Deaths more

Resolutions made at the start of a new year often focus on personal improvement. Giving up poor habits like smoking or drinking too much alcohol and losing weight through diet and exercise are some popular resolutions. more

Show us what you love about Polk County! more

How well do you know Polk County? more

The 40th SW MO Spring Forage Conference will be held Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield. more

Boys more

Christmas is over, but let us keep the Christmas story in our hearts all year. more

Many were blessed with a full Christmas dinner, Monday, Dec. 25, at Open Hearts United Methodist Church. It was a time to celebrate the season with family and friends. more

Thursday, Dec. 28 more

Citizens Memorial Hospital and CMH Rheumatology and Osteoporosis Center welcome Justin W. Reed, D.O., to the medical staff. more

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI — Missouri is home to 95,000 farms — the second highest number of farms per state in the country. Farming is a way of life for people here, one that is increasingly threatened by the effects of a changing climate. Now more than ever, reforming the ways farmers practice their craft is vital for survival. Earlier this year, MU implemented the $25 million, statewide Missouri CRCL Project — funding that more than half of is going directly to farmers in the form of eight tailored incentive payments to support the adoption of climate-smart practices. more

Citizens Memorial Hospital’s Addiction Recovery Program is featured in the online Rural Health Information Hub as a successful model for rural health care. more

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – On Dec. 19, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Jackson County, Governor Mike Parson celebrated the completion of his Focus on Bridges program that repaired or replaced 250 of the state's poorest bridges. Established in 2019, the Focus on Bridges program was one of Governor Parson's first major investments in transportation infrastructure. more

William Jewell College has announced the dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester. The honor recognizes students with a grade-point average of 3.7 or above enrolled in at least 14 hours. more

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, the sole supplier of blood, platelets, and plasma to patients at 44 area healthcare facilities, encourages community members to wrap up the year by saving lives. Give the gift of life at the blood drive in Bolivar on Thursday, Dec.r 28. Donors will receive a limited-edition cozy fleece blanket, while supplies last. Community Blood Center of the Ozarks donors provide all the blood for patients at Citizens Memorial Hospital, as well as over 40 other healthcare facilities across the Ozarks. Bolivar area residents will have the opportunity to donate at the following location: more

The Board of Directors of Polk County Christian Social Ministries wants to shout out a big THANK YOU to the people of Polk County for once again making our annual Share Your Christmas Program a huge success. We were able to give food and gifts to 393 families or a total of 1272 individuals. The generosity of people, businesses, organizations, churches and schools is amazing. Each year over 100 volunteers give of their time the week before and during the distribution. We couldn’t do it without you. more

Program will have information about sites that have eagle-viewing potential. more

As temperatures drop, it's important to make sure your furnace is in working order so you don’t have any chilly surprises. Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) has tips for finding a trustworthy contractor. more

The Bolivar Herald-Free Press invites residents to send their engagement, wedding, baby, and other milestone announcements. more

The Tri-County Baptist Group will hold its regular Fifth Sunday Service on Sunday, Dec. 31, at Sentinel Missionary Baptist Church in Polk County. more

It was an average day when I stepped outside. Neighbors worked in their yards; one raking and one mowing. They didn’t see me. Cars buzzed down the road and I noticed a lack of friendly Midwestern waves. I drove to a convenience store where other customers stood at the pumps to fill their tanks. One guy stared at his phone like a zombie. A woman watched her pump with a grimace as the cost climbed higher and higher. No eye contacts. No words. It was as if I had become invisible. more

Crows have been equally revered and reviled by humans throughout history. more

Lord willing, I’ll be 76 years old as of Saturday, Dec. 30 — exactly 60 years from the day I became old enough to legally drive on Missouri highways. more

“It is important to provide the latest information on beef cattle production, marketing, economics, nutrition and forage utilization,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Regional Livestock Field Specialist. Extension services from universities of Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Arkansas are providing a joint conference titled the KOMA Beef Cattle Conference. This year’s Missouri portion of the conference will be held on Feb. 12, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the MU Southwest Research Extension and Education Center, 14548 State Rd H, Mount Vernon, MO 65712. more

Changes include new all-day spring shooting hours on private land and proposed changes for fall archery and firearms hunting. more