Local News
On General Municipal Election ballots across Ozark County, voters will see a question asking whether or not to pass a local “use tax” for the Ozark County Ambulance District.
If you’re going into the voting box without much research, it may be hard to make an informed decision based on the tangled...
The Gainesville School District has announced it has hired Melissa Dalton as the new principal of the elementary school for the 2026-27 school year. She brings more than a decade of experience and with her and a strong personal connection to the district.
Dalton began her teaching career with the...
photo submitted In an attempted heist of the outdoor ATM machine at Stockmens Bank in Gainesville last week, an unknown suspect wrapped a chain around the machine and ripped it from its normal location. The dark marks near the lower right side of the photo show the path the machine made after being removed. When the sheriff and deputies arrived, the ATM was still connected to the truck, which had been abandoned attempting to go up the hill at Baker Street, the street shown to the left of the parking lot here, not far from the parking lot exit.
Before dawn broke over Gainesville last Thursday, (03/26/26) the sound of metal tearing and engines revving marked a brazen attempt to steal an ATM, one that ended abruptly with a truck abandoned in the street, passenger’s door still open, and the machine left behind.
The attempted heist occurred...
Photo by Ed Doiron Although this barn was a total loss, firefighters from eight different area volunteer fire departments saved a nearby house and several other outbuildings last Wednesday in Gainesville. In total, the fire burned about 80 acres.
One look at this week’s (03/25/26) Ozark County Sheriff’s Department dispatch report is enough to make a local residents grateful for the county’s volunteer firefighters, men and women who receive no pay, yet drop everything at a moment’s notice to respond to a neighbor in need.
It also underscores...
After retiring from the Extension service in 2008, Vance happily spent most of his time on his farm near his family. From left: daughter-in-law Casey Hambelton, Vance, grandsons Bryce and Andrew Hambelton, son Brian Hambelton and daughter Renee Hambelton.
Friends and family continue to mourn for Vance Hambelton, still shocked by his unexpected death related to an untreatable brain bleed at 1:20 a.m. Monday, March 2.
Vance, 79, was widely known throughout the area for his eight years of teaching vocational agriculture at Dora High School followed by...
Jamie Wyman
The local community showed up in a big way for the benefit auction and chili supper for Jamie Wyman, beloved owner of the J’s Grill food truck. By the end of Saturday night, nearly $43,000 raised.
“I was so overwhelmed by the outpouring of support,” Wyman said after the event. “Small town USA may...
Gainesville resident Tyelor Estes is featured in this article in the January/February 2026 Bear Hunting magazine detailing his Oct. 19, 2025, experience harvesting Ozark County’s first bear in Missouri’s modern black bear season. Data from a microchip showed that the 320-pound black bear boar was three and a half years old.
Caught halfway up a tree with his bow still on the ground and his rifle slung over his shoulder, Tyelor Estes froze as a massive black bear stepped into view just 20 yards away.
Moments later, the Gainesville hunter would make Ozark County history.
That intense moment occurred last fall when...
During the March 10, Gainesville City Council meeting, a new housing ordinance was passed, replacing the city’s former one. The new ordinance requires homes within the Gainesville city limits to be at least 900 square feet on the main level, replacing the former language that stated the square...
The Gainesville Fire Department is hosting a “Handling LP Gas Emergencies” class from 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 17-18, at Gainesville fire house building. The course is a state certified class that earns college credit. “LP gas is a potential hazard present in most communities and a complete understanding...
Jim Britt
Current Eastern District Commissioner Jim Britt has signed up to run for presiding commissioner, a move that came when current Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton made the decision to let his term expire at the end of 2026.
Newton announced his decision early Monday morning.
“It is with deep...