Local
At the district annual tax rate levy hearing, the West Plains R-VII school board unanimously voted to increase the tax levy from $3.6883 to $3.7301, an increase of $0.0418. According to a five-year comparison prepared by Superintendent Dr. Wes Davis, the 2026-2027 rate is lower than the five-year...
A Willow Springs daycare became the focus of regional media attention last week before formal charges were filed. A parent of a two-year-old boy arrived to pick up the child at daycare, only to discover the children were not at the facility. Two little boys wandered away from a daycare and were...
The Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek announced the results of the 2026 Missouri Unclaimed Property Auction. This year's auction was held August 27-28 in Columbia, Missouri. The event resulted in a major achievement, breaking the previous sales record of $319,712 with this year's total of $674...
Ozarks Healthcare and the Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce brought local business leaders and community members together Tuesday evening for a special Chamber Member Mixer, giving guests an up-close look at some of the advanced robotic technology helping transform patient care across...
A Missouri state congressional candidate has been charged by criminal complaint for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance to plant on his political opponent.
Thomas Christopher Ross, 37, of Joplin, Mo., was charged in a one-count complaint on Sept. 2, 2026, for conspiring to...
At a public tax rate hearing held Thursday, Aug. 27 at 1:00 p.m., the Howell County Commission voted to roll back the County's General Revenue property tax rate to 0%.
The Commission also had the option to increase the County's Road and Bridge property tax rate. After consideration, the...
A four-legged member of Howell County Sheriff’s Office will be retiring, HCSO announced September 4. K9 Spice, age 8, has had an “incredible career serving our community,” reads the release.
K9 Spice will be spending her retirement in the home of her handler, Deputy First Class Robert...
West Plains gardener Wes Moore rarely gets horn worms among his tomato plants, but this summer was an exception. Moore’s wife Kari describes her husband’s garden as, “exceptional.”
Moore likes to grow all types of tomatoes, but his favorites are Better Boy and German Johnson. In a yellow...
Wednesday, Aug. 26 marked the five year anniversary of the Abbey Gate terrorist attack. The attacked was called the deadliest attack on Americans in Afghanistan since 2011. Thirteen brave service members lost their lives during this attack.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, members of Honor and...
Howell County is under a county-wide burn ban as of Sept. 3, by order of the county commission.
The ban includes:
-Careless use of materials, including cigarettes, cigars and smoking pipes. Discard shall be in a manner to prevent threat from smoldering remains initiating a fire.
-...