Building closed due to unhealthy conditions
The Cassville Democrat office is closed indefinitely due to damage from storms on Sunday.
Heavy wind and hail opened holes in the roof of the building and allowed water to enter the office. More than a dozen ceiling tiles soaked to the point of falling in, and flooring throughout multiple office space is compromised, including new laminate hardwood installed in the main office last week.
“We are working with our insurance company and have a claim filed to get everything back in working order,” said Kyle Troutman, owner and publisher of the Democrat. “We have six fans in the building working to dry the floor, but the extent of the water damage has resulted in unsafe working conditions.
“Despite being displaced, we are able to work remotely and continue providing the award-winning newspaper you have come to expect each week. The office may be closed, but the newspaper will remain strong.”
Storms damage was widespread throughout Cassville, and the Democrat was not the only business that sustained damage.
“I know Sater Pharmacy and Blake Fields Law Office were affected, as well as the strip across from Arvest Bank and the Barry County jail and Sheriff’s Office,” Troutman said. “We hope for a quick recovery for all local businesses dealing with any significant damage, as well as residents who have been sustaining without power or displaced due to home damage.”
Those with damage to their homes or businesses should report it by calling 211, as the county is putting together an application for disaster relief. For individuals, this may open up a grant program for people to complete repairs, and for businesses, low-cost loans may become available.
The Cassville Democrat’s main office building was built on the north end of the lot in 1900 according to courthouse records and 1894 according to Historian Jeremiah Buntin, with the Barry County Museum. In the decades following, it was divided into multiple businesses.
Through the early 1960s, the current Cassville Democrat office was home to, among other businesses, the Cassville Post Office and Doc’s Cafe, while the south end had the Skelly Oil Company, demolished in 1962 to make way for the addition to the original building.
The Democrat newspaper moved into the new office around 1962, relocating from its previous office on the south side of the courthouse square, where China Express is now located.
While the Democrat office is closed, staff will be working remotely. To reach Publisher Kyle Troutman or Office Manager Jordan Troutman, people may email cassvilledemocrat@outlook.com or ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com, or people may message the paper through its Facebook page.
If needed, people may also reach Kyle Troutman by phone at 501-831-3084 during business hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We hope the recovery process is as speedy as can be and we are back in the office soon,” Troutman said. “We appreciate your patience and understanding at this time.”
