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YOUTH SPRING TURKEY SEASON IS THIS WEEKEND SEE PAGE 14 TimesOzark COunTy 75¢ GAINESVILLE, Mo. www.ozArkcouNtytimes.coM wEdNESdAy, AprIL 5, 2017 Gainesville school Morel mushroom hunting season has begun in Ozark County board hires Aaron Hosman as district superintendent MUSHROOM Dr. Aaron Hosman Hosman, 60, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, was hired last week by the Gainesville RV Board MADNESS of Education as the district’s new super- intendent. Hosman signed a contract Friday and will begin his duties in the Gainesville Schools Photo courtesy of in July. Harrison Daily Times He will replace cur- rent superintendent Joe Donley, who resigned Feb. 20 after the school board voted 4-3 at its January meet- ing not to extend his two-year contract, which ran through the 2017-2018 school year. A week later, Donley was hired as the superintendent of the Mark Twain School District, where superintendent Don Yarger is retiring July 1. The board’s vote to hire Hosman was unanimous, board president Corey Hillhouse told the Times. Other applicants who were invited to come for interviews were: Allen Woods of Thayer, Kent Sherrow of Herman, Dr. Jeff Hyatt of Sparta, Dr. Sherry McMasters of Hardy, Arkansas, and Joseph Dunlap of Vienna. Others who applied but were not inter- viewed were Dr. Eric Findley of Warsaw, Dr. Regina Mize of Grinnell, Kansas, Andy Adams of Ava, Janet Clark Brewer of Myrtle and Jeff Davis of Greenfield. Hillhouse said one other application came in after the posted deadline, and two others applied but then withdrew. A cover letter accompanying Hosman’s resume says he has 29 years experience in public education and has served 11 years in superintendent positions. Currently, he is Photo, left: Myriah Wallace and her son Reeve, 3, show off the 226 morels they found Sunday in Ozark County with the serving as interim superintendent for the help of Myriah’s husband Cody and the Wallaces’ youngest son, Rolen, 1 1/2. Myriah said it was probably the family’s spring semester in the Harrison, Arkansas, best morel-hunting trip ever. “We came upon a couple of honey holes right at the beginning and got most of them there,” schools. she said, adding that the boys stepped on a few while helping their parents. “Otherwise we might have had a few more.” From 2004 to 2011, he was superinten- Photo, top right: Peyton Smith, who turns 5 on April 11, helped his parents, Chuck and Mercedes Smith, find morels dent of the Paragould, Arkansas, school over the weekend. district, which has 2,800 students, a $22 mil- lion budget and 45 employees. From 1999 to 2004, Hosman was assistant superintendent by Jessi Dreckman, [email protected] at the Green County Tech School District, also in Paragould. Before 1999 he was prin- The dogwoods and redbuds are blooming in showy gold – the morel mushroom – and many were well rewarded for cipal at Boonville Junior High, Walnut splendor, the white bass are starting to tug on fishing their efforts. Lucky residents were eager to share their stories of Ridge Middle School and Strawberry High lines across the county and morels are popping up finding the elusive fungi on social media, but, as with any treasure, School, all in Arkansas. He also worked as a here, there and everywhere. It must be spring in most were tight-lipped about the locations where they hunted. teacher at Cross County High School in Ozark County! Thornfield resident Rachel Donley told the Times she found 210 Cherry Valley, Arkansas. Several local residents took to the woods and morels over the weekend near Thornfield. Donley said she found In his cover letter, Hosman said that, roamed along creeks, streams and river banks 136 morels on Saturday and 74 on Sunday. after retiring as Paragould superintendent in last weekend searching for Missouri’s spring “I’ve never found this many,” Donley said, laughing. “Last year 2004, he trained as a school improvement See Page 16 specialist in the scholastic audit process, Morel hunting, which he said is “the model used by the Arkansas Department of Education to assess schools in need of improvement.” Having See Hosman, Page 16 Taking time to vote Gainesville residents Bob and Gloria Standage, left, receive a ballot to vote in Tuesday’s election. Election judges Diane White, front, Vickie Shrewsbury and Carol Hunter are also pictured. Copyright Ozark County Times Lana Cockrum, not pictured, also served as a judge in Gainesville. Ozark County voters went to the polls Tuesday to elect school board mem- bers in Bakersfield and Gainesville and to vote on two tax issues. One of the tax issues asked voters to raise the levy to support the Ozark County Ambulance District. In Gainesville, vot- ers were asked to continue a sales tax collected on vehicles purchased out of state. Due to new printer deadlines, election results could not be included in this week’s edition of the Times but are available at ozarkcountytimes.com and on the Ozark County Times Facebook page. We will publish full election results in next week’s edition. INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS! A wise investment for your future! YOU HAVE UNTIL APRIL 17 to contribute to your 2016 IRA or you can start your 2017 IRA contribution. Limits for 2016 and 2017 are www.cbozarks.com $5,500 per year – Age 50 & over is $6,500 per year. Gainesville, MO 417-679-3321 • 1-800-248-5281 Drop by, pick up a brochure, Member Theodosia, MO Bakersfield, MO Ava, MO and talk with us. FDIC 417-273-4245 417-284-3006 417-683-4182 Page 2 • OZARK COUNTY TIMES • Wednesday, April 5, 2017 BRIEFS Art@TheMill arts, crafts fair to be held April 8-9 at Dawt Mill Now in its sixth year at Dawt Mill, the Art@TheMill arts and crafts fair will host more than 60 artists and crafters from around the Ozarks from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 8 and 9. The free fami- ly event also offers perfor- mances by Native American tribal dancers at 1 p.m. each day. Local musicians are encouraged to bring chairs and a tip jar and set up on the property. Dawt Mill was built in 1897 and celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. It has been refortified by its current owner Dr. Ed Henegar and is Remembering Jesse now a year-round resort with A group of friends, neighbors and classmates held a balloon release last week in honor of 12-year-old Jesse Sims, a Gainesville Junior High cabin- and hotel-style lodging, student who died March 29, 2016, in a mobile home fire in Gainesville. The memorial event was organized by local resident Sarah Moore and a restaurant and float trips. her daughter Mercedes. PPPVFD to BRIEFS Commissioners name April as Child meet April 11 and Sexual Abuse Awareness month The monthly meeting of Movie night in West Plains the Pontiac Price Place By Regina Wynn Mozingo “There are so many times the women come Volunteer Fire Department benefits Christos House [email protected] into our shelter with nothing, not even clothing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, or toys for their children,” she said. “We want April 11, at Fire Station #1 The Family Cinema and the Christos House shelter will During their regular weekly meeting to make sure they have what they need, and the next to the post office on W host a benefit movie night at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the Monday morning, the Ozark County resale shops help with that.” Highway in Pontiac. Family Cinema theater on Independence Drive in West Commissioners officially recognized April as Christos House provides help and shelter for Area residents are invited Plains. The title of the movie will be announced closer to the Child Abuse Awareness month and Sexual women and children in Ozark County as well as to come and hear about the show date. Admission to the movie night is two non-perish- Assault Awareness month and designated April Howell, Shannon, Carter, Oregon and Douglas new-to-the-department pump- able food items per person. All donations go to the Christos 26 as Denim Day, an international observation counties. er truck PPPVFD is getting. House shelter for victims of abuse. The event is being held aimed at bringing attention to the issue of vio- Christos House encourages area residents to Coffee and dessert will be in recognition of Child Abuse Awareness month. lence toward women. wear denim on April 26 to participate in the served after the meeting. A representative from Christos House in annual international Denim Day observance. West Plains, a shelter for women and children The designated date aims at bringing attention who have been abused or sexually assaulted, to violence faced by many women. The day presented the commissioners with three decla- began in 1999 in Italy when the Italian High Downtown Gainesville, Missouri rations to sign, confirming the county’s support Court overturned the conviction of a driving Rodeo is here for Christos House’s mission to advocate for instructor who had been convicted of the 1992 abuse victims. rape of his 18-year-old student. A member of this weekend Easter Services Christos House provides a safehouse for the court declared that, since the victim wore The Arkansas Family women and children affected by domestic and very tight jeans, the instructor could not have Rodeo will be held Friday and GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE sexual violence, a crisis line, victim advocacy, removed them by himself; therefore the victim Saturday, April 7 and 8, at the referrals and counseling.