Take time to thank a first responder (06/25/09)
Last Thursday, I attended a Cassville Little League baseball game at the Cassville City Park. I was there to watch the Eagle Heat and Air team battle it out against a group of Mt. Vernon youngsters. The Eagles were playing the late game that night, so they had to wait until two other minor league teams cleared the field before they could begin warming up...

Our parks system is a perk (06/18/09)
Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the beautiful parks we have here in Cassville. When asked what makes Cassville attractive to residents and visitors alike, I immediately think of the city's parks system, which includes a Greenway Trail that connects two parks that are now bustling with activity. These parks include playground equipment, tennis courts, picnic tables, horseshoe pits, basketball courts and ballfields...

Movies and alcohol don't mix (06/11/09)
One of my absolute favorite activities growing up was when my parents would drop me and a group of my middle school friends off at the local movie theater to watch the latest teen flick. I can't remember the movies that we watched, but I remember giggling through the two-hour shows and whispering about classes and our latest crushes...

Be part of the planning process (06/04/09)
The city continues to move forward with crafting a new master plan that will guide the growth of Cassville for the next several decades. The process is lengthy and involved, but we have been impressed so far with the efforts BWR (Bucher, Willis and Ratliff) has made to involve the community and its leaders in the information-gathering process. ...

Big loss for Seligman community (05/28/09)
On May 21, Seligman lost a vital member of its community. Duane Corn, who was a long-time Seligman resident and served as the city's mayor for the last six years, passed away last Thursday night. Duane was one of the first city officials that I met after being hired as a reporter at the Cassville Democrat. ...

In the words of one new graduate (05/21/09)
Graduation speech

"What lies ahead" (05/21/09)
Bare my heart unto the world, and show me what it means. Nothing can make sense to me, Nothing is as it seems. Things are not as simple As I had once believed. Can I face the world with My childish dreams deceived? I sail lost into the storm And hear his thund'rous laugh...

The unsung heroes of the CD (05/18/09)
Each week, when you read your way through the pages of the Cassville Democrat, you will notice by-lines on articles and credits in photo captions but you won't find the names of the graphic artists listed on the ads they create. Each week, our talented graphic design team of Teresa Richards and Veronica Zucca use their talent and creative energy to produce the majority of the ads you see on the pages of our newspaper. ...

Happy Mother's Day, Mom (05/07/09)
Webster's Dictionary defines a mother as a female parent. Throughout my life, my mother has been so much more than that. She was the one who took us to story hour at the Cassville Library each week. She was the one who kissed our knees when we fell off of our bikes. ...

Good choice for chief (04/30/09)
The Cassville City Council's choice to hire Dana Kammerlohr as the city's next chief of police to succeed long-time chief Lonnie McCullough is a very wise one. We are excited that Dana has accepted this new position and the challenges that go along with it...

Healthy kids equal healthy communities (04/23/09)
On Saturday, the Cassville Family YMCA hosted a Healthy Kids Day Fair at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center in Cassville. Although the sky threatened rain throughout the morning, many area families attended the event, which offered puppet shows, jump houses, a one-mile fun run and other activities sponsored by area organizations...

An issue we can't afford to ignore (04/16/09)
April is Alcohol Awareness Month and this week, Cassville Community 2000 Coalition sponsored a town hall meeting to discuss teenage alcohol and drug abuse. This is the second year in a row that the Coalition has sponsored a town hall meeting on this subject, and we are glad this local organization has taken the lead in keeping this issue out in front of the public eye. ...

Take a stand for senior meals program (04/09/09)
Imagine living alone. Your spouse of nearly 50 years has passed away. Your sight is failing and arthritis makes it difficult for you to hold a can opener, a vegetable shredder and other kitchen utensils. You are able to live independently, but it is a challenge to cook a meal in your own kitchen...

Positive changes (04/02/09)
Change is not easy but it usually produces positive results. In the case of the City of Cassville, changes have occurred in recent weeks, and I believe those changes, though unexpected, will ultimately point the city in an even more progressive direction...

It's an exciting time to be a Tiger (03/26/09)
On March 21, the Exeter High School Lady Tigers bested the Marion County Lady Mustangs, 56-31, and brought a second state championship title back to Barry County. Although I was unable to travel to Columbia to watch these talented young ladies make history, I listened to every second of the game on KKBL and cheered with other Exeter fans each time our girls scored. As the clock ran down during the fourth quarter, I shed a few tears of joy and pride for my alma mater...

Acquisition news is good news (03/12/09)
Since last week's big announcement about Rust Communications' acquisition of The Monett Times, there have been a number of individuals in the community who have questioned me about the transition and what it means for the Cassville Democrat. They want to know how I'll split my time between the two publications and whether or not it will affect the quality of the newspaper...

A living textbook (03/04/09)
This week, newspapers across the country are celebrating National NIE Week. NIE stands for Newspapers In Education, a program that creates a partnership between local newspapers and schools. The Cassville Democrat has offered NIE through the Cassville R-IV School District for several years, and we hope to eventually see the program expanded into other Barry County schools...

Citizen spends time studying stimulus plan (02/26/09)
Dear Editor: I wonder if I was the only person glued to their TV set watching C-SPAN during the stimulus debate. I watched hour after hour for days and a few nights until midnight or later. I have a deep respect for our lawmakers. I believe them to be generally well informed, capable, qualified men and women that for the most part really love this country. On both sides of the aisle...

Proper protocol for flying the flag (02/26/09)
To the Editor: I wish people would learn the proper protocol for flying the American Flag. 1) When a flag tatters, it should be replaced immediately. Continuing to fly a tattered flag is a disgrace to the American Flag. 2) Flags flown at night must be properly lighted...

Lack of knowledge exists among public (02/26/09)
Dear Editor: In the paper dated Feb. 18, 2009, the article captioned "County to benefit from new federal stimulas plan" identified a small portion of the benefits that will be derived by the residents of Barry County. I think your article should have also stated that the Republican Congressman and the Republican Senator elected by the people of Missouri voted against the stimulas bill. In order for Missouri to receive its allocation, it was necessary for the Governor to accept the funds...

Purdy, Southwest players fun to watch (02/26/09)
Dear Editor: I have been reading with interest the letters published in the area about the Purdy-Southwest games. If you have never attended a game between these two teams, you should. The talent of the kids on both teams is exceptional. Josh Hartin and Levi Roller (of Southwest) are always an exciting duo to watch on the court. Blake Williams and Mason Roller (of Purdy) bring their own talent to the court as well...

Heralding a hero (02/26/09)
In tough times, it's always a good idea to look for blessings that are usually not hard to find if we just open our eyes and pay attention to the world around us. When my kids are going through challenges, I always remind them to focus on the good things in their life rather than the bad. So with that philosophy in mind, I'd like to share with you a story of something miraculous that happened to my family this past week...

We are proud to be Southwest Trojans (02/19/09)
Dear Editor: We have come together as a part of a very proud and active Southwest alumnus and community to address a situation we, as a community, witnessed Friday night, Feb. 6 at the Southwest vs. Purdy basketball game. After several years of attending basketball games we are not ashamed of our school "spirit" and community involvement. ...

Cassville - an easy sell (02/19/09)
This weekend, I did something I've never done before. I volunteered to work the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce booth at the St. Louis Boat and Sport Show. Because St. Louis is my hometown, I loved the idea of returning home to market my new home to people visiting the show. The trip also gave me the opportunity to see my parents, cousins, uncles and aunts, and that was a lot of fun. My mom and dad helped me work the booth all three days I was there and even helped me tear it down at the end...