 89. Born on May 3, 1936, in the quaint town of Almartha, Mo., he was a beloved son of Hurla Ray and Bonnie Jean (Taylor) Thornburg. more

Christian Henri Mast, 84, of Nixa, was born on May 26, 1941, and passed away on Sept. 22, 2025. more

Several times, a song I like becomes an inspiration for a story I write. Many songs, if you really listen to them, are songs about life. more

(OZARK, MO) – Least Of These, Inc. added Angela Hudson to lead its team of nonprofit professionals. She will serve in the role of executive director. more

The Nixa Fire Protection District (NFPD) put out a structure fire on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 21, with the aid of neighboring fire protection districts and other first responders. more

Nixa narrowly defeated Ozark in the Community Challenge Blood Drive on Thursday, Sept. 25. more

In 2024, there were 194 Missouri traffic crashes involving farm equipment/implements. In those crashes, two people were killed and 65 were injured. Missouri has entered the fall harvest season and it’s important that drivers and farmers pay attention and share the road. Farmers and motorists are likely to encounter each other on any roadway, at any time of the day or night. Whether you are driving a vehicle or operating farm machinery, these crashes can be prevented by paying attention to the full-time job of driving and obeying all traffic laws. more