50 years ago

Nov. 10, 1976

— Official Vote Tally Took Carter’s 93 Vote Plurality

The official tabulation of Barry County ballots in the November 2 general election erased President-elect Jimmy Carter’s slim 93-vote winning margin. County Clerk Howard Bounous said a mistake in unofficial reporting of Purdy township ballots resulted in President Ford carrying Barry County by seven votes. No other majorities changed in the voting as officially recorded in the final tally. Bounous noted that state reports of the election, officially tabulated, also produced no changes. Incumbents prevailed in county races. Northern Judge Dick Sanders and Southern Judge Lige Frost retained their seats on the county administrative body. Prosecuting attorney Dale Burke, unopposed in either the primary or general election, was returned. Also renamed without opposition were Assessor Glen Nicoll, Coroner Doyle Williamson and Public Administrator Jack Byrd. Barry County’s hottest race was for sheriff. Incumbent Vernon Still, who had weathered a primary battle, outpolled his challenger, Robert Johnson of Golden, by just over 900 votes. Bounous noted in election figures of the area that Barry Countians turned out in larger than normal numbers to cast their ballots. There were just over 10,000 votes cast from the 13,026 registered voters eligible to make the trip to the polls. This turnout represented 78%. Largest vote getter in the contested races was Congressman Gene Taylor, who won his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He received a total of 6,396 votes. Attorney General John Danforth attracted 6,247 votes in his bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Stuart Symington. The official count of ballots voted did not change Amendment proposals in this county. Barry Countians said no to the Conservation proposal, which was passed in the state. Countians followed the trend in beating a plan to remove sales tax from food and drugs. The county did not follow the state on Proposition One, to prohibit charging of utility costs before completion of facilities.

— Fire Index In Forests Rated High

Concerned about the larger number of people who will be in area forests over the coming weekend, Ranger Jim Roles of the Cassville district of Mark Twain National Forests this week rated fire dangers as high. Preparations which began in October are complete just for such a time as this, the ranger said. Moisture since October has not been sufficient to keep the hillsides damp. Roles and crews of the Cassville station have fire crews and equipment in shape in the event of an emergency. Fire Technician of the District, Ron Wihebrink, under direction of Assistant Ranger Dave Reiter, has one primary fire crew in readiness. Included are Lavern Ray, Rick Linebarger and Jim Henson. A backup crew consists of Monty Woods, Chester Ray and Jim D. Henson. This group has recently received training in techniques, equipment, radio, first aid and law enforcement procedures. Paul Curry, veteran technician with the district, is fire dispatcher. Fire ratings in the district, which at this point are high, are maintained daily. Their basis includes weather, humidity, fuel moisture, wind, ground vegetation conditions and man’s use of the forests. Deer season, opening Saturday, will increase the fire factor due to anticipated hundreds of hunters being in the area. Fire prevention activities in the district are apparently successful, with good cooperation from the public. Roles said the Cassville district has one of the best fire occurrence records of the Mark Twain forest. With over 90,000 acres of national and private land protected by the district, only about six wildfires per year have been recorded. Dry ground conditions can be particularly serious when damage to soil and trees is a factor, and readily kill plant and tree roots. Normally, late-fall fires race across the dry layer of leaves but seldom kill the large trees. Things could be different this fall as forest fires burn deep in dry conditions. Last fall, deer hunters in the Cassville area participated in a fine record of low fire occurrence. The 1975 deer season brought with it very dry conditions. Fire crews were standing by and prevention contacts were the rule of the day. In the end, Cassville District fire attack crews had to suppress only two fires. Hopefully, users of the Mark Twain will cooperate as well this fall.

40 years ago

Nov. 12, 1986

— County’s Marijuana Crop Low Quality

Barry County was included in a crackdown of marijuana growing this summer, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol. In Troop D area, the patrol estimates law enforcement agencies destroyed more than $25 million worth of plants during the growing season this summer. Sheriff Jim Hopkins, whose department cooperated in the effort, said the number of “pulling parties” this year was down considerably over previous seasons. He said about 10 involvements included his department, with the patches rated as small. While a total of 3,000 plants were removed, Hopkins said the quality of the crop was low this year. “This indicates growers weren’t taking care of their crop all that good,” the sheriff said. Hopkins credited the majority of instances where officers removed the drug as being the result of citizen information. “That’s where we have to get cooperation, since our force is reduced, informants or those who see the plots in area woods give us a big chance to rid the area of marijuana,” the sheriff said. In the patrol area, 41,000 pounds were seized out of 72 fields in the 18 counties.

— County Should Stay In Debt, Borrowing Limitations

November payday by county government will be a big one, with approximately $15,000 in election costs due, but “Barry County should stay within borrowing limits this year,” says presiding commissioner Lloyd Dilbeck. The presiding commissioner, who was reviewing costs operating county government last month with clerk Rex Stumpff Monday, said the commission wouldn’t make decisions on borrowing until all bills were received. Borrowing to date amounts to $152,304 plus interest. The interest rate is variable. The county has been borrowing to operate government throughout this year. Reassessment charges, loss of Federal Revenue Sharing, preceding courts spending general revenue funds for road purposes, failure to withhold government-level shares for reassessment, and normal yearly increases took the county out of a cash-business basis. Dilbeck said this week the county was limited to borrowing $225,000 against this year’s tax receipts. And loans are limited to no more than $25,800 each month. While tax collections for the year are underway, Dilbeck said none could be used, due to the obligation to repay current loans. Misha Hull, collector of revenue, said it would be after the first of the year before county funds would be available. She said normally, collections for general revenue run about $255,106, without railroad and utility charges. Mrs. Hull had about 32,000 statements out last week, with taxes now due and payable. Penalties will commence after Dec. 31. The collector said Barry County stood a good chance of losing additional revenue this year, with State Tax Commission-ordered reductions in railroad and utility tax assessments. The $14,000 received in taxes through this division last year will probably be somewhat lower when this year is over. The collector’s office is open each weekday through the noon hour to accommodate taxpayers. Dilbeck said county officials would begin the first part of December in making 1987 budget preparations. He said obviously the county would have little tax funds remaining when total collections were received. If the limit of $225,000 is borrowed to complete the year, this amount is about what total will be received in general revenue receipts.

30 years ago

Nov. 6, 1996

— County voters elect Epperly new sheriff

In watched races in Barry County, the Republican candidate for sheriff, Mick Epperly, soundly defeated incumbent Ralph Hendrix by a vote of 6,858 to 4,792 in Tuesday’s general election. Epperly managed to capture 58 percent of the vote to unseat Hendrix. According to Don Cupps, chairman of the County Democratic Committee, there hasn’t been a Barry County sheriff elected to a third term since 1964. Hendrix was elected to his second four-year term in 1992 by swamping challenger Brian Martin by a margin of 2,415 votes. This election, Epperly carried 17 of the county’s 21 precincts. Hendrix won in four: Ash, Exeter, Sugar Creek and Washburn. Epperly, who lives in Shell Knob, had the strongest voter margins in the lake area. In the only other contested county race, Red Edens held onto his southern commissioner’s seat by defeating Republican challenger John Sullivan. Edens, who will be the only Democrat holding county office in 1997, beat Sullivan by a vote of 3,526 (54 percent) to 3,004 (46 percent) to claim his fourth term as southern commissioner. In the race for State Representative in the 131st District, county voters sent Republican Sam Gaskill back to Jefferson City for his second term. Gaskill defeated former county clerk Rex Stumpff by a vote of 5,059 (54 percent) to 4,141 (45 percent). Gaskill also carried McDonald County by a vote of 1,831 to 749 for Stumpff. County voters overwhelmingly chose Republican Doyle Childers over Democrat D.J. Gross to fill the 29th District Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Emory Melton. Childers received 6,778 votes (59 percent) compared to Gross’s 4,700 (40 percent). Barry Countians followed the district-wide trend by picking Republican Roy Blunt over Democrat Ruth Bamberger by a two-to-one margin for the 7th Congressional seat. Blunt picked up 7,507 votes (64 percent) in the county, compared to Bamberger’s 3,774 (32 percent). He will replace Mel Hancock, who announced his retirement this year after serving two terms in Washington. Shell Knob School District voters approved a $415,000 school bond issue to add eight new classrooms to the existing facility. The issue received 600 “yes” votes and 434 “no” votes. Residents in the city of Exeter rejected a phone license tax by a vote of 152 against and 56 for the issue. In a special election for a Monett city council seat, Rex Lane won over Deborah Schoen, 1,218 to 1,151. In Barry County, there were 816 votes cast for Lane and 695 for Schoen, who fought for a new election after narrowly losing the race in April. Local voters casting ballots in the statewide races followed Republican lines in all but two races. Vote totals in the county are listed below by national and state office. • President/Vice President: Barry Countians cast 5,855 votes for the Bob Dole/Jack Kemp ticket, and 4,352 for the Bill Clinton/Al Gore ticket. There were 1,494 votes cast for Ross Perot, 46 for Harry Browne, the Libertarian candidate, 46 for Howard Phillips, the candidate for the U.S. Taxpayers’ Party, and six for John Hagelin, the Natural Law candidate. • Governor: County voters chose Republican candidate Margaret Kelly over incumbent Mel Carnahan by a vote of 6,574 to 4,859. Statewide, Carnahan won by claiming 57 percent of the vote. • Lieutenant Governor: Republican challenger Bill Kenney was the county choice for second in command at the state level. Kenney captured 6,690 votes in the county, compared to Roger Wilson’s 4,287 votes. Statewide, Wilson was the winner. • State Treasurer: Democrat Bob Holden defeated Carl Bearden in the county by a vote of 5,755 to 5,147. Statewide, Holden was the winner. • Attorney General: In a close county race, incumbent Jay Nixon narrowly defeated Mark Bredemeier, 5,453 votes to 5,398. Statewide, Nixon was the leader. Local voters also soundly defeated Proposition A, which would have increased Missouri’s minimum wage to the highest in the nation. The county tally showed local opposition was four-to-one against the measure. There were 8,693 voters who voted against the proposition, and 2,351 who voted in favor of the issue. Across the state, voters soundly rejected the issue. Amendment 8, which extends the 1/10-cent sales tax for parks and for soil and water conservation for another 10 years, received county voter support. There were 5,731 ballots cast in favor of the measure and 4,775 against. Statewide, the measure passed. A chart of election result totals is included on page 4 of the Cassville Democrat. Turnout at the polls was a little bit higher than predicted. According to precinct reports, 12,147 of the county’s 18,270 voters made a trip to the polls — a 66 percent turnout. County Clerk Gary Youngblood said the voting percentage was actually more like 60 percent because there were at least 1,000 voters reactivated off of an “inactive list.” Voters are labeled “inactive” if they fail to vote in a presidential election.

— End-of-season visitation and tag sale stats released for Roaring River

Roaring River State Park ended its 1996 season with trout tag sales slightly lower than last year’s near-record year. Hatchery Superintendent Jerry Dean said there were 115,050 trout tags sold from March 1 to Oct. 31 of this year. That total is only 1,109 tags, or roughly 1 percent, less than last year’s tally, which set the park’s second-highest record in overall tag sales. The record year was in 1994 when 122,779 tags were sold. Following park trends, July of this year proved to attract the most anglers to the park, with 19,265 tags sold during the month. March was the next busiest, with 18,336 tags sold. A chart showing monthly tag sales over a four-year period accompanies this article. The hatchery staff is currently preparing for the “no-creel season,” which begins Nov. 8 and ends Feb. [text incomplete in original]. Overall visitation numbers at the park appear to be down, according to end-of-the-season statistics released by the park superintendent’s office. Total visitors at Roaring River decreased by about 5 percent this year. There were 678,654 visitors recorded in 1996, compared to 707,803 in 1995. The 1994 season appeared to be a record year for the park, with 778,815 total visitors. While total visitation appeared to decline, the number of camping permits sold in 1996 increased from 21,017 in 1995 to 24,672 in 1996. This rise in camping numbers could be attributed in part to the fact that several of the camping areas were closed last season due to the severe storm and floods that hit the park in the spring of 1995. A more in-depth article looking at trends at the park over the past five years will be printed in next week’s issue of the Cassville Democrat. Much of the information we have compiled was presented to the public at a meeting held Oct. 7. Landstad said 47 people attended the meeting, which he described as “very positive.”