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Hey Branson, hope your week’s off to a good start! In today’s edition: Statewide primary ballot, dinosaur museum with resident cats, and free summer concert series + fun things to do for free & local fundraisers worth checking out this week.
Your insurance won't cover a $12,000 HVAC bill: If your furnace quits before it warms up, your homeowners insurance will tell you it's a "maintenance issue" and wish you luck. Insurance covers sudden disasters. It doesn't cover the systems that wear out over time, and those are the expensive ones. A home warranty is built for exactly this. HVAC, water heater, appliances, plumbing, electrical... all covered for less than $1/day with no age restrictions on what's covered. You call, they send a tech, you pay a service fee. They handle the rest. This one's $150 off right now.* |
01 — Worth knowing In the newsThree local stories this week, plus a few worth your money.
Ballots are packed statewide: Missourians vote today in the primary, with contested congressional and statewide races, plus four amendments, including extending one-tenth of 1% sales and use tax for conservation, parks and historic sites -- see what's on the ballot.
Supporting Missouri communities: MFA Oil raised $100,000 in June for Feeding Missouri, announced at its twelfth charity golf scramble in Columbia, to support six regional food banks and fight hunger across Missouri -- see the hunger fundraiser haul.
Scenic small-town charm: A roundup spotlights 11 friendly Ozarks towns across Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, from a pinto bean festival to wild horses and a hillside downtown with no traffic light -- browse the Ozark towns.
The bill all retirees should double check: Car insurance. If you’ve been on the same plan for years, you might be paying way more than you need to. It’s an easy one to forget about, but switching could save you up to $600 this year. Case in point: I shopped around and ended up cutting my premium in half -- this free comparison tool makes it easy.*
Watch your credit card balance drop. Here's a rare one: this card lets you skip interest charges until nearly 2028, and you won't pay a cent in annual fees to do it. On top of that, every purchase earns at least 1.5% cash back, with some categories as high as 5%. Spend a little early on and there's up to a $200 bonus waiting too -- take a look.*
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial walk-in-the-door fee to x-rays, surgery, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could save thousands on your next vet bill with Lemonade*. Highlights this week: |
02 — From our sponsor Your insurance won't cover a $12,000 HVAC billIf your furnace quits before it warms up, your homeowners insurance will tell you it's a "maintenance issue" and wish you luck. Insurance covers sudden disasters. It doesn't cover the systems that wear out over time, and those are the expensive ones. A home warranty is built for exactly this. HVAC, water heater, appliances, plumbing, electrical... all covered for less than $1/day with no age restrictions on what's covered. You call, they send a tech, you pay a service fee. They handle the rest. This one's $150 off right now.* |
03 — On our radar
Local business spotlightNearby spots we'd actually send a friend to.
Dino fix this week: Need an easy win with the kids? Branson Dinosaur Museum packs 45+ life-size dinos, a touchable real dinosaur bone, self-guided wander time, a scavenger hunt, and even two resident cats, Catasaurus and Saber, who occasionally play tour guide... it’s a delightfully nerdy afternoon for locals.
Time to actually dance: Peak Nightclub is Branson’s only nightclub, built for dance music with great drinks and a fun vibe. It lives inside Summit Nightlife’s seven-venue setup in historic downtown, so you can pre-game at the arcade bar then finish strong on the floor.
Thrift with a mission: Riley's Treasures isn’t your average thrift hunt, it’s a locally loved spot for name-brand clothing and actually-good housewares. The downtown shop helps fund a mission in Kenya, and the broader crew backs local scholarships and neighbors in crisis... so shopping here feels extra good. Swing by this week and treasure-hunt like a hero.
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04 — Our recommendations
We got your backA handful of products and services we think are worth a look.
Shop for new floors without ever needing to leave the house: No showroom, no second-guessing. All from the comfort of your own home. Empire Today® has flooring experts that will bring you samples and provide you with a free in-home estimate. Trusted and backed by over 3 million satisfied customers and over 65 years of quality service. *Check out their current offers today →
Stiff necks start on flat pillows: You've slept on both arms, both sides, stacked two pillows, thrown one on the floor, and the stiffness keeps finding you, because every position ends on the same pillow that can't hold your neck. This one can: shaped to keep your neck in line however you sleep, with gentle traction through the night. If it doesn't earn its spot in 30 nights, it goes back free. *Take the 30-night test, 50% off →
Home insurance premiums jumped 12% last year alone: That's on top of years of increases that have outpaced inflation. Before you blindly renew with your current insurer, a free comparison tool matches your home with top-rated insurers so you can see quotes side by side, in about two minutes. Some homeowners find hundreds in savings, and if you don't find a better policy, you stay put knowing you checked. *See your options →
The slower you walk, the more it works: Tai Chi walking is trending online. Turns out it's centuries old — slow deliberate steps, paced breath, attention on the body. Thirty minutes a day burns fat, lifts your mood, and builds balance. No gym, no treadmill, no pounding on the joints. Take the quick quiz to see if it fits, then use code BASELOCAL for a discount on the coaching plan. *See how it works →
The upgrades that make your home feel new again start here: You don't need a full remodel to fall back in love with your space. New fixtures, a fresh coat of paint, updated hardware, the small changes that make a room feel different. It's all in one place, so a weekend is all it takes to give a tired room a fresh start. *Shop the refresh → |
Have an event to share? We (and our readers) can't wait to hear about it! Submit an event → |
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05 — The event calendar Free events worth checking outFree things to do in the coming days and weeks. Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Always check official event pages before heading out.
🥕 Downtown Hollister Farmers Market @ Parking lot of Creekside Antiques & The Hearth Tea Shop | Tuesday (8/4) at 3:00 PM – Swing by Downtown Hollister’s farmers market in the Creekside Antiques and Hearth Tea Shop lot for peak-season produce, fresh bread, and free small-town gossip. It pops up Tuesdays and Fridays, perfect for an after-work lap, and it beats arguing with the self-checkout.
🥕 Wednesdays Farmers Market @ Vintage Paris Coffee (Hollister) | Wednesday (8/5) at 2:00 PM – Need a midweek reset? The Wednesday farmers market at Vintage Paris Coffee, hosted by StateoftheOzarks, brings growers, bakers, and craftsmen together for homegrown vegetables, local fruit, baked goods, Ozark honey, and handmade soaps, all with small-town charm and none of the supermarket lighting.
🥕 Downtown Hollister Farmers Market @ The Hearth | Friday (8/7) at 3:00 PM – Tuesday and Friday evenings, the St. James Street lot by Creekside Antiques and The Hearth Tea Shop turns into Hollister’s pantry with produce, baked goods, and an impulse bouquet. You’ll come for peaches, leave with bread, honey, and neighborhood gossip, and somehow call it dinner.
🧺 Saturday StateoftheOzarks Farmers Market @ Vintage Paris Coffee (Hollister) | Saturday (8/8) at 10:00 AM – Saturday mornings call for a stroll through the StateoftheOzarks farmers market at Vintage Paris Coffee in Hollister, where the produce is local, the honey is Ozark, and the gossip is free. Homegrown veg, fresh fruit, baked goods, and soaps that smell like actual plants.
🎶 Jukebox Winos and more @ Branson Landing | Saturday (8/8) at 7:00 PM – If your summer needs fewer honey-do lists and more guitars, the free Branson Landing concert series delivers. Sip the beer garden’s finest, let the Fire and Water show handle the pyrotechnics, then catch Jukebox Winos, Chris Luneau, and The White Buffalo, plus other rotating favorites.
🎸 Colt Ford @ Full Throttle Distillery & Smokehouse | Friday (9/11) at 7:00 PM – If you like your weekends loud and your concerts free, hit the H.O.G. Rally in Branson for an all-ages Colt Ford show, plus vendors, good grub, and cold drinks. Expect big bikes, bigger sing-alongs, and zero pretense, right here in the Ozarks. ✨ Upcoming local fundraisers🚗 19th Annual Sleds Midwest Car Show @ Willow Tree Inn & RV Park | Friday (8/21) at 10:00 AM – Chrome season hits its 19th year, with a pre-1980 cruise rolling through Branson in a haze of nostalgia. Expect celebrity judging, door prizes, a car corral, entertainment, and enough hot rods, rat rods, and muscle to make the HOA nervous, all for a good cause.
Want more? Browse our full events calendar | Submit an event |
06 — From our sponsor Heads up for pet parentsTogether with our sponsor Lemonade. Nothing prepares you for a late-night emergency at the vet. I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. From the initial exam fee just to be seen, to x-rays, surgery, medication, and follow-up visits… the bill racks up fast (to say the least). And at that moment? You’re not thinking about your savings, you’re just saying yes to whatever keeps them thriving. As soon as we got home, I dug around online and ultimately signed up for Pet Insurance. It was too late for me, but you could save thousands on your next vet bill with *Lemonade. |
07 — Branson report Weather forecastToday — High: 95°F — Low: 69°F — Precip: 0%
Patchy fog before 7am. Sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 101. Southeast wind around 3 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Heat index values as high as 99. Southeast wind 1 to 5 mph.
Tomorrow — High: 97°F — Low: 73°F — Precip: 2%
Sunny, with a high near 97. Southeast wind 0 to 3 mph. Later: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. This house is wildThis 5-bed, 3-full and 2-half-bath ranch sprawls across 3,660 square feet on over 3/4 of an acre in an exclusive Branson cul-de-sac. Two brick-hearth fireplaces, oak plank floors, formal living and dining spaces, a 4-season sunroom, and a lower-level rec room set the stage. Outside, an in-ground pool and covered patio seal the deal.
Take a peek inside → |
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