Ozark County Commissioners have announced their third attempt to pass an internet use tax, scheduled for a vote on April 2nd. This move comes after previous unsuccessful attempts in both 2020 and 2022 to implement this tax. The proposal has sparked a considerable debate within the county, given its implications for both consumers and the local economy. more

Republican Asa Hutchinson has dropped out of the presidential race, leaving three candidates to compete for the GOP nomination. The former Arkansas governor announced Tuesday he is leaving the race. … more

A day after Donald Trump won Iowa’s caucuses, the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination has turned to New Hampshire. Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki … more

Kansas City Star. January 9, 2024. Editorial: Missouri politicians are pushing to centralize power by restricting citizen petitions One great thing about Missouri: When legislators won’t … more

Fulton County, Ark., Sheriff Jacob Smith has announced his agency is conducting a death investigation after deputies responded to a 911 call on Jan. 8 on Seminole Drive in Hardy, Ark. more

The Richards School Board will hold its monthly session at 6 p.m. Thursday in the school boardroom. more

Craft brewers, distributors and area restaurants will highlight the 11th annual West Plains BrewFest, set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 24 in the arena and exhibit hall at the West Plains Civic Center, 110 St. Louis St. Doors will open promptly at 5:30. more

David N. Plyushchev, 22, West Plains, has been charged by grand jury indictment with felony second-degree statutory rape after a traffic stop led to the investigation of Plyushchev as the probable father of teen's baby. more

As the bitter cold continues through the first half of the week, and with a slight possibility of a further dusting of snow today, several area schools have called off in-person classes for Tuesday. more

Election 2024 Iowa (COPY:V0339) <<CAT:Government and Politics>> Election 2024 Iowa-AP Kinnard 1 apa353582-Question and Answer Session--DES MOINES, Iowa-(Meg Kinnard … more

Subfreezing temperatures across much of the U.S. have millions of Americans at risk of potentially dangerous cold as weekend Arctic storms continue to dump snow from coast to coast. The National … more

Officials with St. Paul Lutheran Church announce the blood drive at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Willow Springs for today, Friday, January 12, has been canceled due to inclement weather. more

A Seymour resident who is charged with 52 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect or abandonment, and has been charged with felonies related to an earlier arrest, has filed correspondence in court suggesting her constitutional civil rights were infringed upon when she was taken into custody on Oct. 14, 2023, for failure to appear in Ava municipal court for a traffic ticket. more

More than a dozen area school districts and Head Start programs canceled classes Friday ahead of a forecast that includes strong winds, a sharp temperature drop and the possibility of snow. more

The Junction Hill School board will hold its January meeting at 6 p.m. today in the school library. more

Thanks to two West Plains-based efforts to stoke the Christmas spirit and give families and kids a little boost, nearly 700 area children who might not otherwise have had much to celebrate got to be included in the holiday festivities. more

Editor’s note: The following article describes a case of alleged sexual abuse of children spanning several years. 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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Madelynne N. Prewett, 28, Winona, suffered moderate injuries in a crash at 9:42 p.m. Tuesday on County Road 450, 2 miles west of Winona in Shannon County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. more

Republican-led state legislatures are again considering bills restricting medical care for transgender youths and some adults the year after a wave of high-profile bills became law. Advocates for … more