Stories from Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Purdy’s Joy Grace finished 86th in the 164-person field at the Class 1 state championship cross country meet at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia on Saturday.

The Purdy FFA Chapter hosted the 2019 Purdy FFA Barnwarming on Friday, Oct. 11, in the elementary school gym. FFA members and community supporters gathered for the annual festivities. This year's theme was “Chattahoochee,” inspired by Alan Jackson’s hit song...

Seven Purdy High School vocal students were named to the 2019 All-District Honor Choir following auditions on Oct. 26 at Joplin High School. “It was a great day at Joplin High School," said Purdy High School vocal music director Lauren Lee. "My students sang with heart and gave a beautiful concert at day’s end.” An all-day rehearsal ended in a late afternoon concert, under the direction of clinicians Eric Eichenberger (Freshman/Sophomore Choir) and Jonathan Owen (Junior/Senior Choir)...

Purdy Elementary Principal Julie Dalton named honesty medal winners, part of character education, for October.

The first quarter honor roll for Purdy Elementary School has been released by Principal Julie Dalton. Students on the All A honor roll follow: Third grade — Quentin Dodson, Madison Johnson, Lauren Lamp, Alison Logan, Karson Rosewicz, Destiny Herrera, Whitney Haworth, Ziva James, Laney Lamp, Camila Robles, Xander Dodson, Sophie Tyson...

Huey “Verdayne” Stockton, 78, of Shell Knob, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, at Roaring River Health and Rehabilitation Center in Cassville. He was born Nov. 3, 1941, in Shell Knob, the son of Olen and Cleta “Marie” (Matthews) Stockton. On Jan. 7, 1961, in Independence, he was united in marriage to Laurel Click, who survives...

Raymond Edward Olson, 81, of Seligman, passed away Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, at Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville, Ark. He was born Aug. 14, 1938, in St. Paul, Minn., the son of Fred E. and Raemer (Svendsen) Olson. On April 22, 1972, in Minnesota he was united in marriage to Delores K. Sexson, who survives. Also surviving are one brother, Fred E. Olson and his wife Barbara of St. Paul, Minn. Preceding him in death were his parents...

Cody W. Mabry, 33, of Washburn, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, at Mercy Hospital in Rogers, Ark. He was born Aug. 17, 1986, in Rogers, Ark. He grew up in Washburn and attended school at Southwest where he graduated from high school. For several years, he worked at Sears Hometown Store in Cassville, and had also worked at Sports World...

Chloe Nell Epperly, age 68, of Cassville, Missouri, passed away Saturday, November 9, 2019, at her home. She was born May 25, 1951, in Fairfax, Oklahoma, the daughter of Maurice “Wayne” and Tommie Louise (High) Tomblin. On September 5, 1970, she was united in marriage to Charles Doyle Epperly, who preceded her in death on August 30, 2009. Also preceding her in death were her parents and brother, Thomas Wayne Tomblin...

This time of the year, when cold weather starts pouring out of the north lands, was the time to begin observing the flights of ducks that might be coming into this area. In days gone by when row crops were plentiful in many fields of the county, this was a good stopping point for many species to find resting waters and feeding areas throughout Barry County. No finer spots could be found for the various flights with the Mallards being the most watched for of the various species...

The Southwest Cross Country team was well-represented at the 2019 Class 2 Cross Country meet at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia.

The boys soccer season for Cassville came to a conclusion in the district semifinal last week with a 4-0 loss to Monett. “Monett is talented,” said Jake Forste, Cassville coach. “I think we made them settle for some shots they didn’t want to take, especially in the first half. It is hard to keep good teams down, and eventually, things open up, and they hit some shots.”...

Cassville’s Sharayah Seymour, First Team; Landry Parnell, Second Team; and Olivia Holman, Honorable Mention, were named to the 2019 Big 8 All-Conference West Division team on Monday night. The complete list is as follows: First Team Haley Nash, Seneca...

Almost any coach of any high school sport will say it is hard to beat the same team twice, but that is a feat the Cassville football team performed on Friday, topping Monett 19-6 and moving on to host the district championship game this week. Lance Parnell, Cassville coach, said there were a lot of similarities between Friday’s win and the Week 3 win, a 21-14 contest where Monett had multiple shots at the end zone to possibly tie the game in the final seconds...

With each week that passes in the football season, teams get a chance to improve and show growth. Cassville will get a chance this week to not only attack those two goals, but also the opportunity to secure a district title on its home field. “This time of year, you are playing just to get one more week,” said Lance Parnell, Cassville coach. ...

The Theatre Production Class of Cassville High School invites everyone to enjoy a production of “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl.

The Exeter school district would like to thank People’s Community Bank for its continued support for the children of the Exeter community.

The November Cassville Middle School Students of the Month, sponsored by Willis Insurance, have been named.

Grasslands is a Career Development Event for FFA, and 4-H, and this year, the Southwest High School 4-H chose Leland Colf, Laney Moore, Allison Corwin and Travis Sickles for the grasslands team. These students worked throughout the year, coming in every morning and afternoon to practice with their advisor, Bill Caldwell. ...

Cassville Intermediate students celebrated Red Ribbon Week the week of Oct. 29.

The Southwest Center for Educational Excellence hosted the Celebration of Schools event on Oct. 29 on campus at Missouri Southern University in Joplin. The Celebration of Schools is an evening to recognize accomplishments by member districts. Awards are presented recognizing innovating programs in member schools, supporters of member districts, school board members and area legislators. ...

People’s Community Bank has selected Skyy Xiong for the October Student of the Month.

Nine students majoring in Plastics Engineering Technology at Pittsburg State, including Cassville graduate Camille Holman, recently took their learning experience out of the classroom — way out of the classroom, over the Atlantic Ocean, and into Europe...

The Cassville lower grades put on a show Friday in honor of local veterans.

I caught Mary examining her winter sweaters early this morning. The seasons are about to change again, and she knows it. The land is turning from green to brown. The high temperature yesterday was 48 degrees. In Cassville, we have already experienced our first frost. Mary is getting ready for cold weather...

Meet Leia (pictured) and Bevo, the Haven of the Ozarks Pets of the Week.

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

  First Baptist Church in Cassville and New Site Baptist Church in Monett are not waiting until Thanksgiving Day to express gratitude. Instead, they are giving back by lovingly packing gifts of joy for children around the world living in extreme poverty or affected by war, disease, and natural disaster. Operation Christmas Child — a project of Samaritan’s Purse, is the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind...

The Salary Commission of Barry County will hold a meeting on Nov. 26 at 9 a.m. at the Barry County Courthouse. The business to be discussed will be the salaries of those taking positions following the upcoming 2020 election, who take office on Jan. 1, 2021. The offices that will be up for re-election are: Public administrator, assessor, sheriff, northern commissioner, southern commissioner and coroner...

Kolton Huett, 2, and Reigney Huett, 6, both of Cassville, got to see Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas Saturday during the 9th annual Christmas Shopping Extravaganza Saturday at Crowder College.

The holiday shopping season is officially underway.

Veteran Theodor Suchowski, and his wife were escorted to their seats during the Southwest school Veterans Day assembly on Friday.

Presentation of the colors was completed by the JROTC during the Veterans Day assembly on Monday at Wheaton school.

U.S. Army veteran Kenny Nichols, right, receives a flag from Exeter JROTC students Dominic McMahan, left, and Muriel Horn during the school district’s Veterans Day event Monday.

Color Guard members Hope Manning, Ethan Youngman, James Carter and Hanna Johnson presented the colors at Cassville High School’s Veterans Day ceremony Monday.

Formed last year, the Barry County Community Choir has been practicing for its Christmas concert on Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Cassville FEMA Event Center. The founders of the choir wanted to create a place for people to get together and do what they love — sing...

The city of Seligman recently came into possession of a vacant building on Highway DD, and the use of said property remains to be decided by the council. Brian Nichols, Seligman city clerk, said he has yet to find any records that determine where the building originally came from...

When a person needs to call 911, more often than not, it is due to a serious life changing event happening at that very moment. When a call to the 911 center comes through, dispatchers are trained to answer the call immediately and start gathering the information needed to send the correct agency to the correct location...

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” Donny Garner, pastor at River of Faith church in Seligman, said he has been the pastor at his church for 10 years, and the church’s food pantry is its response to James 2:14-17...

A Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program can be beneficial for both children and educators, and the Southwest school district has put an effort into growing its PAT program for the benefit of everyone. Kandie Eads, Southwest’s special services director, said when she came to Southwest two years ago, the PAT program was already in place...