Stories from Wednesday, July 19, 2017

With the first day of school quickly approaching Aug. 9, staff members of the Southwest school district are looking forward to the return of last year’s students and new students to the district. The following list of important activities is provided for students and parents/guardians to prepare for the start of the 2017-2018 school year...

Of all the things a parent would expect to pick up in their yard — kids toys, lawn equipment, and the like — the last would be a used hypodermic drug needle. But, that's what Kelly and Glen Johnson found while walking their dogs on the evening of July 14...

Bob Mitchell, former editor and publisher of the Cassville Democrat, spoke to members of the Cassville Rotary Club today.

Created through a joint effort of donors and volunteers, the city of Seligman now has its own food pantry to help residents stretch their dollars a little further. According to Carol (Pendergrast) Frost, a donor who preferred to remain anonymous offered to provide $1,000 per month to purchase and make food items available to Seligman residents if she and others would manage a pantry...

A Shell Knob man is facing four felonies after originally being charged with harassment, then allegedly attempting to escape from the jail and assaulting two deputies. Sean Hooten, 38, of Shell Knob, is charged with two counts of first-degree harassment, third-degree assault and attempted escape from confinement...

The Purdy school district has hired two new teachers for the coming school year and approved the extra duty list. Justin Martin was hired as the new band teacher, succeeding Samantha Burt, who held the job for a year. This will be Martin’s fourth year as a teacher. Superintendent Stephen Chancellor said last year Martin taught in China, so he comes to the district with diverse experience. He has been living in Jefferson City...

According to Dr. Pam Duitsman, Missouri University Extension nutrition and health education specialist, childhood obesity and lack of good food access has been a growing concern for communities in southwest Missouri. However, since 2009, one school district has worked to bring fresh, local food and educational experiences into the school day, thanks to grants through the USDA to support a new food program initiative...

Hot weather on Saturday made ice treats especially delightful at the Purdy Festival. More photos from the Festival may be found in a gallery at: http://www.cassville-democrat.com/gallery/30640

After enduring debilitating fatigue and other troubling symptoms, Margaret Rose and her brother, Charles Porter, went through numerous tests and doctors to find out what was wrong. Porter got the diagnosis first — hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is a rare, hereditary disease resulting from a mutated gene that affects the body’s ability to process iron, which plays a role in several bodily functions, including the formation of blood. ...

A total of 35 Barry County 4-H members entered exhibits in the 4-H show at the Purdy Festival on Saturday.

During the Purdy Livestock Show, part of the sixth annual Purdy Festival on Saturday, Easton Smith exhibited a four-day-old Nigerian dwarf goat named Cookie.

For anyone looking for some fun, family-friendly entertainment Saturday evenings, the Seligman Chamber of Commerce has just the thing. For only $4, residents can enjoy a potluck-style meal, music, and even a little exercise, as every Saturday night beginning at 7 p.m., the chamber hosts a community dance...

This month, Therapist Susi Rhoads, MSW, LCSW, of Senior Life Solutions (SLS), shares tips on managing depression. The information is brought to readers by Mercy Hospital Cassville's SLS program. "When we talk about depression, it can sometimes sound and feel cliché," shares Rhoads. "Everyone gets the blues now and then, but do your blues last for weeks at a time? If so, you may have depression, and you’re not alone...

Cassville Police Chief Dana Kammerlohr shares a heartfelt message with children at the Cassville Branch Library this summer, along with Office Troy Wenzel, about staying safe, along with other great life tips.

Ronald McDonald used several entertaining props, including a recycle rap from Ralph the Rat, to teach children about recycling.

Michael Barton puts the finishing touches on his mosaic flower pot, to outline pieces of his mosaic to make it stand out, while his wife, Linda Barton, finishes glueing her last pieces of mosaic on.

The Central Crossing Senior Center will host a chicken dinner fundraiser on July 29 from 5-7 p.m. The menu consists of oven-fried chicken, roasted potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls, drinks and desserts. Good will donations will be accepted, and carry-outs are available. for more information, people may call 417-858-6952. The center is located at 20801 Highway YY-15 in Shell Knob...

ROCKY COMFORT — More than vegetables grow in Fue Yang's high tunnels. It is where opportunity grows for area Hmong farmers. Yang runs a teaching farm for University of Missouri Extension, Lincoln University and the Webb City Farmers Market. The collaborative effort is part of a grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture...

Meet Dallas, the Haven of the Ozarks Pet of the Week.

Every team member gets a medal at the end of the season for participating in most youth sports leagues. The medal, however, merely recognizes participation. In real life, adults do not get participation medals. What matters for most organizations, businesses and even families, is impact, according to David Burton, a civic communication and community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension...

Camp Barnabas, a summer camp for individuals with special needs and chronic illnesses, is holding a drawing for a 1980 International Scout II valued at over $18,000. All proceeds benefit the Camper Scholarship Fund. This fund provides the means for campers with disabilities to experience the life-changing opportunities within the gates of Camp Barnabas. The winning ticket will be drawn Oct. 28 at the Glamping for Camping fundraising event.  ...

Kyle Wilkerson, COO and president of MariCorp U.S., a marina construction company with installations all over the U.S. that operates out of Shell Knob, was recently named to the 2017 Boating Industry 40 Under 40. Wilkerson has been recognized as one of the marine industry’s top young leaders by Boating Industry, the leading trade publication for the marine industry...

Three students from the Southwest FFA Chapter recently participated in the Missouri FFA Public Speaking Academy at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. For three days, the students learned how to research, write and present a speech in front of a panel of judges. Maggie Patterson and Hope Robbins participated in the intermediate category, while Leland Colf participated in the advanced category...

Cassville, for the fifth consecutive year, is seeking former alumni to be honored at the first home game of the season. Lance Parnell, Cassville’s football coach, is a man who appreciates history, understanding the foundation of his program was laid by the hard work of generations who came before...

Vision, enthusiasm and a workable plan led the Purdy school district to name Jeremy Dresslaer the new boys basketball coach at Purdy High School. “We felt confidence in the plan that Jeremy laid out in his interview,” said Alan Spencer, Purdy athletic director. “He has enthusiasm and a strong belief in teaching fundamentals. That lined up with what we were looking for in our next coach.”...

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has expanded restrictions on feeding deer and placing minerals for deer from 29 to 41 counties throughout the state, effective July 1. The goal of the expanded feeding ban is to help limit the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD). The 41 counties comprise MDC’s CWD Management Zone. MDC designates counties in and around where CWD has been found as part of its CWD Management Zone...

The Cassville Middle School Volleyball Camp was recently held at the middle school.

Seventy-five or 80 years ago, mid-July meant get ready for a trip to one of the local rivers for a catfish outing. That’s when it was legal to catch the whiskered ones in Missouri. My dad and one of his fishing partners were as regular as clockwork to be at the river for this opening and observe my birthday. That partner was Ralph Hawk, who lived west of the present airport, and was always on go for a fishing trip...

Dear Editor: Congratulations to Bob Mitchell! As I still subscribe to the Cassville Democrat to keep up with my former students, their parents, children, grandchildren and the many life-long friends that I made in Cassville when teaching music there, I was so pleased to recently read of Bob Mitchell’s induction into the Missouri Press Association’s Hall of Fame. I can think of no one more deserving...

James Lee Stephens, 69, of Cassville, passed away Monday, July 10, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin. He was born Jan. 30, 1948, in Cassville, the son of Leon and Ruth (Prewitt) Stephens. On Feb. 18, 1972, in Washburn, he was united in marriage to Donna Schell, who preceded him in death on July 19, 2008. Also preceding him in death were his parents and an infant brother, Leon Stephens, Jr...

Betty J. Scott, 86, of Seligman, passed away Thursday, July 13, 2017, at Cassville Health Care and Rehabilitation Center. She was born Oct. 21, 1930, in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of Sherman and Violet (Anderson) DeWitt. On March 15, 1953, she was united in marriage to Bob Scott, who survives. Additional survivors include: three daughters, Dr. Cheryl Thompson of Marshall, Regenia Scott of Columbia, and Johna Brooks of Springfield; one granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren...

Loye Russell Rose, age 82, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, July 12, 2017. He was born Jan. 18, 1935, in Barry County, the son of Johnny J. and Queen Isabella (Cargile) Rose. On Feb. 2, 1957, he was united in marriage to Ronnie Sparkman, who survives. ...

Dorothy Grace Lynch, age 94, of Shell Knob, passed away Monday, July 10, 2017, at Green Acres Lodge Assisted Living in Holiday Island, Ark. She was born Nov. 2, 1922, in Pretty Prairie, Kan., the daughter of Arthur and Grace (Ramsey) Brownlee. On April 16, 1944, in Wichita, Kan., she was united in marriage to Eulee Lloyd “E.L.” Lynch, who preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death were her parents, two brothers, and one sister...

Burl Nelson Hess, 84, of Cassville, passed away Monday, July 10, 2017, at Granby House in Granby. He was born July 15, 1932, in Crane, the son of M.M. and Jewel (Edwards) Hess. On April 18, 1959, in Cassville, he was united in marriage to Charlotte Stever, who survives...

Judy Ann Davis, 69, of Exeter, passed away Thursday, July 13, 2017, at her home. She was born March 3, 1948, in Cassville, the daughter of Charles Herbert and Elizabeth Irene (McClure) Cagle. On July 31, 1969, she was united in marriage to David Davis who survives...

Robert Leroy “Bob” Artherton, 75, of Purdy, passed away Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at his home. He was born June 18, 1942, in Arkansas City, Kan., the son of Frank and Linnie May (Alsip) Artherton. On Jan. 25, 1975, in Citrus Heights, Calif., he was united in marriage to JobieAnn Swisher, who survives. ...

Robert McCormick Crouch, 71, of Shell Knob, passed away Thursday, July 13, 2017 at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, Ark. He was born April 28, 1946 in Waukesha, Wis., the son of Bee and Edith (Knudsen) Crouch. On Nov. 7, 1970, in Kansas City, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Ann (Liz) Mahoney, who survives...