Letter from the Mayor: March 2026
You can tell a great deal about a community in two defining moments — when there is something to celebrate, and when tragedy strikes. This past month, our community faced the latter in the most heartbreaking way.
Deputy Gabriel Ramirez (EOW 02/23/2026) and Deputy Michael Hislope (EOW 02/24/2026) were taken from us far too soon, stolen from their families and their community by a senseless act of violence. Watching our brothers and sisters in law enforcement grieve the loss of two of their own has been an incredibly difficult and emotional experience for all of us.
In the midst of that grief, I have also witnessed something powerful — the character of this community on full display. The events that unfolded the evening of February 23rd through the early morning hours of February 24th stand as a true testament to the extraordinary sacrifices our men and women in uniform are willing to make so that every one of us can feel safe in the place call home. We are fortunate beyond measure to live in an area protected by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, the Ozark Police Department, and our own Nixa Police Department…