Now I said that Branson doesn’t bog ourselves down with focus groups but in the year 2020, we did hire a consulting firm called Sound Diplomacy to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of our music industry.

The early rains came down again, like they always do this time of year. The grass greens. The daffodil blooms, reminder that no matter the crazy outrage of the day, there is solace in new life, again and again. It seems the world begins anew each year with water running over stone. I am playing again in the water at the little culvert under the driveway. The little pool that formed was shaded by watchful black locust trees and friendly honeysuckle and yet still the pool was

For nearly two weeks, Mexican guns endlessly fired on the fort. Despite the brave work of the Alamo’s leader, Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis, to send out urgent letters asking for help, no real aid ever came.

The Monster Energy Team Challenge is a new PBR Teams showcase held during the 2026 PBR Unleash The Beast (UTB) season

This is a service the city offers at no cost to help residents properly dispose of large, unwanted items that are not typically picked up by trash haulers

Education news from schools around the Tri-Lakes

Volunteers are need to help make this event successful. Your participation helps fund Missouri National Archery in the Schools Programs (MoNASP) and conservation programs in Missouri.

Guests are welcome to come and go at their convenience, anytime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on both days. A safe and shaded viewing area will be provided at the construction site.

The staff and cast of Freedom Encounter Theater are excited to announce their 2026 season opening on Tuesday, March 17. You’ll want to check out new informational displays in the theater lobby, and plan to enjoy the Freedom Journey Experience, with tours featuring the Colonial church, Colonial schoolhouse and Liberty Theater. Tours are available at 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, or by appointment. Also in the works for 2026 will be a special children’s version of the F

On Thursday, February 26, Christian Action Ministries hosted a Lunch & Learn session to introduce the Taney and Stone County Data Dashboard. Following an introduction and brief explanation of the new tool by Michele Dean of CAM, the session featured an interactive online tutorial and opportunity for Q & A with Jordan Rhodes of the Missouri University Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES). CARES, established in 1992, helps collect and organize data rela

This column previously reviewed a riveting novel by Liz Lazarus, in which the main character navigates the continued fear and the twists and turns of the legal system following a vicious attack. Now, the Atlanta-based author delivers her fourth novel, a psychological thriller in which a ruthless and treacherous boyfriend-turned-stalker embroils a daughter in a battle for guardianship of her elderly mother. “Dawn Before Darkness” is the story of Dawn Smith, a veterinarian

In spite of all that, Paul encourages the Philippians to rejoice. Why? Because “the Lord is near!” Our hope is for eternity, so our rejoicing should be “in the Lord,” regardless of this life’s circumstances.

Hermen believes the financial impact of this gathering is going to be massive for local businesses as they enjoy everything Branson has to offer.

In my microscopic “surface search” for the cool and the “not so hot” (pun intended!) coffee manufacturers, let’s just say that I have “seen the light!” I will start with some primary definition to enable you to more clearly absorb what is being said about the various brands. My source for this column is from YouTube: “8 US Coffee Brands to Avoid.” Ochratoxin A: A highly toxic mold-produced mycotoxin (from Aspergillis and Penecillium) that contaminates food commodities, wo

Cactus Mack was born near the New Mexico and Texas line in Weed, New Mexico, August 8, 1899. He came from a performing family, worked as a cowboy at the O-Bar-O Ranch near Willcox, Arizona, and was remembered as a talented musician, versatile with several instruments, guitar and fiddle in particular

Nathan Bedford Forrest went from an enlisted private to a Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army during the war.

If there's plenty of water, they move up the tributaries and streams at the slightest warming of the currents that call them.