By Don Lowe Anyone who enjoys getting lost in a fanciful fantasy world will find the upcoming Fairy Festival at Lendonwood Gardens in Grove, Oklahoma, a delightfully dazzling experience.  While the June 1 festival will have plenty of things to entice youngsters, Lendonwood Board of Directors President Pauline Hale says it’s not just for kids. “Children seem mesmerized at the idea of fairies, and what better place to celebrate them than in a beautiful garden? And, quite frankly, we think adults will enjoy it just as much as the children. The level of interest in the Fairy Festival has simp ..read more

By Don Lowe In mid-May, hundreds of classic and late-model Corvettes will cruise into Joplin, for a week-long celebration with the 65th annual National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) Convention taking center stage.  Jeff Bruggeman, who helped organize and coordinate this convention along with his wife, Mary Lou, says, “It’s exciting that Joplin will host an event with people traveling from all over the country to participate in it.   “We have rented Mo-Kan Dragway for a day and will hold class elimination drags, bracket drags and matching times drags for registrants. As with a ..read more

By Don Lowe The 13th and final Freeman Joplin Memorial Run (JMR) is set for Saturday, May 18, and Race Director Ruth Sawkins, owner/founder of Rufus Racing, LLC, says, “The Joplin community jumped in right away to help rebuild (after the 2011 tornado) and make the changes that needed to be made.  “The support of the JMR all those years has been major, and people are really embracing our final year and wanting to finish this strong. It’s special because runners will see the whole town of Joplin and will run through the tornado-impacted areas.”  Festivities get under way Friday, May 17 ..read more

 Each year, we are delighted and honored to share the sweetest babies with readers in our Annual Cutest Baby Contest while supporting a wonderful organization. All of these children are adorable, and we enjoyed seeing the precious photos that were submitted.  A big thank you to our judges for their help in deciding the winners: Carl Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Nick Howard; Melissa Williams with Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce; Jill Hickam with State Farm Insurance in Joplin/Webb City; and Mandy Edmonson with Show Me The Ozarks Magazine.  All proceeds fro ..read more

By Don Lowe Re-branded as the Ottawa County Arts Festival (OCAF) after previously being known as Mural Fest 66, the sixth edition of this much-anticipated event is set to take place April 27 in Miami, Oklahoma.  Ottawa County Arts Festival Director Callie Cortner says, “Miami’s Mural Fest 66 originated in 2017 when the Miami Arts & Humanities Council’s board of directors sought to invite professional artists to town for a day that’s dedicated to celebrating arts and culture in the community.  “Since then, more than 40 murals have adorned walls in Miami, and there are intentions t ..read more

By Don Lowe As the 54th annual Earth Day arrives today (Monday, April 22), this year’s theme of Planet vs. Plastics reflects just how vital promoting environmental awareness continues to be for everyone and helps reinforce the importance of remaining diligent in looking for practical ways to help protect this precious place we all call home, all around the globe.  For anyone interested in finding out more about Earth Day, from the past to the present, while also looking ahead to the future, www.earthday.org is packed full of information, including key details on this year’s initiative and ..read more

By Ann Leach  Covid-19 quarantine provided Grove, Oklahoma, artist Carol Merciez time to learn some new art techniques.  “I discovered Let’s Make Art on YouTube and learned to paint with watercolors,” she said. “I had enjoyed drawing when I was young (her first drawing was recreating a picture of a boy and his cow), but I didn’t pursue art as an adult until 2021.”  The portability of watercolors appealed to Merciez. “All you need is a small palette of colors, a couple of brushes and paper, as well as water,” she said. “I enjoy the soft impression watercolor makes.” She describes ..read more

By Teresa Rosebrough-Sneed Interim Director, Bill & Virginia Leffen Center for Autism Walk, Run and Roar is the theme for the 2024 Freeman 5K and Walk for Autism, set for Saturday, April 20, at the Bill & Virginia Leffen Center for Autism. Enjoy a fantastic day and support local children and families affected by autism by registering at runsignup.com/Race/MO/Joplin/FreemanFamily5k or call 417.347.7474. Not long ago, Four States-Area residents had woefully limited access to autism services. Since its establishment in 2007, the Bill & Virginia Leffen Center for Autism in Joplin has ..read more

By Ann Leach Kevin Kirby played a little football and ran track in school, but that was the extent of his sports involvement until a few years ago.  “I had quit smoking and a few years after I did, I found I was struggling to take deep breaths,” Kirby said. “I began walking with my dog and I progressed from about a quarter of a mile to more than 10 miles. I guess I got bored with it and biking looked interesting and fun.”  His biking adventures have found him participating in gravel races, mountain biking and even trying his hand at videotaping some of his rides.  “I ride becaus ..read more

By Don Lowe There always seems to be so much to see and do when visiting the Zena Suri Alpacas ranch in Northeastern Oklahoma.  Over the past several months, there has been more excitement than ever for visitors as they get the thrill of interacting with a couple of youthful alpacas known as crias when they are born, with their lineage traced to the Andes Mountains in South America.  “There are two relatively new babies,” says Tom Callan, who is co-owner of the facility with his wife, Kathleen. “A little boy, his name is Luke Harold, was born on September 14, 2023. He needed someone ..read more