Stories from Wednesday, May 30, 2012

With summer quickly approaching, many parents are concerned about swimming safety for their children. The American Red Cross has provided many outlets to avoid aquatics danger and still have fun swimming throughout the summer months. Individuals at the highest statistical risk of drowning are toddlers under five and young adults from the ages of 15 to 24. Children under five most often drown in home pools...

The Cassville seventh and eighth grade girls will hold their middle school volleyball camp on June 12 through June 14 in the Cassville Middle School gymnasium from 10 a.m. until noon. All girls interested in participating in the upcoming 2012-13 volleyball season should plan to attend. Bring knee pads and water...

The Monett WaterThrashers are ready for another exciting summer of competition. "Our theme this year is "Splashes of Success Fill a Team with Greatness," said WaterThrashers coach Christin Janssen. "Our goal as coaches is to teach the swimmers that in swimming, as well as in life, it is the little splashes they make that will contribute to individual success and also our strength as a team...

On a weekend in Jefferson City where the weather drew almost as much attention as the runs, jumps and throws, Cassville's Cody Frana shrugged off the heat and turned in two All-State performances. Frana barely survived the preliminaries of the 110-meter high hurdles on Friday, then snagged a medal with his eighth place 15.39 on Saturday. Later on Saturday afternoon, he raced to fifth place in the 300-meter hurdles, clocking 39.53...

The Class 3, District 12 All-District baseball team has been announced. Three Cassville Wildcats were named to the first team. Two Wildcats and two members of the Monett Cubs were named to the second team. Trey Rose and Ricky Nichols were unanimous selections to the first team...

With afternoon temperatures forecast in the mid to upper 90s for both the Friday and Saturday sessions of the Class 3 and 4 Track and Field Championships in Jefferson City, coaches and parents of athletes competing in the distance events were furious over MSHSAA's refusal to reschedule those events at a time when heat-related illness would be less likely to occur...

Cassville senior football players Ricky Nichols, Trey Rose, Justin Pflug, Josh Lannum and Garrett Barnes have been selected to participate in the 11th annual Sertoma Grin Iron Classic, Friday, June 1, at JFK Stadium at Parkview High School in Springfield...

Maxine Perdue Hall, 92, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, May 23, 2012, at Cassville Health Care and Rehab. She was born Oct. 16, 1919, in Osage, Ark., the daughter of Charles Marion and Nettie Cora (Foster) Perdue. On April 22, 1940, in Cassville, she was united in marriage to Lavanis Wilburn Hall, who preceded her in death on Feb. 4, 2000. Also preceding her in death were her parents, one brother and five sisters...

Thelma Stephens 87, of Washburn, passed away Monday, May 28, 2012, in Ashley Health Care in Rogers, Ark. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at the White Funeral Home in Cassville, with Rev. Jerry Yarnall officiating. Burial will follow at Washburn Prairie Cemetery...

Louis Gillespie, 79 of Rocky Comfort, will be held on 1 p.m. Friday at White Funeral Home in Cassville with burial to follow at Rocky Comfort Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. A complete obituary will appear in next week's paper...

Richard Allen Erwin, 48, of Washburn, passed away Monday, May 21, 2012, in his home. He was born in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 16, 1963, the son of Floyd and Rosemary (Painter) Erwin. He was united in marriage on March 1, 2003, at Monett, to Jamie Arnold, who survives...

Lee M. Wilson, 71, of Exeter, passed away Monday, May 28, 2012, in his home. He was born March 4, 1941, in St. James, the son of Brian David and Jessie Elizabeth (Randolph) Wilson, who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were seven brothers and six sisters...

James "Jim" Killman, 76, of Rogers, Ark., passed away Sunday, May 27, 2012, in Circle of Life Hospice, Springdale, Ark. He was born April 8, 1936, in Blue Eye, the son of Louis Madison and Ella Mae (Powell) Killman. On Dec. 19, 1959, in Butterfield, he was united in marriage to Lenora Marie Terry, who survives...

Gerald "Jerry" Winfred Hartin, 49, of Washburn, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2012, in Mercy Hospital, Cassville. He was born in Kansas City, on July 24, 1962, the son of Raymond Clanton and Catherine Ruth (Pilant) Hartin. In 1982, in Bamberg, Germany, he was united in marriage to Sabina Hügerich and to this union one daughter, Charmaine Hartin was born...

Lola June Thomas, 71, of Purdy, passed away Saturday, May 19, 2012, in her home. She was born May 5, 1941, in Orient, Iowa, the daughter of Lloyd and Villa (Galbreath) Brown. She was united in marriage to James Thomas, who preceded her in death in 1976. Also preceding her in death were her parents; one brother, Rex Brown; and one sister, Treva Ulmer...

Donna Irene "Doney" Smiley, 91, of Shell Knob, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2012, at Red Rose Health and Rehabilitation Center, Cassville. She was born in Shell Knob, Aug. 28, 1920, the daughter of John F. and Nila O. (Skinner) Plummer. She was united in marriage on March 10, 1939, in Cassville, to Thomas L. Smiley, Sr., who preceded her in death in 1989. She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Barbara Moore; two sons, Thomas, Jr. and Leon; her parents; two brothers; and two sisters...

Cassville Intermediate School students participated in the Presidential Fitness Challenge test in March and April. The Presidential Fitness Challenge helps motivate children to have active lifestyles and is a tool to help students set fitness goals...

SUPPORT GROUP: The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group of Cassville meets at 8 p.m. at 1308 Harold St. in Cassville. For more information, call 846-4044. SUPPORT GROUP: Anyone who is concerned about a friend's or loved one's drinking is invited to attend the Cassville Al-Anon Family Group, which meets at 8 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Cassville...

Monett's second annual Strawberry Festival will be held June 1 through June 2 on Broadway and adjacent streets. The big downtown event will feature more attractions and a full list of entertainment. The Southern Fun Carnival has been added to the festivities, said Shaun Bennett, festival co-chairman with Donna Hammond. The carnival will set up in Fifth Street, between Broadway and Front streets...

The Seligman Chamber of Commerce will host its third annual car show and swap meet on Saturday, June 9 at Ruby's Event Park, located on South Highway 37 in Seligman. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The event features a live DJ, games and prizes. First place winner will receive $300, second place will receive $100 and third place will receive $50. ...

The American Red Cross has announced the "Ready Rating" program on their website. The program helps the public rate preparedness for many emergencies and disasters. "Ready Rating" provides specific steps for schools, businesses and other organizations to become more prepared for unseen disasters. Over 1,300 organizations and businesses are already participating in the "Ready Rating" program, and almost 450 schools have become "Ready Rating" members...

President Barack Obama praised the resilience of Joplin residents and the volunteers who stood by them during commencement exercises for Joplin High School's Class of 2012. Graduation ceremonies were held on May 21 at the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) campus, on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the May 22, 2011, tornado that hit Joplin...

On May 23, the United States Postal Service (USPS) completed a project in Cassville that many of us have longed to see for many years. The drive-up drop box, which was formerly located at the northwest intersection of the downtown square, has been relocated to the back side of the Cassville Post Office. It might seem like a small change, but the relocation of the drop box will greatly benefit our community...

Families that have been meaning to put together disaster supplies and a household disaster plan but haven't gotten around to it, should not put off getting started any longer. An individual might be surprised by how much progress they can make in just a couple hours...

The Barry County Sheriff's Office received 232 calls for service from May 14 through May 20. The following reports were filed for that time period: Cassville: two incidents of driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana, an informational report, an animal bite and a missing person...

A Shell Knob man was injured in a Memorial Day crash that occurred at 7:50 a.m. on Highway 39 about two miles south of Viola. The crash occurred when the driver of a 2010 Ford Focus, Vernon T. Bowman, 54, of Shell Knob, crossed the centerline and struck a 2003 Dodge pickup truck, driven by Hannah R. Brobston, 22, of Cassville...

The Barry County OACAC Neighborhood Center will accept registrations for the 2012 School Readiness Fair beginning Monday, June 4. Registrations can be completed at the Neighborhood Center on Highway 248 in Cassville through Friday, July 6. Families must provide Social Security cards for each member of the household to register for the fair. To make an appointment to complete registration, call the Neighborhood Center at 847-2140...

Educators work to make students successful in life

The Barry County OACAC Neighborhood Center is looking for local artists who are interested in sharing their talents with individuals who attend the first annual senior fair at the Crowder College Cassville Campus Community Center on Sept. 14. "We are looking for seniors and other individuals interested in sharing their talents with seniors," said Gail Reed, Barry County OACAC director. "We are also looking for acoustical musicians interested in performing during the fair."...

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program presented the City of Butterfield with a certificate on May 22, commemorating the community's commitment to make water and wastewater system upgrades. The city has received approval for a $378,000 loan and a $572,000 grant to drill a new well and replace and upgrade the existing distribution system. Funds can also be used for street repairs where lines are replaced or repaired...

The 2012 Memorial Day weekend was one of the best three-day holiday weekends in years, according to area marina owners. Roaring River State Park also saw an increase in attendance this year. "It was a very good weekend," said Gene Stimble, Campbell Point Marina owner. "The weather turned out great, and everybody came out to have a good time."...

During the regular meeting of the Wheaton R-3 School District's Board of Education in May, members discussed raising the district's tax levy to meet the growing financial needs of school operations. The board discussed several long range planning matters based on information provided by the district's municipal bond underwriter, L.J. Hart and Company, of St. Louis...