Send us a text Aurora Coach Pat Woods and his 1999 State Champs will be honored on October 25th at Kelley Field. They are the 2024 Class for the Aurora Houn' Dawg Hall of Fame. I was able to spend part of an afternoon with Coach Woods a couple of weeks ago. I remain forever changed at the humility, strength and wisdom of this man--who is truly a lo…

Send us a text As a storyteller, writer and longtime folklorist, I have been blessed to be asked to write and talk about this region called the Ozarks. New audiences want to hear the stories. Old audiences want to know more. Others are intrigued, but aren't sure why. The Ozarks. She is full of joy, gifts, mysteries and nuances that whisper my name …

Send us a text We take some time this week to revisit the legends and stories of our favorite Aurora, Missouri Mascot---that beloved spotted Houn' Dawg. The tale goes back well over 100 years and involves grit, spunk, tenacity and a few come from behind surprises. This unique mascot shows up in songs, poems, tales and headlines. We love him dearly.…

Send us a text Jim Sawyer was a colleague and a friend for years back in my hard-hitting journalism days. I learned a great deal from him. He has been gone 21 years and I always reflect on him when September rolls around. He was strong, kind, brilliant and loved stories. He was a master at telling them. He was a good listener, too. I miss him.…

Send us a text It's true. You can' pour from an empty cup. You also can't really love others the way they deserve until you learn to love yourself. I wish I had learned those things earlier in life. But, at least I finally learned them. After all, I am a late bloomer. Take a listen to this week's podcast and see if there is something there for you.…

Send us a text We have another Aurora legend celebrating a big birthday on Tuesday, August 20th. He literally inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of students to be successfull--both in and out of the classroom. Gene Kirkham will be turning 90. They broke the mold for band directors with him, for sure. This week's podcast is dedicated to him. If yo…

Send us a text As the sultry hot days of July 2024 wound to a close, my son took his mother on a perfect adventure. She was able to enjoy some of her favorite things in a short 11-hour time span that she will always remember. We were able to spend 11 uninterrupted hours together and travel 484 miles across Missouri in the process. I don't know that…

Send us a text If you attended Aurora High School during the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s, chances are--you were exposed to the exercise regimen prescribed by Coach Poss Jackson and the Chicken Fat song. Poss turns 100 years young during August and will get celebrated in style with an open house at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mt. Vernon. His legacy is o…

Send us a text 1969 was a time for change. Woodstock made headlines. People were often protesting the Vietnam War. A new dynamic duo--Paul Newman and Robert Redford--would soon steal hearts the world over with their performance in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Hairstyles were creative. Music was phenomenal. Tie-dye was in vogue and cars were …

Send us a text Quite often--I hear voices. I don't always talk about them or tell anyone for fear they will think I'm a little off center. I think these voices are echoes from my past. They are tied to my journey--both the one I've taken and the ones I've yet to take. But these voices say things like: Just do it...Follow your heart...Your story isn…

Send us a text My latest podcast is a makeshift tribute to my friend and colleague, Bill Baker. Bill was a champion for all things Aurora. He was kind, loyal, supportive and strong. A man of great faith, he believed in the good in people. He went home to Heaven last week on the 4th of July. He celebrated his patriotism in style as he walked through…

Send us a text I don't believe much in coincidence. As a chronic overthinker, I always think everything has a reason. So, when a yellowed June 30th, 1932 newspaper fell into my lap on June 30th, 2024, I decided I was to pay attention. I scanned the newspaper for messages. I found a few. I am sharing some of them this week. I will share a couple mor…

Send us a text A couple of social media posts about a 1910 auto tour had me thinking about the backroads and byways of this region I call home. The lure of the open road is one filled with picnics, fishing holes, adventures, scraped knees, sweaty pigtails and sometimes Spam sandwiches. Join me on a journey that goes all the way back over 100 years.…

Send us a text Prayers are being answered for me and my family every single day. A colleague told me 30+ years ago that learning was a lifelong journey. He was my mentor at Drury University, where I had launched an extensive plan for my master's capstone and long-term plan. Little did I know then how right Dr. Dan Beach was! Here is the next podcas…

Send us a text This week marks yet another milestone for me. I am 63 years old! I was born on a Sunday at 2:30 a.m.--in 1961. I was six weeks premature and my mom supposedly thought my arrival was just gas from the sweet potatoes she had eaten for supper. I slept in a dresser drawer until they were quite sure I was going to live, I guess. I have be…

Send us a text It's so easy to get into our daily routines and block out the people around you. Sometimes we are under deadline. Sometimes we have a big, looming task in front of us that demands our attention. I have found it quite rewarding in recent weeks to reach out to a couple of strangers who happened to be placed in my path. It didn't take m…

Send us a text To know him is to love him. He's got a heart as big as all outdoors. He sings John Denver songs at the top of his lungs and makes you want to join in. He can do the Macarena, the YMCA dance and outwork any 10 people I know. His name is Chris Ackley and he has been a friend of mine for almost 60 years. Recently, he was named one of Au…

Send us a text While 1939 was a banner year for movies and music. It was still a time of tenacity, endurance, sacrifice and teamwork for Aurora, Missouri, and thousands of communities just like us across the American heartland. Take a trip down memory lane with us this week as we take a minute to celebrate the 85th Birthday of the Aurora Chamber of…

Send us a text We wrapped up the fourth All Roads Lead Home Mural in May. We will be installing it in June--where it will reign over those traveling Highway 39 for the next several decades. The project is patriotic and literally stunning. Pictures don't do it justice. In essence, we will be dedicating this historic building back its roots and the h…

Send us a text Endings are sometimes bittersweet. We are excited for the next leg of the journey. We want to find out what life has in store for us. I was asked to put together my best advice for this year's graduates. I read this to them this week at our Senior Celebration Assembly. I have taught at the university level for over 32 years. I have t…

Send us a text Connections. Relationships. Journeys. The beauty in much of our work here on earth lies in the imperfect roads we take along the way. As we celebrate new beginnings and observe a few endings, let's keep looking at the possibilities we can achieve together along the way.De către Kim McCully-Mobley

Send us a text The 4th All Roads Lead Home Mural is underway. It is classic, patriotic, colorful and huge! Soon, it will greet folks on Highway 39 as they enter and leave Aurora's city limits. The patriotic project has been designed by our own muralist---Raine Clotfelter, who is trying hard to retire. Later this year, we will dedicate this one to a…

Send us a text My college students have been working hard. I have been working harder to keep up with them. We have talked all things leadership, philanthropy and communication. I have used the texts, additional resources, guest speakers, personal experiences, support from my field of colleagues and friends and more to help prepare them for the rea…

Send us a text Last week found a covey of students joining me at a meeting of the Aurora Rotary Club for their annual speech contest. Every year I am always so impressed with them. I am the Mama Duck in the room beaming at her ducklings. The criteria is simple. They pick a topic about their world that they would like to change, grow or improve. The…

Send us a text Our small rural community is nestled in the Ozarks region I call home. It seems we have been hit hard in recent years with tragedies involving our teenagers. One such event occurred here in the park on Easter Weekend. I'm not sure what the answers are. I wish LOVE could cure all ills. In the meantime, we need to make sure we are ther…

Send us a text Last week was magical. I was invited to serve on a panel for Ozarks Teacher Corps. This eager group of new teachers--getting ready to embark on their respective rural school journeys--welcomed us with open arms at the Springfield Nature Center. I was able to revisit my why, see some old friends from the Community Foundation of the Oz…

Send us a text My friends, Brad and Kari Boettler, agreed to allow information from a police investigation to be shared with the public in the wake of their son's January 3rd suicide. Evan Boettler was the best of the best. He was a stellar student, a role model, a fun kid with a sense for adventure. He loved his family, his friends and his communi…

Send us a text Sometimes days, events, discussions and side conversations cause you to go down the proverbial rabbit hole of digging deeper into something you thought you already knew a lot about. Then, a few discoveries brings the real picture a little closer into view. A casual comment from an interested student might result in the Mobley death g…

Send us a text This was another tough one. I apologize for the heavy breathing and the emotions. This version is the best I can do for now. I kept trying to get it just right in one sitting. This is one of those Paul Harvey "rest of the story" moments that some of you are old enough to understand. This is a story about friendship. This is a story a…

Send us a text I spent some time reflecting on loss, growth, healing and moving on this past week. February is sometimes hard. February of 2024 taught me not to get too comfortable as some of those close to me continued to deal with some tough stuff. I lost a couple of good friends, gained a couple of angels, saw some former students, lost another …

Send us a text Here is a lesson plan called My Perfect Day. Ironically--the steps of the process made for a magical day. In fact, the students managed to write my column/podcast this week all by themselves. I'm still looking for a few mud puddles, bargains and backroads.De către Kim McCully-Mobley

Send us a text Now that the Super Bowl is over and our Kansas City Chiefs are Back To Back Champions, let's explore some Aurora connections to Chiefs Kingdom. I'd like to pay special tribute to Pat Talburt, one of our local hometown heroes.De către Kim McCully-Mobley

Send us a text I love talking things over with former students and colleagues who hold a variety of positions in the business/professional world. At least once a week, someone shoots a dilemma my way for me to weigh in on and offer up some sage wisdom or advice. We talk about dishonesty, mismanagement and even green-eyed envy from time to time. Som…

Send us a text It was an honor to join forces once again with the Alumni Center, the Aurora Basketball Program and local fans wanting to welcome the 1993-94 Boys Basketball Team back home to pay homage to their skills, accomplishments and the overall legacy they helped to instill in our community some 30 years ago. The names of Journagan, Floyd, Th…

Send us a text GRO Aurora is in its eighth year of existence as part of an ongoing partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. While we have graduated to a more independent level the past two years, the shared resources and the collective energy continue to bring Aurora to the spotlight for all of the good things going on here in the S…

Send us a text The year of 1965 might seem like a long time ago to some. To me, it seems just like yesterday. I love reading about the books, the music, the cars and the people who were making the headlines for us back then. Ironically, a few of them are still around making headlines today. Cindy Munday is still student of the month material for se…

Send us a text A tragedy struck my community shortly after the new year got underway in January. With the tragic loss of a 16-year-old boy--Evan Boettler--we have all managed to come together to love, serve, grieve and somehow move forward. Please join me in paying tribute to his legacy. Chase a few sunsets. Take a few hikes. Make a new friend. Go …

Send us a text The boisterous Ethel Merman sang "Everything's Coming Up Roses" in 1959 for the Broadway Musical "Gypsy." It was a memoir of sorts brought to life on the stage. The show sent the message that sheer will and determination can put the rose-filled mindset in place to be successful. The show was based on the life of Gypsy Rose Lee. 20 ye…

Send us a text With the start of a new year comes new commitments, new strategies, new ideas and renewed energy regarding the journey and ultimately, the destination. I have been pouring over some boxes of newspaper clippings, old letters, vintage photographs and mementos of the past. I ran across some interesting information about my hometown and …

Send us a text "...No man is a failure who has friends." That's the Mark Twain quote that appears in "It's A Wonderful Life," that classic 1946 Frank Kapra classic that features George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, who is down on his luck. The holidays can be challenging. Even when we celebrate--we are often dealing with stressful situations and…

Send us a text My first hour students and I share a special bond at Aurora High School. We start the day with each other and have developed a trust. I often share past talents and stories with them in order for them to get a glimpse of the crazy lady I have become. This ain't my first rodeo and it took me a long time to get this way. My first husba…

Send us a text My mother, Ina Faye McMorris Estes, would have turned 99 years old today--if she were still here. I know she is celebrating up in Heaven--with just a few of her favorite people. I hope she knows how much she is missed and how often we still talk about her. She was hard-working, strong and regal. She was anchored in faith. I remain gr…

Send us a text We will be featuring a variety of local authors from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, December 16th, at the Garden Exchange in downtown Aurora. You won't miss it! You can support local writers and get some last-minute shopping done at the same time.De către Kim McCully-Mobley

Send us a text Where did it all start? That's a great question. Maybe it started in the hills of Northwest Arkansas. Or maybe it started on the back roads on the steps of a little, log cabin my Grandpa Herman built in the 1920s. It could have started while I was dancing a little jig to Cripple Creek, while my Grandpa Frank's fingers danced across t…

Send us a text Stories. They anchor us. They keep us grounded and focused. They keep us entertained and laughing. Stories can cure us and help us. At the end of the day, stories keep us alive. Grandpa Herman set the bar for me when it comes to storytelling. Who set the bar for you? What stories do you have to share with me?…

Send us a text My Youth Empowerment Project students attended a Leadership Conference in October at Ozarks Technical College in Springfield. The keynote speaker was a 19-year-old mayor from the Arkansas Delta who has plans to hit the Oval Office in the near future. Take a listen. His story is pretty inspirational. My students paid close attention.…

Send us a text I was able to celebrate the lives of two women I love this past month. Sharon Benton Whitehill's life was celebrated in Nixa. She was only 67 when she left us, but managed to fill her life with love, growth, opportunity, color and connections. Her legacy remains intact. Dorothy Dobyns celebrated her 100th birthday with multiple parti…

Send us a text When the world presents turmoil, confusion and despair...look for the good. The Paradoxical Commandments tell us to forgive anyway, build anyway, do good anyway and give the world the best you've got anyway. When I get the urge to tell folks where I think they are missing the boat, stirring the pot or causing dissension in the ranks,…

Send us a text September found two leadership panels visiting Aurora High School to share their experiences, advice and wisdom with local students. Take a listen to the ideas of Shannon Walker from the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, John Paul Lee of First Independent Bank fame and Dr. Ben Yocom, our new superintendent of schools.…

Send us a text Ten years ago in September, my husband had a stroke. It was a learning experience, to say the least. It also prepared us for what we would both endure a few years later in the midst of the pandemic. Like most of you, we consider ourselves survivors. We have had some ups and downs in our journey together. Faith holds. Love remains. As…