News

To honor a fallen friend, a collection of the top athletes in the sport of bull riding will return to Bill Hailey Arena in Cassville on Saturday for the annual Ridin’ with Mason Lowe Invitational. Mason Lowe, a Missouri native, passed away on Jan. 15, 2019, as a result of injuries sustained during a PBR event at the Denver Coliseum. ...

In 2016, the Wheaton taxpayers approved a $1 million bond issue for a FEMA shelter to be built on district property. Originally, the district aimed to build a practice facility or gymnasium that would replace the current gymnasium that would double as a tornado shelter for area students and residents...

After the goodbyes on the last day of school, and a brief break from pencils and crayons, some students head back to the classroom for a few weeks of summer school. Cassville’s last day of school is Thursday, with a release at 1 p.m. Summer school will start on May 31 and continue until June 24. Hours are from 7:50 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free breakfast and lunch will be served daily, breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m...

For 22 years, the Cassville Aquatic Center has brought fun in the sun to the summertime with splashes and smiles. This year, during the 22nd anniversary summer of the opening of the pool, people are reflecting on how the park started. In September 1999, the original design of the pool was brought to the city council. At that time, the $1.4 million project was altered once from the original design by consolidating four different pool area into one large pool...

Children in the Cassville area have turned to the Cassville Aquatic Center for more than two decades to spend their days splashing in the water and playing in the sun. This year, starting on Saturday, the Cassville YMCA will be open Monday through Sunday from 1-6 p.m., weather permitting...

While the Cassville YMCA is open 24/7 all year long, the summer time is packed full of events and adventures for all ages. The regular classes at the Cassville YMCA will continue as scheduled. “We just finished our spring soccer season and will start again this fall,” Jessica Smith, Cassville YMCA office manager said. “We usually start taking sign-ups in August for fall soccer and flag football.”...

A total of 138 Cassville seniors turned their tassels on Sunday, celebrating on the track with confetti cannons and silly string.

Southwest 2022 graduates celebrate after commencement ceremonies Thursday night at Southwest High School. More photos from the event may be found at: https://www.cassville-democrat.com/gallery/40371.

Cassville teachers lined up at the bus exit on Thursday, the last day of school, to wave goodbye to the students for the summer.

The McDowell Special Road District will have its regular monthly business meeting on Monday at the McDowell Church beginning at 6 p.m. If anyone wants to get on the agenda to question the road commissioners, they may call 417-847-2808. The Ennis Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting at the cemetery shelter at 2 p.m. on Sunday...

The latest information released by the U.S. Census shows Barry County followed some statewide trends that moved strikingly away from patterns seen in the 2010 census. The overall population count placed the county at 34,534 people, down 1,063. This reverses the upward trend that held steady since the 1980s, particularly the growth of 6,463 people (23.5 percent) added between 1990 and 2000...

The Washburn Police Department and Fire Protection District recently reviewed 911 calls through 2021, with the police taking just a couple less than the prior year. The Washburn Police Department received 20 total 911 calls in 2021, two less than the 2020 call volume...

Organizers of the 57th annual Barry County Youth Camp, taking place at Camp Smokey at Roaring River State Park, have released the bus schedule to pick campers up in Monett, Purdy and Cassville. This year’s theme is “Barnyard Buddies.” Buses will pick Monett campers up at 8:30 a.m. on May 31 at the Drury University parking lot, located at 400 Fourth Street. The bus will leave at 8:45 a.m. and travel to Purdy...

Purdy city leaders are considering a city ordinance that would provide rules, regulations and guidelines for community members looking to place a “tiny house” on their property. Purdy City Council members were provided with a draft ordinance regarding the use of tiny houses and asked to review it and return in July with any changes or amendments they see fit to make. The council is planning to consider the ordinance at its July meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 20...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Mercy Hospital Cassville’s Senior Life Solutions program is spreading awareness about challenges than can exist in receiving mental health help in rural areas. Studies have shown the risk of suicide is higher in rural areas, making it that much more vital that individuals seek out and have access to help. ...

The Purdy Class of 2022 celebrates a successful school career on graduation night. More photos from the event may be found at: https://www.cassville-democrat.com/gallery/40339.

Confetti rained down on Exeter graduates after their tassels were turned on Friday. More from the event may be found at: https://www.cassville-democrat.com/gallery/40342.

The Wheaton Class of 2022 popped confetti and tossed their mortarboard hats at the end of the school’s graduation ceremony on Thursday. More from the event may be found at: https://www.cassville-democrat.com/gallery/40341.

Justus Greek, Joseph Durossette and Elijah Magee hop on one leg in the noodle traces at Sports Day at Cassville schools on Friday.

The McDonald Special Road District will have its regular monthly business meeting on May 30 at the McDowell Church beginning at 6 p.m. If anyone wants to get on the agenda to question the road commissioners, they may call 417-847-2808. The Ennis Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting at the cemetery shelter at 2 p.m. on May 29...

Audie Arickson, right, dressed as Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator, lectures a group of Purdy Elementary School first graders on the life and times of Lindbergh and his famous flight across the Atlantic.

The U.S. Census has released population figures for Barry and Lawrence counties from the 2020 count, reflecting number shifts at both the municipal and county levels. The city of Monett saw a modest population increase, but not enough to alter the city government, which would move from a three-member city commission to five if the 10,000 person threshold is passed. ...

Following a tepid showing in March, sales tax distributions to local municipal and county government entities boomed in April. Last April saw an unusually low sales tax distribution, the biggest drop in the midst of the surge in local shopping during the COVID pandemic. ...

Seligman saw a slight decrease in 911 calls in 2021 compared to 2020. For the Seligman Police Department calls dropped in that time by 43 calls, and the Seligman Fire Department saw a drop of 26 calls. Matt Philips, Seligman police chief, said in 2020, everyone was home due to COVID-19, and in 2021 people started to get out, which caused a drop in domestic disturbance calls...

Share the Harvest has donated 600 pounds of venison harvested by hunters in Southwest Missouri to Cassville Pantry. The donation of lean, low-fat meat has amplified the Pantry’s protein inventory, which has been in short supply during current times of heightened demand. The Missouri Department of Conservation sponsors the Share the Harvest effort, which allows hunters to expand their hobby into a benefit for families facing food insecurity...

At the Mother’s Day lunch at the Cassville Senior Center on Friday, mothers got a wonderful lunch with a wonderful dessert table.

Cassville’s prom at the Barn at Bear Ridge on Saturday featured a full night of dancing under the icicle lights.

The community celebrated the 13th anniversary of the Cassville Celebrate Recovery program at the Family Life Center on April 26.

On April 26, the Cassville Community celebrated the 13th anniversary of the Cassville Celebrate Recovery program. To celebrate the milestone, members presented their heartbreaks, habits and hangups on one side of a sign, and on the other side, they presented their strengths. ...

A variety of bluegrass bands will perform every Friday night, from 7-9 p.m., through Sept. 30 at the Roaring River Shelter at Roaring River State Park. About 10 bands will play at some point this summer, and admission to every show is free. Saturday performances will also be held for Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs, and a tip jar will be set up for the bands...

County Farm Road between 11th and 14th streets was flooded Thursday morning after overnight rains. By 9 a.m., flooded areas of Cassville started to recede, but more rain in the afternoon and again at night may make waters rise again.

State legislators and representatives of their federal counterparts met in Monett Friday to have breakfast with community members and discuss their recent work on the house and senate floor and their aspirations for the coming year. Attending the Eggs and Issues event Friday was State Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, and State Rep. Mitch Boggs, R-La Russell, as well as representatives of U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt and U.S. Rep. Billy Long, all Republicans...

A Saint Charles man died on Friday after falling out of his boat on Table Rock Lake, 1.75 miles downstream from Hickory Hollow Resort. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Kenneth Hedges, 65, of Saint Charles, was in a 2021 Lowe fishing boat and was paddling it due to engine failure when he fell out of the boat and drowned...

It’s that time of year again — yard sale season. Each spring, local communities set dates for city wide yard sales and city wide cleanup to aid in the spring cleaning activities. The city of Cassville does not have a city wide yard sale date, but the city wide cleanup will be the week of May 16, on normally scheduled service days. This is for residents inside city limits...

Every child is exceptional in his or her own way, but the Cassville school district, like many others, has a program designed for those children who are not just bright, but gifted. Gears is taught by Lisa Reid, who took over the program this year. However, the program has been available in Cassville for more than 20 years...

Roaring River State Park team members invite the public to its Kids Free Fishing Day from 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. on May 14. Youth will have the opportunity to fish for free all day, along with the opportunity to connect with nature and participate in many different activities...

Continuing a summer tradition in Roaring River State Park, a variety of Bluegrass bands will be performing every Friday night from May 6 to Sept. 30. Wayne Clevenger, member of The Flyin Buzzards, said he is excited for this summer full of music. Some band that will perform this summer include:...

An Exeter man died on Monday in a wreck at 6:40 p.m. on Highway 76, one mile west of Exeter. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, James Johnson, 37, of Exeter, was driving a 2006 Mini Cooper westbound when his vehicle slid on the et roadway and struck a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, being driven by Johnathan Lewis, 35, of Stella...

Three Purdy juveniles were injured on Sunday in a wreck at 2:40 p.m. on Highway 59, two miles east of Neosho in Newton County. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a 16-year-old male from Purdy was driving a 2008 Chevrolet HHR westbound when his vehicle failed to yield and turned into the path of a 2016 Dodge Ram, being driven by Gregory Botts, 35, of Neosho...

Two people were injured on Friday in a wreck at 2:55 p.m. on Highway 37, one mile north of Butterfield. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Michelle Foster, 18, of Purdy, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu northbound and was stopped to make a left turn when her vehicle was struck from behind by a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox, being driven by Nancy Gauss, 66, of Cassville...

A teenager from Golden was injured on Friday following a wreck at 5 p.m. on Farm Road 2225, two miles north of Golden. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a 16-year-old male, of Golden, was driving a 1999 Cadillac Escalade westbound when his vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway, struck a tree, struck a fence and overturned...

A Cassville woman was injured on April 27 in a wreck at 9 p.m. on Highway 86 in Golden. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Manuel Franco, 51, of Cassville, was driving a 2000 Toyota 4Runner southbound when his vehicle pulled into the path of a 1996 Toyota Avalon, being driven by Sabrina Cole, 24, of Rogers, Ark...

Kaitlyn Tiner is removed from a wrecked vehicle during a docudrama on Friday at Cassville High School. Multiple students and local first responders put on the docudrama, aiming to show the possible consequences of driving drunk or not wearing a seat belt.

Kaiden Shellenberger tells Megan Cox’s kindergarten class about Ramses, whom he was portraying in the Cassville Middle School’s living wax museum on Thursday.

In SKITS’ production of “Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen” on April 22, Sarah Huffington, played by Heather Andres, pines for a pirate husband instead of her likely fiancé, Roger Goodman, played by Andy Miller. Listening to her “love woes” were Kate and Belinda, played by Micah Keeton and JJ Hight...

The Cassville Cruisers will host a Cruise-In on May 14 from 5 p.m. to dusk at the Barry County Museum, south of Cassville on Highway 112. Admission is free, and the Boy Scouts will provide concessions. Monthly meetings are the Tuesday prior to the Cruise-In at Sho-Me Plaza on Highway 248 in Cassville at 7 p.m. For more information on the car club, people may visit www.cassvillecruisers.com...