Howell county | West Plains Daily Quill

Mtn. View’s Buck Nelson Festival plans finalized

The planning committee for the Buck Nelson Festival, to be held the weekend of April 5 through 8 in Mtn. View, coinciding with the area's total solar eclipse, has finalized events and provided a schedule of things to do and see for all ages and interests. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/26/24

The McClellan Building on Main Street in Willow Springs is no longer considered dangerous, with the removal of its declaration as such made official by city council members during their Feb. 15. The good news comes after about a year of renovation setbacks and efforts by the city and the Willow Springs Community Foundation to preserve the building, including monthly updates on progress by foundation Director Dean Aye. The large brick building is owned by the foundation, and in talks between foundation members and city officials, it was agreed the structure has value, both historically and as a possible retail or office space once renovation is complete.

McClellan Building in Willow no longer considered dangerous

The city of Willow Springs has removed its dangerous-building designation from the McClellan Building at the corner of 104 E. Main St., first put into place in December 2022 on the recommendation of John Oke-Thomas of Oke-Thomas Associates, an architectural and construction firm headquartered in Springfield. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/26/24

City of Mtn. View opts to wait until April election to fill vacant ward seat

MOUNTAIN VIEW — Mtn. View City Council members declined to approve an appointment to fill an empty seat last week, opting instead to leave it to voters in April, in part because some expressed a belief that it was pointless to have someone sit on the council for only two meetings before being replaced. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/19/24

WS School Board renews administrative contracts

The Willow Springs School Board recently met in regular session, setting dates for summer school and renewing administrative contracts. more

2/16/24

Deatherage, Jr., pleads guilty to 2023 charges, is sentenced to 10 years

A Tecumseh resident has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in three cases, two in Howell County and one in Ozark County, all of which were filed within a three-month period last year. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/13/24

Willow Springs Community Foundation Director Dean Aye was recently named Citizen of the Year by the Willow Springs Chamber of Directors. Among his many accomplishments, Aye, in his role as foundation director, has championed the restoration of the McClellan Building on Main Street, deemed dangerous in 2020. In 2023, the foundation purchased the building from Main Street Willow Springs and work to repair the building is now underway.

Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce celebrates community with awards

The Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce presented nine awards during its annual banquet held Feb. 3 at Pine Meadows Venue on Highway 76 in Willow Springs. more

2/13/24

Willow Springs High School students, from left, Maddie Poor, Nolan Perkins and Seth Wake, with team leader Matt Knapp, will head to a national invention competition in November, according to district Communications Director Jenny Hayward. Early in February the team took first place at a state contest in Kansas City, competing against six other schools.

Willow Springs high schoolers to head to national invention contest in November

Over the weekend of Feb. 2 through 4, three Willow Springs High school students traveled to Kansas City with team leader Matt Knapp and sponsor Sabrina Lee to compete at Make48 on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, shared district Communications Director Jenny Hayward. Make48 is an invention competition in Which Willow Springs against six other schools from across the state. more

2/12/24

Candidates file for election to local governments, school boards

Filings for the April 2 Howell County election are complete and have been provided by the Howell County Clerk's office. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/12/24

Mtn. View council declines to affirm Judi Colter as alderwoman, new appointment to be made Tuesday

The Mtn. View City Council, during regular and special meetings, has passed its budget and voted to accept a bid attached to a Department of Natural Resources grant. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/7/24

Summersville man charged after high-speed chase near West Plains

A Summersville man who has been convicted of several felonies over the last 12 years now has a felony charge of resisting arrest by fleeing, creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death, after allegedly being the subject of a recent high-speed chase by law enforcement. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 2/6/24

Fifteen Willow Springs middle and high school students have been selected to the 2024 South Central Association All-Conference Honor Band. From left, middle schoolers Josiah Wade is seventh chair trumpet, Kayden Mayberry is seventh chair percussion, Oren Cable is eighth chair clarinet and Braylon Moore is eighth chair trumpet; high schooler Tate Cochran is third chair trombone; middle schooler Kaelyn Cooper is eighth chair percussion; high schooler Alli Pearson is ninth chair clarinet; middle schoolers Alli Killough is second chair alto sexophone, Emma McCary is third chair trombone and Brynlie Campbell-Holmes is seventh chair flute; high schooler Logan Mullins is eighth chair trumpet; middle schoolers Jazzily Slankard is fourth chair alto saxophone and Allisa Scanlon is eighth chair flute; high schooler Karis Cochran is third chair alto saxophone; and middle schooler Porter Casey is fourth chair trumpet.

15 from Willow Springs named to all-conference honor band

2/6/24

Two from WP accused of kidnapping teen, taking her to Tennessee

Two West Plains men each face a Douglas County charge of first-degree kidnapping while facilitating a felony after allegedly taking a 16-year-old girl from Douglas County to Tennessee. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 1/30/24

Community First Banking Company employees pay to wear jeans on Fridays and, each quarter, choose a charity to support with the proceeds raised. For the fourth quarter of 2023, bank staff chose to contribute to the Hammond Mill Camp Capital Improvement Campaign with a donation of $1,000. The capital improvement fundraising campaign kicked off in 2023 in celebration of the camp’s 75th anniversary. Hammond Mill Camp is located west of West Plains on CC Highway and offers a place for summer youth camps, weddings and family reunions. Operated by a board of directors, the camp has seen facility upgrades over the last year. Work continues as the camp moves toward its $160,000 fundraising goal. Find updates on Facebook, @hammondmill.camp. Donations can be made by mailing a check to the Board Of Directors at 139 Hammond Mill Drive, Pottersville, MO 65790, or going online to the nonprofit’s PayPal account at paypal.me/HMCamp65790. From left: Community First employees Kelly Slayton, Lyndsay Sellars and Ruth Li-Whittington, and Hammond Mill Camp Board members Robin Mustion, Thad White and Jacob Schmitt.

Community First employees donate to Hammond Mill Camp

1/30/24

Howell County Commission meets today, Tuesday

Howell County Commissioners are in session today, having convened at 10 a.m. in the conference room on the second floor of the county office building, 35 Court Square. more

1/29/24