November 2023

While attending the Cassville football game versus Monett a few weeks ago, my nephew Silas asked, “When was the first time Cassville played Monett?” This seems to be a perfectly reasonable question to ask someone labeled a historian sitting right next to you. However, I told him I’d have to get back with him, as I didn’t have the information at the top of my head.

As we move closer to Thanksgiving, many people’s thoughts turn toward family gatherings and sharing the things we are most thankful for. When I think of November, I think of the two major holidays, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving; but something else also falls in the month of November — National Family Caregivers Month.

This week, my assigment was as unique as they come, interviewing a Bigfoot hunter. Master Trackers Rick Dyer and Jeremy Ware have been around town, and when we saw their truck, we just had to ask what they were doing here. The story on Dyer is filled with hoaxes, the Men in Black and some unabashed confidence that there is a Bigfoot down in Butler Hollow near Seligman. Dyer plans to use deer urine and pork ribs to lure the creature out. I, for one, am just glad they don’t like trout. This photo Dyer provided is a Bigfoot he said he killed and had confiscated. I have just a couple questions. Are Bigfoot naturally blurry? Will Dyer sas-squash his critics? Is there a cave creature hiding in Roaring River Spring? Nevermind. Let’s just move on before I scare myself over a baffle.

It takes a pantry’s worth of ingredients to create the kind of atmosphere everyone will enjoy on Friday nights under the flood lights. From talented players making exciting plays to coaches putting them in positions to do so, and from the cheerleaders riling up the fans to said fans’ participation in the yells, engagement and entertainment on the field and off can make for a great night of high school football.