Stories from Wednesday, April 17, 2013

By Lisa Schlichtman Last night (Tuesday, April 16), the Cassville R-4 School Board voted to accept the resignation of Cassville Middle School Principal Terry Jamieson. Jamieson is leaving the district after 13 years to accept the athletic director's position at Ozark High School, a Class 5 school. He will take on his new role this summer...

The Cassville Middle School boys' track team competed at Ozark on April 4 and Aurora on April 9 track meets. The eighth grade boys won first place at Ozark and finished second at Aurora. Results for Cassville are as follows. Ozark Seventh grade Third place...

Winners have been announced in the first DARE Buddy Bass Tournament to benefit the Barry County DARE program. The tournament was held on Saturday, April 6, at the Cape Fair Marina. Taking home first place in the fundraising event were Bobby Whittier and Gary Willis, with five bass, with the biggest weighing in at 5.48 pounds. The duo brought in a total of 18.26 pounds. He took home the grand prize of $700...

The Cassville Wildcats basketball team will host a three-on-three basketball tournament on May 25 at Cassville High School and Middle School. The tournament will feature four divisions (fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth grade, high school and adult). Each team entry will be guaranteed three games. T-shirts will be given to all participants and trophies awarded to the winning teams...

Photo courtesy of Purdy High School Purdy High School had two softball players named to the academic All-State team. Pictured above, from left, are: Jayse Henderson, and Mattie White and Purdy softball coach Stephanie Ray. The Missouri State Fast-Pitch Softball Coaches Association recognizes student athletes and teams for their academic success in the classroom by awarding an Academic All-State award to both teams and individual student athletes. ...

Twenty-two schools attended the Hillbilly Relays in Pierce City on April 9 to compete for area bragging rights. Pierce City took top honors in the girls' division, scoring 89 points. Ash Grove was second with 87 points, and Lamar took third, tallying 81 points...

It was during a summer practice that the idea of playing college basketball first took root for Purdy's Katie Hughes. "After one of our summer sessions, Coach (Eli) Ernst told me more than one player on this team would play college basketball," said Hughes...

Democrat Photo/Melonie Roberts Taking the helm as Barry County public administrator in January, Pam Modlin is settling into the new role well. "I find my clients fascinating," Modlin said. "They all have stories to tell." As public administrator, Modlin makes sure her court-appointed clients have what they need. ...

Photo by Jared Lankford A former entertainment venue south of Purdy, that in recent years had served as a bar, burned in a fire reported around 5 a.m. on April 2. According to Purdy Fire Chief Mike Redshaw, around 35 firefighters from Purdy, Butterfield, Wheaton, Cassville and both the Monett city and rural departments responded. ...

Dr. Russ Brock, superintendent of the Gasconade County R-2 School District in Owensville, the former assistant superintendent for the Monett R-1 School District, was among eight Missouri administrators nominated this year for the prestigious Robert L. Pearce Award. The Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) presents the award annually. Brock is the son of Ira Jay and Dottie Brock, of Cassville...

Submitted photo Exeter High School English teacher William Schlichter, who is also a current graduate student at Missouri State University, attended the 2013 Broadcast Education Association (BEA) National Festival of Media Arts during the week of April 7. ...

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jeremy Archuleta, a joint terminal attack controller from Cassville, attached to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, checks his communications gear during Operation Southern Fist III on March 5 in the district of Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Archuleta is a 2008 graduate of Cassville High School. He is the son of Johnny and Diana Fritts. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann, 102nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment...

Pam Rupp, RN, has been named Mercy Hospital Cassville's April Co-Worker of the Month. Rupp, who has been employed in the outpatient department for two years, said she chose to work for Mercy because it allows her to care for people in the Cassville area. ...

Freddie E. Philpott, 57, of Washburn, passed away on Monday, April 15, 2013, at Life Enhancement Nursing Home in Walnut Shade. He was born on April 12, 1956, in Bentonville, Ark., son of Elmore Philpott and Evelyn Maxine(White) Matlock. Survivors include: one daughter, Kristi Dawn Philpott, of Duncan, Okla.; his mother, Maxine Matlock, of Cassville; and one brother, Michael Philpott, of Anderson. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by one brother, Jack Lee Philpott...

Marian Ellen O'Donnell, 73, of Washburn, passed away Thursday, April 11, 2013, in Red Rose Health and Rehabilitation Center, Cassville. She was born Aug. 11, 1939, in Clam Falls, Wis., the daughter of Arne Henry and Melba Owens (Peterson) Borreson. She was united in marriage to Jessie Gilbert and to this union two children were born. ...

Gregory Russell Cope, 55, of Mt. Vernon, formerly of Cassville, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Abilene, Texas. He was born Jan. 6, 1958, in Bakersfield, Calif., the son of the late Gerald and Ellen (Harkey) Cope. On Jan. 6, 1994, he married Glenda Moss-Feeney in Eureka Springs, Ark...

Missouri producers interested in quality beef can attend a nearby national meeting. The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) meets in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 12 through June 15. "It's where researchers, producers and industry leaders meet to discuss discoveries in beef production," says Jared Decker of the MU Extension beef team...

LINNEUS -- Kentucky 31 tall fescue covers the ground well and resists insects, drought and overgrazing. But this most widely used pasture grass in Missouri has a flaw. "Common fescue is toxic to livestock," said Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist...

Purdy FFA attends banquet Eighteen Purdy students attended the annual Area FFA Banquet on Feb. 27. Eleven students received their Area FFA Degree. Recipients included Jessica Ball, Jake Beaty, Deana Burch, Doni Craig, Jake Henderson, Melanie Heston, Dillon Lowe, Alex Mareth, Tyler Scott Jared Smith and Kirstin Strother...

The Environmental Services division of the Barry County Health Department inspected 53 food-service establishments during the month of March. Of that group, 32 establishments had critical violations and 15 had no critical or non-critical violations...

Photo by Lisa Craft Scott Regional Technology Center in Monett hosted the third annual Transition and Resource Expo on March 26. The expo is for individuals with disabilities of all ages, parents, educators, caregivers and for those who have experienced transitions at any age and all stages of life. ...

The Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its sixth annual chamber golf tournament and luncheon at the Cassville Golf Course on Friday, May 17. Lunch will be served from 11:30 to 12:30, and the shotgun start is scheduled for 1 p.m. The annual golf tournament is a four-man scramble. Cash prizes will be awarded for flights, crazy line and closest to the pin. Flights and places will be determined based on the number of participating teams...

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...

The Little Joe Transplant Fund Board of Trustees has released the names of its 2013 scholarship recipients. This year, 14 students were chosen for the scholarship. Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship, which will give them $500 for each of their first two semesters in college. The funds will be paid directly to the education institution that the student selects...

With the genesis of summer swiftly approaching, the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library is in the process of preparing for the annual Summer Reading Program. This year, the themes include "Dig Into Reading" for children, "Beneath the Surface" for teens and "Groundbreaking Reads" for adults. Last year's program proved to be a success, with approximately 1,700 participants, and nearly 6,100 people enjoyed the library's summer activities...

The Missouri Department of Conservation is looking for feedback from anglers who use Table Rock Lake. "Angler input is an essential element of the Table Rock National Fish Habitat Initiative (NFHI), a multi-year study currently underway that's designed to maintain and improve fish habitat at this well-known Ozarks reservoir," said Francis Skalicky, of the Missouri Department of Conservation Southwest Regional Office in Springfield. ...

Dear editor, As superintendents of Barry County school districts, we feel it is our duty to share some thoughts on the pending legislation of Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Senator Will Kraus of Lee's Summit. This bill has passed by a veto proof margin of 23-11 in the Missouri Senate...

On April 5, I had the honor of attending the Cassville Middle School DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) graduation ceremony. This year, 137 sixth grade students completed the DARE program, which is designed to teach children how to resist drugs and alcohol and give them tips for making constructive decisions. ...

One person was injured in a two-vehicle crash that occurred at 6:15 p.m. on April 10 at the intersection of Harold and 13th Streets in Cassville. According to Lt. Danny Boyd, with the Cassville Police Department, the crash occurred when the driver of a Ford Aerostar church van, Glenn Hicks, of Exeter, failed to yield to a passenger car, driven by Marion Henson, of Cassville, at the intersection...

The Cassville Family YMCA is currently preparing for its annual Healthy Kids Day event, which will be held at the local facility from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 27. "As part of the Y's efforts to strengthen community through healthy living, the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day is the largest nationally recognized health day for kids and their families," said Dove Haney, Cassville YMCA facility manager. ...

A Cassville author has published his second novel, "The Deadly News," outlining the fall of a prominent newspaper owner and his family in the fictional town of Bouvier, Mo. Jon Horner, whose book was released in March, will be signing copies of the novel from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 18, at the Barry County Museum, located on Highway 112 south of Cassville...

Bluegrass music, free food, pie contest planned for May Friday Squared event

The City of Exeter will hold its annual city-wide yard sale on Saturday, April 27. No fee is charged to participate. A list of sales and addresses will be available at Exeter City Hall. Those wishing to participate may stop by or call Exeter City Hall at 835-2823...

On March 14, aldermen in Butterfield approved dates for the city-wide garage sale and clean-up. The city-wide garage sale has been set for April 26 and 27. Many sellers will have items available at the Butterfield Community Center. The city-wide clean-up will follow from noon to 5 p.m. ...

The City of Cassville will hold its annual spring clean-up Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10. Republic Services (formerly Allied Waste) will accept additional household waste and large items on regular collection days. The following items will be accepted at the curb: barbecue grills; patio furniture; outdoor furniture; sofas; dressers; love seats; recliners; desks; televisions; bundled guttering; beds, including hide-a-beds, mattresses and box springs; wood pallets; and bicycles...

Democrat Photo/Lindsay Reed Missouri Southern State University biology student Lauren Houk served as a volunteer during PEEP (Partnership for Environmental Education Program) offered at the Cassville Intermediate School on April 12. Houk shared information on the biology of trees and gave students an opportunity to use magnifying glasses to examine tree cookies, or cross sections of tree limbs, during the program...

The Cassville Police Department will participate in DEA Prescription Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27. Expired and unused prescription medications will be accepted at Cassville City Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. "The Prescription Take Back Day is to help people to properly dispose of unused medications," said Cassville Police Chief Dana Kammerlohr. "Proper disposal of medication helps protect the environment and keeps the medicine from being flushed into our water systems...

Democrat Photo/Lindsay Reed Dr. Larry Quinalty and Cheyne Matzenbacher, of the Roaring River State Park nature center, offered information on birds and amphibians during PEEP (Partnership for Environmental Education Program) held at the Cassville Intermediate School on April 12. In the photo above, Matzenbacher allows fifth grade students to get up close to a live snake. In the photo below, Quinalty talks about the biology of frogs...

The Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Cassville are partnering to hold a litter collection effort on Earth Day, which is Monday, April 22. "By partnering with the chamber and city on the clean-up efforts, families, co-workers and neighbors have a chance to work together to make our community a healthier, cleaner place to live," said Cassville Mayor Bill Shiveley...

On April 12, Cassville High School marked the start of this year's Safe and Sober effort with visual reminders of the consequences of drinking and driving. The Safe and Sober program challenges students to resist alcohol until they reach the legal drinking age, which is 21...

The Cassville R-4 School Board approved two upgrade proposals from CTS Security at its regularly scheduled meeting on April 11. The proposals are for an extensive door entrance renovation plan designed to improve safety and security at all Cassville School building entrances...

Roaring River State Park will celebrate Earth Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. All community members are invited to attend the event, which will be held at the Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center off of Highway F in the park. "This year, our focus is on water quality and how it relates to our lives," said Tim Smith, Roaring River State Park naturalist. ...

It seems that for each step forward that the Cassville Wildcats baseball team has taken, two steps back quickly followed. The Wildcats (5-9, 1-1) began the season red hot winning four of their first five contests but have since only won once in nine tries...

The Cassville Wildcats baseball team fell 2-0 to Monett on April 16. "We couldn't get it done tonight," said Cassville coach Kyle Wood. "We are a young team that has seen a lot of good pitchers in our last few games. We were a hit away from tying the game and just came up short."...