In remarkably good health for her age, and with plenty of company, Kathryn Bratton of West Plains celebrated her 100th birthday with about 40 friends and family on Saturday. more

Roughly 900 people turned out for the inaugural West Plains Pride celebration of the local LGBTQIA+ community, despite the onset of a blistering heat wave. more

Harold L. Blair Jr., 67, of Ava, will spend the rest of life in federal prison after he was sentenced Thursday to 58 years without parole for his Jan. 30 plea of guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District District Judge Roseann Ketchmark and announced by U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore of the Western District of Missouri, Springfield. more

Joey A. Marcak, 36, West Plains, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty Friday to two counts of second-degree murder in Greene County. more

The Howell County Commission will hold a Purple Heart designation ceremony Monday morning during its regular semiweekly meeting. more

Joey A. Marcak, 36, West Plains, has pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in connection with a May 2020 double homicide in West Plains. He was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and a count of first-degree attempted robbery. more

West Plains R-7 School District officials are congratulating Maren Thompson for securing first place in the Pottery Division 1 on Wednesday at the Beta National Convention in Savannah, Ga. Repeating her accomplishment from last year makes Thompson, who has just completed her sophomore year of high school, the back-to-back Beta National Pottery Champion. more

For the 29th year in a row, the Willow Springs School District bus fleet passed the Missouri State Highway Patrol annual School Bus Safety Inspection with a 100% approval rating. The district is one of 11 area districts to do so, and one of three with a fleet of at least 20 buses. more

An Ozark County woman first charged with second-degree domestic assault and leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in injury is now charged with murder after the person she allegedly hit with her vehicle died as the result of his injuries. more

The Richards School Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. June 27 in the school boardroom. more

A Springfield resident who initially only identified himself to law enforcement as a "man of God" who had taken a "vow of silence with God" is charged after being discovered on Assumption Abbey property in Douglas County. more

A West Plains woman has been charged with three felonies related to a fatal car crash that happened in late December 2023 on ZZ Highway, resulting in the death of passenger Brian E. Powell, 28, of West Plains. more

Holly P. Cooke, 31, Norwood, suffered fatal injuries when her vehicle struck a cow at 9:58 p.m. Monday on Highway 5, 6.5 miles northwest of Gainesville in Ozark County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. more

Samantha G. Jacobs, 39, Winona, has been charged with six felonies in two Shannon County cases after allegedly trying to use her vehicle to hit people at two homes, and ramming a parked pickup truck in the process. more

Before addressing regular the board approved consent items up for approval, namely the agenda, previous meeting minutes, a budget report, bills to be paid and personnel updates, including extracurricular assignments. Current funds held by the district are about $4.37 million. Last month’s balance was about $4.52 million and the balance a year ago was roughly $6.08 million. more

Editor’s note: The following article describes multiple cases of alleged sexual abuse of children spanning decades. While care has been taken to report on these charges with sensitivity to survivors and readers, it may still be disturbing to read. See something, say something: If you suspect a child is being abused, call the Missouri Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline, 800-392-3738. If you are experiencing domestic or sexual violence, or if you’re a survivor of the same needing support, call Christos House’s hotline, 800-611-5853.
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The patrol has reported the death of a 33-year-old Mtn. Grove man who reportedly drowned at 11:30 a.m. Thursday after entering the Gasconade River about a quarter-mile west of E Highway in Wright County. more

A West Plains man who pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance in November 2021 has had his probation revoked and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to court records. more

The Boys & Girls Club of the Greater West Plains Area (BGCWP) officials have given an update on services provided, a new fundraising drive and announcements about its Meet Up & Eat Up program, available to all youth from infants through age 18. more