Ozarka College in Melbourne, Ark., recently announced that 89 students have been named to the president's list and 69 students have been named to the provost's list for the fall 2023 semester. more

Columbia College recently announced its dean's list for the fall 2023 semester, held from August through December 2023. To be named to the dean's list, a student must have completed 12 credit hours in a 16-week period and achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0-point scale.  more

Midway University officials announce Autumn Young, Koshkonong, has been named to its dean's list for the 2023 fall semester. To be named to the list, a student must be classified as full-time and obtain a 3.60 grade point average for the semester. Young is one of 419 students who made the list. more

Harry Wayne and Neva (Martin) Parrott celebrated their 50th anniversary on Jan. 1. They were married Jan. 1, 1974, at First United Methodist Church in West Plains. They met at the Southwest Missouri State College Residence Center (now Missouri State University-West Plains), where Harry was a student and Neva was the librarian. They have four children and 11 grandchildren: Sarah Thomas, husband Jeff and Micah, Aaron, and Leah who reside in Bolivar; Martha Middleton, husband Guthrie and Braden, Hannah, Haven and Brynna who reside in Nixa; William Parrott and Brenden, Liam and Landon who reside in Nixa; and Matthew Parrott, wife Sara and Ian who reside in Fayetteville, Ark. more

Cole and Taylor Jordan of West Plains are parents of a daughter, Elizabeth “Ellie” Anne Jordan. She was born Dec. 6. She weighed 4 pounds 13 ounces and was 18 inches long. Her grandparents are Jeff and LaDonna Sullivan and Tina Jordan, all of West Plains. more

Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff has released its dean’s list for the fall semester, recognizing five area students. more

Cole and Taylor Jordan of West Plains are parents of a daughter, Elizabeth “Ellie” Anne Jordan. She was born Dec. 6. She weighed 4 pounds 13 ounces and was 18 inches long. Her grandparents are Jeff and LaDonna Sullivan and Tina Jordan, all of West Plains.  more

Editor's note: A previous version of this article was published on Page A6 in the Dec. 27, 2023, print edition of the Quill. Because it was inadvertently truncated, it is reprinted in full here. more

Willow Springs Elementary School recognizes students in kindergarten through fourth grade as Pawsitive Bears who have shown the character trait of Encouragement during the Second Quarter of school. more

Organizers of the West Plains Little Mister and Miss Merry Christmas Pageant, held each year on the first Sunday of December in the West Plains Civic Center theater, have announced the winners of this year’s contest. more

Central Methodist University in Fayette celebrated its fall 2023 commencement Dec. 9 in Puckett Fieldhouse on the university’s main campus. Two area students received degrees in education during the ceremony. more

Luke and Miyah Keplar of Hardy, Ark., are parents of a son, Ezekiel Augustus Keplar. He was born at 4:48 a.m. Nov. 9. He weighed 10 pounds 20 ounces and was 21 and 1/2 inches long. His grandparents are Sue Cloud of Richardson, Texas, and Jacob and Stacy Keplar of Hardy.  more

Matthew D. Hurst, 45, Willow Springs, and Maegan Rose Bell, 31, Willow Springs, married Nov. 18 in West Plains. Officiated by Dennis Walton. more

Officials with the West Plains R-7 School District have announced Virginia Uphaus will assume the role of West Plains Elementary School principal for the 2024-2025 school year. Effective July 1, 2024, she will fill the vacancy left by the retirement of current Principal Becky Hutchinson.  more

The State Board of Education announced Tuesday that 33rd District Sen. Karla Eslinger, of Wasola in Ozark County, will assume the role as the state’s next commissioner for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) effective June 1, 2024, after concluding her work in the Missouri Senate during the 2024 legislative session. more

James Thompson III and Rebekah Curry of West Plains are the parents of a daughter, Enid Lucille Thompson. She was born at 11:44 p.m. Oct. 26. She weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 22 inches long. Her grandparents are Amy Thompson of Peace Valley and Tim and Joetta Curry of Cabool.  more

Zebulon Jr. and Hope Goodrich of Ava are parents of a son, Colt Goodrich. He was born at 1:27 a.m. Sept. 21. He weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 23 and 3/4 inches long.  more