Guest Blogs


Gainesville school superintendent Mearle Luna, who held the post for 26 years, presenting the senior class of 1962, the last class to graduate in the “old” building before high school classes moved to the current high school building in 1963.
Editor’s note: The Ozark County Times is a nonpartisan newspaper that does not endorse candidates or take sides on issues. However, Times staffers sometimes express their own personal opinions in clearly identified writings. This is Times editor Sue Ann Jones’ opinion about the upcoming Gainesville...
We are entering the last full week of our close-out sale. Thanks to all who have made the sale a success. We still have a fair amount of product left, especially soft plastics.Night fishing remains good with bags of 15 or more pounds needed to win most night tournaments. Salt craws, plastic worms...
Last week saw a lot of Norfork Lake stripers caught. My son and I landed multiple limits of stripers daily. The striper bite right now is almost entirely live bait. Some are being caught trolling using umbrella rigs and spoons. However, if you want to catch numbers right now, hire a live-bait guide...
Given the current conditions we’re all facing in my part of the country, I was reminded of a meeting I attended a few years ago. The situation was very similar to this year—a really short supply of hay … and an even shorter supply of grass that had turned brown much too soon. I’m not big on...
Due to the response to my sale, we will now be closing on July 31. There is still value in the stock that is left, and I anticipate most of that will be gone in the next two weeks.Bass fishing during these hot days can be frustrating, but some anglers are doing quite well. Several have told me that...

Jenny and Zack Yarger with their children Ezra, left, and Zeke
Anyone who knows me knows I’m not a fan of summer. I can just look outside and start sweating. And don’t even get me started on the bugs. So, even though submerging in beautiful Bull Shoals Lake or my parents’ swimming pool helps, at times I often search for fun things to do in the air conditioning...
I’m beginning to get worried about my wife’s eyesight—or maybe I should say, her lack of eyesight.My suspicions started about a month ago, when Judy was on her way to the lower barn to feed a bottle to her baby calf (the result of a twin birth) when I heard her yelling for me. After walking down to...
Bass fishing has been good after dark. Salt craws, jigs and plastic worms have all been effective. Most bass can be found in the 20- to 25-foot range, although a few fish have been caught in shallower water. If you are day fishing, fish early and late for best results. Some top-water activity...
On the Fourth of July, thoughts of America’s history remind us of Philadelphia’s role as our country’s birthplace –  where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. Thinking about Phila-delphia always reminds me of my visit there shortly after my husband, Dave, and I moved...

Tommie Taylor shows one of the turkeys he killed during a recent hunting season. This one had four beards. His wife Donnis told the Times, “I can’t even imagine all the men he’s taken turkey hunting” in the 52 years since this story started.
Editor’s note: Ozark County native Tommie Taylor retired in 2016 after working for the county in different jobs for more than 20 years. He and his wife, Donnis, live in Gainesville. My turkey hunting story started when I was 14 years old. My friend Dale Chisam was working on my family’s barn one...

Pages

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423