News

The Barry County Health Department will have a limited supply of Moderna vaccine for vaccinations on Tuesday and Wednesday. All Missouri residents aged 18 and older are eligible for the Modena COVID-19 vaccination. There is no cost to individuals receiving the vaccine. Residents must call 417-847-2114 to schedule an appointment...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has dropped into the single digits, and nearly 1-in-3 eligible persons has been vaccinated. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 3,106 (+6) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

The Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine for COVID-19 has been put on pause after people at multiple vaccination sites experienced adverse reactions. In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating unusual clots in six women that occurred 6-13 days after vaccination. ...

Tuesday’s election resolved numerous Barry County races, some by the slightest of margins, in a year with many unopposed races. Barry County tallied one of the lowest voter turnouts for April’s vote in recent years, mustering only 6.7 percent turnout or 1,483 votes. A lack of contests at the municipal level contributed to apathy among voters...

Purdy school board incumbents Ruben Henderson and Ken Terry retained their seats on the school board following the April 6 Municipal Election. Henderson, who has served three years on the board and will be beginning his second term, was the top vote-getter, earning 104 votes, or 41.27 percent...

A Purdy man was arrested on April 1 after an incident where he allegedly pointed a gun at his victim and barricaded himself in his home when police arrived. Kenneth White, 34, of Purdy, is charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest, third-degree domestic assault and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia...

Audrey Lowe and Allison Whitman were having a ball and looking fabulous at Purdy’s 2021 prom.

Comedy, deception, romance and a frustrated Ozark proprietor make the SKITS theatrical presentation “A Farce of Nature” an uproarious delight. From the play’s opening scene to the final curtain, the production aims to keep audiences totally entertained with tons of laughs delivered by a talented and creative group of community actors...

Keeping up with decor trends, the South Barry County Habitat for Humanity will host the first ever “Trash to Treasure” Event. This offers a chance for people to see new ideas and techniques for up-cycled and refurbished items, as well as sell and purchase decor and much more...

Hailey Mattingly, right, and Clayton Rose were named Exeter Prom Queen and King on Saturday.

Sui Pau flies into the arms of Jack Mitchell during a two-person dance stunt the duo attempted at Wheaton’s prom on Saturday.

Holly Sherfy, as Valerie, middle, with the help of Carlee Carroll, as Waiter, left, and Carter Samuel, as Volleny, right, looks over notes during the “Cafe Murder” play put on by the Cassville High School drama program Saturday night.

Clayton Montgomery celebrated his 103rd birthday with friends and family that he hasn’t seen in over a year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will host a Cassville Community Blood Drive on April 23 from 1-6 p.m. at St. Edward Catholic Church hall, located at 107 W. 17th St. in Cassville. Successful donors will receive a navy blue T-shirt that tells others how proud the donor is to be a “locally sourced” lifesaver. ...

A Cassville man was injured on Friday in a wreck at 9:35 a.m. on Farm Road 1110, one mile south of Cassville. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Ricky Kellner, 64, of Cassville, was riding a 2015 Harley-Davidson Sportster northbound when his bike ran off the roadway, overcorrected and overturned...

A Washburn man was injured Thursday in a wreck at 7:35 p.m. on Highway 37, one mile north of Washburn. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Gordon Austin, 66, of Washburn, was driving a 2009 Jeep Patriot northbound when his vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, overcorrected and overturned...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County remained at 12 active since two weeks ago, and only 17 new cases have been reported in that time frame. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 3,100 (+17) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

A local bondsman is offering his largest-ever cash reward for information on the whereabouts of an alleged drug trafficking fugitive that failed to appear for court in December 2020. Monica Cuske, 40, whose last known address is 401 Park St. in Joplin, is charged with second-degree drug trafficking, a class B felony, and had a bond of $25,000...

Purdy has a new superintendent taking the helm July 1 following the resignation of Mindi Gates, who will be returning to her hometown school in Cassville next year. Purdy School Board of Education President Todd Schallert introduced Travis Graham as the district’s 2021-2022 Superintendent at a special staff meeting on March 22...

There is a saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and the cliche was found to be true when a 104-year-old DeKalb County Standard Atlas was found in a donation box at the local South Barry County Habitat for Humanity. Tabetha Smith, vice president of Habitat for Humanity of South Barry County, said an older woman brought in a bunch of items to donate, many of them being books...

A local farmer, veteran, beloved family man and community member, will celebrate his 103rd birthday on Thursday surrounded by family and friends. Clayton Montgomery, born April 8, 1918, came into this world in the middle of the 1918 pandemic of the Spanish Flu, which infected more than a third of the worlds population...

The Cassville High School theater production class is ready to draw the community into a murder mystery, as “Cafe Murder” will be performed on Saturday at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Tickets will be sold for $5 for adults and $2 for Cassville school district students. Limited seating is available, and a treat will be provided to the audience...

An 18-year veteran of the Missouri State Highway Patrol is now the public information and education officer for the western district of Troop D. Samuel Carpenter, who began his PIO career with the department in Springfield in July 2019, started his career with the patrol in Newton and McDonald counties...

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting nominations for the Missouri Agriculture Awards. The MAA will honor five individuals that strive to innovate their farm or ranch, give back to their communities, or stand as a great example for future generations. Award categories include Missouri Farm Innovation, Missouri Agriculture Education Leader, Missouri Food Animal Veterinarian, Missouri Agriculture Volunteer and the Missouri Agriculture Communicator...

Whether it’s spring cleaning, yard sale season, or holiday haul outs, Barry County is preparing for citywide clean-up days and yard sales to hit this spring. Each city will vary on dates and rules. For more information people may contact their local city hall...

Children ages 6-8 wasted no time collecting eggs in the Wheaton Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday.

The Barry Electric Cooperation’s Annual Meeting has been scheduled for April 22. Registration and voting at the meeting will begin at noon, and the business session will be called to order at 1 p.m. Early registration and voting will run starting April 15 at the Barry Electric office, during regular business hours, and through April 22 at 10 a.m. Members who voted early will not be allowed to vote again at the Annual Meeting. Candidates on the ballot include: ...

A Lampe teenager died in a wreck at 3 a.m. on Sunday on Highway 37, one mile south of Purdy. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Jarett Crouthamel, 19, of Lampe, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado southbound when his vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned...

On April 9, all Missouri residents become eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. The Barry County Health Department has announced two new vaccination clinics. The drive-thru clinics are being held in Cassville on April 9 and 10 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents must register using the Missouri Vaccine Navigator website. All interested persons can register online at https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator private event code 76014 or by phone at 877-435-8411. Online registration is open 7 days a week...

Mercy Hospital Cassville is once again caring for inpatients after a fire in late February temporarily closed parts of the facility. “Our teams have been working diligently during the past month to ensure we could restore those inpatient services to our community,” said Valerie Davis, administrator for Mercy Hospital Cassville. “While our operating room and one inpatient room will remain closed for more repairs, reopening our eight other inpatient rooms is a huge accomplishment for us.”...

For the 11th consecutive month, sales tax revenue to local cities and governments grew in the face of COVID-19 pandemic travel reservations. However, the universality of rising local sales waned in the latest disbursements, as four of the seven cities showed lower receipts...

Step three in the 12-step program is to make the decision to turn one’s life and will oneself to the care of God, and Chelsey Keeney, of Washburn, tells a story of a different kind of hurt, habit and hangup than what one may expect from a member of Celebrate Recovery...

People that donate blood assume it goes on to help save a life, never knowing the true impact of their actions. But, blood donations in Barry County can help the local community, including neighbors, friends, co-workers and classmates, which is evident in the story of Breanna Saige, a 15-year-old Cassville sophomore...

Since 1989, Foreign Links Around the Globe (FLAG) has been opening doors to whole new worlds by placing exchange students with more than 5,000 host families. Heike Erwin, local FLAG coordinator, said host families are needed in the Barry County area more than ever. Erwin is from Germany and has lived in Washburn for 13 years...

Krysta Rawlings performs “Hello” by Evanescence during the Sweets and a Song Winter Show at Cassville High School Saturday.

In Recognition of the month of April as Public Health Month, the Barry County Health Department will have special offerings. An unofficial bacteriological testing on private well water will be $10. Samples must be collected and returned in a department provided water test kit during the week of April 5-7, Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. ...

City Park Road will be closed to through traffic today and Friday to allow the Barry County Health Department to conduct a drive-through vaccination event. The closures will begin at 7:30 a.m. each morning and end no later than 5 p.m. Recreational facilities at the park will be available for use, but patrons will need to park off-site and use the walking trails for access...

The Barry Electric Cooperative Board of Directors has announced the promotion of Jennifer McBroom to CEO/General Manager of the Co-op. McBroom is only the fifth manager in the 75-year history of Barry Electric Cooperative and was chosen after a nationwide search that yielded more than 50 applications. From that applicant pool, the board winnowed the choices down to a few to interview in person or via video conference...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has fallen again this week, down to 12, and 1-in-5 residents have received at least one dose of vaccine. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 3,083 (+11) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

A Cassville woman was injured on Wednesday in a wreck at 7:30 p.m. on Highway W, two miles east of Wheaton. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Morgan Autry, 38, of Van Buren, Ark., was driving a 2012 Kentworth T800 southbound when his vehicle traveled over the center line and struck a northbound 2005 Hyundai Elantra, being driven by Ben Sivertsen, 32, of Cassville...

A Purdy woman was injured on Monday in a wreck at 12:17 p.m. on Highway 37, approximately half a mile south of Butterfield. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Philip Richardson, 60, of Cape Fair was driving a 2008 Mitsubishi Raider southbound and his vehicle turned into the path of a northbound 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe, being driven by Kaylee Tichenor, 20, of Purdy...

Two people have been arrested and charged following an alleged shooting and the discovery of 300 grams, or 2/3 of a pound, of methamphetamine, as well as two firearms and $3,500 cash. Dale Silva, 36, of Cassville, is charged with first-degree assault (attempted murder), trafficking drugs, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. His fiancé, Britney Brown, 28, of Cassville, is charged with unlawful use of a weapon...

Purdy firefighters battled a residential fire from 4:30-7 p.m. on Friday, a blaze that destroyed the home on Farm Road 1080, south of Highway C. According to Purdy Fire Chief Nick Mercer, the fire was caused by cooking grease in the kitchen and quickly spread throughout the house. Mercer said initial...

Whether it be sports, band or clubs, the extra and co-curricular activities offered in high school can make a huge difference in a student’s life. Melanie Grossman, Cassville FBLA advisor, said the high school FBLA has been hosting the entire eighth grade for Entrepreneurship Day for over 20 years...

A Golden woman was arrested near Roaring River State Park on March 15 for possession of a controlled substance, picking up an additional felony charge on arrival at the Barry County jail for allegedly concealing a firearm in her private region when being booked...

Purdy schools may be reorganizing its basketball program to bring sixth grade athletes up to a more competitive level of play and free up resources to launch a junior high school baseball program. Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Brian Anton told the Purdy School board that the Missouri State High School Activities Association is considering a change that would allow the school the option of incorporating its sixth graders into the junior high basketball program...

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) testing scores have improved in the Wheaton elementary school. Jordan McFall, Wheaton elementary principal, believes this improvement is credited to new curriculum added this school year. “This is a Missouri approved assessment for Dyslexia screening,” she said. “DIBELS is our universal screener for our Response to Intervention (RTI) program and this is how we build our RTI groups.”...

Barry Electric Cooperative’s goBEC broadband fiber network teamed up with Greene County to invite people in for a broadband discussion on March 10. According to a press release from Barry Electric Cooperative, Greene County Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon has been appointed to the Broadband committee of the National Association of Counties (NACo) and is seeking to gain information that can be used by the Association to lobby Congress for more infrastructure investment in rural areas...

Mike Sutherland, Missouri State Parks director, was the guest speaker at the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet on Saturday.