Kyle Troutman

Kyle Troutman

City holds public hearings for 3 grants

The city of Cassville held three consecutive public hearings on Jan. 14, led by representatives of the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG) and necessary to procure funding for three potential projects in the city.

County budgets $6.67M for 2025

The Barry County Commission has approved the 2025 budget, which allows for up to $6.67 million in spending across all county offices and includes a pay raise for all county employees. Joyce Ennis, Barry County clerk, said the total proposed budget is $6,670,661, which includes estimated 2025 sales tax revenue of $6,012,401, plus $6,749,308.49 carried over from 2024.

Purdy Homecoming candidates named

Purdy High School will crown its 2025 Homecoming Queen and Mr. Tip-Off at a special coronation between the junior varsity and varsity boys basketball games on Jan. 31. The jjunior varsity contest versus Lockwood begins at 5:30 p.m. This year’s Homecoming theme is “Growing with the Eagles.”

Trout Tales, Jan. 15

While the boss was homebound due to last week’s snow, I was sent on assignment to find the best sledding hill in Barry County. Alas, I was distracted by this scene at the home of Adrian Reed in Purdy.

Kyle Troutman: Precipitating memories

“This is the most snow I’ve ever seen in my life!” That’s what my 9-year-old exclaimed Friday morning as we woke up to 5-and-ahalf inches of pristine, wet, heavy, perfect-forsnowmen- and-sledding snowfall. School had already been canceled the night before, and we took advantage of the call to sleep in a bit before bundling up and heading to the hill.