In the year 1920, a large crowd of people looked on as one of the most exciting accidents in the history of West Plains occurred. An object fell from the sky and crashed into the downtown area of West Plains. more

Did I see a leaf on a tree turning color from green to yellow in my neighbors yard? I did. more

Dear readers, more

Social Security strives to deliver great customer service and helpful information to everyone, including people who are more comfortable reading and speaking Spanish.    more

Editor’s note: Author Lacey Miller and her family are Missouri Farm Bureau members. After losing her father, Ralph Griesbaum, in a rollover tractor accident on their Marion County farm, the family has become farm safety warriors, working to spare others a similar tragedy.  more

To the editor: more

In 1837, a ten-year-old boy named Washington P. Hawkins embarked on a journey with his family to the Ozarks of Missouri, traveling by oxcart. Wash, as he was affectionately called, happened to be my 3x great grandfather. His family, hailing from Warren County, Tennessee, found themselves in a situation where the encroaching presence of neighbors and civilization had become rather uncomfortable. The old saying "If you could hear your neighbor's dog bark or rooster crow, it was time to move!" applied in this situation. They loaded up the wagons and headed West. more

Jim told me, “I would write in a notebook with a pin several pages; Marilyn would type them, and she would cry.“ more

I never understood as a young man why Dad didn’t fix the barn door. All it needed was a proper hinge. more

“Hey hey. Hey hey, baby, hey.” That’s all it took, I was hooked. more

I love witnessing the power of Missouri agriculture throughout the entire month of August. From watching children and adults of all ages roam the grounds at the Missouri State Fair to producers from all over the state attending the annual Missouri Farm Bureau Commodity Conference, it’s an invigorating time. It’s a reminder of the impact that farmers and ranchers have not just here at home but throughout the country and the world.  more

Dear Readers, more

Hidden amongst the scenic Ozark hills, West Plains, Missouri, holds a unique title that few are aware of: the “Feeder Pig Capital of the World” during the 1960s and '70s. The story of how this small town earned its crown offers a fascinating glimpse into American agricultural history, a tribute to the tenacity of its farmers, and a reflection of the economic and social transformation of the time. more

I took care of my baby brother Stephen when he was a baby. I never wondered what he would grow up to be, and I never had the chance to see. more

Ah, Fall! The season of contradictions. The Goldilocks of seasons where the weather is not too hot, not too cold, but just right! As the days grow shorter and the trees don a vibrant cloak of reds, oranges, and yellows, the Ozarks become the very canvas of nature’s masterpieces. The crisp mornings beckon us to wrap our fingers around a steaming mug of coffee, while the cool evenings are an open invitation to sit outside, basking under a starlit sky. It's a season so picturesque that if it were a movie, it'd sweep all the Oscars. more

I had dropped a story off for the Quill article, “This, I Remember,” entitled “Dan and Dan.” I am always standing in the need of exercise, so I leave the Quill article at the office on Washington Avenue, cross the street and walk to the Square and walk clockwise to West Plains Bank. I am always visiting as I go in the bank is a good place to stick your head in, maybe grab a cup of coffee and say hello. more

This month I’m traveling back to Gainesville, Missouri, to relive a 57-year-old memory of Hootin’ an Hollerin’ ! You can join me at the festival this year on September 21, 22, 23. I remember my excitement as a six-year-old, walking in the costume parade. My sister and I were dressed in little pioneer girl dresses and bonnets that our mother, Rosalea, made for us. Taking place on the square by the courthouse, it was full of people, music, and food. I still can still smell the sorghum being squeezed and cooked down. We lived in Gainesville at that time, and my father, Sergeant Dan Cargill (retired) of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, was the lone patrolman for Ozark County from 1966-67. He tells us stories of working with Herman Pierce, the Ozark County Sheriff. We all have good memories of Gainesville. more

On the last day of July, a storm blew through Springfield and surrounding areas, leaving thousands without power. Our house missed that first wave of outages in the middle of the night. more

Dear Readers, more

To the editor: more