Stories from Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Do not ask Lance Parnell, Cassville football coach, if he believes that luck is derived from rabbits’ feet, lucky charms or magic horse shoes — because he does not. The cagy Arkansas native believes teams create their own luck and fortune with hard work and effort on the field...

If the last two years are any indication, die-hard Cassville football fans have one game they must mark on their calendars — Week 9 against Mt. Vernon. In 2016, Cassville blocked two consecutive field goals, the second necessary after going offside on the first, to secure a 1-point win on senior night. This year, the drama continued, as the Wildcats batted away three consecutive end zone passes from inside the 10 with less than 30 seconds left to secure an 8-point victory on the road...

A career-best round guided Purdy’s Zoe Brown to a fifth-place finish at the Class 1 Missouri state golf championships at the Columbia Country Club last week. Brown, a senior, said the biggest factor for her was just to relax. “I was pretty nervous at the district tournament,” Brown said. “The big thing was for me to just relax and let the game come to me. I immediately saw better results when I was able to relax.”...

Behind five personal record performances, the Cassville girls cross-country team won the Big 8 Conference meet on Thursday. “I’ve said that a runner only has so many run-your-guts-out events in them,” said Chris Shore, Cassville coach. “Thursday, those girls gave me everything they had and won the meet.”...

Barry County Associate Circuit Court Judge Johnnie Cox was working as the Barry County prosecuting attorney when Drug Court was first established in 2008. “We were working to get one up and running in Barry County after I visited with Judge Alan Blankenship in Stone County and saw their Drug Court was being successful,” Cox said. “It was something we needed in Barry County. I talked to Judge Victor Head and we started the process of getting the pieces in place.”...

Many have heard the debilitating effects that methamphetamine has on the individuals who choose to use it, and no one is more familiar with those effects than the emergency room physicians who treat patients in crisis. Dr. Tom Trent, Cox Monett emergency department medical director, discussed his experiences in treating addicts...

A man accused of breaking into a home Friday morning was captured at the Cassville High School soccer field. James Hooper, 27, of Duenweg, is charged with first-degree burglary and felony resisting arrest. According to a probable cause report filed by Colt Beck, officer city the city of Cassville, at about 9 a.m., police were dispatched to a home in the 1600 block of Presley Drive for a report of a man breaking into the residence...

The Purdy City Council had its first chance to defend its new livestock ordinance recently, as long-time resident Fred Terry, who did not attend earlier city council meetings on the subject, challenged the city's new limits on livestock use, banning the replacement of present animals once they die or are removed...

Jennifer Evans, Cassville city clerk and finance officer, was the recipient of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting award for her work with the city. The award is given to the individual or department designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)...

Purdy officials are laying down strategies for projects through the end of the year, which may vary based on timing. City Clerk Debbie Redshaw reported Utility Services, with whom the city signed a deal for managing the city’s water system, will begin installation of new water meters in mid-November. Redshaw discussed the installation process with the clerk in Lockwood, where Utility Services already put its program in place...

When Cassville High School student Marisa Padilla returned home from a three-week trip to Washington, D.C., and Colombia, South America, on July 29, she was a year older, just turning 16, and a lot wiser, bringing home new knowledge and new aspirations...

Southwest Senior Blanche Kirk spent a third of her summer in Colombia in South America learning about its culture and fostering understanding and goodwill as a youth ambassador for the U.S. State Department. A few valuable souvenirs she brought back? Knowledge, confidence, awareness and new perspectives...

The Eagle Rock Friends of the Library and Eagle Rock Community Association will be hosting its eighth annual Eagle Rock Daze Car Show and Howl-O-Ween Festival on Oct. 28. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. The day will start with a traditional classic car show beginning at 10 a.m., with judging and awards taking place at 2 p.m. Registration for participants begins at 8 a.m. A total of 18 classes will compete...

Shell Knob in the Spotlight (SKITS), a community theater made up of volunteer actors that continues to gain ground in popularity, has announced its fall play — a wacky comedy entitled "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon." The production is an attempt by two narrators to recreate all 209 of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm in a wild, fast-paced extravaganza...

The Cassville Democrat recently presented $920.95 to the CoxHealth Foundation Breast Care fund. The Times donated a portion of the proceeds from its Oct. 4 Breast Cancer Awareness edition to the fund, which provides financial aid for local uninsured and underinsured women to pay their medical expenses...

Marisa Padilla spoke at the Cassville Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon meeting on Wednesday, sharing highlights of her trip to Colombia, South America.

A Fall Carnival, sponsored by the Cassville Youth Advisory, will be held on Nov. 4 at the Family Life Center in Cassville. Games, prizes and fun will be available for children ages 4 and up. Tickets are 25 cents each. A silent auction will be set up, and a hot dog and chili meal with pop, water, chips popcorn and cotton candy will be available...

On Friday, the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for new member Garrett Barnes, owner of Elevated Productions, which revolves around providing professional-grade videography and photography, and includes the use of drones...

Halloween can be scary. Ghosts, ghouls and goblins abound, but the most frightening part of Halloween might be how many calories our children bring home in their trick-or-treat bags. The candy in an average trick-or-treat bag can contain as much as 7,000 calories, according to Dr. Donna Arnett at the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s school of public health, and all that candy can lead to tooth decay and a lot of extra pounds for the entire family...

Mercy Hospital Cassville's Senior Life Solutions (SLS) program will soon welcome another program at its sister hospital, Mercy Hospital Berryville (Arkansas). The program opened at Mercy Hospital Cassville in 2014, and is an intensive outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the unique needs of older adults over the age of 65 struggling with depression and anxiety often related to aging...

The Kelly Miller Circus could be labeled “as seen on TV” as it parades its way into Wheaton on Oct. 18 for a two show engagement 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Body of Christ Outreach Ministries Center Grounds. The ministry is  also the sponsor. The 79-year-old Kelly Miller Circus, produced and owned by John Ringling North II, has garnered world-wide attention in 2017 with documentaries and news reports on HBO, PBS, OETA, RFD-TV, My-Network and in Europe on the Global Broadcasting Network. ...

• Mary Louise Forrester, Cassville, assault, $150 • Melissa Sue Hartman, Carthage, Ill., speeding, $85.50 • Terry Rhea Martin, possess marijuana, waived fine/costs only, five days credit time served • Kevin C. Newman, Exeter, no registration, $50; no insurance, fine...

The Wheaton school district announced its Students of the Month recipients for the month of October.

On Friday, Oct. 6, the Exeter FFA Chapter attended Farm Fest in Springfield.

The Cassville Middle School Students of the Month for the month of October, sponsored by Willis Insurance, were recently released.

The junior varsity Wildcats hosted Mt. Vernon on Monday in their final game of the year, getting a 34-18 win over the visiting Mountaineers. Cassville got off to a fast start, scoring on its first two possessions to take an early 14-0 lead. Deven Bates and Blake Gordon connected on two pass plays to the end zone to get the Wildcat offense kickstarted. Gordon also scored a 2-point conversion...

The response to my columns of the past two weeks remembering women of past eras who made a difference in Cassville was so great, that a similar column about men seemed like a good idea. So, here are some guys to think about, and possibly scratch your head while trying to remember if they were around at the same time you were...

Dear Editor: It is said you never know what you have until you lose it. Let me explain. I came back to Cassville for our 40th class reunion, not really thinking I had really lost anything after leaving. I grew up walking in Flat Creek. I enjoyed it very much...

Christopher A. Whittington, 30, of Cassville, passed away on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Chris, son of Timothy Allen Whittington and Lisa Renee Raiford, was born on April 10, 1987, in Hendersonville, N.C. On Feb. 24, 2013, he was united in marriage to Kimi Schieler and to this union his daughter Ady was born. ...

Mary Louise Nickle, 72, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017 at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield. She was born Aug. 21, 1945, in Jenkins, the daughter of Duane and Ollie Mae (Smith) Blankenship. On June 30, 1962, she was united in marriage to Jerry Nickle, who survives. ...

Shirley Gene (Whitescarver) Keen Hutchison, age 81, formally of Cassville, Missouri, passed away peacefully on October 15, 2017, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., surrounded by her children. Shirley was born on December 24, 1935, in Picher, Oklahoma, to Violet Hattie Thompson and James Orville Whitescarver. ...

Leo James “Jim” Horvath, 83, of Shell Knob, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, at his home. Survivors include: his wife Mary Ann; his children, Terri Kreienkamp, Mark Horvath, and Cheryl Rolwes; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was born March 24, 1934, in St. Louis, the son of Leo (Harv) and Esther (Reising) Horvath who preceded him in death. His sister, Sue Rickermann, and his brother, Richard Horvath also preceded him in death...

Vernon O. Brobston, 95, of Richardson, Texas, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, at his home. He was born Dec. 1, 1921, in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Clinton and Emily (Cole) Brobston. On July 6, 1964, in Stevens Point, Wis., he was united in marriage to Ellen Charlotte Sernau, who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were his parents; two sons, David Brobston and Jonathan Brobston; one brother, Jim Stevens; and one granddaughter...

Monett at Reeds Spring Hollister at Cassville Mt. Vernon at Aurora Pleasant Hope at Pierce City California at Lamar Monett at East Newton, 41-6 Cassville at Mt. Vernon, 27-19 Lamar at Seneca, 42-13 McDonald Co. at Aurora, 32-42 Pierce City at Sarcoxie, 35-26...