Local News


Claire Turner, 9, daughter of Ashley Turner and Jeremy Hughes, visited with Santa Claus at Gainesville Elementary School's special choir performance Friday night. Santa will be visiting Ozark County again in the next couple weeks. Photo courtesy Darla Sullivan.
Santa Claus came to town Friday might, visiting Gainesville Elementary School during the special choir’s performance of ’Twas One Crazy Night Before Christmas. He’s coming back this week and next, and through the magic of Christmas (and perhaps some  rocketing reindeer), he’ll be making...

When the 17-year-old mini-van owned by Krista Cofer and her fiance Justin Ledbetter broke down a couple of weeks ago, Justin spent 16 hours trying to fix it. He pulled it up close to the couple’s Theodosia home so it could be plugged into a battery charger. On Dec. 1, that connection is believed to have started a fire that destroyed the vehicle – and might have destroyed their home if passers-by hadn’t noticed the 3 a.m. fire and rushed to wake them.
Richard and Mareshah Taber enjoyed playing cards and visiting with friends at their lakehouse near Lost Woods Golf Course in Theodosia late Friday night, Nov. 30. If that Friday had been like “99 percent” of the many evenings they’ve enjoyed at their lakehouse, Mareshah Taber said, they would have...

Steve Richards
After leading the Dora R-III School District for five years, Steve Richards will be moving to the Seymour School District after the end of this school year. His last day at Dora will be June 30, Richards told the Times Monday. “It was kind of tough,” he said, describing the decision to leave. “This...

Weather permitting, Cow-boy Rick Hamby of Caulfield will bring his “Journey Stage” along for his presentation at the Ozark County Historium at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 13.
At 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, Cowboy Rick Hamby of Caulfield will visit the Historium, and, weather permitting, he plans to bring along his famous “Journey Stagecoach,” which he and his crew have driven on several westward journeys in recent years.  Hamby, who presents a radio program entitled ...

Robert Peat Jr. and Rebecca Ruud
A jury trial set for Jan. 28, 2019, in the murder case against Theodosia resident Rebecca Ruud has been rescheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 9, 2019, as the number one setting for that day. Ruud was charged with murdering her 16-year-old daughter Savannah Leckie and disposing of her body after the girl’...
Vicki and Jerry Richardson’s property on County Road 585 in Bakersfield sustained serious damage during fierce winds that swept through the area early Saturday morning. Vicki Richardson said she heard a loud roar around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, and she looked out the window of their mobile home to see...

Brother J.D. Wray, left, and stepmom Nancy Wray cut the ribbon Nov. 28 to open Evie’s Playground, a new installation of playground equipment at Lutie School honoring second-grader Evie Wray, who died in 2008. Times photo/Jessi Dreckman.
On Wednesday, Nov. 28, surrounded by students, faculty members and family, stepmother Nancy Wray and brother J.D. Wray snipped a bright pink ribbon, officially opening Evie’s playground, a new installation of playground equipment at Lutie Elementary School dedicated to the memory of  Evie Wray, an...

Starr Meyers was part of the “Candy Land” float created by Girl Scouts Troop 71227 for last year’s Jingle Bell Parade.This year’s Christmas events in Gainesville have been canceled due to predicted bad weather.
Gainesville’s annual holiday celebration, “Wonders of Christmas,” including the Mr. and Miss Merry Christmas contest, scheduled for this Saturday, Dec. 8, has been canceled. Organizers made the decision late Tuesday morning after after discussing the predicted wintry weather that’s forecast for the...

Eli Strain, 15, son of David Strain and Lynn Stone, killed this 8-point buck with a .30-.30 rifle during the recent firearms deer season.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested a near-record 199,427 deer during the November portion of fall firearms deer season Nov. 10-20.  Of the 199,427 deer harvested, 102,930 were antlered bucks, 19,924 were button bucks, and 76,...

Ozark County Jail booking photo
Gainesville resident Amanda Forrest, 40, is ordered to report to the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department Dec. 13 to be transported to the Missouri Department of Corrections, where she is to complete a 120-day shock prison sentence. Forrest will also have a five-year back-up sentence available for the...

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Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423