Kimberly Langston

Misty D. Ryan, 47, West Plains, has been charged following a chase by Howell County deputies after she allegedly cut another woman with a knife during a struggle before stealing the woman’s vehicle.

Dr. Wes Davis, superintendent of the West Plains R-7 school district, was the featured speaker of the September Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, and gave a PowerPoint presentation showcasing improvements to facilities and safety measures, various academic and training programs, and the financial health of the district.

With a focus on sustainability and passing down traditional food preparation methods, the Eric and Amelia LaMair of Flotsam Farm were recently awarded a grant used to raise sorghum cane and process it into syrup using traditional methods, including a horse-drawn cane press and boiling down the syrup over an open flame for hours.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and in an effort to bring awareness to mental health and offer tools to prevent suicide, the Howell County Suicide Prevention Network and Community Partnership of the Ozarks (CPO) recently came together to sponsor an event to that end.

Supporters of the 37th Judicial CASA were treated to dinner and a show for a good cause the evening of Sept. 7 with the child advocacy organization’s yearly fundraiser. The production this year was "How to Enchant a Bookshop" by Todd Wallinger, performed by members of the STAR Foundation and directed by Rebecca Peterson.

The keen observer may notice tree leaves have begun to turn color.

Domestic violence is a problem everywhere, and each year during October, awareness of the need for education, prevention and resources for victims is brought to the forefront as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

During his yearly State of the University address, Missouri State University-West Plains Chancellor Dennis Lancaster provided an overview of enrollment and degree success, recent program and facilities expansions, and some thoughts about future recruitment and retention.

Birthday Blessings, which gets its name from the party supplies and gifts given to foster children on their birthdays, is also committed to other types of support for children of all ages during other important milestones in their lives, from newborns to teens moving out on their own for the first time.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and Missouri Highway Patrol Troop G will implement a Travel Safe Zone on two sections of U.S. 63 south of West Plains, starting Nov. 4.