News

Excelsior Springs students will begin the school year under new handbooks, tighter limits on cell phone use and an additional police officer assigned to school buildings, as the Board of Education approved a series of measures at a recent meeting.

Young talent takes center stage

Engines rumbled through Lawson earlier this week as bikers lined up to escort a 12-year-old girl to her first day of school, a gesture meant to remind her she is not alone after allegedly being attacked last week.

Residents of a quiet local neighborhood will not see the house at 21 Dawn Avenue expanded into a larger sober living facility after the Excelsior Springs City Council agreed to issue an official written denial at a recent meeting. The unanimous decision followed months of back-and-forth between the property owner, Oxford House representatives and city officials over whether the zoning code should be waived to allow more than four unrelated individuals to live together in the single- family district.

An Excelsior Springs man will serve five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to two felony counts of second-degree domestic assault. The charges stem from a July 2024 incident in which he was also originally charged with another felony of third-degree assault of a special victim. Brandon M. Ladd, 30, was given a suspended execution of a seven-year prison term for the first assault charge and a suspended imposition of sentence for the secondin Ray County Circuit Court. Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Kevin Walden presided.

For the second straight season, Excelsior Springs will open its varsity volleyball season against Oak Park. The Tigers are slated to face the Kansas City-based school Sept.

The sound of guitars and harmonies filled Calvary Christian Union Church as families gathered for the fourth annual Oasis Outreach Ministries benefit concert. For Oasis Board President Lori Sams, the evening represented more than music.

For years, the Wood Heights Fire Protection District Auxiliary has joined fire departments across the region in selling pink apparel every October to raise awareness for breast cancer. However, this year, the auxiliary chose to stand out by highlighting a different cause – one that hits closer to home for several of its members and has long remained unspoken. Instead of selling pink shirts for breast cancer awareness in October, the auxiliary is launching a suicide prevention campaign for September, offering apparel that sparks dialogue and fosters hope.

Ameren Missouri is informing customers of planned changes to Missouri law that underscore the importance of contacting Missouri 811 before any excavation project, a crucial step to prevent costly repairs, service interruptions and serious injuries.

Tucked between farmland and floodplain south of Orrick, a 55-acre energy storage project has sparked questions about risk, readiness and transparency in Ray County. After residents raised concerns about flooding, fire safety and lack of communication during a recent presentation before the Ray County Commission, Mission Clean Energy (Mission) is offering a deeper look at its proposed White Sage Energy Center and how the company plans to address those concerns.