50 years ago

July 7, 1976

— Youth Livestock Show Events For July 24

The sixth annual Barry County Youth Livestock Show date has been set for Saturday, July 24. The annual event is sponsored jointly by the Cassville Chamber of Commerce, Barry County 4-H Clubs and Future Farmers of America chapters. With a total of $900 in premiums, judging will be in the Rotary Club’s Bill Hailey Arena, northwest of Cassville. Stock must be in pens by 6:30 p.m., with the show to begin at 7 p.m. Show officers will include Jerry Yarnall, Cassville, chairman; Greg Holmes, Wheaton, secretary; Kevin Butler, Wheaton, treasurer; and Michelle Morris, Cassville, reporter. Superintendents will include Larry Wallace, Southwest, swine; Mark Moller, Purdy, assistant swine; Greg Holmes, Wheaton, and David Horner, Cassville, beef; and Ricky Schmidt, Monett, and John Cowherd, Cassville, dairy. Judges for events will include Jim Kyle of Marionville, dairy, and Glen Cole, Choate, Okla., livestock. Dr. Eugene Miekley will be veterinarian in charge. Eligibility rules state, “Any boy or girl under 21 years of age residing, attending school or belonging to a 4-H club in Barry County can show.” In addition to the cash premiums awarded on the Danish point system, trophies and ribbons will be presented. Future Farmers chapter advisors scheduled to assist with show events include Leonard McGee, Purdy; Dennis Epperly, Cassville; Gene Courdin, Wheaton; and John Hobbs, Southwest of Washburn. Full show information and folders are available by contacting participating organizations or Roger Marcoot of the University of Missouri Extension Service, who is coordinating the Chamber of Commerce participation in the event.

— Policy, Coach And Playground Covered During R-4 Session

The Cassville Board of Education spent until midnight Tuesday covering review of school policy, hiring a head football coach and discussing playground improvements as the main points of an agenda. Superintendent Ronald Evans said the board would be back in session this coming Monday night, making three meetings in as many weeks. All six members — Charles Thompson, Herschel Stehlik, Freddie Evans, Ronald Stewart, Carroll Craig and Spiz Stephens — attended the session. Employed as head football coach for the coming year was Gary Flood, head of the junior high program at Carl Junction High School. Flood, a Kansas State University of Pittsburg graduate in 1969, has been with the Big 13 school since college graduation. He holds a master’s degree from there. He will also teach general science. The Flood family will be moving here in the near future. Mrs. Flood is a registered nurse, and they have one small daughter. His salary was set at $10,666.66. Flood has been in both the junior and senior high athletic departments at Carl Junction during his seven years there. Superintendent Evans said the board was considering a cooperative program of playground improvements through the Missouri National Guard. Principal Don Trotter is in touch with officials of the Pierce City unit regarding equipment from the National Guard accomplishing improvements in the east part of the campus. Reviews of policy handbook changes took a major part of the meeting, which included a brief executive session to discuss personnel. In other business, Laverne Hilburn was awarded a $450 contract for repair of the old gym and middle school roofs. Locks in buildings were ordered changed due to the number of keys available. The step was made for better building security. Superintendent Evans was allowed $750 and Trotter $200 in expenses involved in functions prior to their July 1 contract obligations.

40 years ago

July 9, 1986

— Past Due Bills, Taxes And High Weeds Council Target

Cassville City Council is adopting a tougher approach to past-due water bills, unpaid property taxes and high weeds. In session Tuesday night, the council took tough stands on eliminating the three problem areas in city government. All members of the council were on hand when Ralph Boggess, a resident of Oak Hill Estates, presented a petition calling for cleanup of problem areas in that section of town. There were 21 signers on the petition. Mayor Rolland Meador explained the city would begin a program Monday of mowing weeds and then attaching costs to tax bills. “Apparently we haven’t reached some folks who are not taking care of their property,” Meador said. Notices have been sent to troublesome areas, and council action received affirmative responses from aldermen Bob Mizer, Bill Shiveley, Sue Brattin and Gary Fields. Concerning past-due water bills, Meador said instructions had been issued that service would be discontinued in 60 days on unpaid bills. “Termination will be in relation to the ordinances, in 60 days, because the longer problems are permitted to go the worse they get,” Mayor Meador said. One bill before council for adjustment, which amounted to under $200 resulting from leaking lines, received no action by the council. Bud Reed had submitted the bill. In a water-related problem, Rainbow Motel had billed city government for $134 for stains, etc., resulting from water cut-off on a main inside city limits in the south part of town. When service was resumed, the outside-city-limits customer experienced residue in the lines. City crews said they understood all customers on the outside-city-limits line had been notified of the pending work. Council took no action on paying the bill. Collector of Revenue Opal Santee said Monday night she had been instructed by city attorney Don Cupps to prepare a back-tax list that will be published for sale later this month. The number of parcels and amount involved would be determined later. Council action included acceptance of an $800 bid from Brothers Tractor and Implement for purchase of a brush cutter. Also opened was a $5.85-per-foot bid from Pope Construction of Aurora for installing curb and guttering. The city pays $4 on the cost. Program availability is on a first-come, first-served basis while finances last. Clerk Jo Ledgerwood said the bills payable amounted to $1,629.

— 29 Street Projects In Cassville

Final decisions on Cassville’s street improvement program this summer have been reached, with work to begin on seven hot-mix overlay applications and 22 chip-and-seal projects in the near future. Hutchens Construction Co. of Cassville holds the $59,160 contract for completion. George Ulmer, consulting engineer, said the hot-mix overlay projects would consist of a 1.1-mile total. Approximately four miles of chip-and-seal applications will be included. According to Cassville City Council approval, hot-mix projects will include: Oak Hill Cemetery Road, from Seventh Street to end; East 12th from Mill to Fair; West 16th from Main to High; Partridge Drive from Highway Y to city limits; Gravel from West 14th to West 17th; Second Street from West to Sky; and High Street from Fifth to Seventh. The chip-and-seal projects currently in the program include: First Street and Old Exeter Road, repair of damaged area; West Eighth from Townsend to Sky; West Fifth from High to Sky; Oak from First to Eighth; Mountain from Third to Eighth; Sky from First to Eighth; East 18th from Main to Highway Y; High from Seventh to Eighth; Kenney Drive from Highway 37 to city limits; West 17th from Main to High; Ivy from 14th to 15th; Oak Hill, repair of damaged area; Luney Drive from 15th to end; High from 14th to 17th; Rosedale Drive from LaRay to Valley; Keith from LaRay to Valley; Kathy, County Road to County Road; 19th from Highway 37 to end; Southern Hills, repair of damaged area; West 12th from Main to Townsend; County Road, 14th to Highway 37; and West 13th from Main to Townsend. Last year street work amounted to a total of $133,753.01, including over $9,000 in engineering costs. This year the total project will run $63,892, including engineering. Street work currently on the schedule by the council consists of 48 percent of last year’s projects. Cutbacks were ordered due to water refunds resulting from court action last year. Council is using a greater percentage of sales tax revenue this year for general purposes.

30 years ago

July 3, 1996

— CHS grad was at Clinton’s side during memorial service

As millions of Americans watched President Clinton eulogize the 19 servicemen killed in last week’s bombing of a U.S. Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia, some viewers might have noticed the airman who escorted Clinton in and out of the memorial service held Sunday at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida. The man pictured at Clinton’s side was Chief Master Sgt. Troy A. Lowe, a 1968 graduate of Cassville High School and current senior enlisted advisor to the 33rd Fighter Wing based at Eglin. Lowe’s involvement in the memorial service was personal. He had previously served in Saudi Arabia as a member of the 33rd Fighter Wing’s 58th Squadron and knew 12 of the men who were killed in the bombing attack. These men were all members of his wing. Lowe said another 10 received critical injuries from the explosion. As senior enlisted advisor, it is Lowe’s job to serve as liaison between the enlisted men and the wing commander. All of the casualties from the 33rd were enlisted men, some of whom were Lowe’s good friends. “We’re a fairly small unit and because of that smallness we’re really close,” Lowe said. “That’s why it’s been pretty devastating. We’re a close, tight-knit organization. We rely on each other.” Lowe first heard about the tragedy while he was on leave in Tallahassee. He said he had spent most of the day last Tuesday getting his oldest son, Jeff, ready to attend college at Florida State in the fall. When he got to his hotel room that night, he turned on the television and heard a report on the bombing. Lowe said initially he didn’t realize his wing had fallen victim to the attack. It was in a later broadcast that Lowe saw a map and realized men from his wing were stationed near where the bomb exploded. He then called back to base and discovered that the bomb had “hit close.” “My first reaction was, ‘It could have been me,’” Lowe said. “All the men in our wing have served at some time in Saudi Arabia.” Lowe said he was in Saudi for a five-month deployment that began in January 1994. He said during the mission he lived in the high-rise next to the one that was bombed. During his stay in Saudi, he would run around the perimeter of the complex in the evenings, passing the bomb site each time. Once Lowe returned to Eglin from Tallahassee last Wednesday, he was immersed in a 24-hour operation that focused on accounting for all the men who were stationed in Saudi at the time of the bombing. Ironically, the group of 215 were due to end their deployment two days after the bomb attack. Lowe worked 18-hour days up until the memorial service on Sunday. One of his duties was to meet the planes arriving from Saudi. He said the main body of uninjured servicemen arrived back on the base Friday afternoon. Lowe said it was a “joyous, emotional” reunion. The wounded arrived home Saturday afternoon, followed by a plane carrying support crews that arrived early Sunday morning. Lowe also helped make sure the families of the deceased arrived safely and were taken care of “every hour of the day.” Lowe said initially he did not think he’d be involved with the president’s visit. “But because all the wounded and deceased were enlisted members, the White House staff wanted me to be involved.” Lowe’s primary function was to brief the president before he visited with each of the deceaseds’ families. Family members were taken to private rooms where the president visited with each family individually. “Before the president would go in to meet with the families, I would brief him,” Lowe said. “I brought the information about the deceased down to a personal level for the president. For instance, I would tell the president an airman’s nickname or what he did for the wing … any little thing that might be a comfort to the family and make the president more comfortable.” Lowe said the president was visibly shaken after talking with several of the families. “I felt it was a very difficult situation for him,” Lowe said. Following visits with the families, Lowe traveled in the president’s motorcade to the service, which was held in a flag-draped hangar on the base. Lowe walked behind the president to his seat and sat beside him during the service. Lowe said he was definitely moved by President Clinton’s 10-minute speech. “One thing the president said during his speech that really stuck with me was his reference to the wing’s nickname — The Nomads. The president said, ‘Our nomads have ceased their wandering. They’ve come home for the final time.’ I felt the words were appropriate.” Lowe said his wing has a long history of military accomplishments that date back to World War II. He said the 58th Squadron that was victimized by the bombing actually shot down more enemy planes than any other squadron during the Gulf War. Lowe also feels sure the wing’s mission and bravery will continue. “Our commitment and mission has not ended. Our goal is to get our people back and move on.” Lowe’s most difficult moment during the past week might have been when he stood up in front of his congregation as a newly ordained deacon Sunday night. He spoke about the difficulties his wing had faced and read each victim’s name. When asked how he made it through the heartache, Lowe said he was thankful the Lord was with him. “I don’t think I would have made it without Him.” Lowe’s military career spans 22 years. He joined the Air Force in February 1971 after being drafted upon his graduation from Crowder College. After completing basic training, Lowe was assigned to Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Kansas City. In September 1972, Lowe was sent to Vietnam and served there until the cease-fire agreement was signed. He finished his tour in Thailand. After Thailand, he was stationed at a string of different bases, including Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M. In 1978, Lowe separated from the Air Force and came back home to work for Barry Electric. After three years, Lowe went back on active duty and was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico and Bitburg Air Force Base in Germany. Lowe was in Germany until December 1986 when he was transferred to Eglin. He has been there ever since. Currently, Lowe, his wife, Linda (Lowder), and their two sons, Jeff, 21, and Eric, 16, live in Niceville, Fla., a small community located near the base. Lowe said Niceville reminds him a lot of Cassville. Lowe’s parents are J.B. Lowe and the late Nadine Lowe of Cassville. Linda’s parents are CMSgt. (Ret.) William T. and Rita Lowder of Butterfield.