The Ozark Board of Education, during a special board meeting Mar. 10, voted to hire Karen Capen as East Elementary principal for the 2023-24 school year. more

The Ozark Board of Education, during a special board meeting Mar. 10, voted to hire Dr. Zeb Wallace as the Ozark North Elementary principal for the 2023-24 school year. more

It was announced on Mar. 17 that Johnny Morris’s not-for-profit Wonders of Wildlife (WOW) National Museum and Aquarium was voted “America’s Best Aquarium” by “USA TODAY” readers. This is the fifth time that WOW has received this title. more

WGU Missouri announced earlier this month the return of its “Fund My Classroom” initiative, issuing a call for K-12 teachers across the state to nominate their proposed classroom projects for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding. The fully online, nonprofit university is pledging up to $100,000 in grant money across four states for K-12 teachers who have innovative ideas that will further engage their students but need funding to help bring these ideas to life. Teachers can submit their proposed projects online at wug.edu/fundmyclassroom through April 14. Selected classroom projects will be announced during Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs May 8-12. more

A former Missouri State representative was sentenced in federal court on Feb. 28 for a nearly $900,000 COVID-19 fraud scheme, as well as a separate $200,000 fraud scheme in which she made false claims about a fake stem cell treatment marketed through her clinics in southern Missouri, and for illegally providing prescription drugs to clients of those clinics. more

Xaniyah Williams, a 5th grader at Sparta Schools, received accolades from the Christian County Lions Club on Mar. 8, 2023, for the Lions Club International Peace Poster contest. more

Expect to see some green and flowers popping up soon in the custom moveable cedar planters recently installed on the Ozark Square. more

On Mar. 3, members of the Historic River District Design Committee and resident artist Larry Waggoner met with members of the Ozark Senior Center to discuss ideas for painting a mural on the long white wall at the Senior Center on the west side of NN across from Finley Farms. The group came up with an idea that will be presented at a follow-up meeting on Mar. 20 at the Senior Center. more

The Ozark Chamber of Commerce, with input and assistance from partnering Chambers of Commerce throughout the region, is spearheading a county-wide Under-40 program. more

Freedom’s Rest Family Violence Center has announced the upcoming move of its Neat Repeats Boutique Thrift Store location in Ozark. The organization operates a second location in Springfield, which opened in the fall of 2022. more

Christian County has been awarded federal funds made available through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. more

Students attending Tiger Paw Early Childhood Center may be small — age 5 and younger — but they are learning big things. In fact, Early Childhood Principal Elizabeth Dawson said preschoolers are in the midst of their biggest developmental growth. more

Children learn and develop — academically, socially and physically — at different paces. That’s why having your child participate in kindergarten screening is so important. Kindergarten screening is free to any child in Ozark School District who will be 5 years old on or before July 31, 2023. Register by calling the elementary school your child will attend. more

On Saturday, Mar. 4, Nixa students put their culinary skills to the test in the Culinary World Showcase competition. more

Impact 100 Ozark held a kickoff event for their Year 8 membership drive on Feb. 13 at the Ozark Innovation Center. more

Ozark resident Chase Replogle published his first book, “The 5 Masculine Instincts” on March 1, 2022. He has since gone on to talk about his book on various podcasts and over zoom conversations, including with The 700 Club, Focus on the Family, The Eric Metaxas Show and more. Earlier this year, he traveled to New York City to film a spot on Good Morning America to promote his new book. more

Wyatt Lantz, a 7th grader at Chadwick Schools, received accolades from the Christian County Lions Club on Feb. 16, 2023, for the Lions Club International Peace Poster contest. more

Heather Hill Farms celebrated its 20 year anniversary last week on Dec. 7, 2022. more

Nixa resident Jessica Broadway is a mommy boss. As a mother of three and the founder of JJ and Company and its lifestyle brand The MommyBoss Life, she is no stranger to balancing work with life. She also balances being the President of the PTA at Nixa Junior High, on the board as Treasurer at Inman Intermediate and serving on the state board as a resource and development chair of the PTA. more

Stained Glass Theatre is celebrating its 40th season this year. more

On Feb. 23, ten people from Christian County made the trip to Lebanon, Missouri, to attend the Missouri Main Street’s Quarterly Workshop. The workshop’s topic was: “Tell your Main Street Story, Marketing your Main Street.” more

On Thursday, Feb. 23, after almost a year away from home, Josie Orellana, an Ozark High School volleyball player, returned to her house in Ozark. Upon her arrival, she was surprised to find a group of her friends and teammates waiting to greet her with signs and balloons. more