Howell's It Going, Episode 5, March 20, 2024

Hello and welcome to Howell’s It Going. This is your news round up on what’s happening in your community. I’m Amanda Mendez, and this is your news.

 

The Knights of Columbus will be hosting their final Lenten Fish Fry at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Willow Springs this Friday on March 22nd. The meal will consist of your choice of a fish or shrimp dinner with french fries, cole slaw, beans, hushpuppies, dessert, and a drink for Twelve Dollars. They have dine in and carry out options and dinner will be served from 4 p.m. To 6 p.m.

 

 

The Total Solar Eclipse is less than three weeks away and the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be visiting the West Plains Civic Center during the city's Party in the Path. The eight-horse hitch that is the symbol of Anheuser-Busch since 1933 will be in West Plains from April 4th through April 6th.

 

On Thursday, April 4th, the Gentle Giants will parade around the Southern Hills Shopping center beginning at 3 p.m.

 

On Friday, April 5th, one of the Clydesdales will be shown before the 38 Special and Ozark Mountain Daredevils concert at the Civic Center.

 

And on Saturday, April 6th, The Budweiser Clydesdales will lead the Neon Parade starting at 7:30 p.m. On Main Street.

 

If you have not seen the Clydesdales before, these horses are large. Standing 18 hands high, roughly six feet, at the shoulder and weighing an average of two thousand pounds. The horses selected to be part of the Budweiser team must have a gentle temperament, as they meet millions of people each year.

 

 

With elections right around the corner, Howell County News will be hosting a candidate forum for the Willow Springs R-IV School Board on March 27th at 6p.m. In Grimes Auditorium. 

 

The candidates will answer moderated questions submitted the night of the event, as well as any questions submitted in advance.

 

This event is free to attend and is open to all stakeholders in the Willow Springs School District. Submit your advance questions by email to editor@howellcountynews.com.

 

The event will be livestreamed on the newspaper's Facebook page for those who cannot attend in person. Questions will not be accepted from participants in the livestream.

 

 

The Mountain View City Council ground to a halt during its March 12 meeting and ended nearly as fast as it began after Mayor John Krasuski asked sitting Alderwoman Brenda Colter to step down.

 

Mayor Krasuski interrupted the meeting and asked City Attorney Deedra Nicholson to explain why the alderwoman had to be removed immediately. Nicholson quoted Missouri Constitutional law regarding nepotism.

 

When Alderwoman Brenda Colter voted in favor of her first cousin by marriage, Judi Colter, to join the council instead of abstaining from the vote, Brenda’s alderman's seat was forfeit. Judi Colter had been removed from her appointed seat the month before over the same nepotism concerns. 

 

As this left the City Council with two sitting members, Alderman Vandevort made a motion to end the meeting. The motion was seconded by Alderman Vines and the meeting was over.

The remaining Council Members met March 19 to make sure the city bills are paid and to keep the city moving forward.

 

According to the City Attorney, the city will hold the election as normal and someone will be appointed and affirmed, at the council's discretion, to fill Alderwoman Brenda Colter's now vacant seat.

 

 

Last week, Family Dollar and its parent company, Dollar Tree, announced the closure of more than one thousand stores. This will include the Willow Springs location, one of hundreds of underperforming stores nationwide. 

 

Liquidation sales began Monday, with the entire store's stock fifty percent off. The sales will continue at discount rates of seventy-five to ninety percent off until the store closes. Shoppers report long wait times. 

 

Unless the corporation reverses its decision, the Willow Springs Family Dollar is in its final weeks.

 

 

Earlier this month, Howell County News reported on a John Doe who was arrested in the Koshkonong area after he allegedly assaulted a Sheriff's Deputy responding to a dispute about goats. The man has now been identified as sixty-year-old James Michael Barnes.

 

Barnes is charged with third-degree assault of a special victim, disarming a police officer, and resisting arrest. He is being held in the Howell County Jail on a Twenty Thousand Dollar Corporate Surety Only bond. Barnes has a bond and preliminary hearing scheduled for April 2nd

 

 

The Willow Spring School District Board of Education approved the purchase of a new school bus for the upcoming fiscal year, approved the resignation of the former head football coach, and the hire of a new assistant coach during its March meeting.

 

The new bus is a 71-passenger 2025 Bluebird Vision and will be bought at the cost of $120,870 from Central Bus Sales. 

 

Former Willow Springs head football coach Travis Payne and his wife Jennifer, who is a high school math teacher, had their resignations accepted during the board meeting. There has not been any announcement of Coach Payne's replacement but, a man with a familiar family name is joining the coaching staff. Ian Ary, son of legendary coach Steve Ary, has been hired as an assistant football coach and as the new high school body conditioning teacher.

 

 

In state politics, District 154 Representative David Evans announced he was not going to run for re-election. On March 14th, Willow Springs resident Lisa Durnell filed to run as a Republican for Evan's seat.

 

Durnell worked as an appraiser for thirty-one years, eight of that being a staff appraiser for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

 

Larry Lindemann of West Plains filed to run against her on March 20, also as a Republican. Lindemann is a retired educator, and in introductory article will appear in the next edition of the newspaper and online at Howell County news dot com. 

 

 

I’m Amanda, and this has been Howell’s It Going.