Cassville

Through the Years, Jan. 22
40 YEARS AGO: NO TELLING HOW MANY — Joana Smithson, Cassville school nurse, is pictured above taking the temperature of a pupil in her office in the middle school building. Mrs. Smithson, who had been in the post 19 years, was honored by faculty and staff members with a reception last week.

‘Cats wrestle up classes in Branson
Tktroutman@cassville-democrat.com he Cassville boys wrestling team is getting into the nitty-gritty of the season, coming off a sixthplace finish as the smallest school in the Branson Invitational and preparing for the Big 8 Conference meet this week and districts and state in February. Nathan Fortner, Cassville boys wrestling coach, said this season has been about progression, and the Wildcats have had no shortage of such.
City holds public hearings for 3 grants
The city of Cassville held three consecutive public hearings on Jan. 14, led by representatives of the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG) and necessary to procure funding for three potential projects in the city.

Kyle Troutman: Assessing needs
An interesting exercise occurred last Tuesday following the Cassville City Council meeting and Southwest Missouri Council of Government’s leading of three public hearings for proposed grant-funded projects.

Merlyn Johnson: An eye on politics in education
The 2025 Missouri legislative session convened on Jan. 8, and Gov.

Haven of the Ozarks Pet of the Week, Jan. 22
O.J. (Odin) and his sister, Lulu, were abandoned in the country but fortunately, they were found by a nice human. They are black mouth cur mixes, born March 4, 2024. They are good with dogs, cats and children.
Scoreboard, Jan. 22
The Cassville girls basketball team (12-3) has now won 10 of its last 11 contests following a 3-win week Jan. 13-16.

Cassville pressing through competitive schedule
In the absence of a Christmas break tournament, the Cassville boys basketball team is ready to turn the season’s corner and use back-to-back tournaments as a springboard to Big 8 Conference play. At 1-8, the Wildcats have played a competitive schedule, facing only one squad with a sub-.500 record, Buffalo, which they beat in the Strafford Tournament, 48-46, on Dec.

Kyle Troutman: Precipitating memories
“This is the most snow I’ve ever seen in my life!” That’s what my 9-year-old exclaimed Friday morning as we woke up to 5-and-ahalf inches of pristine, wet, heavy, perfect-forsnowmen- and-sledding snowfall. School had already been canceled the night before, and we took advantage of the call to sleep in a bit before bundling up and heading to the hill.

Fluffy snowfall facilitates fun Friday
Beaux Doucet, 6, of Cassville, slid into a pile of snow while playing in the precipitation last week. On Thursday and Friday, cities in Barry County received between 5-8 inches of snow, with Cassville getting 5.5 inches.