Doris Jean Luehrs more

“F1: The Movie” takes viewers inside the exciting world of Formula One auto racing. The more

My older brother was one of those guys — a fireworks guy. Do you know one? A guy who loves fireworks so much that the 4th of July becomes more like Christmas — the most wonderful time of the year. For fireworks guys, "wonderful" goes "boom." more

A Nixa man who was found guilty in May of murdering his wife has been sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years. Todd Blankenship, 52, received the sentence at a hearing in the Platte County Circuit Court on Wednesday, July 2. more

A Nixa woman died on Wednesday, July 2, when the motorcycle on which she was riding failed to negotiate a roundabout and crashed. more

Though it wasn’t as devastating as the thunderstorms that came through the area between May 23 and May 25, a cluster of thunderstorms that swept through Christian County on Sunday, June 29, caused considerable damage. According to the National Weather Service, the storms produced wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour, which knocked over trees and downed power lines. more

Maggie Eby more

The Nixa Public Schools Board of Education was among 23 Missouri school boards that earned the Missouri School Boards’ Association’s 2025 Governance Team Award. This prestigious award is based on the outstanding commitment of the school board and superintendent to ongoing professional development in effective governance practices. The award also recognizes their commitment to regional and statewide leadership and to active participation in legislative advocacy for public schools and the students they serve. more

Sara Lee Thornton more

Brenda Jo (Myers) Pyle more

I feel so sad for all the many folks who have been in the huge flood in Texas. Those can happen so quickly and without warning. Swan Creek can get dangerous sometimes, but nothing compared to the Texas Flood. more

Hazel Hursh, 93, of Chadwick, Missouri, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2025. Hazel was born on April 1, 1932, in Chadwick, Mo., to Raymond and Myrtle (Jones) Shipman. She met the love of her life, Joe Hursh, and they were married on June 3, 1950. They shared 37 years of marriage before Joe’s passing in 1987. Together, they had two daughters—Connie, who died in infancy, and Pat. more

Ayden Markum more

Stephen Eugene Hardison was born on September 10th, 1948, in Riverside, Calif. to Gene and Diana Hardison. more

The Christian County Library began its 2025 Summer Reading Challenge, “Color the World,” on Monday, June 2, with opportunities to read books, take part in special events, and win prizes. more

The Christian County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) recently appeared on “On Patrol: Live”, a national television show airing on Reelz every Friday and Saturday. The show follows officers from various police departments across the country and airs footage of them responding to situations in real time. more

One of the most popular pastimes during Independence Day is to shoot off fireworks. For those living inside the city limits of Ozark, Nixa, Sparta, and other Christian County municipalities, city ordinances regulate when fireworks can be used. more

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Houston, Texas man was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, June 24 for his role in bank burglary and bank theft conspiracies involving the theft of United States currency from an automated teller machine (ATM) in Ozark, Mo. more

Christian County Headliner News columnist Jim Hamilton was honored by his high school alma mater June 14 with induction into the Fair Grove Hall of Fame. more

On June 21st, the Nixa High School Class of 1975 celebrated their 50-year reunion at the Fremont Hills Country Club. Thirty-three of the original ninety-one classmates attended with their guests. There were three of the class teachers present: Joe Melton, Muriel Wood, and Hosea Bilyeu. Time was spent honoring the 13 classmates who have passed and honoring the service of the 14 men and women who had served in all four branches of the US Armed Forces. All of the class officers were present: Joe Pruitt, Jane Alldredge Kreider, and Carol Plank Asberry. There were several games, lots of visiting and catching up, cash prizes, and fantastic food. more

Brad Leroy Drake, of Highlandville, passed away on June 24, 2025, at the age of 67. He was born on December 16, 1957, to Nelson and Nadine Drake. more

Cindy Lou Coble more

In the article “Christian County gather for balloon glow,” which appeared in theJuly 25 edition the Headliner, it was stated that the Sertoma Duck Race Festival is a fundraiser for the Children’s Smile Center, and that the Hot Air Balloon Glow was part of the duck race festival. In fact, the festival is a community event that raises support for children's charities in Christian County. The Children’s Smile Center is one of the beneficiaries of this event. Other beneficiaries include: Care to Learn Ozark, Dogwood Ranch, Least of These, Ozark HS JROTC program, the Ozark Senior Center, and CCCC Sertoma. more

As another Independence Day approaches, I am mindful of the patriotic foundations and shared heritage of our celebration. more

Being a professional writer has a few perks, like knowing when “i” comes before “e” and eavesdropping on strangers’ conversations in the name of “research.” But being a writer does not, unfortunately, come with a cure for procrastination. Our inner 15-year-old still puts things off, just like we did with that term paper in 10th grade. And every time we wait too long, we feel tremendous guilt for being lazy. Then we wonder what’s wrong with us — why we can’t just be a grown-up who gets things done. more