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Ninth in a series of letters to my hometown.
This month marks 46 years since my mother, Cookie, my two older siblings, and I arrived in West …
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By Laura Jones, Quill Columnist
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6/27/26
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Birthdays are one of those milestones you either love or hate. Oftentimes, it's both at the same time.
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By Caleb Jones
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6/27/26
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Dear readers, this is continuing the articles printed in The Quill last month about my brother, Elmer Probst Jr., and the Shield Bible that he carried with him to India during World War II.
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By Maggie Adair, Quill Columnist
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6/20/26
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In the quest to understand what drives higher medical costs in the US relative to other developed countries, a smaller — but essential — component is pharmaceutical drugs
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By Justin Aiken, Quill Contributing Analyst
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6/20/26
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The founding ideals of this country (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness) were never meant to exist in isolation. They were meant to be lived out in community. Block parties bring those ideals down to earth.
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By David Burton, Columnist
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6/20/26
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As our nation prepares to celebrate America's 250th birthday, we have an opportunity to reflect on what this remarkable milestone represents.
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Vivek Malek, Missouri State Treasurer
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6/20/26
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Rural communities looking to improve electricity reliability and affordability may be eligible for support through the Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership (C-MAP).
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By Val Ankeny, Senior Policy Associate, Center for Rural Affairs
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6/20/26
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Last weekend, we printed a neat feature highlighting local author Richard McGee’s efforts to capture the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps’ impact on Missouri. When I assigned the story, I thought it would be a great way to kick off the summer — pointing people toward fun, educational weekend adventures.
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6/13/26
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Three and a half months. That’s how long it has been since I last wrote this column.
It was a fiery, direct call to action regarding our local Christmas parade. And it worked. A vibrant community conversation happened, and a local business stepped up to take the reins.
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By Abby Hess, Quill Publisher
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5/30/26
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Last weekend, Lindsey and Charlie headed out of town for a dance competition. Max and I had other plans. While they were packing dance shoes and hairspray, we were loading turkey decoys, …
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by Caleb Jones
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5/30/26
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As I watched my sons graduate from college this weekend, I found myself thinking about another graduation many years ago on the football field at West Plains High School.
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By Laura Jones, Quill Columnist
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5/23/26
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As Memorial Day and the 250th birthday of our great nation draw near, our display frames at Summersville Library are filled with photos of some of our local veterans as we honor their service to our country.
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By Kathie Ledgerwood-Cox, Branch Librarian
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5/16/26
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During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt provided small New Testaments to members of the U.S. armed forces. Known as Shield Bibles, these books featured heavy brass covers and were intended to provide both spiritual comfort and physical protection.
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By Maggie Adair, Quill Columnist
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5/16/26
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Graduation season invites a familiar question: What are you going to do with your life? But perhaps a better question is: Who are you going to become while you do it?
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By Kurt Larson
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5/16/26
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Today I ordered a chicken wrap from a server while sitting poolside at a Las Vegas hotel. She was so polite, so professional. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention — her butt cheeks were on full display.
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By Gwen Rockwood, Columnist
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5/2/26
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I like fishing. Never mind that I seldom go today. When I first penned this column four decades ago I was at the lake or river every week.
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By Jim Hamilton, Quill Columnist
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5/2/26
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Long before I convinced Lindsey to marry me, I learned I was going to have to earn it. If memory serves me right, I sent her flowers every day for a week before she would even return my call. Some men fall in love at first sight. I apparently signed up for a seven-day floral payment plan.
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by Caleb Jones
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5/2/26
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I’ve seen so many gorgeous prom photos on social media lately, but I have a confession to make. I did not go to prom, and somehow, I still managed to grow into a functioning adult.
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By Laura Jones, Quill Columnist
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4/25/26
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Are lower-income households more or less likely to connect with neighbors? The honest research answer is: it depends what you mean by “connect,” and what kind of neighborhood you’re comparing.
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By David Burton, Columnist
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4/18/26
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Easter Sunday at Handy Church felt like a homecoming. It was nostalgic having Bob and Jeanetta Featherston there. Jeanetta looked lovely and Bob delivered a fine sermon. Janet Hoskins and I filled in …
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By Maggie Adair, Quill Columnist
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4/18/26
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