Berean Baptist fireworks celebration is tonight
Berean Baptist Church will host its annual Community Fireworks Celebration beginning at 7 p.m. today at the church grounds, 7050 County Road 2570 north of West Plains.
Celebrating both the country's upcoming 250th birthday and a theme of "Freedom in Christ," the free event has expanded its lineup to include face painting and unique photo opportunities by Courtney Burgess. The evening features a playground area equipped with a giant slide, a bounce house, games, crafts, music, bubbles and glow sticks. Free food options include fried fish, hot dogs, chips, sides, desserts and snow cones, followed by a grand finale fireworks display over the church field.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. For more information, residents can visit the Berean Baptist Church West Plains Facebook page, @WPBereanBaptistChurch.
No Quill July 4; holiday closures announced
Public offices and local schedules will see adjustments in observance of the Independence Day holiday beginning on Friday.
Post offices, Missouri State University-West Plains offices, city halls, county and state offices, and the West Plains Public Library will be closed Friday. Because the federal observance spans Friday and Saturday, there will be no mail delivery on July 3 or 4.
The office of the West Plains Daily Quill will be closed Friday, and because of the mail disruption, there will be no July 4 print edition. Regular office hours and normal publication will resume Monday, July 6.
In West Plains, residential trash routes normally collected on Friday will be picked up early on Thursday, alongside regular Thursday routes. No other sanitation routes are affected. City officials also remind residents that discharging fireworks within the city limits is strictly prohibited.
Charter Review Commission Applicants Sought
The City of West Plains is seeking civic-minded residents to apply for the municipal Charter Review Commission. Convened once every 10 years to evaluate local government structure, the commission is tasked with reviewing the city's charter — which outlines the organization and powers of the mayor, city council and city administrator — and recommending updates. The independent panel will consist of at least nine qualified voters who reside within the city limits.
Approved members will meet once per month for no more than a few hours, with the ultimate goal of placing recommended charter amendments before West Plains voters on the April 2027 election ballot. No specialized governmental expertise is required to participate.
Applications are available online at shorturl.at/PcFbj or by contacting City Clerk Kellie Mayers at 417-256-7176, ext. 2235. The current city charter can be viewed for reference at shorturl.at/62sJD.
