50 years ago

June 9, 1976

— Development Will Include Wal-Mart And Pizza Hut

A 25-acre development at the southeast edge of Cassville will include a Wal-Mart Discount Store and Pizza Hut franchise, according to information released this week by McClung Realty, Inc., of Eureka Springs, Ark. The realty firm purchased the property from Johnny Eggleston of Seligman. Clell L. McClung acknowledged the purchase included 10 acres for Wal-Mart Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, Ark. A one-acre tract contiguous to the Wal-Mart site was sold to Bill Atherton of Tulsa, Okla., a franchisee of Pizza Hut. Both transactions were listed as possible future sites by Wal-Mart and Pizza Hut. McClung said the remaining 14 acres in the location would be open for various types of development. He said plans are to begin in the near future in upgrading the property. Wal-Mart, headquartered in Bentonville, has no commitment on time elements involved in construction of a store here. At the present time the firm operates 130 outlets in nine states. Most of the store concentration is in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Atherton, operator of 32 Pizza Hut franchises, left open the time element on establishing this business here. The land is located three-tenths of a mile outside Cassville city limits on Highway 112-76-86 between Cassville and Hilltop. Eggleston purchased the land several months ago from Glen White. At present the entire area is used for agricultural purposes. During the company fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 1976, Wal-Mart added 21 stores to the chain operation. Closest operations to this area at present are Monett and Aurora in Missouri and Berryville and Rogers in Arkansas. Sales in company stores during the past fiscal year amounted to $340.3 million. McClung said further development of the remaining 14 acres would be decided when his firm had completed initial phases of upgrading the raw land. On highways leading to Roaring River State Park and Table Rock Lake, the land is adjacent to the Seven Valley Courts and Paul Curry property. Park Road Courts are located across the highway from the 25 acres. McClung, Wal-Mart and Pizza Hut stated further plans for their respective properties at the site would be announced in the future.

— County Climbs To Second Ranking In State Dairy

Barry County, long high-ranking in Missouri dairy cattle statistics, has climbed to second place just in time for observance of June Dairy Month, according to Roger Marcoot, area dairy specialist, and Ken Morris, area farm management agent, of the University of Missouri Extension Service. Both combined to stress the importance of the county’s dairy operations for the special observance. Barry County’s 12,600 dairy cows ranked second only to Webster County’s 13,100, according to Marcoot. Third in ranking is Polk County with 11,800 animals, Wright is fourth with 10,600, Christian has 9,300 for fifth and Greene County’s even 9,000 is sixth. The county’s gain in ranking resulted from an increase of 2,200 cows over a year earlier. The total number of cows now in the county are located on 230 dairy farms. Average herd size is listed at 55 cows. Using the Missouri average production figure of 9,600 pounds of milk per cow, Marcoot estimated Barry Countians produce more than 120 million pounds of milk annually. He said this milk sold for nearly $10.6 million. Adding another $1 million for cattle sales, he said the industry provides between $11 million and $12 million to the county’s economy annually. Morris noted the county has long been one of the highly concentrated dairy counties. “We have almost come to expect a two to five percent decline in dairy cow numbers and a similar increase in milk production. In 1975 we reversed the trend and have gained in ranking in Missouri,” he said. Morris said a total of 608 farms in Barry County are listed in reports as having cows and selling milk or cream, but the majority of the 230 are classed as dairy operations. Most marked improvements in dairy operations recently, according to the two observers, make the average cow not quite good enough. Better feeding, breeding and management are stressed. Business generation by the dairy herds estimated by the extension service places $4.5 million in cash business for feed and concentrates. Major costs of producing hay or pasture fertilizer and lime amount to about $1 million. Haying and forage harvesting equipment and storage will produce another $12 million or more in business. Another business aspect for the dairy country is approximately a $500,000 hauling bill getting the product to processors. Morris said this averages about $36 a cow. Marcoot and Morris speculated the dairy increase might be greater in this area were it not for the growing costs of getting into the operations. A per-cow investment in land and facilities is running about $3,000 per head at this time. This places a 70-cow herd operation at approximately $210,000. Future possibilities of the industry are looking better than in 1974 and 1975, according to Morris. Complete future returns seem to hinge on feed prices, demand for milk products and competition from domestic and foreign supplies and substitutes. Industry observers, while complimenting Barry County dairy farmers for their gain in state ranking, said it is important they continue to adopt new management techniques to improve their efficiency and profitability. They said it is only through a profitable enterprise that the dairy business can remain an important contributor to the county’s economy.

40 years ago

June 11, 1986

— City Told Jail Could Close If Finances Remain Same

Cassville city government learned Monday night that the Barry County jail might close September 1 if county finances don’t improve. Police Chief Ray Burnette relayed a message from Sheriff Jim Hopkins because of Cassville’s involvement in dispatching, fire alarm and prisoner keep. Chief Burnette told the council Sheriff Hopkins had told him the jail would close this fall in further cutbacks of personnel due to Barry County finances not being sufficient to maintain staff. The sheriff also said federal revenue sharing is slated to end at that time, causing more cutbacks in the sheriff’s budget. “Unless revenue sharing continues or other sources of income are available, I have been told by Sheriff Hopkins that services now provided the city of Cassville through the Barry County jail will not be available after September 1,” Burnette said. Cassville pays a dispatcher eight-hour shift as in-kind participation with county government and services. The council was told if the jail closed, the sheriff and deputies would operate out of their homes and vehicles. Prisoner keep would probably be contracted with adjoining counties. City fire dispatch on a 24-hour basis is handled out of the jail. Communication with city police is also maintained out of the jail. There was no response from the council, which apparently adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Presiding County Commissioner Lloyd Dilbeck said Tuesday he had not talked to the sheriff directly about the jail closing. He said further funding would be impossible. Dilbeck said $57,000 of revenue-sharing funds budgeted for the sheriff this year had two checks coming before scheduled ceasing of the program. They would be in $19,000 amounts. Dilbeck said the sheriff had also mentioned new requirements limiting hours of employees and required logs of hours and miles traveled that were causing law enforcement officers problems. In regular session Monday, four members, Bill Shiveley, Sue Brattin, Bob Mizer and Gary Fields, adopted compensation time for employees that will be standing duty on a rotating basis for weekends. Mayor Rolland Meador briefly mentioned initial budget figures that will be under full review in public hearings June 23. Council also fully adopted new water rate schedules, representing slight decreases in over-minimum uses. Under the new schedules, minimum residential rates will be $3 for inside and $7 for outside users. Commercial will be $4.50 in the city and $12 for outside. Over-minimum rates, per 100 gallons over the initial 1,200, will be .0931 for inside the city limits and .186 outside. The rates will be effective June 23. In executive session, the council discussed personnel and raised compensation for two police officers. Ron Harris and Perry Smallwood will be paid $6.10 per hour. Debby Skelton, police court clerk, will be paid $4.75 per hour. Bills payable reported by clerk Jo Ledgerwood amounted to $19,576.77. Council accepted the resignation of Carl Fanning as a member of the zoning and planning commission. In his place, Scott Spencer was appointed. A Monett radio station was given tentative approval, fee to be set, for installing a translator atop one of the city’s water towers. George Ulmer, engineer, reviewed proposals for replacing East 13th Street bridge over Flat Creek. Proposals from $186,000 to $216,000 were reviewed. Council instructed engineers to proceed with minimum-cost design to include pedestrian crossing. Airport maintenance was reviewed with the possibility of Delmar Berry or James Ford doing mowing. The curb and gutter program was set to let bids for the year. Property owners will pay for their own driveway at a set price; owners’ entire frontage permitted, but council approval required for over 150 feet. The city will pay $4 per foot, with the program available on a first-come, first-served basis.

— Cancer Crusade Over $10,000

The Barry County Unit of the American Cancer Society has gone over its Crusade quota for the year. Coordinators Harold and Ruby Reese reported the group’s efforts had gone above the $10,000 quota set at the start of the year. Mr. and Mrs. Reese said current totals were $10,080.51. They also said some packets from area communities had not been completed. They said bike-a-thon, memorials and crusade contributions put the drive over the goal. They said volunteers made the crusade success possible. In turn, the unit, with Mrs. Virginia Taylor as pro tem president, expressed thanks to the Reeses for their efforts in once again guiding the fundraiser. Business of the group at the Barry County Senior Citizen Center included information that persons interested in the Cancer Crusade should deal only with local people amid reports of unauthorized solicitations in other areas. Lela Jane Wilson reported memorials to the fund amounted to $1,065 to date. Delores Hutchens, service and rehabilitation chairperson, said aid was continuing for patients who had contacted the society. Current members of the board whose terms expired were renamed to two-year extensions. Dr. Carolyn Hunter, Cassville dentist, reported on professional education, and Jo Baldwin and Mrs. Reese provided Reach to Recovery information. Dr. Rex Witherspoon, DDS, of Springfield, will provide the next program. Board officers and directors include Martha Hayward, president; Brenda Fletcher, vice president; Virginia Taylor, secretary; Eleanor Stewart, treasurer; and directors B.F. Babb, Crump Taylor, Bill Ward, Lloyd Richards, Sue Richards, Anna Pueppke, Jo Baldwin, Peggy Hankins, Dr. Carolyn Hunter, Lela Jane Wilson, Helen Munday, Ruby Reese, Harold Reese, Wilma Hall, Dorothy Gibbons, Deloris Hutchens and Gerald B. Rowan. In addition to those involved in society business, attending were B.F. Babb, Crump Taylor, Lloyd and Sue Richards, Bob and Peggy Hankins, Ellie Stewart, Wilma Hall and Elaine Fry, field representative.

30 years ago

June 5, 1996

— SBC Hospital prepares to open doors on new addition

Employees at South Barry County Hospital in Cassville are playing a huge game of musical chairs as they prepare for the opening of the hospital’s newly completed addition on Thursday. Chief Executive Officer Debbie Stubbs said departments were being moved into the new wing in phases. The hospital’s main lobby, emergency room and medical clinic will open their doors to the public on Thursday. The new facility will provide both the ER and outpatient clinic with enhanced seating and additional examination rooms. It will also house the hospital’s X-ray department. The front desk will be staffed 24 hours a day. Two clerks will man the desk during the day to handle ER admissions and outpatient scheduling. After regular business hours, one clerk will cover the front desk and handle emergency room patients only. “By having both our outpatient and ER clerks at one station, we hope to achieve a smoother flow of patients,” Stubbs said. The new emergency room includes two exam rooms and two bay rooms separated by cubical curtains. The old ER will be remodeled to add a third bay room, a two-bed trauma room and a two-bed cardiac room. The additional space will triple the capacity of existing ER facilities and cut down on public traffic by separating emergency and outpatient services. The new ER area also includes separate work stations for nurses, ambulance personnel and physicians. The new clinic area contains a waiting room, reception area and three exam rooms. Two of the three rooms contain a second door that connects to the ER so that the rooms can be used for emergency overflow if needed. The southeast portion of the new addition is unfinished. Stubbs said this area, which will house the new physical therapy and cardiac rehab departments, will be finished as funds become available. She anticipates it will be completed by early fall. The basement portion of the building will also remain unfinished. The hospital board is considering finishing out a section of the basement as a community room, Stubbs said. Construction of the 22,775-square-foot addition took about 11 months to complete. The hospital held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project on July 26, 1995. Final cost for the project has been estimated at $2,484,930. To finance the project, the hospital sold $3 million in revenue bonds. The bond total included $2,184,000 for construction and equipment and $690,445 redemption of existing bonds that were issued in June 1983.

— South Barry County Hospital hosts students during first annual “Play Hospital Day”

First grade students at Eunice Thomas Elementary School in Cassville participated in South Barry County Hospital’s first annual Play Hospital Day April 30. Jim Enyart, RLP, hospital pharmacist, discussed drug awareness with the youngsters. In the laboratory, Cathy Henderson, MT (ASP), showed the students how germs grew from fingerprints. Technician Bill DeWeese, RTR, explained the operation of X-ray machines in his department, and Patti Eskildsen, dietary manager, discussed healthy eating with the group. Emergency room nurse Kristi Scott talked to the classes about emergencies and explained how hospitals were created to help people in times of medical emergencies. The first graders also viewed a fire truck courtesy of the Cassville Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighter Charlie Jackson was on hand to discuss safety tips and explain some of the devices on the truck. Jackson showed students how the fire hoses work and where everything was kept on the truck. Emergency Medical Technician Donna Lung familiarized students with some of the equipment found in an ambulance. Lung also gave a brief tour of the emergency vehicle.