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MISSOURI’S BEST SMALL-TOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER 75¢ Three-time Gold Cup winner, Missouri Press Association, 2015, 2016 and 2017 FOLKS FLOCK TO BIRDING BOOTCAMP AT STATE PARK — PAGE 7 HARDWARE BOUNCES IN FOR HOOPSTERS >>> Ozark 7 Conference names top basketball players. — PAGE 3 CASSVILLE emocrat DMARCH 28, 2018 | CASSVILLE-DEMOCRAT.COM APRIL ELECTION City contests: Purdy, Butterfield, Chain O Lakes Cassville schools again School boards: Cassville, Monett Road districts: Capps Creek, Crane Creek combat social media rumors Richard Asbill, Cassville it. There were also a few people Voters to No bomb threat, SCHOOL THREAT superintendent, said he has cop- who commented dispelling the no lockdown at ies of Facebook posts allegedly rumors.” RUMORS starting the rumors. Other commenters and posts Where: Cassville High School pick school noticed the police presence on high school campus What: Reports of bomb threat, “The initial reports we Thursday school lockdown not true received were that there was campus, which Asbill said had More: Change made to school a bomb threat and the school nothing to do with the rumors. boards, BY KYLE TROUTMAN resource officer schedule; police was on lockdown. We have not “We have worked the last [email protected] meet with admins about door received a bomb threat and the few weeks with [Cassville Police The Cassville school district security school was never on lockdown,” Chief Dana] Kammerlohr and aldermen is again combating rumors on he said. “It looks like someone made a schedule change to our social media concerning school bomb threat and lockdown at made it up, then others made school resource officer, [Troy Write-in votes safety, including rumors of a the high school on Thursday. up other things to go along with CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 to determine Washburn city, two U.S. Rep. Billy Long cuts ribbon SCHOOL RESOURCE road district seats OFFICER Who: Troy Wenzel BY MURRAY BISHOFF at intermediate school What: Responds to aftermath Cassville Democrat of alleged threats and multiple Changes are coming to cities, unsubstantiated rumors that had school boards and road districts circulated through school system, in Tuesday’s election. offers suggestions for students Many political subdivisions, however, will not have votes due to a lack of contests. Barry County cities Alleged Purdy One contested race devel- oped in Purdy, where one-term threats keep incumbent Brian Bowers fac- es a rematch against Raymond Stapleton, who lost in 2016. resource Bobby Baker, appointed to the East Ward seat, is unopposed in his bid for a full term. officer busy Butterfield One race has emerged in the Wenzel: ‘You can’t Butterfield city government. In the West Ward, incumbent talk like that, you Frances Hobbs, who has now served several consecutive terms, can’t say those things’ faces a challenge from first-time BY JULIA KILMER candidate Donald Privett. [email protected] One change will take place in Cassville School Resource the East Ward, where first-time Officer Troy Wenzel is busy every candidate Rusty Dilbeck is run- day with his duties patrolling ning unopposed. Tony Cope is also unopposed for the mayor’s school campuses, talking to chil- job, which he has held since 2006. dren about bullying, safety and Washburn making good choices as a DARE No one filed for the two open officer, handling traffic and pro- at-large seats in Washburn, which viding general security. has had difficulty drawing can- But lately, he has had his didates in recent years. Cheryl hands full with alleged safety Floyd, who was appointed in 2015 threats and rumors of threats that and elected by write-in in 2016, have escalated in recent weeks told the clerk she forgot to file for following school shooting inci- re-election. Ken West, the other dences nationwide. incumbent who was elected by As the only SRO for the write-in two years ago, did not file Cassville Superintendent Richard Asbill, left, shows U.S. Rep. Billy Long pictures of damages Cassville school district, Wenzel after serving three terms. done by flood waters in December 2015 at the Cassville Intermediate School’s fifth-grade has been working long shifts CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 wing. Kyle Troutman/[email protected] CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Dentist speaks to ball players about chewing tobacco Spears: ‘Our goal is to DANGEROUS HABIT help people understand Who: Dr. Jared Spears, DDS What: Seeks to bring awareness to what the dangers are’ parents, teachers and the community about the serious health risks of chew- BY JULIA KILMER ing tobacco, especially concerning youth [email protected] Why: To prevent oral cancer, disfigura- The phrase, “complacency kills,” tion and save lives is often used in trainings for career fields where safety is paramount We see a lot of adults and young such as police work, aviation or patients, and we know what’s going firefighting, to remind workers not on. We know that it’s way more to get too comfortable in their posi- prevalent than folks understand. tions, lest tragedy hit. “Kids see a lot of adults do it, so Local dentist Dr. Jared Spears, they’re doing it too. It’s grandpa DDS, is trying to send a similar and dad, so it’s a natural thing for Local dentist Dr. Jared Spears, DDS, talks to baseball players about the dan- message by bringing awareness to them to do it and once they try it, gers of chewing tobacco. After seeing young patients with signs of precan- a habit that can seriously impact it’s very addictive. It has a high level cerous conditions in their mouth from chewing tobacco, also called leuko- one’s health, cause disfiguration, of nicotine in it.” plakia, Spears has begun an educational campaign in local schools to bring or kill as a result of complacency or Spears has seen signs of chew- attention to the habit, which he says is more accepted than smoking but indifference to the habit, and one ing tobacco use, including precan- often more dangerous, because of the prolonged exposure. Contributed photo that usually starts in youth. cerous conditions, even in young That habit is chewing tobacco, people. chews than someone who smokes.” are getting that,” she said. “They’re otherwise known as smokeless “The nicotine is so addictive and According to a statistic Lambel not old enough to buy it, so some- tobacco, snuff or chew. they don’t realize it,” said Jeanne shared, 78 percent of tobacco users one is providing it or they get it “I have seen it in several young Lambel, dental office staff. “The nic- will develop leukoplakia,” a precan- from an older sibling.” people and a lot of adults, but our otine in one can is equivalent to cerous condition characterized by One of Spears’ biggest concerns three packs of cigarettes, and the white spots on the tongue, cheek is that many think it is just a harm- 7 39292 00068 8 concern is how prevalent it is,” Vol. 148, No. 10 Spears said. “We’re seeing it in amount of cancer-causing chemicals or gums. less habit. ©2018 Cassville Democrat younger ages. They start as kids. is 10 times greater of someone who “It’s scary when you think kids CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 COVERING BARRY COUNTY, MO., LIKE THE MORNING DEW SINCE 1871. Page 2 • Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Cassville Democrat NEWS BRIEFS General Municipal Election is coming up Tuesday Gary Youngblood, Barry County clerk, said March sales taxes rally Missouri’s new Photo Voter ID law outlines iden- ing $5,113.27 from its 1 per- over a year ago. tification options for registered Missouri voters to County down SALES TAX cent general fund tax, up Bucking the upward use on Election Day at their polling location. Most 1 percent for $1,778.88, or 53 percent, trend were two of the Missourian’s have a Missouri Driver’s license or Non- REVENUES from last March. It was smaller towns. Washburn's General pattern: Gains over driver License, which is an acceptable photo ID for quarter compared the best March showing 1 percent tax received voting. Showing this type of ID is also the quickest last March to 2017 Cassville: Down 0.5 percent since 2012, and brought $2,494.12, down $221.85 way to get through the check-in line and vote. There the nine-month fiscal year for the month and down 2 are also other options, too. Option No. 1: Provide a for the quarter BY MURRAY BISHOFF County: Down 1 percent for total to $48,594.29, up 16 percent of the year. Exeter's Missouri issued Driver or Non-driver license, U.S. Cassville Democrat quarter compared to 2017 percent from a year ago 1 percent tax yielded Passport, or Military ID. Option No. 2: Provide a sec- for the third highest total $1,680.85, down $939.03 ondary form of ID, such as a voter registration card, Sales tax receipts to March, down $1,693.52 in the seven years Purdy for the month and down 11 paycheck or bank statement and sign a statement Barry County and its cit- ies rallied for the second from a year ago, leaving has collected only one tax percent for the quarter. confirming their identity. Option No. 3: If the voter straight month, with most the year's total down 0.5 to pay general bills. Barry County's two has no form of ID, but is a registered voter, they may local governments receiv- percent for the quarter. Thanks to the poor half-cent sales taxes for cast a provisional ballot. ing revenues failing to top In Wheaton, where showing in January, Purdy general expenses and totals from last March.