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Howell County Office Building, 35 Court Square, West Plains

Howell Co. among those taking issue with recently-signed senior tax credit law

Howell and Ozark are among several counties waiting to find out more about Missouri Senate Bill 190 (SB190), which freezes property tax rates for some senior citizens and was signed into law July 6 by Gov. Mike Parson. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/15/23

Former Bakersfield teacher accused of sexual relations with student

A Caulfield woman and former teacher has been charged with three counts of second-degree statutory rape and one count of second-degree statutory sodomy, all felonies, after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a former student over the summer. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/15/23

Adding the successful annual fundraising efforts of the WPHS Lady Zizzers basketball team, the Zizzers football team held its own Pink Out event for the first time this year. An astonishing total of $9,585.98 was collected, with every penny destined for the Ozarks Healthcare Cancer Treatment Center Patient Emergency Fund. Front row, from left: Zizzer Pride Band members Nikeshia Davis, Nyx Curtin, and Natalie Allen; Lady Zizzers basketall assistant coach and Ozarks Healthcare employee Sammi Radosevich; Zizzer Football Coach Joel Wyatt; Ozarks Healthcare Foundation Board Chairman Ken Joplin and member Robin Morgan; Ozarks Healthcare Vice President of Development and Advocacy Josh Reeves; and West Plains R-7 Schools Superintendent Dr. Wes Davis. Back row: Zizzer Pride Band Director Rocky Long; West Plains R-7 Schools Director of Human Resources and Student Services, Matthew Orchard and Athletics and Activities Director Dr. Ashley Cooley; Ozarks Healthcare Foundation board member Kevin Gleghorn; West Plains Bank representatives Nathan Cropper and Eric Judd; Ozarks Healthcare Foundation Board member Bob Eckman; and Ozarks Healthcare President and CEO Tom Keller.

Pink Out Triumph: Community unites, raising over $9K for cancer patients

The community spirit was palpable, and the sky radiated with a shade of hopeful pink as the first home football game of the season turned into a beacon of hope. more

BY CHRIS HERBOLSHEIMER, CHRISH@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/15/23

Mississippi motorcyclist hurt in Oregon County

A Mississippi man suffered serious injuries when his motorcycle skidded through a stop sign and overturned, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The crash happened at 6:20 p.m. Wednesday on V Highway at the intersection of Highway 142 in Oregon County. more

9/15/23 | 1 comment

Woman's Library Club I meets Monday

The Woman’s Library Club I of West Plains will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Grace’s Place, 530 Fletcher Terrace. more

9/15/23

With just over 24 hours left before a strike deadline, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said Wednesday that offers from General Motors, Ford and Stellantis aren't enough and the union is getting ready to strike (Sept. 14)

UAW poised for midnight strike at plants in Wayne, Michigan, Toledo, Ohio, and Wentzville, Missouri

The United Auto Workers union says it will go on strike at three factories as it presses Detroit companies to come up with better wage and benefit offers. The factories include a General Motors … more

By TOM KRISHER and DAVID KOENIG | 9/14/23

Arkansas officials say person dies after brain-eating amoeba infection, likely exposed at splash pad

An Arkansas resident has died after being infected with an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba. The Department of Health on Thursday announced the death from the Naegleria fowleri infection, a rare … more

9/14/23

Lonesome Road will perform Thursday and Friday evening shows during this year's Fall Bluegrass Festival at the Heart oft he Ozarks Bluegrass Association Park in West Plains

HOBA Fall Festival kicks off Sept. 21

The Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Association will hold its 39th annual Fall Bluegrass Festival Sept. 21 through 23 at HOBA park off of Lanton Road in West Plains. The festival is the last outdoor event of the season at the bluegrass park. more

9/14/23

Willow Springs School Board sets bus routes, career ladder plan

During Monday’s meeting of the Willow Springs School Board, members heard from high school students, considered guidelines from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regarding a career ladder plan and finalized school bus routes. more

9/14/23

FILE - Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks, Feb. 7, 2023, in Little Rock, Ark. Arkansas lawmakers have voted to restrict the public's access to records about Gov. Huckabee Sanders' travel and security. They backed away from a more far-reaching proposal to shield her administration's records from release. The Senate on Wednesday Sept. 13 2023 approved a bill that would allow the state to wall off details about the security provided to Sanders and other constitutional officers. (Al Drago/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs law restricting release of her travel, security records

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has signed a new law that will restrict the release of her travel and security records. The Republican governor signed the measure after lawmakers wrapped up a … more

By ANDREW DeMILLO | 9/14/23

Howell County Commission members recently met for their regular semiweekly session and to hear from County Collector Janet Crow. On Sept. 7, Crow, standing, presented commissioners with the results of sales of properties with delinquent county taxes of at least three consecutive years, held Aug. 28 to recoup those taxes and possibly add some money to the county till in the process. Three parcels were sold with all delinquent taxes and sale costs covered, plus a total of about $45,800 for the county. Southern Commissioner Billy Sexton, left of Crow, praised her handling of the sales and commented she has been doing a fantastic job notifying property owners of delinquent taxes. Other business discussed at the meeting included the submission of architectural plans for lodging improvements at the Christos House Emergency Shelter facility and progress updates regarding the bridge replacement on County Road 2570 about 4 miles northeast of West Plains. Also present for the meeting were Presiding Commissioner Ralph Riggs, foreground, Northern Commissioner Calvin Wood, right of Riggs, and Deputy Clerk Kathy Martin, right of Crow.

Crow presents results of annual delinquent tax sale

9/14/23

Texas Co. driver dies in crash near Salem

A Texas County man perished in a crash Saturday evening near Salem, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. more

9/14/23

Man indicted on New Year's Day sex crime charge

Fredi Silva-Quiroz, 29, West Plains, was charged Aug. 23, by grand jury indictment, with statutory sodomy involving a victim younger than 12 years old. He is accused of touching an 11-year-old in a sexual manner either on New Year's Eve or the early morning hours of New Year's Day. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/14/23

FILE - Duck boats, replicas of World War II-era amphibious vehicles, and a popular tourist attraction, make their way along the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge, Mass., Sunday, July 22, 2018. Five years after 17 people died when a tourist vessel known as a duck boat sank on a Missouri lake, the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 issued new rules for amphibious World War II vessels retrofitted for tourists. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

New rules for repurposed WWII-era duck boats aim to improve safety on 16 in use after drownings

Five years after 17 people died when a duck boat sank on a Missouri lake, the U.S. Coast Guard has issued new rules for the amphibious World War II vessels retrofitted for tourist excursions. But the … more

By JIM SALTER | 9/14/23

In this photo released by the Springfield Police Dept., two smiling police officers hold a lemur wrapped in a towel with its face, hands and tail poking out in Springfield, Mo., on Sept. 12, 2023. The lemur evaded police in the city before it was eventually captured that night. (Springfield Police Dept. via AP)

Lemur on the loose! Video shows police chasing critter that escaped in Missouri

Police bodycam video from Springfield, Missouri, has filmed an unusual foot pursuit, as two officers tried to catch an escaped lemur. The speedy little primate made a dash for freedom Tuesday night … more

9/14/23

Teens in the West Plains High School Missouri Options alternative learning program helped with landscaping and cleaning up the grounds at the Ozarks Heritage Welcome Center. Student volunteers are, in no particular order, Sarahbeth Adolphson, Keilah Paul, Corbin Peterson, Isabella Faust, Kathryn Rosenbum, Logan Burke, Bryant Walters, Savannah Newton, Gianna Feldman and Abe Barton.

Missouri Options students volunteer

9/14/23

The congregation of St. Paul Lutheran Church in West Plains, represented by Judy Johnson, left, recently donated $145 to the West Plains R-7 Bridges Program. The Bridges program offers free clothing and personal hygiene, household and pantry items in an effort to ensure that students can have their needs met so that they can focus on learning. Accepting the check is Cyndi Wright, Bridges director.

St. Paul Lutheran donates to Bridges

9/14/23

Deep South News Digest,7pm update

Here's a look at how AP's general news coverage is shaping up for select Deep South stories. For up-to-the minute information on AP's complete coverage of Deep South and the rest of the world, visit … more

9/13/23

FILE - Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., listens to a voice vote on the adoption of the rules during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, July 18, 2016. Womack says he is running for reelection next year. Womack on Wednesday Sept. 13 2023 announced he will seek an eighth term representing the 3rd Congressional District in northwest Arkansas. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Republican Rep. Steve Womack from Arkansas says he will seek reelection next year

Republican Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas says he is running for reelection next year. Womack on Wednesday announced he will seek an eighth term representing the 3rd Congressional District in … more

9/13/23

Missouri lawmakers fail to override Gov. Parson's vetoes, and instead accept pared-back state budget

Missouri lawmakers have failed to override any of the governor's $555 million in budget cuts. The state Legislature convened Wednesday for its annual veto session. Republican Gov. Mike Parson made … more

By SUMMER BALLENTINE | 9/13/23