Bolivar First Assembly of God will have a special speaker on Sunday, April 14. Dave Roever will speak at the 10:30 a.m. service as well as after service at 12:30 p.m. more

No matter how much is written about how beneficial black snakes are to humans, these rodent-eating reptiles will always be at the top of many people’s fear lists. more

Bolivar Middle School recently released its third-quarter honor roll. According to a school news release, the following students earned spots on the list: more

The Lady Liberators were back on their home pitch last Thursday, April 4 to face Willard after dropping their first loss of the season at Springfield Central earlier in the week. For the second time in three days, Bolivar extended play Thursday night through two overtime periods with games decided in penalty kick shootouts. more

Rock Prairie Missionary Baptist Church is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The church was organized on April 17, 1874 with 18 members, in southeast Polk County. The first church building was built in 1877, but the exact location is unclear. In 1893, the land where the church currently sits was purchased for $50 and a church house was built by men in the community. In its early years, the church’s records detail several great revivals, resulting in more than 15 baptisms each. more

Earlier this year, four faculty from Bolivar Technical College (BTC) embarked on an enriching journey to the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) in San Diego, California, thanks to a generous grant from the Missouri State Board of Nursing. more

Wednesday, April 10 more

Students at Marion C. Early High School were the first among those at three Polk County schools this month to view a docudrama depicting the aftermath of a fatal crash caused by an impaired driver. On April 3, local emergency service providers including firefighters, law enforcement, county coroner, CMH, and Cox Health collaborated with MCE FFA students Landen Burrow, Ben Lewis, Colby Pellham, Hailey Presley, Jacob Presley, and Garrett Waldrep in the scenario. Following the docudrama, students gathered for an assembly to hear from program organizers regarding causes and prevention of actual vehicular emergencies. more

KLIFE Families - It’s time to call your friends, warm-up those paddles, and get your teams signed up for Polk County KLIFE's first ever Pickleball Tournament Fundraiser. Join us on May 4th at Cribbs Family Youth Park! more

Sew ‘n’ Sew Quilt Guild will meet Friday, April 19, at United Methodist Church at 105 E. Division Street. Please come to the east entrance into the Fellowship Hall. Social time is at 9:30 a.m., the program starts at 10 a.m., with a meeting to follow at 11 a.m. The program this month will be Phillis from Shawn’s Sewing Center in Springfield, demonstrating the Brother Scan and Cut. All those interested in quilting are welcome. Contact Lynnette McCulloh at 402-289-3044. more

Open Hearts United Methodist Church, Bolivar, has announced the first $5,000 scholarship to be awarded from the Hegle Scholarship Fund established by a donation from former Bolivar businessman Weldon Hegle. more

The First Baptist Church of Walnut Grove will be hosting a ladies retreat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. Registration begins at 8:30 p.m. more

Spring fever more

Halfway Senior Class Project Graduation Tractor Pull will be Saturday, April 20, starting at noon. The pull will be held at the Polk County Fairgrounds, Bolivar. more

The Downtown Bolivar Association is now accepting applications for vendors who would like to sign up for a booth space at Country Days. This annual event hosts a variety of organizations and vendors who offer food, entertainment, and other goods. This year, Country Days will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. more

The Bolivar Liberators defeated the Buffalo Bisons 10-0 on Friday, April 5. more

Girls more

Three particular events from this year’s Missouri Beef Days lineup will each shine a different light on the area’s agriculture industry. more

Auditions are now open for the annual Polk County’s Got Talent show, an event that recognizes local talent and raises funds for Community Outreach Ministries. more

The Bolivar School District is adding a third school resource officer, Mike Smith. Smith, who brings a wealth of experience in law enforcement and school safety, will join the district's efforts to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all students, staff, and visitors. more

As of April 1, the price of single purchases of the Bolivar Herald-Free Press newspaper increased by $.50. At this time, the price change only affects the price of single-sale papers. Those with subscriptions will not be affected. more

Butterfield Residential Care Center welcomes Ash Carrel, LNHA, as the new administrator for the facility. Carrel has been serving as the administrator in training since January 2024. She replaces Tammie Callaway, who served as the director of Butterfield for 17 years and 36 total years working for CMH. Callaway is retiring April 3. more

How well do you know Polk County? more

Cassie Lerlene Johnson more