News briefs

Democrat group to meet Thursday

The Lawrence and Barry County Democrats will be meeting on Thursday for their regular monthly meeting at the Angus Branch Steakhouse, located at 114 Chapel Drive, in Monett. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. Those wishing to eat should arrive by 5:45 p.m., with each responsible for their meal costs. Guest speakers at this meeting will be Spencer Toder and Trudy Busch Valentine, both candidates for the U.S. Senate, and Bryce Lockwood, candidate for U.S. Congress in the 7th District. All area Democrats are invited and encouraged to attend. For more information, people may call Jim or Pat Kabell at 417-452-3287 or 417-848-4640.

Summer library activities scheduled

Library activities for the coming week include: Wednesday (today), Sew & Sos at 9 a.m., Creation Station dipped pots at 4 p.m. Thursday, Pete the Cat and Marshall Mitchell and the Clean Water Raingers at the Cassvillle Event Center at 1:30 p.m.; Friday, American Cross Blood Drive from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Take-A-Spin Trivia all day long; Saturday, Aquarium Twist Escape Room (preregistration required, family friendly) at various times and Create a T-shirt (preregistration required) at 9 a.m.; Tuesday, pre-school story time at 10 a.m.

Corsicana Road District to meet

The Corsicana Road District will meet in regular session on July 6 at 7 p.m. at the home of Garry and Pam Bartkoski, located at 5086 Farm Road 2057 in Monett. The public is welcome to attend.

Purdy to have picnic, fireworks July 3

The Purdy Community Picnic and Fireworks Show will be held on July 3 at the Gathering Place in Purdy, located at 100 Old Business Highway 37 and Highway C. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a picnic and live entertainment, and a fireworks show will commence at dark. People may bring their own lawn chairs. For questions, people may call Julie Terry at 417-236-4139.

Republican Club meeting Thursday

The Barry County Republican Club will meet at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Barry County Museum.

Purdy Alumni to meet

The annual meeting of the Purdy R-II School Alumni Association will be held in the school cafeteria at 6 p.m. on Saturday. All classmates are invited.

Battle of the Badges on July 30

The Battle of the Badges benefit softball game will be held on July 30, starting at 9 a.m. at the Wheaton school ball fields. The cost is $250 per team, with 10-15 payers per team, and the home run derby is $10 per person. A plate of food is $5. Everyone is invited to participate, and the registration deadline is July 22. Proceeds will benefit Shirley Martell, who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in January 2020. Treatment over the past two years has been challenging, and Martell is currently receiving treatment in Little Rock, Ark. She is married and has two children attending Wheaton schools. For more information on the event, people may call Cody Stephens at 417-846-8159, or Clint Danforth at 417-693-3145.

Primary absentee voting ongoing

Absentee voting for the Aug. 2 primary is ongoing through Aug. 1 at the Barry County Clerk’s Office in Cassville, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The last day to register to vote is July 6 for those who are not current registered voters of Barry County and who wish to vote in the Aug. 2 Primary Election. People may register to vote at the County Clerk’s Office; the Monett Chamber of Commerce; or the Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce. Please notify the Office if a voter has moved and not updated the address, or had a name change. If unable to vote in person, people may send a written request to the office of: Joyce Ennis, 700 Main St. Suite 2, Cassville, MO 65625 or fax to: 417-847-5311. The Office will need: name, physical address, mailing address, date of birth, last four digits of Social Security number, phone number, reason for voting absentee, party preference, and signature. The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail is July 20. For more information, call the Barry County Clerk’s Office at 417-847-2561 ext: 3, or email jennis@barrycountyclerk.com or ajohnson@ barrycountyclerk.com

Bluegrass in the Park returns for summer

A variety of bluegrass bands will perform every Friday night, from 7-9 p.m., through Sept. 30 at the Roaring River Shelter at Roaring River State Park. About 10 bands will play at some point this summer, and admission to every show is free. Saturday performances will also be held for Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs, and a tip jar will be set up for the bands.