Cassville
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.

Democrat publisher wins international award
Cassville Democrat Publisher Kyle Troutman, speaking, traveled to Toronto Metropolitan University on Saturday to accept a Golden Dozen award from the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, an organization headquartered in Joplin and to which Troutman belongs.

Kyle Troutman: Internationally home
There’s nothing like a distant trip to make you appreciate the comforts of home, and after four days 763 miles from Cassville as the crow flies, the Troutman family is happy to be back. Our trip to Toronto, Canada, was two years in the making, spurred by our first time attending the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE) conference in Lexington, Kent., in 2022, where I accepted a Golden Dozen award for editorial writing.

All together now
Cassville’s girls volleyball, softball, cross country, basketball, wrestling, soccer and track programs have come together this summer to stave off the July drop-off. While fall sports volleyball, softball and cross country continue training all summer for their sports, previously, all other sports mainly lifted weights through June, but athletes went their own way in July.

Year in Photos — Cassville boys soccer
Cassville senior Ashton Wheeler heads a ball on during a game against Logan-Rogersville last season. Wheeler scored 24 goals and assisted 12 in Cassville’s best season since at least 2007 at 15-8-1. Kyle Troutman/ktroutman@cassville- democrat.com

Merlyn Johnson: Unsung heroes at Cassville schools
During the summer months, we celebrate the accomplishments of another successful year while simultaneously beginning to prepare for the next school year. Before we completely close-out this school year, I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the hardworking and dedicated members of our transportation, maintenance, custodial, and food service departments for supporting all of our district accomplishments over the past 12 months.

Through the Years, June 26
July 3, 1974 — BARBER SHOP MOVES Stumpff Barber Shop has moved from its former West Seventh Street to a new location in the 600 block of Main Street into newly remodeled spaces, Rex Stumpff, owner, recently purchased the space from Fred Meador. —STATE POSTS FOR RAINBOW ORDER GIRLS Angie Farwell was appointed 1974-75 Grand Representative of the State of California to the State of Missouri, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, at the Missouri Grand Assembly last week in Kansas City.
News Briefs, June 26
The Purdy Community Picnic and Fireworks Show will be held July 3 at The Gathering Place in Purdy, located at 100 Old Bus. 37 and Hwy.

Rich Cummings: I’d rather have Jesus
There is a game that many of you have played called “Would You Rather?” In this game someone asks the question “Would You Rather?” followed by two options that are almost identically horrible or distasteful. Would You Rather lick a public picnic table or try and pick up a skunk? As you can see, neither is all that satisfying or even desirable.

Kyle Troutman: Becoming a dad all over again
My sixth Father’s Day snuck up on me this year. With the recent storm damage to our office and upcoming trip to the annual International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors conference, it wasn’t until Friday or Saturday that I realized Sunday would be my day.