Barry County

Michelle Hilburn: Best books guide for children, teens
Building strong reading skills and cultivating a love for books is key in nurturing a lifelong passion for reading. I believe that there is a perfect book for every reader, and if someone doesn’t enjoy reading, they simply haven’t discovered the right book yet.

Through the Years, Feb. 5
40 YEARS AGO: VISITORS COME ASHORE FOR LUNCH — Grazing on a campground area near Eagle Rock Landing, these Canadian geese have been attracting considerable attention the last few weeks. Their trips from the water to the land area result in grazing over grass areas and paying little attention to spectators who drive through the area. They probably feel secure, as the fellow at upper left, was constantly eyeing their observers this particular day.

7 Exeter students make honor bands
Seven Exeter students were selected recently to perform in Southwest Missouri District Honor Band. Biaktha Hnem was selected via audition as second-chair flute in the high school honor band, while Taylor Mattingly was selected as third-chair trumpet in the high school conference band.

Big blaze knocked down on Highway CC
A large blaze in freezing temperatures proved a test for the Exeter Fire Protection District, but not an unsurmountable one. In the early morning hours of Jan.
Exeter proposes bond issue for campus improvements
April 8, voters in the Exeter R-VI School District will have an opportunity to vote on the district investing in the future of its schools and students. Voters will be asked to approve the issuance of $2.5 million in General Obligation Bonds to fund critical improvements and new construction across the district’s facilities.
News Briefs, Feb. 5
The Barry County Democratic Central Committee will meet on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at The Pirate Sand Bar & Grill in Eagle Rock, located at 32573 Hwy.
Scoreboard, Feb. 5
The Cassville boys basketball team (4-13) has only seven games left before Class 4, District 12 action in Monett, and four of the seven games have Big 8 implications. The Wildcats are two weeks removed from a fifth-place finish at the 40th Annual Spokane Invitational, falling 59-52 to Strafford in the opening round, but rebounding with wins over Southwest and Ash Grove to take fifth.

Bird’s eye view
Bald eagles can be found at Roaring River State Park currently. Two eagles were spotted on Friday afternoon, one across the river from the CCC Lodge, and a second in Zone 3 across the river from the pollinator area. On Saturday, the Roaring River Nature Center will host an event for visitors to learn all about bald eagles and search for these magnificent birds along Roaring River. More information may be found at: https://mostateparks.com/event/108101/bald-eagle-days. Kyle Troutman/ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Kyle Troutman: Opportunities within the new
Last week, I sat down with Sheriff Danny Boyd to talk about his next four years. It was unlike any law enforcement interview I’ve done before for one major reason — location.

Through the Years, Jan. 29
30 YEARS AGO: METHODS OF REMOVING SNOW — The order of the day beginning Thursday morning was getting snow from some unwanted places. In the instances shown here, the places were parking lots, entrances to businesses and sidewalks at county offices. In the photo at left, Lonnie Yarnall uses one piece of snow removal equipment that was made available for some of the smaller parking lots that contracted for the service. In the middle, John Starchman makes the wet snow fly with a snow shovel, accomplishing the entrances of a couple of businesses. At the right, Johnny Gautney of the courthouse staff, puts a new snow blower, belonging to the county, to the task of clearing side-walks. For large locations and heavier tasks, there was equipment of about every description and horsepower up and down the roads, streets and parkways of the area. Many of the earlier removal chores were accomplished while it was still snowing. Sunshine and traffic both hitting major roads and streets later Thursday morning helped eliminate much of the cover. Rural roads were another problem after they drifted to depths of six feet in some locations. Democrat file photo