Barry County

$23K grant aids Life Change efforts
Life Change of SWMO in Cassville recently received a significant monetary boost to its efforts in the area, a $23,000 check from Mercy Health Foundation. Derek Cornelius, Life Change director, said the donation, which represents more than a third of Life Change’s annual budget, will be put to use across the array of the organization’s offerings, including child care and the new mechanics and low-cost vehicle program.

KAA camp hosts youth in Golden
Kids Across America (KAA) recently held a summer camp in Golden, partnering with Prison Fellowship to host a five-day camp experience for children of incarcerated parents. KAA, a Christian sports camp located on 240 acres on Table Rock Lake, features three camps and a leadership development program for youth, ages 10-19.
News Briefs, July 3
The Barry County Democratic Committee will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, July 9th at 6pm at the Cassville Branch Library, located at 301 W. 17th St.
McGuire suspends sheriff campaign
Mike McGuire, Cassville police officer and Republican candidate for Barry County sheriff in the Aug. 6 Primary, has suspended his campaign.
Cassville Boots, Badges & Bandages Blood Drive to unite area First Responders July 2
First responders from Cassville are uniting with Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO), the sole supplier of blood, plasma, and platelets to patients at more than 40 area healthcare facilities, for an inaugural Cassville Boots, Badges and Bandages Community Challenge Blood Drive.
Community painting Portrait of a Graduate
Program aims to improve student outcomes in schools A collaborative effort between five Barry County school districts is attempting to improve student outcomes, and the project is asking for the community’s help. Traci Mitchell, Cassville assistant superintendent, said the Portrait of a Graduate (POG) work, which ties to district improvement plans and has been shown to improve student outcomes, reflects the county’s agreed upon competencies necessary for students to be effective and successful mem- bers of the community.
June sales taxes near even with 2023
Halfway through 2024, sales tax reports for Barry County show the local economy is generally holding even with one year ago. While three smaller cities showed double-digit drops from the immediate post-pandemic sales totals, overall sales tax income rose from last June.
Improvements at Roaring River State Park
Missouri State Parks personnel gathered at the Emory Melton Inn on June 6 to update the public on an extensive list of projects completed, plus those still in progress, at Roaring River State Park. Assistant Park Manager Forrest Brumm said completed projects include the renovation of the Honeymoon Cabin, the removal of the swimming pool, the installation of new playground equipment near the CCC shelter, the installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers and repairs to roofs of existing structures throughout the park.

Danny Boyd: Sheriff Questionnaire 2 (Jail Administration)
As the Sheriff, I am responsible for both administrations. There is really no way to set a certain amount of time for each one. I have a jail administrator and an office administrator who keep me informed daily (24/7) of any situations that require my attention. There is not a happy medium, you have to problem solve and handle situations as they come along in both administrations. If you ask any sheriff in Missouri, they will all say that the Jail is the biggest liability they have and requires more monitoring of the daily operations than the administration side.

James Morgan: Sheriff Questionnaire 2 (Jail Administration)
Operation of the jail is a vital responsibility for any Sheriff. I plan on splitting my time equally between enforcement and detention. It is my goal to make sure the jail operates in a manner that keeps the public, staff and inmates safe and secure during daily operations.




