50 years ago

Feb. 11, 1976

— Campbell Point Dock Sold To Iowa Family 

What was once known as Cassville’s Campbell Point Boat Dock on Table Rock Lake in the early days of the reservoir has been sold by Rex Halterman and sons Russ and Dan to an Iowa family. The new owners effective March 1 will be Mr. and Mrs. Don L. Williams and three sons. The Williams family, which has also purchased residential property in Crestwood West, were Iowa residents seven and one-half years, where he was a school administrator. They are natives of the Wichita, Kansas area. Mr. Halterman, a retired Jumping-Jacks Shoe Co. executive, and sons have announced no future plans. They all reside in Aurora. With the take-over date, the Williams will become operators of the 92-slip facility located about midway in the reservoir. Campbell Point is on Route YY east of Shell Knob. Also involved in the operation is a motor sales and service marina and office dock. Campbell Point was first developed in a sheltered cove off the main White River channel by Mr. and Mrs. Glen Hall of Cassville. The facility became operational in 1960. The Haltermans acquired the dock in 1963. Williams said this week the three sons, ages 17 to 22, would be associated in the business. He said two long-time employees, Denny Leach and Fred Roller, would also remain. The fishing, boating and recreation area is among the area’s leaders annually in Army Corps of Engineer accounting of tourist numbers.

— Table Rock Lake Holds Most Popular Corps Spot

With an 11 percent attendance increase over 1974, Table Rock Lake again led Army Corps of Engineer reservoirs in the Little Rock, Ark., district. Corps figures had 6,188,100 visitors compared to 5,519,000, which represents a 597,100 increase in people. Of the reservoir total, six public use facilities in the Cassville area contributed nearly one-half million. Corps figures on the use areas are more accurate these days, since each is staffed during the season for collection of fees and regulation of the camping, picnicking, swimming and boating areas. Breakdowns furnished by Groves’ office had the Eagle Rock area in front with 135,273 visitors, with Campbell Point in second with 81,347. Others in this area included: Viola 69,176, Big M 68,889, Viney Creek 30,357 and Kings River 26,211. Boat dock facilities are located at the leading areas of Viola, Big M, Eagle Rock and Campbell Point. The remaining use areas have launching, camping, swimming and picnic facilities. Table Rock’s nearest rival for the leadership spot was Bull Shoals Lake with 4,385,700, but a larger percentage of increase, 19 percent. Next in line was Norfork Lake with 3,592,700 for a 12 percent increase. Both of these reservoirs are mainly in Arkansas. Beaver Reservoir, just south of the Missouri-Arkansas line, attracted 3,179,000 visitors, but had a decline of nine percent compared to 1974. Overall, projects in the Little Rock district attracted 29.3 million, for a nine percent increase over the 1974 figure of 26.9 million. “Table Rock, located in the heart of the Ozarks, has consistently led the district’s lakes in attendance,” said the report. The reservoir holds high ranking in southwest regional attractiveness each year. Groves notes attendance at Corps parks is determined by roadside interviews and from traffic counters at entrance roads. The interviews also help in determining which recreation activities are participated in by visitors. In this department, fishing was the most popular recreation attraction last year, followed closely by sightseeing. Forty percent of the almost 29.3 million visitors came to the Corps parks primarily because of the reputation they enjoy as good fishing areas. Other activities in order of popularity included swimming, camping, boating and picnicking. After the 1975 recreation season, a number of parks were either partially or completely closed. Col. Edgar said the off-season cutback allows the parks to revegetate and enabled the Corps to rehabilitate areas where overuse had worn ground cover and caused deterioration of other facilities. It also helped reduce operating costs and saved on the use of fuel and electricity. Scheduled spring dates for reopening the parks for the 1976 recreation season will be published later. Growth figures for the six areas over the past few years are as follows: Comparison year figures for the six areas previous to 1975, with 1971 through 1974 listed in this order, included: Campbell Point, 129,921, 135,709, 84,975, 67,501; Big M 97,857, 74,734, 58,727, 74,956; Eagle Rock 94,004, 158,841, 125,568, 117,046; Viola 83,278, 68,840, 58,202, 84,514; Viney Creek 34,736, 46,709, 40,361, 37,861; Kings River 4,805, 11,441, 9,432, 6,338.

40 years ago

Feb. 12, 1986

— Seligman By-Pass, Bridge In State Highway Project List 

Seligman by-pass and bridge projects before the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission Friday were approved, district engineer Joseph Mickes said Monday. Processes on both projects would begin immediately, the district official in Joplin said. Elimination of a confining bridge on the present Highway 37 location in the city of Seligman will be made possible when the commission separated that project out of the overall plan to rebuild and relocate Highway 37. Mickes said once the city had secured right-of-way needs, fill requirements were met and other details, the project could be started this year. A September-October contract letting might be possible. Highway plans are to shift the curve approaches to the bridge, eliminating this unsafe condition. Both private and railroad easements on right-of-way will be necessary. Mickes said some private interests had indicated their approval of the project. It is not the policy of the department to pay for right-of-way in projects of this type. Mickes said the project was in the state’s plans since the route would remain in the Missouri system when a new Highway 37 was built. The bridge area will become part of Route DD. The by-pass of Seligman by Highway 37 in the future was also approved by the commission. The project will become part of an extensive improvement project on the route from Cassville to the Missouri-Arkansas line. The action is a reversal of action by the commission two years ago that eliminated the improvement from just north of Seligman to the state line. Original decisions by the commission came after opposition was expressed in public hearings. Later urgings by Seligman area petitions reversed the attitude of the community and ultimately the highway administrators. Mickes said a design hearing on the by-pass, expected to cost $5 million including bridge requirements, would be held probably in July or August. The highway official said the project would be at least three years in the future. “Final plans, acquiring right-of-way and other phases will come first,” Mickes said. North segments of the project, from the four-way stop west of Cassville to just north of Seligman, are scheduled to be under contract in 1986. Highway plans for making the bridge improvement in Seligman will be accomplished through private contractors. Mickes said a start in September was possible. The engineer said municipal officials and residents of Seligman had been extremely helpful in getting the by-pass of Highway 37 reconsidered by the commission. Citizen input was instrumental in having the bridge and curve project opened and planned by the state highway department.

— School Dance Issue Before Purdy Board

The Purdy R-II board of education held its regular monthly meeting on Monday. After routine monthly board business, the board of education voted to certify the recent bond issue election results from County Clerk Rex Stumpff. Of 685 votes cast, there were 528 yes votes and 157 no votes. The percentage of yes votes in the election was 77. The board expressed their deep appreciation to the district patrons who overwhelmingly supported the proposed bond issue. The board is hopeful that construction can begin on the project by the middle of April. Under new business, the Board of Education heard a presentation by Mike Flummerfelt representing a group of district patrons who were requesting that the board of education change its existing policy which does not allow school sponsorship of dances. After an extensive question and answer session, the R-II Board of Education decided to take the matter under advisement and study the information provided to them by the group. In other action, Mrs. Joan Fox addressed the board of education and asked for a clarification of the duties of public school board members.

30 years ago

Feb. 7, 1996

— County places E-911 and half cent road tax on April ballot

On April 2, county voters will decide the future of a countywide Enhanced 911 system and will be asked to renew the county’s half cent sales tax for roads. Barry County Commissioners voted this week to place both issues on the April ballot. The county is proposing to establish the emergency telephone service by imposing a telephone tax to finance the project. Voters will be asked to approve this tax, which would not exceed 15 percent of the local service rate charged by the telephone company. Presiding Commissioner Cherry Warren said that telephone rate increases would vary for each exchange in the county. He added that the commission had previously stated that residents could expect an 80 cent increase per month, which was incorrect. Residents can determine individual cost by calculating 15 percent of basic phone rate. The county still plans to hold a series of informational meetings on the proposed E-911 system. Dates for these public meetings have not been set. Warren said Miller Management, Inc., with offices in Columbia, Marceline and Little Rock, Ark., has offered to help the county conduct the meetings and promote the issue at no cost. He said the company only asked that the county allow them to bid on mapping and addressing services if the issue passes. Miller has been involved in putting together 911 systems in 35 counties. Warren added that company representatives could help commissioners answer the public’s questions about 911. The county’s road tax is up for renewal following its initial approval in 1986 and subsequent passage in 1991. If voters approve the tax again in April, it will continue without interruption for another five years. Last year the tax generated $1,157,567.53 for the county’s 25 special road districts and one common road district. That amount represented just over half (50.73 percent) of the road districts’ 1995 revenue total of $2,453,491.04. In 1994, the tax provided road districts with $1,113,983.24, representing 53.01 percent of their total budget. “The road districts were in bad shape before the one half cent sales tax was voted on,” said Lois Lowe, county treasurer. “If we don’t renew it (the road tax), there’s no way we’ll be able to continue the progress we’re making on roads and bridges in the county,” said Warren. Special road district revenue has shown a consistent increase over the past five years.

— P& Z approves Taco Bell site plan

A site plan for a new Taco Bell restaurant in Cassville was approved Monday by members of the city’s planning and zoning commission. The restaurant will be constructed on a commercial lot at 84 S. Main St. by K-Mac Enterprises, a corporation owned by Ken McGruder of Cassville. An existing building, which once housed Hailey Tractor, was demolished last week to make room for the new restaurant. Initial site plans, designed by G. Oney & Associates Inc. of Branson, call for construction of a 2,890-square-foot restaurant with seating for 104. The site will include a single drive-thru lane and 45 parking spaces. K-Mac purchased the lot from Evelyn Halley of Cassville. McGruder said construction on the restaurant is scheduled to begin as soon as weather permits and should be completed by mid-May.

— Purdy Ladies claim McAuley Classic title

The Purdy Lady Eagles captured the McAuley Warrior Classic girls basketball title last weekend by defeating East Newton 56-50. Purdy turned a 16-14 quarter lead to 28-22 by the half. In the second half, Purdy battled the Lady Patriots and held onto their six-point lead throughout the half. Purdy’s lead scorer was Darcy Scott with 18 points. Jennifer Freeman and Mandy Payne added 12 and 11 respectively. Others scoring for Purdy were: Jennifer Schallert 9 and Linda Sparkman 6. The Lady Bulldogs of Wheaton placed third in the tournament by beating Diamond 38-34. Wheaton led 15-8 at the half. Wheaton’s leaders were Christy Brown with 13 and Tracy Schad with 10. Other scorers were: Erisa Hines 4, Amy Tichenor 3 and Tracy Keel 8. To advance to the finals, Purdy beat Wheaton 64-60 in semifinal action. Purdy’s Payne tallied 16 points and Freeman and Scott added 14 each. Other Purdy scorers were: Jennifer Roller 6; Kim Redshaw 3; Angie Cole 4; Sparkman 4 and Schallert 3. Wheaton scorers were: Brown 22, Hines 7, Tichenor 7, Keel 9, Tracy Schad 8, Casey Bell 6 and Laura Wilson 1. In the boys round-robin division, Purdy beat McAuley 58-45. Leading 37-33 at the end of the third quarter, Purdy outscored McAuley 21-12 in the fourth to outdistance the Joplin team. Purdy point leaders were Neal Roller with 20 points and Tim Schlessman with 17. Others scoring for the Eagles were: Greg Redshaw 7, Heath Chitwood 3, Jake King 4, Heath Rickman 4 and Derek Conley 3. In an earlier tournament game, Purdy defeated Thomas Jefferson 50-37. Roller and Brandon Dodson scored 17 and 13 points to lead the Eagles to victory. Other scorers were: Redshaw 3, Schlessman 6, King 3, Chitwood 4 and Rickman 2.