When someone tells me that they have seen something that makes them think of me, it’s always kind of fun to see what that something is. Sometimes that item is a moose or a Snoopy or a plant, but usually it is an item related to recycling and most likely it is about reusing. My friend, Anna Miller, recently sent me an article on reusing toilet paper rolls as starter pots for plants. She knows me! She knows I love plants and reusing, so she got 2 points for her effort. You can use toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls. Simply cut them into about 2” sections. On one end, make four ½”-¾” cuts equally spaced apart. Fold them towards the inside of the cardboard tube and tape. Fill with your favorite potting mix, add a seed and water and there you go! Obviously they won’t last forever, but they should last long enough for your seed to get a head start before you transplant it into its new home. Thanks to Anna for reminding me of this idea to share. Now if I could just get her to get a little more involved in recycling and visiting the recycling center… more

In terms of scenic signs of spring in the Ozarks, eastern redbud trees and flowering dogwoods are at the top of most people’s lists. more

The 2025 Halfway and Goodson All-School Reunion will be held on April 19 and promises to be an unforgettable event for all alumni and current or past school staff. more

CIVIL PETITIONS more

The Polk County Republican Central Committee will be hosting its annual Lincoln Day Banquet on Thursday, April 3, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Elks Lodge in Bolivar. This event is an opportunity to visit with Polk County and state officeholders. more

Wednesday, April 2 more

The regular monthly meeting of the Polk County Genealogical Society will be held Thursday, April 3. The program for the evening, “Cruising the Rhine, a European Viking Cruise” will be presented by Michelle Bates and Maria Kallenbach. The meeting is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. with a short business meeting and those fun trivia questions. Come join us at the PCGS Research Facility on the southeast corner of the Square. more

Dust off your boots and get ready to paint the town as the Missouri Beef Days Fashion Show is bringing country style to an exciting new location. The fourth annual fashion show, sponsored by Craig Lehman Shelter Insurance, will take the stage at The Bello Venue on Thursday, April 3. A true showcase of country elegance, the fashion show will feature the hottest trends in cowboy fashion from local merchants - just in time for Missouri Beef Days. more

Featured at Thursday’s April 3 Community Connections breakfast more

Citizens Memorial Hospital and the CMH Addiction Recovery Program in Bolivar welcome licensed clinical social worker Justin Johns, MSW, LCSW, to the medical staff. more

Bolivar’s Board of Aldermen is hosting a town hall meeting from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at Bolivar City Hall to discuss utility services in Bolivar. more

It is once again time to honor Bolivar’s greatest servants. more

Buck Shockley has been named the next superintendent of the Fair Play R-II school district. more

Boys more

Bolivar head coach Darrin Ankrom and his staff have their team up and running the first week of the season. more

The Lady Liberators wrapped up week one of the spring soccer season with three competitive games in 24 hours at the Branson Tournament, taking home a second place finish in the championship match Saturday, March 29. more

Quade Wheelbarger was the winner of the gift card to Brenda’s Cafe after winning the March I-Spy game, correctly guessing Westlake Ace Hardware. Quade is proof that reading the paper doesn’t just provide you with news and entertainment, it can pay off as well. more

Free workshop will have in-person and virtual options for attendance. more

Most days I wish I could turn off the evening news, but I can’t. more

Lindley Creek will be in concert Sunday, April 13, at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Bolivar in the main auditorium. A family-based Bluegrass band, Lindley Creek has performed regularly at Silver Dollar City and toured in recent years. The concert, sponsored by FBC's Esquire Ministry, is free to the public. more

How well do you know Polk County? more

Buford and Buddy live up the road from me. They are inseparable. You don’t see one without the other. Buford is Buddy’s best friend and an old farmer. Buddy is Buford’s best friend and a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Beagle. more

On March 27, Curtis Benenhaley was sentenced to 24 years in prison for his October conviction of sex charges. more

Deaths more

Sidney Joe Lurten more