News | West Plains Daily Quill

West Plains man faces felony child porn charges

A West Plains man charged in March with five felony counts of possession of child pornography and arrested in April in Nebraska has been issued a summons to appear in court June 7 for a trial setting in the courtroom of Presiding 37th Circuit Judge Steven Privette, but court records show the summons was returned undeliverable on Friday after he moved without leaving a forwarding address. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON and ABBY HESS, NEWS@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 5/16/24

Fidelity Communications recently presented a check for $2,500 to Richards School in support of the Richards Rocketry teams and an upcoming trip to Washington, D.C., to compete nationally. School officials expressed their gratitude for the funds, to be used for equipment and travel expenses and donated as part of Fidelity's Dream Bigger competition. From left: Fidelity West Plains Lead System Technician Kevin Adams; Richards Assistant Principal Cody Swearengen; Fidelity Rolla Technical Operations Manager Chris Callen; Richards School Board President Ricky Vonallmen; Fidelity General Manager Sam McGill; Richards Rocketry team members Julian Earl, Gracie Dunn, Carter Collins and Coach Cody Lovan; Richards Principal Mick Price; Richards Rocketry coach, school board Secretary and team sponsor Brian Morrison; school board Treasurer Matt Barnes; Fidelity West Plains Customer Service Manager Wendy Riggs; Richards Superintendent Melonie Bunn and Federal Programs Coordinator Susan Rogers; and Fidelity West Plains customer service representative Skye Smolnik.

With support from Fidelity, Richards rocketry teams head to D.C. for seventh year in a row

Two teams from Richards School will once again travel to the national finals at the American Rocketry Challenge in Washington, D.C., giving their best shot at a win that would send them to an international competition in England. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 5/16/24

FILE - Dr. Elizabeth Brett Daily talks with patient Haley Ruark about the medical abortion process at a Planned Parenthood clinic, Oct. 12, 2022, in Kansas City, Kan. Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains announced Tuesday, May 14, 2024, that Pittsburg, Kansas, will be home to a new facility providing abortion procedures and pills, as well as pregnancy services, contraception and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

New Kansas abortion clinic will open to help meet demand from restrictive neighboring states

A new abortion clinic is going to open in southeast Kansas this fall, bolstering the state’s role as a regional hub for reproductive health services since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to … more

By HANNAH FINGERHUT and GEOFF MULVIHILL | 5/15/24

Deputy Tessa Jens carries a 2-year-old child to safety Friday afternoon as Deputy Jacob Hamby climbs a fence to get out of a field in which he found the toddler, just west of the child’s home. Deputies were called to help look for the child by the toddler’s mother after she and others searched unsuccessfully for 10 minutes.

Deputies return two small children home to safety

Howell County deputies returned two small children safely to their homes on Friday and Saturday afternoons in the areas of Peace Valley and Willow Springs. more

5/15/24

Deep South News Digest, 1pm 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

5/15/24

Howell County Commission meets Thursday

Howell County Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday for their twice-weekly regular session in the conference room on the second floor of the county office building, 35 Court Square. more

5/15/24

Editorial Roundup: Missouri

Kansas City Star. May 8, 2024. Editorial: Kansas City is not trying to defund its police. The Missouri Supreme Court was right We’ve long held that Kansas Citians and Kansas Citians alone … more

By The Associated Press | 5/14/24

Editorial Roundup: Kansas

Kansas City Star. May 8, 2024. Editorial: Kansas City is not trying to defund its police. The Missouri Supreme Court was right We’ve long held that Kansas Citians and Kansas Citians alone … more

By The Associated Press | 5/14/24

Filing in to a standing-room-only crowd at the West Plains Civic Center, 280 Zizzer seniors were awarded diplomas at Friday's commencement ceremony, surround by family, friends and school officials who applauded their achievements and offered their encouragement in the next chapters of their lives.

'Victorious': 280 Zizzers graduate with WPHS Class of '24

High School Principal Ryan Smith began Friday’s West Plains High School commencement ceremony by commenting on the challenges faced by this year's seniors, 280 in all. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 5/14/24

S.W.A.T Team dispatched to domestic call with shots fired

Howell County Special Weapons and Tactics Team deputies were called out shortly before 9:30 p.m. Monday, dispatched to assist the Willow Springs Police Department with a domestic disturbance reported on North Ferguson Street in Willow Springs. more

BY ABBY HESS, ABBYH@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 5/14/24

Marisshia Sigala secures her son Mateo in his car seat after picking him up after work from the Koala Children's Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Like most other New Mexico families, Sigala and her husband qualify for subsidized child care in New Mexico, providing them more flexibility to see more clients as they build their careers. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

LOCALIZE IT: Child care prices soared in the pandemic and remain high. Some states are taking action

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS: Child care is unaffordable for many, hard to find for those who can pay, and financially precarious for day care operators and their employees. The problem has only … more

By SHARON LURYE | 5/14/24

Full lineup announced for Old-Time Music Festival

Music at the 30th annual Old-Time Music, Ozarks Heritage Festival will begin at noon June 7 and 8, featuring a variety of performers on two stages: the West Plains Civic Center theater stage indoors, and and outdoor stage set up on Court Square. more

5/14/24

This combination of images from body-camera videos shows police encounters with, top row from left, Jeffrey Melvin in Colorado in 2018, Johnathan Binkley in Tennessee in 2019; bottom row from left, Bradford Macomber in Mississippi in 2016 and Samuel Celestin in Florida in 2019. Police officers in hundreds of deadly encounters across the United States violated well-known law enforcement guidelines that prescribe the safest ways to restrain, subdue and arrest people, an Associated Press investigation has found. (Colorado Springs Police Department, Knox County Sheriff's Office, Gulfport Police Department, Ocoee Police Department via AP)

AP Investigation: In hundreds of deadly police encounters, officers broke multiple safety guidelines

An Associated Press investigation found that police across the U.S. violated well-known guidelines for safely restraining people in hundreds of fatal encounters that didn’t involve a firearm. … more

By JOHN SEEWER, REESE DUNKLIN and TAYLOR STEVENS | 5/14/24

FILE - A U.S. Park Police officer inspects a security barrier for damage in Lafayette Square park near the White House, May 23, 2023, in Washington. A Missouri man pleaded guilty Monday, May 13, 2024, to crashing a rented truck into White House barriers last year. Sai Varshith Kandula drove a large U-Haul truck onto a sidewalk, sending pedestrians running for safety, before ramming it into metal bollard barriers that prevent vehicles from entering Lafayette Square. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Nazi flag-bearing man who crashed a truck into barriers near the White House pleads guilty to felony

A Missouri man who crashed a rental truck into White House barriers and showed a Nazi flag before his arrest last year has pleaded guilty to damaging government property. Court records show that … more

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN | 5/13/24

Longtime university supporter William W. "Bill" Shaw, right, Birch Tree, receives the prestigious Granvil Vaughan Founder’s Award during Saturday’s Missouri State University-West Plains commencement ceremonies at the West Plains Civic Center. Presenting the award is MSU-WP Chancellor Dennis Lancaster.

William ‘Bill’ Shaw receives Granvil Vaughan Founder’s Award

In the spirit of those who established Missouri State University-West Plains over 60 years ago, campus officials presented William W. “Bill” Shaw, Birch Tree, with the prestigious Granvil Vaughan Founder’s Award during Saturday’s commencement ceremony at the West Plains Civic Center. more

5/13/24

Margaret Keister, West Plains, former manager of Brill Title Company, right, received an honorary Associate of Arts in General Studies degree Saturday from Missouri State University-West Plains during commencement ceremonies. MSU-WP Chancellor Dennis Lancaster presented the degree.

Margaret Keister receives honorary degree at MSU-WP commencement

Margaret Keister, former manager of Brill Title Company in West Plains, received an honorary Associate of Arts in General Studies degree from Missouri State University-West Plains. more

5/13/24

Marissa Ayers, right, a senior at Couch High School, was one of 30 students selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship as part of the Missouri STEM Signing Day. She will be attending Missouri State University-West Plains this fall. With her at the event is MSU-WP Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Michael Orf.

MSU-WP student receives scholarship during Missouri STEM Signing Day

Marissa Ayers, a senior at Couch High School in Myrtle who will be attending Missouri State University-West Plains this fall, was one of 30 students selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship as part of the Missouri STEM Signing Day. more

5/13/24

Today in History: May 22, Lyndon B. Johnson outlines 'Great Society'

Today in History Today is Wednesday, May 22, the 143rd day of 2024. There are 223 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On May 22, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, … more

By The Associated Press | 5/13/24

Extra trash pickup offered next week in Mtn. View

Mtn. View will have extra trash pickup Monday through Friday and brush pickup June 24 through 28, city officials announce. more

5/11/24

The Willow Springs High School graduating Class of 2024

Willow Springs High School Class of 2024 graduates

Willow Springs High School’s Class of 2024 celebrated graduation exercises Saturday. more

5/9/24