Elaine Wilson more

Michael Alexander Galindo more

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gathered at the site of the new Springfield, Missouri Temple of Saturday, June 6, for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the temple’s upcoming construction. more

Virginia (Ernestine) Applegate more

Just ahead of Memorial Day, Ozark and Nixa opened their municipal pools on Saturday, May 23. In Ozark, the Neal Grubaugh Municipal Pool, located at the Neal Grubaugh Park, while the Nixa Aquatics Center opened at the X Center (the Nixa Splash Pad opened on Friday, May 15). For information on the pools’ hours, cost of admission, or length of the summer season, go online to https://www.nixa.com or call (417) 725-5486 for the X Center. Go online to https://ozarkmissouri.com/640/Parks-Recreation or call (417) 581-7002 for information about the Neal Grubaugh Municipal Pool. more

The Ozark High School Class of 2026 finished a 12-year journey on Sunday, May 17, at their high school graduation ceremony, held at the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. At the ceremony, 395 students received their diplomas. A photo gallery of the event can be seen on the Christian County Headliner News website. more

Jace Tyler Shikany more

Ozark High School will have some new faces in the front office next year as the administration team takes shape for 2026-27. As part of a district reorganization, Dr. Kent Sappington will serve as interim high school principal, and Fernando Sustaita will join as an assistant principal, a hire approved at the May 21 school board meeting. more

Ozark School District recently received a $2,500 grant through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, in partnership with the Louis L. and Julia Dorothy Coover Charitable Foundation and Commerce Trust. The money is for the Steps to Success program, which is an effort to provide shoes on a limited basis to students who attend the Back to School Bash. more

Margaret Joyce Keeley more

Finley River Art Gallery in downtown Ozark is sponsoring a traditional art contest for "newbies"--those who consider themselves students who are learning the craft of drawing and painting. This will be the first contest specifically for newer artists of all ages who are reluctant to compete in contests with established artists. The theme is Summer Fun and can be done in a wide range of mediums with no size restrictions. Entries are due no later than Saturday, May 30. Winners will be announced at a reception Friday evening, June 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Gallery. Complete rules for this contest and for framing/presentation are available at the Gallery's website, finleyrivergallery.com, and at the Gallery located at 100 E. Elm St. The Gallery shares the large "giraffe stone" building on the south side of the square with the Christian County Historical Museum and is open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m.- to 3 p.m. each week. For questions, call 417-551-4011 during open hours. more

Carole Gene Meek Hernandez more

Ozark East Elementary is one of only two schools in the state of Missouri named a 2026 National Gold Star School by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). The announcement was made by NAESP on May 10, 2026. more

Marion Plank more

Vera N. Bowline more

Jerry Jay Budd more

About four months after its soft opening in January and 14 months after ground was broken on the building in March of 2025, the staff of the Children’s Smile Center in Nixa celebrated the facility's grand opening on Monday, May 11, with a special ribbon cutting ceremony. About 200 people attended the ceremony, while a total of 400 people RSVP’d that they would visit to tour the facility. more

Robert Eric Christoffers more

The City of Ozark celebrated the Chadwick Flyer Bridge with a ribbon cutting ceremony, held on the west side of the bridge on Thursday, May 14. more

Richard Kendall Caudron, age 91, passed away on April 30, 2026. He was born on Aug. 4, 1934, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Louis and Bennie Caudron. more

Samantha Yarbrough more

A Springfield man will avoid prison time in favor of probation after pleading guilty to three felony charges in the Christian County Courthouse on Wednesday, April 29. more

Two members of the Christian County Lions Club were recognized at the club’s meeting on Tuesday, April 21, for their contributions to the organization and the community since the founding of the Christian County chapter of the Lions Club in 2011. Adam Kreher, a charter member of the club, was presented with the Melvin Jones Award, which recognizes exceptional humanitarian service and is considered the highest possible honor a member of the Lions Club can receive. Meanwhile, Marcus Kret was named the Lion of the Year in recognition of his 15 years of service to the club. Kret moved back to his native Texas shortly after being presented with the award. more

Members of the community gathered at the Stained Glass Theatre in Ozark to observe the Ozark National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 7. more

When Michele Pierce was a girl growing up in Bordentown, N.J., she used to spend a lot of time reading crime novels set in the earlier part of the 20th century. Now, she’s written one. more