Annual celebration planned by Terrys on July 3

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Cassville Democrat

In a low-key session, the Purdy City Council provided a green light for the annual Fourth of July celebration and discussed recent activity around town. 

Ken Terry, whose family provides the fireworks show for the nation’s birthday celebration, appeared before council members to ask for permission for his annual event, slated this year for July 3. 

“Since this is the 250th birthday, [our event] will be bigger and better,” Terry said. “With gas prices the way they are, we’re expecting more people.” 

Having given away 900 hot dogs last year, Terry said they were planning for 1,000 this year. 

Council members raised no objections. Terry said the perimeter established last year to avoid intrusion into the fireworks zone by the school playground had worked well and would be used again. Kevin Cook, public works foreman, said he would secure porta-potties again for the park. 

When Police Chief Jackie Lowe returned from a call, council members followed his recommendation to permit discharge of fireworks over two weekends over 10 days, from June 26 to July 5. Terry planned to begin selling fireworks on June 20. 

Lowe said last year’s crowd size was significant. The only issues he had came from some individuals shooting off their fireworks too close to the fireworks zone, where the Terrys had their fireworks in place. Lowe told those individuals to put their fireworks away or he would confiscate them. 

In department reports, Cook said the citywide cleanup had gone well. Material almost filled nine dumpsters. He obtained new tires for the front of the backhoe. Cook expected to need new tires for the front of the tractor in the near future but hoped to get a bit more wear out of what he had prior to that. 

Lowe reviewed the fatal crash on Highway 37 on April 10, where a northbound vehicle attempted to pass two tractor-trailers on a curve and hydroplaned into the southbound lane, killing two people in the northbound vehicle and causing severe injuries to two in a southbound vehicle. Traffic was rerouted through town for several hours while the Highway Patrol conducted its investigation. 

Lowe’s report recounted an incident on April 7 where a northbound motorist struck several mailboxes and guardrails. Lowe was unable to intercept the vehicle, but Monett police did, determining the driver was not intoxicated, but was falling asleep while driving home from a night shift in Arkansas. 

Two juveniles involved in a 3 a.m. break-in at the Purdy Super Stop on April 28 caused $2,400 in damage to the back door of the store. Through posting store video on social media, officers were able to identify one of the suspects, who confessed. The other was due for interrogation. Police were seeking restitution for the damage. 

Lowe noted Barry County sheriff’s deputies continued to respond to many calls in Purdy while Lowe remained the only scheduled officer. He said a 1994 Mitsubishi car that had been sitting abandoned in front of an empty house was stolen and found in Eagle Rock. How it was moved remained unknown. He recovered another vehicle stolen in Barry County that had been abandoned at the softball field. Lowe noted he still had several dog calls to answer during the past month. 

Council members heard from Rebecca Maddox, a resident at Commercial and Archibald, who asked for relief on her sewer bill while trying to track down a water leak. Water and sewer bills are tied together in Purdy based on the volume of water through the meter. Mayor Brian Bowers said the city would consider an adjustment once the leak was corrected. 

The next council meeting was scheduled for June 10.