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Through the Years, Jan. 10

50 YEARS AGO: STREETS AND ROADS WERE SLICK — Ice and lingering cold up until Sunday provided many a thrill for drivers in this area. But, some were probably not so thrilled as others. This photo shows the car of Janice Mason in the 11th and Main ditch where it slid as Miss Mason was attempting to turn east. Two wreckers, one pulling and one holding, affect the rescue of the car without a scratch. Bill Hammond used the double wrecker operation to prevent the vehicle from overturning. The driver was not injured as a slow driving pace prevented a serious accident. Democrat file photo
50 YEARS AGO: REMEMBER THE SEVENTH STREET HILL — At 8 p.m. in the evening, Cassville’s Seventh Street hill, sometimes called the old school house hill, gives an appearance of daylight in this time exposure when the slope was ice covered last week. A lone sledder is swishing down the hill at the right foreground of the picture. His efforts to lop throws up a cloud of ice flakes behind the sled and obscures two more sledders behind. Youngsters using the fast slope carried flashlights and flares to make themselves easily seen. they also installed some of the flares at street intersections to warn motorists since the area was lot roped off to prevent traffic in the area. Needless to say, the ice covered street provided the fastest ride available for the scores of youngsters braving the elements for the time honored sport of racing down the hill. Democrat file photo

50 years ago

Jan. 17, 1974

— Gas Service Requests New Rate Hike

The Gas Service Co., supplier of natural gas to about 365,000 Missourians, has filed application for rate increases that would cost the average domestic consumer about 55 cents extra each month. Jerry I. Duggan, utility president, said the company had filed the revised rate schedules with the Missouri Public Service Commission. The revised retail rates are designed to produce additional gross operating revenue, exclusive of applicable cities’ gross receipts taxes of $5,580,214 per year. The net increase after taxes would be $2,824,415. Duggan said increases proposed for commercial and industrial gas customers vary depending upon the amount of gas used by such customers. Duggan said the proposed increase is necessary to offset substantial increases in the company’s operating expenses and to provide a fair return upon the company’s investment. The Gas Service Co., serves a total of 164 Missouri communities including most in Barry County.

— School Break-ins Scatter Papers, Secure Burgers

A double break in at the Cassville schools is under investigation by local law enforcement officers. Superintendent James Ford said the campus was visited by burglars twice during the week past. Thursday morning officials were greeted at the school office by a shamble of records from a Wednesday night break-in. Ford’s offices and the school vault were given a thorough going over by burglars. Papers were scattered throughout the office area. Entry was gained through a door in the building. Monday night the cafeteria was visited by the burglars with a quantity of food taken. Major missing items reported were a quantity of hamburger patties and buns. The burglary resulted in some damaged food in freezer areas. Ford said little money is kept in the school offices. Bank deposits are made almost daily to avoid the accumulation of funds. Officials are at a loss to determine what the burglars could have been seeking in the offices.

40 years ago

Jan. 18, 1984

— Seligman MFA changes hands

Mr. and Mrs. Randy Roller of Seligman have completed purchase of the former Seligman MFA Exchange property on Highway 37 there and converted the firm into Seligman Farmers Feed. Roller said the new firm would represent both Tindle and Purina companies. Hardware and farm supply lines will be increased in the operation.

— Flower shop open after fire

Cassville Florist, owned and operated by Dora Steverson on Main Street, reopened for business Monday. The firm was damaged in a post-Christmas fire on December 27 during which living quarters adjoining the business were extensively damaged.

— Nokes takes reins

Mr. and Mrs. David Nokes of Cassville, have assumed operation of the former CJ’s Kerr-McGee service station at First and Main here. The business operation will be converted to Nokes D-X Full Service. Included are plans to have a mechanic on duty during regular business hours.

— Gasoline under $1

Gasoline prices dipped below $1 a gallon for the first time in months in this area during the week. Seligman prices were 98¢ per gallon for regular and to the north, prices went to 99.9 cents for the grade.

30 years ago

Jan. 5, 1994

— Zoning Approval Opens Business Building Project

Approval of a site plan submitted by Mr. and Mrs. Kelley Williamson to the Cassville zoning and planning commission will pave the way for construction of a new business planned by the couple. Zoning members in session Thursday told the Williamsons they could proceed with plans for demolition of part of their car wash on South Main and construct a combination convenience store and new jewelry facility. The Williamson’s said they hoped to begin demolishing of four bays of the existing car wash as quickly as possible. An automatic bay and open truck bay will remain. Eventually, the Williamsons propose constructing a 3780 square foot structure in which they would house the convenience store and their existing jewelry operation. The present jewelry building would be demolished to make way for gasoline pumps in the latter phase of the project. Members of the commission in the decision making session were chairman Jack Nickols, Joe Ellis, mayor Rolland Meador, Jan Shore and Dan Bailey. Zoning administrator Jo Ledgerwood said the next meeting of the commission is January 13.

— SBCH Emergency Room Response At Record High

Further improvements to emergency room facilities at South Barry County Hospital are in the offing, according to Debbie Stubbs, administrator. The plans follow an increase usage since the hospital began 24-hour in-house physician staffing. Stubbs said a record high number of visits to the ER were recorded in December when 625 patients were treated. She also noted 221 of these were flu related. Of the total treatment patients, 74 were admitted to the hospital. Stubbs also noted 277 of the patients were children. Deeper into statistics of the ER, Stubbs noted 437 patients were treated in November. Of this number 48 were admitted as patients. Due to an obvious increased need for emergency room services, Stubbs said the hospital board of directors had decided to open additional exam rooms to be used for emergency patients effective January 6. Plans are also in design for at least one room specially for pediatric patients. The administrator noted the move would facilitate children’s visits to emergency facilities as pleasant as possible. Physicians involved in the ER changes and expansions are reported by the administrator as being “very pleased with the increased emergency room volume and have enjoyed caring for the patients.” Administrators and directors of the district facility acknowledge the need for bringing additional staff to the unit to accommodate the lab and x-ray procedures timely. Current “bottler necks” that have been developed will be addressed in the near future eliminating waiting periods. Effective January 10, the hospital plans to have a nurse contacting each patient within 48 hours of their child’s visit to the ER to make sure the youngster is responding well to treatment and to answer any questions that might develop. “We want to do everything possible to make the patient feel good about their visit to our emergency room,” she noted. Stubbs said the hospital “appreciated the community supporting the enhanced emergency room facilities of SBCH. She “apologized for the patients who experienced excessive waiting times. Through implementation of some staffing changes, our goal will be for each patient to wait no more than 10 minutes before being seen by a physician. We will do whatever it takes to give our patients excellent treatment,” she concluded. Hospital officials noted the increase of ER visits from 270 to the 625 level over a short period of time makes it necessary to make quick adjustments. Included in these moves, in addition to room space and equipment, are plans of the unit to bring in new staff and setting standards high.

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