News

The Cassville Democrat won its sixth consecutive Gold Cup in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, announce on Thursday. The most exciting individual award for the paper was winning first place in general excellence, arguably the toughest category, as each publication sends in three newspapers (one from March, one from November and one of choice) to be judged as one body of work...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County climbed in the last week, and the number of quarantines rose 77 percent. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 511 (+58) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

Southwest High School students have moved to remote learning today and Friday this week due to a staff shortage. Tosha Tilford, Southwest superintendent, said in an email to parents that there is no outbreak of COVID-19, rather, a shortage in a department necessary for school to be open for the students...

The Cassville Democrat and Cassville schools collaborated to recognize local grandparents, as Grandparents Day was on Sept. 13.

The community is welcoming a new auto shop to Cassville, whose owner is well-known and experienced. Michael Clifton, owner of Mike’s Auto Care, said although the business is already open to customers, the shop will host a Grand Opening on Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m...

The Exeter school district has been working toward a goal of new lighting for the softball fields, a project that is well on its way and expected to be completed in time for the upcoming season. Ernest Raney, Exeter superintendent, said he recently rented a trencher and trenched the outer perimeter of the field...

The city of Seligman is facing a common issue with its lagoon, and officials have faith that the treatment plan they decided on will not only work, but that it will add additional years of use onto the lagoon itself. Brian Nichols, Seligman city clerk, said it’s nothing that any other city hasn’t dealt with...

The Wheaton school community and staff saw a need in their district and took action. Jordan McFall, Wheaton elementary principal, and Tyler Willis, Wheaton high school principal, are heading a project that has been a year in the making. Willis said the district partnered with Care to Learn in Springfield to help the district meet the needs of its students in health, hunger and hygiene...

A Purdy teen was injured Thursday in a wreck at 8:02 a.m. at the intersection of Main Street and 18th Street in Cassville. According to Det. Danny Boyd, with the Cassville Police Department, a 17-year-old boy from Purdy was driving a 2004 Toyota Sienna mini van and making a left turn onto Main Street but did not see a 2005 Ford Escape, being driven by Savannah Lawrence, of Cassville, and struck the vehicle head-on...

Rural first responders having the proper rescue tools and training can be the difference between life and death for someone trapped in a grain bin. To help better equip the Purdy Fire Protection District, Corteva Agriscience and Pioneer Seed donated a grain rescue tube, auger and training on Sept. 10, as part of a community investment initiative...

Diskey the Wonder Dog delighted the crowd during Shakin’ in the Shell Saturday with multiple tricks involving frisbees.

The Central Crossing Fire Protection District was dispatched to a motor home that had exploded Saturday, with one patient thrown from the vehicle.

Dr. Lisa Roark, center, explains how patients will go through the check out process with representatives from the Department of Health and Senior Services Compliance Team during the inspection of the Cassville Dispensary, the only licensed medical marijuana sales facility in the bi-county area...

The Haven of the Ozarks, in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, is participating in Strut Your Mutt-a virtual fundraiser this year for animal shelters across the nation. Best Friends is the largest no-kill shelter in the country and is the founder of the national no-kill movement. ...

An Arkansas man died Sunday in a wreck at 2:30 p.m. on Highway 37 and Farm Road 2090 in the city of Purdy. According to a Missouri Stat Highway Patrol report, Robert Armfield, 55, of Rogers, Ark., was driving a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle southbound when a westbound 2019 Buick Envision, being driven by Dixie Henry, 56, of Purdy, failed to yield and struck the bike...

Another positive case of COVID-19 at Cassville Middle School has resulted in an additional 106 quarantines and the entire sixth-grade class being moved to virtual instruction. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said all sixth-grade students have been moved to Engagement Level 3, beginning Thursday, which calls for students to receive instruction online using Google Classroom. Teachers will use email, Zoom, Class Dojo and Remind to communicate with students and families...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County dropped in the last week, but the number of those quarantined as close contacts skyrocketed. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 453 (+38) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

Parents pockets will be a little heavier for the rest of this calendar year, as the USDA has extended its free breakfast and lunch program, and area schools are taking advantage. Children 18-and-under may eat breakfast and lunch for free at Monett, Cassville, Southwest, Exeter, Wheaton, Pierce City and possibly Purdy, likely through the end of 2020...

After more than 14 days of in-person schooling in Barry and Lawrence counties, the majority of districts have avoided having even a single school-related case of COVID-19 (coronavirus). As of Thursday, Exeter, Purdy, Wheaton, Verona and Pierce City had not seen any school-related cases. As of Monday, Cassville had four, Monett had seen five and Southwest had one...

A Washburn man is facing six felony charges relating to an alleged kidnapping and robbery at the Shoal Creek bridge on Sept. 6. Trenton Carrington, 19, of Washburn, is charged with first-degree robbery, three counts of first-degree kidnapping and two counts of first-degree assault...

Locals will be shakin’ their way to fun at the 16th annual Shakin’ in the Shell festival this weekend. On Friday from 5-10 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., people can enjoy everything from vendor booths to a Car Show and a Mutt Strutt. Twilia Harrison, Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce director, said it is a fun, free event with food, drinks a variety of vendors...

Across the nation in 2019, suicide claimed the lives of 47,000 people, and in the months of 2020 while the world has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide is a higher risk due to the isolation caused from quarantine. According to Katherine Setzer, program director at Senior Life Solutions with Mercy Hospital, older adults make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, however, they account for 18 percent of all suicide deaths...

In May 2020, Cassville kindergarten teacher Zabdi Salazar applied for a $2,500 Alumni Master’s Scholarship to WGU Missouri. The scholarship is open to WGU alums who are interested in pursuing a master’s degree. Salazar is pursuing a Master of Arts in English Language Learning (PreK-12) from WGU Missouri. She was virtually presented with the scholarship on Aug. 12 by WGU Strategic Partnerships Manager Jim Chandler...

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites veterans to fish for free on Saturday at Roaring River State Park’s Veterans’ Fishing Day event. At Veterans’ Fishing Day, which will be from 7 a.m.to 7:30 p.m., fishing is free for all veterans. There is no license or daily tag fee. All veterans can pick up their free daily trout tag at the park store on Sept. 18, or any time during the event on Sept. 19. During this event, the entire park will be open to free fishing for veterans...

Bryan Jones, of Pea Ridge, Ark., Zack Bryson, of Harrison, Ark., and Ryder Schell, of Cassville, dukes it out in the bone compacts division of the Demolition Derby Saturday.

Patty Carter, from Bella Vista, Ark., brought the Christmas spirit to the Purdy Craft and Vendor Fair on Saturday with her holiday booth.

Due to the social distancing and the COVID-19 regulations, the Jenkins Fire Department will have a Drive Thru Fish Fry this year on Oct. 3. The menu will remain the same. More details will be released closer to the day of the event. The Barry County Republican Club will hold it’s monthly meeting on Sept. 24 at the Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett at 6:30 p.m...

The Barry County Health Department has announced two more COVID-19-related deaths in the county, bringing the total to six. A 79-year-old male patient has died of COVID-related complications, and a 69-year-old man died of what is believed to be COVID-related complications, though the final cause of death has not been received from the State of Missouri...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases and the positive test rate in Barry County both climbed in the last week. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 415 (+43) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

The Barry County Health Department is announcing a person employed at Taco Bell in Monett has tested positive for COVID-19, and an additional case at Angus Branch Restaurant is a presumed positive. Both cases are associated and may be the result of recent travel. Both people are in isolation, and close contacts are being identified, and when appropriate, ordered to quarantine...

A third school-related positive case of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has been reported at Cassville schools, this time having a smaller effect on the district. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said the district learned on Tuesday a district employee tested positive, and after working with the Barry County Health Department for contact tracing, determined only one student was required to quarantine...

Two people were injured Wednesday in a wreck at 6:15 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 37 and Highway W. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Myranda Cline, 25, of Seligman, was driving a 2007 Jeep Commander northbound when her vehicle failed to yield and turned left into the path of a southbound 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, being driven by Erik Roller, 35, of Monett...

The Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently voted to continue with the tradition of its top festival, the Chili & Salsa Cook-Off, set for Oct. 24, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. While the fall festival will continue, the venue has changed, and this year’s event has been themed, “Chili and Salsa Cook-Off: The Great Outdoors.”...

Since its approval in January, the Cassville Dispensary has been making headway on the local storefront to be prepared to open as soon as possible. Charlea Estes-Jones, Cassville Dispensary assistant manager, said when all of the other pieces fall into place, the dispensary will be ready to open...

A patron of the Purdy School District recently approached the board asking they allow students the option to decide if they wanted to wear masks while on campus or not. Terry Billingsley, who, along with his wife, a microbiologist, researched the effectiveness of cloth masking, reported CDC statistics concerning the effectiveness of cloth masks...

The start of the school year is a big deal, from kindergarten to senior year, but there is still a lot of celebrating to do for the local college students who also started school this fall on Aug. 17. Angela Seymour, director of Crowder Cassville campus, said there is a large number of students taking online where possible...

For six fall seasons, Julie Terry has hosted a fall-filled Craft and Vendor Show in Purdy for all the community to enjoy. Last year, the show consisted of 82 booths and beautiful weather that doubled the participation from the year before. “If my weather app is correct, it should be 75 degrees and no rain [this year],” she said. “So, it will be perfect.”...

A Springfield man died Friday in a wreck at 6:05 p.m. on Farm Road 2175, about five miles west of Exeter. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Cody Selders, 25, of Springfield, was driving a 2002 Ford F-150 westbound when his vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned...

Rachael Mitchell, of Bentonville, Ark., picks out a pumpkin from the array of the fall vegetables pulled from the path at the Exeter Corn Maze.

A father and son duo race to win a stuffed animal at the carnival on Friday.

The Southwest Missouri Waste Management District N will hold its monthly Executive Board Meeting at 11:50 a.m. on Tuesday at Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett. This meeting is open to the public. A teleconference number will also be available for this meeting. People may contact the District office at 417-236-9012 or 417-342-6306 prior to the day of the meeting for the call-in number and passcode...

About 20 Cassville Middle School students have been quarantined after a student at the campus tested positive for COVID-19. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said the positive result was received on Aug. 29. “We also know of at least six children who are quarantined as a result of another incident involving siblings and a daycare,” Asbill said. “In total, there are about 10 students in quarantine for non-school-related reasons.”...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases fell in the last week, but still remains above 40, and with six hospitalized. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 372 (+36) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

From preschool to twelfth grade, 1,903 Cassville students grabbed art boxes, backpacks and masks in preparation for the first day of school on Aug. 25. The 2020-2021 school year first-day enrollment numbers are down by 18 students from the year before, and of the 1,828 students in K-12, 60 students are utilizing a fully virtual option...

The annual ritual of picking out the first-day outfit, organizing binders and backpacks and mentally preparing to have a great and successful school year took place across Barry County last week as students, parents and staff members came together for the first day of school.

An 11-year-old boy in Cassville, along side his family, is the topic of a heavily circulated social media outreach and fundraiser called Kyle’s Care. Kyle Berry, a vibrant 11-year-old Cassville fifth-grade student and Mighty Mite player, was born with Spina Bifida...

A Cassville man was arrested Saturday morning and faces two felonies after meth was allegedly found in the stolen vehicle he was driving. Christopher Rawlings, 32, of Cassville, is charged with tampering with a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor driving while revoked...

In the 1990s, a 550-foot sewer line was put in to service six homes in a particular area of Seligman, and now, the line has resurfaced and has the city asking more than one question. According to Brian Nichols, Seligman city clerk, there is no evidence to support the theory that the city put in the sewer line...

Max Lyall, 5, of Cassville, drops down an inflatable slide Saturday at the Wheaton BBQ.

Brenda Whitten and Blair Gray, Camp Barnabas staff members, gave a thumbs up to Barnabas day camp at the Springfield public school.