Nixa Public Schools is announcing the retirement of Patti Arnold as associate principal for Nixa High School after 31 years of working at Nixa and 33 in education. Arnold has served a total of 19 years as associate and assistant principal at Nixa High School. Prior to that, she served as a teacher, a counselor and coach. more

A former Harrisonville man was convicted at trial last week, Mar. 23, after his testimony in a previous trial for Social Security fraud resulted in an additional charge of perjury being filed against him. more

The 2023 edition of Missouri Beef Days will feature several new activities this year, including one very special pastime among midwestern cattlemen — Cowboy Church. more

The Christian County Commission has placed a question on the April 4 ballot asking voters to decide whether or not the County should collect a 3 percent sales tax on adult-use (recreational) marijuana. The language on the ballot will read as follows: more

The 27th Annual NIXPO Business and Community Expo was held this past weekend on Mar. 18 at the Nixa High School. more

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