He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. – Revelation 22:20
Action urgently needed: Boys & Girls Club of America faces critical funding delay
STAFF REPORT
On June 30, The U.S. Department of Education (ED) notified state agencies that FY25 Department of Education funds, including funding for 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grantees, was being withheld indefinitely. This unprecedented decision carries serious implications for Boys & Girls Clubs and the young people and families who rely on them.
As a result, states did not receive allotted funding expected on July 1 for local afterschool and summer programs. The move could immediately impact summer and afterschool programs funded by a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant for the 2025-2026 school year.
The federal government has said it is holding the money to review 21st Century Community Learning Center
(21st CCLC) funding, even though the funds were mandated by Congress’ FY 2025 spending bill and signed by the President in March. No timeline or process has been shared for this review.
On July 1, Boys & Girls Clubs of America released a public statement from President and CEO Jim Clark, as follows: Afterschool and summer learning programs are cornerstones of academic
success, public safety and family stability for millions of young people — but right now, we stand at a dangerous tipping point. The decision to withhold 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funds — despite Congressional approval for FY25 — threatens to unravel a decades-long, bipartisan investment in youth development. For over 20 years,
SEE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, PAGE 8A
Gretna Road TIF Plan: New era for economic growth
BY GARY J. GROMAN, Independent Journalist
The City of Branson is embarking on a significant redevelopment and transformation of the Gretna Road Branson Meadows corridor. You can find details and specifics about this in the “Gretna Road and Town and Country Drive Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Plan. The following questions and answers are the result of an AI analysis of the plan, filtered through the author’s
experience and knowledge.
It is the first in a series on the TIF Plan:
1. What is the Gretna Road and Town and Country Drive Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Plan? Submitted on July 3, 2025, the Gretna Road and Town and Country Drive Tax Increment Financing Plan is an amended Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Plan prepared by Polsinelli PC and the City of Branson, Missouri, on behalf of Bran-
son Meadows TIF CO LLC.
2. What is its purpose?
To provide for the redevelopment of 136 acres, identified as a “blighted area,” along and adjacent to Gretna Road and Branson Meadows. Under the TIF Plan this is the “Redevelopment Area.”
3. How was the area determined to be “blighted?”
A comprehensive Blight Study dated June 20, 2025, determined the area was “blighted” based on spe-
cific criteria outlined in the Missouri Real Property Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act. Insanitary or unsafe conditions, such as squatter camps and overgrown vegetation, significant trash and debris from illegal dumping, a lack of improved roadways in some areas, and deteriorating pavement, parking facilities and curbing, were all physical conditions that supported the blight determination.
SEE GRETNA ROAD, PAGE 3A
Bransonmo.gov
On the afternoon of Friday, July 4, 2025, Mayor Larry Milton experienced a medical event at his personal residence. He was promptly transported to a medical facility in Springfield, where he underwent successful back surgery. Mayor Milton is fully cognizant, is in good spirits, and is maintaining a positive outlook. He will be undergoing physical therapy for the next several weeks as part of his recovery efforts, which will impact his attendance at upcoming board meetings.
Alderman Clay Cooper serves as the Mayor Pro-Tem, and will preside over formal city meetings in the interim.
The City of Branson will provide updates as appropriate.
Tickets going fast for tribute to Glen Campbell, July 13
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Seating is limited for a special upcoming concert event. Branson’s Tribute to Glen Campbell is days away and tickets are going fast. The special one-day-on-
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
ly concert, featuring music greats such as Tony Orlando, Neal McCoy, Barbara Fairchild, Stevie Lee Woods, the Lennon Sisters, Glen’s daughter Debby Campbell and a host of other tremendous talent, is set
for Sunday, July 13, beginning at 5 p.m.
The powerful event, set to honor the music and memory of Glen Campbell, will be held at the Hughes Brothers Theatre, with proceeds going to raise awareness in
the fight to end Alzheimer’s Disease. Tickets for this special concert are only $20 each and are selling fast. Reserve your tickets today online at HughesEntertainmentInc. com/Glen.
Memorial Garden
A photo of Wright with President George and Laura Bush (Photo submitted) Plaque dedication to be held at
BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS, Staff Writer
Branson Veterans Memorial Garden volunteers, along with area veteran groups and the Shepherd of the Hills Garden Club, invite the community to join them at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, for the dedication of a Memorial Plaque honoring U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. David Andrew Wright. Wright, born on November 9, 1979, in Omaha, Nebraska, served from 2000 to 2004 in Afghanistan and Iraq; he passed away on May 12, 2018.
Wright’s story and painting were one of 66 veterans featured in the New York Times bestselling book, “Portraits of Courage,” by former President George W. Bush. The book honors the sacrifice and courage of America’s military veterans and was a project of President Bush’s own outreach and the ongoing work of
the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative. Each portrait and a four-panel mural, all painted by the President, features a member of the U.S. military who has served with honor since 9/11, and whom President Bush was able to know personally. It was the Bush family’s hope that by seeing the faces and reading the stories, readers would learn from the bravery of these veterans, both on the battlefield and in their journey to recovery from PTSD and other injuries, as well as in their continuing contributions as civilians.
The Bush Family Foundation graciously granted permission for an image of the painting of Wright to be used on his Memorial Plaque. Wright’s family is grateful for the honor of their loved one being in the book, as well as for the use
The Branson RecPlex’s Aqua Plex invites you to join them for a night swim.
Firecracker
STORY
&
PHOTO BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Runners lined up on Friday morning to take part in an annual July 4th tradition.
The 25th annual Firecracker 5000 race, sponsored by Fleet Feet, saw a great turnout for the Independence Day Event, along beautiful Lake Tan-
Set for July 25, night swim will include games, music and amazing poolside vibes. Enjoy food, fun, friends and even a
eycomo.
Runners chose from a one-mile fun run or a 5K. Others participated in an out of town, virtual 5K or 10K race.
Trophies and prizes, including gift cards and fireworks were awarded in a variety of age groups and categories.
live DJ. Entry fee is just $5 per person, and no passes or coupons will be allowed. Day guests must
exit the area and reenter for the night swim. The night swim is set for Friday, July 25, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Branson PD opens applications for 2025 citizens academy
Bransonmo.gov
The Branson Police Department is now accepting applications for its 2025 Citizens Police Academy, a hands-on program designed to give community members an inside look at the department’s operations, values and day-to-day responsibilities.
This 12-week program begins Thursday, August 21, 2025, and takes place every Thursday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. through November 6.
Participants will gain firsthand insight into a wide range of law enforcement topics, including: Patrol procedures
• Criminal and narcotics investigations
• Traffic and DWI enforcement
• Crime scene processing
• SWAT operations
K-9 unit demonstration and more!
The academy also includes a guided tour of the police department and a
ride-along with an officer— offering a real world look at the challenges and responsibilities of the law enforcement in our community.
Applicant must be at least 21 years old and have no felony convictions to apply. While the program is open to all eligible individuals, priority will be given to those who live or work in the City of Branson. Class size is limited to 30 participants and is expected to fill quickly.
Applications are due by July 31, 2025. For more information or to apply online visit bransonmo.gov/police under the Special Programs sections. For questions regarding the Citizens Police Academy, contact Officer Donathan at ddonathan@bransonmo.gov or 417-334-3300. This is your opportunity to learn more about the work behind public safety and strengthen the connection between officers and the community they serve.
Kehoe proclaims July as Lakes Appreciation Month
SUBMITTED
TO BRANSON GLOBE
July has officially been proclaimed Lakes Appreciation Month in Missouri, thanks to efforts led by regional nonprofit H2Ozarks. The proclamation, issued by Governor Mike Kehoe, recognizes
the vital role lakes play in Missouri’s environment, economy and way of life.
Lakes Appreciation Month was first established in July 1998 by the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) to highlight the importance of lakes and encourage
public appreciation and stewardship. H2Ozarks has championed Missouri’s proclamation of Lakes Appreciation Month since 2023 to increase awareness of the importance of water quality in our lakes. Missouri is home to over 300 lakes. These water bodies support millions of visitors each year and provide essential ecological services. However, lakes across the state face ongoing threats from nu-
trient pollution, sediment runoff, invasive species and shoreline development. These challenges can be overcome with the right planning and tools, ensuring Missouri communities and towns continue to thrive alongside our beloved natural resources. To read the proclamation or learn more about celebrating Lakes Appreciation Month, visit https:// www.H2Ozarks.org/ourevents.
Sycamore Creek Ranch, Branson Balloon join forces for amazing anniversary event
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Sycamore Creek Ranch
celebrated their 10th anniversary recently with a huge bash, including a barn dance, food trucks, yard games, giveaways and more.
Adding to the fun of the event was the Hot Air Balloon Glow and tethered balloon rides, courtesy of Branson Balloon. Rodney Williams, owner of Branson Balloon, added a touch of magic to the anniversary celebration by giving attendees an opportunity to experience hot air balloons up close. The event was so successful that Branson Balloon has plans to return to Sycamore Creek for future dates, adding a glow of color to the popular community events at the spectacular venue.
Approximately 300 people enjoyed the 10th anniversary barn dance, and an additional 300 visited the
hot air balloon area during the extravaganza Rodney Williams, owner and operator of Branson Balloon, has been flying balloons for nearly 35 years and has been a fixture in Branson since 2004. Rodney enjoys sharing joy of hot air ballooning with visitors and locals alike, offering sunrise flights that showcase the peaceful beauty of the Ozarks in a way nothing else can.
When he isn’t flying in Branson, Rodney travels across the United States as well as to other countries participating in balloon events, including the world-famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Williams also organizes balloon festivals in various locations, bringing communities together through the shared wonder of seeing colorful balloons
light up the sky. For those who have ever dreamed of learning to fly, Branson Balloon offers more than just rides. Rodney provides flight training for those interested in earning their hot air balloon pilot’s license, as well as opportunities to join the balloon chase crew, gaining behind-the-scenes experience in the world of ballooning.
Branson Balloon flies year-round, weather permitting, offering one flight per day around sunrise. Reservations are required in advance, ensuring each guest receives a personalized and safe experience in the skies above Branson.
To learn more about scheduling a flight, getting involved with the crew, or finding out about upcoming events, visit www.bransonballoon.com, check out Branson Balloon on Face-
book at www.facebook. com/bransonballoon, or call 417-336-6060.
Sycamore Creek Ranch offers a variety of events to locals and visitors alike, including a monthly barn dance. The next barn dance is slated for Friday, July 11. Sycamore Creek Ranch will also host The Fall Roundup, slated for Fridays and Saturdays, October 4 through November 2. The amazing venue also offers event space for weddings and corporate events, seasonal community events and unique lodging options.
For more information on Sycamore Creek Ranch, visit their website, sycamorecreekfamilyranch.com or call 417-278-6675. You can also find them on Instagram at sycamore.creek.ranch, on Facebook at sycamorecreekfamilyranch or on Tik Tok at sycamorecreekranch.
Branson AFJROTC receives Distinguished Unit Award with Merit
SUBMITTED TO BRANSON
GLOBE
Branson High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFJROTC) has earned the Distinguished Unit Award with Merit for the 2024-2025 school year.
• GRETNA ROAD
4. In addition to the physical conditions, does economic underutilization enter into the “blight” determination? Yes, it’s a critical aspect of the blight determination. The Missouri Supreme Court has affirmed that “the concept of urban redevelopment has gone far beyond ‘slum clearance’ and the concept of economic underutilization is a valid one.” Blight can exist if an area “no longer meets the economic and
The Distinguished Unit Award with Merit recognizes the personal growth and accomplishments of the cadets, contributions of the instructors as mentors, and the support of the school and local community.
social needs of modern city life and progress” or if its redevelopment “could promote a higher level of economic activity, increased employment and greater services to the public.”
5. What is the total cost of the Gretna Road and Town and Country Drive Tax Increment Financing Plan? The total estimated cost of the redevelopment in the Gretna Road and Town and Country Drive Tax Increment Financing Plan is approximately $400,578,859.00.
The announcement was made by Matthew E. Tipton, Colonel, USAF, Director, HQ AFJROTC.
“Certainly, numerous AF/ SF JROTC units are doing great things in their respective communities, but these units truly represent
6. Is the total cost broken down? Yes, into two main Project Categories, the Developer Redevelopment Projects (Redevelopment Project Area 1 and 2) with an estimated total cost $300,007,914.00, and the City Redevelopment Project (Redevelopment Area 3) at an estimated cost of $100,570,945.00.
7. What will the Developer Redevelopment Projects consist of? Land acquisition, engineering, site preparation, marketing, design and construction of
the best of our 828 AF/ SF JROTC units worldwide. The cadets, instructors and schools are to be commended for earning their award,” stated Colonel Tipton in an earlier release.
Branson High School
about 345,000 square feet of commercial and retail space (including restaurants, retail, tourist attractions and office space), approximately 300 housing units, around 231 hotel and short-stay units and related public and private infrastructure. Construction on these projects is scheduled to begin in 2027 and 2029, with anticipated completion dates of 2030 and 2032, respectively.
8. What will the City Redevelopment Project Consist of? Land acquisition, engineering, site
AFJROTC instructor, Major Gary Maki, USAF (retired), shares how this achievement honors the program and the cadets.
“This award isn’t just about recognition – it reflects the character, leadership and commitment to excellence
preparation, design, and construction of an indoor and/or outdoor sports complex with various facilities to support sporting uses, and related public and pri-
that our cadets bring to the program,” said Maki. “We are very appreciative of the support provided to the program by the district and Branson High School. I’m so proud of how our cadets represent BHS and our community.”
vate infrastructure. The City Redevelopment Project is anticipated to commence construction in late 2026 or early 2027 and is expected to be completed by 2029.
him a charmer, though he’s a little selective with his doggy pals. Looking for a playful, affectionate partner for life’s adventures? Harvey is your guy!
Barn dance at Sycamore Creek Ranch (Photo submitted)
Reader’s Corner: Why the book is better
BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS, Staff Writer
It seems we’re surrounded these days by quick, easily accessible sources of information, as close as our smartphones. While it’s great to have on-thespot reports about weather and current events, what about deeper topics? Are we getting information a little too quickly, as a politician takes to X or a podcast host releases a “special edition” about what just happened? Or worse,
by asking AI-powered sources?
In a Hillsdale College guest appearance, Dr. Mattias Desmet, a Belgian clinical psychologist and professor at Ghent University, asked his audience, “Are humans asking AI and expecting to receive truth?” In my research for an article on “AI and the Church,” Dr. Jim Bradford, an Assemblies of God pastor who just happens to also be a rocket scientist—really!—made
the same point, saying, “AI can be useful, but you must ask it the right questions.” AI chatbots draw from the entire internet landscape, so simply getting what is most popular at the time, rather than actual truthful research, is a real risk. Books, on the other hand, take more time to produce. Even books on current issues, if traditionally published, go through an editing and refining process, and even those I don’t agree with seem more thought-
out than instantly available information. I appreciate quality movies with stellar acting performances (time for another family “Lord of the Rings” marathon), but nothing beats the interaction of reading the book, finding character development tidbits or descriptive passages the movie didn’t include. Physical writing has brain-development benefits as one makes notes about a book, and so does sharing thought via group discussion. Some parents
are realizing this and stepping up to ask for a return to physical textbooks, more class discussion of literature and history, and less screen time for students.
The internet is obviously not all bad; for those who can’t physically get to a book club or browse the library, Facebook pages and groups can help give a sense of community. I like “Classic Literature” and “Vintage Pages;” I’m now planning to re-read “Eight Cousins” thanks to
a recent review and discussion. Other groups focus on contemporary literature or a specific genre. In terms of cultivating a love of reading and raising a generally well-educated society, we can benefit from studying our nation’s Founding Fathers, who were voracious readers and prolific writers. And as technology continues to develop, it must be regarded a tool, and as Dr. Desmet cautioned, not a source of truth.
WRVEC, White River Connect win national awards
submitted to branson globe White River Valley Electric Cooperative (WRVEC) and its subsidiary, White River Connect, took home two awards from the 2025 Spotlight on Excellence Awards program.
The Spotlight on Excellence Awards, an initiative of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the Council of Rural Electric Communicators
(CREC), recognizes outstanding work produced by the communication and marketing teams that represent America’s electric cooperatives.
WRVEC received the Silver Award in the Best Social Media Campaign category for its “85 Years of Powering You” campaign. White River Connect earned the Gold Award for the Best Special Publication - Large category for its welcome
booklet.
“These awards are a testament to the creativity, collaboration and commitment of our teams,” said Cassie Cunningham, Vice President and Chief Growth Officer. “We’re proud to be recognized for efforts that not only celebrate our legacy but help us build stronger connections with the communities we serve.”
Spotlight Award recipients are recognized for
producing exceptional work that strengthens both their local cooperatives and the broader cooperative community. The competition features 20 award categories, including graphic design, photography, and video.
For more information about the Spotlight Awards and the full list of winners, visit the Spotlight on Excellence Awards website: https:// www.cooperative.com
Stephanie Callahan, Owner/Lightspeed Electrical
Are you one of those people who is constantly rearranging furniture? Maybe it’s seasonal inspiration, a new Pinterest idea, or just a burst of energy—but moving the couch, the bookshelf, and every lamp you own can make a
room feel brand new. While you’re busy channeling your inner interior designer, don’t forget to think about your electrical setup. Where do the lamps plug in now? Can you still reach your vacuum outlet? There’s more at stake than just aesthetics. Covering a floor vent, for example, forces your HVAC system—the most pow-
er-hungry appliance in your home—to work overtime. And if your new layout puts a piece of furniture in front of an outlet, be careful. Forcing a plug into a tight space can bend the cord or partially pull it out, which creates a loose connection…and loose connections cause arcing, heat and fire hazards. And…let’s not forget those mysterious GFCI outlets. If one ends up behind a heavy bookshelf, good luck remembering where it is when half your living room power suddenly cuts out and needs a reset. So, here’s to playing a
Just keep the power in mind— literally. If you find yourself needing new outlets, safer connections, or more convenient switch locations, the team at Lightspeed Electrical is here to help. Give us a call at 417-239-5050.
Left to right: Darian Cesar, Marketing and Communications Specialist; Jamie Dopp, Manager of Marketing and Communications; Shelby Novak, Public Relations Coordinator (Photo submitted)
• MEMORIAL
Continued from page 2A
of the image to continue honoring him at the Branson Veterans Memorial Garden. Jim Rouch will serve as emcee for Saturday’s ceremony, which will include Presentation of the Colors by Branson Veterans of
• BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
Continued from page 1A
21st CCLC have helped kids succeed — and the results are clear. Students show better attendance, stronger engagement and improved academic outcomes, with 70% completing more homework and nearly half overcoming chronic absenteeism.
We’re deeply grateful for this funding that helps young people achieve real results—all while providing safe, supportive environments staffed by caring professionals so parents and caregivers can work with confidence. The impact goes beyond kids: for every $1 invested in Boys & Girls Clubs, communities see an average return of $10. Just like any organization, Boys & Girls Clubs depend on financial commitments to operate — to recruit talent, deliver services and meet the needs of families they serve daily. If these funds are blocked, the fallout will be swift and devastating: Up to 926 Boys & Girls Clubs could be forced to shut their doors, and more than 220,000 kids — many of them in underserved communities — will lose ac-
America 913; the Pledge of Allegiance led by Judy Bryant; thoughts shared by Garden volunteers, Pastor Dustin Rogers, and family members; prayer; and Taps played by Bob Smithers, U.S. Army (Ret.). Prior to retrieval of the Colors, a gift will be presented to the family from the Veter-
cess to essential supports like healthy meals, caring mentors and safe spaces during the most vulnerable hours of the day. It would also mean the loss of 5,900 jobs at Boys & Girls Clubs around the country.
This funding supports the families of hardworking Americans who count on these services. Club sites and camps could shutter mid-season — upending care for working parents and leaving kids without critical safety nets.
Every moment of delay puts more kids at risk. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s about putting kids first.
We call on the Administration, with bipartisan support in Congress, to act swiftly and release the funds that families are already counting on. America’s future depends on how we show up for its kids — especially right now.
Stoney Hays, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks, explains why the lack of funding matters to the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks:
The 21st Century Community Learning Center
ans Memorial Garden.
Branson Veterans Memorial Garden Director Jana Evans invites other families to consider placing a plaque at the Honor Wall as a way to honor a loved one, whether living or passed away, who has served our country. Veterans currently honored with
(21st CCLC) funds are essential to the mission of Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks especially as we wrap up Summer Enrichment Programs and prepare for the new School Year with Afterschool Programs at Crane, Forsyth, Branson and Reeds Spring in partnership with each School District supporting working families. These funds make it possible for us to provide a safe, engaging and enriching environment for 1,500 young people in grades K-12. Our programs offer academic support, career exploration, leadership development and access to caring mentors—resources that are often out of reach for many in our community.
If this critical funding were to go away, the impact would be devastating. We would drastically reduce services here in Taney and Stone counties leaving over 700 youth without a safe and supportive space after school. We would face the loss of over 30 staff mentors including academic services and enrichment opportunities that directly affect the
plaques at the Garden are from the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq/Afghanistan/Middle East. Plaques are available in a variety of sizes, colors and price ranges, including a new “Dog Tag” plaque, and garden staff are grateful to
long-term success of our youth—and the families who rely on us for affordable, high-quality care. The stability and consistency this program provide are essential to keeping young people on track academically, emotionally and socially. The continuation of this funding is not just important—it is essential for the well-being, safety and success of the young people we are committed to serving.
The decision to withhold 21st CCLC funds carries serious implications for Boys & Girls Clubs across Missouri and the young people and families who rely on them. If these funds are blocked or reduced, the fallout will be swift and far-reaching.
We are focused today on creating awareness of this issue and bringing together all our supporters in Missouri to advocate for the continuation of this critical investment in our kids.
Jeff Bilberry, Board Chair of the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks, addresses a critical service that is in jeopardy:
the Rotary Club for providing a new wall to continue this tradition of honor with expanded space. For information about getting a plaque, email BransonVeteransMemorialGarden@ gmail.com.
The Garden is staffed completely by volunteers and depends on donations; visit https://www.veteransmemorialgarden.org to get involved. The Garden is lovely any time of the year, but it is in full bloom right now and a good time to stop by, bring children to see the butterflies and lizards, and say a prayer for veterans, military currently serving and their families.
resource, I’m concerned that many of our young people will be at risk of not having access to healthy meals on a routine basis. It’s important that we take action to advocate for our young people by contacting our state leadership to remind them of how important the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks are to our local communities.
Please take action now.
REAL ESTATE PROPERTY & TERMS WOW WOW WOW!!! WHAT AN AMAZING HOME TO HAVE. SITTING IN A QUIET PEACEFUL NEIGHBORHOOD JUST A STONES THROW AWAY FROM THE LAKE WE ARE OFFERING YOU A CHANCE TO HAVE THAT DREAM LAKE HOUSE YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WANTING. SITTING ON 2 LOTS IS A APPROX. 1500 SQ FT CABIN STYLE HOME WITH 2 BEDROOMS AND 1 AND A HALF BATHROOMS. MASTER BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM, EAT IN KITCHEN, UNDER STAIRS PANTRY AREA, BATHROOM, AND LARGE MUD ROOM/POTENTIALLY 3RD BEDROOM ARE ON THE FIRST FLOOR. THE SECOND FLOOR HAS A BEDROOM WITH WALKOUT BALCONY AND A HALF BATHROOM WITH CLOSET. SITTING NEXT TO THE HOUSE IS AN AWESOME SHOP/GARAGE. THE SHOP AREA IS APPROX. 630 SQ FT AND THE GARAGE AREA IS APPROX 960 SQ FT. ATTACHED TO THE SHOP AS WELL IS A CONCRETED STORM ROOM. THERE IS ELECTRIC AND HOT/COLD WATER IN THE SHOP AND A BATHROOM MAKING IT POTENTIALLY ANOTHER ROOM OR MANY OTHER POSSIBILITIES. THERE IS ALSO PLENTY OF ROOM TO STORE YOUR TOYS AND BOATS. PROPERTY IS LOCATED ONLY A QUARTER MILE FROM THE BOAT RAMP AND PARK ON TABLE ROCK LAKE TERMS: 10% DOWN AND SIGNED CONTRACT DAY OF SALE. BALANCE IS DUE IN 45 DAYS OR WHEN TITLE OFFICE IS ABLE TO SET APPOINTMENT. SELLER HAS RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY AND ALL BIDS. CONTACT SEAN: 417-247-6754 FOR INFO OR AN APPOINTMENT ***
FURNITURE, ANTIQUE FURNITURE, & APPLIANCES CHEST FREEZER, MINI FRIDGE, LARGE HARVEST TABLE, ANTIQUE CLOCK, TIGER OAK BOOKSHELVES, GLASS TOP WICKER TABLE, EDEN PURE HEATER, SINGER TREADLE SEWING MACHINE, DESK, OAK KING SIZE BED, NIGHT STAND, GLASS TOP KITCHEN TABLE, 4 KITCHEN TABLE CHAIRS, WHITE REPRODUCTION CABINET, TV, DVD PLAYER, OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR MACHINES, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, FOLD UP METAL STOOL, LUGGAGE, PICTURES & WALL DECOR, HANDICAP SHOWER CHAIR, KITCHEN STOVE, REFRIGERATOR, & WASHER AND DRYER Will BE SOLD SEPARATELY PENDING HOUSE SALE, AND OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE NOT LISTED.
BOAT. GUNS, FISHING, & OUTDOOR 1996 195 TF CHARGER 19 FT BASS BOAT WITH TRAILER, TROLLING MOTOR, AND YAMAHA PRO
V 150 HP OUTBOARD MOTOR, OE MOSSBERG & SONS MODEL 190D 16GA BOLT ACTION SHOTGUN, WINCHESTER MODEL 37 STEEL BUILT 12GA SINGLE SHOT SHOTGUN, WINCHESTER MODEL 12-20 GA MOD PUMP SHOTGUN, RANGER MODEL 35 SINGLE SHOT BOLT ACTION .22 RIFLE, ZENITH FISHING ROD & REELS, 300 PLUS LURES, VINTAGE LURES, TACKLE BOXES, BINOCULARS, COOLER, GAS PORTABLE GRILL, CHIMINEA FIRE PIT, PATIO GLIDER, GLASS TOP PATIO END TABLES, PATIO GLIDER, WROUGHT IRON TABLE & CHAIR SETS, WROUGHT IRON PATIO ROCKING CHAIRS, & OTHER PATIO FURNITURE, WHEELBARROW, PUSH MOWER, CANOPY, STHIL WEED EATER, & OTHER ITEMS NOT LISTED
HOUSEHOLD, COLLECTIBLES, & CAMERA EQUIPMENT LlKE NEW AND BARELY USED NlKON SIGMA
300-S00MM 1:5.6 APO EX 11 SMD CAMERA LENSE & CASE, REFLECTOR KIT, PHOTOGENIC LIGHTING, BOWENS ESPIRIT GEMINI GM500 LENS HEAD & CASE, PHOTOGRAPHY STANDS & TRIPODS, SET OF RARE VINTAGE ORIGINAL ANSEL ADAMS INSTRUCTOR SET OF BOOKS, VINTAGE INLAND TRACTOR II PEDAL TRACTOR, VINTAGE INLAND TRACT ALL TRAILER, HOUSEHOLD DECOR, BOOKS, APPLE LlKE NEW 30IN CINEMA WIDESCREEN MONITOR, ITERA HOT AIR BLOWER MAGIC WAND PAIN RELIEVER, SMALL KITCHEN APPLIANCES, POTS & PANS, GLASSWARE, PRECIOUS MOMENTS PIECES, MILK CRATES, OTHER ITEMS NOT LISTED WOOD WORKING EQUIPMENT &TOOLS JET JOINTER, RYOBI PLANER. GUARDIAN DRILL PRESS, RYOBI OSCILLATING SPINDLE SANDER, POWERMATIC TABLE SAW, SEARS BAND SAW, DREMEL SCROLL SAW & GRINDER, BENCH VISE, HAND SAWS, REMINGTON CONCRETE STUD GUNS, WOODEN BENCH WITH CLAMPS, WOOD CLAMPS, BENCH SHEAR, BOLT CUTTERS, HAND PLANES, SOCKET SETS, RATCHET STRAPS, HAND TOOLS, BOLT BINS, BATTERY CHARGER, BENCH GRINDER. NEW IN BOX HARDWARE, ROLL AROUND TOOL BOXES, LARGE LOT OF VARIOUS POWER TOOLS, ROUTER TABLE, SHOP VAC, AIR TOOLS, IMPACT GUN, DUAL GRINDER, LEAF BLOWER, JACK STANDS, SAW HORSES, WORK LIGHTS, GAS CANS, AIR COMPRESSOR, PORTABLE AIR TANK, CRAFTSMAN MEDIA BLASTER, LONG HANDLE TOOLS, FLOOR JACK, LINCOLN TOMBSTONE WELDER, GAS TANKS, GAS & ELECTRIC LEAF BLOWERS, WAGNER FINE COAT PAINT SPRAYER & OTHER ITEMS NOT LISTED
AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: We are so blessed for Mrs. Herman to call us and allow us to help her sell her home and downsize her estate. Mrs. Herman loves her house on the lake but has decided to downsize and move closer to her children. This will be a very clean sale and will have something for everyone, from an outstanding home, high quality tools, new fishing tackle to amazing guns. At 10am we will offer the real estate first. We will then move into the furniture, appliances, household and the collectible items. At 1:30PM we will offer pedal cart & trailer, camera equipment, guns, boat, fishing items, and large wood working tools. We will finish the auction with the remaining collectibles and then tools. Follow our Facebook page and auctionzip.com for more photos.
Across the Ozarks, food insecurity has become a rising concern. One way that we have been able to help the young people and families that we serve is by providing a hot meal during our After School Programs and up to three meals a day during our Summer Enrichment Programs. Without access to this critical
We know that the Administration has been responsive to public pressure and this hold has the possibility of being lifted. This is where we need your help—we need your voice. We are calling on every parent/guardian, business owner, community leader and community advocate to join this urgent push. Use this link to contact your members of Congress TODAY and urge them to release these funds immediately: bgca.quorum.us/ campaign/132348. Please amplify this and share out widely. We need to drive a surge of phone calls to decision makers. The more voices decision makers hear from, the stronger our chances of protecting the futures of the kids and families who rely on us.
Another way to help is to
invest in kids is through our BGC Ozarks Back a Child Campaign through monthly giving at bgcozarks.org or the QR code, or sponsor a table for our upcoming Thanks4Giving Gala Event featuring St. Louis Cardinal Hall of Famer Willie McGee November 6 at the Branson Convention Center
Should you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to Stoney Hays at shays@ bgcozarks.org; phone 612282-5935.
We know this development is unsettling, and it comes at a time when our message couldn’t be clearer: America needs Club kids. Now more than ever, thank you for continuing to show up for our mission and for the Clubs working tirelessly to open doors for young people. Your unwavering dedication, especially in uncertain times, is what keeps our movement strong. Thank you for all you do for kids, families and communities.
Support Honor Flights at Sporting Clays Shootout
BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS, Staff Writer
Honor Flight of the Ozarks invites individuals and teams from around the Ozarks to join them on Saturday, September 20, for the eighth annual Sporting Clays Shootout. Hosted by Ozark Shooters Sports Complex, 759 U.S. Hwy. 65 at Walnut Shade, this event combines camaraderie and friendly competition while raising funds for a great cause.
Several times each year, Honor Flight of the Ozarks takes area veterans on a trip to Washington, D.C., for a tour of the various service memorials, Arlington National Cemetery and other highlights, to show these heroes they are appreciated by a grateful nation. For some, the experience helps provide the “welcome home” they did not receive; for others, it is a reminder even during chaotic current events that their sacrifice and service
are not forgotten. Each trip includes a companion/guardian for each veteran, along with medical staff and other volunteers. Grateful friends, family, community members and a military/veteran Honor Guard gather at the airport in Springfield to greet the return flight with cheers and thanks. Entry fee for the fundraising shootout is $500 for a four-person team, or $125 for individuals who will be
grouped into teams. There will be 200 clays per team, in three flights, with awards for first, second and third place. Registration/sign-in is at 9 a.m. and shooting begins at 10 a.m., followed by lunch and awards. Visit the event page on Facebook or https://www.honorflightoftheozarks.org for more details and to enter; and you can also find out how to get involved as a volunteer or nominate a veteran for a flight.
STORY & PHOTO SUBMITTED TO BRANSON GLOBE Branson Bank is pleased to announce the addition of Shawn Clemens, Vice President of Commercial Lending. A native of Branson, Missouri, Clemens brings
Clemens joins Branson Bank
11 years of experience in commercial banking and a strong commitment to the local community. In this role, Clemens will work closely with business owners to provide tailored lending solutions, guidance and long-term financial support. Clemens, a graduate of Branson High School, earned a degree in Business Administration from the College of the Ozarks.
Pizza Ranch holiday event raises funds to help kids
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
Pizza Ranch in Branson held a unique event to raise money for two worthwhile causes over the July 4th weekend.
Pizza Ranch manager Richard Gross took his turn in the dunk booth at the popular restaurant’s event, “Dunk the Manager,” held over the July 4th weekend.
“It’s a Dunk-a-Thon for charity,” explained Richard. “Raising money for the Boys and Girls Club in Branson and we’re also working with the Lodge Ministries in Forsyth. It’s really just a good time to give for kids that might not be able to get into the summer program for lack
of funding or whatever, and to help the kids in Forsyth, too, that maybe don’t have the food on the table. We want to help however we can do it. We just want to be a contributor to the community.”
“Our main goal is ‘What are we giving back to the community, rather than
how much we are profiting?” Richard continued.
“That is our main goal in every event that we do here.”
Richard and other Piz-
za Ranch managers took turns in the Dunk Tank over the three-day event, working hard to raise the needed funds.
Pizza Ranch, located at 1464 State Highway 248 in Branson, is open daily, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The family-friendly eatery features a large and well-stocked buffet, a Fun Zone, and private rooms, perfect for parties and other gatherings.
Manager Richard Gross (Photo by K.D. Michaels)
Limited tickets available for Neighbors and Friends of Table Rock Lake Twilight Event
SUBMITTED BY CAROLYN
SPENCE CAGL, NFTRL
Neighbors and Friends of Table Rock Lake, a local nonprofit organization, invite the community to experience a fun night with friends to support local fundraising for Stone and Taney County charities. The event, aptly named Twilight, will be from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on September 27, 2025, at the Chateau on the Lake,
415 North State Hwy. 265, in Branson. The silent auction will start at 12 noon, and the live auction will follow at 1:45 p.m. A luncheon buffet and cash bar will be available for dining pleasure.
Twilight promises to be a high energy and interactive event with numerous items available during both auction offerings. Neighbors and Friends’ members continue to seek items
for the event. Current donations include artwork, homemade quilts, wine and whiskey pulls, handmade outdoor décor, salon and lawn services, boat rentals and rounds of golf, designer handbags, jewelry and gift cards/show tickets to local tourist attractions, The live auction will feature both local and international vacation stays. Local merchant and member donations will
offer Twilight participants an array of special purchase choices so everyone may return home with an auction memory.
Twilight is a major fundraiser for Neighbors and Friends of Table Rock Lake. Originally held in 2012 with an event in 2024, Twilight and other fundraisers have raised over $700,000 over the past decade. Those funds have provided grants
to Stone and Taney County nonprofits applying for funds. Grants have supported the arts, youth programs, training initiatives, food banks, literary programs and essential community need projects (e.g., diaper banks). Further grant information for 2025 appears on the Neighbors and Friends’ website (www.nftrl.org).
Grants become due by August 1, 2024.
Neighbors and Friends deeply appreciates the community’s support for its fundraising events that improve the quality of life in our community through its grant program. Further information about Twilight and ticket purchase ($60 through September 10, 2025) appears on the organization’s website. Tickets are limited so, get yours today!
ways.
The waiver will remain in effect through Aug. 31, 2025. While the waiver is in effect, participating motor carriers must abide by the following limitations:
ed bridge weight limits. When crossing a bridge, the driver must restrict the vehicle speed to no more than 30 mph.
The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced another extension of an allowance for heavier-than-normal truckloads of rock, sand and gravel on Missouri highways for flood relief, levees and other public infrastructure flood repair. The waiver allows private and for-hire motor carriers to haul up to 10% more than their licensed weight, axle weight and/ or maximum weight limitation allowed under RSMo 304.180.3 on Missouri high-
• A loaded, gross weight is not to exceed 10% above the gross licensed weight of the commercial motor vehicle. The waiver applies to transportation of rock, sand and gravel only within the state of Missouri.
Drivers must obey post-
• Travel under this allowance is only allowed on non-interstate highways. Those taking advantage of the weight allowance cannot operate on any portion of the interstate highway system.
Drivers can check the Traveler Information Map at traveler.modot.org for upto-date road closure information.
Please call to
Worship Directory
You are encouraged to worship with us!
Around Town: Here’s
JULY
• MONTH OF JULYCommunity Blood Center of the Ozarks: Ozarks Food Harvest Month, 12 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. July is Ozarks Food Harvest Month at Community Blood Center of the Ozarks! When you donate blood during the month of July, CBCO will TRIPLE the value of your LifePoints donation to Ozarks Food Harvest. 220 W. Farm Rd. 182, Springfield. Info: https://ozarksfoodharvest.org/events/ community-blood-center-of-the-ozarks-ozarksfood-harvest-month-3/ Sign up to donate at cbco.org.
• 10 Library Center of the Ozarks: NEW! Teen book club for ages 1416, 5:30-6:15. Sam Wal-
worth returns to host the new book club for teens. Join him and friends to discuss the book “Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld. Book may be borrowed from the library or downloaded using Libby and hoopla apps, free from the library. Details for parents about the book and club are on the website, LCOzarks.com. 200 S. 4th St., Branson. 417334-1418.
• 10 Library Center of the Ozarks: Strange Worlds Society - A Book Club. From 6 -7 p.m. This new book club dis-cusses current and classic fantasy, science fiction and horror books! Are you brave enough to read and discuss “The Tainted Cup” by Robert Jackson Bennett? New members are always welcome.
Recommended for ages 18-plus. 200 S. 4th St., Branson, 417-334-1418. LCOzarks.com
• 11 Jukebox Winos: LIVE MUSIC at Cellar 417, 6-8 p.m. Enjoy good eats at the newest scratch kitchen: fresh sea-sonal dishes, sharable plates to dinner specials, wine, beer, cocktails, full bar, restaurant and patio seating. Gorgeous lake view. We’ll play favorite covers and original music. 15038 Bus. Hwy. 13, Branson West. For more infor-mation: www.jukeboxwinos.com; www. cellar417.com. 417-5273799.
• 12 Library Center of the Ozarks: Spanish Storytime, 10:30 – 11:30, every second Saturday of the month. Special storytime in Spanish and
English for elementary age kids. Stories and crafts provided by Branson school’s EL Team and high school students. Kids will also receive a copy of the book to take home and keep! 200 S. 4th St., Branson. 417334-1418, LCOzarks. com
• 12 Jukebox Winos: LIVE MUSIC at The Social Birdy, 7:30-10 p.m. Flock over to where “the grass is fake and the fun is real.” Enjoy all things EAT, PLAY, PICKLE, GOLF & now LIVE MUSIC! Locally-sourced triblend burgers, sandwiches, wings, nachos shakes & sundaes. We’ll play favorite covers & original music. 1250 Branson Hills Pkwy, Branson. For more information: www. jukeboxwinos.com,
www.thesocialbirdy. com. 417-208-2500.
13 Jukebox Winos: LIVE MUSIC at Pier 28 Pizza & Grill, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Pull up to the favorite floating restau-rant via boat or car and enjoy pizza, sandwiches, salads and the sunset. Courtesy dock. Family-friendly. Feed the ducks and turtles. We’ll play favorite covers and original music. 344 Nautical Circle, Kimberling City. For more information, jukeboxwinos.com; www.pier28pizza grill. com; 417-527-1580.
• 14 Library Center of the Ozarks: Summer Reading Challenge presents Dickerson Zoo, the Bald Eagle, 10-11 a.m. An interesting and educational program where kids and adults will learn about our national symbol, the bald eagle. Our friends from the zoo will also have a live bald eagle to show. Recommended for older kids.
200 S. 4th St., Branson. 417-334-1418. LCOzarks. com.
14 Kimberling Area Library, Summer Reading Program: Lights, Mirrors, Action! Hands on special event with The Discovery Center, sponsored by Table Rock Community Bank, 10:30 a.m. Sign up at the front desk. Kimberling Area Library, 45 Kimberling Blvd, Kimberling City.
14 Wonders of Wildlife: Shark and Ray Awareness Day. Celebrate with us as we recognize the importance of sharks and rays to our oceans’ health and learn from experienced educators while engaging in informational activities. 500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield. https://wondersofwildlife.org/events/
15 Library Center of the Ozarks: LEGO Club, 4:155:15. Meets every third Tuesday of the month. Unleash your imagination, sharpen your engineering skills and embark on exciting challenges with fellow LEGO enthusiasts. Whether you’re a master builder or just starting out, there’s something for everyone at LEGO Club. Recommended for ages six and up. 200 S. 4th St., Branson. 417-334-1418. LCOzarks.com.
• 15 Painting with a Splash: Shark, 6-8 p.m., Wonders of Wildlife, 500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield. Come celebrate Shark Awareness Day with us and create your own jawsome shark painting. The instructor will lead you “fin-by-fin” through this 2-hour class. Ages 8-plus. https://wondersofwildlife. org/event/painting-with-asplash-shark/
• 17 Jukebox Winos: LIVE MUSIC at Lake Vibez, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy this family-friendly destination that’s more than a gas station, located across from Table Rock State Park. Patio. Casual, trendy, friendly staff serving up deli-cious burgers, sandwiches, apps, full bar. We’ll play favorite covers & originals! 5439 Hwy. 165, Branson. For more information, wwwjukeboxwinos.com. 417-3362811
• 17 SEArenity Yoga at Wonders of Wildlife, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Join our certified yoga instructor as she leads you through an hour of relaxation and restorative yoga practices. If you are a newcomer to yoga or a seasoned yogi, this class is for you. Please bring a yoga mat, and any props you may need. Ages 13-plus. 500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield. https:// wondersofwildlife.org/ events/
• 18 Jukebox Winos: LIVE MUSIC at Bear Creek Wine Co. and Brewery, 5-8 p.m. Enjoy local wine and craft beers, pizza, sandwiches, and desserts at this rustic, shabby-chic gem nestled in the hills 10 minutes north of Branson. We’ll play favorite covers and original music. 1320 Keithley Road, Walnut Shade. For more information: www.jukeboxwinos. com; www.bearcreekwinecompany.com. 417443-0036.
• 18 Wonders of Wildlife: Sharkcuterie Night, 6-9 p.m. Ages 16-plus. We’re teaming up with The Board for a night of food and fun. After you learn how to arrange the perfect charcuterie, you will wood burn your very own board. One drink and hors d’oeuvres are included. Boards will be held for 7-14 days after class to apply stain and oil. 500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield. https:// wondersofwildlife.org/ events/
NomiNees were receNtly aNNouNced for the upcoming Branson Show Awards. Founded by Gary Wackerly and currently owned by Michael Wackerly, James Kast and Benton Wackerly, the Branson Show Awards honors the best of the best among Branson entertainers. Following are the 2025 Branson Show Awards nominees:
For Band of the Year:
• Double Diamond Show Band – Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater
• Legends Band – Pepsi Legends Theater
• Royal Rhythm Crew & B-Town Horns – Clay Cooper Theatre
Pink Floyd Band – Columns Concert & Event Center
Nashville Roadhouse Band – Nashville Roadhouse Theater
Nominees for Bass/Upright of the Year include:
• David Clark – Columns
Concert & Event Center
Larry Allred – Grand Country Music Hall
Justin Herzog – IMAX
Little Opry Theatre
Camby Henson -- Clay
Cooper Theatre
• Brian Zerbe – Pepsi Legends Theater Drummer of the Year
Nominees are:
• Corbin Riggs – Columns
Concert & Event Center
Caleb Rust – Columns
Concert & Event Center
Tim Pope – Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater
• Brian Duvall – Reza Live Theatre
• Drew Lanning – Majestic Theatre In the category of Fiddler of the Year, nominees are:
• Wayne Massengale –
• Amy
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
JANET STEINKAMP Editor editor@bransonglobe.com
GARY J. GROMAN Independent Journalist
ROSE BUCKLES Freelance Writer/Bilingual Rosebuckles1999@gmail. com
KIM CHAPPELL Ad Designer gabbydor210@gmail.com
MARK FEDER Taney Co. Sales Rep. (805) 320-3746 shotgunart@yahoo.com
JOHN FULLERTON Area Historian cowboyclub1994@gmail.com
LUANNA FULLERTON Entertainment Writer bransonglobeluanna@ gmail.com
TIFFANY GRAVETT Staff Writer tiffanykgravett@gmail.com
KAREN HALFPOP Digital/Production Mgr. production@bransonglobe. com
K.D. MICHAELS Staff Writer kdmichaelsbranson1@ gmail.com
CYNTHIA J. THOMAS Staff Writer cjthomas74@yahoo.com www.cynthiajthomas.com
DARYL WEATHER Weather Forecaster bransonwx@gmail.com
EDITORIAL
POLICY:
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. © 2025 Branson Globe Newspaper, LLC. All rights reserved.
BY GARY J. GROMAN
a.k.a. The Ole Seagull, Columnist Emeritus
The Ole Seagull strongly believes that the way people search for travel and vacation information on the internet, as well as what they expect in response, is rapidly changing. The typical approach in the past was to enter an inquiry into “Google” and get a list of websites that Google says would answer your question.
A couple planning a trip to Branson might enter the
BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS Staff Writer
It’s always amazing to reflect on the continued relevance of the Bible to current events and to my life. While returning home after attending a memorial service in Kansas last week, I was anxiously checking news from Springfield, where my daughter and son-in-law were dealing with falling tree limbs, and watching social media posts about the concert at Thunder Ridge near my home—while catching
BY JOSHUA HESTON StateoftheOzarks.net
The 6:30 Saturday morning alarm sounds, and I let it repeat three times before turning it off. In retrospect, choosing a song — and an Enya song at that — may not have been the best idea. The Irish artist’s Forge of Angels keeps lulling me back to sleep. Had my Basset not begun pouncing on me and pretending to bite
BY TIFFANY GRAVETT Staff Writer
This week’s column is written by Aaron Gravett. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
It’s not your Grandma’s Google Search anymore!
inquiry, “I am going to Branson, Missouri, with my wife. We are in our 60s and want to see the five most popular shows. Please give me a list of the five that you think will best meet our needs.” First, the primary source of the answer to that inquiry was Google. Second, the responses were essentially a list of websites with “Sponsored Ads,” paid for, at the top, followed by organic listings sorted according to how Google evaluated the site and its content. You would then have to go through the list of sites to determine if the answer to your question was there.
Ignoring “Chat AI” for the moment, AI now affects even the basic Google search with an “AI Overview” at the top of its search results to search for travel. The Google result for the
above inquiry was, in order, Sight & Sound Theatres, Clay Cooper Theatre, The Haygoods, Hughes Brothers Theatre and Dolly Parton’s Stampede. This was followed by a list of website links, such as ExploreBranson.com, Branson.com, and BransonTourismCenter. com, among others, any of which may or may not answer the specific inquiry.
“But Seagull, even if someone goes beyond the AI Overview to the list on Google, won’t they be influenced to one extent or another by the specific AI Overview to their question and give those shows an advantage?” “Surely that’s a rhetorical question!”
This becomes even more important when the increasing popularity of using AI Chatbots for obtaining travel information is consid-
ered, rather than relying on standard Google searches.
The Old Seagull made that same inquiry to six of the more popular AI Chatbots: Claude 4 Sonnet, DeepSeek-R1, Google Gemini 2.0 Flash, GPT-4o, Grok and Perplexity. He then ranked each show according to its position, assigning a “5” for every time it was listed as number “1,” and decreasing the ranking to a “1” for every time it was listed as number “5.”
To an Ole Seagull, the results were surprising, with only a total of 14 of all of Branson’s shows appearing in results for all seven (7) of the AI Chatbots. Of those 14, only two, “The Haygoods” and “Presley’s Country Jubilee,” appeared on the list for five or more of the seven Chatbots. Out of a possible 35 points, only
Reflections: Who’s in my boat?
up on Bible study in, of all things, the book of Jonah.
The real-life situation made me wonder, “Who’s in my boat?” While sailors tried desperately to do their job in a terrible storm, Jonah was asleep in the bottom of the boat, and they were genuinely puzzled. Their cultural viewpoint included various pagan gods, so why wasn’t he awake and calling on his God. Jonah, however, was likely sleeping from total exhaustion after trying to run from God’s instructions, not thinking about God’s power. His disobedience, however, created an opportunity for those sailors to see the power of the true God, as the sea calmed immediately when they reluctantly threw Jonah overboard.
Another storm story is found in the New Testa-
ment, as Jesus and his disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, which is known for its sudden weather changes. As experienced fishermen, the disciples tried everything they knew, but were getting desperate. Jesus, meanwhile, was asleep in the bottom of the boat. Unlike Jonah, though, Jesus wasn’t running from his purpose.
The One who made the earth, sea and everything else was right there with the disciples—and the storm gave the disciples a lesson in just Who they were following, valuable preparation for their appointed purpose of sharing the Gospel.
The Apostle Paul was also in a storm at sea. Again, experienced sailors were trying to get everyone safely to shore, but making no headway. Paul, however, had
God’s reassurance that he would make it to Rome. The shipwreck didn’t surprise God; instead, it enabled the sailors and islanders to hear about Him and witness miracles. Later, Paul died for his faith at the hands of the Roman emperor, but not before writing inspired letters that continue to instruct Christians. God was in control.
As I was still thinking about storms in Missouri and storms in the Bible, the heartbreaking news reports began about the tragic loss of lives to flooding in Texas, including children and staff at a Christian camp. If I was one of those parents, I’m pretty sure I would be asking God why He was asleep in the boat. How hard it is to process circumstances that cut off young lives, full of potential, far too soon!
three, The Haygoods with 28, Presley’s Country Jubilee with 20, and The Clay Cooper Theatre with 10, scored 10 or higher.
“But two of Branson’s most popular shows, ‘Sight and Sound’ and ‘Dolly Parton’s Stampede’ didn’t score 10 or more.” “That’s true, and they are great entertainment experiences with a marketing budget that most Branson shows can’t even imagine.
“What are you saying, Seagull?” “It’s pretty simple, more and more folks are using AI and will at least be influenced by its results. You can have the best show in the world, but if folks don’t know about it, “good luck.” Increasingly, AI Chatbots is the way most people will initially become aware of shows due to their convenience and direct responses.
The answer is, I don’t know—and yet, I do. We live in a fallen world, suffering consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s tragic choice in the Garden of Eden. Sometimes, like Jonah, we make our own bad choices that can affect others. Sometimes, like the disciples, we need to realize that Jesus is with us. Sometimes, like Paul, we are miraculously delivered from a situation to continue with God’s purposes for our lives until his time for us to finish. I pray for those families in Texas and other places where circumstances just don’t seem to make sense; I pray they realize that even in the midst of tragedy, God is there to comfort and strengthen, and that his purposes for eternity will prevail. Help me, Lord, to remember who’s in my boat.
Been thinkin’ about...Discipline and hope beneath the summer sun
my nose, I would have been late to work.
I do have a few days a week I can sleep in but weekends are not included. The 10 a.m. opening time for the StateoftheOzarks Farmers Market on Saturdays at Vintage Paris Coffee Shop at — and I have now memorized the address for social media — “7900 Historic Highway 165 in Hollister just across from the Branson Scenic Overlook” means I need to be on site to guide arriving vendors no later than 8 o’clock. I drink espresso on my way to drink more espresso. The sun is bright.
We don’t talk about working hard in today’s world. It’s like blood in the water
to social sharks. “Must be nice.” “Really, that’s all you do?” “Shouldn’t be too hard.” “I work harder than that.” I’m pretty sure people who say such things actually don’t work that hard. The hard workers show respect, not disparagement. Mockery is the easy way out.
“The body should be treated more rigorously so that it may not be so disobedient to the mind. That’s what Seneca said,” Toriano is saying. His words ring true. One of our newest and most dedicated Farmers Market vendors, Toriano, is at Wednesday and Saturday markets, operating his Hometown Hot Dog business. Toriano’s dedication makes a difference.
While not alone in his consistency, consistency is not exactly the order of the day.
In a world of flaky people, those who can be counted on stand out.
“Everyone is special, which is another way of saying no one is.” The words were written for Dash Parr, one of the animated characters in “The Incredibles,” which is still one of my favorite movies. We have not benefited by making everyone winners. Merit counts, far more than we might imagine.
The sun is hot, the humidity high. The StateoftheOzarks Farmers Market has grown precipitously, each Saturday market feeling rather like a festival. We
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Take a break!
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew11:28-30
Even though we’re in the throes of summer, and many of our kids are off for summer break, there’s usually no break for adults. Some seem to manage a vacation, while others have so many responsibilities that they can’t even seem to carve out a few days to do this. The daily grind of jobs, maybe second jobs, maybe third jobs and many other responsibilities seem to pull us from all directions, and we end up feeling tired,
frustrated and frazzled to the point that we just wanna throw up our hands and let the bill collector take everything. This frustration causes stress, high blood pressure, stomach issues and a host of other medical problems. So, what’s the answer to the daily grind of this dog-eat-dog world?
The answer is, you’re gonna have to take a break! If you don’t take a break, your body will break for you and force you to do it. Sometimes your mind just shuts down, and you find yourself very lethargic and not motivated to do any-
thing except laying in a cool, dark room.
Jesus Christ, when he was on earth did a lot of ministry and could be very, very busy, but he took breaks. He got away from the crowd and it was just Him and the Father in prayer to rest. In those moments the Father poured more strength into him for the things he was called to do. We are no different; we need to do the same.
If at all possible, and I mean, make it a point to cut one day a week for yourself not to have any tasks to do. It is a time to rest the mind and body - to let Christ strength-
have 18 vendors this Saturday-after-Fourth-of-July. We have record attendance, proven by record sales. I begin to breathe more easily. My career is on the line with every event. Professional anxiety is the name of the game. An ever-present threat of failure drives me more than any personal development coaching program ever could.
Seneca — not the Algonquin people — was a Roman stoic. Stoicism isn’t marketed heavily these days. Decadent societies in decline have little appreciation for the stoics. There’s not much marketing money in self-control.
SEE JOSHUA HESTON, PAGE 8B
en the heart, soul and spirit. Spend it with your loved ones, just being. Not being this or that but just being and enjoying each other; if you can get away together to do something fun or relaxing, just do it. The point is you have to make a concentrated effort to do it otherwise days will come and days will go and you’ll keep being frustrated and stressed. Instead, choose to do this – to take a break – and let the peace of God, the rest of Christ, and the strength of the Holy Spirit rejuvenate you not only for the next day, but for life!
BY DAVE RAMSEY, CEO, Ramsey
Solutions, and an eight-time No. 1 national best-selling author, and host of
The Ramsey Show
DR. RICHARD BAKER, AIF®, is the founder of and an executive wealth advisor at Fervent Wealth Management. https://www. facebook.com/Dr.RichardBaker
L
ast week, my wife and I rode the gondola up Stone Mountain near Atlanta. There were about twenty-five people in the gondola, and just as it crested the mountain edge, it swung five-six feet forward and backward, and the riders screamed. That is how the markets felt over the past few weeks, when the market
BY HEATHER
TANKERSLEY, REALTOR®, provides services for residential, commercial, land and lake properties in the Branson Tri-Lakes area.
Life can feel a bit unpredictable these days. What’s happening with inflation? The economy? The housing market? But in the middle of all that uncertainty, there’s one thing a lot of people still crave – a place to call their own.
BY RACHEL CRUZE,
Ramsey Solutions, is a national best-selling author, financial expert and host of The Rachel Cruze Show
Okay, so we’re halfway through the year. How are you doing on those New Year’s resolutions? You know, the goals you set last December to really change up the way you live. Maybe you want to take charge of your money, spend more time with your family, or get healthier. All good things. And hey, if those resolutions aren’t working out like
Dave Says: Investing or student loan debt?
Dear Dave, Our daughter is a student, and she has $10,000 in student loan debt. She works part-time and has a couple of scholarships, but she has borrowed a little along the way to bridge gaps. Her uncle recently sold his business, and he told us he would like to give her a gift of $10,000. We’ve talked to her about this, and we’d like to guide her in the smartest possible direction.
Should she begin planning for the future, and use this gift to start investing, or should she use it to pay off her student loans?
Gilbert
Dear Gilbert, I really appreciate you two trying to help your daughter do the very best thing with her finances and her future. Her uncle sounds like a pretty generous guy. So, let’s take a minute and give this situation a good
look. We’ll start by pretending she doesn’t have any student loan debt. In a case like that, would it be wise for her to borrow money on a student loan in order to invest? Of course not. It’s a dumb question, but I want to get you thinking. If you don’t pay off the loans, and invest it instead, it’s just like you borrowed money to invest. See what I mean? That would be a pretty bad plan.
In my opinion, your daughter needs to get her student loan mess cleaned up as soon as possible. And this gift from her uncle represents the perfect opportunity to do just that. Listen to me, Gilbert. The last thing in the world your daughter needs is big pile of debt waiting on her when she gets out of school. I want her to start investing at some point down the road, but she’s just not in a good
position to be an investor right now. She needs to pay off all those student loans. I’m talking about wiping out all that debt the minute she gets this wonderful gift in her hands. And the second after she pays off those student loans, she should get to work on saving a pile of money, so she can complete her studies without racking up any more debt!
— Dave
Stock Market Insights: Resilience and opportunity – a midyear market update
swung low between its February and June peaks. The real question is, where do the markets go from here?
There has been no shortage of market challenges in the first half of this year. There were tariff negotiations, a market correction, various Middle Eastern conflicts, a three-year low in the dollar, and a fight between President Trump and the Federal Reserve, all of which have the potential to negatively affect the markets.
The biggest shock to the market was the sudden drop that occurred when President Trump announced his plan to raise tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, which caused the S&P 500 to briefly decline by 20% from its peak. But after
the proposed tariffs were paused, markets rebounded in one of the fastest recoveries in history to a new market high. The investors who stayed invested and continued adding to their portfolios through the volatility took advantage of market opportunities and are probably better off now than before the market correction. Will the economy slow in the second half?
The market volatility concerning the tariff negotiations has lessened after some early trade deals have shown a pattern for how most tariffs will ultimately end. It is now believed that new tariff revenue will begin reducing the U.S. deficit.
The second half is setting up to have some opportuni-
ties for these reasons.
1. Consumer spending remains strong.
2. The labor market remains healthy with unemployment at only 4.2%.
3. The fact that inflation hasn’t spiked
4. A big increase in business spending
When we see the combination of stable employment, moderating inflation and trade-driven economic growth, it shows that the U.S. economy is in transition and not melting down.
Though many analysts have lowered their forecasts for this year, most still expect the U.S. economy to continue growing. The economy appears to be slowing, but not yet en-
tering a negative growth phase because the underlying fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain healthy.
Bottom line
A significant indicator of how the second half unfolds will be the signing of a U.S.-China trade deal. This will be a substantial boost for the markets and the economy. Although Chinese exports to the U.S. have fallen sharply in 2025, China remains one of the largest markets for U.S.-made products.
Investing in the second half of 2025 will call for a steady hand. Although it may be as unpredictable as the first half, investors who remain diversified and prepared to take advantage
Why homeownership is going to be worth it
Because when everything else feels up in the air, home can be the thing that grounds you. As the expertsat 1000WATT put it:
“Homeownership isn’t primarily financial anymore. . . Across all demographics, emotional and lifestyle factors consistently outrank wealth-building as motivators.”
Here’s what owning a home can mean for you, especially right now.
Freedom To Make It Yours
When you’re a homeowner, you don’t need to ask permission to paint a wall, hang a gallery of your favorite art, or redo the floors. You have the freedom to create a space that reflects who you are, all the
way from the light fixtures to the paint colors. Pro Tip: Just be mindful about exterior changes, if you buy a home in a community that has a homeowner’s association (HOA). There may be some approvals you’d need to get for select outdoor changes.
More Privacy, More Peace
Owning your home can give you a sense of peace you didn’t even realize you were missing. It’s a comfortable place where you feel secure and can relax, enjoy your privacy, and unwind after a long day.
Room To Grow
Whether it’s starting a family, setting up a home office for your new career, or finally building that home
Halfway point: A New Year’s resolution check-in
you thought they would, you’re not alone. According to a 2023 study from the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University, only 9% of Americans actually complete their New Year’s resolutions!
Give yourself some grace, though. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a clean start at the beginning of the year. A new year creates new opportunities to work on things, get better and just do things differently. But when it comes to achieving those goals, my hot take is that resolutions are not always the best way. Resolutions feel more like a trend—and I think we all know that trends don’t tend to last. Remember chokers, cargo pants, Furbys, the Harlem Shake and Tama-
gotchis? There have been so many here today, gone tomorrow fads that we’ve dedicated time and money to over the decades. I sometimes look back at my high school photos and question some of the fashion choices I made!
The bottom line is, trends don’t last. But what really sticks around are habits— little behaviors we do every day like second nature that build into big changes over time. We have to make those aspirational resolutions into real-world habits.
So, how do we build good habits? Behavior expert James Clear says that true habits start with a change in your identity. Instead of focusing on what you want to do, see yourself as the
SEE RACHEL CRUZE, PAGE 8B
gym in the garage so you can hit your fitness goals, owning gives you the space to live life on your terms.
A Stronger Sense of Community
When you own, you’re not just passing through, you’re putting down roots. That often leads to stronger ties with your community, more connection to your neighborhood, and a deeper feeling of belonging where you live. That’s very different from the temporary nature of renting.
A Feeling of Accomplishment
There’s something powerful about getting the keys and walking into your own
front door for the first time. It’s more than pride, it’s personal satisfaction. A quiet and meaningful sense of “I did this.”
Sure, it’s not always easy for first-time homebuyers right now. The market today requires patience, strategy, and sometimes a little creative problem-solving. But it’s still worth it. As Realtor.
com says:
“Buying a home is a major commitment, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.”
When you get those keys in your hand, when you realize this place is where your life gets to unfold, it clicks. The stress, the waiting, the planning – all of it
of market opportunities as they materialize will be best positioned to capture potential upsides. After we got off the gondola, a mother pushing a stroller looked at us and said, “If they think that’s scary, they should try a roller coaster.” The funny thing is that the gondola driver had warned us ahead of time that it would swing, but the crowd got scared anyway. Just like the market, we were warned that it would get bumpy due to the tariff negotiations, but we got anxious anyway. But here we are on the other side, safe and sound. Have a blessed week! www.FerventWM.com
led you home.
Bottom Line There are a lot of things out of your control right now. But building a life in a space that’s truly yours?
That’s still possible with the right strategy and expert help. Let’s talk about how to make it happen. What would it mean for you to finally have a place to call your own?
It’s Your Move! I believe every homeowner should feel confident when buying a home.
Heather Tankersley REALTOR®, ABR® Keller Williams TriLakes D: 417.332.5130 O:417.336.4999
Fredericksburg’s aftermath: Lincoln trims Burnside’s powers
After gathering his fallen, Burnside limped back across the Rappahannock River that he fought so hard to navigate three days earlier.
Lincoln was beside himself. Hunkered down at the War Department telegraph office close to the Capital, engrossed in every word from the battle, thinking: “now what?”
If you like history and these articles, we are seeking sponsors to support the work. Contact Rob at the Branson Globe, 417-3349100, for details.
Additionally, I will speak at the Branson Centennial Museum in downtown Branson, on September 16. Come join us! I will give more details later. ***
As thousands of Union soldiers lay wounded, freezing or dead on Marye’s Heights, General Ambrose Burnside made his first wise decision of the battle. On December 14, 1862, a day after the slaughter on the hill, Burnside sent word to Confederate General Robert E. Lee asking for a truce to remove his trapped men. Lee agreed.
Again, looking for momentum after the release of the Emancipation Proclamation, that impetus was now lost. He turned to politically dealing with the largest defeat suffered by the North in the War.
Democrats were bolstered, wanting a negotiated settlement with the Confederates now: “let them go!”
Lincoln held on, but the newspapers were relentless. I have read most of the microfiche papers printed during the war of the Unionist St. Joseph Morning Herald. In 1863, weeks after the Battle of Fredericksburg, the enormity of the defeat leaked out. They had to run two additional factual accounts of the disaster correcting the War Department’s original spin.
Burnside was desperate to save his reputation and conceived a plan to recross the Rappahannock in a different place and advance on Richmond, the original goal.
Confederate Commanding General Braxton Bragg was a hated man. His generals under him loathed him and his decisions, not usually listening to their suggestions, but he was a fighter. He had committed their troops in a day-long meat grinder, not changing tactics like any sensible leader might have done.
The day after New Year’s 1863, Generals John Newman and John Cochrane, on leave, betrayed Burnside by traveling to Washington, D.C. unloading the truth, as they saw it, of what happened at Fredericksburg, first speaking to Secretary of State Seward, then Lincoln himself. The President was skeptical, thinking these subordinates wanted to bring down their superior. He’d heard too many self-righteous stories before.
Lincoln did send a telegram to Burnside stating, “cease any and all campaigning until further notice.” Burnside himself went to the White House a week later, learned of the nameless back-stabbers and offered to resign, but Lincoln needed all the fighting men, especially Generals he could muster.
On January 20, 1863, the Army of the Potomac under a revised Burnside plan, headed back to the Rappa-
hannock bridging the river west of Fredericksburg with a faint crossing at the city.
Unseasonably warm weather at first favored the maneuver, then here came the rain. Torrential rains fell the night of the 20th creating a quagmire. Some troops were over the river but wherever they were, everyone was stuck in the mud. As Burnside moved his 110,000-man army and brought up dozens of artillery pieces, more slosh was created. They were stuck up to their axles.
The Confederates again had time to redeploy and confront the muddy attack, but they didn’t have to, even mocking the Union movements with “Richmond this way” signs, wanting the enemy troops to continue exhausting themselves.
Men, animals, wagons and caissons were submerged in gook. Mother Nature defeated the Union army this time in what history would come to call this catastrophe, the “Mud March.”
Burnside was a broken man, replaced by equally egotistical General Joe Hooker. You know the General who campaigned with a traveling brothel, “Hookers!”
Fighting Joe Hooker had his own problems, relieved of his command five months later, three days before Get-
tysburg, but that’s another story.
Ambrose Burnside led a “facts are stranger than fiction,” kind of life, full of disasters and achievements. As a young lieutenant before the war, he was engaged to a fair lady from Virginia, Lottie Moon. Lottie’s famous quote came at the altar standing next to her betrothed, when asked if she would take the hand of Ambrose in marriage she hesitated, then answered, “No, siree, Bob!” and running out of the church, stunning all in attendance.
Lottie wasn’t done. Years later she and her sister were arrested as Confederate spies, caught carrying messages and medicine to the rebels, hiding desperately needed quinine, opium and morphine in petticoats and quilts. The sisters had beguiled their way several times down the Ohio River.
Arrested, they now were referred to the Union General commanding the Department of the Ohio, none other than the years earlier jilted man himself, Ambrose Burnside.
The General put the sisters under house arrest where the ladies charmed their way into favor of other Union officers. Ultimately, they were released.
Burnside was a reluc-
tant commander. Historians lament much of his criticism and failures came from giving his officers too much discretion on the battlefield. He commanded armies and corps at major battles for better or worse: Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and the doomed Battle of the Creator. Earlier in his life Burnside was an inventor, holding patents on his advanced rifle the Burnside Carbine, only to have his manufacturing plant burn to the ground causing him to proclaim bankruptcy.
After the Civil War he turned to politics becoming governor of Rhode Island in 1866 then Senator until his death in 1881.
In 1871 he was a founding member and the first President of the NRA.
In 1876 he was the lead New England delegate for the centennial celebration in Washington, D.C. Burnside died of a heart attack at the young age of 57 in Bristol, RI. Thousands came to mourn the loss of a man who lived a life that in many ways was thrust upon him. Funny, a man of his many entanglements and achievements is now remembered for his looks, flipping his last name and giving the world “sideburns!”
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.
ROTARY CLUB HANDS OUT AWARDS TO MEMBERS – The Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake held its Officer Installation and Awards Ceremony on June 27 at LedgeStone. The club awarded its Rotarian of the Year to Hillary Cherry (pictured above with outgoing president, Mark Hyde). The Distinguished Service Award went to Ben Fisher, and the Kathy Isaacs Service Above Self Award to Erica Dees. Outgoing president Mark Hyde was also recognized, and new president Veloris Juneman (pictured above, right) took the oath of office. (Photos submitted)
Veterans Rhythm Guitar Project is growing, apply soon for new course
SUBMITTED TO BRANSON
GLOBE
The Veterans Rhythm Guitar Project is open to all honorably-discharged veterans and is FREE! Participation is extremely limited, so an application form is required. It’s important to apply as soon as possible.
The course teaches the simplest and proven method for learning how to play rhythm guitar in only
five consecutive weeks. A guitar kit is provided for students to take home and practice with, and at the end of the course, if the student demonstrates they can actually play rhythm guitar, they get to keep the guitar kit— absolutely FREE. (And nobody has failed the course yet!)
Larry Doran has successfully taught ten courses, and the results have been no less than amazing. Music has
healing qualities and is just plain fun. The feedback regarding how it will elevate the quality of life for those who attend has been no less than amazing.
If you are an honorably-discharged veteran and have always wanted to play guitar, or if you have tried and failed (as Larry did for several years until he discovered his method) you will find his method to be unbelievably simple. You will
learn to play every major chord with only one finger!
Larry is excited to announce that because of the efforts of the Branson/Hollister Senior Center Board an additional time and place for classes to be held has been established!
The new course will begin on Wednesday, July 30, at 3 p.m., and will run for five consecutive weeks at the Branson/Hollister Senior Center at 201 Compton
Drive in Branson. Application forms for this class are available at the Senior Center. This may be a one-time opportunity, so it is important to apply right away.
The 11th class of the existing schedule will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, downstairs at the Branson First Church of the Nazarene, 300 West Hensley in Branson.
The instruction is absolutely FREE, and the guitar
kit can be earned FREE! And students now have a choice to attend a Wednesday afternoon class or a Thursday evening class. To apply, you can also send an email to larryedoran@yahoo.com, and he will provide you with an application form and all the information you need to be included. Or you can call Larry at 402-363-9657 for questions and information.
Table Rock Art Guild hosts Festival of the Arts Show
SUBMITTED TO BRANSON
GLOBE
The Table Rock Art Guild thanks all their member artists, patrons, sponsors and volunteers, for another successful Festival of the Arts show, which was held June 28-29.
Upon entering the Gallery, guests and customers walked into an “Ozarks atmosphere” complete with forests, raccoons, bears and lake scenes with canoes. Twenty-seven artists offered every kind of art for sale, in a fun and cheerful atmo-
Country Music Hall
Matt Gumm – Clay Cooper Theatre Dance Troupe of the Year nominees include:
• Hot Rods & High Heels –Clay Cooper Theatre
• Clay Cooper Country Express Cloggers – Clay Cooper Theatre
MJ The Illusion Dancers
– Reza Live Theatre
• Spirit of the Dance –King’s Castle Theatre
• Legends Dancers – Pepsi Legends Theater For Duet of the Year, the nominees are:
Michael/Jen Frost –Americana Theatre Megan/Brandon Mabe –Hughes Brothers Theatre
Jonathan/Deana Edwards
– IMAX Little Opry The-
sphere with the opportunity to interact and ask questions while finding just the right piece for home décor or that one-of-a-kind gift. Much positive feedback was received about the relaxing experience enjoyed by customers, as well as the awesome selection of art.
Proceeds from the event will be used to fund the Guild’s many ongoing projects, including events such as these:
Annual Children’s Art Show in March;
atre
• Justin Sassanella/Clint Nievar – Pepsi Legends Theater
• Tammy/Tonya Bilyeu –Grand Country Music Hall
Emcee of the Year nominees include: Mike Patrick – Grand Country Music Hall
• Brandon Mabe – Hughes Brothers Theatre
• Denny Yeary – Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater
Jason Hughes – Hughes Brothers Theatre
• Clay Cooper – Clay Cooper Theatre In the category of Vocal Group of the Year, this year’s nominees are:
• Nashville Roadhouse Singers – Nashville Roadhouse Theatre
Open-to-the-public free gallery;
• Senior scholarship program;
• A variety of art classes in different media
If you missed the show, you can stop by the Table Rock Art Gallery, located in the Claybough Plaza at the corner of St. Hwy. 76 and Business Hwy. 13 in Branson West. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Also, watch for the new
Hughes Brothers –Hughes Brothers Theatre New South – Grand Country Music Hall
• SIX – Pepsi Legends Theater
• Back to the Bee Gees –Hamners’ Variety Theater Nominees for Patriotic Salute of the Year are:
• Dan Wagner, Johnny Cash & Friends – Majestic Theatre
• Hamners’ Unbelievable Variety – Hamners’ Variety Theater Duttons – The Dutton Family Theatre
• Baldknobbers – Hughes Brothers Theatre
• Lasting Impressions – Columns Concert & Event Center The nominees for Tribute Artist of the Year include:
TRAG “Artists & Creators Market” event, coming to Shell Knob in September! Stay up to date on this and other special happenings on social media, @TableRockArt, or visit the website, https://www.tablerockartgallery.com, where you can also see additional photos of the kinds of art available from various members. For questions or additional information, call the Gallery at 417-272-1150 or email tablerockartgallery@gmail. com.
Dean Z – Clay Cooper Theatre Dan Wagner – Majestic Theatre
• Mike Walker – Columns Concert & Event Center
• Matthew Boyce – Majestic Theatre
• Michael Knight – Reza Live Theatre For Illusionist of the Year, the nominees are: Rick Thomas – Mickey Gilley Grand Shanghai Theatre
• Dave Hamner – Hamners’ Variety Theater Reza – Reza Live Theatre
• Gary Carson – Hughes Brothers Theatre
The Illusion – Re-
the King of Pop
Reza Live Theatre Dean Z – Clay Cooper Theatre Legends in Concert –Pepsi Legends Theater In the category of Comedy Show of the Year, the nominees are: Matt Gumm & Company – Clay Cooper Theatre
C.J. Newsom Classic Country & Comedy –Americana Theatre Branson Murder Mystery – Majestic Theatre Branson Comedy Factory – Columns Concert & Event Center
• Redneck Comedy Bus Tour For Gospel Show of the Year, the nominees are:
• Phil Dalton – Reza Live Theatre Tribute Show of the Year nominees include: Johnny Cash & Friends –Majestic Theatre A Garth Tribute – Nashville Roadhouse Theater
IMAX Little Opry Theatre
• Absolutely Country Definitely Gospel – IMAX Little Opry Theatre Family Show of the Year nominees are:
• Pets & Giggles – Grand Country Music Hall Under The Sea – Columns Concert & Event Center
• Shanghai Circus – Mickey Gilley Grand Shanghai Theatre
• Once Upon a Fairy Tale –Majestic Theatre
Recent arts festival (Photos submitted by Table Rock Art Guild)
become a father for third
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer
According to a recent article in People Magazine, popular headline entertainer Yakov Smirnoff is expecting his third child.
Smirnoff, a nationally known comedian, is a staple in the Branson area, having maintained a theater here for many years.
Yakov Smirnoff and wife, Olivia, announced their pregnancy to People Magazine. This will be the couple’s first child together.
“At my age, most people are planning for retirement. Me? I’m buying diapers. Not for me—but for our future child,” said Smirnoff in the exclusive interview with People.
“I have two grown children already, but they ha-
ven’t had kids yet. So, we figured we’d just go ahead and make our own grandchild,” Smirnoff continued.
“We’ll skip a generation.
Only in America can you have a baby, be eligible for
Medicare and get a senior discount on diapers all at the same time. What a country!” Smirnoff, age 74, is the father to daughter Natasha, born in 1990 and son Alexander, born in 1992.
BRANSON CENTENNIAL MUSEUM HOLDS MUSICAL TUESDAY TALK – A good crowd enjoyed the Branson Centennial Museum’s Tuesday Talk on July 1 that featured tribute performers Keith Allynn (A Neil Diamond Tribute), Diana Lynn (Carpenters Once More) and Dan Wagner (Johnny Cash and Friends). Allynn and Lynn perform at God and Country Theater, 1840 W. Hwy. 76. Wagner performs at The Majestic Theater, 2849 Gretna Road. (Photo by George Kurland) Yakov to
time
Smirnoff (FILE)
person who already does it and then start making little behavior choices in your life each day. When you start with an identity, that identity influences your actions, which turn into who you are, which are your habits and behaviors. If you want to become debt-free, you need to become someone who doesn’t use debt for anything. Make conscious choices like not using the credit card anymore (or
An unexpected summer cloudburst briefly drenches the market. Summer weather this year has been unexpected, unstable. I stand in the rain, in part because the cool feels good, but also to signal to everyone else what I believe — the rain will be brief. I’m right, but also soggy. The sun emerges and the humidity skyrockets. More people fill the market space. More sales, more happy people. I think my shoulders may be sun-
even better—cut it up!). And then start a process to get out of debt. Live on a written monthly budget. Make it a habit, an outward expression of the new you. Now, not all habits are good. You might struggle with overspending or eating too much junk food. Some people simply shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, I’m just bad at math,” or “Well, I just have a sweet tooth, so this is just what my life is.”
Those self-imposed identities will need to change
burning again. I don’t really care. I tan easily. I came to discipline by the back door, to be honest. I wasn’t a responsible kid, but then again, most kids aren’t. My mom was nurturing, but also dogmatic. I would be responsible, damn it. I would be smart. I would be successful. There was no other option. On the surface, we were a perfect nuclear family. In reality, my dad was elsewhere even when he was home. He spoke to me as little as possible. My mom seemed to intuit she
The Rogue Chef: Apple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
BY CHEF JEFF WOODWARD, The Rogue Chef
MAKES: 2 CUPS TIME: 15 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
1 T Oil
• ½ Sweet Onion, Chopped
• 1 C Ketchup
• 1 T Mustard
1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 T Brown Sugar
2 T Maple Syrup
• 3 T Bourbon ½ T Worcestershire Sauce
in order for you to win at your goals. You might not like to budget, but you can still identify as a budgeter.
Are you going to stumble at first? Of course! Everyone does when they try something new or do something different. But in the words of the great philosopher Taylor Swift, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it.”
You can definitely break bad habits and incorporate good ones. Start by adding an element of excitement to your new routine.
had to be both a mom and a dad. “It’s a good thing I was always a tomboy,” she would say with a wry smile as she fixed fence in the summer heat. She made sure I finished whatever I started. She didn’t make me a man. I had to do that later. But she surely pushed me hard in the right general direction. Back home, the dogs are ready for their long walk. There’s bookkeeping to be done, preparing for Sunday service, members I need to check in on, even a disgruntled person waiting for an email reply. Can’t make everyone happy. If the sun is too low in the sky when the dogs and I head to the trail, we may be high-stepping over copperheads. At least I don’t have to cook. Tee — another of our Farmers Market regular vendors — gave me some fufu and egusi to try. The flavors of the African dish are savory,
• ½ tsp Cinnamon ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes, optional
1 Large Apple
• Zest from 1 Lemon
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put the oil into a medium pot and heat over medium high heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
If you need to get out and move to lose weight, listen to a podcast or audiobook when you go on your daily walks. Grab some colorful pens and take notes when you read about whatever you want to achieve. But be careful not to spend a ton of money on a goal you won’t actually stick to. A few years ago, I had a goal to run a marathon (even though I hate running) and bought all this new gear to train with. But partway through, I quit the whole thing. So, I wast-
earthy and with subtle tones of sour and bitter leaf and hot spice. Tee is someone else I have come to count on. She does what she says. Her faith is strong.
For me, those I work with are the real celebrities. They are the real people to be celebrated. They are the real reason — besides paying my mortgage and insurance and being able to buy food and increasingly cheaper gas — I get up in the morning. I don’t need an airbrushed magazine cover to tell me someone is important.
Nihilism tells us that we are unimportant, that nothing is important. Our perceived unimportance is the easy way out and a strange form of lazy self-abuse. If we don’t matter, then why bother at all? But our nation was built on the idea of the individual-in-community, the farmer philosopher, the warrior poet and the family
3. Stir in the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, worcestershire sauce, cinnamon, and if you want a bit of heat, add the crushed pepper.
4. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook it gently for 5 minutes.
5. Peel the apple and grate it. (avoid the core).
6. Stir the grated apple and
ed a bunch of money on a goal I didn’t finish. Sure, it was exciting because I got new stuff, but it didn’t sustain my excitement long term. New habits are made by being consistent, not throwing a bunch of money at them. New Year’s resolutions are wrapped up in the best of intentions. There’s just something great about a clean start to break free from the old. But those resolutions very often don’t work out because it takes more than just good
man striving to leave a legacy built not to man but God. Deconstruction has not been kind to recent generations.
The sun has set. The moon glides through cloudy July sky. I’ve finished the bookkeeping, the devotional, the member check-ins. The dogs are sleeping on the couch, and the clock has ticked past midnight. Another 17-hour work day. Entrepreneurs don’t get a lot of time off. We just fall asleep after some point. Why all the effort? Because I like to eat. Also, because I believe in the Ozarks. But I believe in an Ozarks ahead of us. A people guided by the past, yes, but we cannot live in the past even as we learn from it. One cannot live in a museum. I grow tired of the tediousness of Ozarks cosplay, as though we are all settlers, or staunch turn-of-the-century cowboys, or black-andwhite Mayberry innocents.
lemon zest into the sauce and continue to cook on a low simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve with Chicken or Pork and Enjoy!
Want The Rogue Chef to make a delicious meal for you? Contact us at www. TheRogueChef.com
intentions to reach your goals. Habits are what last longer and lead to real change. That means changing behavior in super small steps over time, along with changing your identity from someone wanting to be that new person to actually being that new person. And you don’t have to wait till 2026. There’s still time to make your goals a reality this year. Do it today. It’s never too late to start.
You’ve got this!
Even the cosplay itself is a kind of two-dimensional pastiche.
In a few short hours, I will be pulling into an old church yard and probably 10 minutes late because sometime between now and then I will stare uncomprehendingly for a few too-long minutes, cup of espresso with heavy cream in hand. I don’t go to church because I think I’m better than you. I go to church to remind myself that I’m not the center of the universe. There’s a strange solace in that idea. My spirituality is private but I also go to honor my people — my ancestral line — and my adopted people, a blue collar mountain people willing, perhaps, to walk with heads held high into a strange new century, perhaps walking away from the seduction of nihilism, willing to again embrace the rigor of discipline and hope beneath the summer sun.
Outdoors with Larry Dablemont: A
a hawk with a fistful of leaves. But it wasn’t the leaves the smaller birds were so incensed about: it was what was in them.
Iwas just in the right place at the right time to see it, and it didn’t last long. A hawk came out of the timber and passed across a small opening in the woods with a cluster of oak leaves in his talons, pursued by four or five smaller birds, and about the size of a blackbird. I watched the hawk so closely I didn’t pay much attention to the birds. He flew across a little opening with those birds all over him, just screeching and diving at him with a vengeance. Then they all disappeared into the brush on the other side of the opening, where the drama continued unobserved.
One might have wondered what it was all about,
• AWARDS
Continued from page 5B
• Hamners’ Unbelievable Magic Show – Hamners’ Variety Theater The New Show of the Year nominees include:
• Bon Jour – Columns Concert & Event Center
• Ray on My Mind – Sun Theater
• Pink Floyd Experience – Columns Concert & Event Center
• The Sound of Simon & Garfunkel – Hamners’ Variety Theater Patsy Cline & Friends –Americana Theater Nominees for Morning Show of the Year are:
• Doug Gabriel – Ultimate Variety Show – Reza Live Theatre A Neil Diamond Tribute
– Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater
• Down Home Country –Grand Country Music Hall
• Matt Gumm & Company – Clay Cooper Theatre
• Platters Golden Sounds –Branson Hot Hits Theatre
Matinee Show of the Year nominees are:
The hawk obviously had snatched a young bird off of a limb and took the whole perch in his hasty attack. A tragic story, if you look at it from the standpoint of that mother bird and her troupe. But if you were the hawk, it wouldn’t seem so awful. The hawk was feeding its own young.
In this day and age, you’d find the hawk thought of as a villain, with great sympathy for the weaker prey, regardless of what it was—a rabbit, a young bird or a squirrel. The sight of a twoweek-old hawk fledgling being eaten by a fox would reverse everything. Then the hawk, losing her baby to the wily old fox, would be looked upon with sympathy. It is how it is. There is no good or bad in nature, and it never changes unless man interferes. That is a hard thing for many to accept. I remember when my daughters were little, how I tried
Elvis Live in Concert –Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater #1 Hits of the 60’s & More – Clay Cooper Theatre
• Carpenters Once More – Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theatre
• MJ The Illusion – Reliving the King of Pop –Reza Live Theatre The Petersens – IMAX Little Opry Theatre For Early Evening Show of the Year, the nominees include: George Jones & Friends –IMAX Little Opry Theatre Re–Vibe – Hughes Brothers Theatre
• Back to The Bee Gees –Hamners’ Variety Theater
• Branson Murder Mystery
– Majestic Theatre
• Thank you for the Music/ ABBA – Hamners’ Variety Theater Evening Show of the Year nominees are:
• Legends in Concert –Pepsi Legends Theater
• The Duttons – The Dutton Family Theater Nashville Roadhouse Live – Nashville Road-
to explain nature to them, and yet, protect them from the harshness of it. We’d be on a trip somewhere, and one of my girls would notice a dead rabbit in the road. They’d ask their mother if it was a baby rabbit, or a mama rabbit and she’d tell them “No, it was just a bad old daddy rabbit.” That seemed to help. I even learned to help. I would point out that the dead raccoon on the highway had probably just staggered out of the pool hall half drunk and had been chasing a little helpless bullfrog across the highway when a semi nailed him! That way it sounded like he had it coming and the girls wouldn’t be so sad. In time, when they grew old enough, I took it upon myself to explain to them that among wild animals, things were far different than with humans. I told them how the hawk would only have two or three young ones in a year, or perhaps over two years, while a mother rabbit might have as many as 100, and couldn’t even name all of them. God had it figured out so both would survive as a
house Theater
Anthems of Rock –King’s Castle Theatre Grand Jubilee – Grand Country Music Hall Nominees for Female Vocalist of the Year for 2025 are: Anna Marie Watson –Nashville Roadhouse
Theater • Sade Shine – Nashville Roadhouse Theater
• Jamie Gumm Bainbridge – Clay Cooper Theatre
Ashley Dawn – Pepsi Legends Theater Cadence Miller – Majestic Theatre
Female Entertainer of the Year nominees include: Phaedra Clemons – Sun
species.
Christy, the second of three daughters, and the one who would become a biology teacher and park naturalist, could accept it much easier. In time she would become a hunter and spend time with me after deer and turkey and ducks when she was just a young girl. Lori, the oldest daughter, who would one day become a doctor, accepted the way it was, but always thought it should be different, and never lost her tenderhearted ways. She went on only one hunt with me, shot at one rabbit with a pellet gun, and wouldn’t ever go again.
But I know in her work, Lori sees human suffering and difficulty on a scale that her father could not deal with, and I hope the understanding I tried to pass on to her that God is in charge, even far from the woods where hawks eat baby rabbits and evil-looking owls are a threat to grandma’s chickens, makes it easier for her to accept His plan and His will, and do her best to ease that suffering when and
Theater Cadence Miller – Majestic Theatre
Diana Lynn – Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater
• Chelsie Boyd Odom –Hamners’ Variety Theater CJ Newsom – Americana Theatre
Male Vocalist of the Year nominees are: Stevie Lee Woods – Nashville Roadhouse Theater
• Tim Hadler – Jerry Presley’s God & Country Theater
Shane VanCamp –
Hughes Brothers Theatre
Doug Gabriel – Reza Live Theatre
• Alan Asbury – Clay Cooper Theatre
I wish to
where she can. It is beyond understanding, even when you have seen as much and learned as much as I have in my life of studying and experiencing the outdoors. I cannot fully comprehend it all, really, even after all these years. I still hate to see a fawn drug down by a bobcat, and hear him bleating a plea for survival, knowing his fate is to feed her and a litter of wild kittens somewhere beneath the root wad of a fallen tree.
For Male Entertainer of the Year, this year’s nominees are:
• Michael Knight – Reza Live Theatre
• Dean Z – Clay Cooper Theatre
• James Allen – Hamners’ Variety Theater
• Stevie Lee Woods – Nashville Roadhouse Theater Mike Walker – Columns Concert & Event Center
Nominees for Entertainers of the Year for 2025 include:
is
Many
Sunday, September 7, at the Nashville Roadhouse Theater.
heavens that the old bobcat would just feed them mice and rats. But shucks, a mother rat does not look at her young as being any less wonderful than a fawn. Only us humans do that.
times in the woods, I have felt God beside me while I watched His work go on before me. Whether it
the victory of survival for the hawk or the rabbit, the fox or the quail—I know He still is in control.
This young hawk isn’t ever evil, but often hungry. (Photo submitted by Larry Dablemont)
CELEBRATE RECOV-
ERY is a place to heal from your hurts, habits and hangups. We meet every Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at Music City Centre, 1839 West 76 Country Blvd., Branson. For more information, call 808344-4240. See you there!
lassifieds
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SUPPORT GROUP meets at the Branson-Hollister Senior Center, 201 Compton Dr., Branson, the last Wednesday of every month from 9:30 - 11 a.m. For more information, call Mark Applegate at 417-9552513 or email mark.applegate@senioragemo.org.
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: Branson United Methodist Church (1208 W. 76 Country Blvd.) will begin GRIEF SHARE CLASSES on Tues. March 4, at 1:30 p.m. in the church library. There will also be a 5 p.m. class for those who work. BOTH CLASSES will be on TUESDAYS. Grief is a journey we all travel, and coming together helps us realize others have the same questions and doubts! EVERYONE is welcome!! This is a 13-week support group and there is NO CHARGE. For questions, please call Peggy at 641-919-1533.
AMERICAN LEGION POST #220 would love to invite all of our former and current U.S. military friends to join us every Monday at 9 a.m. for coffee and pastries, with the exception of the second Monday of the month and national holidays. Come join us at the M. Graham Clark Airport in Hollister, 491 Blue Sky Ln. Monthly business meeting is the second Monday of the month, at 6 p.m., at Pizza Ranch, 1464 St. Hwy. 248, Branson. We look forward to meeting you! HOOAH!
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. lunch buffet and 12-1 p.m. meeting.
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
FREE ESTIMATES AND TIMELY RESPONSE. Full remodels, decks, pole barns, garages, fencing and small projects. Call 417-699-1635.
THE ROSEHOUSE, Branson’s premier “Senior Services Residence” seeks to find an “Active Senior” to serve as our “LIVE ON SITE-BACKUP HOUSE MANAGER.” This role will involve providing part-time resident concierge support for our senior residents. This will allow personal time for our small regular staff. Our selected “BACKUP” will be provided a great apartment, food, all utilities and a modest monthly salary. It will be an outstanding life choice for the right person. Check out The Rosehouse online at http://therosehouseseniorliving.com and/ or Facebook at therosehouse, or, call Lindy at 417-230-9190, or just stop by and check us out at 673 Spring Creek Rd., Branson. Some lucky “Active Senior” will be glad they did.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Branson, is seeking nursery-toddler attendants to work three hours on Sunday mornings from 8:45 to 11:45 at $20 per hour. We are looking for loving Christians who have a heart for babies, toddlers and young children. Nursery workers must be committed to working every Sunday morning and be able to pass a MO background check. Submit letter of interest with contact information to marilyn65616@ gmail.com or call 417-5980357 for more information. References required.
TO ENSURE THE BEST RESPONSE TO YOUR AD... Please make sure your ad is correct in the first issue in which it appears. The Branson Globe is responsible for one day’s charge of the space occupied by the error. If your ad is not correct, call us immediately to have it corrected.
MR. GILBERTI’S PLACE: NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS. Fun, working atmosphere. Come in and fill out an application. 1451 Acacia Club Rd., Hollister.
WANTED: A VETERAN with no dependents. Small apartment available for a veteran to live in Cedarcreek at GUMI CAMP for a work/ housing exchange. Must be capable to feed and care for animals among a few other tasks. A vetting process will be mandatory. Serious inquiries only. 417-559-3892
46. Halley of Halley’s Comet 49. Prime number? 50. “Once ___ Enough” 52. Trip starter? 54. Struck 60. Dandy’s partner 61. “Let’s leave ___ that” 62. Logging channel 63. Storybook beginning 64. Perturbed state 65. Ferocious 66. Sideshow performer 67. Patriot Nathan 68. Fix, as text
Down 1. Some VCRs 2. Arizona Indian 3. Designer Cassini 4. “Shucks!” 5. Height, to a model 6. Year or frog leader 7. With Romeo following, it’s sporty 8. Grammy winner Carey 9. Strawberry or platinum, e.g. 10. Memorable Michael Caine role
On this date in history...
1798 U.S. Marine Corps
formally established as a distinct military branch by an Act of Congress signed by President John Adams 1944 Franklin Roosevelt announces that he will run for a fourth term as President of the United States
• 1955 Congress authorizes all U.S. currency to say “In God We Trust”
1960 “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is first published
1967 Kenny Rogers forms 1st Edition
• 1977 U.S. Medal of Freedom awarded posthumously to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
• 1984 Government orders air bags or seat belts would be required by cars by 1989
• 1989 President Ronald Reagan sportscasts All Star Game
2015 Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman escapes from maxi-
11. Thanksgiving decoration 12. Rocky projection 13. Sawbuck 21. Fussed over (with “on”) 22. Word with basin or wave 25. Deep voice 26. Smart follower
27. Viewers like you 29. Martinique, e.g.
30. Scout’s master
32. Masterful
33. Visit again
37. “I’ll take care of it!”
39. Kate Nelligan role
40. Diesel on film
41. Ran its course
47. Peace-loving
48. View from Catania
51. Streamlined
53. Faux pas 54. Utilize the good china 55. Cue ball target, sometimes
56. Major finale?
57. Falconry requirement 58. Muscat locale
59. Fuse, as metal 60. Sailing hazard
mum security prison west of Mexico City via a specially constructed 1.5 km tunnel from his cell to a nearby house
2019 Last models of Volkswagen’s Beetle car are produced in Pueblo, Mexico, ending production worldwide after 80 years
2021 Billionaire Richard Branson flies to the edge of space on his Virgin Galactic rocket plane in space tourism test
Sudoku
See more fun puzzles at: https://www.puzzles.ca/sudoku/
Last week’s Sudoku solution
At the Picnic from Beck Museums of Branson
• FRIED CHICKEN
• POTATO SALAD
• POTATO CHIPS
• PAPER PLATES
DILL PICKLES
• BAG OF ICE BEACH BALL
• PICNIC BASKET
• TUG-A-WAR ROPE
• NAPKINS
• PAPER CUPS
PLASTIC UTENSILS
• OLD BLANKET PICNIC TABLE
• MOSQUITO SPRAY
• BROWNIES
• KOOL-AID
• HORSESHOES SAND
• ANTS FLIES
• KIDS
• COOKIES
• SODA POP
• FRISBEE
ICE CHEST
• FRIED PIES
