News

Cody Epperly, right, gave a high five to incoming first-grader Charles Epperly before Drake Thomas, left, escorted him to his first day of class.

Internet, phone and TV services provided by goBEC were disrupted on Aug. 14, and the company has narrowed down the issue and found a fix. Mark Aeilts, CEO/general manager of goBEC and Barry Electric, said the issue was with equipment failing in goBEC headquarters...

Students eagerly joined their teachers in classrooms last week, and the 2019-2020 school year started up in full swing. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said last year, the district saw an increase of 115 students from the year before with 1,928 students preschool-twelfth graders...

Fall is around the corner, and soon, pumpkins will be on every porch, hoodies will come out of the closet and the Exeter Corn Maze will be opened for the season. Robyn Cole, owner of the Exeter Corn Maze, said the maze will be opened on Sept. 7 and the season will last until Nov. 3...

A look into the past brought two families back together to reexamine an incident that happened 30 years ago. In an amazing story that involves an explosion, a family friend passing away, the result is to notify the public to consider organ donation...

**Food and refreshments were available, as well as live entertainment at The Depot Auto Show on Saturday.

The Cassville school district has changed up kindergarten a bit this year by doing away with nap time. Catherine Weaver, Cassville Primary School principal, said there was a discussion about the topic with the kindergarten teachers before school started...

Backpacks, check; art supplies, check; successful school year, well, the Barry County school districts plan to spend the next nine months checking that. Tosha Tilford, Southwest superintendent, said school resumed on Aug. 8, for the 2019-2020 school year...

With hundreds of children and families fishing all day on Saturday at Roaring River State Park for Kids’ Fishing Day, the fishing holes have to be replenished with fish.

The Exeter Corn Maze will be hosting the Around the Patch 3K Walk or Run for Autism on Sept. 7 at 4 p.m. and all of the proceeds will go to the Barry-Lawrence County Development Center, Inc. Robyn Cole and her husband own the Exeter Corn Maze, and Cole said they had hosted an event like this a few years ago to raise funds for a local girl, Blazi Lowe, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumor...

The Purdy City Council moved ahead with street improvements and approved the city's annual property tax levy during its regular August meeting. Blevins Asphalt won the bid for street improvements totaling $132,122. Work included resurfacing Washington from Fourth Street, Commercial Street to Jefferson, Mitchell and Archibald streets, and a parking lot in front of city hall...

Fohn Funeral Homes has invested back into the community in order to promote the saving of lives. “We recognized a very unique opportunity to assist our local first responders through an ingenious marketing initiative that could help save lives,” a release said...

The city of Seligman faced some issues with water line breaks on Aug. 9, as three breaks occurred in one day resulting in thousands of gallons of water lost. Brian Nichols, Seligman city clerk, said all three breaks were a result of people not contacting the state before digging or other projects...

Seligman Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Medicare American Senior Seminar on Sept. 12, starting at 6:30 p.m. This seminar is to inform those that attend about changes in Medicare for 202. This is a free seminar. They will also discuss changes in Medicare Part D plans. ...

Internet, phone and TV services provided by goBEC were disrupted Wednesday and are intermittent today after damage was sustained to a fiber line that feeds the goBEC system. Mark Aeilts, CEO/general manager of goBEC and Barry Electric, said after Wednesday’s damage to the main fiber line north of the goBEC service area. ...

Nikki Allen, family friend of Jeff Reed, said the Roping and Auction Benefit for Reed was a huge success. “I would say with a rough estimate that more than $40,000 was raised on Sunday,” she said. “The raffle and auction brought in about $38,000, the quilt tickets made about $3,600 and the roping event and concession stand brought in a lot too.”...

Eleven people attended the Cassville City Council meeting Monday with a request — enact a leash law in the city. The group was led by Nadiene Davis, mother of Kristie Preddy. Preddy is a counselor at Eunice Thomas Elementary School, who attended the meeting with two broken arms and more than 25 bites...

The city of Cassville set a schedule for street repairs in the spring in hopes of the project being completed by the end of summer, although there were a few complications and small changes made. David Brock, Cassville public works director, said Cassville has completed 64 percent of the expected resurfacing for 2019, with current expenditures of around $58,000...

The Cassville FFA Booster Club has been busy the last month hosting its second annual Ranch Rodeo Series, and the big finale is scheduled for Aug. 31 at the Bill Hailey Arena. Jennifer Privett, Cassville FFA Booster Club president, said there was originally five events in the series planned, but the fourth was taken out due to some malfunction...

Friendship can be formed through a number of events, and some of the most long-lasting relationships are formed by people who need someone close by that understands exactly what the other is going through. Shelby Sleeth and April Thomas grew up in Exeter and graduated from Exeter High School one year apart, in 2010 and 2011, respectively. ...

Staples of a small town include everyone knowing everyone, being close friends with everyone in your class and people coming together for local events. Kenneth Phillips, organizer and host of the first ever Exeter auto show The Depot, said the event will be held on Front Street in Exeter on Saturday from 3-6 p.m...

The Missouri Department of Conservation and The Department of Natural Resources proudly present Kids’ Fishing Day and Nature Festival on Aug. 17 at Roaring River State Park. Young anglers will have opportunities to catch fish, connect with nature and have fun participating in the many activities offered to parents and children. At 5 pm, a large drawing will be held, and many prizes will be given away...

The class schedule for Kids’ Fishing Day on Saturday has been released. After attending three classes, children may register their names for the large drawing to be held at 5 p.m. Children must be present to win. Only one entry per child is allowed. Classes are open to the whole family, but only children may enter the drawing. Parents may enter the parent prize drawing at the check-in table...

Rehearsals will begin Tuesday for the 40th season of the Ozark Festival Orchestra in Monett. Players from across the area are welcome to join in performances. Music Director Todd Borgmann has announced a schedule that will honor the milestone in the orchestra's history...

The first day of school at Purdy is a family affair.

Rozalynn Lingo, left, surveyed second-grade teacher Sarah Sandoval’s class Monday at the Stop, Drop and Go event, deciding where she wanted to sit.

After the Cassville Senior Center demolished the old walk-in freezer and refrigerator, staff realized there were some issues with the foundation the new set would sit on, so they hired Superior Metal to come in and fix the issue in plenty of time to get the new set installed...

On Saturday, the Cassville Boy Scout Troop No. 76 braved the heat to earn their cooking badges. In a farewell to summer, the members cooked a meal for their parents at the American Legion.

Barry County Chief Deputy Leonard Collins will retire on Aug. 31 after 30 years in law enforcement with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office and Cassville Police Department. A reception will be held in the commissioner’s room at the Barry County Courthouse on Aug. 28 from 2-4 p.m. Cake and punch will be served...

Two people were injured Monday in a wreck at 12:40 p.m. on Sans Souci Drive, five miles south of Shell Knob. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Darlene Jarratt, 61, of Shell Knob, was driving a 2005 Nissan Titan northbound when her vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree...

The Wheaton Fire Protection District hosts a Community BBQ every August for the last 61 years, and people come from all over to be a part of it. Lindy Lombard, Wheaton Rural Fire Department fire chief, said it is a great time for people to come together and just have a good time...

The 7th Street bridge has been troublesome since it was damaged in the December 2015 flood, as the bridge was repaired at that time, but excessive rains in June 2017 led to the bridge being torn down and closed. In January, the city realized the project would cost more than the $198,329.15 originally expected and was still waiting on confirmation from FEMA and SEMA regarding reimbursement. ...

The Cassville Senior Center has been on the hunt for funds to purchase a new walk-in freezer and refrigerator, and with donations collected, the new appliance will be delivered and installed this week. Kristina Atwood, Cassville Senior Center administrator, said the center had started fundraising the last week in April...

A change in the law that says school districts in Missouri will have to adjust their first day of school beginning next year has some impact on a local level. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said these changes will take affect for the 2020-2021 school year...

Not many people live their whole lives within a few miles of where they were born, but 96-year-old Wheaton resident Floyd Hughes, born July 19, 1923, is an exception. Hughes, who has lived in or near Wheaton except for the three years he spent in Europe with the U.S. Army, said he and his wife used to own a little drug store in Wheaton, which they bought in 1949 and ran for 29 years...

Gov. Mike Parson announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has agreed to the state’s request to provide federal assistance to local governments and nonprofits in 68 counties recovering from flooding and severe storms between April 29 and July 5...

The Cassville band is heard in town throughout the school year at shows, games and even while practicing, and the directors have developed an approach that is keeping the band members in control of their class. Two days of camp for color guard began July 22, and there were Monday through Friday practices for the percussion and three days for wind instruments. ...

The city of Seligman had been without a planning and zoning committee for three years, and now it has developed a new board. Brian Nichols, Seligman city clerk, said there has to be at least seven people on the board, including one alderman. “The first meeting was held on July 15,” he said. “We currently have 10 members, and we can have up to 15 total on the board.”...

Camp Barnabas aims to provide each child with camp memories.

About 235 local children went to the Back To School Fair through OACAC on Saturday and received backpacks, school supplies and more to prepare them for the coming school year.

The Cassville high school band decided it wanted to enter into four competitions this school year instead of three, so the band members organized a car wash together to raise funds.

Wheaton Schools will start classes on Aug. 13. Open House will be Aug. 12 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Junior high and high school will be able to pick up Chromebooks at this time. The Barry County Commissioners will be taking bids for chairs, office furniture and miscellaneous items. ...

The Cassville school district has been working over the summer to start and finish a number of renovations, all a part of the Vision 150 $4 million bond issue, and coming up on the list is a new intercom and alarm system. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said it really depends on how people define it, but when talking about a traditional view of an intercom system, there are a few key parts...

The goBEC fiberoptic project is more than a year ahead of its original completion date and is making leaps in numbers of subscribers. Mark Aeilts, goBEC and Barry Electric Cooperative general manager, said there are currently 2,700 subscribers for goBEC, which is 1,000 new subscribers in a little less than a year...

After two months of gains over 2018 numbers and a month of near even receipts, bi-county cities and counties saw a sharp drop in sales tax receipts in July. The seven Barry County cities collecting sales tax took in $682,865.06, a drop of 8 percent from last July, where three smaller towns captured all the gains...

The city of Cassville has heard the complaints about the City Park restrooms, and with other projects for 2019 coming in under budget, officials are looking into doing something about them. David Brock, Cassville public works director, said the Cassville City Council authorized a contract with an architectural firm out of Joplin, PLJBD Architects Inc...

When potty training a child, parents come across a number of obstacles, including finding a way to dispose of the mess once a potty chair has been used. Stacy Hall, co-inventor and co-owner of Potty Safe, said she and her husband Colt, both of Exeter, came up with the idea when potty training their daughter, and they have now turned it into a business...

Summer is a time for playing in the sun and water, but it is important to remind children there is fun in reading too. Verna Fry, youth services director at the Cassville Branch Library, said the summer reading club is something the library does every year...

With the school year quickly approaching, local school districts hope to inform residents of part-time student requirements and participation. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said for Cassville, a parent can choose to have a students attend part-time...

To wrap up the summer reading club through the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library, the Fishing’ Magicians came in to perform some magic tricks for the children on Thursday.