50 years ago

Sept. 10, 1975

— ROARING RIVER PROJECTS IN JOB SCALE FUNDING

Roaring River State Park is included in an improvement program through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. A federal grant of $350,000 will accomplish work in nine parks. At Roaring River, the work will include: new restroom and campsite renovation, $67,348; campground and picnic area renovation including restroom remodeling $48,868, and eight miles of equestrian trail, five miles of equestrian trail repair, and three miles of hiking trail, $17,071. John Hardin, park superintendent, said the work will begin by mid-October and is expected to be completed within a year. Federal funding of the program is designed to provide jobs for persons from areas surrounding the nine parks. State park revenue in the amount of $95,000 will be contributed toward the work. Scales for the work will be set according to state merit system guidelines now in effect in the park system.

— BIG MONEY PASSES THROUGH CITY MEETING

No one can ever say the Cassville city council is a bunch of pikers….especially not after Tuesday night’s meeting. Here for example are some of the fiscal matters handled: A check was received in the amount of $125,000 from FmHA for water system grant. Payment was questioned on bill of $11,038.23 for Allgeier-Martin and Associates of Joplin for supervision and inspection of water-sewer expansions. A bill for $3,567.13 for grouting foundation work for a new water tower was approved. An Environmental Protection Agency grant of $1,500 was received, with a $300 amount from Missouri Clean Water Commission, which with $200 city funds will pay the A-M engineering firm for plans of a new sewer system. Speaking of a new sewer system, cost estimates have been revised from $863,000 to $808,000 for the program by 1983 by switching to an oxidation ditch form from treatment plant. Council learned that FASCO Industries interest payment on local industrial revenue bonds due October 1 would amount to $100,800 due from the company. Survey payment of $739 to Sam Mitchell for work in connection with legal action brought by Karl VanZandt involving ownership of a city street. Miller-Newell Associates payment of $356 for engineering curb and gutter installations. Volunteer fire department calls for the month cost only $105. Water supplies for the city maintenance crews amounted to $324.11. These were major expenditures of the evening. Total bills payable amounted to $15,404.90 according to F. O. Fields, clerk. So, it is quite evident the council does have some authority. For a thankless type job, they also have the headaches of handling a lot of money that it takes to keep the city going..

40 years ago

Sept. 11, 1985

— LUCKY STRIKE FIRM MOVES TO CASSVILLE

Cassville got a new manufacturing and marketing firm this week with the arrival of Lucky Strike Manufacturing, Inc. from Grenada, Mississippi. The plastic fishing supplier of fresh and salt water baits, will locate in the Hailey building on the west side of the square. John Hendricks, Jr., Cassville, president of the company, said his firm had agreed to purchase the building from Mrs. Evelyn Hailey. The structure contains approximately 8,500 square feet. Hendricks said he would be joined here by two sisters, Cathy and Mary Hendricks, both of Mississippi, and a partner, Michael Penner of Lake Ozarks. The firm expects to be fully operational here by September 15. Shipping fishing supplies to 50 states, Lucky Strike is a 35-year-old company that started in Bran-son, later moved to Illinois and then Mississippi. The operation is wholesale only, operating four trucks and using other carriers. Packaging and some painting of lures will be accomplished in the Cassville location. Actual manufacturer in molds owned by Lucky Strike are presently accomplished in other areas. Hendricks said possibilities of moving the entire operation here will be explored in the future. Moving from Mississippi will be completed this week. Hendricks said a local firm, Southwest Missouri Transit, was providing units for the move of inventory and equipment. The Lucky Strike location was formerly Justin Boot outlet in Cassville prior to the firm’s move to Monett two weeks ago.

— BARRY COUNTY JUDICIAL POST TO ED SWEENEY

A Monett lawyer, and one time prosecuting attorney of Barry County, J. Edward Sweeney, 41, was sworn-in as Associate Court Judge this morning. Sweeney, appointed to succeed the late Judge John Baty, received his oath from Circuit Judge William Pinnell. Sweeney’s appointment by Governor John Ashcroft, ended several weeks of speculation in the county. Judge Baty passed away July 1, after serving in the post since 1965. In the associate court post, Sweeney will oversee regular duties, probate division and special assignments made by the circuit judge. A native of Monett, Sweeney served as prosecuting attorney in Barry County in 1973-74. After the one term, he resumed full-time practice of law with his father, Edward V. Sweeney. A Monett schools graduate, he received a bachelor degree from Marquette University in 1966 and a law degree from the University of Missouri in 1969. He served in Vietnam during a tour in the Army, ending in 1971. Sweeney and his wife, Donna, have two children, Vincent, six and Marlena, three. He has served the Monett community as Chamber of Commerce president, is a member of the American Legion and VFW and a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church. The new associate court judge will fill-out the remainder of the late Judge Baty’s term on the ap-pointment. He will be subject to the will of voters in the general elections in 1986.

30 years ago

Sept. 6, 1995

— LABOR DAY WEEKEND DREW LARGE CROWDS TO THE BARRY COUNTY AREA

Roaring River State Park and Table Rock Lake attracted their share of Labor. Day vacationers, according to area officials. Park Concessionaire Jack Nickols said all the park’s cabins and motel rooms were rented last weekend. He said everything up and down the highway and into town was occupied. Campgrounds were also full. With one and a half campgrounds closed, the park still drew 1,145 campers. A total of 11,636 people visited the park over the three-day holiday as compared to 14,916 visitors last year. A slump in visitor numbers has been attributed to the fact that the park is still not operating with all its campgrounds open. As of Aug. 31, Roaring River had a total of 620,149 visitors for 1995. That number is more than last year’s total of 594,928. The number of campers has decreased from 61,875 last year to 45,994 this year. Fewer anglers fished at Roaring River this Labor Day weekend, according to Jerry Dean, hatchery superintendent. He said there were 2,714 trout tags sold during the three days. That is 450 less than last year’s total of 3,164. Dean reported that from January to August 1995, there were 91,671 trout tags sold. During the same period last year, there were 96,677 tags sold. “This year is the second highest number of trout tags sold in the park’s history,” Dean said. Last year was a record breaking year for Roaring River. Neighboring Table Rock Lake drew boaters out in full force, according to Steve Crain, officer with the Missouri Water Patrol. He said the increased traffic did not result in any accidents in the Barry County area. He said the patrol did issue a lot of warnings to try to educate the public on new boating laws, especially the red flag law. “We also issued a few tickets,” Crain said. “Most were for failure to maintain the highest care when operating a motorcraft. We had a lot of watercraft that were too close to other boats, docks and buoys. We also had a few lighting violations at night, and some B.W.I. (boating while intoxicated) tickets were issued.”

— JENKINS FAMILY DEFINES ART OF BASKET-MAKING

Denny Wolf, a Jenkins native land carpenter by trade, started making baskets 18 years ago. It didn’t take long for Denny to decide that he wanted to trade carpentry for basket- making. The hobby eventually became into a amily business, involving his wife, Linda, and mother, Erma Carlin. Barry County residents may emember the Wolfes as the Denny Yolf Singers. Denny, his son Denny Ray, and daughter-in-law, layed and sang at various benefits round the county. While they still ing occasionally, baskets take up good part of their time. The Wolfes make their baskets n a workshop at their home in enkins. The tiny building houses askets of every shape and size in arious stages of completion. The shop’s atmosphere is ompanionable and bustling. Penny is bent over a basket form, reaving the sides of the basket. In nother corner, Linda and Erma re busy putting the final touches in the finished works of art. Denny is not really sure how any baskets they create each one of his unfinished baskets. The entirely by hand and sold at Silver baskets for the past 18 years with mother, Erma Carlin. week, or how long the entire process takes. “I get asked that question often,” Denny says. “One day I’m going to have to sit down and figure it out.” The Wolfes’ heirloom quality baskets are made entirely by hand of native white oak. Denny cuts the trees, brings them to the sawmill at his home and saws them into the various widths needed The boards are then smoothed, sized and shaped. Pieces for the baskets are stripped off from the prepared wood, one at a time, using an adjustable, homemade draw knife. The pieces are allowed to dry and shrink. This makes a sturdier, more practical basket, Denny says. The dried bottom pieces are then secured to one of the various sized forms, and the basket is woven with wet weaving strips. It is then removed from the form and allowed to dry and shrink two to five days, depending on the size. After drying, Denny pulls the weaves down towards the bottom to tighten the basket. Some of the vertical pieces are turned over the basket top to keep it together. A handle is put in next, then a band of wood is placed both inside and outside the top of the basket. Linda and Erma lace the basket around the bands. Linda also dyes decorative pieces of white oak that are woven into some of the baskets. Basket making is a delicate and intricate process. The Wolfes dedicate many hours to their trade and are very proud of their finished product. “Our baskets are quality made,” says Denny. “They will last a long time if you take care of them.” The Wolfes sell the majority of their baskets at Silver Dollar City. They fill the back of their truck with baskets and deliver them at various times during the season, depending on demand. They also have quite a following of basket collectors in Barry County. When they sold their baskets at the Cassville Sesquicentennial, the Wolfes displayed 100 baskets, expecting to sell only 50. By noon, they had sold out. Bonnie Foster, proprietor of The Kids & Teddy Too gift store in Cassville, will begin carrying a line of the Wolfes’ baskets in early October. “Their baskets are very good quality,” says Bonnie. “ I like to carry items made here in the Ozarks.” The hand-signed, white oak baskets are also fairly inexpensive. “We make a profit, but try to keep the price low enough for anyone to buy one,” says Denny.