Stories from Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The Cassville City Council voted Monday night to look into the possibility of taking advantage of lower interest rates and refinance a bond originally issued in 2010. If successful, this move could potentially save the city $22,000 to $26,000 a year for the next seven years...

Those hoping to take a break from the last-minute holiday shopping madness might consider a visit to Roaring River State Park where Mother Nature's beauty is wrapped in the glistening white and silver of winter. The park has several activities for nature lovers this winter, including an upcoming Eagle Watch, starting at 3 p.m. ...

Several holiday parades and activities have been rescheduled due to inclement weather. The Cassville Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Christmas parade starting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 20. Entries begin lining up at the Cassville High School at 4 p.m. with the procession to Main Street beginning at 5:45 p.m. and reaching Main by 6 p.m. The parade route will conclude on either Farm Road 2182 or Clover Street...

A little over 100 people braved the cold and icy conditions to attend The Christmas Show held on Sunday, Dec. 8 at the FEMA Event Center in Cassville. This show was scheduled to provide an opportunity for the event to be performed since the Thursday and Friday shows were cancelled due to the weather...

Each year during the holidays, students at Cassville High School nominate three girls and three boys from each class to become part of a unique opportunity that provides significant benefits to the community. "The Cassville High School Student Council has a competition, and they choose one boy and one girl from each class, freshman through senior, to go out into the community and see who can raise the most money," said Michelle Bright, one of the faculty coordinators for the program. ...

Wheaton hosts annual open house The Wheaton Historical Society and the Wheaton Depot Museum will hold their annual Christmas Open House on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Wheaton Depot Museum will be open from 3:00 p.m. until Santa has seen all of the children after the City of Wheaton Christmas Parade parade. ...

"We are in a lawsuit with the state of Missouri over non-compliance," said Purdy Mayor Steve Roden at a meeting of the Purdy Renewal Project on Nov. 21. Roden's comments shed light on months of closed meetings between members of the Purdy City Council and attorneys over the status of the city's sewer system. Roden and Alderman Wayne Rupp both attended the Purdy Renewal Project's second public meeting on community improvements to share some views on the city's situation...

Several people sustained injuries in separate area wrecks. A Cassville woman was injured in a single-vehicle crash at 4:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4 on Farm Road 2192 about three miles south of Cassville. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, the crash occurred when the driver of a 2007 Mercury Milan, Cristian S. Crum, 24, of Cassville, traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree and a fence...

Holiday After only the second or third time eating out, away from a home dinner table (with the exception of Navy days), thoughts began to arrive about the Thanksgiving dinners at the Ray house at Ninth and Townsend. Today, the property is an apartment house that can still be filled with memories, especially of some of the meals and then of the kitchen that provided facilities to cook for what was most usually a very large group...

The Missouri Senate returned to Jefferson City this week for a special legislative session. The governor called this special session just last week to ask the General Assembly for legislation to persuade Boeing to come to Missouri to build its new 777X commercial jet. ...

The Environmental Services division of the Barry County Health Department inspected 24 food-service establishments during the month of November. Of that group, 17 establishments had critical violations and four had no critical or non-critical violations...

Thursday, Dec. 12 SUPPORT GROUP: The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group of Cassville meets at 8 p.m. at 1308 Harold St. in Cassville. For more information, call 846-4044. SUPPORT GROUP: Anyone who is concerned about a friend's or loved one's drinking is invited to attend the Cassville Al-Anon Family Group, which meets at 8 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Cassville...

Members of the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce met for their quarterly luncheon on Tuesday, with the theme of December's meeting being the Jingle Mingle. Nine chamber members presented information about their businesses and offered door prizes to guests...

50 Years Ago Dec. 18, 1963 Bro. Shan Rutherford, formerly of Moline, Kan., preached his first sermon Sunday as minister of the First Christain Church in Cassville. The Rutherfords have moved into the church parsonage. He will graduate from Ozark Bible College in Joplin in June...

The week of November 18-22 at the Scott Regional Technology Center in Monett was all about employability. Students completed job applications and resumes during the first part of the week followed by" Dress for Success' day and journaling about their future...

Former Cassville Wildcat and 2010 graduate Matt Angel was named first team Academic All-American and second team place kicker in the Heartland Conference for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind. Angel was one of three Fightn' Engineer players on the Capital One NCAA Division III Football Academic All-America Team...

The Missouri Football Coaches Association's All-District and All-State football teams were released on Dec. 6. Several area athletes were named to the prestigious teams. The Cassville Wildcats were well represented on both the All-District and All-State squads...

It took six consecutive free throws by Peach Griffith in the final minute for the Spokane Lady Owls to finally subdue Cassville's Lady Wildcats, 55-49, in the opening round of the Blue Eye Invitational on Monday, Dec. 2. Spokane led for nearly the entire contest but could never shake Cassville's determined squad. Even though the Lady Wildcats only lead was a slim 19-17 score late in the first half, the Lady Owls were never comfortable until the final horn...

Circuit Court: Damian Arreola-Chico, Monett, six months unsupervised probation, no valid license. Marc Raymond Bloom, Shell Knob, one year unsupervised probation, speeding. Tristan M. Branch, Purdy, $30.50, speeding. Drew A. Chadd, Cassville, $90.50, seat belt violation, speeding...

Vernon Allan Elliott, 73, of Shell Knob, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, at Cassville Health Care and Rehab in Cassville. He was born on March 14, 1940, in Wichita, Kan., son of Vernon and Kathryn (Alexander) Elliott. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. ...

Kyle Bowman, 23, of Seligman, passed away Monday, Dec. 9, 2013, at his home. Arrangements will be announced by Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. A complete obituary will be in next week's paper.

Patricia Ann "Pat" Tichenor, 76, of Cassville, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013. Preceding her in death were her parents and one sister, Ellen McNabb. She received her education at Exeter and was valedictorian of the 1955 graduating class. She then attended Draughon's Business College in Springfield. ...

Anne Kathaleen "Kathy" Garcia, 71, of Shell Knob, passed away Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in Mercy Hospital, Springfield. She was born May 28, 1942, in St. Louis, the daughter of Robert Oscar and Mary Maxine (Hutchings) Gotsch. On Dec. 11, 1959, in St. Louis, she was united in marriage to Julius "Bill" Garcia, Jr., who survives...

Francis E. Foxen, 88, of Cassville, formerly of Prunedale, Calif., passed away on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in his home. He was born on March 18, 1925, in Cheyenne, Wyo., to Charles A. and Blanche (Sonnen) Foxen. He enlisted in the Army in 1943, where he served in Italy and France under General Patton. ...

Max A. McNabb, 72, of Washburn, passed away Monday, Dec. 9, 2013, in Mercy Hospital, Rogers, Ark. Arrangements will be announced by Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. A complete obituary will be in next week's paper. Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences...

Sher Yang, 63, of Sheboygan Falls, Wis., passed away Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, at his home. Services will be held from 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, until Monday, Dec. 23, in McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Dice Cemetery, Fairview...