News
Drug drop box installed at Cassville City Hall
The Cassville Police Department participates in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual Drug Take-Back Day, but due to the number of drugs brought in throughout the year, a greater solution was needed. Det.
Exeter Holiday Joy Food Drive exceeds goal again!
Exeter students, parents, teachers, staff and PTO worked together again this year to collect and distribute 23 food baskets and cases of water to local families in need of assistance during the 2023 holiday season. Exeter collected just over 2,000 non-perishable items last year to meet its goal, so this year it set 2,500 as the goal to collect. Participants brought in 2,874 items, thanks to classes competing to be the biggest “givers!” The winning class in the elementary was Mr. McNabb’s third-grade class, bringing in over 1,000 items. With only 13 students in the class, that was just over 97 items per student brought in, since that is the fairest way to calculate the donations based on class size. The eighth-grade class won the Middle/High School competition, bringing in 7 items per student in their class of 21 students, totaling 149 items donated. The students in those classes celebrated their big hearts on Dec. 21, 2023, with pizza parties courtesy of Pizza Hut of Cassville. Pizza Hut also recognized six of the top charitable students with certificates for Personal Pan pizzas.
4 injured in new year’s day crash
Four Purdy residents were injured on Jan. 1 in a wreck at 6:55 p.m.
Berry turning 70
Local resident Walter Berry turns 70 on Sunday. A celebration dinner will be held at Adelita’s in Cassville at 7:30 on Saturday for anyone wanting to help Berry and his family celebrate.
First snow of year dusts Cassville
Curtis Hobbs, 8, and Kole Hobbs, 4, both of Exeter, teamed up to build a snowman on Friday morning.
Barry County Sheriff’s Office calls for service and reports taken
The Barry County Sheriff's Office responded to 181 calls for service for the week of Dec. 25-31.
News brief, Jan. 10
A $5 chili and soup Benefit Super will be held on Jan. 20 from 5-8 p.m.
CIS principal to retire after 30 years in education
After 30 years in education and 26 of them as a principal or assistant principal, Barry County native and 1988 Purdy graduate Jeff Swadley has announced his retirement, effective June 30. Swadley’s career began in 1993 at Southwest, where he taught seventh- grade civics and geography and coached high school boys basketball, among other sports.
Ambulance District Notice
The South Barry County Ambulance District scheduled meetings will be moving from the second Tuesday of each month to the second Wednesday of each month. The District has also started moving them to different parts of the district to be available and in the areas it serves. The schedule is as follow: January – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville February – Washburn Fire Dept., State Hwy 37, Washburn March – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville April – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville May – Central Crossing Fire District, 23463 State Hwy 39, Shell Knob June – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville July – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville August – Wheaton Fire Dept., 407 E Hurlbut St, Wheaton September – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville October – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville November – South Barry County Ambulance Eagle Rock Station, 19133 Plumrick, Eagle Rock December – South Barry County Ambulance Cassville Station, 73 Smithson Dr, Cassville
Pipe-lining project nearly completed
Mark Davis, Of St. Louis, Ill., works with Visu-Sewer Missouri to perform a rough cut on the newly lined sewer pipe on East Street between 7th Street and 8th Street. Davis uses a camera and special cutting tool to open the pipes back up for wastewater flow. The process comes after resin, which let off a smell similar to acetone when being installed, is poured into the sewer pipe and steamed to harden.
