News

People looking for a new event this fall will be treated to one, as the Washburn Area Chamber of Commerce will host the inaugural Harvest Festival and Tractor Parade on Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is still available for tractor parade, booth rental and Mr. and Miss Sunshine Pageant. The event will be the first in the area to offer a people’s choice Tractor Parade, said Cheryl Floyd, treasurer for the Chamber...

A bomb threat shut down the Barry County Judicial Center Monday, and after a sweep of the building, no device was found. Gary Davis, Barry County sheriff, said the suspect called Greene County 911, threatened there was a bomb in the Barry County Judicial Center, then hung up...

The next step to construction has been made for replacing the 7th Street bridge, as David Brock, public works director for the city of Cassville, said the city has hired an engineer for the project. The city hired Allgeier, Martin and Associates, Inc. Consulting Engineers, and has penned a three-year master agreement for service as master consultants...

Plans for the Shell Knob Branch Library are being developed and headway is being made. Paragon Architecture out of Springfield was hired in May and has come up with a preliminary design, which cost $13,500 and was presented in the last meeting to the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library Systems board...

A local rancher is breaking from the typical cattle mold and has ventured into raising bison, and earning recognition for his work. Bear Hollow Ranch and Preserve recently earned the strictest Grass-fed and Animal Welfare Approved Certification through A Greener World (AGW)...

Raising cattle, running horses and living a farm family lifestyle pays, and a Cassville family was recognized for their work. Jeff and Elizabeth Reed, and daughter Nellie Jo Reed, all of Cassville, were selected as the Barry County Missouri Farm Family by University of Missouri Extension in Barry County during the 60th annual Missouri Farm Family Day on Aug. 13 at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia...

For years, Senior Life Solutions Program Director Susan Poehling has had a dream — hosting an Expo. That goal will be met on Sept. 28, when at least 14 groups will host a booth or make a presentation at the inaugural Silver Discovery Senior Expo, running from 8 a.m. to noon at the Clark Center Compton building, located at 411 3rd Street in Monett...

Cutest Smile contestant Cooper grins for the camera, showing off the smile that won second place in that competition on Saturday, during the Bark in the Park Dog Show at the annual Shakin’ in the Shell festival.

Residents gathered outside Roaring River Health and Rehab on Saturday and watched a light show of fireworks.

Band noise is no issue for Cassville residents Leon and Rita Craig, as the two make a point to be on their porch by 6:15 p.m. prior to every Cassville home football game to watch the school’s band march through the neighborhood between the high school and Wildcat Stadium...

Fish, chicken and all the trimmings are on the menu at the 21st Annual Jenkins Fire Department Fish Fry on Oct. 6 at 4:30 p.m. Ripplin’ Creek will provide entertainment, and the auction will end the evening. The meal will include fish or chicken, baked beans, slaw, hush puppies, a dessert and a drink, with serving beginning at 5 p.m. ...

ST. LOUIS — For the fourth year in a row, the Cassville Democrat won the Gold Cup at the Missouri Press Association’s annual convention, naming it the best small weekly newspaper in the state. The Gold Cup is awarded to the newspaper that scores the most points in individual categories...

A black bear seemingly lost a picnic basket this week, as it was captured by a game camera only a few miles from the city limits of Cassville. A camera belonging to Pierson and Brittany Pinnell spotted a black bear near Highway 76, about 4.5 miles east of Highway 112...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the Barry Electric Cooperative was awarded $6.1 million as a part of the Connect America Fund (CAF) phase two auction. The grant will be distributed over a 10-year period and bankroll the cost of expanding the goBEC fiberoptic internet and telephone services to local underserved and unserved areas...

The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library board is making plans for programs and projects in the coming year, as well as reviewing finances. Director Gina Milburn reported the district ended the state fiscal year with more income than expected, thanks to more state aid, state equalization funding to even income to both counties that does not come every year and grant funds. Spending also ran approximately $100,000 over budget...

Members of the Wheaton Board of Education has set the district’s incidental levy at $2.75, the minimum required by the State of Missouri. Board members also approved the debt service levy at the ceiling of 83 cents per $100 of assessed valuation on both real estate and personal property owned by patrons of the district...

Families looking for a fun weekend can enjoy free concerts, a kids fun area, outdoor games, a car show and much more Friday and Saturday at the 13th annual Shakin’ in the Shell festival, held at the Chamber Park in Shell Knob and hosted by the Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce...

Local residents Mark and Margaret Goldschmidt decided to use the land they own to grow something beautiful. In total, they own eight acres of land and hope that soon they will be able to utilize it all. Opening on Sept. 15, on their farm on Highway AA is the U-pick pumpkin patch, Indian corn field and sunflower half-acre patch...

Frontier Days is a two-day event held on the Schreiners’ farm near Cassville, offering an old-fashioned feel and teaching the local community how pioneers lived in the mid-1800s. The sixth annual two-day event will be held on Sept. 22 and 23. Sandra Schreiner, who will be hosting the event with her husband, said the event starts at 10 a.m. and will go on until at least 5 p.m...

A member of the Master Gardeners for three years, Barbara Cowan will be honored with a dedication bench on the local Greenway Trail, facing the Aquatic center park. The local Master Gardeners University of Missouri division, are a group of volunteers who give back to their communities by offering education on gardening and community projects...

The Discover the Forest campaign, headed by the Forest Service and Ad Council, is kicking off with the goal of inspiring children to develop an early interest in nature through their local National Forests and trails. Joseph Koloski, district ranger for the Mark Twain National Forest, said the campaign aims to get children to experience the outdoors. The conversations parents and children can have on a trail are priceless, Koloski said...

Bobby Arms, of Commerce, Okla., in the No. 114 Steel City Metals car, laid the winning hit in the compact class at the Demolition Derby on Saturday.

Skyylee Sizemore, 1, of Cassville, enjoyed bouncing on the pumpkin bounce pad Saturday at the Exeter Corn Maze.

Sophee Hawkins looked through offerings from Sandi Smith’s Origami Owl, based in Rolla, at the Fall Craft Show in Purdy on Saturday.

For the second year, the Barry Electric Cooperative sent local linemen to compete in a two-day event that tests skills used on the job and raises money to send Missouri linemen to developing countries to connect those nations with electricity. This year, the Cooperative sent three linemen, Kevin Holloway, Tim Thompson and Brian Robbins. ...

Fish, chicken and all the trimmings are on the menu at the 21st Annual Jenkins Fire Department Fish Fry on Oct. 6 at 4:30 p.m. Ripplin’ Creek will provide entertainment, and the auction will end the evening. First Baptist Church of Purdy will host a one-day Vacation Bible School on Sept. 15, at 10 a.m. The program and free barbecue begin at 5 p.m. for family and friends. The church is located at 3rd and Washington in Purdy. For a ride, people may call 417-442-7435...

A Crane man died Tuesday in a wreck at 4:20 p.m. on Highway 248, five miles southwest of Crane. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Kelly Vaught, 47, of Crane, was driving a 2004 Ford F150 eastbound when his vehicle struck head-on a 2001 International IC school bus, being driven by Paul Schlis, 57, of Galena...

An Arkansas man found guilty of double murder in Barry County has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. Christopher Paschall, of Springdale, Ark., was sentenced Wednesday to life without parole on two counts of first-degree murder, 170 combined years for three counts of armed criminal action, 7 years for parental kidnapping...

A Purdy man has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking after a drug bust allegedly caught him with more than one pound of methamphetamine. The Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team and Barry County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant Friday afternoon at a home on Farm Road 1095 in Purdy. ...

Cassville firefighters will be participating in the 6th annual 9/11 Springfield Area Memorial Stair Climb on Sept. 22 at Missouri State University’s Plaster Stadium. The first stair climb of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) was held on Sept. ...

A group of 14 people met recently as part of the Community Education and Economic Impact Committee, organized to set goals for growing the local economy through new businesses, tourism and education. Coordinating the effort is Ron Reed, of Houston, Mo., the city of Cassville’s new part-time economic developer. Reed brings more than 20 years of experience to the committee and is working with local schools, financial institutions, businesses and industries to help Cassville and Barry County grow...

Anyone looking for a corn maze this fall does not have to look outside of Barry County, as the Exeter Corn Maze was listed as No. 6 in the country on Country Living magazine’s ranking of top 25 corn mazes in the U.S. On 140 acres in Exeter, Robyn and Artie Cole are getting ready to open up all the fall filled activities at the local corn maze...

The Fill the Boot drive has kicked off in Exeter and Wheaton. The Exeter Fire Protection District set up in front of its station in town on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and raised $2,210. Last year, the department raised $2,225, and it has been participating in the drive for 23 years...

At the end of June, Arc of the Ozarks closed its group home in Cassville, the last group home in Barry and Lawrence counties, reflecting an evolution in the care of developmentally disabled residents and services available to them. Sarah Meredith, director for Arc of the Ozarks in Monett, said all of the residents once served in group homes now live in assisted living apartments. ...

Purdy school board members looked over construction progress and the start of the new school year recently. Superintendent Steven Chancellor reported the first part of the storm shelter/performing arts center construction project had been completed. Next steps included more concrete work, painting and “the important stuff.” Crews had turned to the exterior heading into September to finish sealing the structure and shaping up the grounds against the building...

Fall decor and other handmade goods will be available at the Gathering Place in Purdy on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Julie Terry, event coordinator, said this will be the 4th annual Fall Craft and Vendor Show, and the number of vendors and attendees continues to grow. There will be about 40 booths, and an array of different products available...

In the past several months, 10 people have pleaded guilty to felony crimes in circuit courts in Barry and Lawrence counties. The courts also accepted one Alford plea, issued warrants for two people who failed to appear and dropped four cases. Those who pleaded guilty to felonies include:...

After a lull in sales tax revenues to the area in July, receipts made a strong rebound with significant gains in August. Barry County’s two half-percent taxes for county operations and road maintenance received $178,189.61 and $178,221.03 respectively, each up by more than $28,500. Revenues from those taxes have been up in seven of the last eight months, pushing the general fund tally up nearly $50,000 over a year ago...

Members of the Wheaton Board of Education has set the district’s incidental levy at $2.75, the minimum required by the State of Missouri. Board members also approved the debt service levy at the ceiling of 83 cents per $100 of assessed valuation on both real estate and personal property owned by patrons of the district...

The Barry County Museum’s newest addition, a collection of political mugs created by John Frank of Frankhoma Pottery, was collected by Glen Dale Nicoll, of Cassville, and donated to the museum by Fran Nicoll. Glen Dale Nicoll, born on Oct. 20, 1926, graduated from Cassville High School in 1945. ...

The Mark Chapman Band will headline the Jammin’ at Jolly concert, the Jolly Mill Park’s Tal Wooten Memorial Music Event on Sept. 15. Joining the band will be special guest, The Pretty Lonesome. Music will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m., and a fireworks display will follow. ...

Jeff and Elizabeth Reed, of Cassville, and their family, were among the families honored during the 60th annual Missouri Farm Family Day on Aug. 13 at the Missouri State Fair. The family was selected as the Barry County Missouri Farm Family by University of Missouri Extension in Barry County and the local Farm Bureau. The family includes Jeff and Elizabeth Reed and daughter Nellie Jo Reed...

“We are closer to a solution.” This is what David Brock, public works director for the city, said about the 7th Street bridge project, which he is spearheading. Steve Walensky, the city administrator, said there are five key players in the project: the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Conservation, Army Corps of Engineers, and HDR Inc. Engineering...

The goBEC fiberoptic project is continuing its progress across south Barry County, as it is now more than 50 percent completed after more than two years of work. JR Smith, goBEC fiber network manager, said the Washburn area is now completed, and the Seligman area will begin signing up new customers by Oct. 1. With goBEC finishing up phase 5 of the project, the number of subscribers is growing rapidly — 1,700 and counting...

In the world of super heroes, every caped crusader has a villain, and for Damien Tarr — better known as Superbubba Layman — the world is a lot better without the likes of Mr. Tight, Mr. Scar and Sir Infection. People who spend any time at Eunice Thomas Elementary School, or at the Cassville Walmart, may have seen Tarr. ...

Opening day student counts at local school districts showed no significant trends, with one district up, one district about the same and another district down. The Wheaton school district opened its doors to students on Tuesday, ushering in a rise of 20 students from pre-K through 12th grade, with a total count of 474 students. Superintendent Lance Massey said the school usually loses a few before Labor Day. As of now, the district does not have a reason to implement any new changes...

More than 250 people attended meetings in Mt. Vernon and Springfield last week as agriculture producers and ranchers exchanged concerns with specialists from the University of Missouri Extension on how to deal with ongoing drought conditions. According to horticulture specialist Tim Schnackenberg, rain this week has been “very welcome” and has started reviving some of the warm season grasses. The cool season grasses, such as fescue, have been slower to respond...

Following recent legislation sponsored by State Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Cassville, chairman of the House Budget Committee, local skilled nursing facilities will see an increase in the amount of reimbursable costs for Medicaid patients raise by $8.30 per patient, per day...

With the price of hay skyrocketing under fall drought conditions, local livestock producers are struggling to figure out a strategy for the coming winter. A rural Marionville sheep and goat rancher who has limited needs has been hoping to collaborate with others in making a joint hay purchase, but to date has found little interest in his proposal...

A Seligman woman has been charged in two separate cases for allegedly breaking into a cabin in Seligman in May and stealing items. Amy Brannan, 25, of Seligman, is charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and two counts of misdemeanor stealing...