Stories from Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Wait one more day after reading this and we will be into February, the month that this column has talked about for years — proposing to get rid of the second month of the year. There have been others that have joined this effort, but all those proposals that came down the pike were to no avail...

Attending school is one of the most important things students can do to help achieve academic success. To recognize that fact, each month at Eunice Thomas Elementary, one class per grade level is presented with the ‘Best Attendance’ and ‘Most Improved’ trophies...

Cassville primary announced its January Students of the Month for kindergarten and kinder academy who best represented the character trait of the month — responsibility.

As of December 2017, first-grade students at Eunice Thomas Elementary began having access to the HearBuilder online program, which is used to strengthen listening, memory, comprehension and early reading skills. Speech and Language Pathologist at Cassville primary, Sheryl Fuchs, says she is excited to have the program available to students...

Megan Thomas, a sophomore English major from Purdy, was named to the Dean's List at Harding University for the fall 2017 semester. To be eligible, a student must be carrying 12 or more hours with a 3.65 or higher grade-point average and no incompletes...

With an initial $5,000 donation, Southwest schools have recently established the Southwest Education Endowment Fund (SWEF). At the Southwest High School Homecoming on Friday, Feb. 2, the Southwest Education Endowment Committee will be holding a 'Battle of the Classes' to raise money for the fund, which will support Southwest schools by providing an additional source of revenue for academic programs...

Exeter High School has chosen its candidates for Homecoming Queen and King for this week’s “Masquerade Ball” event.

Ava O'Gorek, daughter of Jarrad and Johanna O'Gorek and seventh-grader at Cassville Middle School, won First Prize and $100 in Division II (seventh- and eighth-graders) for her 300-word essay entitled 'America's Greatest Heroes.' The contest for fifth- through eighth-graders was sponsored by the Holiday Island, Ark., Elks Lodge 1042 Americanism Committee as part of the Elks National Contest, 'Why Our American Veterans Are America's Heroes.' O'Gorek competed against five schools and 75 other entries. ...

Over 500 students from 27 different school districts competed for a spot in the seventh- and eighth-grade District Honor Band. Cassville Middle School had nine musicians that earned a spot.

Meet Boon, the Haven of the Ozarks Pet of the Week.

For many Missourians, new health plan benefits began in January, so now is a good time to understand your coverage so you can get the most out of your plan, stay healthier and even help save money in 2018. Many people can save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars a year by learning how to maximize their health plan's offerings. Here are some tips I recommend to help you get the most out of your benefits this year:...

The Knights of Columbus, Council No. 8865 with the St. Edwards Catholic Church located in Cassville, has donated nearly $700 to the Cassville Special Education Department.

Ongoing severe winter weather has more than doubled the number of canceled American Red Cross blood drives and the resulting blood donation shortfall since earlier this month. The Red Cross now considers the situation critical and is reissuing an urgent call for blood donors. More than 550 blood drives have been forced to cancel due to winter weather in January, causing over 16,500 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected through last week...

The Purdy school district will welcome former Purdy High School volleyball coach Nancy Easter to its Athletic Hall of Fame ranks on Feb. 9. “When I first arrived on campus to set up my office I heard someone sprinting to music in the gym,” Easter said. “I discovered Becky (Fly) Woods, who was home from college, working out. It was a wonderful sign of the sports tradition of which I was about to become a part and that continues to this day...

There is no bigger cheerleader for the Exeter boys basketball team than Cory Duke, the team’s head coach. Whether it be in practice or a game, Duke demands the absolute best from his team even if the end result is not a victory on the scoreboard. The 2017-2018 campaign has been a transitional setting for the Tigers (2-15) and until last week, the team had been held without a victory...

Riding a six-game win streak and sporting a 16-3 record on the season, there is no doubt Cassville has put together one of the best seasons in the program’s history. The Lady Wildcats are showing signs of improvement, which tells coach Chris Shore his team has not hit its ceiling...

The sound of the game’s final buzzer had barely ceased when the voice of public address announcer Bob Deffenbaugh asked for everyone in the gym’s attention last Tuesday night. Deffenbaugh announced that with Cassville’s 50-35 win over Verona, Chris Shore, Cassville coach, had earned his 300th career varsity win...

The Cassville Chamber is in need of banquet centerpieces. Businesses that would like to donate a centerpiece should contact the Chamber at 417-847-2814, or call a local florist. The centerpieces will be given away at the conclusion of the banquet, which will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m., in the Cassville High School Commons area...

The new police vehicle in Purdy is now in service and fully detailed.

Dr. Chad Johnson, D.C., owner of Johnson Chiropractic Sports and Wellness Clinic, was recently appointed as new president for the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce, beginning his three-year term Jan. 1. Johnson replaces outgoing Chamber president, Jeff Swadley...

An Arkansas man is facing two felony charges for alleged sexual contact with a child under the age of 16. Joseph Snow, 24, of Winslow, Ark., is charged with second-degree statutory rape and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. According to a probable cause statement filed by Lt. Randy Kalbaugh, the victim's father said Snow and the victim, who is under the age of 16, were involved in a romantic relationship, and the father was putting an end to it...

A Rocky Comfort man has been charged in federal court with threatening to assault an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Richard W. Toler, 47, of Rocky Comfort, was charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal on Jan. 22. The complaint was unsealed and made public upon Toler’s arrest and initial court appearance on Jan. 24. Toler remained in federal custody pending a detention hearing held on Monday...

Ground was formally broken for the new storm shelter, performing arts center and preschool for the Purdy school district in a ceremony held on Tuesday at the construction site. Most of the students who were not testing came out to the site to cheer on the official start of the $3.1 million project. This will be the first FEMA approved storm shelter inside the city, and is being built large enough to house all the city's residents in case of a severe storm...

MFA employee Megan Lyons stocks product, which local producers rely on each day to ensure the success of their operations.

Residents traveling on Highway 248, a 14-mile stretch between Cassville and Highway 39, may have noticed a lot of workers and traffic delays in recent weeks, along with a difference in the landscape. Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) workers are wrapping up a tree-trimming and brush-clearing maintenance project in the right-of-way to shape trees and keep drivers safe...

When a program doesn't work as it should, it can cause a lot of lost time, productivity, and frustration. To help alleviate that experience for city employees attempting to accomplish daily, routine tasks that are part of managing a city, the Cassville City Council recently approved the purchase of a new financial software system...

The Missouri Senate is getting off to a slow start this session amidst the glaring headlines concerning the sex scandal plaguing Gov. Eric Greitens, Missouri's 56th governor. "We are trying to work on some issues with the governor that have taken the forefront," said State Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville...

As a budget chairman for the state of Missouri, State Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob, is focused on delivering a balanced budget to Gov. Eric Greitens for approval. "That's my main focus," Fitzpatrick said. "It's something we are constitutionally required to do every year."...

City officials in Purdy were pleased to open 11 bids from area contractors for the sewer construction project that will run a six-mile pipeline from the city to Monett’s wastewater treatment plant. The project was estimated to cost $3.3 million. Bids ranged from $1.8 million to $3.4 million. Voters approved a $4.6 million bond issue in November 2015 to have enough funds available...

The Barry County Commission is considering an ordinance to join the St. Louis County Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, a tool aimed at helping healthcare providers monitor their patients prescriptions to prevent overprescribing or illegal activity...