A beloved musical family has been forced to close a popular Branson music venue.
For the Massengale family—Wayne and wife Melody Hart, along with their songs Garrett and Dillon Massengale—New Year’s Eve was their final night at Wranglers Honky Tonk.
In a Facebook post, made by Garrett Massengale, the family explained, “Due to not being able to reach an agreement with the owner of the building, we are so sad to announce that we are leaving Wranglers Honky Tonk. To all of those who have stood behind Wranglers Honky Tonk and the Massengale family, we sincerely appreciate your support more than you know. What we have created is something so special, that I firmly believe will continue again one day. Seeing ya’ll enjoy Wranglers and
continuing to keep coming back is what made us keep going. We have made so many friends that have become like family in the one and a half years we’ve been open.”
Garrett’ s post expressed thanks to the kitchen staff, waitresses, host and hostess, and bartender, as well as the band and crew.
“We especially would like to thank our general manager, Tonya Newman, and her husband Bobby Newman for sticking by us through it all,” Garrett continued in his Facebook post. “They have worked numerous hours to help keep this place going as well. We thank God for allowing us to meet so many wonderful people.”
Garrett added, “In the meantime, we’re all needing some time to gather our thoughts, and we will keep you informed on our next move.”
SUBMITTED BY JIM ZBICK, Faith, Family and Country Heritage Museum
“Elite Leadership,” a new exhibit featuring the nation’s two oldest military academies: West Point (Army) and Annapolis (Navy) - was added to the Faith, Family and Country Heritage Museum in Branson West last month.
Central to the display is an Army uniform worn by a cadet in the West Point graduating class of 1952. Representing the Navy is an inscribed photograph from James Earl Carter, our 39th President, who died Sunday, December 29, at the age of 100.
Also part of the display is a 1946 Navy yearbook that was recently gifted to the museum. Two notables in American history are pictured in the yearbook: Walter Schirra, the fifth American and ninth human to ride a rocket into space
and the only astronaut to fly on Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft in the U.S. space program; and James Earl Carter.
Carter was born into a home in rural Plains, GA, that had no electricity or running water, but the humble surroundings did not hinder his ambitions. He worked hard at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus for a year before studying mathematics at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1942, and then gaining admittance to the Naval Academy in 1943.
In 1946, Carter graduated early in the top 10 percent of his class through an accelerated war program. He was preparing to become the engineering officer for one of the first atomic powered submarines when his father died in July 1953. He resigned from the Navy and re-
turned to Plains to manage his family’s peanut farming interests. In 1976 he became the only Annapolis graduate to attain the office of the presidency.
To increase human and social services, President Carter created the Department of Education, bol-
James Earl Carter’s 1946 yearbook photograph from the Naval Academy (Photo submitted by Jim Zbick)
of Patrick Mahomes by Matt Freed, Associated Press)
Food and toy drive helps many during holiday season
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Many in the Branson area enjoyed a brighter Christmas, thanks to our Branson Globe readers.
The Branson Globe’s annual Food and Toy Drive was once again a huge success, thanks to the generosity of our readers helping out our neighbors in need.
Toys and food items were picked up from our four drop-off sites: The Flagstore, The World’s Toy Museum/Beck’s Museums, Motel 6 Branson and the Branson Globe office on two separate dates.
Food picked up on December 16 was used to stock two different Blessings Boxes in Branson and in Hollister. Toys picked up that same day were taken to the Salvation Army for their toy distribution through the Salvation Army Toy Store, helping to provide gifts for many area children.
The following Monday, December 23, toys and food items were once again collected from our
drop-off points. Nonperishable food items once again stocked Branson and Hollister area Blessings Boxes. Toys collected on that date were used to provide families who somehow fell between the cracks with gifts for Christmas. A total of 28 children, ranging in age from two years old to 17 years of age received gifts for Christmas from items collected during the December 23 pickup.
The Branson Globe wishes to thank each reader who graciously donated nonperishable food items or toys to help make the holidays more festive for those in need. A special thank you to our friends at The Flagstore, The World’s Largest Toy Museum, and Motel 6, who joined forces with the Branson Globe to serve as drop-off sites for toys and food. We sincerely appreciate all who partnered with us to help our neighbors in need over the holiday season.
Start the new year by donating at Hollister blood drive,
Submitted to Branson Globe Give blood, save lives. Donate blood at the Hollister Community Blood
Drive at Branson Tri-Lakes News – Main Room, 200 Industrial Park Drive, Hollister. Drive will be held
on Wednesday, January 8, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Free hoodie to donors, while supplies last. Appointments are strongly encouraged. To schedule, call 417-227-5006 or go to www.cbco.org/donate-blood
Immediate needs at House of Hope Warming Center
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
With colder weather in the forecast, House of Hope, Branson’s warming center will be open many nights this month, offering those in need a respite from the cold and a warm place to sleep.
House of Hope also offers guests facilities to shower and do laundry, provides both dinner and breakfast, has snacks available, and fosters a sense of community.
If you would like to help, House of Hope has immedi-
ate needs.
“Lunch meat, cheese, bread, milk,” said House of Hope’s Alex Sprinkle. “You know, all the things you grab when a winter storm is coming.”
The nonprofit is also in
Save a life: Learn Hands-Only CPR
Submitted to Branson Globe
The Rotary Club of Hollister and Taney County Ambulance are partnering to save lives. You are invited to invest one hour to partner with us. Hands-only CPR can buy precious time to save a life until trained medical personnel arrive. About 40 people each hour have a cardiac arrest while not in the hospital (350,000 people a year), and nine out of ten of those individuals will not survive.
Class will be held January 16, starting at 9 a.m., at
need of Styrofoam cups, high-protein snacks and soda. Donations can be dropped off at the House of Hope office at 217 Veterans Boulevard or next door at Riley’s Treasures.
terareachamberofcommerce.growthzoneapp.com
Loaves and Fishes partners with Stone County churches
BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS, Staff Writer
This winter, the Loaves and Fishes program in Stone County is again partnering with area churches to provide a free hot meal each night of the week, starting January 2 and continuing through March 31. The annual program offers budget relief as well as an opportunity for social interaction during months when it is harder to be out and active.
The Loaves and Fishes program has been up and running for 14 years, offering free hot meals for folks in the area, with at least
eight churches or as many as nine churches in the area participating weekly on the night they have signed up to provide. Hundreds of caring volunteers help with planning, putting meals together, and serving the food. Each church furnishes food on their night, and the Loaves and Fishes program provides the paper plates/ bowls, cups, forks/spoons/ knives and to-go boxes.
Although the free meals can be a welcome budget boost for families affected by seasonal tourism slowdowns and reduced work hours, no income qualification is needed. Seniors,
people living alone, or caregivers are just a few of those who may be encouraged by this opportunity to get together with others. Most of the churches offer a sitdown meal at the church and extra meals to be taken home as well. On some evenings the churches provide other assistance, such as coats and other clothing items at no cost.
For 2025, meals will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the following locations in Kimberling City (K.C.) and Reeds Spring (R.S.):
• Monday: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 30 James River Rd., K.C.
Blvd., K.C.
• Wednesday: Ignite Church, 19585 St. Hwy. 413, R.S. Thursday: First Baptist Church, 161 Heaven’s Way, K.C. Friday: Life Song United Methodist Church, 331 St. Hwy. 76, R.S.
• Saturday: Church of Christ, 7 Northwoods Dr., K.C.
• Sunday: Kimberling City United Methodist Church, K.C. Shopping Center
• Tuesday: Our Lady of the Cove Catholic Church, 20 Kimberling
If Reeds Spring schools are cancelled due to weather conditions, no Loaves and Fishes meal will be served that day. For questions or additional information, call 785-564-0523 or email ahlvers@ksu.edu.
A filled blessing box – thank you! (Photo by K.D. Michaels)
Dick’s 5 & 10: Branson’s
BY GARY J. GROMAN, Independent Journalist
In Branson, Missouri, a town full of attractions like the Titanic Museum, Silver Dollar City and many more, and shopping at places like the fabulous Branson Landing, Branson’s major discount malls, or its hundreds of specialty shops, why would anyone call Dick’s 5 & 10 “Branson’s most unique shopping attraction?” Could it be as simple as “Because it is?”
In a 2010 interview, Steve Hartley, the son of the original founders of Dick’s 5 & 10, Dick and June Harley, said, “We will celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2011 for one simple reason, from the very beginning, even before he knew what Branson would evolve into, my father had a vision of making it more than just a store.” The personal experience of this writer in Dick’s tells him they’ll be celebrating their 64th Anniversary in 2025 for the same reason.
What is now Dick’s 5 & 10 was opened as a paint store at the southeast corner of Commercial and Pacific Streets in historic downtown Branson in 1961 by his dad. Dick had started working in the retail field with S. S. Kresge, a 5 and 10 cents variety store, in 1950. On July 14, 1961, he moved to Branson and opened a “Davis
Paint Store,” which, little by little, grew into a variety store. In 1973, the Hartleys bought out the “Newport Ben Franklin” variety store, on Main Street, where Dick’s is still today.
He said, “Our storefront is colorful, attractive and exciting not only to those who remember the old-time ‘5 & 10’ stores but also to the younger people and families that are the backbone of Branson’s summer activity. When they come in, they are blown away by what they see, from the variety, volume and selection of merchandise to our method of merchandise display and the collections and exhibits throughout the store.”
Hartley points out that they have over 175,000 items in the store but is quick to explain that it’s not just the number of items in the store or their low prices; it’s the breadth of their selection that makes the shopping experience in Dick’s so unique. He said, “In candy alone, we have one of, if not the largest, candy selections in Branson. We specialize in old time and hard to find candies such as ‘Rocky Road,’ ‘Big Hunk Candy Bars,’ and ‘Abba-Zaba;’ novelty candies such as ‘Wax Lips’ and ‘Nickle Nips’ and a full selection of regular candy.”
When reminded of the local saying, “If you can’t
Winter craft show coming to Forsyth, February 1
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
A local crafter is hosting a winter craft show in February. Crafts and Cardigans is set for Saturday, February 1, in Forsyth. Organized and hosted by Molly Donohue, the event is the perfect way to chase away the winter blues. Donohue is currently anticipating 15 to 20 vendors, but there is still time to sign up. Delicious food will be
available from the Pointe Royale Grille. To register as a vendor, or for more information on the craft show, contact Molly Donohue at 417699-3038 or via email at donohuemolly@gmail. com. The Crafts and Cardigans Show will be held on Saturday, February 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Taney Center, 20130 U.S. Highway 160 in Forsyth.
find what you want in Dick’s, then you don’t need it,” Hartley chuckled and said, “Well, we have over 175,000 items, from basics, toys, novelties, gifts, souvenirs and just about anything most people would expect in a variety store and more.”
When asked for an example of one of the harder-tofind, more exotic items they sell, Hartley said, “We sell an old-time woman’s fragrance called ‘Blue Waltz.’ It was a favorite 50, 60 and 70 years ago, and it still sells in the small collector vile that it came in back then and has the same scent.” Hartley said that the two specialty items they sell the most are a Bamboo Backscratcher and Horehound candy.
“But merchandise is only part of the Dick’s 5 & 10 experience,” Hartley said. “To help fulfill his vision of making ‘it more than just a store,’ Dad added special collections and exhibits into the store.” The first collection was Carl Taylor’s “White River Arrowhead” collection, which Dick brought from Taylor, who operated a barbershop a couple of doors up the street. Taylor had collected the arrowheads locally from 1920 through 1960. Other collections and exhibits have followed, including an extensive collection of World War II Aviation Art prints around
the store. They depict raids, missions and famous aircraft from World War II. In addition, they have about 50 or 60, mostly World War II aircraft, of varying sizes hanging above their checkout counters in the front of the store, including some large competition flyers that Dick thought ‘would look pretty cool’ up there. He said, “We’ve got a baseball ‘Wall of Fame’ that is second to none except for Cooperstown, as far as the signatures and pictures of Hall of Fame baseball players go.” Hartley points out the store has 60 feet of original autographed pictures of players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig
and Cy Young. “We have a suspended train track with a train that runs around the main part of the store.”
A visit to Dick’s 5 & 10 is not just a shopping experience. It’s a surprising, unique and nostalgic adventure unlike anything else in Branson, and it’s something that most people are likely to experience anywhere. It has been this writer’s experience that Branson has many attractions and places to shop, but like Branson itself, there is only one Dick’s 5 & 10!
In the heart of Branson’s historic downtown, Dick’s 5 & 10 is Branson’s most unique shopping attraction. (Photo by Gary J. Groman)
4A
Holiday fun continues through this weekend at some venues
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
For many years, New Year’s Eve marked the end of Branson’s tourist season, with shows and many attractions wrapping things up for the year, as the entertainers and staff enjoyed some much-deserved rest.
This year finds several shows continuing into early January, allowing those who are not returning to work and school until the first full week of the year the opportunity to catch another performance or
two while wrapping up their holiday vacation in Branson.
The Dolly Parton Stampede is offering their spectacular Christmas show through January 4. Enjoy an incredible show combined with a delicious four-course holiday dinner at Branson’s Most Fun Place to Eat. From the Magic of the Toys to the Stampede’s Living Nativity Scene, the Dolly Parton Stampede is a holiday show you will not forget.
The Dolly Parton Stam-
pede can be seen nightly through January 4, before taking a break. The popular dinner show returns on February 28.
The Hughes Brothers Christmas Show has been named Branson’s Best Christmas Show an unprecedented 16 times. A triumph of everything you want to feel at Christmas time, the Hughes Brothers and their family invite you to share them for their favorite time of year. The Hughes Brothers Christmas Show can be seen Jan-
uary 1, 2 and 4, with shows nightly at 8 pm. The family traditionally opens their next season on or near Valentine’s Day, with a special holiday-themed show. Grand Jubilee at the Grand Country Music Hall will be performing their all-new 2025 show through the first week in January. You’ll marvel at the harmonies of the New South Quartet, and a powerful show full of music and comedy. The Grand Jubilee continues through January 4, with shows at 7:30 p.m.
The cast and crew will take a brief break beginning on January 5, but will return on the 16th of the month, well-rested and ready to entertain again!
Also at the Grand Country Music Hall, the funfilled Pets and Giggles Show can be seen each morning through Sunday, January 5. The 10 a.m. show will continue on Saturdays and Sundays in January and February 2025. The holiday fun continues at Silver Dollar City With rides, shows, crafts,
food and fun for all ages, Silver Dollar City celebrates the holidays a little longer this year. Visit Silver Dollar City to enjoy millions of lights, an eight-story Christmas tree, and oneof-a-kind entertainment through early January. An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City will continue sharing holiday magic through Saturday, January 4. Silver Dollar City will open for the 2025 season on March 14, with Spring Break Days continuing through the end of March.
Library to host ‘Laura Ingalls Wilder’ for special talk, January 25
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Imagine if you could hear the renowned author Laura Ingalls Wilder speak of her life experiences.
The Library Center of the Ozarks is offering the next best thing. You’ll have a unique opportunity to listen as Laura, portrayed by Kath-
leen Boswell of the Missouri Humanities Speaker’s Bureau, shares her story, including her move to Missouri in 1894. “Laura” will
also tell of her life experiences, including the writing of the beloved “Little House on the Prairie” books. There will even be a question and
answer period following Boswell’s presentation.
Appearing as Laura Ingalls Wilder, Boswell will speak to audiences of all
ages on Saturday, January 25, beginning at 12:30 p.m., at the Library Center of the Ozarks, 200 South 4th Street in downtown Branson.
Library Center of the Ozarks bookstore to hold special promotion
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Book lovers and avid readers will enjoy a special promotion during the month of January at the Taneyhills Bookstore.
“Every book in the
Taneyhills Bookstore is on sale,” explained store manager Beth Schulz. “You, the customer, will pick your own sale bundle. We will give you a great price!”
Due to an abundance of donations, the bookstore is rearranging their inventory.
“Please excuse our rearranging. We have hundreds—yes, hundreds of new donations to put
out on the shelves,” said Schulz. “It is not only our New Year’s Re-SOLUTION to go ‘Out with the old to make room for the new,’ it is our gift to you, our patrons, as we under-
go a transformation of our bookstore.”
The Taneyhills Bookstore is located in the lower level of the Library Center of the Ozarks. The store is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the exception of the first Friday of each month, when the shop is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Junior Auxiliary of Taney County provides Christmas cheer to area children
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
The Junior Auxiliary of Taney County helped make the holidays brighter for many area children.
A total of 96 children benefited from the Christmas Assistance Program, each receiving a hooded coat, gloves, an outfit of clothing, a book and a toy.
“All the children were excited to receive a special gift this holiday season, and parents were very apprecia-
The JATC’s Christmas Assistance provided gifts for children ages three months to five years, who are enrolled in programs through OACAC Head Start, Early Head Start and Home-Based Programs.
tive,” said Bobboe Wydeen, Head Start Family Advocate/Director.
The Junior Auxiliary of Taney County would like to thank Ozarks Family Vision Center, who held a toy drive for this project, along with an anonymous local business, who donated $1,000 to help support the project.
The motto of Junior Auxiliary of Taney County is Caring Hearts-Helping Hands-Changing Lives. To learn more about JATC, visit their website atjatcmo.org
Josie and her mom, Emily, appreciated a special gift, provided by Junior Auxiliary. (Photo submitted)
• CARTER Continued from page 1A
stered the Social Security system, and appointed record numbers of women, blacks and Hispanics to government jobs. In 1984, the former President and his wife Rosalyn began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity near their home in southwest Georgia and for more than 40 years they worked toward Habitat’s vision to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Got the blahs? Tips to help with post-holiday blues
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
In the days following a major holiday season, such as Christmas, many people experience holiday letdown or post-holiday blues.
Holiday letdown can include sadness, anxiety and depression that occur after the holidays are over and our lives get back to normal. Many experience loneliness now that the family and friends who visited over the
holiday have returned home, or an emptiness, without holiday parties or experiences to enjoy. Post-holiday blues can stem from unrealistic expectations for the holidays, or even sentimental memories from holidays past.
If you are feeling this way, you’re not alone. A recent survey showed that approximately 64% of all Americans experience some form of holiday letdown.
While holiday letdown or post-holiday blues are typically short-lived, there are some suggestions on how to navigate the feelings you experience during this often difficult time.
1. Limit social media and connect with others. Social media can often add to feelings of sadness or despair. Instead, make a point of connecting with others, in person or on
Out of the mouths of babes...
COMPILED BY TIFFANY
GRAVETT
Imra (age 5) asked if the sun moved to follow us and I said, “No, the sun doesn’t move. We move around the sun.”
To which, Clementine (age 2) responded, “It spins, though.” ***
I run a little coffee trailer, and one day, an 8-year-old boy named Riley ordered a frappe. In my hurry, I forgot to add extra caramel like I normally do. Upon his first sip, he winced and asked if I had put any sugar in it. I apologized and told him I had forgotten the extra caramel. He replied, “It’s okay, you’re only human. We all
make mistakes sometimes.” ***
I was doing a fast before Christmas. Little Doug asked me about it, and I told him it was a cleanse and all I was going to have that day was a detox drink. To my surprise he said: “Hey, I think I will do it with you!” Five minutes into it, he was sitting at the table with his first half-drank detox drink in front of him. He laid his head in his arms and said: “I feel like I’m regretting ALLLLLL of my life choices right now.” –Little Doug, age 10 ***
As we were walking through the store, my 4-anda-half year-old daughter
looks at me and asks, “Why do I always have to match my clothes and you don’t?” ***
“Who needs a warm bed when you have a warm mommy?” –Johnny, age 4 ***
“Why does it tell you there is a hidden drive? Not much of a secret if they tell you.” –Max age 8 ***
After jokingly threatening my little 6-year-old boy with sticks and coal for Christmas, he told me “Well, I can still use those for something.” I love his optimism. ***
I told my daughter to put
the phone. Be sure to share your feelings with friends and family, who might just have some suggestions for you.
2. Practice self-care. This is the time to catch up on the sleep you might have neglected during the holidays. It is an excellent time to get some exercise and get outside, weather permitting. And, don’t forget to eat
socks on her baby doll. She responded, “You can’t tell people how to take care of their kids.”
***
My 6-year-old daughter, to her crying brother: “It’s okay to be sad. Sometimes we need to let our feelings out.”
Me: “Oh darling, that’s so lovely. Well done. Why is he crying?”
My daughter: “I hit him.”
***
My husband showed our 5-year-old son a picture of himself at the age of 16 and asked Harri if he knew who it was. He stared at it for a long time before replying, “It’s me when I’m bigger!”
well and stay hydrated.
3. Focus on things you enjoy. Experts suggest watching a favorite television show or a funny movie to reduce stress. Engaging in a favorite pastime or finding a new hobby is also an excellent way to beat the blues.
4. Be grateful. According to studies, a proven way to reduce anxiety is to count your blessings,
listing the people and things for which you are most grateful.
5. And, finally, find something to look forward to, such as an upcoming vacation, dinner at a new restaurant, or an outing with friends. While holiday letdown can affect people of any age, following these simple tips should have you soon feeling much better.
Senator-elect Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, announces staff for first term
Submitted to Branson Globe
Senator-elect Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, today announced the team that will comprise his staff for his first term. Daniel Seitz, of Branson, MO, will serve as Chief of Staff and Lauren Gilbert, of Oldfield, MO, will serve as legislative assistant.
“Daniel and Lauren bring a wealth of experience both in the public and private sector, and will excel in these roles to the benefit of the office, but more importantly, the constituents we serve,” Hudson said. “My number
one priority is great constituent service. As senators, we were elected to serve the people, and that means they need to know they have open lines of communication with our office and that we will help address their issues. We can’t solve every problem, but we are going to work our hardest to try.
Daniel and Lauren are fully committed to that mission, and I am excited to get to work with them to serve the citizens of District 33.”
Daniel Seitz is a native of Branson, MO, and seasoned political staffer and consul-
tant. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from College of the Ozarks and his Juris Doctor from Regent University. Daniel worked on the campaigns of Mike Parson for Lt. Governor and Peter Kinder for Governor before serving as a legislative assistant for one session in the Missouri House. He then took his talents to the State of Kansas where he served as communications director and senior speechwriter for Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer and Lt. Governor Tracy Mann. Most recently, he has
served as communications director for the Oklahoma House Republican Caucus, and House leadership communications liaison for Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall and the other members of House leadership. Daniel has consulted on over two dozen successful Republican political campaigns in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. He and his wife Stella have three children.
Lauren Gilbert lives on her family’s Angus cattle seedstock operation in the Southern Missouri Ozarks.
A native of Oldfield, MO, she graduated from the University of Missouri where she studied Agricultural Communications & Leadership and researched consolidation issues within the livestock industry. Lauren has written articles highlighting cattle producers’ stories in the Missouri Angus Trails Publication since 2020. She has previous experience in the Missouri Senate, serving as the communications specialist for former Sen. Eric Burlison. Lauren’s hobbies include exploring the outdoors, photography and cooking.
The Missouri Senate convenes the first session of the 103rd General Assembly on Jan. 8, 2025.
Hudson (FILE)
How to apply for scholarships
BY RAMSEY SOLUTIONS
If, you’re in high school, you might be wondering how you’ll pay for college—after all, it definitely isn’t cheap!
Maybe you’re convinced taking on a bunch of student loan debt is the only way to pay for college. But that’s not true! It’s totally possible to pay for college without going into debt because there are plenty of ways to get free money to cash flow your education. (Yep, free!) How?
One very important word: scholarships.
You may not realize it, but thousands upon thousands of scholarship opportunities are out there. And even if you apply for scholarships that are only a few hundred dollars, those awards will add up quickly.
So, let’s walk through how to apply for scholarships so you can pay for college without debt. How to apply for college scholarships
Before we get started, know that the rules and requirements for each scholarship application will change depending on the scholarship. But generally, when you’re learning how to apply for college scholarships, these are the steps you’ll want to take first:
1. Fill out the FAFSA.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form schools use to figure out if you qualify for financial aid and how much financial aid to offer you. That money could come in the form of scholarships, grants, work study or student loans.
Scholarships and grants are amazing resources because you don’t have to repay them. Work study is great too—it lets you work part-time jobs on campus with way more flexibility than you’d find at a grocery store or fast-food restaurant.
Student loans, on the other hand, will leave you spend-
ing years of your life after graduation making monthly payments. Plus, the interest on loans means you end up paying way more than you originally borrowed. That’s not a good strategy to pay for school because it costs you so much more in the long run. Here’s how to fill out the FAFSA:
1. First of all, don’t panic. This form is straightforward for the most part.
2. Go to the fafsa.gov home page and follow the prompts.
3. Sign and submit the form. Your part is done!
Once you hit that submit button, the form will be sent to the financial aid offices at your schools of choice. They’ll crunch some numbers, and if you qualify for aid, they’ll send you an award letter telling you what kind of financial aid you qualify for (and how much).
2. Talk with your guidance counselor.
If you have access to guidance counselors or financial aid officers at your school, ask them for help finding scholarships. That’s what they’re there for! You can find all kinds of Educational Opportunity Programs out there—like the Federal TRIO Programs that help students from disadvantaged backgrounds, first-generation college students and others. Your school should be able to give you more information about similar programs, or you can research them on the U.S. Department of Education’s website. Your guidance counselors will probably also know about scholarships offered by local community organizations or businesses who want to help college students. And don’t forget about state and regional scholarship programs that offer money for in-state or local tuition. Your guidance counselors or financial aid officers may be able to help you start the application process by getting you in touch with those contacts. Sometimes, all it takes is a short essay to apply.
3. Contact college financial aid offices.
When it comes to finding scholarships that come directly from colleges, your best bet is to reach out to the financial aid offices at
each college you apply to, or to look up scholarship information on the college’s website. Most schools offer both need-based and merit-based scholarships and will lay out all the details you need to know.
And get this: Did you know some scholarships awarded by colleges have nothing to do with academics? That’s right! Not all scholarships are for straight-A students or whizzes who score a perfect 36 on the ACT. Plenty of money is available to students who have incredible leadership skills, attend a local university, or have an impressive list of extracurriculars. Be sure to look into those other scholarship options.
4. Ask your parents’ employers if they offer scholarships.
Here’s a place not many students think about checking when they’re searching for scholarships: your mom and dad’s employers. They might not always promote that they offer scholarships, but many companies do provide scholarships to their employees’ kids. So, ask your parents to connect with their HR department.
5. Research organizations in your field of interest.
Take some time to research and find any scholarships that apply to your specific career goals and the industry you want to work in.
For example, if you know you want to major in engineering, spend some time researching the college scholarships offered by NASA, the American Society of Naval Engineers, or whatever organization is most related to the specific type of engineering you’re interested in.
Going to school for culinary arts? The National Restaurant Association, American Culinary Federation, and plenty of other organizations like those want to pay for talented students in that field to hone their skills.
6. Use a scholarship search tool.
Sometimes you just need help filtering through all the options out there. Scholarship search tools, books and databases will help you sort through thousands of scholarships to find the ones that best fit your situation, interests and life experience.
Try using more than one
tool if you can—you might find different results. Then, once you have a few lists, you can create your own short list of scholarships you want to apply for first.
Here are some good options to get you started:
• Federal and state agencies, like scholarships. com
A simple Google search (search “scholarship” plus your city or state, interests or areas of study)
• Scholarship directory books, like The Ultimate Scholarship Book Free scholarship search websites, like Fastweb, Appily or College Board
The Dept. of Education
Even if you use one of these shortcuts to find a scholarship, there’s no way around putting in time and effort to apply for them. Some might ask you to write essays, answer tough questions, or even go through an interview—but others could require little to no effort. If you treat the scholarship search process like a parttime job by spending at least an hour a day filling out applications, it will pay off.
7. Get—and stay—involved in extracurricular activities.
Extracurriculars are those activities outside of the classroom, like volunteer work, sports, church involvement and social clubs. Getting involved in a variety of extracurriculars will open up the number of scholarships you can apply for later—and it can make your applications more appealing to the scholarship judges. They’ll want to see that you have a range of experience and interests outside of getting a good GPA. Start getting involved now so you can build your resumé and set yourself up for suc-
cess when it’s time to start applying for scholarships! Tips when applying for scholarships
The process of getting scholarships starts way before you even sit down to work on an application. If you’ve built your resumé throughout high school by taking on leadership roles, volunteering and being active in your community, you’ll have plenty of stories and experience to mention when it’s time to start applying.
Here are a few other tips to remember when you’re applying for scholarships: Get to know the scholarship program. Learn about the organization and their mission, as well as why they’re offering the scholarship.
• Pay attention to the scholarship details. This is so important! Follow all the instructions, pay attention to word limits, and don’t miss deadlines. Don’t take yourself out of the running by forgetting these basics. Write a strong essay. You want to show the scholarship judges how awesome you are, not just tell them! Use powerful examples and stories to demonstrate the qualities
and experiences they’re looking for. Essays are a fantastic opportunity to stand out in the application process, so putting in the time to write a strong essay can really pay off.
• Recycle essays. Once you have a few strong essays, you can tweak them to reuse in future scholarship applications. (But make sure the content in your essay is relevant to the scholarship you’re applying for!)
• Apply to several scholarships. It is a numbers game, but still make sure to submit quality applications. It doesn’t help to apply to a ton of scholarships if your application is sloppy or incomplete. Start applying today! The bottom line? Paying for college without student loans is possible if you know where to start and put in the work. By following the steps we just went through, you’ll be well on your way to finding and applying for scholarships that can help pay for your degree. Remember, it’s all about being proactive, staying organized and putting in the time. Every scholarship you earn is one step closer to a debt-free degree. So start today—your future self will thank you!
Reeds Spring High School recently recognized Blaiklee Cagle and Teagan Sage as the RSHS Athlete of the Month and Artist of the Month. Cagle is part of the wrestling team and Sage is a member of the Wolf Pride Band.
Chalk Talk
Branson School District QR codes for Chalk Talk, social media
Stay in Touch with Hollister Schools
Cagle (Photo submitted) Sage (Photo submitted)
Bedwell, Ryan 52 Omaha, AR Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home & Crematory Canote, Charles Douglas 77 Branson Cremations of the Ozarks Davis, Marvin Jerry 81 Blue Eye Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home & Crematory Garcia, Otilia Bejarano 70 Branson Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home & Crematory Hall, Gloria 84 Branson Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home & Crematory
BY ROSE BUCKLES,
T
Hughes, Denise 65
Stumpff Funeral Home, Crane McNeil, Virgil 93 Branson Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home & Crematory Sjobeck, Pvt. Caden Layne 18 Clermont, FL Cremations of the Ozarks Stults, Jimmy 50 Galena Stumpff Funeral Chapel, Crane Zieche, Gerald Paul 68 Branson Snapp-Bearden Forsyth Chapel
his year an area messianic community celebrated Hanukkah. Hanukkah started on December 25, 2024, the same day Christians celebrate Christmas, and ended eight days later on January 2, 2025. There are many places to read about the meaning and purposes of Hanukkah. Here is a brief introduction.
Hanukkah, which is Hebrew for “dedication” is the Festival of Lights. It commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greek Army, and the miracles of rededicating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, restoring the menorah, or lamp. The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial
of oil was found with just enough oil to illuminate the temple lamp for one day and yet it lasted eight full days. (American Jewish World Service)
We celebrate Hanukkah by lighting the menorah each night, one candle from the previous night. Christopher and Shawna Mann, of Ozark, hosted a Hanukkah celebration through Jordyn Springs on Saturday, December 28. Visitors were welcomed. There were three general themes: light of the world, let every man check his heart/temple, and take up
residence in our homes. There were prayers, singing, musical instruments, scriptures and words of wisdom Christopher shared. Shawna and their three daughters sang, played the piano, drums and violin. Some ladies danced to the joyful songs; and the prayers were heartfelt. After the prayers and ceremony portion of the program, everyone enjoyed a meal which included chicken, bimuelos, applesauce, jelly donuts, potato cakes, latkes, salad and chocolate candy
coins, followed by games together.
Hanukkah is a special way to remember the miracles and heritage many
Local Freelance Writer
(Photos by Rose Buckles)
Worship Directory
You are encouraged to worship with us!
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.– Hebrews 10:25
Around Town: Here’s what’s going on in the Tri-Lakes
JANUARY
• 2 Library Center of the Ozarks: Children’s Storytime, 10:30 a.m.-11:30
a.m. Miss Lia will be treating kids to a fun, interactive program. Plan on listening to a story, singing, crafting and much more. Babies to age 6 are welcome. Located in the lower level Program Room, Library Center of the Ozarks, 200 S. 4th St., Branson. lcozarks.com
• 4 Library Center of the Ozarks: Saturday Sto-
rytime, 10:30 a.m. At weekend story time with Miss Bobbi, kids will enjoy stories, activities and lots of fun. This is a regular event happening every first Saturday of the month at 10 a.m., excluding library closures and government holidays. Library Center of the Ozarks, lower level program room, 200 S. 4th St., Branson. 5 It’s Spaghetti Sunday! Branson Masonic Lodge Spaghetti Lunch, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. All you can eat
for $10: spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, dessert and drink. Everyone welcome! Branson Masonic Lodge #587, 100 Chiefs Court, Branson.
• 8 Kimberling Area Library Learning on Wednesday: “Falls – A Matter of Balance.” 1011 a.m., Kimberling Area Library Community Room, 45 Kimberling Blvd, Kimberling City. Jenni Nevatt, University of Missouri Extension, presents important information regarding fall pre-
W 12:30, 3:00, 5:20, 7:40
MOANA 2 W 1:00, 3:20, 5:20, 7:40
LOTR: WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM E 1:00, 4:15, 7:30
vention, impact falls have on families, caregivers, spouses; and most common reasons why falls occur. For information: Carolyn Cagle, 682-5522130; www.kalib.org.
10 American Red Cross Blood Drive: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Lake Taneycomo Elks Lodge 2597 in Forsyth: 12951 U.S. Hwy. 160. For more information, redcrossblood.org
11 Dogwood Canyon Nature Park: Don’t miss this opportunity to see these majestic birds up close and learn their conservation story. Join presenters from Dickerson Park Zoo for an informative talk and encounter with a bald eagle and other birds of prey, from 1-2 p.m. Free with general admission ticket or membership pass. 2038 W. State Hwy 36, Lampe. https://dog-
• 16 Learn Hands-Only CPR for free. Be prepared to save a life. Rotary Club of Hollister and Taney County Ambulance are partnering to save lives and invite you to invest one hour, starting at 9 a.m., Taney County Ambulance District, 106 Industrial Park Drive, Hollister. Park behind building, enter through rear door marked education. Hands-only CPR can buy precious time to save a life until trained medical personnel arrive. About 40 people each hour have a cardiac arrest while not in the hospital (350,000 a year) and nine out of ten of those individuals will not survive. Register at https://hollisterareachamberofcommerce.growthzoneapp.com/
building, enter through rear door marked education. Hands-only CPR can buy precious time to save a life until trained medical personnel arrive. About 40 people each hour have a cardiac arrest while not in the hospital (350,000 a year) and nine out of ten of those individuals will not survive. Register at https://hollisterareachamberofcommerce.growthzoneapp.com/
MARCH
BACK FOR THE 2024 SEASON: Best Bets of Branson Live Talk Show Weekly Podcast CEO, Owner & Live Talk Show Host, known as MediaChick Of The Ozarks, Carrie Anne Mitchell, is celebrating the 10 year anniversary, of the talk show, with a 2 day a week, live on Facebook podcast, from 10:45 AM-11:45AM, Tues & Fri. Each live podcast episode, is also shared on the talk show’s Twitter & Instagram pages. Twitter: OzarkMediachick. Instagram: OzarkMediachick24. Each live talk show podcast, is all about Branson & the Ozarks, and is done, from.a local perspective, with a fun, positive spin.
Brought to you by our 29 sponsors: Bliss Gas Services, The Branson Globe, The Branson Show Awards, Branson’s Tribute To Johnny Cash, Camping World, Cindy Gilley, Consignnent Clothing Exchange, Dolce Vita Italian Ices, Dragon Wiens Designs, Fuschia Flip Chronicles, GT Graphics LLC, The Great Passion Play, King’s Castle Theatre, Made In The USA General Store, MarieZ, Michael Mayo Comedy Hypnosis, Michele’s Floral & Gifts, Nashville Roadhouse Live, Peggy’s Rock Shop, Pierce Arrow, Premier Dance Academy, The Red Garter, Signs NOW, Stevie Lee Woods, Sunfest Market, Sun Theater, Sweet Shack Branson, Sweet Suzie’s Frozen Treats, The Rogue Chef Branson. *For more info, on being a guest, or, a sponsor, call Carrie Anne at: 573-795-1921.
FEBRUARY
• 27 Learn Hands-Only CPR for free. Be prepared to save a life. Rotary Club of Hollister and Taney County Ambulance are partnering to save lives and invite you to invest one hour, starting at 9 a.m., Taney County Ambulance District, 106 Industrial Park Drive, Hollister. Park behind
20 Learn Hands-Only CPR for free. Be prepared to save a life. Rotary Club of Hollister and Taney County Ambulance are partnering to save lives and invite you to invest one hour, starting at 9 a.m., Taney County Ambulance District, 106 Industrial Park Drive, Hollister. Park behind building, enter through rear door marked education. Hands-only CPR can buy precious time to save a life until trained medical personnel arrive. About 40 people each hour have a cardiac arrest while not in the hospital (350,000 a year) and nine out of ten of those individuals will not survive. Register at https://hollisterareachamberofcommerce. growthzoneapp.com/
Recently, my Sunday Proverbs reading coincided with receiving information about the Loaves and Fishes meal program in Stone County, Missouri (see story this issue). The volunteers and churches involved in this wonderful program certainly exemplify Proverbs 22:9, “He who has a generous eye will be
Reflections: A generous eye
blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (NKJV).
Thinking about the poor can be complicated these days. The Branson/Table Rock Lake area slows down in the off-season, like many places where tourism is a major economic factor. This means some families have tighter budgets due to reduced work hours. Other people find themselves in difficult circumstances due to unexpected medical bills, etc. Sometimes, poverty is the result of bad choices or generations of bad examples. Unfortunately, many people have come to depend on the government for assistance to the poor. As a new Presidential admin-
istration promises to cut waste and increase efficiency in spending, some are wondering how that will affect such programs. But I don’t think government spending is what Proverbs is talking about; as I read that verse, I felt the Holy Spirit talking to me—Do I have a “generous eye?”
If I see a need, do I slow down and ask the Holy Spirit how I might be able to help? We contribute to local nonprofits that help the poor, especially those that believe and practice the “hand up, not a handout” concept through job training, childcare options, etc. Financial assistance is certainly appropriate sometimes, along with a
deeper look at root causes and possible long-term solutions. But I think the verse goes deeper than finances. In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus separates his true followers from those He “never knew,” based on their treatment of the less fortunate—the financially needy, but also the sick or those in prison. What about the neighbor who has no family nearby? Can I be generous with my time, make sure she is invited to neighborhood get-togethers or special events, or just drop by to say hello? What about my friend who is facing her first holiday season after her husband passed away last fall? Does she need en-
couragement as she steps into that familiar pew at the Christmas Eve service without him? As she sorts through finances and property, could she benefit from a referral to agencies I found helpful when Dad passed away? Maybe my “generous eye” needs to be open to even wider possibilities—regular prayer for Christians being persecuted for their faith, or for Israeli citizens still coping with loss of loved ones and the uncertainty of war. It’s also important to have a “generous eye” when thinking of the greatest need we all have, the need for a Savior. According to an October article in the New York Times,
Bible sales are up significantly compared to last year. Are people searching for a source of truth that can help them cope with the stress and anxiety they feel? Can I be generous just by noticing when someone seems to be struggling, and offering Christ-centered conversation? I can’t do everything or help everyone, but as followers of Christ work together, we can do a lot! Starting the New Year, the Holy Spirit seems to be reminding me through that Proverbs chapter to cultivate the habit of awareness as I look around me, and look intentionally for ways to show His love and be helpful however I can.
BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS Staff Writer
pinion
First Amendment to the United States Constitution Congress shall make no law respecting an establishement of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
ROB DOHERTY Publisher (504) 583-8907 robd@bransonglobe.com
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Ad Designer gabbydor210@gmail.com
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The comments on opinion pages are the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily those of the Branson Globe, or its staff. Have something to say? Share it with us in your own Letter to the Editor. Letters to the editor sent via e-mail and fewer than 400 words are given preference. Published or unpublished letters become the property of the newspaper and will not be returned. All letters must include, name, address, and verifiable phone number. The editors may refuse publication of any letter that is libelous, in poor taste, or that endorses a business or product. Letters are subject to editing.
As China increases military tension worldwide, an Ole Seagull’s New Year’s Resolution for 2025 is the “Remember the Lesson of Chosin Reservoir.”
Seagull, why remember one battle from a “Forgotten War?” “How anyone can ‘forget,’ let alone not honor, any conflict where there were over 36,500 U.S casualties during the three-plus
BY JOSHUA HESTON StateoftheOzarks Media & Design
My puppies are running, circling, wrestling in this overcast of Christmas Day, bounding through grasses brown and fledgling green. Christmas Day is a demarcation of sorts, singular handful of days over our lives, days to remember through the long years. Has this Christ-
BY TIFFANY GRAVETT Staff Writer
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11
Ican remember the early days of youthful motherhood when my children were so very small. Their baby rolls, toothless grins, sweet baby breath, and sparkling eyes captivated my heart as
BY JODY JOHNSON GODFREY Wellness Design Specialist
Whatit is: It is a membranous cancer. The linings of vital organs such as the lungs, heart and even the abdomen are attacked with this wicked disease.
How and why do we get this? The only known cause of this disease would be inhalation or possibly transdermal penetration (gases or fumes or micro particles) of asbestos from wall insulation
An Ole Seagull’s 2025 New Year’s Resolution: Remember the Battle of Chosin Reservoir
years of the conflict? Over 4,380 of those casualties came during just 16 days of the first six months of that conflict, at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir November 27, 1950, to December 13, 1950.”
Saying that the “war” would be over by Christmas and vastly underestimating what China would do, General Douglass McArthur separated UN Forces, including the 1st Marine Division, and ordered them to advance over the 38th Parallel into North Korea and proceed with haste, to the Yalu River bordering China.
On November 27, 1950, 30,000 UN troops, most from the U. S. Marine
mas Day been better? Has it been different? Here on these meadow moors — an Ozarks southern mountaintop — this green Christmas Day becomes a strange overcast middle. An in-between space of gloom and promise. There have been traditional Christmases past, full of bright sun and icy snow and kicking the ice from boots, coming into a warm and noisy house full of gifts and expectations, memories of the past and childhood flannel ‘jammies, hope full for a future now itself long-past. Surely Christmas Day, 1990, is a future date, surely? Last decade before the new century, the new millennium, embryonic technology in form
Corps’ 1st Marine Division and all under the command of U.S. Marine General O.P. Smith, found out just how wrong McArthur was as China’s entry into the conflict encircled them with over 120,000 troops at the Chosin Reservoir. The breakout and withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir to the port of Hungnam, covering a distance of approximately 70 to 80 miles under some of the harshest winter conditions imaginable and constant attacks by the Chinese forces, was almost miraculous.
While some use the word “retreat” to describe the Battle of Chosin, then Marine Colonel Chesty Puller said,”
of computer floppy disks and MS-DOS promising a better world, there amid the mounds of torn wrapping paper and twinkling Christmas lights. Then there were Christmas Eves at Grandpa and Grandma’s, dark nights of soup suppers with mysterious packages beneath a dark tree, a tree simply hung with those big, old-fashioned bulbs of indigo, crimson and emerald, there, in a house where there was the creak of Grandpa’s chair, the smell of percolator coffee, and the way the cold winter air gusted when cousins opened the white front door. I was four and could not imagine that life would end. Or that we could and would grow older.
“We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” General Smith said, “Retreat, hell! We’re just attacking in a different direction.”
“But Seagull, where’s the lesson there? The withdrawal and the way it was done is the type of things that military strategists have admired for years.” That’s true and appropriate, but that’s not the lesson.
When we withdrew back across the 38th parallel, for whatever reason, we never went back above it. The mightiest Nation on earth with air and weapon superiority never seen in com-
A sudden tug of collar brings me from my reverie. The pups are tussling, here and now, but Christmas Day is otherwise quiet. Mountain mist slowly falls, dew heavy on the cedars. The year has been long, lonely, broken, beautiful, full of hope, a personal tale, slowly rebuilding from the unknown. Not all Christmases are made the same. Holiday loss is felt most poignantly, most painfully. I will light a candle for this particular spoke of the grand wheel of the year. A yelp, playful jaws of dog on soft and bounding dog. They wrestle again. Dogs’ lives are short and I am not an old man, not yet. In heartbreaking clarity, I know
bat before was brought to a standstill by China and the political fears and considerations of the day. To this day, there is only an “armistice,” and there is still a state of war between North and South Korea.
“That’s all and well, Seagull, but what’s the lesson of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir?” “It’s really pretty simple: don’t underestimate China, economically, politically, or militarily. If they could do what they did as a result of Chosin, with only a tiny fraction of the economic and military power they now have, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to imagine what could happen now.
I will stand somewhere like this yet again, a green and brown field beneath an overcast southern sky, far in the future. There will be achievements. So many things for which I am currently striving will become reality and there will be family again, a noisy house, and gifts beneath the tree. And I will take a moment and stand alone beneath that overcast southern sky, alone and not understood. I will weep for a lost moment, remembering friends long gone, weeping for this moment, right here, wishing for this past, as I hold my puppies close once again, and cherish this, an overlooked heaven that will not come again, this Christmas Day.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Treasured to trampled
I treasured every moment. Even their cries filled me with a deeper sense of purpose and a love so big it hurt. After experiencing motherhood, I read Luke 2:19 in a whole new light of understanding: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Imagine holding the precious Christ child in your arms, knowing that God had found you worthy of being his mother!
When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, Simeon–a devout man led by the Holy Spirit–spoke these words to Mary: “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also…” (Luke 2:35). Mary couldn’t have fully understood at that moment all that was to come,
but she knew that there were painful days ahead for her child. What trust she must have had in her heavenly Father to have taken upon herself this mantle of motherhood knowing that these treasured moments with him were so fleeting. There comes a time when all parents must understand the same reality of childhood’s short brevity. That’s probably why we hear phrases like, “Children steal your heart when they are little, then trample on it when they grow up.” The trampling of a parent’s heart can commence in so many ways, whether it be because of pain your child must suffer or because of pain they inflict through disobedience or bitterness toward you. No matter the
case, parenthood never stays the same and there will always be moments that involve letting go. How do we deal with these painful moments?
One way is by understanding that though our children are only ours for a time, their heavenly Father loves and cares for them more than we ever could. Though we cannot always control where our children go or what they do, we have the unending privilege and responsibility of praying for them. I believe that the deep trust that Mary had in God even when she knew that she would suffer because of what her child would endure was because she knew how to pray. Prayer brings an understanding that we
were never really in control in the first place, but that we get to entrust our precious treasures into the most capable, powerful, loving hands of their heavenly Father. Prayer allows God’s love to infuse our children’s lives, even if we don’t know where they are or what they are doing. Prayer brings protection within the valley of the shadow of death. Prayer turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Prayer is the means in which God works miracles on this earth. Whatever stage you may find yourself in on the journey of parenthood–whether your heart feels treasured or trampled–remember that God sees you, He sees your child, and He loves both of you more than you could ever imagine.
Mesothelioma: The ‘what,’ ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this disease
to brake pad linings or if you were to work in the industry of flame retardant materials.
The ingestion process can occur from home, your workplace, airborne, inhalation, or via clothing (causing the transdermal absorption). The “at risk” group would include airplane/auto mechanics, firefighters and ship builders, power and chemical plant operators, demolition specialists, mill workers and drywall installers. Seventy to eighty percent of diagnosed cases are from workplace exposure. Veterans from the 40s to the 80s are at the highest risk for malignant mesothelioma. Many contractors used asbestos in most military machinery or gadgetry, thus making it near impossible to
avoid exposure unless you were high ranking or simply office personnel. Veterans comprise 30 percent of known, diagnosed cases.
If you have had exposure, the first step to a solid diagnosis is an imaging test, then a tissue biopsy. Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common type, making up 7080 percent of the cases. This type has a life expectancy of 18-24 months depending on the stage at the time of diagnosis. Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma is the mesothelioma that is the most aggressive type with a life expectancy of around 18 months. This type of cell is spindle-shaped and thus termed Spindle Cell Mesothelioma. Promising results for this type are resorting to immunotherapy as
it is extending the 18 months in some patients, but we are needing more data for the present to be confident in this.
STAGES
Stage 1 is where the cancer is isolated—within the organ, itself, which means you will respond well with early treatment.
Stage 2 has the tumor growing larger and getting into an area outside of where it first appeared. Depending on your general health status, surgery is an option.
Stage 3 would be where it has permeated one whole side of the body, possibly and probably lymph nodes, the esophagus, chest wall, ribs and/or heart. By this stage, it does not respond well to curative options, but surgery can still sometimes be helpful.
Stage 4 has, generally, involved both sides of the body and most likely can have, by this juncture, invaded the brain. No treatment really works now, so patients usually go on palliative care.
TREATMENTS
Curative treatment is when doctors are able to remove as much of the tumor and cells as possible and combine multiple curative treatments to achieve amazing results.
The palliative treatment involves not treating the cancer itself but rather the symptoms and simply trying to make the patient as comfortable as possible.
The curative treatments involve surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy SEE JODY GODFREY, PAGE 3B
BY DAVE RAMSEY, CEO, Ramsey Solutions,
and an eight-time No. 1 national best-selling author, and host
of The Ramsey Show
Dave,
It’s always been a dream of mine to buy and own a business. A few weeks ago, I was approached with an opportunity that could make this dream come true. How do I know if what I’m being offered is a good deal and if I’m ready for something like this?
Lee
Lee,
Buying a business can either be one of the greatest purchases of your life, or one of the biggest mistakes you’ve made. And I’m going to do my best to keep you from making a mistake.
BY HEATHER TANKERSLEY, REALTOR®,
provides services for residential, commercial, land and lake properties in the
area.
Waiting for perfect market conditions often means missing out. Because what you may not realize is, if you’re ready and able to buy, this time of year could actually give you an edge. Here’s why. As the weather cools down, the housing market can too –and that works in your favor.
You Likely Won’t Feel as Rushed Homes tend to take a little longer to sell during this time of year.
Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the average time a house sits on the market jumps up during the winter months (see the top graph at right).
Continued from page
and immunotherapy (which may or may not be covered by most insurances). Multimodal therapy is when doctors utilize everything out there to give patients their best chance. Patients should research gene therapy along with taking Ivermectin. I have read so much about this inexpensive wonder drug and how it is just great for combatting so many different, serious conditions. Every person should read about it and not be afraid to insist to their doctor that it be utilized in aggressive treatment but for preventative, as well. Remember that nothing has to be a death sentence as long as we take it upon ourselves to do full and adequate research. You may have to change doctors if they won’t work with you, but that is ok. Also, I can’t encourage you
EntreLeadership: So, you want to buy a business...
I want you to think seriously about a few things and keep some questions in mind. Then, at the end, if you still think buying is a good idea by the end of this article, you might be in business. Imagine waking up on a Monday morning one year from now. Are you still enthusiastic about this line of work? Your vocation needs to be a vacation. Otherwise, running a business is too much work. If you’re only in it for the money, you’re setting yourself up for failure, because there isn’t enough money in the world to make you work as hard as you’ll have to work running a small business. Think about spending some time around the business. Sit in there for a week to see how it operates, and learn all the ins and outs. Then, if you’re truly invested and passionate about this new business opportunity, move on to my next question—what’s the business worth?
A business is only worth the income it creates. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a really great location, or if it’s a well-known brand name. Those things have no value if they’re not creating income, so figure out the net profit of this business.
Notice that I said net profit, not just sales. When determining the business’s worth, you need to focus on all three areas—gross revenue, expenses and the profit it generates as a result. Become an expert on the business’s financial performance. Ask to see their past three years of financial statements, so you know what you’d be getting yourself into. Once you’ve done that, ask what you’ll make on your money. You can make about 12% with a good mutual fund, so if you’re going to take the risk of buying a small business, you’ll want to make at least 20% on it.
Another number to look at is the book value. If you col-
lected all the receivables, and you sold all the equipment and the inventory and closed the business, what would you have in your pocket? That’s the book value. If the business currently has $40,000 in inventory, $30,000 worth of equipment and $30,000 in receivables, the book value of that business is worth $100,000. Somewhere in between net profit and book value is a fair price. If the net profit of this business is $60,000 and they’re asking $185,000 for it, then that’s a pretty good buy. But you need to really get into their books and make sure their numbers are real.
And even if you’re great with numbers, it’s a good idea to find a financial expert to help you through this process. It’s an extra set of eyes to review and verify all the documents and give you an unbiased opinion on the deal.
Next, what are the costs of running the business? As you’re researching what the
business is worth, you’ll come across the costs of keeping the business running while you’re researching what the business is worth. But your homework doesn’t stop there. Take time to really examine the business and understand everything that goes along with keeping it afloat.
This includes employee payroll and benefits, insurance, taxes, contracts, inventory, leases, cash flow—and anything else that helps run the business. Take time to think about the future, too. Do you want to keep the business where it’s at, or grow it? What are your five-year goals for this business? Are there any expenses you may need to factor in to get there?
Finally, what’s included?
When buying a business, you need to find out exactly what’s included in the asking price. How are they deciding the value of their business? Does the price include current inventory?
Office equipment? Furni-
The biggest perks of buying a home this winter
This is partly because fewer buyers are active at this time of year – and that decrease in buyer competition means the houses that are on the market aren’t going to be snatched up as quickly. So, if you decide to buy a home in the next couple of months, you’ll likely have more time to consider your options and negotiate a deal without feeling as pressured.
Sellers May Be More Willing To Negotiate
And since homes generally take longer to sell during the winter, sellers are often more motivated to close a deal. That can work in your favor, too. According to NAR: “Less competition can lead to better deals. While homes are not selling as fast as during the summer, sellers may be more willing to negotiate.”
Whether it’s compromising on price, covering closing costs or repairs, or including extras like appliances, you have more room to ask for what you need.
Homes Are Less Expensive in the Winter
With less competition from other buyers and sellers who are more willing to negotiate,
enough to speak with your pharmacist about Ivermectin; they can be a huge help with dosages, etc. A helpful resource is the Mesothelioma Veterans Center. Contact our veterans’ mesothelioma experts at this number, 855-960-5006. Get help accessing VA benefits,
you may see slightly lower prices too. In fact, according to NAR, homes are typically about 5% less expensive now compared to when prices normally peak in the summer.
That might not seem like a huge difference, but on a $400,000 home, it could mean savings of $20,000 on the purchase price.
You can see this expected seasonal shift in home prices taking place this year. Take a look at the bottom graph at right showing the median sales price of existing homes (homes that were previously owned) over the past 12 months. You’ll notice that prices were lower in the winter months last year, and it seems like that’s going to happen again this year. That gives you the chance to make your budget go further.
Bottom Line
Buying a home during the winter means less competition, motivated sellers, and potentially lower prices, too. Let’s work together to find the right one at the right price for you.
It’s Your Move! I believe every homeowner should feel confident when purchasing a home.
medical care and legal compensation for mesothelioma. There are no upfront costs to work with our team.
I wish all my readers a very happy new year and health and prosperity; and most importantly—spiritual growth. That is why we were put here.
ture? Get a list of everything that’s included from the seller and what kind of condition it’s in. And don’t just take their word for it. Go check out their stuff yourself. It’s also important to know all the baggage that might be included in this buy. Are there any debts or liens involved? You don’t want to buy a business only to find out you bought someone else’s problems. One of the best benefits of buying an established business is that customers are included. The business should come with at least something of a reputation (hopefully a good one) and customers already in place. But be aware, many sellers will try to exaggerate how much their reputation and customer base are worth in finding their selling price. That’s why studying their books and knowing their customer satisfaction is so important. So, how’re you feeling about things now, Lee?
Branson Tri-Lakes
• JODY GODFREY
2B
BY COWBOY JOHN FULLER-
Memories from the Homestead: The blue-eyed postmaster,
Elbert Butler
About a week ago, I was asked if I knew how the community of Blue Eye, our Stone County neighbors to the south, got its name. As I sit here on the porch of Old Matt’s Cabin writing this, I’ve got a clear view of the Blue Eye area to the south, about eleven miles in the distance.
The Blue Eye region was originally known as Butler’s Barrens. Located on the state line, there were several homesteading families that arrived in the area in the years before Stone County would become a county in February 1851. These families were Taney County residents back then. There were the Butlers, as well as the Craven, Pitman and Rhodes families. The Newton family and the Hutchinson family homesteaded on the Arkansas side.
By 1870, Stone County had been in existence for almost twenty years. Local resident Elbert Butler, who named the first trading post Butler’s Barrens, organized the first post office, registered as Blue Eye, Missouri. Butler was known for his distinct blue eyes. Others have said that Butler had a condition known today as heterochromia - he had a brown eye and a blue eye. Whatever the case, Blue Eye was established and on its way. As the town expanded, it had an Arkansas
side in Carroll County as well as the Stone County side in Missouri. Blue Eye is Stone County’s southernmost town, and it’s Carroll County’s northernmost town.
The Wilderness Road passed about a mile to the west of the community, as it was the main wagon road from Berryville, Arkansas, going north to Reeds Spring, and onward to Springfield. Back then the trip from Berryville to Springfield could take anywhere from seven to ten days.
By 1883, Blue Eye’s Baptist Church congregation was organized, and in 1916 a two-story school was built on the Arkansas side with classes beginning in 1918. The school was formed by the Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and operated into the early 1930s
when the academy was closed due to the opening of a new school on the Missouri side.
By the 1920s, Blue Eye had a successful canning factory, founded by George Dodgen. He was remembered for freezing strawberries so they could be shipped. He lived a short distance northeast of Blue Eye and operated several canning operations in southwest Missouri.
So what happened to the first postmaster Elbert Butler? He remained an area resident until his passing at age 51 in July 1896. He had also served as Stone County Sheriff and Stone County Collector. His grave can be found in the Blue Eye Cemetery. He married Dallas County native Margaret Pitman in 1865, and due to their business and farming interests had no children together. Today, Blue Eye remains
as two communities separated by the state line. Around 300 total residents live on the Missouri side at present, with approximately 50 on the Arkansas side. They still have a wonderful K-12 school, several churches, and a public library which is affiliated with the Stone County library system. Blue Eye would receive
national attention in the 1960s as it was referenced several times on the Beverly Hillbillies television series on CBS. Happy New Year, everyone! I wish all of you a fantastic 2025. It’s indeed an honor to bring this column to you each week. In April I will begin my third year writing for ya’ll. I love it! Happy trails, everyone!
Quote from ‘The Raven’ and Dan Sickles: ‘Nevermore!’
fordshistorymysterylore.
They’re good videos!
EWe are always looking for new ideas and collaborating sponsors to take this history project to the next level. Contact Rob at the Branson Globe, 417-334-9100 for details. Also check out our historic YouTube videos at https://youtube.com/@bob-
dgar Allen Poe was a brilliant, troubled writer who called Baltimore, Maryland, home. He is credited with introducing the modern detective story genre to American readers. His forte was mystery and the macabre. Baltimore is one of this country’s original harbor cities. It’s where in 1814 Francis Scott Key was a U.S. Emissary, meeting under a white flag with the enemy, but later held captive on his own ship and witnessed an incredible 25-hour bombardment of Ft. McHenry by the British Navy. Seeing the stars and stripes still flying the next morning over the Fort gave Key the inspiration to write the poem that later became our nation’s national anthem.
The span bridge over the entrance to Baltimore harbor that was rammed last March by a container ship and brought down was named after Francis Scott Key.
History is full of bizarre connections and here’s one of my favorites; OK follow this!
Union Major General Daniel L. Sickles is one of my least favorite Civil War Generals or for that matter person in U.S. history. I’m almost sorry to say we share a birthday.
Born into a wealthy, politically connected family he had influential “friends” throughout his life.
During the war, having received a political commission, General Sickles found himself commanding 3rd Corps at the Battle of Gettysburg. He and his 10,400 men were at the
southern end of the famous Union fish hook defensive line. Seeing a little higher ground, the Peach Orchard, a couple hundred yards out, he decides, without orders, to move his troops. Big mistake, Sickles stuck out like a sore thumb. After hours of ground assaults and artillery fire, 3rd Corps was decimated with a 40% casualty rate.
The General lost his leg in the fight and exited the field on a stretcher smoking a cigar. He had his crushed, amputated appendage eerily preserved where it’s still on display at the National Museum of Health and Education. Sickles was known for routinely visiting his leg, often bringing famous guests including Mark Twain.
The man was an egotistical womanizer. Wherever this scoundrel traveled, he
left unpaid bills, broken romances and political scandals. He was reprimanded early in his political career for bringing a prostitute onto the floor of the New York State Senate.
He received his military commission from fellow womanizer Major General Joseph Hooker. Now you know where “ladies of the evening,” got their nickname. Before the war, at 32 years old, Sickles got Teressa Bagioli, a friend’s 15-year-old daughter pregnant. Despite having neither family’s support, they married. Sickles didn’t miss a beat though. While she stayed at home in Washington, D.C. where they threw occasional lavish galas, he continued on his carousing ways. This was the mid-1850s.
Years later Teressa, tired of Sickle’s antics, had a very public affair with a man more her own age, who happened to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. At some point, then Congressman Sickles found out and was mortified. Sickles stalked the U.S. attorney, finding him in Lafayette Park just across the street from the White House. Without hesitation in broad daylight, he shoots his wife’s lover in the groin. The unarmed attorney, now in agony, begged for his
TON, a native of Taney County, and a member of the Sons of the Pioneers.
The Blue Eye Post Office in the early 1920s (Photo courtesy of Tara Wolf-Stone County Skillet)
BY BOB FORD, Writer, history buff and regular visitor to Branson. You can find more of Bob’s work including his historical podcasts on his website bobfordshistory.com. Bob can be reached at robertmford@aol.com.
One-legged General Sickles (Photo submitted by Bob Ford)
BY LUANNA FULLERTON Entertainment Writer
Let’s meet the guys in the group, SIX: Barry, Kevin, Lynn, Jak, Owen and Charles - our veteran of the group; we salute him, and “thank you for your service!”
Suzanne, from the SIX Marketing Department shared with me during our interview about this year’s food drive done through collecting canned and nonperishable foods for the show’s Area Appreciation that is held in the month of December every year.
1. When did the guys start with the collection of canned goods?
They started this “Giving Endeavor” 18 years ago.
Area Entertainment: SIX help feed the hungry
2. What was the inspiration behind it?
When they came to Branson and found out how the whole Branson tourist season was with so many people going on “unemployment” during the “off-season” and was living with minimal, they wanted to somehow give back and help out! So, they put their heads together and decided to start doing an Area Appreciation with reduced ticket prices, with the donations of two nonperishable or canned food items. They are the first show to their knowledge that does this for under a ten-dollar ticket with the food items in town. To further this, they decided to “set amount goals” to make it a more fun and challenging event.
3. Who receives the donations?
CAM, also known as Christian Action Ministries, receives the donations and then they disperse it where it is needed. CAM has grown so much that they have
moved into a bigger building and started a new program that is called, “Choice Pantry.” Please get in touch with CAM to inquire on help for volunteering and donations.
4. Do they do any other type of collections or donations throughout the year?
Absolutely! Although our Area Appreciation/Food Drive month is our biggest donation event of the year, we still love to help out and give to our community through school and charity group project event donations.
5. Will they continue doing this?
Again, absolutely! Why stop with such a great thing that benefits so many people.
6. What was the total collected for this year?
In past years we have upped our goal amounts each year. Covid bit into this, just like it did to everyone else, but we bounced back with a goal set and met 3,000 pounds of food in 2021, then up to 4,000 pounds in 2022,
and 2023 was 5,000 pounds.
So, we upped it even more for 2024, and we almost didn’t think it was going to happen. But, a little over a week ago, Brian Karr, owner of Made in the USA General Store located at the Shoppes at Branson Meadows, made a generous donation of over 250 cans of vegetables, which brought them to over 6,000 pounds of food.
Then just this week, they had an anonymous donation that brought them over the 8,000-pound food mark! What generosity to these donors and their very loving, thoughtful donations. The guys were recognized just this weekend for the loving help with a plaque through the (Neighbor Helping Neighbor) group for all their care and love of these donations. Even though the shows have come to a close for this season, you will be able to still give.
Suzanne, and the guys want to give a huge “ThankYou Shout Out” to all their
staff, the theatre staff, ticket sellers and especially to the FANS for always supporting them through the season and especially during the holiday season.
The guys are holding their Second Annual Fan Cruise in January 2025. They will be starting their shows back up at the Pepsi Legends Theatre on February 12 at 8 p.m. You can keep up with
everything SIX on all major social media sites and also at the website, sign up to be a fan, purchase merchandise, and see the awards they have received. For tickets from the theatre contact Pepsi Legends Theater, 1600 W. 76 Country Blvd., Branson. Phone 1-877-SIX-SHOW or locally at 417-339-3003.
‘Southern Gospel Sundays’ with The Frosts returning for second season in Branson
Submitted to Branson Globe
The Frosts are excited to announce “Southern Gospel Sundays” will return for a second season at The Americana Theatre in 2025. The show will open April 27, 5 p.m., and will be held most Sundays through December 14.
Michael and Jen Frost, along with their 14-year-old daughter, Jael, will once again
bring an evening of gospel music accompanied by pianist Clayton Watson (who performs the pre-show for Presley’s Country Jubilee).
“It’s hard to believe we are already gearing up for a second season. Our first season was a blast, and we feel like it will only grow from here,” Michael said. The Frosts will once again
bring familiar classic hymns, hand-clapping southern gospel favorites, and also several original songs written by Michael Frost, whose music has been recorded by many of southern gospel music’s top artists, including The Mckameys, The Hyssongs, Ivan Parker and many more.
Jen will also resume her character as “Sister Bertha
SMAC workshop set for January 14 and 15
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
The Southern Missouri Arts Connection will hold a Winter Cardinal Workshop in January.
Designed for everyone, from beginners to advanced artists, the workshop will teach you how to create your own mixed media art.
A two-part workshop, the Winter Cardinal event will allow you to work with stained glass and beads on the first session, then paint a winter scene on canvas. Experience is not necessary.
Working with bright red colors will boost your mood, as you create a beautiful winter scene.
The workshop is set for January 14 and 15, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and is open to anyone ages 12 to adult. Admission is $65, but thanks to a generous grant from the City of Hollister Parks and Recreation Department, the fee for Hollister residents is only $32.50 per person. To register, contact SMAC at #7 Downing Street in downtown Hollister.
Busybody,” whose comical antics were a big hit with audiences in the first season.
In November and December, The Frosts will present a special Christmas show.
In its first season, the show earned “Gospel Show of the Year” from the Branson Show Awards, and also “Best New Show (Silver award)” and “Best Gospel
Group (Bronze award)” in The Best of Branson 2024.
“Our hope with this show is to bring an atmosphere of worship through music, to encourage and inspire people through testimony, and to bring laughter and joy through comedy. The best compliments from folks who saw us during our first season were comments like, I
laughed, I cried, I praised and I left there feeling so uplifted. If we can continue to help people feel that way, that will make us very happy.”
Tickets are available through The Americana Theatre box office by calling 417-5448700, and also online at americanatheatrebranson.com. (Ask about special rates for church groups or tour groups.)
Quilt Week, show set for March in Branson
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
The American Quilter’s Society Annual Quilt Week returns to Branson this spring.
Held each spring, the 2025 AQS Quilt Week is set for March 12 through March 15.
The exciting week includes informative workshops, inspiring lectures and special events. The AQS Quilt Week also offers classes for everyone, from beginners to experienced quilters. The vendor mall will introduce you to the latest machines, fabrics and quilting supplies, and there will be hundreds of beautiful and unique quilts on display.
The AQS Quilt Week will be held at the Branson Convention Center, 200 South Sycamore, in downtown Branson. For more information, visit their website, go.americanquilter.com/branson2025/
Pictured are SIX brothers and Brian Karr, Made In The USA General Store, with the food donations. (Photo submitted by Suzanne Knudson, SIX Marketing Director)
The Rogue Chef: Frozen Lime Margarita Mousse
BY CHEF JEFF WOODWARD, The Rogue Chef TIME: 20 minutes + freezing SERVINGS: 6 INGREDIENTS: 1 (14 oz) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk ½ C Ready-to-Drink Margarita Mix
January Thaw right in your kitchen: Popular soup
BY EMILY RACETTE PARULSKI |
Taste of Home | COMPILED BY JANET STEINKAMP
With the holidays behind us, now is an excellent time to enjoy delicious, filling, and easy-to-make soups, complete with nutritious vegetables. A crockpot/slow cooker will come in handy to finish simmering the ingredients. Enjoy!
Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup
Perfect accompaniments to this classic soup are fluffy biscuits or crusty bread.
INGREDIENTS
• 2-1/2 pounds bone-in
chicken thighs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 10 cups chicken broth
4 celery ribs, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups uncooked egg noodles (about 8 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Optional: Additional salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, cook until dark golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings.
2. Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 25-30 minutes.
3. Transfer chicken to a plate. Remove soup from heat. Add noodles; let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 2022 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, when chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to stockpot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. If desired, adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves.
Recipe by Gina Nistico
Beef Noodle Soup
Freezer veggies, kitchen staples and a pound of ground beef cook in 30 minutes to make a filling soup that tastes like it’s been sim-
mering all day.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans (10-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables or 1 can (15 ounces) mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup uncooked medium egg noodles
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, crumbling beef; drain. Add the tomatoes, broth, vegetables and seasonings. Bring to a boil; add noodles. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until noodles are tender, 10-15 minutes
Recipe by Margery Bryan
Simple Taco Soup
Pair taco toppings such
as shredded cheese, cubed avocado, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sour cream and tortilla strips with this taco soup.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups water
• 1 can (16 ounces) mild chili beans, undrained
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
5. Add the pretzels, butter, and sugar in a separate bowl.
6. Stir and mix well.
7. Top each of the mousse filled cups with about 1 T of the pretzel topping.
8. Freeze the cups for about 4-6 hours or until firm. 9. Serve frozen. 10. Garnish with a slice of lime. GO ROGUE by rubbing the rim of each serving glass with Chili-Lime salt. Want Chef Jeff to make this delicious dessert for you? Contact him at www. TheRogueChefBranson. com .
recipes to start off the new year
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomato with green chiles
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles, optional
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
• Optional: Sour cream and green onions
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook beef in Dutch oven over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain.
2. Add taco seasoning and mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. If desired, garnish with sour cream and green onion.
Recipe by Glenda Taylor
Cauliflower Soup
In thirty minutes, a head
of cauliflower becomes a cheesy, creamy comforting soup. Mix in a little cooked chicken or ham, if desired.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped celery 2-1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon or 1 vegetable bouillon cube
1. In a Dutch oven, combine the cauliflower, carrot, celery, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (do not drain).
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in the cheese until melted, adding hot pepper sauce if desired.
4. Stir into the cauliflower mixture.
Recipe by Debbie Ohlhau-
sen Slow Cooker Vegetable
Soup
This hearty and nutritious soup with meat and vegeta-
bles is a meal in a bowl.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound beef top round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes or substitute pork, sausage, turkey or chicken 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium onions, diced
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 12 ingredients.
2. Cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours.
Recipe by Heather Thurmeier
Hearty Navy Bean Soup
Why is it called navy bean soup? The navy bean’s name originates from the bean being served to mem-
bers of the U.S. Navy during World War II. This small, white, economical bean provided a filling alternative during food rationing.
INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups (1-1/2 pounds) dried navy beans
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large onion, chopped
• 1 meaty ham hock or 1 cup diced cooked ham
2 cups chicken broth
• 2-1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
• Minced fresh parsley, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rinse and sort beans; soak according to package directions. Soaking beans overnight is recommended when cooking dried beans, which this recipe calls for.
2. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Place in a Dutch oven.
3. Add the tomatoes with juice, onion, ham hock (or diced ham), broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
4. Add more water if necessary. Remove ham hock and let it stand until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bone; discard bone. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces; set aside. (For a thicker soup, cool slightly, then puree beans in a food processor or blender and return to pan.) Return ham to soup and heat through. Garnish with parsley if desired.
3. Add the mixed vegetables; cover and cook 2 hours longer or until meat and vegetables are tender.
Recipe by Mildred Lewis
LARRY DABLEMONT is an outdoor publisher, columnist, author, speaker, naturalist and outdoorsman.
I
t began to rain, lightly at first. But from the dark clouds building to the northwest I knew what was coming. I pulled my johnboat up on a shallow gravel bar due to that promise of coming bad weather, just minutes away. The temperature was in the low thirties, cold and wet.
I picked up the pack on the boat seat before me, grabbed my shotgun beside me and hurried up the incline before me to a rock ledge about 20 feet high.
Facing the east, it jutted out about four feet, a shelter from the wind and rain.
As the rain increased, I gathered some dry sticks around me. Even a small fire would help. I pulled a small vial of kerosene from the pack and poured it on the layer of dry sticks. I dug out a lighter from my pocket and lit it, watching
life but without conscience Sickles walked up and unloaded a fatal blast in his chest killing him. The dead man’s name was...wait for it…Phillip Key, Francis Scott Key’s oldest son.
Sickles turns himself in and confesses to the murder. In what turned out to be a stroke of genius with future Secretary of War Edward Stanton as his lawyer, he used for the first time in U.S. legal history the de-
Outdoors with Larry Dablemont: The river in winter
the flame burst forth and grow. I pulled the thermos from my pack as the rain began to pelt down. The coffee I had made hours before was still hot as I settled back on the layer of dry leaves against the rock wall and pulled my old goose-down coat up around me, tying down the hood.
The rain was steady now but with little wind, thank goodness. I was content to watch it from the dry shelter. I was in no hurry. My pickup was only three eddies and two shoals downriver and there was three hours of winter light left, even with the heavy cloud layer. I could make it in about an hour if I paddled straight through.
But I would wait, so that I could stay dry. I had rain gear in a dry box in the seat, but when it rains hard you don’t stay real dry with any rain gear. Especially when you are paddling a boat. And it was too cold to get damp.
I leaned back and watched the rain slack off a bit, and out above the river I heard the sound of wings. Under that overhanging ledge, I just glimpsed the flock of mallards heading down river. They circled
fense of temporary insanity, and it worked; he was acquitted!
Then he shocks the Washington D.C. Victorian establishment by forgiving his wife. People weren’t so upset with that first-degree murder thing, as they were with Sickles forgiving his wife, a “fallen woman.”
Dan Sickles wasn’t through after the calamity on the battlefield. Years later somehow, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at
v isitor BRANSON
above the trees across the river and out over the field just beyond, then headed back to the big eddy downstream. I watched them circle and funnel down into its protective slough, maybe a dozen or more.
That made me happier than the fire and coffee. In a little while I could float down toward that slough and paddle right in beside them. Maybe I could add a couple more greenheads to that one old drake I had picked up earlier. He took to flight behind my boat as I drifted past, and he was the only duck I had seen all morning besides the ever-present hooded mergansers, which would skim along above the river surface before me.
It rained for about a half an hour, and then I began to hear the patter of ice particles around me, at first mixed with the rain, then in a few minutes, there was an onslaught of nothing but sleet. I just sat there finishing my thermos of coffee and a half a sandwich. It was something to enjoy, being so peaceful and dry there beneath that rock overhang watching it sleet. Shortly the fire burned down, and I let it subside into small
Gettysburg. It’s nice to have friends.
He then accepted an appointment to serve as the U.S. Minister to Spain only to turn on his charm again and have an affair with the deposed Queen Isebella II, all while on crutches.
Sickles would go back to Gettysburg for reunions frequently to defend his move and raise money for his 3rd Corps monument. He chaired the committee and raised $115,000, but when time came to com-
coals and ashes. The sleet didn’t last long. About that time, I saw something big coming up the gravel bar and past my boat. It was a lone otter, likely a big male. He had skirted the shoal and was about to slip into the eddy above me. I was surprised that he didn’t get my duck inside the boat. Otters are efficient killers…the scourge of the river. They are the biggest enemy of smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, you name it. If it swims, they will kill it to eat. What lives above water, they may kill that too. They have been known to kill fawns by pulling them into the water. They kill ducks and geese, turkey poults, mink, muskrat, rabbits, etc.
Otters are one of many embarrassments of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Young, inept biologists stocked them years ago without any knowledge as to what they were and what they would do. They moved from our rivers to upland waters to become a devastating predator of stocked fish, and ruined many fishing ponds and small lakes, far from the rivers.
The MDC traded wild
mission the work, $28,000 was missing; gee, where do you think that went? He was fired from the committee.
Sickles is the only Union Corps Commander at Gettysburg that does not have a statue. Of course, our man Dan would say, that’s all right, “this whole battlefield is my memorial.”
When Art Modell got permission from the NFL to move his Cleveland Football team to Baltimore, they needed a new nickname.
The old Baltimore Colts
turkeys to Wisconsin for the otters they stocked. Today there’s an abundance of otters in the Ozarks and wild turkeys become fewer each year. Had I a rifle, I would have killed that one and taken him with me. But in a moment he was gone, and with him went the sleet. Suddenly it was snowing. I headed for the johnboat, adjusted my bow-blind and pulled the boat out into the river. The snow began to really come down, and for a moment I just stood there watching it drift down between me and the high bluff downstream, so beautiful it was hard not to stand there in awe, and I thanked God he allowed me to see it. It was so quiet you could hear snowflakes hitting the leaves along the gravel bar. Eventually, I swung my hip boots over the side of the boat, adjusted my shotgun beside me and reached a gloved hand for my paddle. There were ducks downstream a ways. I thought I heard an old hen quacking. “Be patient,” I said beneath my breath, “I’m coming!” See my new book on www.larrydablemont. com, and read all outdoor columns from the past and future on www.larrydablemontoutdoors.
team left in 1984, tearfully in the middle of the night heading to Indianapolis. The team would not relinquish the Colts name back to Baltimore because I guess there are too many horses running around Indiana. Whereas, of course, the Preakness is run annually in Baltimore.
The team conducted a fan call-in contest where 33,000 votes were cast for honoring their favorite son Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven.” It’s now one of my favorite odd mascot names.
The Baltimore Ravens is right behind the Burlington Sock Puppets, Carolina Disco Turkeys and the Lansing Lug Nuts. Baltimore is full of important stories and connections about our country and history is full of characters like Dan Sickles who was one of the most egomaniacs I’ve ever found, but people like Dan is why studying history is so fascinating. You never know what you will come across. Facts are truly greater than fiction.
A lone mallard had taken to flight behind me. (Photo by Larry Dablemont)
• BOB FORD
Continued from page 4B
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCATION SUPPORT GROUP meets at the Branson-Hollister Senior Center, 201 Compton Dr., Branson, the last Wednesday of every month from 1:30-3 p.m. For more information, call Mark Applegate at 417-955-2513 or email mark.applegate@senioragemo.org.
lassifieds
CELEBRATE RECOVERY is a place to heal from your hurts, habits, and hangups. We meet every Monday night at 6:30 PM at Music City Centre, 1839 West 76 Country Blvd., Branson. For more information call 417–320-2055 See you there!
1 Seeking their DD 214
2 Needing a companion dog
3 Wanting peer-to-peer friends
4 Seeking professional counseling
5 Needing food, water or shelter
IF MY PEOPLE, WHICH ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
I WAS OUT WALKING, and I ran into my 80 year old friend named Smokey Bear. He was talking about the clean air. If you smell smoke look for the fire, because it may burn your house. Please don’t throw away your cigarettes outside and remember fireworks start fires. The weather is dry so don’t burn your house down and don’t burn my house either. Please pay attention.
GRIEF SHARE SUP-
PORT GROUP: A new class for Grief Share will begin Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, at the Branson UMC. This is open to people from our community, surrounding areas and our own church family at BUMC. We welcome both new and returning participants. Gather at 1 p.m. for “social time” and class will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m. For questions call Peggy at 641-919-1533. All are welcome!
VETERANS & MILITARY COALITION OF THE OZARKS is an all-volunteer organization of veterans serving veterans. Contact us if you feel that you, as a veteran or veteran family, may not be receiving the benefits you deserve. Go to VMCO1.org and click on CONTACT at the top of the home page. VMCO meets monthly on the third Thursday of the month (no meeting in July or November) at the Golden Corral in Branson with 11:15 a.m. (optional) lunch buffet and 12-1 p.m. meeting.
AMERICAN LEGION
POST #220 would love to invite all of our former and current U.S. military friends to join us Monday mornings, 9 a.m., for coffee and pastries, with the exception of the second Monday of the month and national holidays. Come join us at M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport, 491 Blue Sky Lane, Hollister. Monthly business meeting is the 2nd Monday of the month 6 p.m. at Denny’s, 2335 West 76 County Blvd., Branson. We look forward to meeting you! HOOAH!
FREE ESTIMATES AND TIMELY RESPONSE. Full remodels, decks, pole barns, garages, fencing and small projects. Call 417-699-1635.
COMPANION DOGS NEED A
– We have German shepherd dogs that would be great companions. They are free to a good home. 417559-3892.
down payment. NO initial taxes & license fees. NO credit check. Free 1 year warranty on motor & transmission. Rent to own your auto today! 1119 E. Hwy. 76, Branson. 417335-5400. renttoownautosbranson.com
FOR RENT: 2 BR, 1 1/2 bath townhouse. All appliances including W/D. Available now. Covered parking on Bee Creek. 1 mile from Walmart Super Center. This is a place you want to live. $975 per month. 417-337-0077 or 417-231-7129.
We can help you with your rent, groceries and gas. Please call to get the details – 417-337-3772.
GILBERTI’S PLACE. Need P.M. pasta cook and prep cook. Fun, working atmosphere. Come in and fill out an application. 1451 Acacia Club Rd., Hollister.
and watch
take notice! Run an ad like this one for $25/wk.
46. Type of sauce 47. Group with 100 members 49. Home of the Horned Frogs 50. Where to find Magic and Wizards
53. End of quote 57. Famous shroud’s locale 60. Person with a list
61. Certain no-show 62. Astonish 63. Apropos of 64. First name of “The Church Lady” 65. “American Buffalo” playwright 66. Not sleep peacefully 67. They’re kept under lids, especially at night
Down 1. Boatyard
2. “It’s ___!” 3. Bob of “Full House” 4. Kind of snake or crab 5. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” 6. Match up 7. Eye accent 8. Adam’s third 9. Come home
10. Is in the black 11. Tax break savings account
On this date in history...
• 1938 March of Dimes established to fight polio
• 1945 U.S aircraft carriers attack Okinawa
• 1956 A fire damages the top part of the Eiffel Tower
• 1959 Alaska admitted as 49th U.S. State
1962 Ground is broken for the Houston Astrodome
1962 Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro
1977 Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate
Apple Computer, Inc.
1987 Aretha Franklin is first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1988 Margaret Thatcher becomes longest serving
British Prime Minister of the century
• 1993 In Moscow, the Start II Arms Reduction Treaty is signed by George H.W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin
2004 After hosting the
12. Hack off 13. Gin name?
21. “Falstaff,” for one
22. Actor Zimbalist Jr. 26. Like close friends 27. Acclaim 28. Witherspoon in “Pleasantville”
29. Divest of individuality
30. Terminate, at Cape Canaveral
31. Prevalent 33. Slams the door on 34. It gets many touchdowns
35. “The Hostage” playwright
36. Garfield’s pal 39. Israeli desert
40. Close to 46. Temper tantrums
48. Principle
49. Peter and Alexander 50. “Forget about it!”
51. Pioneer Daniel 52. It can help you to see the world 54. Redo a clue
55. Truckee stop 56. Fall behind in the stretch
57. Highland hat
58. Ethan’s co-star in “Gattaca” 59. Computerphile’s concern
show for over 30 years, Casey Kasem gives up hosting duties of “American Top 40” to Ryan Seacrest
• 2019 115th Congress convenes in Washington, D.C., electing Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House of Representatives for the second time
• 2022 America records one million new COVID-19 cases for the first time, Omicron accounting for an estimated 95% of these
Sudoku
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