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Golfers lined up and loaded up, ready to get on the course.


STAFF PHOTOS/LINDA SIMMONS

“Paws” for a good cause

“Our inaugural Putts for Paws golf outing was a great success due to an outpouring of donations from Bolivar area businesses,” said Amy Ridall Campbell, Polk County Humane Society board member.
Dr. Michael Methvin.


CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

New Superintendent Dr. Michael Methvin leads Bolivar School District into the 2024-2025 school year

The first day of school for the Bolivar School District is August 20, and this year, it will have a new leader at the helm. In February, Bolivar Schools announced that Dr. Michael Methvin was named the new superintendent after Dr. Richard Asbill announced he was retiring at the end of the year.
Presenting Parks with a commemorative plaque, Prosecutor Keaton Ashlock.


STAFF PHOTO/LINDA SIMMONS

John Parks serving the community for 21 l/2 years

After serving the community as the Regional Prosecutor for Child Support, John Parks is retiring. Parks has had the position since 2003 and has served the counties of Polk, Dallas, Hickory, Cedar, and Benton. Friday, July 26, colleagues, friends, and family, honored Parks at a reception at the Polk County courthouse. Stepping into the position is Jill Espelien.
Gathered around the familiar PCE truck: Front row left to right: Adam Glendenning, Rodney Taylor, Mike Wood, Lee Eversoll, Ken Kump, Bob Franklin and Jim Faulkner; second row, Dana Eversoll, Jamie Straight, and Josh Faulkner; third row, Brady Andrews, David Glendenning, Brad Andrews, Dan Roderick, and Alex Glendennning.


STAFF PHOTO/LINDA SIMMONS

Flipping the switch after nearly 80-years

In 1945 while Americans celebrated victory in Europe and Japan, back home, the newly formed Rural Electric Administration had put the brakes on its goal of providing electricity to every farmer in Missouri. Rationing and shortages of materials had held the focus of the nation for four long years. Now the REA was poised to begin an electrical revolution on the farm. Towns and cities had access to electricity but the farming communities had such sparse populations that they did not produce as much revenue per mile of line, therefore they went mostly unserved. Around 10% of the farms in the area had electricity. Twelve men from the Bolivar area were faced with a daunting task. They had to build the Southwest Electric Cooperative from the ground up by becoming its charter members. Talking up the benefits to thrifty farmers who had just survived the Great Depression, they were able to convince them to pay a $5 membership fee and the new members also encouraged their neighbors to sign up as well. Three members per mile were required if the REA was going to fund fully. The project that WWII had halted the progress of. But with the end of the war, came a demand for change. At one time, four thousand customers were on the waiting list to get electrical lines leading to their farms.
Election

Absentee ballots

The Polk County Clerk’s office will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and open through the lunch hour for absentee voting. Those casting a ballot by mail must make sure their written and signed request states the reason for voting absentee, and an address to where the ballot should be mailed. Those requesting ballots by mail must make sure their written request for a ballot arrives at the County Clerk’s office by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in order to be processed. The deadline for casting an absentee ballot in person at the County Clerk’s office is 5 p.m. the day before the election, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. The County Clerk’s office will also be open on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Current pasture conditions and possible improvements

If your pastures have an abundance of biennial or perennial weeds like spotted knapweed, wild parsnip, thistles, Canada thistle, and horse nettle, then fall is a good time to get a handle on these tough to control weeds.

Index

Deaths

Deaths

DEATHS

Bolivar Technical College Announces Exciting Lineup for Fall Food Trucks Event Series

Bolivar Technical College is thrilled to announce its Fall Food Trucks event series, kicking off Oct. 1, featuring a variety of popular food trucks serving up delicious eats throughout the month. This event is open to the public and will take place at the Bolivar Technical College campus, giving students, staff and the community a chance to enjoy some of the region's best food truck fare.
Sports

Bolivar Soccer Striking Up Success

Senior defender Connor McClelland clears the ball out of the backfield to shut down Parkview’s attack.


STAFF PHOTOS/ANNIE THOMAS
Bolivar soccer improved to 9-2 on the season after picking up two wins at home in the last week. With their only losses coming back-to-back in week two, the Liberators have since built an eight game winning streak that includes capturing a first place finish in the Willard Tournament after three difficult games with Logan Rogersville, Hillcrest, and the host team, Willard. Outscoring their opponents at nearly a 9 to 1 rate, the Liberators have tallied an impressive 35 goals on the season while allowing only four defensively.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Bearcats edge out the Blue Tigers

The SBU football team continued GLVC action last Saturday afternoon as they hosted the Lincoln Blue Tigers on homecoming. Behind a packed crowd full of former and present Bearcats, SBU edged out the Blue Tigers to 17-13. They pick up their first conference win of the season moving to 2-2 (1-1 GLVC).
Homecoming court seated left to right; Avery Hofstetter, Brodie Fugere, Ellen Garber, Queen Sydney Waters, Caitlyn Cribbs, Asa Scholten, Adelyn Seay. Standing left to right; Connor Neal, Mason McCurry, Gardner Casey, Maddux NeSmith, Garretson Cook, Brant Sawyers, Daniel Kozlowski.


STAFF PHOTO/BOB CAMPBELL

Liberators defend the royalty with a 47-13 win at homecoming

After a week of festivities including a homecoming dance, a parade and the crowning of the queen, the Bolivar Liberators went out for the coin toss with the Marshfield Bluejays.

MDC providing voluntary CWD testing sites in southwest Missouri

Voluntary drop-offs are locations that are in addition to mandatory CWD sites in November.
Kami Bryan stretches to reach the ball in her 8-6 singles win over Logan Rogersville.

Bolivar Tennis Building Momentum

The tennis Lady Liberators have seen competition in 9 of the last 16 days as they work to build momentum in the final weeks of the regular season. In just over two weeks, Bolivar collected medals at each of three tournaments and strung together three consecutive wins in regular matches with another set to play this week.

Bolivar Technical College Announces Exciting Lineup for Fall Food Trucks Event Series

Bolivar Technical College is thrilled to announce its Fall Food Trucks event series, kicking off Oct. 1, featuring a variety of popular food trucks serving up delicious eats throughout the month. This event is open to the public and will take place at the Bolivar Technical College campus, giving students, staff and the community a chance to enjoy some of the region's best food truck fare.

CMH Pediatric Clinic to offer drive-thru flu shot clinics

Citizens Memorial Hospital Pediatric Clinic will offer three drive-thru flu shot clinics for children ages 6 months through high school seniors on Thursday, Oct. 3, Tuesday, Oct. 8 and Thursday, Oct. 10 from 4-6 p.m. outside the clinic located at 1195 N. Oakland Avenue in Bolivar.
Basketball
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Coach spotlight - Wyketha Harrell

Wyketha Harrell enters her second season at the helm of the SBU women’s basketball team. She began her head coaching career as a Bearcat and made significant impact right away defeating rival and #12 ranked Drury University.

Rock Hill, S.C. – SBU women’s basketball head coach Wyketha Harrell is selected to participate in the NCAA College Basketball Academy. This event takes place on July 27-29, in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Harrell is one of the few coaches across Division II, Division II, NAIA, and junior college to be selected for this opportunity.
SBU athletics department announced Issac Scroggins and Kallyn Stumbo as this years’ Rex Brown award winners as announced at the 2nd annual Purple Carpet Premiere.
On Tuesday, March 5, the Bolivar Liberators were looking to bring the amazing energy and teamwork that powered them through the district tournament to the state sectional game with Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School of Columbia.
The Lady Knights of Polk County Christian School were recognized as state champions in division 4 for the girls Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association ( MCSAA) basketball state championship.
Opinion
For better or worse, late September this year is certainly the time for animated robot movies.
It’s time to find out what’s going on in there
I got my new license in the mail yesterday. I knew it would not be the best picture, but this monstrosity left me wondering about the vengeful nature of DMV workers.
I’ve been accused of living on my own planet, so I thought Planet Janet would be a catchy name for it. It’s certainly not an officially recognized galaxy, but I kind of like it here. My husband has often told me that I was an environmentalist, but the way he emphasized the mentalist part made me pretty sure it wasn’t always a compliment. All that aside, I do love this earth and this place on earth and am grateful to be here.
As of Monday, Sept. 30, my daughter Melissa’s mother, DeAnn, has been gone 30 years. The date is an important mile marker for me, my daughter, and all who remember Dee, but I let it pass with little notice, just a telephone call to Melissa.
School
As summer vacation comes to a close, it’s almost that time of year when parents rush to the stores for supplies and teachers dress up their classrooms to welcome back fresh-faced students.
While donations of supplies have poured in, organizers of Saturday’s Tenth Annual Polk County Back to School Extravaganza say more are always needed.
A Missouri State University student from Halfway was awarded for her success at the 2023 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 22-25.
Registration for all Humansville R-IV students will take place Aug. 9 through Aug.11, from 7:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration packets will be available for parent pick up starting Tuesday, Aug. 8.
Sullivan Bank in Pleasant Hope will be doing a school supply drive for the Pleasant Hope School District.
Business
Community Outreach Ministries (COM) is hosting its third annual “Polk County’s Got Talent” fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 5 at The Heights Church at 5:30 p.m.
How well do you know Polk County?
Southwest Baptist University partnered with SBU Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Make-A-Wish Foundation to create a special moment at the SBU football game Saturday, Sept. 21.
The Bolivar Elks were happy to be able to donate school supplies to two Polk County schools after receiving a $6,000 Beacon and Spotlight grant from the Elks National Foundation. The $6,000 was split between Fair Play R-II school and Humansville R-IV school.
Saturday, Oct. 5
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