50 years ago

April 25, 1973

— Congressman Gene Taylor this week notified news media that the U. S. Department of Interior, bureau of outdoor recreation, will assist in financing camping improvements at Roaring River State Park. A federal grant of $12,750, matched by an equal amount by the Missouri State Park Board, will be spent to construct a new picnic facility for comfort and safety.

— One of the most elusive creatures on the earth, Barry County wild turkey successfully avoided coming in contact with the local hunters during the first day of the season Tuesday. Not a Cassville area hunter was listed among the six county kills checked at Roaring River State Park. The first season in Missouri runs from Tuesday through Sunday, but from the way most hunters are talking, they just aren’t hearing the gobblers, possibly because of a late spring with the birds having completed their mating season.

— Ambulance services in this area could be in jeopardy if pending legislation in Missouri is approved. A survey of several operators of ambulance services, mostly funeral homes, shows many feel they will be unable to continue if more restrictive regulations become effective. Paul Henbest and Doyle Williamson of Cassville, who operate present emergency services from their respective undertaking establishments, speculated this week that all private type ambulances might be off the road as early as June. Full compliance on new equipment and personnel training needs could be withheld until the first of the year. Exact requirements will not be determined until the legislation is completed. Basically, the requirements place vehicle needs in the $12$13,000 class. Additional equipment would be required that would place costs near $35,000 for an ambulance. Most of the present operators said they would be unable to comply with the regulations as they understand the Dm. In other areas of Missouri Provided to make the service available for emergency use. New laws under consideration by the Missouri legislature are to comply with federal standards. The regulations have been attached to other proposals that are required to make federal high-May funds available in Missouri, This action is necessary by June 30. Previous regulations under federal wage and hour standards several years ago severely hampered the private ambulance services. Since that me they have continued with additional personnel to meet these requirements. Expected to be hardest hit in the new regulation move are rural area, in which private services simply will be hard-pressed to operate. Most observers think costs would be prohibitive for private business operations. These costs would necessarily be passed along to the users of the service, making rates for ambulance trips jump virtually out of reason. Although area ambulance operators have been in touch with local legislators, they were unable to determine exactly what the future holds for the service they are now providing for the public.

— Simpkins Buy McNeill Furniture, Appliance A business on the west side of the public squareinCassville,McNeill Furniture and Appliance has been sold. The new owners are Mr. and Mrs. George Simpkins, who are expanding their business operations here. Mr. and Mrs. Nolan McNeill announced the sale of their business in the Hailey Building this week. Mr. and Mrs. Simpkins came to Cassville in September when they purchased Wiley Western Auto. They say the latest acquisition is an expansion of their facilities for serving area customers here. Present and new lines will be included in the furniture and appliance operation. It will remain in the present location. The Simpkins family came here from Springfield where he had been associated with a furniture and appliance firm. McNeill said this week he would devote his time for the present to farming operations. The McNeill’s operated the business here 14 years. Both are natives of the areas. Simpkins said the business location would continue to be a payment station for Gas Service patrons in this area.

— Legal action has been filed in Barry County Circuit Court to prevent the Jenkins board of education from holding religious services in the school building for that community. Robert L. and Ann Voorhees Hanneken, residents of the district, filed this action naming the six members of the board. The Hannekens also seek a fiscal settlement resulting in their sending children to the Aurora schools. Circuit Clerk Artie Spain said the action was filed Monday by a Springfield attorney. Named in the action are Bob Ray, Louis Longstreet, Dale Craig, Oscar Cornman, Charles Barnes and Jim Hudson, directors for the school district. Hanneken’s petition alleges the district permits holding de religious services and church in a public-school contrary to provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the State of Missouri. They also seek $1,140 tuition and transportation cost Involved in sending their children to the Aurora schools.

— “If consumers would rather see empty meat cases than pay a price allowing a reasonable profit for farmers, they should get help from Barry County Farmers, reports Howard Longley, president of the Barry County Farm Bureau. “In response to consumers weeklong message of dissatisfaction with meat prices, their failure to recognize the farmers plight, and the poor judgement of placing price controls on red meats, the 47,000 Missouri Farm Bureau members have announced plans to encourage all livestock producers NOT to expand their livestock operations during the coming year,” Longley continued. We had thought that decent prices — which were just arriving — were a signal to increase production. Apparently, we were mistaken. We also urge a hold-the-line policy on the production of all feed grains and soybeans. It looks as though the farmers’ contribution to the balance of payments has gone unappreciated. It’s time consumers woke up to the fact that we could have shortages unless they’re willing to pay the farmer a fair price for his product. It is a strange attitude, it seems to me,” Longley continued, #that food costs should stay low while everything–including production costs go up. Still, no one has proposed a boycott of cars, housing, or clothing. The people who propose these boycotts would, if their wages were lowered, set up a howl that would be heard in Washington. We plan to make ourselves heard also. We invite people to consider the facts which the Barry County Farm Bureau will publish,” concluded Longley, and make their decision accordingly.

40 years ago

April 20, 1983

— Reatha England, Wheaton, has been named director of the Barry County Senior Citizens Center in Cassville. The new facility will provide various activities for senior citizens. Mrs. England will direct activities during the Monday through Friday operations. She is now at the office of the center at Seventh and East Streets here.

— City Vision Hangs Hardware on Poles Crews from City-Vision Inc., of Carthage, began installation of hardware on utility poles in a first stage operation of cable television coming to Cassville. Mrs. Ruth Kolpin, president, said the project began at the Harold Reese property on Old Exeter Road, where reception and transmission equipment will be located. Project supervisor is Rick Theisfeld with David Wheeler the foreman. Involved is attaching equipment to poles from which lines will eventually be strung. City-Vision, a division of Southwest Missouri Cable Television, holds franchise contracts with Cassville for providing the service. Mrs. Kolpin said the target date for start-up of service was early this fall. Contracts with the city of Cassville call for an October start. Weather delays this early spring have delayed schedules of work according to company officials. Next phase will be pulling strand for the firm’s distribution cables for individual service drops.

— The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Department of Parks and Historical Shrines, has announced a two-year program putting in motion scheduled improvements and changes at Roaring River State Park. Boyd Holcomb, park superintendent, said the actual beginning of the projects would be dependent on issuance of state improvement bonds. This year most of the work will consist of study and engineering on converting the old lodge building to a restaurant facility and making the present food service area into a park. offices, store, tackle shop and naturalist area. This study is under a $50,000 proposed contract with a Springfield firm. Actual work will include renovation of Camp Smokey, in the amount of $150,000 to completely modernize the group camping facility. In addition, Campground One in the Dry Hollow area of the park is scheduled in a project also costing $150,000. Included will be renovation and paving of parking spaces, surfacing of roads, installing tables and additional facilities. Holcomb said a pair of sleeping cabins at the park would be converted to housekeeping units, comparable to a project completed this year on two units at a cost of $62,000. Also under study will be demolition of the park swimming pool, with no funding set. The area would be used for parking when the lodge is converted to restaurant use. There is no funding scheduled in the project at the present time for a new swimming pool. Next year the park superintendent said actual renovation of the lodge is scheduled to begin, bearing a price tag of $250,000. At the same time the restaurant would be changed at an estimated cost of $178,000.

— Five who work in. Barry County will be recognized this week in the Foster Grandparent program by Ozarks Area Community Action people. Included are. Dema Kinser, who works with Cassville Head Start and Marie Bowman, Dorothy Smith, Fern Summers and Gwendolyn Hinzie, associated with the Barry-Lawrence Development Center at Monett.

— Able 2 Products Inc. of Cassville, has purchased a five-acre site near the northwest edge of Cassville for future development. The purchase was from Mr. and Mrs. Chester Lykins of Alice, Texas, one-time local residents. Jerry Watley, Able 2 president, said the location on County Farm Road was purchased by the company to meet possible needs for the manufacturing firm in years ahead.

30 years ago

April 14, 1993

— Sales tax receipts in the area here down for the March receipts from the Missouri Department of revenue. In this area, receipts included Cassville $30,714.33 for general and $15,351.90 for bond issue; Barry County road and bridge $71,238.14; Seligman $4,666.48, Purdy $2,835.41 and Washburn $989.55.

— Monday night could have been termed complaint time for the Cassville city council, as a new member was seated for the first time and oaths were issued to all named to respective offices in recent voting. At the top of the agenda appeared Donald Hall, protesting dumping being conducted in an old Flat Creek channel at the south city limits. Mayor Rolland Meador expressed concern in the issue that the incidents had not been reported by the police department. Council observation was that issue had been taken care of in previous actions. Clerk Jo Ledgerwood said council advised officers to investigate and present report. Residents of the Forest M Estates, spokesman Gene Brooks, notified council they had been advised by the Postal Service that unless their streets were repaired, rural delivery mail service would be discontinued. After receiving information, city informed residents they had notified owner R. G. Edmondson that road in city limits must first be brought to minimum standards, including width and paving, before the circle drive can become part of the municipal street system. City suggested residents consult city attorney for proper action. Police reports provoked comments from council concerning speeding on Old Exeter Road and in general around Cassville. Council inquired about use of radar readout and other preventative methods but got no comment. Junk cars at residences, property not properly kept and lack of reporting of these incidents and conditions also expressed by council.

— One hundred thirty- six petition signatures are seeking dissolution of the Purdy special road district. Presiding commissioner Lloyd Dilbeck acknowledged this week the county commission received the petitions in their Monday session. Dilbeck said the three-member commission would follow usual processes in considering the request. Those processes will include a check with prosecuting attorney John Lewright to determine if the petition request is legal. The second step will be checking signers for accuracy and being qualified property owners within the district. Since the deadline for June 8 election issues was Tuesday, Dilbeck said there would be no possibility of the issue going before voters for that designated election. The earliest could be August if an election is granted. The financially troubled district is involved in felony stealing charges against a former district treasurer Tammy Utter. An estimated $143,448 in district funds were reported missing between April 16, 1986, and May 31, 1992. Audits by the State of Missouri and investigations by the Missouri Highway Patrol substantiated the charges. Dilbeck said commissioners Red Edens of the southern district and Willadean Ray of the north district, said dissolving the district, which includes the city of Purdy, would throw the area into a common road district, supervised by the county commission. The district, including the city of Purdy, contains about 36.5 sections of land in and around Purdy. There are approximately 23,360 acres of land in the district. There are 60 miles of county roads in the district. Road commission members are Ken Terry and Kenny Hall. Ernest Ferguson recently resigned with the commission yet to appoint a successor. Commission members Monday acknowledged the actual number of signers exceeded the 50 required by law to call for a special election for dissolution of a road district.

— Cassville’s baseball Wildcats went to 5-0 Tuesday with a 5-2 win over the Lamar Tigers, which was also the opener in Big Eight Conference action. Thursday the Wildcats recorded a big win 9-2 over Springfield Central, as coach Todd McCracken’s charges continue to combine strong mound performances and hot bats against early season opposition. Against the Springfield squad, Jeremy Marple recorded his third win of the season in limiting the Bulldogs to six hits. Marple’s bat got almost that many safeties as he went four for four, including a three run home run that put the game out of reach after the hosts had grabbed a 1-0 early lead. Marple struck out 12, walking only three in gaining the decision. Chris Sparks was behind the plate. Both Sparks and right fielder Owen Shoemaker threw out runners at second base. Shoemaker and David Ross added two hits for the Wildcats. Cassville tied the score at 1-1 in the fourth inning as Marple walked and stole second base. Ross doubled him home tying the score. Shoemaker doubled, putting Cassville ahead 2-1 and Sparks singled. Travis Russell then singled to score Ross and the Wildcats led 3-1.

— Just over one-half of the road districts in Barry County either elected commissioners by write-in ballots or did not go through the elected process due to only one candidate filing in recent voting. Five made their choices through write-in as no candidate filed, nine had a single candidate file their intentions, the remaining 12 cast ballots on either commission members or levy extensions. Single candidate districts and their commissioners included: Ash, Glenn Boxley; Corsicana, Michael Fenske; Exeter, Jerry Ennis; Flat Creek, Don D. Myers; Kings Prairie, Fred Marbut; McDonald, Richard Wierman; Mineral, Rex Crumpler; Pleasant Ridge, Jim Williams and Viola, Marvin Johns.

— Volunteer fire fighters from Cassville responded to a pair of calls this week. Monday equipment went to the Eunice’ Lyall property at Oak Ridge where a controlled burn was in progress. Tuesday afternoon a grass fire got out of control in the Hungry Hollow area down Flat Creek.

— Commerce Bank of Barry County has announced the promotion of Jon Horner from assistant vice president to vice-president of the Cassville financial institution. President Bill Easley said the staff member, who has been with the firm since January 1987, assumed the new post immediately. Horner, a native of the Cassville community, graduated from R-4 schools and Southwest Missouri State University. He is currently president of the Chamber of Commerce and PACE Inc. civic groups. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Bill Horner of Cassville.