50 years ago
June 27, 1973
— Consolidation of and the Barry and Lawrence County library districts into one library district is being announced by Mrs. Glennon Bass, regional librarian. Board action in the matter was taken at the regular May meeting, in accordance with the House-sponsored amendment to the Missouri Statutes, which was passed during the second regular session earlier this year. Formal approval by the Courts was also required, and this has been accomplished although not previously announced as being considered.
— A Madry community resident shot an intruder Sunday evening to cap a weekend of heavy investigation by the Barry County sheriff’s office. Sheriff Vernon Still said the intruder was hospitalized in Springfield but would be returned here on an outstanding warrant of first degree burglary. Gary Leon Vest apparently stole an automobile in Marionville Sunday evening and went to the Hartwigsen home near Madry about 3 a.m. Sunday morning. He woke the couple as he went to a gun cabinet from which he took a deer rifle. Vest then attempted to load the couple’s television set in their auto. He came back into the house at which point Hartwigsen scuffled with him, took the rifle and the burglar ran out the door. The home owner fired at the burglar and struck him in the right arm, causing considerable damage to the limb. Vest was captured later by Deputy Pat Patterson who was called to the scene. The burglar came out of a field near the Hartwigsen home. Sheriff Still said Vest would be hospitalized five days in Springfield and then would be charged with the Barry County warrant.
— Dr. L. R. Walters, chiropractor, will open his Cassville offices on July 9. Formerly of Jasper, Dr. Walters recently purchased the VanZandt Building at Highway 112-248 and has remodeled the facility for his offices. Walters and family live in Crystal View Addition. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Walters of Cassville.
40 years ago
June 22, 1983
— Barry County Sheriff, Jim Hopkins, has begun reorganizing the Barry County Sheriff Possee and is now in the process of seeking new members. A meeting Tuesday started the process. Another session has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, at the Town House Restaurant beginning at 8 p.m. Office selection will be included in the agenda.
— Damage was termed “considerable’ but no dollar figure placed on the amount as a result of three prisoners going on the rampage at Barry County jail early Thursday morning. Prosecuting Attorney John Lewright said charges have been filed against three. Charged with arson first degree are James Williams of Monett and wanted in Indiana and John Evans, on parole from Texas but residing in Monett. Tampering first degree charges were filed against Timothy McKeon of Troy, Missouri. Sheriff Jim Hopkins said the three were among prisoners in jail Thursday morning about 1 p.m. when ceiling in the corridors were ripped down and light fixtures broken. Dispatcher Leon Thomas was on duty at the time. Officials said the damage was covered by insurance carried on the jail structure. The three were arraigned Thursday on their respective charges before Associate Court Judge John Baty. They are scheduled for preliminary hearings Wednesday. Sheriff Hopkins said the damage had no effect on the operation of the jail, except lights were off until repairs were made, and meals served a little late that day.
— Marine Sgt. James E. Smith, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Smith of Jenkins, has been awarded the Navy Achievement Medal. He received the decoration for superior performance of duty while serving with third Force Service Support Group, on Okinawa. The medal is an official recognition of an individual’s outstanding accomplishments and is presented during formal ceremonies.
30 years ago
June 16, 1993
— Covering an estimated 2,500 households in the central part of Table Rock Lake the Central Crossing Fire Protection District has been established by order of associate circuit judge J. Edward Sweeney. An order creating the district came through the court after petitions and a hearing conducted. Completion of a proposed levy for operation of the district and electing a board of directors will be accomplished during the August 3 general election. Including two townships in Barry County, Shell Knob and White River, the district will also cross into Stone County to include ‘Apine Township and all of Williams township that is not now in Southern Fire Protection District. The district will cover approximately 96 square miles. The existing Central Crossing Fire Department provides protection in about a 75 square mile area in the central Table Rock area, according to fire chief Ron Rickard. Under the court order, requested by residents of the intended area, the August 3 ballot on the issue will include a pair of propositions. One would be a yes or no section officially incorporating the first protection district supported by a levy up to 30 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
— Cassville’s first drive-by shooting was reported Friday night about midnight when two shotgun blasts were fired at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Larecy of East 13th Street. The Larecy’s were in bed at the time of the shooting. Blasts from what appeared to be small-sized bird shot of the six or eight style, tore through a picture window, smashing light fixtures and imbedding themselves in an opposite wall. Police sergeant Lonnie McCullough said a follow-up investigation didn’t have much to go on, but would proceed in an effort to talk to some people in the neighborhood about possible traffic in the area at the time. Larecy said he was certain a pair of shots were fired. McCullough said some in the neighborhood thought as many as five shots had been fired. Officer Leonard Collins made the initial investigation of the shooting early Saturday morning. Larecy, who said he was considering offering a reward for information leading to an arrest in the incident, had no idea who might be involved in the shooting or for what reason. McCullough said there were no injuries in the incident. He said this was the first incident of this type ever investigated by the Cassville police. He said pistons of the shotgun shells were found in the Larecy front yard, indicating the vehicle from which shots were fired was near the edge of the road at the time. McCullough said the department was investigating a break-in Sunday night at Kentucky Fried Chicken on south Main. The police investigation said entry was gained by breaking a glass out of a side door. No report of missing items was available. The incident was discovered when manager Helen Sanders opened the business Monday morning.
— Combined, they have 90 years involvement in the dairy industry of Barry County. They live within a mile and one half of each other. And, they have, during their careers, been highly competitive in Holstein judging events and the development of top-quality dairy animals. They are Ernest Cowherd and Larry Purdom, whose families have been in the same spots in the Mt. Pleasant community between Butterfield and Purdy for over the century mark. Both Cowherd and Purdom are quick to make it perfectly clear dairying has been a family affair or their respective families. In fact, the ladies of the family were Involved in post-milking operations during a recent visit to the farms. As the most senior of the pair, Cowherd relates he got his first milk check in 1941. Quizzed about major changes in the industry over the year, he smiled that his first milking machine came to the farm in 1946, when he returned from service in the Army during World War II. The big difference in the industry “has to be the method of feeding cows and the animals themselves,” Cowherd noted. Looking back over the early days of his start Coward recalls, “I was told at the start that I would do good if my cows averaged one gallon of milk a day. Today, we’re looking for a nine-gallon average,” he smiled. By the same relation, he said guidelines years ago said dairymen needed 12 thousand pounds annually from each cow, today that number is 22 thousand pounds. All seven of the Cowherd children have been involved in the dairy operations. Eldest Gene, remains in the operation, plus his grape operations. Six boys are graduates of the University of Missouri; the lone girl of the family chose the University of Arkansas for her education. Purdom, has logged 38 years in dairying, starting when he was 13 with a couple of FFA animals. After a year at Drury College, he was back in Barry County and a full-time dairyman in 1961, the year he built his first milking barn.
— A fish composting project started last year at Roaring River State Park has won for the Department of Natural Resources, Parks Division, a state-wide recognition. The award will be presented this summer by the Kansas City based Missouri Waste Control Coalition. Pete Landstad, park superintendent, said the program in 1992 composed 50,000 pounds of fish remains from the cleaning station in the park. He said a delegation from the park would be in Columbia July 19 at the 21st annual MWCC conference to receive the award. Roaring River’s achievement in the project will be recognized as one of 10 in the state that includes government agencies, individuals and corporations in Missouri. Landstad explained the park project was initiated a year ago when dumping of fish remains from the cleaning station was prohibited by the state. Roaring River then initiated the compost system that turns the 50,000 pounds of refuse to virtually nothing in a short period of time. Methods used included placing alternate six-inch layers of fish and wood chips in five-foot-tall wooden bins. The bins are located near the park shop area off Route F at the eastern edge of the park. Landstad said the fish quickly reverted to a white powder that amounts to virtually nothing. The recognition comes as the MWCC gives recognition for initiating and promoting sound waste management practices. The 600-member non-profit organization sponsors environmental seminars and distributes information about waste management issues to citizens and industry. Roaring River’s selection as a recipient comes in the government agency category.
