50 years ago

March 10, 1976

— Court renovation bid in money; city plan on hold

Two federal and locally funded programs in Cassville were under bids received by the Barry County Court Friday. Included was a program of renovating the Circuit Courtroom of the courthouse and office expansion and remodeling of an existing city building for a neighborhood center, ambulance storage facility and offices. The courthouse program is being funded by the Missouri Council on Criminal Justice and the court in the amount of $24,000 each. Low bidder on the project was Lester Prewitt and Son of Exeter with a proposal of $35,170. Prewitt said he would begin work within 40 days with a 90-day completion schedule. A Springfield firm bid $37,344 and a Neosho contractor was high with $40,292. Included in the project will be adding offices for Prosecuting Attorney Dale Burke on the present balcony of the courtroom. A resulting shuffle of offices will see the Barry County Extension offices moved from the Post Office basement to the second floor of the courthouse. Taken under advisement was a Housing and Urban Development grant project of converting and adding to the city building on South Main. Available was $76,000 of federal funds minus overhead and engineering costs of about $3,500 each. Prewitt was again low bidder with $83,460 submitted on the base bid. George Ulmer, engineer, said the project remains about $14,701 short. Meeting with the engineer and court representatives, city officials called a meeting Thursday to determine if makeup funds would be available from revenue sharing and general revenue monies. On the bidding for conversion of the old Thomas Building, used for industrial, storage and firehouse purposes, three other contractors submitted proposals of $94,569, $96,977 and $114,902. Mayor Bill LeCompte said the feeling of council members present, W.C. Hailey and Gene Schlichtman, was that the project should be completed with the city making up the difference. He said a full council meeting would be necessary to make that decision. The conversion, bid at about $3,000 more than city plans several years ago, would also provide new Chamber of Commerce offices, offices for the fire department and ambulance service, a neighborhood center for special events and general exterior renovation. City officials said the Thursday 7:30 p.m. session would replace Tuesday’s regular scheduled meeting for which no quorum was available. Mayor LeCompte said this would permit ample time for review of finances to determine if funds were available to complete the project. Bidding was supervised by Miller-Newell and Associates of Cassville, engineers on the two projects.

— Two Cassville businesses in owner changes

Two Cassville businesses are involved in ownership changes this week. First announced was the sale of Hutchens Surge Dairy Service to Ron and Bob Vinson from Mr. and Mrs. Carol Hutchens. The second was Doug Samuel acquiring sole ownership of Sportsman’s Corner from former partner Allen Sparks. The Vinson brothers, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Vinson of Butterfield, have assumed operation of the business that includes a Barry County and northwest Arkansas franchise. Ron Vinson has been associated with the business a number of years. Bob Vinson has been in west Texas in the finance and insurance business. They will continue installation, service and supplies from the present location east of Cassville on Highway 248. Hutchens will devote full time to his dairy herd on a farm at Washburn Prairie. Samuel purchased his partner’s interest in the fishing and sporting goods business at the highway intersection in south Cassville late last week. Sparks has not announced future plans. Sportsman’s Corner was established by the partnership last summer in the German Building. Samuel said plans include expansion of product lines to include more complete sporting goods and installation of a live bait operation. In another business note for Cassville, the move of NaLani’s Fashions, managed by Mrs. Betty Patterson, is complete from the 800 block of Main to the 900 block.

40 years ago

March 12, 1986

— Alternate project might open 13th Street bridge

Cassville City Council got back into discussion of the 13th Street bridge over Fint Creek in a regular meeting Monday night, as pressure from residents of the northeast part of town continues in an effort to shorten the route traveled to downtown areas. Mayor Rolland Meador acknowledged council acceptance of one of two options proposed by a Kansas City engineering firm. Acting under a program of the Missouri Highway Department, engineer Bob Campbell of Harrington-Cortelyou Inc. gave a two-option verbal report on the possibility of reopening the bridge, which has been closed two weeks. Relayed to George Ulmer, city engineer, the plan adopted by the council will include stripping of the asphalt overlay from the bridge floor and reinforcement from both ends of the bridge. This would be followed by setting a 15 mph speed limit and a 6,000-pound vehicle limit. Doing the work, estimated to cost $2,000, gives no assurances of the firm issuing a safe crossing approval. After the work is completed, the firm would make more tests, including a load stress test, toward a final determination. Council intention, with all members present, was to continue efforts for new bridge construction. In the session, the decision was made by members Gary Fields, Sue Brattin, Bill Shiveley and Bob Mizer. City Clerk Jo Ledgerwood said a second alternate, estimated to cost $20,000, would have gone into the creek bed, providing additional foundations and beams extended to the bridge floor center span. Crews were expected to begin cutback of approaches this week, permitting removal of a four-inch asphalt base on the bridge floor. Ulmer estimated this could relieve the crossing of considerable weight as a temporary measure. Mayor Meador also restated the city’s intention to take part in the April 19-26 Missouri Beautification Association cleanup efforts. Southwest Sanitation, holder of waste contracts, will also take part and be assisted in some large hauls by city crews. In other action, bills payable amounted to $13,020.41. By ordinance, two property owners represented by James LeCompte had annexations approved, including Mr. and Mrs. Jim Craig and Mr. and Mrs. Owen Anglum, both residing in the East 13th Street area. Departmental reports were approved from Police Chief Ray Burnette and Water-Streets Superintendent Tim Miller. Complaints reviewed with no action taken involved water pressure at Schell Mobile Home Park by Donna Stephens and sewer problems relayed by Marvin Garrett. The city will begin a search for a new building inspector following the resignation of Henry Scroggs in February. In the unusually short two-hour session, citizens attending included three from Wildwood Estates concerned about the 13th Street bridge: Dr. John Ferris, Jerry Marple and Cheryl Hall.

— Extension funded; another closing

Barry County Extension Council efforts have raised about $9,000, assuring University of Missouri offices in Cassville will remain in full operation. That word was received this week from Mrs. Ruby Vincent of Jenkins, president of the advisory council. The council group went to work raising funds when Barry County cutbacks presented the possibility of regional officials eliminating specialist positions here. In other cutback information this week, Assessor Glen Nicoll said his first-floor office at the Barry County Courthouse is closed and the telephone number will no longer be in service. Nicoll said all business of his office will be handled in second-floor offices. Reductions in operation and personnel divisions resulted in the closing. There was no announcement of future use of the space. Mrs. Vincent said the Extension Office was not out of the woods completely and still needed contributions, which can be mailed to the office. Local staffers who will remain headquartered here include Emmett McCord, farm management; Tony Rickard, dairy; Mickey Belosi, foods and nutrition; Nancy England, 4-H educational assistant; and Kelly Horner, secretary. Private fundraising followed county reductions in budget items when sales tax propositions failed on two occasions. Barry County formerly contributed $24,000 to extension programs, cut to $10,000 this year. Mrs. Vincent said arrangements included making all specialists in the 10-county regional area available to this county.

30 years ago

March 6, 1996

— Roaring River anglers set new record for Friday opener

Fishing was as good as it ever has been at Roaring River, according to a string of veteran opening day anglers who caught their limit within the first 10 minutes after the opening gun was fired last Friday morning. Dave Fielder of Shell Knob and fishing pal Jim Stephens of Cassville were two of the 2,000-plus fishermen who purchased trout tags on March 1. Fielder said he caught his inaugural trout in the first three casts of the morning. Stephens and Fielder both admitted to using the lawn chair method of fishing this year. When the opening gun was fired at 6:30 a.m. by Secretary of State Rebecca Cook, there were 1,965 fishermen lined up along the banks of Roaring River. Many had braved pre-dawn temperatures in the teens to claim the perfect fishing spot. The number of trout tags sold rose with the temperature, setting a new Friday opening day record of 2,449 by the end of the day. That total surpassed last year’s trout tag total of 2,019 but fell below the park’s standing record of 3,504. J.D. Fletcher of Fletcher’s Float Service and Devil’s Dive Resort reports the fishing is improving. The crappie fishing is good, with most being caught with small jigs. Walleye are also being caught with small jigs. J.D. caught a five-pound walleye last week and a five-pound catfish off his boat dock. He has not seen any white bass yet, but black bass have been hitting rogues on the lake’s main body and points. Campbell Point Boat Dock reports fish are biting inside the lake’s points with standing cedar trees in 18 to 20 feet of water. Bass are being caught with jerk and crank baits. Tri-Lake Bait & Tackle in Kimberling City reports the water temperature is 42 degrees and the lake water is clear. Bass are biting Smithwick Rogues in 10 to 15 feet of water. Crappie are being caught around brush piles in 20 to 25 feet of water using live bait.

— C.C.C. member James Woods honored with first trout tag

Cassville man helped build Roaring River State Park in 1938 — James Woods’ earliest memories of Roaring River State Park include a lot of pick and shovel work. As a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Woods worked to build many of the park facilities visitors use today. Woods was honored last week for his early involvement at Roaring River by receiving the first trout tag of the 1996 season. The presentation was made by Jerry Dean, hatchery manager, and Leroy Heman, assistant chief of fisheries with the Missouri Department of Conservation. The recognition was fitting because Woods said he actually dug the trenches for the raceways where rainbow trout are raised. Woods first arrived in Cassville on Oct. 13, 1938, as a member of C.C.C. Co. 1713. “After graduating from high school I did not have a job or any prospects of getting one so I joined the C.C.C.,” said Woods, a native of Elsinore, Mo. Once he had settled into his barracks at what is now known as Camp Smokey, Woods was put to work in the rock quarry, located just west of the horse barn. Woods said all the rock used to build the park’s natural stone buildings came from the on-site quarry. After working in the quarry, Woods was placed on the work crew in charge of digging a water line trench from the Camp Smokey well to the shelter kitchen. He was also selected to work on the bath house, now the Nature Center. Woods’ final assignment at Roaring River was to serve as assistant educational advisor. In that capacity, Woods chronicled C.C.C. activities as editor of the monthly “Roaring River Ripple.” On Nov. 1, 1939, work at Roaring River was considered complete and Co. 1713 was moved to Laclede, where they established a memorial park in honor of General John J. Pershing. Woods remained in the C.C.C. until his two-year enlistment ended on June 1, 1940. During his one-year stint at Roaring River, Woods met his wife, Maude Laney, a native of Exeter. They were married on Aug. 2, 1939, while Woods was still stationed at the park. Woods’ ties to Roaring River were strong and eventually he and Maude moved back to Cassville in 1941. He worked for Bill Baker at the Farmers Exchange in Wheaton from 1942 to 1944, served in the Navy during World War II and eventually went into the insurance business. Woods loves to talk about his days in the C.C.C. and was honored to receive this year’s first trout tag. “Roaring River is almost like a home to me,” Woods said. “I met my wife here. I like the community, the people and everyone at the park.”