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MISSOURI’S BEST SMALL-TOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER 75¢ Five-time Gold Cup winner, Missouri Press Association, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 TEEN CHARGED FOR ATTEMPTED ROBBERY WITH GUN — PAGE 2 A NEW LOOK FOR AREA SPORTS >>> State association issues guidelines for sports season. — PAGE 3 CASSVILLE emocrat DJULY 22, 2020 | CASSVILLE-DEMOCRAT.COM CITY PROJECTS Who: City of Cassville What: 7th Street bridge, street resurfacing and 2020 budget Barry County cases up More: $140,000 in budget not awarded in 2020 50 percent in last week Cassville Health Department and Barry A total of 3,565 Barry County 64 in isolation as BARRY COUNTY County Office of Emergency residents have been tested, count hops from What: Had 151 cases of COVID- Management, there have been equating to 10 percent of the 19 as of July 15 148 confirmed positive cases county’s population. The 151 city 101 to 151; 221 close Count: 64 active cases in isolation, of COVID-19, one presumptive positives account for 0.4 per- contacts quarantined one of whom is hospitalized, and and two antibody positives. As cent of the county’s population. 87 recovered; more than 221 close of Wednesday, a total of 64 peo- According to Johns Hopkins BY KYLE TROUTMAN contacts quarantined ple were considered active cases University tracking, statewide, Ages: Younger people account for projects [email protected] in isolation, one of whom is hos- Missouri has had 28,826 con- majority of cases The number of COVID-19 pitalized, and 221 close contacts firmed cases and 1,093 deaths, (coronavirus) cases in Barry are quarantined in their homes. a death rate of 3.8 percent. County rose 50 percent in the July 9 to 151 today. A total of 87 people have Nationally, there have been continue CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 past week, jumping from 101 on According the Barry County recovered from the virus. Budget being evaluated due to Free rides entertain youth at Purdy Festival COVID-19 BY JORDAN PRIVETT [email protected] In the full swing of summer, cities generally begin to see an uptick in project completion, but with COVID-19 (coronavirus) complications, some of those projects are being re-evaluated. According to David Brock, Cassville public works director, one of the items on the 2020 proj- ect budget was asphalt resurfac- ing of a couple of locations, which has been completed. “Nottingham and Tudor, as well as the city park entrance,” he said. “We have had a lot of complements on Nottingham and Tudor. “We still have some seal coat- ing to do, and we are expecting to be able to do that in August. That is the best weather for it.” As a safety net while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the city did not award approx- imately $140,000 in projects that were previously budgeted. “We made bidders aware of that,” he said. “Currently, the rev- Areli Garcia, right, and Jomelin Alvarez, both of Purdy, spun themselves on the teacup ride at the 9th annual Purdy Festival enues do not look horrendous yet, Saturday. Kyle Troutman/[email protected] [and with more discussion and planning] maybe we can com- plete more asphalt projects, but at this time we are still unsure.” If a city has to cut their bud- Walmart, Sam’s Club requiring face coverings gets, Brock said it is best to do it out of the capital projects fund. New masking, single- Smith, Walmart U.S. COO, and Lance de la ers,” the release said. “As the number of “The paving of the city park Rosa, Sam’s Club COO, about 65 percent of confirmed cases has spiked in communities road entrance and the demo done entrance policy now in effect the more than 5,000 stores and clubs are across the country recently, so too have the on the 7th street bridge, which located in areas where there is some form of number and types of face covering mandates was mostly pavement that needed The CEOs of Walmart and Sam’s Club government mandate on face coverings. being implemented. To help bring consisten- to be removed and some bank announced on July 15 that starting July “From the beginning of the COVID-19 cy across stores and clubs, we [now] require structuring, was done with mon- 20, all shoppers at the stores are required pandemic, our focus and priority has been all shoppers to wear a face covering starting ey awarded by the FEMA grant,” to wear face coverings. and continues to be on the health and safety Monday, July 20. This will give us time CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 According to a press release from Dacona of our associates, members and custom- CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 Exeter graduate shares message from tragedy Weston: ‘I knew it CAMERON WESTON Who: 2020 Exeter graduate was the last time I What: Experienced tremendous would talk to her — I tragedy during the COVID-19 wellness break was sobbing’ More: Graduate, valedictorian and has heart-warming message for his peers BY JORDAN PRIVETT [email protected] distancing and other COVID-19 Students across the nation have restrictions, people heard state- seen a school year unlike anything ments that included phrases like, they have ever experienced. “There is no class better prepared They missed months of class and to take on the world”, or “We have had to adapt on the fly to a changing done the near impossible in adapt- curriculum that no one planned for. ing to this pandemic.” This especially hit hard for the However, one local 2020 gradu- 2020 senior classes. A typical senior ate had more to add to his speech. year is full of college prep, seeing Cameron Weston, 2020 Exeter friends and teachers for the last year valedictorian, walked slowly to the of high school, prom and finally after podium to give his speech for grad- the 13 years getting to the end of the uation on June 19. line, they experience a graduation The 18-year-old’s head was held with friends, family and community. high, yet somehow weighed down In many ways, every student this with what the audience would soon At his graduation on June 19, Exeter valedictorian Cameron Weston gave past spring, specifically seniors, recognize as grief. more than a few stories to his classmates in his speech. He gave the has experienced a tragedy and will “This year has been the most cra- gift of a message, a lesson he has learned through his experiences this always be in the hearts of their fel- ziest, hardest, most exciting year for year — appreciate your time and your loved ones. Weston holds this dear us,” he said. “We have lost so many 7 39292 00068 8 low Americans. to his heart, along with the memory of his late stepfather and stepsister Vol. 149, No. 27 At many graduations that were things — softball season, baseball who both died with in days of each other this April. Jordan Privett/jprivett@cass- ©2015 Cassville Democrat held in a way that included social CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ville-democrat.com COVERING BARRY COUNTY, MO., LIKE THE MORNING DEW SINCE 1871. Page 2 • Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Cassville Democrat Projects: Mid-year budget CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Arkansas teen charged for he said. “They gave us that it is possible that the total money in 2015 to rebuild $140,000 won’t come in.” the bridge, but with the Presently, city adminis- stalling and being unable trators are working on a to come up with a plan mid-year budget to account attempted robbery with gun that worked for everyone, for issues created by dent occurred near the and pulled the trigger, instead of rebuilding they COVID-19. Victim hit in FELONY ARREST intersection of Highways causing the bullet to strike approved for it to be spent “We are looking at pro- Who: Emmanuel Smith, 18, on those other projects.” jections for the year end,” foot with bullet 37 and 112 in Seligman at the victim in the right foot. of Fayetteville, Ark. about 3:36 a.m. on July 3. Following the alterca- There is still desire to Brock said. “Things are What: BY KYLE TROUTMAN Is charged with Smith allegedly met tion, Smith allegedly made rebuild the bridge, but it looking pretty normal, and first-degree assault, armed won’t be done with the activity in the community [email protected] criminal action and unlawful with two men and attempt- multiple threats to both money from FEMA. looks normal.” A Fayetteville, Ark., use of a weapon ed to use a Ruger LCP .380 victims via Facebook and “Although we budgeted The city is still planning teenager is facing mul- Bond: Is set at $100,000, semi-automatic pistol to SnapChat. the $140,000 that won’t on completing the seal coat- tiple felony charges after cash only steal $1,600 intended for Smith is being held be awarded, we haven’t ing projects for work done allegedly shooting a man in trading of a vehicle. in the Barry County jail received all of that yet,” he this year, as well as includ- the foot during an attempt- action and unlawful use of Smith allegedly point- on a cash-only bond of said. “Sales tax is still com- ing areas that were exclud- ed strong-armed robbery a weapon. ed the pistol at one of the $100,000. He has been ing in every month, and ed in 2019 due to weather. in Seligman on July 3. According to a proba- victims and pulled the trig- arraigned, and a bond Emmanuel Smith, 18, ble cause statement filed ger twice, but the weap- appearance hearing is set of Fayetteville, Ark., is by Kyle Kuhn, deputy on malfunctioned.