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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 COMMUNITY MOURNS LOSS OF FORMER POLICE CHIEF — PAGE 2 <<< ALL-STAR FOOTBAL GAME CANCELED Wildcats land 3 on the coveted roster. — PAGE 3 CASSVILLE emocrat DMAY 13, 2020 | CASSVILLE-DEMOCRAT.COM FEDERAL ARREST Who: Brandon McCullough, 31, 7th, 8th cases of COVID-19 a Cassville High School business teacher What: Is charged with sexual exploitation of a child More: McCullough is being held in announced in Barry County Greene County for U.S. Marshals The seventh case was a pos- called an antibody test. While Most recent case BARRY COUNTY itive determined in an anti- the positive antibody test result self-quarantined What: Has announced its seventh body test for a person who has is included in the county’s total CHS teacher and eighth cases of COVID-19 already recovered and is no lon- number of COVID-19 cases, it after business travel When: Eighth announced Thursday ger contagious. does not represent an active afternoon According to a press COVID-19 case. faces child More: to hot spot Likely a result of essential release from the Barry County “We have reviewed the domestic business travel to a Health Department and the details of the positive serological BY KYLE TROUTMAN COVID-19 hot spot [email protected] Barry County Department of test and determined the person exploitation The Barry County Health Emergency Management, the traveled internationally more Department has announced of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in new case was the result of a than 30 days ago, and that is its seventh and eighth cases Barry County. serological test, commonly CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 charge McCullough BULLDOG FIGHTER being held for U.S. Marshals, has no bond BY KYLE TROUTMAN [email protected] A Cassville teacher was arrested Thursday and charged federally with sexual exploita- tion of a child. Brandon McCullough, 31, a Cassville High School business teacher, is being held for U.S. Marshals in the Greene County jail with no bond. He is accused of hav- ing sexually explicit MCCULLOUGH conversations with minors on the messenger app Kik, wherein images and videos were exchanged with minors in other states. Richard Asbill, Cassville superintendent, said the district is aware of the allegations. “The District is cooperating with law enforcement agencies as they investigate the allega- tions,” he said. “At this time, we do not believe that any of Wheaton High School graduate Lillian Allen, middle, laughs during her personalized graduation address from Dale Forgey, Wheaton our students were involved in High School administrative assistant. Sharing the moment with Allen was her mother, Kim Tide, left, and sister, Emma Wells. Kyle the allegations/charges. Per the Troutman/[email protected] district policy, the employee has been placed on administrative leave and all access to school Wheaton senior overcomes challenges, graduates facilities has been limited. “If the allegations are sub- BY KYLE TROUTMAN sis had been difficult to obtain. disease, [which causes inflammation of stantiated the Cassville R-IV [email protected] “It has been quite the struggle,” the blood vessels].” School District will take imme- OVID-19 has thrown many peo- Tiede said. “When Lillian was in sev- Tiede said when the breathing issues diate steps to comply with Board ple for a loop in recent months, enth grade, she started having breath- started, doctors put Allen on an inhal- Policy and Missouri State Law Cbut for others, like Wheaton ing problems. She rarely gets sick, but er, but the condition continued spiral- regarding such charges. Cassville senior Lillian Allen and her mother when she does, she’s not very compli- ing downward. R-IV School District takes stu- Kim Tiede, health disruptions and ant with medications. “We got her a pulmonary function dent safety as a top priority and overcoming them are just a way of life. “She had kidney reflux as a child, test, and it said she was fine, but then regrets that one of our employ- Allen has spent four years battling a which is rare, and her primary care that doctor’s office said they didn’t think ees has been accused of these respiratory disease for which a diagno- provider thought she has Kawasaki CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 FELONY ARREST Who: Austin Day, 18, of Cassville BarCo E9-1-1 addresses What: Is charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle at a person or structure Bond: Is set at $200,000, cash only downage rumor ware, however, it did not impact Database service. Pellet gun leads to felony charges corruption fixed on “We are currently rebuilding by Randy Kalbaugh, bound lane of traffic. those databases and have brought 18-year-old deputy with the Barry Kalbaugh said Day Wednesday, service the majority of those up around being held on County Sheriff’s Office, allegedly lied about 8 p.m. on the same day,” Phillips the incident occurred on the events, and it took never interrupted said. “The remaining databases $200,000 cash the Shell Knob Bridge three interviews before are still being worked on. These on May 3. he told the truth. Day Barry County E9-1-1 has are mostly historical, backups, bond Kalbaugh said Day also allegedly hid the addressed community reports that and configurations files.” allegedly shot a wom- pellet gun in the tim- its 9-1-1 service is or was down in Phillips said Barry County BY KYLE TROUTMAN an in the right eye with ber under a rock ledge Barry County, which is untrue. E9-1-1 has steps in place to pre- [email protected] a pellet gun, causing a and allegedly asked his “Barry County E9-1-1 is up and vent corruption from happening A Cassville man pellet to be imbedded friends to lie for him. working and there has been no with software [and other mea- is facing three felony in her brain cavity. The Day ultimately disruption in service,” said Mike sures]. charges after alleged- victim was intubated allegedly admitted to fir- Phillips, executive director. “Our “I think that is why the impact ly shooting a woman and in stable condition ing the break-over pellet citizens and travelers have called was minimal,” he said. “We are with a pellet gun in pending a neurological gun in the direction of 9-1-1 and business lines with no reviewing these to see if there are Shell Knob. surgeon consultation. the victim, and other interruption. We have provided any areas that we can strength- Austin Day, 18, of Day allegedly said he witness statements said them with the service they have en for the future. No person- Cassville, is charged began firing the weap- he fired the gun to scare requested and our partners in al or protected information was with first-degree on, not realizing he was the victim off the bridge. public safety have been dispatched ever released, and our system assault, armed crim- firing in the victim’s Day is being held in effectively with continued support remained operational. inal action and dis- direction. Day was by the Barry County jail and monitoring them for safety “Barry County E9-1-1 recogniz- charging a firearm his truck in the parking on a cash-only bond and operational purposes.” es the duty we have to protect and from a motor vehicle at lot of Pizza Hut, and of $200,000. He has Phillips said the organization serve our citizens and the work we 7 39292 00068 8 a person or structure. the victim was stand- been arraigned, and a did have some databases that do with our emergency partners Vol. 149, No. 17 According to a proba- ing on the Shell Knob bond hearing was held became corrupted Wednesday at and wanted to address any con- ©2020 Cassville Democrat ble cause statement filed bridge along the north- on Tuesday. about 12:35 a.m. due to some mal- cerns or rumors our citizens had.” COVERING BARRY COUNTY, MO., LIKE THE MORNING DEW SINCE 1871. Page 2 • Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Cassville Democrat NEWS BRIEFS Life 360 distribution in Exeter moving Life 360 has moved its food distribution in Exeter Saying goodbye to 201 from the school parking lot to the parking lot at the First Baptist Church in Exeter, located at 102 Cass St. The Community CLINTON CLARK distribution time remains the same, each Friday from comes together What: Former Wheaton 11 a.m. to noon. The line will start on the east end of the police chief church and head west to the parking lot, where the van after losing former Served: The city of Wheaton will be set up. for 26 years police chief Died: Friday, leaving community grieving Cassville schools announce seniors’ BY JORDAN PRIVETT drop-off/pick-up information [email protected] of the suspects to come Through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. and A strong community to him and confess his 2 p.m., seniors will be able to return school items to stands together in support involvement,” Danforth Cassville High School and pick up personal items from of friends and family who said. “That speaks volumes lockers. Senior students will need to return all school recently lost a loved one. to the kind of man he was.” property, including text books, library books, class Clinton Clark, former Danforth continued to materials, Chromebooks with chargers, and any other Wheaton police chief, died say it is because of Clinton school-owned items.