Local News


A dedicated group of volunteers Volunteers who helped with the 2021 Ozark, Douglas and Wright Counties foster care Christmas event were from left, back row: Susan Landers, Destiney Hutseel, Jessica Shannon, Stacey Mathews, Candace Mayberry (dressed as Cindy Lou Who), Stacy Garrison (dressed as the Grinch), Brianne Bryson, Jody Ford, Dina Algarva, Kathy Oetting, Kayla Premer, Tamara Collins, and Jennifer Heidi. Front row: Kelly Turner, Kendra Ritchie, Crystal Bender, Santa Claus, Melanie Hanger. Mrs. Claus and Amanda Shannon. All volunteers pictured, other than Santa and Mrs. Claus, Mayberry and Garrison, are Division of Family Service Children’s Division employees.
More than 200 foster children and their foster families from Ozark, Douglas and Wright Counties attended the annual foster care Christmas event Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Ava Assembly of God Church.  This year’s walk-through Christmas event was themed after Whoville, the town in which all the who-...

After the Jingle Bell Parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus, with a little help from Connelly Dunnerman and Teresa Weber O’Dell (wink, wink), visited with children in the gazebo. The kids seemed to love their visits with the North Pole duo. (More photos on the Ozark County Times Facebook page)
The Gainesville square was transformed into a Christmas wonderland fit for a Dickens’ novel Friday night, Dec. 10, setting the stage for the widely attended 2021 Wonders of Christmas festival.  Under twinkling Christmas lights and decor, festival attendees enjoyed horse-drawn carriage rides,...

Jessi Dreckman, right, becomes editor of the Ozark County Times this week with the retirement of Sue Ann Jones, left, who has held the editor’s job since 2011. Jones will continue to write features and will take over the Times Past column, which has been compiled since 2008 by her sister, Mary Ruth Luna Sparks, who is stepping down from that assignment.
Jessi Dreckman steps into the role of Ozark County Times editor this week, following the retirement of Sue Ann Jones, who has held the job since 2011.  Dreckman is a 2005 graduate of Gainesville High School who graduated summa cum laude from Drury University in 2010 with a degree in writing and...

Husband and father Bakersfield business teacher Damon Sewell and his wife, Lisa, will celebrate their 10th anniversary next year. They’re pictured here with their two children, Eli and Lily.
Bakersfield High School business teacher Damon Sewell is very familiar with the small Ozark County community of 270 people, having grown up in Bakersfield and graduated from high school there and then returning to the district after college to teach students in his hometown.    Being a positive...
A new fund has been launched in the Ozark County Community Foundation with the goal of encouraging Gainesville property owners to complete repairs and maintenance work on their homes to improve curb appeal while also increasing their property’s value. OCCF board president Kerrie Zubrod said the...
Tecumseh resident Matthew Weatherman, left, was sworn in last week as the new Ozark County Prosecuting Attorney by Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise. Weatherman was appointed to the position by 44th Judicial Circuit Judge Craig Carter to fulfill the remaining year in retiring prosecutor John Garrabrant...

Dashing down the square in a one-horse open sleigh During the Wonders of Christmas festival Friday, Dec. 10, Ed and Liz Wills, newly settled Tecumseh residents and owners of GE Carriages, will be offering horse-drawn carriage rides from Real Life Church’s booth, located in the parking lot of Century Bank on the north side of the Gainesville square. The rides will be $10 each (the carriage can fit up to four family members comfortably) and will go from the Century Bank parking lot, around the east side of the square and down to the MFA Oil office, where the carriage will turn around and return to the starting point. The Willses recently relocated from Arizona, where they operated a horse-drawn carriage business for many years. Ed told the Times they will use the carriage, pictured above, with a black horse. GE Carriages is available for hire for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions. Contact the business at 520-235-2829 for more information.
Brandon Tanksley, pastor at Real Life Church in Gainesville, said recently that the church is partnering with GE Carriages to offer horse-drawn carriage rides at the Wonders of Christmas Festival, which begins at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, in Gainesville. The rides will be offered from 5 to 7 p.m.,...

Breakfast with Santa Charli Stevens and Santa Claus smile for the camera during the Breakfast with Santa event during Bakersfield’s “A Toyland Christmas” festival Saturday.
The Bakersfield Festival Committee hosted its annual Christmas festival and parade Saturday, Dec. 4. This year’s theme was “A Toyland Christmas.” “I am so proud of the community members that came out and supported the awesome kiddos who are still up to having some fun!” said Bakersfield resident...

Retiring prosecutor John Garrabrant was sworn in last week as a special prosecutor by Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise Dec. 1. Garrabrant is serving, unpaid, as a special prosecutor through the month of December to help newly appointed Ozark County Prosecutor Matthew Weatherman transition into the role. See related story about Weatherman, page 3.
John Garrabrant, who has served as Ozark County Prosecutor for the last five years, has transitioned into a temporary role as an assistant prosecutor for the month of December, which will be followed by his retirement at the beginning of the year.  Garrabrant and newly appointed Ozark County...

C-N-A Creations will be at this year’s Wonders of Christmas festival with their hot cocoa bombs and other gift items. This photo was taken at their booth during last year’s festival.
Gainesville’s 2021 Wonders of Christmas festival is set to begin at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, with plenty of good things to eat, do and shop for.  Booth coordinator Allisa West said that in addition to the big line-up of parade floats and entries, this year’s vendor-booth count continues to grow. 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