Local News
There were 89 local pre-teen and teenage campers who attended the first annual Saints of Valor and Kingdom Daughters UNITED co-ed Christian camp held at Hammond Mill Camp near Dora Nov. 4-6. Next year’s camp, which is free for kids in 5th through 12th grades, will be held Nov. 2-6, 2023.
New Christian co-ed youth weekend held at Hammond Mill Camp near Dora this fall gave pre-teens and teens a unique experience with faith-based learning and fun camp activities
Two local faith-based youth groups came together this fall to put on the first annual Saints of Valor and Kingdom...
Sondra Clark. Ozark County Jail photo.
An Ozark County grand jury has indicted Gainesville resident Sondra F. Clark, 41, with second-degree murder in connection to the 2015 death of a 3-month-old baby.
Clark was arrested Nov. 14 in the case and is being held in the Ozark County Jail without bond. She is scheduled to appear in court for...
Don Hamby, on behalf of Family Life Church in Dora, guided a group of eight veterans on a Current River float as part of the 2022 Wounded Warriors River Run.
A group of 15 wounded veterans and six children got a taste of the real Ozarks when they traveled to Dora. The group floated, hunted, fished, rode ATVs and horses and otherwise enjoyed the five-day Wounded Warrior River Run retreat organized and led in part by Don Hamby, former pastor of the Family...
Ozark County voters turned out last week in near record numbers and overwhelmingly approved a half-cent law enforcement sales tax.
The measure was passed by a vote of 2,398 (65.45 percent) yes to 1,266 (34.55 percent) no during Tuesday’s General Election.
The unofficial election results, released...
Amendment 3, which legalizes recreational marijuana for those age 21 and older in Missouri, passed during the Nov. 8 General Election with more than 60 percent of statewide voters in favor of the measure. The amendment takes effect Dec. 8, widening marijuana sales from dispensaries from only patients with medical marijuana cards. Missouri approved medical marijuana during the Nov. 6, 2018, General Election.
Ozark County voters followed trend with other Missouri voters in all matters on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot except one, Amendment 3, which legalizes recreational marijuana in Missouri for those age 21 and older.
The statewide measure passed with 53.11% (1,089,326 votes) of Missouri voters...
Pontiac / Price Place Volunteer Fire Department Chief Khristie Jacquin, left, and Squires firefighter Falecia Watson recently participated in the Missouri 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in Jefferson City for the second year in a row.
For the second year in a row, Pontiac/Price Place Volunteer Fire Department Chief Khristie Jacquin and Squires VFD firefighter Falecia Watson participated in the Missouri State Fire Marshal 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in Jefferson City. The event honors the 343 New York City firefighters, as well as...
Miller’s Store in Hardenville is under new ownership. Left: Tandy Strong, left, who owned the business with wife Theresa for the last two decades, stands with new co-owner and manager Jeff Strong of Dora. Jeff owns the business with his mother, Jan Robertson, below. The store is now called Miller’s Kountry Store instead of Miller’s One Stop. Jeff said new signs will be installed soon.
Miller’s Store, as it’s known by many locals, has new owners - and a slightly different name.
Jan (Strong) Robertson and her son Jeff Strong took over ownership of the business Oct. 17 from Tandy and Theresa Strong who had owned the store for the last 20 years.
“Everyone knows it as Miller’s Store...
The Ozark County Sheriff’s Office, along with partners in the Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force (MJTF), conducted a search warrant on two residences in Tecumseh Sunday, Nov. 6. The search yielded seven arrests, methamphetamine, morphine, items indicative of trafficking drugs, firearms and ammunition...
Sue Ann Jones’ family includes several generations of military veterans, including these three: from left: Elisha Luna, 1819-1900, fought in the Mexican War and tried unsuccessfully to re-enlist in 1862. Perry Henson Martin, 1845-1941, served in the Union cavalry during the Civil War. Audie Luna, 1917-1945, died in the Philippines during World War II after being wounded in combat.
Veterans Day is a holiday honoring people of courage – and I’m sorry to say I’m not one of them. Courage is just not the word anyone would use to describe someone who’s had a lifelong terror of the world’s most harmless spider – granddaddy longlegs. (I do have a relative who’s afraid of butterflies...
Above, left: Bakersfield School honors its graduates currently serving in the military with this collection of their photos that remains on display year-round. The school also has five veterans on its faculty and staff: From left, high school principal Doyne Byrd, middle school special education teacher Tammy Lamb and paraprofessional Kim Yeager and technical director Von Farr. Bakersfield School resource officer Wayne Romans, pictured above, right, was not available for the group photo because he was temporarily away for Army National Guard drill. Recent BHS grads currently serving in the military are, pictured on top of display case, from left: Cruise Blake, 2019, Marines; Joseph Williams, 2021, Marines; C.J. Pellant, 2020, Marines; Briggs Hardin, 2019, Air Force. Pictured inside the display case, from left: Tyler Millner, 2014, Air Force; Wayne Romans, 2000, Army Reserve; Jacob Hall, 2019, Army; Ray Clapp, 2018, Army; Jordan Hartley, 2008, Marines; Ashton Yeager, 2021, Army; Michael Dihel, 2015, Navy; Cameron Yeager, 2018, Army. Not shown: Cody Divelbliss, 2007, Army Reserves. The photos of 2022 BHS grads Cooper Bonham, Army, and Bo Evans, Marines, will be added to the display this week.
Like some of the other Ozark County districts, Bakersfield School pays tribute to area military veterans this time of year with Veterans Day programs honoring the heroes' service. At Bakersfield, however, that tribute continues all year long in a display case filled with photos of recent BHS...