50 years ago

Oct. 13, 1976

— New Record At RR Park For Trout Tags

For the first time in history, Roaring River State Park has gone over the 80,000 mark in trout fishermen numbers during a March through October season. Charles Curry, superintendent of the park hatchery, said the figure reached 80,625 on Tuesday evening. The Cassville Chamber of Commerce sponsored fisherman’s holiday put the figure at a record number with a weekend attraction that drew 2,102 anglers buying tags Saturday through Monday. Curry said the stream was lined with 825 fishermen Saturday, 811 bought tags Sunday and 466 were fishing Monday. With three weekends remaining before the season and park closes Sunday, October 31, Curry estimated an even larger number of anglers will use the three miles of stream during this season. Previous season tag sales at the park include the following: 1971-79,231, 1972-67,226, 1973-74,638, 1974-68,649 and 1975-76,210. Bill Ward, C of C secretary, reported this week lunker trout badges numbering 52 were presented during the weekend sponsored event. Twenty-five catches were over five pounds. In the largest trout division, winning angler was Tom Halley of Raytown with an eight pound, 11 ounce lunker. The next four, with over seven pound catches, were: Anne Adel of Kansas City, Goldie Hershberger of Walnut, Kansas, Joseph Miller of Westphalia, Kans.; Martha Langston, Kansas City and Bob Britton of Raytown added six pounders. Junior division winners included: Jeff Greer and Kent Frazier of Joplin, with 4-12 and 3-9 catches respectively. The heaviest stringer was weighed by Kent Campbell of Rolla, total weight 17-5.

— Amendment Would Cost District $1.30 More Levy

The Cassville board of education, in regular session Monday night, handled routine matters, plus a discussion on district loss should a constitutional amendment be approved by Missouri voters November 2. Superintendent Ron Evans, noting the board had earlier passed a resolution in opposition to the amendment, said the district stood to lose $103,000 in tax revenue with approval. The amendment calls for sales tax to be removed from food and drug sales in the state. Evans told the board the loss in funds, based on nearly an $8 million assessed valuation, would require an additional tax levy of $1.30 to make up the difference. The present levy is $3.75 per $100 valuation. Five members of the board, Carroll Craig, Freddie Evans, Ronald Stewart, Herschel Stehlik, and president Charles Thompson handled board business. Included in agenda items were: Approval of an advisory committee for the Vocational Agriculture Department. Two board members, Craig and Evans were appointed, and will be augmented by two businessmen and two farmers. Expenditure up to $1,000 approved for educational television installations upon request from English department, submitted by Mrs. Louise Thomas. District will purchase check writer and bond to handle financial transactions. Auditor for district requested to meet with board and go over most recent reports and general practices of the district. Acknowledged school insurance will be due in January, 1977, with notices scheduled for publishing seeking bids. New bus units will be picked-up by district in Mississippi. Board will transport drivers to accept delivery. Request from insurance company to authorize payroll deductions for tax sheltered annuity program, involving three faculty members, denied by board. Board member James Stephens, named to attend State Department of Education meeting in Webb City, October 20. Lay persons, Ruth Ann Barnes, Louise Cannady, Kay Edmondson or Kay Cardin will also be invited. Bid to replace exterior doors on junior high gym turned down to seek additional proposals. Board voted unanimously to leave junior high athletic program as at present. Big 13 conference will consider proposal in December meeting to include this level in conference program. Principals Don Trotter, Eunice Thomas and Paul Watson attended the meeting. Dennis Epperly was Cassville Community Teacher Association representative. 

40 years ago

Oct. 15, 1986

— Carr, Chappell Miller, Smith New Directors

Cassville has four new members to the Chamber of Commerce board of directors. The four were chosen from a list of eight nominees presented in a mail-ballot that was tabulated Tuesday. Dr. Chip Kammerlohr, president, said the directors who assume three-year terms are Mike Carr, Joy Chappell, John Miller and Mark Smith. Of the four, Smith, of Smith’s Clothing, is the lone returnee to the board. He served a previous term separated by a mandatory one-year absence. Carr is owner of Fastrip, Chappell owns Ozark Video and has been retail merchant’s chairman. Miller, plant manager for Wells Aluminum here, has been a driving force behind a number of projects, including the Christmas nativity scene. The four will join holdover directors in choosing new C of C officers in a regular board meeting next Tuesday. In the continuing term status are directors Dick Moger, John Anglum, Dr. Carolyn Hunter, Kammerlohr, Chip Lawson, Jim LeCompte, Joe Preddy and Debbie Workman. Retiring from the board this year are directors Don Cupps, Gary Fields, Bob Mitchell and Byron Tucker. Mrs. Ella Frost, secretary, said 110 of 151 member ballots were returned in the director selection process. Present officers, in addition to Kammerlohr, are Moger, vice-president, and Lawson, treasurer. Official terms of new directors and officers will commence with the annual membership dinner in January.

— State Projects Delayed As Agencies Methods Differ

A difference of opinion on the handling of state park construction projects in Missouri, as two agencies have a difference of opinion over the handling of $10-$12 million dollars of work, could delay important programs throughout the state. Among the park projects in jeopardy of delay are several at Roaring River State Park. A reliable state park employee told the Democrat this week that the Office of Design and Construction in Jefferson City has notified the State Parks Division that they are “out of their league in handling the in-house projects.” Thinking oppositely, the parks official said it was his opinion the in-house method of handling projects has saved the taxpayers of Missouri dollars at every turn. Design and Construction has countered with “we’re it, the agency to handle these programs” and no further action will be taken until they have been processed by that division. The long-time parks official said this week, “I just can’t sit by and watch the park system damaged in a system of political moves. This work needs to be under contract now for next year. Delay, for whatever reason D&C might present, ‘just isn’t justified.’” Projects involved at Roaring River are some that were removed within the last couple of years and should be under contract soon if they are going to be useable next year. Included are some electrical services in a refurbished campground and the swimming pool. Roaring River officials said at mid-year this season that the swimming pool absence was one of their major hazards. The park and subsequently the area, has been damaged by the absence of a pool. Other projects slated in $800,000 of work include group camp, extensive paving, and general renovation continuation at the lodge. The same park official reminded this week that D&C two years ago spent approximately $50,000 in planning to convert the lodge to a dining establishment. The project, through a Springfield architectural firm, was later dropped as not being practical for a growing restaurant business in the park. Current officials at Roaring River declined comment on the matter. The swimming pool was removed from an area near the lodge last year. Crews were on the site before local interests were aware the antiquated facility was to be removed. Plans for replacement are in the area of Dry Hollow, adjacent to the present park maintenance buildings. In numbers, electrical outlets for camping units in the park were reduced by about 20 percent in projects completed at Roaring River in March of 1985. Complaint on the handling of park projects is apparently an inter-agency action. As stated by the park employee, this division has handled construction projects in the state’s parks for “years and years,” but suddenly we aren’t capable of continuing. Now, park projects that need to be started now, are being held. Someone should answer why?” Most of the projects are being financed by state sales tax of 1/10th of a cent on each dollar purchase that is being divided for use by parks and soil conservation. A small amount of Missouri bond funds are probably involved also, the source said.

30 years ago

Oct. 9, 1996

— Over 500 gather to celebrate hospital expansion project

Lively band music, balloons and a crowd of over 500 people gathered in front of South Barry County Hospital’s new Main Street entrance to hear Governor Mel Carnahan speak and to celebrate the most recent milestone in hospital history. Carnahan’s brief speech served to commemorate the grand opening of the newly completed $1.4 million expansion project, which has doubled the facility’s size and provided the hospital with Main Street access. The festivities, which began around 2:30 p.m. last Wednesday, were opened by Debbie Stubbs, the hospital’s chief executive officer. After welcoming those who had assembled, Stubbs thanked the community, physicians and employees for supporting the hospital. She also acknowledged the hospital’s board of directors as being “progressive in a time when the market is changing.” “All of this came together to make today possible,” Stubbs said. Stubbs ended her portion of the program by introducing Don Cupps, board chairman. Cupps, who has served on the hospital board since 1985, introduced other members of the board, Bill Easley, Lona Mae Keen, Jane Prier, Mike McCracken and Craig Coberley. He also recognized former board members Eileen Sander, Morris Castleberry, Neil Vinyard and John Sparks who were present at the grand opening. Cupps paid special tribute to former board secretary Joyce Vaughan, who he described as the hospital’s “institutional memory,” and to past contributions made by those now deceased, including Bill Wiley, T.A. Prier, Worth Keen, Otis Holder, Glen Truhitte and Jack Byrd. “There once was a question of whether this hospital would survive,” said Cupps. “Today is a good indication that the hospital will survive.” He completed his speech by expressing gratitude to the hospital’s medical team and employees. The ceremony concluded with the governor’s speech and a ribbon-cutting. Tours of the hospital followed. To gain further insight into the hospital’s growth, the Cassville Democrat asked Stubbs to list the main reasons SBCH has managed to thrive. She said in her opinion there were two primary reasons. “I think the combination of the community wanting the local medical facilities to succeed and the local physicians supporting us have worked together. One without the other won’t work,” Stubbs said. Vaughan said she remembers a time when the existence of the local hospital was threatened. The grand opening served to prove the hospital’s viability to the long-time SBCH supporter. “I was humbled to see it grow from in 1936 when we almost lost it to today where we have such a flourishing hospital. It’s amazing what the community has done and how they’ve backed the hospital.”

— The curtain rises on fall foliage displayed in Barry County Ozarks

It’s that time of year again, when a patchwork of color blankets the Ozarks. Each October, Mother Nature manages to outdo herself with her colorful displays of fall foliage. Rick Linebarger, of the U.S. Forest Service/Cassville District, believes the prime time for fall leaf viewing has begun and will continue through the end of October. “The next several weekends will be beautiful for viewing,” said Linebarger. The Cassville District predicts Oct. 19 and 20 to be the days for peak fall color. Linebarger is impressed with the color in the area and feels it will be at least average. “Based on the dryness we had during the summer months, I am somewhat surprised at the color we have now,” he said. Fall colors are starting their “show” in and around Barry County. The dogwood, sumac and sassafras are turning red. There is a slight tinge of yellow and orange in the bigger trees. The USDA Forest Service offers a toll-free fall color hotline with updates on color change and routes where the best colors may be found. The number is 1-800-898-8895. The Flaming Fall Review includes the Cassville area this year and with good reason. A drive through Roaring River State Park or along Table Rock Lake and the Mark Twain National Forest offers spectacular views of vivid fall foliage with a backdrop of the lake and Ozark Mountains.

— Homer Sloan bass tourney winners named

The 1996 Homer Sloan Buddy Bass Tournament was held Saturday on Table Rock Lake. Sixty boats launched from docks at Campbell Point and Viola. Weigh-in, conducted in the late afternoon at Campbell Point, produced 10 winners in two different categories. Honors of biggest bass went to five different teams. First place was claimed by Chuck Lawrence and Frances Zongker who reeled in a 4.65 pounder. Ted Johnson and Kevin England came in second with a 4.50 pound catch. A 4.05 pound catch by Ken Robbins and Danny Loveland snagged third place, and fourth place went to Rick Holmden and Ed Thompson with a fish weighing 3.75 pounds. Jeff Kirby and Doug Ettenson took fifth place with a 3.65 pound bass. In the biggest stringer category, Holmden and Thompson caught first place with fish weighing in at 16.65 pounds. A 15.60 stringer, caught by Lefty Evans and Marty Conrad, took second. Third place went to Johnson and England with a stringer weighing 14.05 pounds. Dale and Alan Stebler brought in 13.35 pounds of fish, capturing fourth place, and John Newman and Gerry Miller’s stringer, weighing 13.15 pounds, won fifth place honors.