A Quiet Strength: Bryelon Willis Returned To Sports After Life-Threatening Illness
by Janice Penix In just a few short weeks, Bryelon Willis will begin his freshman year at the University of the Ozarks. The 2025 Oark High School graduate led the Hornet basketball and track teams during his senior season, and is now ready to pursue a career coaching the sports he loves. But 12 months…
Read MoreWhere We Spend Matters
Two more businesses closed in Clarksville last week; a reminder of the challenges small businesses in our area are facing, and a loss for the community in general. When I spoke to one of the owners, he told me they simply didn’t have enough customers to keep going. There are likely several reasons behind closures…
Read MoreSmall, But Dynamite: Lydia Summerlin Packed A Powerful Punch
by Janice Penix She may only be 5’1”, but as Lydia Summerlin’s coaches can attest, her effort and intensity are anything but small. “If you’ve ever been around Lydia, you know she’s kinda short – but dynamite comes in small packages,” Wes Davis, Clarksville head volleyball coach, said. Summerlin, who graduated Clarksville High School in…
Read MoreClarksville Looks To Reopen Recycle Center: Council Approves Funding For Fencing, Cameras
by Janice Penix The city of Clarksville will reopen its recycling center by Aug. 1 after members of the City Council allocated funds to further secure the facility at their monthly meeting Monday, July 14. The recycling center, located at 1410 Oakland Street, was closed on Monday, July 7, after large piles of recyclable items…
Read MoreClarksville Recycling Center Closed
by Stephanie Baker The city of Clarksville Recycle Center is closed until further notice, according to a sign at the center’s now barricaded entrance. On Monday, June 30, hours were changed from self-service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and closed on weekends and holidays. The new hours…
Read MoreFinishing Strong: Evan Fain Made A Lasting Impression At Ozark
by Janice Penix A student’s senior year of high school is often marked by many milestones: getting the best parking spots, filling out college applications, planning senior skip day, preparing for senior prom, and ordering a cap and gown. For Evan Fain, senior year also represented a last chance to play a sport he had…
Read MoreWriting A New Chapter: Lamar’s Caleb Green Takes His Skill To The Next Level
by Janice Penix Caleb Green is one of the Lamar Warriors most accomplished student-athletes. He was a two-time all-conference basketball player who recorded over 1,000 career points and made the all-state tournament team. He was a member of the third place 4×200 relay team and led the boys track team to its third consecutive conference…
Read MorePassing It On: Meek Family Continues Multi-Generational Farm Operation
by Janice Penix Thirteen years ago, Mike Meek held a supporting role as his dad and uncle were named the county farm family of the year. Now, less than two years retired from a career at the local utility company, Mike farms full-time, and it is his turn to receive the accolades. Along with his…
Read MoreFarming For The Future: Fox Family Is Franklin County’s 2025 Farm Family
by Janice Penix Like many other farm operations, Fox Farms in Charleston is a family operation. It’s an operation traced back multiple generations, one that Cody and Megan Fox hope will continue on with their own children. Cody and Megan, along with their children, Macy, 18, Easton, 16, and Cam, 13, are the 2025 Franklin…
Read MoreLady Hornet For Life: Leanda Willis Embodies The Oark Spirit
by Janice Penix In a graduating class of just 11, Leanda Willis was one of only two who had been Oark Hornets since kindergarten. And she credits Oark Schools for instilling in her the values and confidence she needed to spread her wings and fly, from her time on the basketball court to trips to…
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