50 years ago

Sept. 12, 1973

— South Barry County Hospital in Cassville faces possible closing on November 1. Financial losses this year due to low patient loads and changes in Medicare payment are contributing factors to the decision of the board of directors. Don Grant, hospital administrator, reportedly told a staff last meeting of doctors week that the hospital faced such action. The board’s decision to set a November 1 date came Monday after a review of audits and an administrator’s report. The board release covering decisions only alternative said, “The was that the hospital announce closing date of November 1, 1973, unless unseen circumstances would alter this decision.” The release continued, Contacts are being made by the board and administrator and any suggestions from the community would be appreciated. 95 Grant acknowledged after the announcement that the hospital has been operating under a $200$300 daily loss for the past several weeks. Despite this situation the district was considered to be in good financial condition. Patient loads for the 18-bed facility have been running considerably under that needed for a break-even point. Mrs. Joyce Vaughan, assistant administrator, says the August figure was seven patients average. July was the best this year with 12 average-daily- patient load. Another factor in hospital financial problems is a change in computing peridium costs by the federal insurance Medicare. Grant said that prior to 1973 these charges were accepted on the basis of operating costs for the hospital. Effective the first of the year the charges are made on a basis of charges to the patient. This has resulted in lost revenue for the hospital. The hospital has faced a stormy history since construction in 1946 by Dre G. A. Purves. In 1951 the unit was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Homer Sommerville and operated under a Seventh Day Adventist mission project. This operation continued through 1956 when Dr. Vance Cridling bought the facility. Operation as Cassville Osteopathic Hospital was continuous for nine years until November 1965 when the South Barry County Hospital District was formed, and the property idling purchased from Cridling for an $80,000 figure. At one time a hospital operation committee was formed by Cassville residents to continue operation of the facility and ensure these services remaining in the community. Improvements to the facility have included room re-arrangement, ambulance entrance construction and building of central supply and kitchen at a cost of $50,000 by the district. A district levy of 156 per $100 brings in about $22,000 a year. The assets of the hospital include a 19-acre plot on West First Street which was purchased in 1968 at a cost of $I8, 000. This was the proposed site of a new hospital proposed under two bond issues that were defeated by district voters. Mrs. Vaughan said this week the annual payroll of the hospital is $125,000. Employees at the unit at the present time numbers 30 with a high during heavy patient periods running about 40 employees. Grant emphasized the board of directors were doing everything within their power to insure the unit remaining open. Decisions will be made during the next 45 days of the full fate of the facility. The SBCH board decision Monday throws further doubt on pending ambulance service plans between several government agencies in this area. Grant said he informed the Barry County Court this week that it appeared the district facility would not be able to participate in providing this service when private ambulances cease to operate October 1. The hospital district had planned to cooperate with the Court, and Barry County Health Unit in staffing and operating the two-ambulance service allotted by other agencies for this area.

— The Stone County Extension Council has announced that Bill Young will assume the position of Extension Youth Specialist in Stone, Taney and Barry Counties effective immediately. Headquartering out of the Galena office, Young will have responsibility for coordinating the 4-H program in each of the three counties. In addition, he will be available upon request to assist any other youth groups or community group interested in a youth program or project. Before moving to the three county area he was an Extension Environmental Education Specialist in Rolla. Preceding that appointment he was an Extension Youth Specialist in southeast Missouri. Originally from Rocky Comfort, in McDonald County, Young received his B. S. degree from Drury College in Springfield and his Masters Degree in Education from the University Missouri, of Columbia.

— Drivers on city streets in Cassville are being observed these days on radar. The police department has been equipped with equipment to register the speed at which vehicles are traveling. For the past week the program has been on a trial basis but will become permanent as a result of city council action Tuesday night. A unit has been leased under a program to control speed and prevent accidents. Council members got a review of the trial period in Tuesday’s meeting from City Marshall Fern Edens and Patrolmen Eddie Boyd and Danny Spyres. Each has been observing drivers since Friday and recording speeds traveled in various limit zones of Cassville streets. Each of the officers noted that in most cases drivers were exceeding speed limits as posted on local streets. As many as 35-50 observations have been made at different locations: Speeds up to 63 miles per hour have been recorded in 35 mph zones. Under the plan adopted by the council Tuesday night, a four month period will be used to determine whether the city keeps the unit. During the next couple of weeks warnings will be issued unless a serious careless and reckless violation is detected. Council stressed to the police officers that they did not intend for the radar unit to become a source of revenue for the city, but that its purpose was strictly as a safety measure. Mayor Bill LeCompte voiced the council’s opinion that Cassville was not to become a speed trap. The unit used by the city sells for $1,295 in an out-right purchase. During the trial period $42.45 lease will be paid monthly, which can apply to the purchase price if the city decides to continue the operation. Mayor LeCompte also stressed to the police force that other duties were to be not lessened with radar the unit’s operation. He was backed by council instructions that usual duties were to be carried out to the fullest in addition to checking speeds. After the announced period during which warnings will be issued, tickets will follow for those who do not observe posted speed limits in both commercial and residential areas. The unit is to be used in both instances of travel in and around town. Council also went on record in ordering signs to post at the city limits informing drivers that the speed here is radar checked.

40 years ago

Sept. 7, 1983

— Acting on a search warrant issued August 26 by Judge John Baty of the associate division of Circuit Court, Barry County sheriff’s department officers raided a farm east of Easyville six days later and pulled 149 marijuana plants. The “high quality” yield was the largest gathering of the drug this year in Barry County. Working on horseback at the Earl Lamp farm in eastern Barry County, officers, Sheriff Hopkins and six deputies, stripped five patches containing plants. Their size ranged from six to 12 feet in height. While no arrests were made at the scene, officers said the marijuana appeared to be well cultivated and had obviously been watered during recent dry conditions. A double pickup load of the plants was estimated to be worth at least $100,000 on the drug market by the sheriff. This was apparently the first location of marijuana growing on private property this year. Sheriff Hopkins said the season had produced about 1,200 plants destroyed, mostly discovered by individuals on government land. Discovery of the large plants was accomplished by aerial -observation during the past couple of weeks.

— Army Prt. Steven L. Elliott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon A. Elliott of Shell Knob, has completed the power generation and wheeled-vehicle mechanics course at the U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Dix, N.J. The self-paced, performance- oriented program of instruction taught basic automotive theory, maintenance-shop operations, and specific maintenance procedures for tactical vehicles, including 1/4-ton, 1 1/4-ton, 2 1/2 ton and 5-ton trucks. The course also included instruction in the operation and maintenance of power-generation equipment and arc welders. He is a 1981 graduate of Blue Eye high school.

— Rainbow Motel in Cassville has changed hands. The new owners are Mr. and Mrs. David Eads, formerly of Marshall. She was associated with the state school and hospital there for several years. The 16-units, swimming pool and home were purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Bang. The former owners will remain here, owning a home nearby the property. He is involved in real estate work.

— Linda Senseney of Wheaton, has been named deputy clerk in the office of Judge John Baty, circuit court associate division of Barry County. She replaces Hazel Murphy who resigned.

— Champlin Service Center has been opened at Second and Main here by Heck Remsey and Fred Daniels. The firm will feature auto body repair, fast lubrication, front end alignment and other services.

— Exeter city council, in an obvious move to tighten municipal purse strings in the Barry County community, has issued an agenda for the September 12, 6:30 p.m. meeting, with several fiscal control items included. Mayor Ed Hodgson said the public would be welcome at the session. Discussion topics for the session will include, no parking signs, backup training for water and sewer department, sale of surplus equipment, installing water shut-offs for sections of city, marshal’s pay, contract for street, water and waste treatment superintendent and general review of finances. Proposals before the council will include requirements all bills received must be itemized, anyone employed by city in arrears for taxes, water or sewage, will have amounts deducted from pay, time sheets for hourly city employees required daily showing activities and locations worked, require gas and oil be purchased for cityowned equipment only, forbid use of city business telephones for making or receiving long distance calls, reduce hours of city employees to 16 maximum per week, and superintendents provide itemized list of purchases required to perform city functions. Mayor Hodgson said any Exeter resident desiring time on the council agenda should have a request in writing 24 hours in advance of the session.

30 years ago

Sept. 1, 1993

— The south side of the public square in Cassville will get a restaurant to replace one that closed recently. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hartley of Cassville will reopen what was known as Town Square in the near future. A name changed to Courthouse Restaurant is planned. Mr. and Mrs. Hartley, formerly of Indiana and Georgia, have resided here sometime. She is a daughter of Bob Preddy of Cassville.

— Officials of the Missouri Conservation Department and Department of Natural Resources know there were about 1,436 fish killed in Flat Creek on January 29 this year, but they are unable to determine the cause of the kill. Chris Vitello, of the CC’s Springfield regional officials said this week the case was closed. The fish kill occurred in the wintertime above the Cassville wastewater treatment plant. Vitello said minnows and suckers were dead in the area, but that bass and suckers also survived. Conservation commission investigation into the fish kill resulted from a report from youths playing in the area of Flat creek. Vitello said the CC and DNR investigation, including fish samples taken in the area resulted in a “no cause, no source” ruling by the two agencies. Subsequently he termed the case as closed.

— Jason Fletcher, who graduated last year from Southwest of Washburn, has been tapped for a $1,500 scholarship grant by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Seligman youth was among 1,000 students applying for the funds this year. One each was awarded in each of the state’s nine congressional districts.

— By the time the Labor Day weekend passes, Roaring River State Park will go over one-half million visitors, according to superintendent Pete Landstad. The park also has a good shot at establishing a new fishing tag sales record this year, according to hatchery superintendent Jerry Dean. Landstad said this week park numbers were down slightly this year, about four percent, but weren’t bad considering early season wet weather and extremely hot conditions for several weeks. He said Roaring River was running down about four percent for the January-June period this year. Attendance figures for the period this year stands at 328,148, compared to 341,385 last year. July figures for the park present a plus for the year, 119,914, compared to 112,367 for the same month last year. “We’ll go over one-half million visitors by the time August figures roll in,” he noted. Attendance figures include those for motel or cabin units, hikers and campers. Jack Nickols, park concessionaire, said units in the park were full for the weekend. He said staff members had been making referrals throughout the area this week. Dean said the park’s standing trout tag numbers, 110,663 set in 1989 was within reach with a good finish this year. Through August 29, this year numbers stood at 86,243, compared to 86,586 at the same time last year. Labor Day weekend will add at least 3,000 people fishing for the trout stream. September and October usually run just under 12,000 anglers each. The hatchery people are geared for a popular September and October season in the park since water conditions remain good in the stream. Roaring River first went over the 100,000 marks in 1986 when an even 110,000 tags were sold. Dean said 1992 was the third highest year in the park’s record books, with 1993 running really close. Table Rock Lake private and public use facilities will be in the thick of attraction destinations for visitors in the thousands this weekend. From the western edge of Stone County to the Arkansas line headwaters of the reservoir, six public facilities, including five boat docks stand ready to finish the last three-day holiday of the summer.