By Echo Menges KNOX COUNTY, Mo. — Knox County EMS Director Deanna McKenzie has earned her Missouri Ambulance Service Administrator certification after completing the state’s required 40-hour EMS Administrator Program. According to the Knox County Ambulance District, the certification requirement was established under legislation passed by the Missouri General Assembly requiring ambulance service administrators to complete specialized administrative training. The weeklong, in-person course was held in Columbia and included lectures, group discussions and a capstone project. Participants were required to prepare a strategic plan outlining goals for their ambulance service over the next one, three and 10 years before presenting…

Marjorie June Brenizer, age 84 of Novelty, Missouri, passed away, Thursday evening, July 16, 2026, at the Knox County Nursing Home. On January 25, 1942, in Adair County, Missouri, she was born to William (Bill) Harrison Rouse and Mary Ellen Van Hoose Rouse. She was united in marriage to Perley Eugene Brenizer on September 23, 1961, at the Locust Hill Community Church. Surviving are two daughters, Lisa (Walter) Spilker of Bethel, MO, and Shelly Moubry and companion, Curtis York of Edina, MO; one sister, Lela Gerhold of Gibbs, MO; two brothers, Bob (Rissie) Rouse of Kirksville, MO, Bill Jr. Rouse…

Paul Raymond Bowman, 84, of Reno, Nevada, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. He was born April 9, 1942, in Corning, Iowa, the son of Elmer Bowman and Jean Bixler Bowman. Paul proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps. In Nevada, he became a respected figure in the northern Nevada motorcycle community. He owned the legendary Tap ‘n’ Tavern Saloon on East Fourth Street near the Reno-Sparks boundary, a longtime gathering place for motorcycle enthusiasts. For Paul, it wasn’t just a business. It was a place where stories were told, knuckles were…

Richard Eugene (Dickie) Davis, age 78, of Edina, Missouri, passed away Monday, July 13, 2026, at his home in Edina. He was born in Knox City, Missouri, on August 3, 1947, the son of Garland Royal Davis and Barbara Ann Norton Davis Goodwin. He was united in marriage to Amelia Susan (Amy) Bray on May 22, 1967, in the Knox City Baptist Church. Dickie graduated from Knox County High School. He farmed and worked with Davis Construction in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and many other locations. Building apartment complexes, power plants, bridges, nursing homes, medical centers, and much more. He…

Hurdland Residents Back Effort to Bring Sewer System Under City Ownership By Echo Menges HURDLAND — Hurdland residents voiced unanimous support Thursday night for the city to pursue purchasing its sewer system from the Knox County Public Water Supply District during a special public meeting held at Hurdland City Hall. The July 16 meeting was called after residents received notice that the water district is pursuing the sale of the sewer system to another utility. City officials said they wanted to hear directly from residents before investing time and resources into negotiations to bring the system back under local control.…

By Leore Tai, Missouri News Network In the spring of 2021, Cecilia Williams lost her son, daughter-in-law and grandson to a drunken driver. Williams, who lives in Bonne Terre, is now raising the two orphaned grandchildren who survived, Bentley and Mason. A year later, Melanie Wankum was hit head-on by a drunken driver, killing her instantly and injuring a passenger on their way back from a wedding. In both tragedies, families of the victims became advocates on their behalf, championing tougher laws in Missouri against drunken driving. Soon after the crash that killed her son and his family, Williams found…

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri’s annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 7, and runs through midnight on Sunday, August 9. During this time, certain purchases such as school supplies, computers, clothing, and other qualifying items as defined by statute are exempt from all state and local sales tax. During this period, state and local sales tax will not be charged on the following items: Clothing that does not have a taxable value exceeding $100 per item. Eligible clothing items include any article of apparel intended to be worn on or about the body, including footwear.…

Search warrants detail requests for cellphone, vehicle and social media records as investigators expanded search for evidence By Echo Menges EDINA, Mo. — Search warrants filed in Knox County Circuit Court provide the most detailed public look yet at the early stages of the investigation into the disappearance of Lindsey Watts, showing investigators sought electronic evidence from a 2013 Ford F-150, a black iPhone recovered from that vehicle, multiple cellphone providers and social media accounts, according to court documents. The warrants, filed under Case Nos. 26KN-MC00006 through 26KN-MC00015, document investigative steps taken by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the…