News
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.
High-speed chase ends in Purdy
A high-speed chase on Thursday on Highway 37, which began south of Monett ended southwest of Purdy, has resulted in the alleged driver facing four felonies and two misdemeanors. Ernest Naler, 34, of Monett, is charged with first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest for a felony, driving while intoxicated - persistent, all felonies; as well as speeding and driving while suspended, both misdemeanors.
Denali denied injunction
Judge: ‘No express statutory requirement that a fertilizer license exempt Denali’ Denali Water Solutions’ request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Missouri Fertilizer Control Board (MoFCB) was denied by Cole County 19th Circuit Court Judge Cotton Walker on Dec. 18, 2023.
CARDS releases trash pickup info
Cassville’s new trash service began on Tuesday, and the company, CARDS, has released its pick-up schedule, as well as rules and regulations. According to a map release by the Springdale, Ark., company, residential pickup will occur on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
