50 years ago

Sept. 19, 1973

— Robert Mitchell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Mitchell Virginia Beach, Virginia, and formerly of Cassville, has been named a pilot captain by National Airline, stationed in Miami, Florida. Mitchell is a veteran pilot, having received initial training as a Navy flyer. He is flying DC-10 aircraft out of the home base. He is a nephew of Sam Mitchell of Cassville.

— Dr. Eugene Miekley, Cassville veterinarian, has received a certificate of appreciation from the Ozarks Council, Boy Scouts of America for his efforts in behalf of Boy Scout Troop 76 of Cassville. The presentation was made during last week’s Rotary club meeting. The local club sponsors Troop 76.

— Officers Tuesday took an escaped Green County prisoner in custody near a campsite on Flat Creek in the Jenkins area. Max Richard Hiller, 41, who escaped from the Springfield jail on September 2, was taken into custody by Trooper Petrus of the Missouri Highway Patrol. A special deputy, Bill Gautney of Jenkins assisted. Also aiding was a Highway Patrol airplane, according to Sheriff Vernon Still. Hiller was in jail facing burglary charges in Green County.

— Janis Purvis and Kathy Stanley are the new owners of the Restaurant facilities at the Cedar Creek Country Club near Shell Knob.

— Miss Jane Reed, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ClarenceReedofSherwood Forest addition in Cassville left Monday, September 10 from Springfield to fly to Florence, Italy where she will be attending the Center of Culture at the University of Florence pursuing her double major in Italian and Art History. She will be spending her entire Junior year at the University ret- urning home in June, 1974. She has attended Columbia for M. U. in the past two years.

— Health Unit Operating With Three Nurse Staff Maude Daniel, R. N. has returned to work at the Barry County Health Unit. While on leave of absence they visited in Texas,, Colorado and the North West. Barry County Health Unit now has three Public Health Nurses and a new schedule has been arranged. According to Mrs. Edith Purdom they plan to have a nurse in the office all day on Mondays and Thursdays, other days by appointment. In general Mrs. Daniel will serve the Golden, Wheaton, Exeter and Purdy area of the county to do home visits and health education. Margaret Cochrane will serve the Washburn, Seligman, Eagle Rock and southern part of the county. Mrs. Purdom will work part of Cassville, the Monett, Jenkins, and Shell Knob area.

40 years ago

Sept. 14, 1983

— Improvements to an 11th Street waterway east of Main Street will be the subject of a call for bids by the city of Cassville. Mayor Bill LeCompte says the project will be submitted to prospective contractors in a September 29 bid opening. Mayor LeCompte said the project, budgeted by the city council as part of the summer street improvement program, would be financed through sales tax revenues. City engineer George Ulmer said the project will consider replacement of four bridges over the waterway at East, Mill, Harold and Fair Streets. He said the work would also include cleaning, sloping and clearing portions of the waterway to Flat Creek. Full extent of work will depend on bids received by prospective contractors. Ulmer said about $50,000 was included in this year’s city street improvement program for the project. Included in work required will be removal of old bridges and construction of new crossings over 11th Street. Cassville this year has completed $103,000 in street improvements under contracts awarded Evan Hutchens and Son Co. Ulmer said the up-coming bid opening, at 1:30 p.m. at the office of city clerk Jo Ledgerwood, contained a right to waive formality or reject any or all bids. No proposal accepted at the letting can be withdrawn for a period of 30 days without consent of the city.

— Farmers and other interested people who would like to know more about how to control Musk Thistle will have the opportunity September 29, at the community building in Golden. The meeting will get underway at 7:30 p.m. Richard Prewitt, area agronomist and Emmett Mc-Cord, family farm specialist, with the University of Missouri Extension Service will present information on how to identify and the proper control of the thistle. John Lewright, Barry County prosecuting attorney will be present to give information on legality of control. The thistle has been spreading in the eastern side of the county for some years and is becoming more and more of a problem. “Efforts to control the spread of the Musk Thistle should be undertaken by everyone,” said McCord.

— Local representatives of the Bureau of the Census will conduct a survey in this area during the week of September 19-24, to determine the extent people have been immunized against selected diseases, Marvin L. Postma, director of the Bureau’s Regional Office in Kansas City, announced. The survey is conducted throughout the U.S. every year to provide information on immunizations against measles, influenza, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, rubella, and mumps needed for administration of health programs geared to disease prevention. These health questions are in addition to the usual ones asked in the monthly survey on employment and unemployment conducted nationwide by the bureau for the U.S. Department of Labor. Personal information supplied in the survey is kept strictly confidential by law and results are used only to compile statistical totals.

— Work on trails and Landscaping of areas at Roaring River State Park are being completed with the use of grants from the Small Business Administration. Missouri received $921,600 total funding in the project. Roaring River got $29,463 for project work according to Boyd Holcomb, superintendent and Merle Rogers, naturalist. Roaring River projects include landscaping in the area of several cabins in the upper section of the park. Installing water barriers and other projects are included. Rogers said trail improvements would include designation of some walk areas as self-guiding. These trails will have signs installed and literature provided to permit hikers to obtain full information about the route without waiting for a regular guided tour. Much of the work in the funded project has been completed this year. Announcement of the funding came only this week from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

— The Public Service Commission has approved a stipulated agreement that authorizes the Gas Service Company to increase its permanent natural gas rates by approximately $14.1 million effective September 15, 1983. The stipulated agreement was reached as a result of negotiations conducted by the company, the Public Service Commission staff, the Office of Public Counsel and participating intervenors. When submitted December 30, the Gas Service Company sought authority to increase its natural gas rates by approximately $20.9 million or 4.62 percent over existing gas revenues. The stipulation results in an overall increase of 3.96 percent; however individual customers may experience a different percentage increase due to usage. Rate schedules reflecting increase percentage include: general 4.39; small commercial and industrial 2.92; large commercial 3.07; large industrial 2.89 and large volume 2.74.

30 years ago

Sept. 8, 1993

— Concerned that the best interests of Barry County might not be served in a five-county Solid Waste District, interests attending a meeting in Cassville last week are at least considering withdrawal from the organization. The existing Southwest Missouri Solid Waste Management District, established by the Department of Natural Resources, includes Barry, Lawrence, Dade, Stone and Taney counties. About 12 persons, some members of a solid waste council and others in an advisory capacity, were in the session that covered the complexity of the waste district. Complications of planning due to the influence of Branson tourism, plus the difference in waste streams with the emphasis of industrial and agricultural interests in the county were discussed. During the process, the question was raised as to whether or not Barry County would be better off in a different district, or even contemplating withdrawing from District N and writing their own plan. Agreement came that Dade, Lawrence and Barry could be a sub-district or a separate district in sharing many common characteristics. Investigation of associating with District M or Newton and McDonald counties was discussed. Finishing the discussion processes, mayor Rolland Meador, an executive board member of the district, reached agreement with the group that possibilities of withdrawing should be investigated and inquiries completed regarding association with another district. This information will be designed for a second meeting September 9, p.m. at the Cassville community center. Barry County commissioners, with officials from Lawrence county will be asked to attend this session. Those in the meeting here were reminded during the discussions that withdrawing from the state mandated district would necessitate any new boundaries developing a plan and submitting same to the state within 180 days. They would have to achieve this requirement without the assistance of grant funds. The SW District has been provided substantial funding for establishment and study processes. Some of those in the meeting here were concerned with the lack of input permitted from private sources in the establishment of the districts. Similarities in interest and other avenues seemingly were not considered in the district boundary formations. Districts are currently targeting regulations established in a Missouri senate bill that would reduce by 40 percent by weight the solid waste going into landfills by 1998. Already the guidelines have eliminated appliances, tires, yard wastes and batteries from being deposited in the landfills of the state. Makeup of the meeting last week included representatives of county industries and municipal governments. Included were Erma Orndorff, Tyson Foods, Sam Helmkamp, Workstation; city councilman Dennis Fischer; Carolyn Easley, Monett recycling; E. W. Bradford, mayor of Seligman; Phil Hutchens, Cassville contractor; Brenda Moore and Terry Stone of BFI, Inc.; Chuck Miner, U.S. Forest Service and city clerk Jo Ledgerwood of Cassville. Outside this group, the Solid Waste Council in Barry County includes these persons: Ledgerwood, Bradford, Fred Berziel, Wheaton mayor; county commission members Red Edens and Willadean Ray; commissioner Red Sharver of Monett and David Redshaw, mayor of Purdy. Barry county advisors said following the session that input from Barry Countians is essential if a plan is to be achieved that serves the needs of this area. Anyone interested in the solid waste handing or disposal problems in the county is encouraged to attend the next session Thursday evening.

—Barry County Assessor Glen Nicoll got a swearing-in all by himself Thursday, becoming the longest officer holder in tenure in the county. He is also among the most senior of tax assessors in Missouri. Nicoll began another term by being administered an oath of office by Robin Gummert, deputy county clerk for voter registration. Nicoll, who was first elected to office in 1969, noted the county’s valuation at that time stood at $23,761,610. The 1993 property assessment of the county stands at $174,583,893. Nicoll noted the county’s tax value had increased $150,822,283 during his years in office. County officials and staffers of the assessor gathered for the swearing-in in the county commission offices. The event also included a reception in honor of the occasion that was arranged by deputy assessor June Smith. Mrs. Nicoll and a few friends also joined the event.

— A Highway Patrolmotorcycle chase in south Barry County Tuesday resulted in a pair of persons abandoning their cycle and taking to the woods. Sheriff Ralph Hendrix said patrol sergeant Darryl Eckhoff of Cassville was pursuing the cycle when the drive attempted to lose the patrol car by turning onto Route DD near Seligman. The patrol sergeant continued in pursuit of the cycle carrying two people until it wrecked in an area west of Seligman. When the vehicle went into a ditch the two persons aboard took off into a wooded area. Sheriff Hendrix joined Eckhoff at the scene, with the two deciding not to pursue the pair. The officers concluded they would confiscate the motorcycle and see if the riders came out of the woods and wanted their transportation back.