1. Windstorm causes major damage
A severe thunderstorm in the early morning hours of May 26 caused widespread damage to trees and power lines in Barry County, with the cities of Cassville and Exeter, and the Eagle Rock and Shell Knob areas, bearing the brunt of the damage. The storm left more than 7,000 Barry Electric customers without power and caused an estimated $6 million in damage total, according to the Barry County Office of Emergency Management.
2. Boyd reelected by slim margin after recount
Barry County Sheriff Danny Boyd retained his role following the Aug. 6 election, narrowly defeating challenger James Morgan in a race so close Morgan requested a recount. The recount, by machine and by hand, declared Boyd the winner with 3,090 votes to Morgan’s 3,042. Boyd and Morgan both attended the recount, which lasted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., shaking hands after and congratulating one another on a challenging race.
3. Performing Arts Center opens doors
Cassville school district board members and community supporters officially cut the ribbon on the Cassville Performing Arts Center on Oct. 10 during an Open House for the facility. The $9.8 million building is 28,000 square feet, with seating for over 800 guests, rehearsal space for students, classrooms and dressing rooms. The Veteran’s Day assembly was the first official event at the PAC, and multiple events have been hosted in the facility since then.
4. Denali lagoons to be emptied; permits for waste pending
After multiple violations of the Missouri Clean Water Law in Newton and McDonald Counties, Denali signed an Abatement Order of Consent (AOC) issued by the Missouri DNR. The terms stipulated Denali cease its land-application in Missouri and empty its Evans and Gideon storage lagoons. Denali applied to the DNR for permits for future use of the Evans and Gideon lagoons, but the DNR has proposed denying the use of the lagoons, as they do not meet new setback regulations signed into law this year in House Bill 2134/1956.
5. New jail, sheriff’s office completed and opening
On Dec. 4, county officials and visitors were on hand to cut the ribbon at the new Barry County Sheriff’s Office and Barry County jail. Administration had already moved into the building at that time, and the jail was scheduled to open this week. The former jail was closed in June due to major plumbing and safety issues. Ground was broken on the state-of-the-art $17 million facility in February 2023.
6. Woman allegedly murdered in domestic incident
An Exeter man was charged with three felonies, including murder, for the death of a 24-year-old Exeter woman. Aaron Malone, 23, of Exeter, is charged with second-degree murder, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence. Danny Boyd, Barry County sheriff, said on Dec. 2, deputies were dispatched to a residence located in Exeter in reference to a possible abduction. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with Malone, who reported Aspen Lewis, 24, was missing. Malone later led deputies to Lewis’ body in a wooded area near Shell Knob.
7. Howell honored for Rosie the Riveter work
During a reception in August, local “Rosie the Riveter” Hilda Howell shared stories of working after school in a Firestone facility in southern California, where she helped manufacture fuel cells for bombers during World War II. Howell was one of 27 women (aged 96-107) who traveled to Washington, D.C. in April, to accept a Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of “Rosie the Riveter.” The collective name “Rosie the Riveter” was given to the millions of women who filled industrial manufacturing positions during WWII to keep aviation, munition and other supply chains running.
8. Justin Boot buildings sold
Nearly four years after closing its doors in 2020, Justin Boot factory in Cassville is now under new ownership. Paul Sidio, a Spokane businessman, worked with local Auctioneer Donnie Stumpff to purchase the pair of buildings on County Farm Road from Justin Boot and Berkshire Hathaway, closing the deal on April 12. Sidio is renovating the property and searching for a manufacturer to rent the buildings and bring jobs back into Cassville.
9. Unique species likely in Roaring River Spring
Based on genetic testing, there’s a “high probability” that Roaring River Spring Cave is home to a unique species of amphipod. Dr. Fernando Calderon Gutierrez, a marine research scientist and member of the KISS Rebreathers dive team, collected the amphipod in September 2022. Since then, he has been analyzing and reconstructing its DNA sequence and comparing it to more than 9,900 other species of amphipods. “So far, the DNA from the Roaring River specimen does not match the DNA of any of the other known species,” Gutierrez said.
10. New Nativity scene unveiled
The hill of Oak Hill Cemetery was once again be lit with the life of Jesus this holiday season. Thanks to a donation by First State Bank of Purdy, the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the iconic Nativity scene came to life renewed on Nov. 8. The Nativity Scene, which first adorned the hill on the south side of Cassville City Park in December of 1983, had been absent the past two years due to deterioration from age and safety concerns for those involved with installation of the aging display.
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