50 years ago
July 4, 1973
— A retirement picnic, honoring Clyde Hart, of Cassville, is scheduled at the Cassville district ranger station of Mark Twain National Forest on July 14. Olen Yokum, district ranger, said Hart had completed 38 years with the U. S. Forest Service in June. Hart, who held a forestry technician classification, has been involved in timber sales and replanting operations during his 17 years’ service here. Prior to being assigned in Cassville he worked in the Willow Springs office. He began his career with the old CCC forces. The picnic will include several of Hart’s former associates in the office here. Approximately 100 invitations have been mailed to these people. Yokum said there would be no replacement for Hart in the district at this time. Others on the staff will absorb his assignments. Mr. and Mrs. Hart live in Cassville’s Sunset Heights addition. They have five children, all of whom have either graduated or attend the local schools.
— Wanda’s Drapery and Gift Shop, owned and operated by Mrs. Wanda Swafford, will open July 6 in Northview Shopping Center next to Cassville Bowl here. The business will be operated in the former Sanders Bookkeeping spaces. Sanders have moved to adjoining property north which they recently purchased. Mrs. Swafford said decorator service will be offered by appointment only. Glassware, floral arrangements and gifts of various types will be business features.
— Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Reid are opening a new ice cream parlor in their business property at the corner of 13th and Main. The business which will be open this week will be called the Dippity Dip Ice Cream Parlor. It will be located in the East end of the building. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Yarnall will open a florist shop in the West end of the property An August opening date has been tentatively set.
— David Stanley, rural Exeter, has just returned from Kansas City, where he successfully completed the course in auctioneering and auction sale management at the Missouri Auction School. He received his diploma and the honorary title of Colonel along with men and women auctioneers from throughout the United States and Canada. Col. Stanley is a senior at Wheaton high school. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. C. Stanley, Exeter.
— The fruit growing picture in Barry County produces a gloomy picture in some avenues and then brightens up in others. John Vollenweider, speaking for Vollenweider Orchards between Cassville and Exeter, estimate this week the orchards will have about a five percent peach crop. On the other is hand, a 25% increase anticipated in the apple division of the orchard. Late spring freezes really smacked the peach trees, according to Vollenweider. Other growers in the Exeter area have said they will have virtually no crop. At the larger orchard, smudgepots, wind machines and helicopters saved the low percentage of the crop. What quantity of peaches coming off the trees this year will be later varieties they should become available about August 1. Vollenweider said the orchardmen of the area at first thought they would have some peaches this year, but fruit kept dropping off the trees as the season progressed. Trees were subjected to three hard freezes late this past spring. On the other side of the fruit picture, apples will apparently be in abundance. Although the orchards suffered some hail damage, it was not severe enough to damage the fruit completely. Early varieties of apples will probably be available about August 10. The main harvest will start about September 1. A bright spot in the harvest picture is that the labor demand will probably be higher this year due to an increase in the crop and need for closer grading. Vollenweider said he anticipated that he would need more help in the orchard this summer than he had in recent years.
40 years ago
June 29, 1983
— New superintendent of the Exeter schools is David Burns, whose official start of employment in the district is July 1. Burns comes to the district from Roanoke, Va., schools. He and Mrs. Burns have purchased the Curtis Thomas property in Cassville. In addition to residing at the property, they will install a gift shop at the location that was originally planned for the Edmondson building on the south side of the square here. A native of Lebanon, Burns received his master’s degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. He holds a specialist degree from SM-SU in Springfield. He is working on his doctorate at Missouri University.
— City Vision, Inc. will open their Cable TV office in Cassville, Thursday, July 7, according to Mrs. Ruth I. Kolpin, president. The office will be located at 204 West Eighth Street, across the street south of the Post Office. Office hours will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Construction of the Cable system is nearly complete with the installation of the earth station west of the city. “On completion, the system will be thoroughly tested to assure the citizens of Cassville will receive clear, brilliant reception,” Mrs. Koplin stated. As soon as the testing is completed, technicians will start making installations to the homes. City Vision will be offering discounted rates ON installations for a limited time. “Each resident of Cassville will be mailed all the details regarding rates and programs available. We think Cassville citizens have a very good selection on Cable with a variety of programs for all members of the family, fourteen channels will be available including the option of two movie services,” Mrs. Kolpin stated City Vision, a branch of Southwest Cable Vision of Carthage, holder of service franchise in Cassville.
— John Faber, deputy sheriff of Barry County two years, has resigned that post to accept employment with the Missouri Department of Parole and Probation. He will be assigned to the Branson area. Faber’s replacement on the law enforcement staff is Jerry Rickman of the Purdy area.
30 years ago
June 23, 1993
— James Auto of Cassville has new owners and a name change, according to announcements this week. After 30 years of operating the automotive parts and supply firm, Mr. and Mrs. John James have sold the business to Larry and Gretchen Bussman. The name change will be Carquest of Cassville. Bo James will remain with the firm as manager. Mr. and Mrs. James came to Cassville 30 years ago, purchasing the business after being associated in an automobile agency in Willow Springs.
— Vandalism on the north side of the public square over the weekend removed flowers planted in containers in front of Jan’s and Touch of Class businesses. Owner said there was evidence of partying at the location when they opened businesses Monday. Cassville Police Department officers investigated the incident according to a city hall spokesperson.
— Reunion VII will be held in Kansas City, June 24-24, according to officials of the state gaming event. Included in those on the guest list are James and Karen Elliott, of Cassville, who in 1989 won $3,251,730 in the lottery.
— Approximately 100 guests at Super 8 Motel in Cassville were awakened about 11:45 p.m. Saturday night and evacuated from the facility at the southwest edge of town after a bomb threat was received by telephone. Police sergeant Lonnie McCullough said Donna Branham, night clerk, received the call and promptly emptied about 42 of the facility’s 44 rooms in the emergency. Officers said the person making the threat was a female voice that immediately hung-up the telephone after informing the night clerk of the presence of a bomb in the motel. Angie Hilburn, manager of Super 8, which has been open only a few short weeks, said the guests were out of their rooms for about an hour. Mr. and Mrs. John Babb of Memphis, Tenn., visiting his parents here, said the process of getting guests out of the building was orderly and handled with dispatch by officers and motel representatives. Babb and Miss Hilburn said the guests went along with the process in a good natured manner. McCullough said Cassville officers McCool, Collins and Roe were at the scene assisting in the effort as was sheriff Ralph Hendrix and several deputies. Missouri highway patrol trooper Jim Burnette also assisted. Cassville officers Monday were getting in touch with federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms officers in this area to turn the case over to them. McCullough said making a bomb threat over the telephone was a federal offense. Officers speculated the incident might have been a hoax or a prank call. However, they said this did not remove the seriousness of the situation. Issuing a false report of this type can be extremely serious, noted one of the officers. Departments involved in the investigation and search of the property said their efforts would continue to determine from where the call originated and by whom it was made.
— Cassville Lady Wildcat basketball teams attended the Crowder Team Basketball camp at the Neosho school. The varsity wildcats won the camp championship, ending the event with a 28-2 record for the week. The lady wildcats beat McDonald County in the camp championship game, said coach Ron Cowan. The J.V. Lady Wildcats finished fourth in their tournament bracket, according to coach Jim Williams. Janee Rima won the three-point competition in the junior varsity group. Attending were 21 lady wildcats. They were: Jennifer Mrstik, Jill Moger, Anna Woods, Wendy Miller, Stacy Taliaferro, Dayna Wolf, Amy Campbell, Katie Hutton, Jill Litzsinger, Destiny Fare, Kecia Burbridge, Toni Hayes, Anne Bussman, Becky Richardson, Casey Clayton, Tina Turner, Janee Rima, Amy Arnold, Stacy Kelley, Brandi Lancaster, and Sarah Bussman. Coaches Cowan and Williams accompanied the girls to the camp.
— Barry County Sheriff Ralph Hendrix and officers recently pulled 1,480 marijuana plants from a fence row in the Cassville area. Sheriff Hendrix said he and officers Jack Lowe and Randy Yarnall pulled the plants June 17. Officers were notified of the growing plants by a resident of the area about 2.5 miles north of Cassville. The plants were about one-quarter mile from a road. The plants were growing next to a timberline in the field near where hay had been fed. Officers said the plants, from one to four feet tall, were growing good. They were not cultivated, having apparently been broadcast in the area and possibly trampled into the ground by cattle. The operation was the largest find of marijuana plants in this area during the current growing season. Officers said the plants were turned over to U. S. Forest Service personnel at Cassville ranger station of Mark Twain National Forest to be destroyed.
