Community News | West Plains Daily Quill

"We always say once a Zizzer, always a Zizzer. We talk about the Zizzer family, and in true Zizzer fashion the Zizzer family wants to help the family of Connor Lair," West Plains R-7 School Board President Jim Thompson said at the beginning of the board’s September meeting. A check for $10,000 was presented to the Lair family by the board, including gate proceeds from the Sept. 15 Homecoming game, donations from Rolla High School, passing a football helmet to collect cash donations and purple sticker sales. Lair is a 2022 West Plains High School graduate and Zizzer football standout who was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He is now attending Missouri State University in Springfield, playing football for the Bears, and has begun treatment at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. From left: board member Reid Grigsby, Vice President Cindy Tyree and member Brian Mitchell; Lair's grandmother Carolyn Honeycutt; Zizzer Athletics and Activities Director Ashley Cooley; and board member Christena Coleman, Thompson and member Jodi Purgason.

R-7 School Board presents $10K check to Lair family

9/26/23

Inaugural event held Friday to recognize Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

September is suicide awareness and prevention month, and local mental health professionals and representatives of government and law enforcement met Friday evening for a public event to draw attention to resources. The event focused on prevention of the use of firearms in suicide attempts, including an emphasis on youth ages 12 through 20 and former or active military service members. more

By KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/26/23

93-year-old woman missing from Mtn. View

The Mtn. View Police Department on Tuesday morning issued an endangered person advisory for Effie Maxine Holden, 93, who police say has been missing since noon Monday. more

9/26/23

WP Chamber sets date for Christmas Parade

The West Plains Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade will take place at 4 p.m. Dec. 9. This year’s Parade theme is “The Joys of Christmas,” and the procession will once again make its way through downtown. more

9/26/23

DAR calls for volunteers, sponsors to support Wreaths Across America ceremony

At 11 a.m. Dec. 16, Wreaths Across America will be at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1019 E. Third St. in Mtn. View, to remember and honor local veterans buried there. The cemetery has 184 veterans laid to rest. more

9/26/23

On Tuesday, Christos House Interim Executive Director Kelli Neel and Resale Manager Missy Street attended the Community Foundation of the Ozarks' Agency Partner Appreciation Luncheon at the White River Conference Center in Springfield. Neel and Street, representing Christos House, were presented with a check for $10,000 as part of meeting the foundation's endowment fundraising challenge. Between mid-July and mid-August, Christos House raised over $15,000 in sales and donations, in order to get an extra $10,000 to be donated to its endowment by the CFO. From left: CFO President and CEO Brian Fogle, board member Sarah Honeycutt of Cabool, Neel, Street and CFO board member Lynne Meyerkord of Springfield.

Christos House meets CFO Endowment Match Challenge  

Christos House successfully completed the special 50th anniversary Endowment Match Challenge set by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, officials have announced. more

9/25/23

Police: Two women report indecent exposure at WP park

James M. Meese, 37, West Plains, has been charged with two counts of first-degree sexual misconduct, repeat offense, after allegedly exposing his genitals to two women in separate incidents at Georgia White Walking Park in West Plains. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/25/23

WPMS Principal Donnie Miller to transition to transportation director role

The West Plains R-7 School Board has appointed West Plains Middle School Principal Dr. Donnie Miller as the district transportation director, effective July 1, 2024. more

9/25/23

Amid a backdrop of vintage decor, attendees of the "Murder at the Malt Shop" dinner theater event share a moment of applause on Sept. 9. The near-capacity crowd, draped in the warm glow of stage lights, came together in a heartwarming display of community support, raising $19,300 for the children aided by the 37th Judicial CASA. In the foreground, a captivated audience is visibly moved by the theatricals, with Executive Director Connie Pendergrass, beaming with pride, addressing the gathering.

‘Murder at the Malt Shop’: A grand dinner theatre success for CASA

An evening of theatrical delight paired with a noble cause recently took center stage as the "Murder at the Malt Shop" dinner theater event captivated a near-capacity audience, raising a commendable $19,300 for the children supported by the 37th Judicial Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). more

BY CHRIS HERBOLSHEIMER, CHRISH@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/22/23

Leonardo DRS donates to Pedal the Cause

9/22/23

R-7 board to attend regional MSBA meeting at Richards

The Missouri School Board Association’s Fall Regional Meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Richards School, 3461 County Road 1710 in West Plains. more

9/22/23

Downtown businesses invited to join fall decorating contest

The West Plains Optimist Club is introducing a Neighborly Fall Display Contest for local business owners around Court Square in West Plains. more

9/22/23

West Plains City Council members met for their regular monthly meeting Monday evening and made short work of passing several ordinance changes and approving resolutions. From left: council members Johnny Murrell and Jessica Nease, Mayor Mike Topliff, council members John Niesen and Greg Collins and City Administrator Sam Anselm. City Attorney Charles Cantrell sat in on the proceedings remotely.

WP City Council passes 7 bills in short meeting

Despite a brief meeting Monday evening, West Plains City Council members got a lot accomplished by approving changes to three ordinances and four resolutions on topics from income-based housing to the wastewater treatment plant. more

9/21/23

Baseball field lease tabled; Mtn. View to hold Wreaths Across America celebration in Dec.

A contract between the Mtn. View-Birch Tree School Board and the city of Mtn. View to lease the Herb Henry baseball field was discussed during the council’s September meeting, but Mtn. View City Council members decided to table the issue until their October meeting in order to give school board members time to review the contract. more

9/21/23

W.S. council to appoint Public Safety committee members

Members of the Willow Springs City Council will hold their regular monthly meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. today at city hall council chambers, 900 W. Main St. in Willow Springs. All are welcome to attend. more

9/21/23

Richards School Board to discuss playground expansion tonight

The Richards School Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. today in the school boardroom for its regular monthly session. more

9/21/23

West Plains Bank and Trust Company recently donated $5,000 to the Lincoln School Project. Renovation and fundraising efforts to restore the 103-year-old building are being led by West Plains residents Crockett and Tonya Oaks. The former Black-only school in West Plains will transform into a cultural center for the community. Once complete, the space will serve as a home for events and offer educational resources that honor the building and all it symbolizes. From left: Lincoln School property owner Crockett W. Oaks III, West Plains Bank and Trust Company Board Chairman S. David Gohn, Crockett W. Oaks, Jr., and West Plains Bank and Trust Company President/CEO David M. Gohn.

West Plains Bank and Trust gives $5K to Lincoln School Project

West Plains Bank and Trust Company recently donated $5,000 to the Lincoln School Project. more

9/19/23

WP team once again to to make showing at 9-11 Stair Climb event

A team from the West Plains area will once again join other firefighters and civilians in honoring the memories of those that perished in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and help raise funds for support services provided to family members of all firefighters that die in the line of duty. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/19/23

Man arrested after allegedly threatening ex-wife and lawyers over custody dispute

Blake Osgood, 38, West Plains, has been charged with making a terroristic threat in the first degree, a class D felony, and resisting or interfering with arrest for a felony, a class E felony, after reportedly threatening his ex-wife, plus judges and attorneys, and trying to take his children from his ex-wife in defiance of a custody order. more

BY KIMBERLY LANGSTON, KIMBERLYL@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 9/19/23

West Plains Mayor Mike Topliff met with representatives of the Focus on Babies Diaper Resource Center (DRC), based in West Plains, to proclaim this week Diaper Need Awareness Week. The proclamation is intended to bring attention to the typical expense of keeping babies in clean, dry, diapers. The resource center aims to bring awareness to the health and well-being benefits of keeping infants and toddlers in clean diapers, encourage donors to contribute to the cause and remind families in need that help is available. Distributing agencies include His Place House of Worship Diaper Ministry, Martha Vance Samaritan Outreach Center, Christos House Outreach, the Howell County Health Department, 37th Division Children’s Services, Ozark Action Early Head Start, Pregnancy Resource Center and the Chaos Closet. Those in need should contact the agencies directly. To find out how to donate, send an email to diaperresourcecenter@gmail.com, call 417-256-6147, or send monetary donations by mail at P.O. Box 1773, West Plains, MO 65775. From left, DRC volunteer Paula Speraneo, Vice President Kay Mead, Topliff, DRC volunteer Candace Stockton and President Randa Hugg.

Mayor Topliff declares Diaper Need Awareness Week in WP

9/19/23