The 2023 Old-Time Music, Ozarks Heritage Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 7 and 8. The annual event in downtown West Plains celebrates Ozarks music and culture. more

The total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, has left those in its path with memories that will last a lifetime, and the West Plains Daily Quill is capturing those moments in a special book commemorating the celestial event. Monday’s eclipse drew eyes upwards and brought communities together, creating experiences that will be remembered for generations to come. more

An investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol into illegal gambling devices has resulted in misdemeanor charges against the local managers of five area convenience stores, according to court records. more

The Thayer High School Senior Beta Club participated in the state convention held March 1 and 2 in Branson. The following students placed in the top five and now qualify for national convention in Savannah, Ga., this June: Jake McFann, third place, math; Savannah Jackson, third place, math; Abby Blum, second place, math; Ally Kerley, fourth place, pottery; Skylar McDaniel, fourth place, onsite drawing, and third place, sculpture; and Salena Hollis, third place onsite painting and fourth place, painting. more

The Thayer High School Junior Beta Club participated in the state convention held Feb 28 and 29 in Branson. The following students placed in the top five and now qualify for national convention in Savannah, Ga., this June: Zaiden Wright, third place, English/language arts; Jasmin Gutierrez, third place, Spanish; Quiz Bowl team members Colton Albritton, Grayson Woods, Camden Jennings and Weston Martin, first place; and Book Battle Team Members Taylor Blanks, Annabelle Williams and Zaiden Wright, first place. more

The City of Thayer is hosting eclipse camping through Tuesday, complete with a nightly bonfire, live music, shuttles and food vendors. more

Hello, visitors, and welcome to West Plains! more

The Quill will offer a keepsake book to commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse event taking place Monday. more

Unofficial Howell County election results from Tuesday show a couple of potential upsets, including a defeat of Mtn. View Mayor John Krasuski by a write-in candidate, and a new West Plains R-7 school board member to replace longtime member and current President Jim Thompson, who was defeated by two votes. more

The Missouri State University-West Plains campus recently expanded by about 40 acres, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Linda Wulff-Risner, a professor of agriculture there for about 30 years. The donation of her property, Risner Stables, will allow the university to expand its agriculture program as part of the matching portion of a MoExcels grant applied for through the Missouri Department of Higher Education. more

Felons who have allegedly been found in possession of guns have been recently been charged in Douglas and Shannon counties, in some cases related to complaints of harassment, paranoid behavior or the discharge of weapons near or toward houses. more

Party in the Path, a four-day festival celebrating the total solar eclipse’s path with just over three minutes of totality in West Plains, will begin Friday and run through Monday, featuring a plethora of activities for all ages. Following is a quick roundup of those activities in West Plain. Visit explorewestplains.com/tse or follow @eclipsewestplains on Facebook for details. more

Robert Finch, 60, of Mtn. Home, Ark., succumbed to fatal injuries caused by a motorcycle crash at 5:49 p.m. Friday on Highway 5 North near Scrap Daddy’s Metals in Mtn. Home, reports the Arkansas State Police. more

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's office has announced an extended candidate filing deadline for several state offices, including that of 154th District Representative David Evans of West Plains, who officially withdrew from the race on Monday after announcing his retirement on March 11. more

Birthday Blessings, a West Plains-based nonprofit that provides resources to local foster kids in communities across Missouri, is holding its annual Birthday Bash Campaign starting Monday and running through Friday. During this time, an anonymous donor will match funds up to a total of $5,000. The campaign goal this year is to raise $15,000.  more

During this month’s meeting of the West Plains City Council, Mayor Mike Topliff gave a state of the city address, summarizing 2023 and commenting on projects that are still underway and plans for the future. more