Gourd dancing (For a video of gourd dancing click on photo)
The annual Osage River Pow Wow took place Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16, at the Eldon Fairgrounds. Both days featured gourd dancing, which is pictured. (Photo by Tammy Witherspoon)



A good day for fishing
Despite early morning rain, the Eldon Bass Masters 16th annual Kids' Fishing Tournament Saturday, June, 15, went off as planned with a good turnout. (Photo by Tammy Witherspoon)


Vernon Publishing, Inc. purchases The Index
The Index, a weekly newspaper serving Hickory County with offices in Hermitage, Mo. was purchased by Vernon Publishing, Inc. Friday, June 14. The purchase brings to seven the number of community newspapers in Central Missouri owned by the Vernon family.




Business 54 signs going up at the lake
OSAGE BEACH - Motorists in the Osage Beach area will notice new highway signs going up along Route 54 through Osage Beach beginning today. The new signs designate the Osage Beach Parkway as Business 54. ??????The contractor on the project, Superior Rail, will install the signs during the day this week and at night next week. This week, drivers should be prepared for daytime lane closures at various locations on the Osage Beach Parkway, as well as some shoulder closures during the day on the Route 54 expressway. Next week, motorists will experience nighttime lane closures for short periods of time on the expressway. The sign installation will be completed by July 1. ??????"We'll have the signs in place in time to help direct Fourth of July holiday traffic to Osage Beach Parkway businesses," said Missouri Department of Transportation Area Engineer Bob Lynch. "The new signs are meant to help identify Osage Beach Parkway as a business hub and provide an additional way to highlight businesses in the Lake area to travelers."??????The signs are being erected at the request of the City of Osage Beach, which recently changed the name of the parkway to Osage Beach Parkway/Business 54. The signs will dually designate the stretch of Osage Beach Parkway that is home to numerous Lake-area businesses, restaurants, shops and other destinations as both Osage Beach Parkway and Business 54. The name change and the signs are meant to help motorists more readily recognize the parkway as the Osage Beach business district. ??????For more information about this project or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or log onto www.modot.org/central.???


Correction from Eldon City Council story
The Eldon Advertiser incorrectly quoted Ben Duffield in last week's city council meeting story.


Rocky Mount fire board discusses
drug/alcohol policy, new truck
The Rocky Mount Fire Protection District board discussed the need for a new seat belt usage policy, a new fire engine, and voted to purchase new pagers during its June 12 meeting.