A head-on collision on Highway 14 East near the county line in Independence County took the life of a local man and injured four others just after noon on New Year’s Eve. Adalberto Diaz, 57, of Mountain View was the passenger in a 1999 Honda van that was traveling east on Highway 14 when the van collided with a westbound 2017 GMC Yukon Denali (shown above). According to a preliminary report filed by State P ...

Stone County and Circuit Clerk Angie Hudspeth-Wade (pictured) and other public officials were sworn into office on Jan. 1 by Circuit Judge Lee Harrod. The swearing-in took place at the Stone County Court Complex. From the Jan. 9 issue of the Leader. ...

Blanchard Springs Caverns reopened Dec. 28 after being closed since Dec. 22 because of the federal government shutdown. Although the shutdown continues, the Caverns is able to operate using its local fees, District Ranger Jim McCoy explained. “There is technically no lapse in funding because we have fee dollars to cover operation costs,” McCoy said. Money collected from ticket purchases is local funding and ...

Investigators search through the remains of the John Battaglear residence where a fire is believed to have taken the life of 91-year-old Lois Vannatter on Nov. 13. See the Nov. 21, 2018 issue for the full story. ...

This 2000 Ford Expedition collided with the 18-wheeler hauling lumber (in background) on Highway 5 North Nov. 5 just after 1 p.m. The SUV was driven by Roland Powell, 41, of Marcella. Sources at the scene said Powell was driving in the wrong lane and that no one was seriously injured. See more details in the Nov. 7, 2018 issue. ...

Above, the east side of the Stone County Jail is being considered for expansion potential. Changing standards for jail operation are mainly responsible for the problems forcing Stone County to consider constructing a new jail, along with an unanticipated rise in crime. Kirk Green, who now serves as jail administrator, was a Stone County deputy when the current jail was built in 1994-95 and made the move fro ...

Receiving the Farm Family of the Year honor has a bittersweet aspect for the Olen Wilson family of Timbo. With Olen and Elma Wilson not only farming but with him having taught agriculture for decades, they were an easy choice for the county selection committee in choosing this year’s recipient, especially considering that their son, Jerry, had taken over management of the cattle to extend the family traditi ...

District Judge Jake Newton uses a new video conferencing system at the Stone County Detention Center, technology that has potential to save the Stone County Sheriff's Department both time and money. See the full story in the June 13, 2018 issue. ...

Jail administrator Kirk Green assists with a demonstration of a new video visitation terminal at the county jail. Visiting at the windows inside the jail will no longer be available. The video system can be used on-site or remotely. See the full story in the June 6, 2018 issue. ...

The Dick Powell House on Main Street in Mountain View was demolished last week and the three-acre commercial lot is actively for sale. The structure of the house was unstable with the floor and ceiling falling in, and owner Sharon Rosa believed it was time to get rid of the liability. The Rosa family has owned the property more than 100 years, and the Powell family rented the house for three years when acto ...