Celebrate Recovery Series

Cassville Democrat

Page 2A • Wednesday, January 27, 2021

POLICE VEHICLE

Who: Seligman Police Department What: To purchase a new 2021 Chevy Tahoe Cost: $48,200

Seligman trades police Charger for Tahoe Police Department updating fleet

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Last year, the Seligman Police Department traded one of its police vehicles for a 2020 Chevy Tahoe, and recently, the Seligman City Council approved the Police Department to move forward with purchasing a new 2021 Chevy Tahoe.

Matt Phillips, Seligman police chief, said the new Chevy Tahoe has a price tag of $48,200, but that includes the equipment package.

“That includes the lights, sirens, cage, consul, emergency equipment and more,” he said. “In addition, we will be able to reuse two radios, the camera system and the radar from the Charger that is being replaced.”

That is an estimated savings of $12,000.

“We are hopeful the charger will have some trade-in value and that will possibly lower the price,” he said. “Last year, we received $3,250 for the Charger we traded in to get the Chevy Tahoe we currently have.”

The Seligman Police

Department has had consistent issues with the Chargers purchased in 2014 and 2015.

“On average, we are spending $3,000 per year on the Chargers for repairs,” he said. “That is a lot of money on a vehicle that has a little trade-in value.”

The city will apply for a lease similar to the lease for the 2020 Tahoe.

“That was a three-year lease,” Phillips said. “The price for the Tahoe itself is $36,640, but we included the equipment package.

None of those items will be able to be switched from the Charger to the Tahoe.”

The Tahoe purchased last year, with graphics and everything included, cost $45,000.

“The price increase was consistent on most of the vehicles looked at,” he said.

“By rolling the equipment price and cost of the vehicle together, we are able to include all of that in the lease, rather than have to pay for the equipment all at once separately from the police department budget.”

The funds will come from the capital improvement funds.

“We will also be installing the equipment ourselves to save on money,” Phillips said.”

NEWS BRIEFS Veterans Taskforce of America to meet

The Veterans Taskforce of America, Inc. will be meeting at the Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett on Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. All honorably discharged men, women, war time or peacetime are welcomed.

Property, business assessments mailed out

Sherry L. Smith, Barry County Assessor; has announced that the 2021 Personal Property and Business Assessment lists were mailed out on Jan. 4. Those who received an assessment list but have not yet either filed online using the “Online Filing Pin Number” displayed on the list, or filled it out and returned it by mail or in person should do so immediately to avoid a late assessment penalty. Anyone who owned personal property or a business on Jan. 1 and did not receive an assessment list, or is a new resident to Barry County, should call the Assessor’s Personal Property office immediately at 417-847-2613, to request assistance in being properly assessed. Anyone can assess directly over the telephone with one of the office staff, or go to the personal property office to assess in person. All personal and business assessment lists must be postmarked by March 31 to avoid a late assessment penalty.

OATS Transit open for regular service

OATS Transit is open for regular transportation service, however, face masks are required on the bus due to COVID-19. People may call the OATS Transit office at 417-887-9272 or 800-770-6287 to schedule a ride or find out about service in their area. People may go to www.oatstransit.org and click on the bus schedules tab for a specific county to see the full schedule. OATS Transit is available to the rural general public of any age, seniors and individuals with disabilities. OATS also contract with a number of agencies to serve their clients. OATS Transit offices will be closed and regular routes will not be operating on Feb. 15 in observance of Presidents Day

Seligman dances continue

The Seligman Chamber of Commerce dances at the Seligman Chamber Event Center will continue every Saturday at 7 p.m. Everyone is also asked to bring a snack to share. For more information, people may call 417-662-3612.

CORRECTIONS The Cassville Democrat corrects factual errors promptly and courteously. If you have a correction or clarification, please email Editor Kyle Troutman at editor@cassville-democrat.com

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John Richardson has been clean and sober for nine years. He now manages the men’s sober living house in Cassville that first took him in eight years ago. Contributed photo

Step one, month one in the path to recovery

Richardson: ‘I was broken, and I needed help’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN

jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

There are 12 steps in the path to recovery, according to Celebrate Recovery, and the first step is for an individual to admit not only that there is a problem, but to recognize that their lives have become unmanageable because of it.

For John Richardson, the moment he admitted he was no longer in control was the moment that changed his life.

Richardson was the first person to move into the Cassville men’s sober living house eight years ago.

“I was raised in a violent and alcoholic family,” he said. “My father only knew how to instill fear.”

The first time Richardson tried alcohol was the first time he truly felt a happy feeling.

“I had never had a feeling like that,” he said. “It made me feel good.”

That moment for Richardson was in the eighth grade.

“This eventually led to drug use in order to try to keep that happy feeling,” he said. “That turned into the only life that I knew.

I had never been around people who weren’t on drugs or alcohol.”

From the age of 18 up to age 47, Richardson had been imprisoned five times and had 13 rehab treatments.

“I was always willing to face the punishments,” he said. “I thought it was just the price I had to pay for the fun I had. I knew it was a problem, but I didn’t see a way to escape.”

It was during Richardson’s last prison term that he started to realize he was powerless over his addiction.

“It wasn’t fun anymore,” he said. “I was using alcohol and drugs to kill my mental pain.”

Richardson was released from prison in 2011, and a month later, he was arrested on another drug charge.

“I was facing 30 years to life,” he said. “It was then that I fully admitted to myself that I was powerless over my addiction. My life had become unmanageable.”

At that point, Richardson said he turned to God. The first step of the 12-step process offers a biblical comparison in Romans 7:18, which reads, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.

For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

“I said, ‘I will do everything in my power to live my life right,’” he said.

“I started recovery at the Celebrate Recovery in Cassville.”

Richardson said he was accepted with open arms

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

What: Testimony of one man in recovery Who: John Richardson Also: The importance of step one in the recovery process

and love.

“It didn’t matter what my situation was,” he said.

“I was always secluded, my whole life, and Celebrate Recovery helped me be around people.

“It kept me around normal people who kept me on track. I went to every Celebrate Recovery in the surrounding area.”

Richardson had a Celebrate Recovering meeting almost every night.

“I also went to several churches,” he said. “I went to churches with many different denominations.

I knew there I would be around good people for a least an hour that day.”

Richardson was accepted into the Barry County Drug Court program in 2012.

“I go to NA and AA to this day,” he said. “Now, I am a part of those groups, helping other people. I was blessed to get a construction job that I love. I am blessed to have a boss who is Christian and is an understanding and helpful man.”

Since he has been clean, Richardson hasn’t missed a single day of work in nine years.

“In my addiction, I would miss multiple day of work every week,” he said.

“I got my GED in Drug Court in 2013. I got my driver’s license after not having one in 27 years due to eight DUIs. “I have gained respect back from those I have hurt over the years.”

For many of those people, it took all of five years to see how serious Richardson was in his recovery.

“My addiction cost me a lot,” he said. “A belief I have developed in recovery is the Lord is first and my work is second. Work keeps me busy eight hours every day, which occupies my mind. Free time is dangerous for a person in recovery.”

Richardson now manages the sober living house which took him in eight years ago.

“I have talked to 300 people who have come through that house about their addiction, problems and recovery,” he said.

“We all try to help each other. I have learned that you have to talk about your struggles. It is not good to hold it all in.”

Richardson has kept himself surrounded by people during his recovery for the last nine years, so he no longer faces it alone.

“Helping others is a way I can give back to a community that I have taken away from in my addiction,” he said. “All my life, I drank away my problems

John Richardson had to earn back the respect from those he loved but hurt during his addiction. His son supported him on the day he graduated from drug court.

Contributed photo

for the night. After my last arrest, the only person I had was God.” In realizing his life was unmanageable and his addiction was in control, Richardson accepted the first step in Celebrate Recovery.

“For the first time in my life, I couldn’t kill the pain,” he said. “I realized I couldn’t manage anything, not even my freedom. I was broken, and I needed help.”

Richardson said he always tells the newcomers to say what is on their mind.

“It will reach someone,” he said. “Your story will reach someone in the audience, and they will absorb what you have to say and understand our experiences.”

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with he COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction.

For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed.

Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group

is at 6:30 p.m., child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Purdy — Mondays at First Baptist in Purdy. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m.

People may contact the church at 417-442-7435 or Charles Stults at 417-4429357.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from at 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12 month, 12 step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

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HVAC unit cause of Mercy fire 6 patients transported to Mercy Aurora

MERCY HOSPITAL

Where: Cassville What: Fire on roof of building Monday morning How: HVAC unit above the operating room

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

Mercy Hospital in Cassville was evacuated Monday morning due to a fire in an HVAC unit on top of the building.

Sonya Kullman, senior media relations specialist with Mercy Hospital, said the unit was above the operating room,

and when the fire started, it set off the alarms.

“The damage is all water and smoke and was limited to about a quarter of the hospital in the post-surgery recovery area,” Kullman said. “The first was above the sprinklers, so they did

not actually go off. All the water damage is from when the fire was being put out.”

Kullman said the fire marshal told hospital staff the blaze was accidental and limited to the HVAC unit. “That unit is about four years old and was one of our newer ones, and another one just like it was installed at the same time,” she said. “We are having that other unit checked out.”

When the fire occurred, the building was completely evacuated, and all patients were transported.

“Our staff did exactly as they were supposed to do, and we evacuated the six patients we had at the hospital,” Kulllman said. “We were holding them in ambulances outside and have transported all six to Mercy Hospital in Aurora.”

Kullman said the building remains completely closed as of Monday afternoon, and officials were waiting on air quality reports before determining when to reopen the clinic and ER. “We have an ambulance and CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

CARVING UP HIGH SCHOOL HILLS

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

Contested races in the April 6 municipal elections are sparse this year, as challengers

New face welcomed at Chamber office Williams: ‘I have some huge shoes to fill, but I am excited’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Ward Alderwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Rhonda Scott, who has served since 1997, minus a two-year break, has refiled.

Newcomer Christine Hammer has filed in the North Ward, and previous Alderman Jeff Scott has filed for mayor. All are unopposed for the two-year terms.

In the city of Seligman, West Ward Alderman Robert Hughes, East Ward CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Contested races in April municipal elections sparse have only filed in the Purdy and Wheaton school districts, and no cities in central and south Barry County will see races.

In the city of Cassville, Mayor Bill Shiveley, in his position since 2012; North Ward Alderman Jon Horner, in his position since 2015; and South Ward Alderwoman Taylor Weaver, in her position since 2019, all refiled for their two-year posts.

In the city of Exeter, incumbent South

Who: Morgan Williams hired as new Cassville Chamber director More: Area local with ties to the community Also: Freeman looks back on her two years as Chamber director

After more than two years, Rachael Freeman has stepped down as Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce director, and Morgan Williams is stepping into Freeman’s shoes.

Williams began her role officially on Monday with a sense of excitement for the new opportunity.

“This is a new experience for me, and it is really exciting,” she said. “I came from WILLIAMS Cox Monett, and I graduated from Cassville. I have been in the area since I was 3, so almost my whole life.”

Williams has children who attend Cassville schools and said she and her husband have no intention on leaving the area.

“I want to be a part in making sure future generations grow up in a great place,” she said. “We love this town, and I want to do anything I can to be involved and help our area and small businesses.”

Williams said her family has been in small business in one way or another throughout her life.

“My in-laws used to have Hilltop Treasures, and I owned a business,” she said. “I love event planning and coordinating.

“What a great way for me to combine all of that, and give to the community.”

Williams loves all the events in the area, but she has a couple

Cassville’s Zac Acheson, left, and Garrett Ewing hit the slopes by Cassville High School Friday, enjoying the more than 5 inches of snow before the melt began. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

Purdy, Wheaton school districts only multi-candidate races

CHAMBER DIRECTOR

Step two, month two in the path to recovery

Hernandez: ‘You get out of it what you put into it’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

7

39292 00068 Vol. 150, No. 6 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

8

In every Celebrate Recovery journey, there are at least 12 steps. Junior Hernandez, a Monett man, tells a story of control and how he realized that faking it until making it wasn’t going to work.

Hernandez has had multiple experiences with sobriety, the first starting in March 2014.

The second step in the 12-step program is to believe that a greater power can restore one to their sanity. This inspiration is found in Philippians 2:13.

“I have been with Celebrate Recovery since 2018,” he said. “But, on March 17, 2014, I had my sentencing date for a felony charge. I was found guilty and had to go into a treatment program in prison — that is when I stopped using methamphetamine.”

Hernandez had to do a 30-day diagnostic treatment, then a 12-week program at a prison facility.

“I went to prison in March 2014 and was released in July 2014,” he

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Who: Junior Hernandez What: A recovery journey about control More: Hernandez speaks out about the second step in recovery

said. “Then, I had a five-year suspended imposition of sentence (SIS) probation period.”

Due to frequent drug testing throughout the program, Hernandez was able to stay away from methamphetamine and is seven years clean from it today.

Unfortunately, methamphetamine was not the only drug he struggled with.

“Between July 2014 and February 2017, I was also able to stay off of marijuana because of the drug tests,” he said. “However, two months after prison, I was drinking every day, and a lot.”

The drinking only continued to escalate up to 2017.

“With SIS probation, for every 30 days you do good, you get 30 days shaved off your time, so I only served two and a half years on it,” he said. “For that time, I was only using alcohol, but after the probation, marijuana came back into my life.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Junior Hernandez is now three years sober, but his journey to recovery started seven years ago when he was in a prison treatment center and stopped using methamphetamine. Contributed photo

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

Page 10 • Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Cassville Democrat

Local

Cassville’s Aidan Cook drives the baseline for the Wildcats against Nevada earlier this season. Cassville received the No. 6 district seed and will face No. 3 Reeds Spring on Monday. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com Patients and hospital staff were evacuated from Mercy Hospital in Cassville Monday morning due to a fire on the roof.

Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

Fire: BarCo Sheriff’s Office assists with evacuation

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

staff staged at the emergency room for anyone that drives up in need of care,” she said.

Cassville Police Chief Dana Kammerlohr said the call came in at 6:22 a.m. and Sgt. Donnie Privett was first on scene and noticed the flames and smoke coming from the roof area.

“He started assisting with evacuation,” she said. “The Barry County Sheriff’s Office helped with the evacuation. Everyone exited the building and there were no injuries.”

The blaze was extinguished after about 30 minutes.

Cassville firefighters unhook a hose from the ladder truck used to put out out a fire on the roof of Mercy Hospital Monday morning. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

Recovery: ‘I thought I didn’t have a problem’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Hernandez said he was living for himself and not thinking of anyone else.

For him, this was a problem because he was a single father of a little girl.

“That is actually one of the things that helped me stay off meth,” he said.

“I looked at my older brother and saw how it messed up his life, and I looked at acquaintances I met through that life and saw where they were and that they weren’t going anywhere else. I didn’t want that for me and my daughter.”

Hernandez said his mom helped him raise his daughter, and she took on most of the responsibility when he was out partying on meth.

“I was living for myself, and that hurt so deeply because I have a daughter,” he said. “I didn’t want to abandon her.”

Hernandez said his daughter said something on one of her visits that stuck with him forever.

“She said, ‘Daddy, I don’t want to go, I want to stay with you,’” he said.

“I knew I had to quit, and I left meth behind me, but after all of that, I still thought I could control the alcohol.”

Hernandez has had two DWIs. “I thought I didn’t have a problem,” he said.

“Drinking was legal, I just happened to get caught.

This was the faking part. I thought I could just keep faking it until I made it.”

Hernandez was going to bars regularly and shutting them down, then inviting people back to his home for parties involving both alcohol and marijuana.

“Marijuana was my drug of choice,” he said.

“Eventually, I realized my daughter was with my mom all the time, just like when I was on meth.

“I was following the same path as before.”

After his second DWI in November 2017, Hernandez was again enrolled in Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) classes.

“I was woking for this plumbing, electrical and heating company,” he said. “My boss kept me on through prison and everything, he always had a place for me.

“I even had to have a ton lock system put on the work truck to use. I felt like God was showing me the road, but I was powerless over my addictions and I

wanted to do it my way.”

Hernandez said his boss noticed he was on a dark path and invited him to church.

“He said to me, ‘I can’t keep you if you don’t change your ways,’” Hernandez said. “I started going, and by January 2018, I was going regularly. Then, a guy, Mike, in my SATOP classes who went to the same church started talking about Celebrate Recovery. I thought I could still just fake it until I made it.”

Hernandez said something hit him all at once.

“God was putting me on his road instead of me staying on mine,” he said. “I knew I had to change, and in one church service, the pastor called for people to come to the alter. I felt God lifting me and guiding me.

“I asked him to be my Lord and Savior, and Mike asked me to go to Celebrate Recovery.”

It was August 2018 when Hernandez went to his first Celebrate Recovery meeting.

“It started out hit and miss, but eventually I was going regularly,” he said. “I took it one step at a time, and God had his hand out. I will never forget the feeling when I started living for my daughter and the Lord.”

That November, Hernandez was baptized and saved, and he accepted the Lord into his heart.

“I stopped using Marijuana in February 2018 because of drug tests with the SATOP classes,” he said. “Once I accepted God, I knew I didn’t have any power, and I admitted that I am powerless and he is in control.”

Like the second step in the program, Hernandez realized a greater power was able to restore him.

“If God can gain even just one lost soul from my story, it is a blessing that he deserves all of the praise for,” he said. “I have had struggles, I still have struggles, but I am a 360-degree different person than I was three years ago.”

No matter how many years a person has in recovery, Hernandez wants everyone to know they have to work at it every day.

“We are all in this together — we share love and lift each other up,” he said. “We have accountability and God takes it out of our hands. I needed help at one week sober, and I need it just as much at three years sober.”

A quote that hangs on a sign at his job spoke to Hernandez, and he uses it in reference to his work and his sobriety.

“Get involved in the course,” it says. “You get out of it what you put into it.”

“I am now the leader for the men’s chemical dependency small group at the Monett Celebrate Recovery,” he said. “I tell them every week, ‘You get what you put into it.’”

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m., child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from at 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for

more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

Hoops: Championship

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

The championship game is scheduled for March 6 at 1:30 p.m., again with the higher seed hosting.

In district contests this season, the Lady

Wildcats defeated Reeds Spring 57-41 on Dec. 21, 2020; fell to Seneca 44-32 on Jan. 12; fell to East Newton 36-31 on Feb. 1 and fell to Aurora 45-28 on Monday.

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ONLY 11 NEW COVID CASES THIS WEEK — PAGE 3A

<<< WILDCATS 3RD IN CASSVILLE CLASSIC Cassville bags first win of season, 3-1 over Galena. — PAGE 1B

CASSVILLE

emocrat D M A R C H 3 1 , 2 0 2 1 | C A S S V I L L E - D E M O C R AT. C O M

Bi-county sales tax revenues continue to rise

Cassville sets new March record, up 11 percent for year

BY MURRAY BISHOFF, SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Cassville Democrat

For the 11th consecutive month, sales tax revenue to

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

What: Focus on the third step of a twelve step program Who: Chelsey Keeney, of Washburn More: Struggles with depression

SALES TAX IN MARCH

General trend: Up 12 percent from a year ago Cassville: Up 20 percent for the month, 11 percent for the year Shifts: Universal increases sagging with four of seven cities declining

bi-county cities and governments grew in the face of COVID-19

pandemic travel reservations.

However, the universality of rising local sales waned in the latest disbursements, as four of the seven cities showed lower receipts.

The Missouri Department of Revenue issued interest for sales tax collections in late March, as was done in late February of 2020. Interest totals were not

large enough to offset declines in the March numbers, and will be added into the April totals.

The seven Barry County cities collecting sales tax received $722,928.21 in March, up 12 percent from a year ago. Exeter, Washburn and Wheaton joined Purdy in falling short of last March’s totals, leaving gains in CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

Sweets and a Song entertains

Step three, month three in the path to recovery Keeney: ‘It is all about what actions we decide to take’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Step three in the 12-step program is to make the decision to turn one’s life and will oneself to the care of God, and Chelsey Keeney, of Washburn, tells a story of a different kind of hurt, habit and hangup than what one may expect from a member of Celebrate Recovery.

The path to recovery is a 12-step journey, a journey which is revisited and relived often.

After all, recovery is something to be worked at daily.

Keeney’s story is about the actions she had to take in recovery.

“I got to that point of rock bottom,” she said. “I had figured out in my 20s that I had depression. I was seeing a doctor and was on medication. I even CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A

Krysta Rawlings performs “Hello” by Evanescence during the Sweets and a Song Winter Show at Cassville High School Saturday. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

BARRY ELECTRIC

What: Has hired a new CEO/GM Who: Jennifer McBroom Selected: Out of a pool of more than 50 applicants

New CEO/ GM hired at Barry Electric McBroom selected from more than 50 applicants

The Barry Electric Cooperative Board of Directors has announced the promotion of Jennifer McBroom to CEO/ General Manager of the Co-op.

McBroom is only the fifth manager in the 75-year history of Barry Electric Cooperative and was chosen after a nationwide search that yielded more than 50 applications. From that applicant pool, the board winnowed the choices down to a few to interview in person or via video conference.

“Ms. McBroom was chosen because of her record of leadership as interim CEO,” said Dr. David Cupps, president of the board. “In addition, the board is convinced that she shares their vision for Barry Electric going into the future.”

McBroom served as Barry Electric’s CFO for the last five years, where she gained invaluable knowledge of the Barry Electric business model.

“The selection process was unhurried and deliberate,” Cupps said. “The board was able to take time in making this choice, thanks in no small part to Bill Shiveley.”

Shiveley served as a part-time consultant to the board during the interim between managers.

He is a former CEO/General Manager of Barry Electric, from 1991-2017.

“His steadying hand and wise advice to Ms. McBroom while she served as interim CEO was invaluable,” Cupps said. “During this interim time, the cooperative has operated as smoothly as ever.”

Blood drive honors local 15-year-old

Community donation BLOOD DRIVES American Red Cross Blood Drive event set for Thursday What: When: Thursday at 6 p.m.

More: Drive in honor of local girl with in Shell Knob rare blood disease

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

7

39292 00068 Vol. 150, No. 11 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

8

People that donate blood assume it goes on to help save a life, never knowing the true impact of their actions.

But, blood donations in Barry County can help the local community, including neighbors, friends, co-workers and classmates, which is evident in the story of Breanna Saige, a 15-year-old Cassville sophomore.

Saige suffers from Von Williebrand Disease, a lifelong blood condition which stops her blood from clotting due to a protein in the blood that helps form clots not performing properly.

Her mother, Nicole Walker, said they found out about Breanna’s Von Williebrand Disease when she was awaiting surgery for her scoliosis.

“She went in for a routine physical for a school check up, and they found the scoliosis,” Walker said.

“We went to a spine specialist in St. Louis, and right before surgery, she had a 50-degree angle in her spine.”

Breanna’s surgery was originally scheduled two years ago.

“But, it was canceled,” she said.

“The labs found something wrong with her clotting factors. After more testing, they found it was Von Williebrand.”

The scoliosis surgery was rescheduled with another surgeon who specializes in blood disorders.

“During the surgery, they had to do one blood transfusion,” Walker said. “Then after that, they had to do another because she kept bleeding out while healing.”

Breanna and her mother are still learning about this disease and how it will affect her life.

“She has to be very careful and watch for injuries so she doesn’t CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

Breanna Saige had surgery on Jan. 15, once during and once after the surgery she had life saving blood transfusions due to her having Von Williebrand Disease.

Contributed photo

Cassville Democrat

Local

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 • Page 5A

Chelsey Keeney and her children are pictured in December 2020. Keeney has been in Celebrate Recovery since 2017 after struggling with depression. Contributed photo

Recovery: ‘It is crazy to see how far I have come’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

tried, in my faith, to do everything I was supposed to — go to church, be the perfect stay at home mom and housewife and none of it was helping me.”

Eventually, her mother told her about Celebrate Recovery.

“My husband at the time was an alcoholic, so I thought she was suggesting it for him,” Keeney said.

“I didn’t understand then that Celebrate Recovery was for everyone.”

It took couple of weeks for Keeney to go to her first meeting.

“I sat in the very back,” she said. “Then, the lady who started the meeting that night got up. She said she was there for depression — I was immediately hooked.”

Keeney began her journey and started working the first steps of the program.

“I didn’t realize I needed God’s power to take the first step,” she said. “It was like I was playing pretend at Celebrate Recovery until I realized that power.”

It was October 2017 when she started the program.

“It was that November that I picked up my first chip,” she said. “I spent months trying to figure out what I needed to do. I didn’t have a pill bottle or a glass I could put down.”

Keeney thought picking up her Bible every-

day would help, then she realized she needed more than that.

“I put down everything — social media, T.V., even music,” she said. “I quit everything and created a fresh slate.”

Eventually, and slowly, Keeney began to put things back.

“I started with music,” she said. “I found you can find Christian music in every genre.”

Depression is a hurt that affects the mind and the body.

“When I first found out I had depression, I went to the doctor because I though I had the flu,” Keeney said. “The biggest help for me, was realizing I wasn’t alone, and I am no different than anyone else with any kind of addiction. My addiction is my depression and my anger.

“You look at someone who drinks or does drugs and you ask, ‘Why do you do that?’ Well, it is the same with depression, except you hear, ‘Just be happy,’ or ‘You should feel blessed.’”

Hearing another person speak up about their depression clicked in Keeney.

She felt seen.

“I spent the first month in small group crying every time it was my turn to speak,” she said. “Being the leader for the women’s small group now, I see people in the same position I was in at the beginning.

“It is crazy to see how far I have come, and I want that for them.”

Keeney said recovery never gets easier.

“You have to keep going every day to just keep it manageable,” she said. “I still take my time to speak in small group, and I answer every focus question from every lesson or testimony.

“Recently, it was about action. What action do you need to take in recovery, and why? That is the third step, taking action.”

Celebrate Recovery is a judgement free zone, where everyone has a hurt, habit or hangup.

“We are not there to fix one another,” she said. “We are there to support open another. Help and support make recovery possible.”

Keeney said she would tell someone considering going to Celebrate Recovery to go now — start now.

“It is a process, and you don’t have to do anything to get ready for the first meeting,” she said. “You wouldn’t start studying for a test the night before.

You need to start studying as soon as you know there is a test, or problem in this case.”

Keeney continues to go thorough all 12 steps every year.

“It keeps you accountable,” she said. “You and your life are always changing, so by revisiting the steps every year, you are reevaluating your life, and asking, ‘What action do I need to take now?’”

Keeney thought that by controlling her situation, she could control her feelings of depression.

“But, I had to hand it over,” she said. “It is all about what actions we decide to take. It isn’t always an easy or even a clear decision. Sometimes, it is ugly and hard.”

According to Celebrate Recovery, two-thirds of the more than 5 million people who participate in the program are there for something other than drugs and alcohol.

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle

when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m., child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from at 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

• Celebrate Recovery Purdy — Mondays at the Purdy Pentecostal Church.

Meal is at 5:45 p.m., large group at 6:30 p.m., small group at 7:30 p.m. and childcare is provided.

People may contact 417489-5326, or 417-4429357 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE! Call your account representative today. 417-847-2610 Cassville Democrat | www.cassville-democrat.com

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SOUTHWEST CREATES FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT POLICY — PAGE 2

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CASSVILLE

emocrat D A P R I L 2 8 , 2 0 2 1 | C A S S V I L L E - D E M O C R AT. C O M

A summer of South Park improvements Cassville looks at 4 major projects to be completed by September

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN

jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

The city of Cassville is planning this summer to make

SOUTH PARK

What: Four major projects for summer 2021 More: Lighting, WiFi, additional electrical services Also: Approximately $40,000 in improvements

four major improvements to South Park, used frequently for

the soccer fields, community events, like TroutFest, and the winding greenway trails that wrap around the city.

Based on a meeting between the city and Barry Electric at the end of March, a list of projects, needed materials and the potential cost was released.

The four project include: • Additional electrical services,

or three additional 200 amp electrical services be used for community events like TroutFest, where vendors need electric access • Lighting of one of the soccer fields • Lighting of the driveway to the soccer fields • Outdoor wireless WiFi access points CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

fifth term and Henderson’s second term.

Following the board’s reorganization, Superintendent Mindi Gates provided a monthly wellness update, telling the school board that the school has remained free of COVID-19 (coronavirus) since February.

“We have had zero cases since February, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Purdy School Board reorganizes after April 6 election Cassville Democrat

Leadership at Purdy schools has not changed following the April 6 election.

BARRY COUNTY

What: Had 3,116 cases of COVID-19 as of April 21 Count: 10 active cases in isolation, none of whom are hospitalized, and 3,053 recovered; more than 30 close contacts quarantined More: A total of 9,452 vaccines initiated, accounting for 26.4 percent of residents

Carlin: ‘From mess to message’

It may not seem like a long journey to most, but 12-steps are sometimes the longest, hardest, and most beautiful steps a person may take in their life.

Out of those 12 steps, step No. 4 can be one of the most difficult, as it requires the person to make a fearless inventory of oneself. The biblical equivalent to this step can be found in Lamentations 3:40.

For Christy Carlin, the act of taking a personal moral inventory is a step she revisits often.

Carlin is seven years sober and proud to be the mother, the wife and the grandmother she always wanted to be, but her journey wasn’t always picture perfect.

“I started using meth when I was 21 years old,” she said. “I was going through some things in life and I had been talking to this neighbor I had about them.”

That neighbor listened to Carlin, but eventually introduced her to the drug methamphetamine.

“I’m not sure exactly why I thought that this might make my problems better,” Carlin said. “It helped me escape from the reality that I was living. I soon began using meth every weekend, then before I knew it I was using every day of the week.”

This was her life, for two-anda-half years.

“I then became pregnant with my third child,” Carlin said. “I stopped using at that point. I remained clea for five years, and then started using prescription drugs such as pain pills, anxiety meds, and muscle relaxers.”

Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

BY MIKE GERVAIS

Step four, month four in the path to recovery jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Wannelle Wilburn, left, played by Aimee Spangenberg, pines for her husband D. Gene Wilburn, played by Craig Burford, who seems to have more interest in fishing than his wife. The two were characters in the latest SKITS production, “Farce of Nature.”. Kyle

The Purdy School Board voted unanimously Monday to retain Todd Schallert as school board president and Ken Terry as vice president.

The school board also certified the election results, officially naming Terry and Ruben Henderson the winners of the election, administering the oath of office for Terry’s

Who: Christy Carlin What: Seven years sober More: One woman taking a moral inventory to stay clean

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN

‘Farce of Nature’ entertains theatre-goers

No change for school board president, vice president

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Forgotten newspapers rediscovered

County’s COVID cases staying low

Only 263 new vaccines administered in past week

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

7

39292 00068 Vol. 150, No. 15 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

8

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County remains low, but only 263 new vaccines were administered in the last week.

According to the Barry County Health Department

and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 3,116 (+6\10) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19.

As of April 21, a total of 10 (+3) people were considered active cases in isolation, and none are hospitalized (even).

There are more than 30 close contacts (+10) quarantined in their homes.

No new deaths have occurred since midMarch. The total number of deaths in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

A year-long run of the Seligman Sunbeam newspaper, from 1972-1973, has been donated to the Barry County Museum. Jeremiah Bunting, left, museum historian, and Kathy White, director, reviewed the acquisition, noting the museum had few samples of the paper. The collection had come into the hands of the late Phyllis Freisner, a founding member of the Barry County Genealogical and Historical Society, who gave them to fellow society founding member Lisa Lamp, of Monett. Lamp gave them to Murray Bishoff, former Monett Times news editor, who took them to the museum. Bunting said the papers would be scanned so the public could again have access to their glimpse into some forgotten history. Murray Bishoff/Cassville Democrat

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

Cassville Democrat

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 • Page 9

Local

Recovery: ‘It’s important to have people accept you for the broken mess you are’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Carlin said she watched herself become a completely different person.

“Pills have a physical withdrawal, so any time I would even try to stop or run out, I would start having withdrawal symptoms, and that then would push me to just go find more,” she said. “After using pills for about two years, I then over a period of time switched back to using meth and just pills periodically.”

This came to a screeching halt in 2010, when Carlin was charged with possession.

Carlin got a five-year

probation sentence, but continued to use drugs heavily. In July 2013, she had a warrant out for her arrest for failure to report to her parole officer.

Carlin decided to run.

“I had never been to jail — I was scared,” she said. “[I was] looking over my shoulder everywhere I went and just always wondering when I was going to get caught. Until one day, I came up with this idea that maybe if I go to rehab then I won’t have to go to jail.

“On Nov. 3, 2013, I checked myself into a rehab facility in Branson.”

After only two weeks

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417-847-2610 Thanks for reading the Cassville Democrat www.cassville-democrat.com

and one day, Carlin got angry and called someone to pick her up.

“This didn’t work out quite the way I thought it was going to because I had the police waiting for me to arrest me when I returned back to the place I had been staying,” she said. “I went to jail in November and was released in December, not too long before Christmas.”

Carlin spent 35 days in jail, and was then released into Barry County Drug Court.

“Looking back on all this, now I can see God’s hand in it all,” she said. “He needed to get me to a place that he could work on me, a place where I was completely broken in order to start the process of rebuilding me — rebuilding a life with God in it.”

Of those 35 days spent in jail, Carlin spent that time inside of her Bible.

“The day I got out of jail was also my first time to go to Celebrate Recovery,” she said. “I remember feeling such an attitude of acceptance by everyone I met. I was at a bad place in life for sure, and it’s important to have people that just accept you for the broken mess you are.”

On May 7, 2015, Carlin graduated from drug court, but she has been clean since that first day in rehab on November 3, 2013.

“A lot has happened over the past seven years,” Carlin said. “I have gained two grandbabies, gotten married to the love of my life, two of my children have graduated from high school and the baby will graduate 2022. We bought a house, I have a great job, I got a dog that I wouldn’t trade for the world, my oldest son got married and my youngest son has gotten engaged.”

On a sadder note Carlin has lost her sister and grandfather.

“The point is, I wouldn’t have been here for any of this if I wouldn’t have gotten clean,” Carlin said. “I would have been in prison or maybe not even not have been alive to be able to experience these such things. It didn’t happen all at once. It’s been a work in progress, but just keep making the right choices and you will get there.”

Carlin dug deeper and deeper into her journey with Christ.

“I live with a peace and

joy in my heart now that I’ve never experienced,” she said. “But, the tough part is still present. It didn’t all get better at once. It was a slow process for me.”

Carlin said you can’t do step four without step one, two and three.

“Going to church and Celebrate Recovery helped me to examine myself on a deeper level,” she said.

“God truly changed the desires of my heart — I didn’t want to get high anymore. Instead I put my focus into being the person he designed me to be, the mother I needed to be, and the mother my children needed me to be.”

Carlin said each day, God showed her something she needed to work on.

“The awesome thing about God is, you don’t need to fix everything before coming to him,” she said. “He helped me fix things along the way.

I went from looking for drugs every minute of every day to looking for ways to make life better.

“I’ve made a lot of wrong and bad decisions in my life but God has restored what the enemy has stolen from me.”

Carlin says she asks herself daily what she can change.

“Moral inventory keeps me clean,” she said. “It keeps the rubbish from being buried deep down inside and eventually popping out all at once.”

Carlin said keeping moral inventory means she stays on top of the choices she makes in life.

“When I feel like I have made a wrong one or hurt someone in the process, I go to them and apologize or fix the situation,” she said. “Moral inventory to me is staying on top of the feelings you have in life and just to feel them whether that be anger or sadness or happiness.

“I have to feel them and not suppress them.

Eventually, that ugliness builds up and will venture out in one form or another, and for addicts, that form is usually the use of drugs. It important to have a clear and moral conscience.”

Carlin says just because she now has the tools to better deal with these emotions and triggers, doesn’t mean things are always easy.

“Trust me, there have been times I get very frus-

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Christy Carlin celebrated seven years sober on Nov. 3, 2020. She is surrounded by loved ones, her children and grandchildren. Contributed photo trated with things in life, but then I seek answers and God always shows me the truth,” she said.

“It’s hard to look deep at situations we have in our lives and there have been many times I’ve had to push myself out of the way in order to get the results I needed. I’ve had a lot of pain and heartache along the way, but I’ve always come out ahead when I’ve looked to God for the answers.”

Carlin said even when she has failed God, he has never failed her.

“I know taking moral inventory is scary and frightening to see and relive all the past decisions we have made, but do it,” Carlin said. “Do it with lots of prayer and an open heart, God will show you the way through it.

“Go to Celebrate Recovery and find someone to help you if you need to. Find help at church. It’s freeing and it only makes a way to much bigger and brighter things.”

Carlin said she couldn’t have done so much if she didn’t have such an awesome support group and family.

“Family is where true happiness is at,” she said.

“Make good choices and make them count — from mess to message.”

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction.

For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meet-

ings were postponed.

Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

Page 2A • Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Workers install the new fish cleaning station at Roaring River State Park, a grinding station that ends the need for barrels to catch fish guts. Contributed photo

Fish: More information

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

the event or the project, they may contact Joel Topham, park superintendent, at 417-8472539. Roaring River State Park is located at 12716 Farm Road 2239 outside Cassville.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, people may visit mostateparks. com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

NEWS BRIEFS Arnhart Cemetery flower removal requested

The Arnhart Cemetery Association requests all flowers on the ground be removed by June 14 so normal mowing may resume.

Veterans Taskforce of America to meet

The Veterans Taskforce of America, Inc. will meet at the Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett on June 6 at 4 p.m. All honorably discharged men and women, wartime or peacetime, are welcomed.

Library closed on Monday

All branches of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library System will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

CS Bank Grand Opening set for June 3

CS Bank will host a Grand Opening on June 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A ribbon cutting will be at 11:30 a.m. There will be grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as snow cones for the kids. The bank is also giving away a new grill with tool set and seasoning kit, as well as two $50 VISA gift cards (do not have to be present to win and must enter at the Cassville branch). The bank is also offering an incentive to those who open an account — the first round of checks is on CS Bank (some qualifications apply).

Bluegrass at Roaring River each Friday

Bluegrass music will be held at Roaring River State Park every Friday from May 28 to Sept. 24, and on Saturdays from July 24 to Sept. 25. Bands playing at the shelter include: The Flyin Buzzards, Sugar Mountain Band, The Mayfields, Ozark Mt. Five, No Apparent Reason, Spillwater Drive, Ozark Mt. Revival, Red Bridge Bluegrass, The Bakers & Friends, and the Possum Trot Band. Admission is free and the music goes from 7-9 p.m. Holiday specials include Memorial Day on May 28-29, and Independence Day on July 2-3.

Annual Ennis Cemetery meeting set

The Ennis Cemetery will hold its annual meeting at the cemetery on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Republican Club meeting scheduled

The Barry County Republican Club will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Barry County Museum in Cassville.

Old Church Gallery Farmers’ Market open

The Old Church Gallery Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 8-11 a.m. The Market offers fresh produce, eggs, jellies, relishes, baked goods, cut flowers and handmade crafts. Visitors are asked to please follow the health guidelines and wear face coverings and practice 6-foot physical distancing while shopping. Old Church Gallery is located on Farm Road 1240 in Shell Knob and can be reached at 417-858-2510.

Alumni Banquet on Saturday

The annual Cassville High School Alumni Association Banquet will be Saturday in the CHS Commons Area.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6 p.m.

Dinner and dues are $15. Any class having a special reunion may contact Kay Baker at 417-847-4219 to make reservations.

Seligman dances ongoing each Saturday

The Seligman Chamber of Commerce dances at the Seligman Chamber Event Center are every Saturday at 7 p.m. Everyone is also asked to bring a snack to share. For more information, people may call 417-662-3612.

CORRECTIONS The Cassville Democrat corrects factual errors promptly and courteously. If you have a correction or clarification, please email Editor Kyle Troutman at editor@cassville-democrat.com

CASSVILLE

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Cassville Democrat

Step five, month five in the path to recovery Larson: ‘I just got tired of being tired’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Admitting one’s wrongs can be hard no matter what the situation, but in the 12-step journey to recovery, step five forces a person to come face-to-face with their wrongdoings as a result of their addiction.

Sandy Larson, of Cassville, said that accountability keeps her on track even six years after her recovery journey began.

Alcohol can create a strong hold on someone’s life, and because it is a legal substance, it can be even more difficult to realize there is a problem.

Larson said she did not realize she had a problem until she was will into her 30s.

“I was born and raised in Washburn,” she said.

“I always drank in high school, but I didn’t see it as a problem — it was just a social thing.”

After two DWIs, time spent in jail and multiple wrecks, Larson began to see the damage she was causing.

“My childhood was great,” she said. “We went camping and fishing a lot, we were happy.

“Looking back, I think there was some alcoholism problems on my mom’s side of the family.”

After high school, Larson saw all of her friends and drinking buddies go off to college, but she stayed back.

“I got married,” she said.

“We just drank all the time.

He was an alcoholic, too.

“I had my first child in 1984, and I got my first DWI in 2006, I think. On the second DWI, I didn’t even have a license.”

In her 30s, Larson was bouncing from job to job, unable to hold anything down.

“I would call in or be late because I was hungover,” she said. “Then, in my 40s, I began having seizures.”

Larson said one of the side effects of alcoholism is memory loss.

“I don’t remember dates or timelines very well,” she said. “I don’t remember when all the wrecks happened.

“They were bad, but even though they almost kill you, you still have that addiction. I would heal up, then go get a drink.”

Larson believes her first seizure was in 2014.

“I had been to Celebrate Recovery a few times on and off, but I never stayed for long,” she said. “The seizures were alcohol-induced.”

After her first seizure, the doctors told her she was with in hours of starvation.

“I would just drink and forget to eat,” she said.

“They put me in a medically-induced coma to nourish me back to health. If I was smart, I would have gone to rehab right out of the hospital.”

The doctor told Larson’s now-fiance if she continued to drink, she would be dead with in a year.

“But, I continued to drink, and I continued to have seizures and blackouts,” she said. “I was living with my daughter for a couple of years, just drinking my money away. I never had money for anything, but I always had money for alcohol.”

Larson’s fiance sobered up, and eventually she got sober too.

“I had at least two bad seizures, but I think I had more when I was blacked out drunk,” she said. “I got a job and started saving money for an apartment.”

One hot summer day, about a year after getting sober, Larson wanted to have a beer.

Sandy Larson and her fiance have seen the bad parts in each other over the years, but now they can celebrate their sobriety together and enjoy the life they have built together.

Jordan Troutman/jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

“Within a week, I was a full-fledged alcoholic again,” she said. “It seems like when you go back it is even worse, faster and harder than the first time.

I lost my job and drank for another six months.”

Her fiance stayed sober and decided to stop coming around.

“Finally, I just got tired of being tired,” she said.

“I was going nowhere and everyone was mad at me.”

On Aug. 8, 2015, Larson went to the Joplin Ozark Center: New Directions.

“That is my sobriety date,” she said. “I was in detox for more than five days because my blood pressure was so high. I stayed for 17 days total. I had to beg them to keep me that long, because I knew if I left earlier I would drink.”

Mark Barton picked up Larson after her 17 days in a church van.

“The first time I went to Celebrate Recovery was in 2012, and Mark always told me he wished I would come back,” she said. “On the way home from treatment, we talked about me running the women’s home in Cassville.”

Larson started going to Celebrate Recovery regularly after that and moved into the women’s home in November 2015.

“I thought the women’s home would be overwhelming,” Larson said.

“But, it got me living in a sober, clean and Christian environment.”

It was also a great opportunity for Larson to help other girls in a similar situation.

“I knew that I was not going to do recovery without God,” she said. “When you don’t have anybody, he is always there. I can’t count the number of times I asked God, ‘Please help me.’”

Step five is admitting to God, yourself and another human being the exact nature of your wrongs.

“James 5:16,” Larson said. “Confess our sins and pray so that we may be healed. I felt a relief — to me it was a serenity and a peace.”

For maybe the first time, Larson felt a calmness in life.

“I know God is there with me,” she said. “My life was beginning to make sense again. I hadn’t had a driver’s license for 12 years, and I got it again in November 2016. That was a big day for me. I feel just like a kid getting it for the first time.”

Then, she got herself a car, for the first time all by herself.

“I got a job, and I have been there for six years,” Larson said. “I have met so many great people. It is important to have people around you for accountability.”

Even though Larson has been sober for almost six years, she has seen her children struggle with addictions as well.

“I truly believe that addiction can be hereditary,” she said. “Thinking back to problems on my mom’s side of the family, and then watching myself go through what I did, only to see my children struggle, too, I think people need to better realize those connections to keep them and their children safe.”

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there are many things that can contribute to an increased risk of alcoholism — genetics is one of them.

Another is drinking at an early age. In fact, according to a study, those who drink before age 15 are five times more likely to have an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). This risk is higher in females than in males, according to that 2019 study.

Mental health conditions and a history of trauma also increase the risk of AUD. But, genetics and a family history of alcohol problems have been proven to increase one’s risk of AUD. Heritability accounts for a 60 percent risk of AUD, with the risk being influence on an combination of genes and environment.

“I would suggest that people find a church family, or come to Celebrate Recovery,” Larson said.

“No one judges and we welcome you with open arms.

Celebrate Recovery can help point you in the right direction through either open meetings or small group.”

Larson said she and her fiance have a happy life now.

“We have our own home, we have jobs and we have a little dog,” she said. “Life is good. On Aug. 8, 2021, I will celebrate six years sober.”

Through step five, Larson found the peace in talking to someone.

“Sometimes it helps,” she said. “Seek out someone who is sober.”

Background This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal.

Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemean-

Over the nearly six years of her recovery journey, Sandy Larson has seven coins to show for her hard work. She keeps them near her serenity prayer to remind her of her milestones. Jordan Troutman/jtrout-

man@cassville-democrat.com

or drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-7665449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417-3428659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m. Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12. Meals to go at the end of every evening.

People may contact 417235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

CASSVILLE DEMOCRAT May 26, 2021 Volume One Hundred Fifty Number 19 (USPS092920) 600 Main Street - P.O. Box 486 (417) 847-2610 FAX: (417) 847-3092 Rust Publishing MOARCASS, L.L.C.

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COVID ACTIVES CONTINUE CLIMB — PAGE 2A

‘CATS BACK TO BASICS THROUGH JUNE >>> Strength and conditioning, 7-on-7 drills prepping Cassville for camp. — PAGE 1B

CASSVILLE

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Sewer project nearing start Engineers hope to begin work by end of year

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

More than four years after narrowly passing an $11 million bond request, the city of Cassville is hoping to get going on the sewer line project by the end of this year, with the water line project soon to follow.

CITY OF CASSVILLE

What: Aiming to start sewer bond project soon When: Company hopes to begin work by end of 2021, start of 2022 More: Water project side to start after sewer

Chris Erisman and John Briggs, representing Allgeier Martin, the Joplin-based engineering firm handling the projects for the city, updated city officials recently on how the

projects are shaping up and what to expect this year and next.

The sewer project involves a proposed $5.4 million plan to fix the system by reducing the amount of water being processed by the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The water project involves a $4.89 million proposal that would seek to replace more than 21 miles of water pipes in the city.

“Much of the sewer lines we will work on are in the lower parts of town, what we’ve referred to

as the saturation zones, where there is a lot of inflow and infiltration (I&I),” Erisman said.

“Most of those lines are old clay pipes laid in 4-foot sections with joints, which gives them lots of places to leak.”

The plan is to clean the interior of the pipes and add a liner, which is about 6 millimeters thick, that will expand and push up against the clay pipes, essentially creating new, smoother piping throughout CONTINUED ON PAGE 6A

Splashing in the sun

Cassville Democrat

Purdy schools have approved a 2021-22

Independence Day to light up Purdy Terry family returns with annual celebration Cassville Democrat

year, substitute teachers were paid $80 per day for the first 10 days, then $100 per day if they worked more than 10 days as a longterm sub.

The Purdy Board of Education approved a $5 raise for short-term subs, bringing their salary to $85 per day for the first 10 days. The salary for long-term subs who teach for more

Independence Day in Purdy is coming early again this year, thanks to the Terry family, which traditionally throws the city-wide fireworks spectacular and barbecue on July 3 each year to avoid competition with other community events in the area.

The main event will kick off at 6 p.m. when the Terry family will begin serving its annual hot dog meal with beans, chips, cookies and a drink for $6.

At that time, the Lancaster Vocal Group, of Springfield, will take the stage performing classic rock, light rock and country hits from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s with a mix of some contemporary music.

Event organizer Ken Terry said there is also a special performance by the Freewill Baptist Bible School students scheduled for 7 p.m., giving the Lancaster Vocal Group a break before returning later in the evening.

“They play everything from America and Crosby, Stills and Nash to some more recent music,” Terry said. “They’re good.”

At sundown, Terry said there will be a performance of the National Anthem before the fireworks begin.

“We do it up big,” he said. “We just want to invite everyone out to have a good time and celebrate.”

The Terry family uses all proceeds from the hot dog barbecue to fund the event, along with community donations that the family matches for the Independence Day celebration.

Terry also said the family operates three fireworks stands, one at the intersection of

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Purdy approves budget, prepares for new superintendent

BY MIKE GERVAIS

What: Purdy Independence Day event Where: Purdy Gathering Place When: Saturday

BY MIKE GERVAIS

To take a break from the summer heat in summer school, Cassville pre-K students got some much needed water play time. Isaiah Horton and Braxton Stephens ran and splashed on Friday in the school courtyard. Jordan Troutman/jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

District honors Gates at last meeting before heading to Cassville elementary

TERRY FAMILY CELEBRATION

budget that projects a total of $6,933,732 in revenue and $6,890,721 in expenses for the coming year.

Purdy approved a $250 base salary increase for teachers and a step increase for administration at the school.

Superintendent Mindi Gates also included a raise for substitute teachers in the proposed budget. In the 2020-21 school

Step six, month six in the path to recovery

Smith: ‘A thousand drinks is never enough, but one drink is too much’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

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39292 00068 Vol. 150, No. 24 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

8

Looking inward at one’s own defects of character is a hard task, but it can be even harder to prepare to remove those defects altogether.

Step six in the journey to sobriety is to be entirely ready to have God remove all of one’s defects of character. The Bible verse that correlates with this step is James 4:10.

Frank Smith, Pastor at Rocky Comfort Church of Christ, said he has been a member of Celebrate Recovery (CR) for 10 years.

“I live in Stella, and have attended CR in Cassville and Monett for years,” he said. “The last five years, I have been a facilitator for two locations.”

Smith, known as Smitty during his time in the military and law enforcement, said for him, alcohol

CELEBRATE RECOVERY Who: Frank Smith What: 10 years sober More: Step 6

was a problem.

“I always say I never struggled with alcohol,” he said. “I enjoyed alcohol and indulged in it. I never struggled until I tried to get sober.”

Smith said his first experience with alcohol was in high school.

“I became aquatinted with alcohol through friends when I was about 17,” he said. “We moved from California to Kansas City. My father drank some, but my grandfather on my mother’s side was an alcoholic.

If I inherited the addiction, that is where it came from.”

In 1968, Smith was drafted into the military where he served for 21 years and four months.

“I was a military medic, firefighter and police officer,” he said.

“Becky and I got married on April 14, 1973, in Fairbanks, Alaska. I was in active duty military at the time.”

The couple has four daughters together, 16 grandchildren and five

Frank Smith and one of his grandsons are pictured at a military graduation.

Smith will Celebrate 11 years of Recovery on July 6. Contributed photo great-grandchildren.

At one time, in all the years raising and providing for his family, Smith got saved and was sober for nearly 10 years.

“I fell back into my old ways when we moved back to Missouri,” Smith said. “Nothing worked until CR. I couldn’t stay sober by myself.

I had to realize that my life was out of control.”

On July 6, Smith will celebrate 11

years of sobriety.

“I was born with an addictive personality,” he said. “I never had an interest in drugs, though. I watched too many friends die in the military because they were high and didn’t know what was going on.”

Smith would describe his personality when drinking as a happygo-lucky party person.

“There were the occasional

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Cassville Democrat

Wednesday, June 30, 2021 • Page 5A

Local

Recovery: Pride, selfishness pose two great problems in step six of recovery

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

recreational bar brawls,” he said. “I never drank hard alcohol. It was usually just beer. People would say, ‘It’s just beer, you aren’t an alcoholic.’

But that was not true. I drank every day.”

Smith said his idea to avoid a hangover was to continue to drink.

“My wife became a Christian in 1975,” Smith said. “We married young and we both lived a party lifestyle. But, we had our first child and she was growing and maturing.”

Smith had no interest at the time in his wife’s Christian lifestyle.

“In fact, her newfound religion was fine with me because it left me alone to pursue my own interests,” Smith said. “I always believed that God existed, but I just ignored him. To me, life was about having a good time.

“I loved my family and took care of them, but I

THINK

INFORMATION Cassville Democrat 847-2610

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was a lousy husband and a mediocre father.”

Eventually, Smith said his wife got him to go to church for the first time at age 31, and the message resonated with him on a deep level.

“It was the first time in my life that I knew I was told the truth,” he said. “I was saved that night in 1976. About a year-and-ahalf later, I felt that God was calling me to ministry.”

For about 10 years, Smith turned his life over to God to stay sober, but he never fully turned over his will.

“I always thought if I had a drink, I would be able to control it,” Smith said. “We moved back to Missouri and I became reacquainted with old friends and drinking buddies.

“A thousand drinks is never enough — but one drink is too much. I was back where I was 10 years before.”

Smith’s younger sister had a gambling addiction and was in CR. “I hit my low point after I got a gunshot wound,” Smith said. “Financially, we were losing everything, then I finally found a job.

The owner of the company invited us to church where my wife told him about my drinking. He asked me what I was going to do,

and I told him I could quit, and I did — for one month.

Then I had one bad day and one drink.”

Smith found himself in a casino, where he spent every penny he had for his family.

“We had just started to get back on our feet,” he said. “I called Becky and asked her if I could come home.”

She said yes.

“I hit our bedroom floor in prayer and I knew I was in dire spiritual trouble,” Smith said. “I begged God, ‘Please, Lord, don’t turn me lose. If you hang onto me I will go anywhere, anytime and do anything you direct me to do.’”

Smith said kneeling on his bedroom floor, all he heard was, “Get up.”

“So I did,” Smith said.

“I asked Becky what that group my sister was in was called and she said Celebrate Recovery.

“My sister went with me the next day.”

Smith did exactly what he was supposed to do and admitted his life was out of control.

“If I do my best, He will do the rest,” Smith said.

“In step six of the recovery journey, there are two great problems, especially for men.

“The first is pride, and the second is selfishness.

The pride is the voice that says no-one can tell me how to handle things, but you are powerless to your addiction.

“I used to say I couldn’t believe how stupid I was for drinking again, but I wasn’t stupid, I was selfish.”

Smith said the biggest lie someone can tell themselves is, “I am not hurting anyone but myself.”

“In one of the CR meetings, I ran into a young lady,” Smith said. “She didn’t know I was an alcoholic, but we were close.

She called me uncle Frank.

I told her I was tired of being an alcoholic.You can’t hide it from yourself, the people in your life or from God.” Smith hit the lowest part of his life before CR, but he has advice for anyone ready to make this lifestyle change.

“Go seek help,” he said.

“CR is proven to work. God never gives up, but we do.

We turn inward when we should be turning to Him. I have learned to seek the Lord first for any of life solutions.”

Smith said Philippians 1:6 is a Bible verse that helps him when he is in those uncertain times.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day

of Christ Jesus,” Smith said.

The Bible verse speaks to the process of how humans are made like Christ, which Smith believes happened when God removes all of one’s defects of character.

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction.

For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed.

Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn

to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

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ACTIVE CASES CONTINUE TO RISE — PAGE 2

C OF O GRAD CUTTING TEETH AT PURDY >>>

New head boys hoops coach gets to work. — PAGE 3

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Cox nearing COVID record 163 patients total in system, 5 at Cox Monett

COXHEALTH

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

The CoxHealth Hospital system is aiming to grow its COVID-19 care capacity, as it is reaching a record level of in-patients as the Delta variant of the virus rages through southwest Missouri.

Steve Edwards, president

What: Held a media briefing Thursday Why: To update the area on COVID-19 cases and trends Numbers: 163 positive patients in system, 99 percent unvaccinated, all deaths unvaccinated

and CEO of CoxHealth, said as of Thursday, the system housed 163 patients with COVID, five of whom are at Cox Monett Hospital.

“We are approaching a

record number,” he said. “At one point in January, I think we had about 170, but we finished that day with about 159.

We have had 26 deaths [July 14-21], and 526 total patients lost at Cox, [as of July 22]. We do not think the Delta wave has peaked. We are anticipating having about 180 patients by next week and 230 by August.”

Edwards reported 15 more patients died from Friday through Sunday, and Mercy in Springfield reported 10 deaths in the same time period. In all

of July, 72 people have died at Cox facilities.

“We have more than 180 traveling nurses, and we’re shooting for more than 300 traveling nurses, respiratory therapists and hospitalists to allow for more capacity in our system,” Edwards said. “The routine ratio is about 2.5-3 patients per nurse, and we are closer to 1.5 per nurse, plus the respiratory therapist, hospitalist [and other contributing specialists]. At one point recently, CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

First Baptist wraps up Vacation Bible School

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

A Cassville man is facing a class A felony after allegedly robbing a convenience store

Who: Russell Clancy, 36, of Cassville What: Is charged with first-degree robbery Bond: Is set at $150,000, cash only

with a machete.

Russell Clancy, 36, of Cassville, is charged with first-degree robbery.

According to a probable cause statement

CONSTRUCTION COMING

Who: Sergio Perez What: Construction of four homes Where: 301 W. Hwy. C When: Hopefully before the end of the year

New development in Purdy Four new homes slated for one-acre lot

BY MIKE GERVAIS Cassville Democrat

7

39292 00068 Vol. 150, No. 28 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

8

Purdy is getting a new housing development that will include four new homes on a one-acre lot located at 301 W. Hwy. C. The developer, Sergio Perez, said demolition is underway on a dilapidated house on the property, and he hopes the first home will be built before the end of the year.

Purdy Public Works Supervisor Lonnie Lowery suggested that Perez install all plumbing infrastructure for the four properties at one time to ensure the Department of

Natural Resources will approve the entire project.

Lowery also recommended that Perez install 6-inch water lines, the standard for fire hydrants. He explained that the new 6-inch pipes would hook into the city’s smaller water lines, but, in the future, if the city were to upgrade its water lines, hydrants at the new development would have adequate flow for Purdy firefighters.

Lowery also updated the city council on a water leak he has been trying to locate within the city water system for several month.

“It’s that time of the year when the ground starts drying out and moving and we’re starting to see the leaks,” he said.

Lowery explained that as the ground dries out, he is able CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Step seven, month seven in path to recovery Rivera: ‘I was drowning in all of this hurt’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN

filed by Thaddaeus Harris, deputy with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, on July 13 at about 5:30 p.m., Clancy allegedly entered the L&L Gas Station in Eagle Rock while holding a large machete.

The cashier instructed him to leave the store, but he refused to leave, instead taking a pack of Black & Mild Cream cigars off a cigar rack and walking out of the store

Step seven in the journey to recovery is asking God to remove all of one’s shortcomings, this means having to come faceto-face those shortcomings — sometimes more than once.

For Holly Rivera, of Cassville, her shortcomings forced her to reexamine a battle she had been fighting for 14 years, and ask herself an important question about forgiveness.

Rivera is celebrating 14 years sober from methamphetamine, and one year sober, on Aug. 25, from alcohol.

Forgiveness is a crucial aspect to every step of the recovery process for Rivera, and accepting that forgiveness in yourself is the closest thing to facing yourself and your shortcomings.

“I was born and raised in a good Christian home,” she said.

“Eventually, my dad got sick, and my mom had a nervous breakdown after becoming a caretaker.”

At the age of 12, Rivera became that caretaker when her parents separated and her family was shattered.

“I had two other siblings, I was always searching for more and to be better,” she said. “At 13, I had my first drink of alcohol.

I graduated in 1998 with a full scholarship, but had been around marijuana and alcohol with my mom and ex-stepfather.”

Rivera lost her father at age 15.

“I am now 41, and I understand that God has a plan through it all,” she said. “But, at 15, I didn’t understand that.

At 17, I used cocaine for the first

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Man charged for knife-point robbery in Eagle Rock FELONY ARREST

What: Step 7 of 12 Who: Holly Rivera What: Making amends

jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Daniel Lunsford, center, a pre-Kindergartener at First Baptist Church Vacation Bible School, enjoyed making a mushroom with the parachute during a VBS session on Friday. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

Cassville resident robs convenience store with machete, steals cigars

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Health Department shuts doors due to COVID positive

Office to reopen on Aug. 2, continue services remotely

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

The Barry County Health Department has shuttered its doors this week due to at least one positive case within the office.

“As cases of COVID-19 have notably increased in Barry County area and throughout the state, Barry County Health Department personnel have contracted COVID-19, as well,” a press release said on Monday. “BCHD will be closed July 26-30 due to this situation to help protect the public and staff in

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

What: Has closed for the week Why: Health department personnel have contracted COVID-19 Reopening: Aug. 2

the face of rising cases.”

Roger Brock, Department administrator, declined to say how many staff tested positive, be it one or multiple, but did say the positive case or cases were vaccinated individuals.

“Because of the situation, we decided it was best to be closed for a couple weeks,” he said.

“We just don’t want to take the chance of someone coming in and later having issues. We consulted the state before

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

we made the announcement, and we will have staff in and out at times to check phone messages, but we will largely be working remotely.”

The Health Department plans to reopen on Aug. 2.

Brock said the Department has been doing ongoing vaccinations and testing for COVID-19, and those services will not be available this week while the office is closed.

“We’ve been doing vaccines and testing and been fully operational,” he said. “But, we won’t be doing it this week.

WIC will be done over the phone, and we will try to get back to normal as soon as possible.

“This virus is hanging CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Cassville Democrat

Local

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 • Page 5

Recovery: ‘I brought it into my marriage and it took over our whole life’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

time. It was an expensive, weekend drug.”

Continuing to exceed in school and life, Rivera told herself she was taking care of what she needed to, and just having a little fun.

“I know now how lost I was,” she said. “My dad always pushed us to remember our faith, so when I got pregnant at 19, unmarried, I rush into marriage to maintain a ‘perfect’ image.”

Rivera stayed clean during her pregnancy, but by 22, she had experimented with meth.

“At first, it was just a weekend thing,” she said.

“But, I brought it into my marriage and it took over our whole life.”

Eventually, Rivera found out she was pregnant again — five months into the pregnancy.

“I never stopped using,” she said. “I told myself that it was better that I use than to stop abruptly and shock my body and his.

“I remember holding a pipe, lighting it and crying.

I prayed that I could put it down.”

After a cesarean delivery, Rivera had a healthy baby boy.

“With my two boys, I had the family I always wanted, but this substance was damaging everything,” she said. “I didn’t know how I was going to put this drug down, and in 2005, I found out I was pregnant again.

“I felt like that was my life at rock bottom because I tried to stay clean, but I couldn’t.”

At her first prenatal appointment she had blood work done, the office then told her they would contact her about her next appointment.

“I got a knock on the door,” she said. “They served me with papers that said I could not be seen at a Cox facility because I tested positive for meth.

Rivera’s children, Michael, Marcus and Myia Rivera, are her strength, and she is proud to show them her sobriety of 14 years, and of 12 months. Contributed photo I didn’t know what to do.

There weren’t any instructions on where I could go or what I should do.”

For nine months, Rivera lied to everyone about her prenatal care.

“I took prenatal vitamins, but I never saw any doctors,” she said. “The last month of pregnancy I slow down my use,” she said.

“On May 2, I had a lot of back pain, and on May 3, I went to the ER. “I was in full labor and they sent me to Aurora in an ambulance. That whole ride, I prayed for God to give me a healthy child. If He gave me a healthy baby, I swore I would be done.”

Rivera delivered a healthy 7-pound, 3-ounce baby girl.

“I thanked God,” she said. “I went home on a Saturday and on Monday morning I took two hits on the pipe. I went to the store, and my sister called and said that cops were at my house. I thought she was just high, because when

I got home, no-one was there. I put away groceries and sat down holding my daughter, my boys were running around and there was a knock on the door.”

Cassville police and children services stood in her doorway.

“My daughter had tested positive for meth in the hospital,” Rivera said. “I kept saying. ‘Thank you God.’ I had been praying for something to get me through this addiction, I needed something drastic to happen.”

Rivera went to rehab for 28 days and did three months of outpatient rehab.

“Eventually, I realized I was happy,” she said. “But, I found out my husband had cheated on me and gotten a girl pregnant. I soon relapsed.”

Rivera had gotten her children back and was doing everything she was supposed to do, when a month later, there was a knock on the door.

“They didn’t search the house,” she said. “If they had, I would have lost the kids again.

“When they left, I looked at myself in the mirror and made the decision to flush everything down the toilet.”

That was more than 14 years ago, and Rivera kept herself and her children together after that.

“I never thought that drinking was a problem,” she said. “I was a Celebrate Recovery leader, I would have a couple of drinks and it wouldn’t hurt anything.

“I convinced myself that I was taking care of everything and my children, so I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

In 2019, Rivera got into a relationship with a good friend.

“Before I knew it, alcohol was taking over,” she said. “When the relationship ended, I blamed it on why I was drinking.

“Then COVID-19 hit. It hit people hard — people lost their jobs, people they loved. For me alcoholism hit, and I was lost again.”

Rivera lost her uncle, her last living connection

to her father.

“I was angry,” she said.

“I got in the car with a bottle and began back roading and drinking.

“You can walk into a store and see this substance that is totally legal.

I still avoid Casey’s because that is where I would go to buy alcohol. It is like they say, 1,000 drinks is never enough, one drink is too many.”

In 14 years, Rivera had worked every step and still she found herself in this downward spiral.

“On Aug. 25, 2020, I put my grandparents to bed, got a half pint of alcohol and went on a drive,” she said. “I got pulled over and was told to leave my car. I went to my ex’s brother’s house who went with me back to my car. I remember driving up the hilltop my home and my neighbor was screaming, ‘Stop, stop.’

I was confused as to what they were talking about.”

Rivera got home and there was a knock on the door.

“I hit a car,” she said. “I didn’t even know that I had hit it. I got a DUI and for the third time throughout COVID-19, I was in jail.”

Rivera kept getting released due to COVID-19 restrictions, but this time, she begged them to keep her locked up.

“They told me I’d have to walk home,” she said.

“I was drowning in all of this hurt. I took my kids to school the next morning and called my oldest son and told him, ‘I need help.’”

Rivera went to her step-father, who is also a recovering addict.

“I said, ‘I have a drinking problem,’” she said. “He told me, ‘I’ve been waiting for you Holly.’ September 2020 was the worst. I watched addiction take over one of my siblings, and on Sept. 19, I lost my grandpa.”

That night Rivera put her grandmother to bed, went to the store and bought a bottle of alcohol to numb her pain.

“I heard my grandpa’s voice in my head say, ‘If you are gonna be angry, go to the field,’” she said.

“He would tell me that as a teenager, to go scream in the field.

Holly Rivera, a Cassville woman, fought addiction and won 14 years ago. But, over the last 12 months, she has had to face it once again, this time with a legal substance. Contributed photo “I went out there and I just cried. Then, I threw that bottle as far as I could.

I knew then that I was 100 percent fighting this addiction.”

Rivera said she knows she has done a lot of wrong in her life, but she recognizes those shortcomings.

“There is so much pain in the world that people have to deal with, and so much hate and anger everyday that they have to overcome,” she said. “I asked the ladies in the jail ministry a question recently.

‘What is hardest, forgiving yourself, asking forgiveness from others, or asking forgiveness from God?’ I think it is asking it from others because that means you have to face everything you put out into the world.

“God wipes sin away and makes us white as snow, as humans it is harder to do that.”

Over the last year, Rivera has faced and refaced her shortcomings, and she has found her happiness once again.

“God is showing me how I need him every day,” she said. “Through all my obstacles, I had to realize that until I removed all of my shortcomings confessed my wrongs nothing was going to change.

“God allows us, through Celebrate Recovery, to understand that we all are faced with shortcomings and we are opened armed, just as God is. You are not alone in this.”

Through every hurt, hangup and habit, people can find solace in Celebrate Recovery, and you won’t be alone in facing your shortcomings.

When Rivera lost her grandfather, she got the verse Psalms 138: 3 tattooed on her arm, ‘On the day I called, You answered.

You made me bold with strength in my soul.’

Background This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal.

Each month will focus on the corresponding step in

the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-7665449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417-3428659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m. Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12. Meals to go at the end of every evening.

People may contact 417235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

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WILDCATS WELCOME MOUNTAINEERS >>>

Cassville opens 2021 campaign with familiar foe. — PAGE 3

CASSVILLE

emocrat D A U G U S T 2 5 , 2 0 2 1 | C A S S V I L L E - D E M O C R AT. C O M

Masking optional at Purdy school district

School board approves SRCSP for coming year

BY MIKE GERVAIS Cassville Democrat

Masking is optional on campus at Purdy schools for this school year, but, per federal

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Who: Annie Reed, of Monett What: Step 8 in the path to recovery More: Making amends

BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY Who: Purdy school students and staff What: Masking during the pandemic Decision: Masks will be optional this year

mandate, masks will still be required on school buses.

During the August meeting,

just prior to the first day of school Tuesday, the Purdy School Board approved its annual Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Service Plan that, among other things, outlines the school district’s masking policy.

“Our primary goal is to do what’s best for the kids,” said Superintendent Dr. Travis

Graham. “What does the 202122 school year look like amidst a pandemic? It looks hard and education is caught in the middle because we’re all here to teach kids. Our number one job is to educate kids and we have to be able to guarantee a safe environment.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

481 young anglers enjoy Kids’ Fishing Day

Step eight, month eight in the path to recovery Reed: ‘I had nothing, but I had God, and I had peace’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

When taking accountability for one’s choices, the act of making amends to those you have wronged can be an intense but healing step for all involved.

Annie Reed, of Monett, said you may live life forward, but you understand it backward. This quote can have different interpretations for different people, but for someone in recovery, it could symbolize the realization that one’s actions affect more than themselves, and making amends for those choices is step eight in the Celebrate Recovery process.

Reed said she is 10 years sober from methamphetamine, two years sober from alcohol and she quit smoking one year ago.

“I wasn’t ever a drinker,” she said. “But, I realized that alcohol CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Michael Shuey and Tucker Shuey, 4, both of Exeter, look at the different sizes of trout in a viewing bin set up for youth at Kids’ Fishing Day on Saturday. A total of 481 youth received free fishing tags for the event. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

Case count continues roller coaster

Total tops 4,000 but drops more than 50 percent in last week

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

7

39292 00068 Vol. 150, No. 32 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

8

Barry County’s positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases are continuing to roller coaster, dropping to less than 100 active this week after spiking to more than 200 for the first time in nine months last week.

According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 4,008 (+65 from Aug. 11) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19.

As of Aug. 19, a total of 218 (-126) people were considered active cases in isolation, and at least 6 are hospitalized (-2).

There are more than 200

BARRY COUNTY

What: Had 4,008 cases of COVID-19 as of Aug. 19 Count: 92 active cases in isolation, at least 6 of whom are hospitalized, and 3,850 recovered; more than 200 close contacts quarantined More: A total of 13,779 vaccines initiated, accounting for 38.5 percent of residents

close contacts (-100) quarantined in their homes.

Two new deaths were reported in the last two weeks. The total number of deaths in the county is 66, and all those who have died were at least 41 years old.

Of the deaths, 25 (even) have been residents of congregate care facilities, and 41 (+2) lived independently in their homes. A total of 60 (+1) suffered from underlying health conditions.

Gender-wise, 42 (+1) males and 24 (+1) females have died.

The death rate, deaths as a percentage of positive cases, in Barry County is 1.6 percent, and the survival rate is 98.4 percent. The mortality rate, deaths as a percentage of the population, for the county is 0.18 percent.

A total of 3,850 people had recovered from the virus, a gain of 189 since Aug. 11.

A total of 34,501 tests have been done in Barry County, equating to 96 percent of the county’s population, though some people may have been tested multiple times. The 4,008 positives account for 11.1 percent of the county’s population, and there is an overall positive test rate of 11.62 percent (-.07). The weekly positive test rate is 8.5 percent (-27.9).

Vaccinations initiated in the county, which include people who have received at least the first dose, number 14,197, a gain of 418 in the last week and accounting for CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

VACCINE APPROVED

What: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Now: Fully approved by FDA and named Comirnaty When: Monday morning

FDA approves COVID-19 vaccine

Pfizer vaccine meets ‘standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality’ On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for individuals 12-15 years of age, and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., acting FDA commissioner.

“While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product. While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.” Since Dec. 11, 2020, the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

WHEATON BBQ

When: Aug. 28 What: Day of rides, games, crafts, music, food and more Why: Benefits Wheaton Volunteer Fire Department

Annual Wheaton BBQ slated

Mark calendars for Aug. 28th

BY MELONIE ROBERTS Cassville Democrat

The 63rd annual Wheaton BBQ, hosted by the Wheaton Volunteer Fire Department, kicks off at 11 a.m. on Aug. 28 with the Wheaton Street Machines Show and Shine Car Event, and the Spud McCracken Memorial Horseshoe Tournament.

Food service begins at 11:30 a.m. with the fire department’s traditional barbecue chicken half, baked potato, baked beans, bread and a bev-

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

erage, available at a cost of $6 for adults and $3 for children. Also available will be a homemade pulled pork sandwich and baked beans, at a cost of $5. In addition, guests may visit the Firemen’s Ice Cream Stand or purchase a slice of homemade pie, provided by the Wheaton United Methodist Women.

The Wheaton Depot Museum will have a soda concession, and Mike’s Amusements will have a concession trailer on site.

Arts and craft vendors will be on site throughout the day.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Cassville Democrat

Classifieds

16. Help Wanted

16. Help Wanted

Wednesday, August 25, 2021 • Page 13

16. Help Wanted

Job Posting - Monett Police Department Police Services Representative Starting pay $14.00 per hour / $14.50 after 6 months

Application Deadline Sept. 7th at 8:00AM Applications can be printed from the City Website www.cityofmonett.com and turned in to the Monett Police Department or you can come in and request an application.

General Responsibilities: Performs a wide variety of support work for the Monett Police Department requiring extensive computer work and considerable judgment in reading, interpreting, explaining, and applying a variety of information, often of a complex nature, including applicable laws, department procedures, records, reports, etc. Accurately prepare and maintain records and reports requiring attention to detail. Provide general care for detainees. Fluidly transition between different work assignments based on work needs and changing priorities Present an overall professional image and utilize sound judgment.

Supervision: Works under the direct supervisions of assigned Sergeant.

Description of Work: 1. Handles a large volume of public contact including diffusing potentially negative situations.

15. Other duties as required.

Qualifications Required: Any combination of education, training, and experience providing the following knowledge, skills, education, physical requirements, and abilities are met.

Knowledge: • Modern office practices and procedures.

• Computer software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, and email.

• Accurate grammar, spelling, punctuation, and standard English usage; business correspondence formats.

• Must be able to perform as a member of a team in carrying out the City’s and departments’ missions.

2. Responds to the community’s questions and complaints through telephone and /or in-person inquiries. Dispenses information and routes citizens to proper agency or division. Requires thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and departmental rules and procedures.

Abilities: • Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.

3. Uses analytical ability and makes considerable judgment determinations to write a police report; how to classify and properly distribute the report; decisions include analyzing information and appropriately interpreting, selecting, and applying laws and departmental guidelines.

• Ability to manage and organize multiple projects and tasks simultaneously.

4. Exercises sound judgment regarding the release of information, including police reports, to the public according to federal, state, and local law, as well as department policy.

5. Performs a variety of tasks associated with maintaining accurate police records in various computer databases including operating a computerized Records Management System (RMS) to enter, update, search, and retrieve data and information regarding cases, incidents, and other related matters.

6. Utilizes appropriate computer word processing applications to track information and/or compose letters, forms, reports, and other materials from copy, rough draft, or scratch.

7. Sorts, cross-indexes, and files records, reports, and other miscellaneous materials according to acceptable organization methods.

8. Collects, sorts, and distributes department mail.

9. Logs property and evidence into the Property Room.

10. Receives, stores, and provides for the final disposition of any property or evidence seized by the Police Department as assigned.

11. Attends departmental or outside agency training to maintain appropriate certification as required.

12. Maintains jail facilities as needed, including purchasing meals and supplies. Preparation and service of detainee meals. Process jail laundry as required.

13. Obtain fingerprints from citizens, court defendants, and detainees.

14.Travels to off-site locations while completing job duties and operates a variety of City vehicles.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors and the general public.

• Ability to handle a large volume of public contact, including difficult situations, pleasantly and efficiently.

• Ability to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality for both written and verbal information.

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job without posing a threat to the health and safety of others.

Education, Experience,Training • Completed High School Diploma or equivalent.

• Must be 18 years of age, U.S. citizen.

• Non-convicted felon.

Physical Requirements: Requires high levels of sitting, standing, walking, running, squatting, lifting, bending, twisting, and kneeling; requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate essential job-related equipment, must be sighted, hearing, and mobile to such a degree as not to compromise safety rules or the safety of self and others while working. Reaching to both ground level and overhead is required for tasks such as retrieving files; lifts and carries up to 50 pounds; pushes and pulls up to 113 lbs; holds and grips objects; Must possess manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer keyboard; Must possess strength and skill needed to control combative persons; Must be able to maintain and demonstrate the ability to use a firearm and other Department issued weapons effectively.

Working Environment: Performs some work outside in all weather conditions Licensing/Certification: Ability to obtain and maintain state certification as a MULES terminal operator and approved for CJIs access.

Must possess a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s License to operate a vehicle to complete job duties depending on assignment.

Job Posting - Monett Police Department Part time Evidence Custodian Part time employee, hourly rate is $12, limited to less than 19 hours per week.

Application Deadline Sept. 7th at 8:00AM Applications can be printed from the City Website www.cityofmonett.com and turned in to the Monett Police Department or you can come in and request an application.

General Responsibilities: Takes custody of physical evidence held for investigations and maintains the chain of custody, collects, receipts for, transports, stores, releases, and properly disposes of evidence and personal property held for safekeeping by the department.

Supervision: Works under the direct supervision of the Detective Sergeant and the general supervision of the Police Lieutenant.

Description of Work: 1. Receives property and evidence from law enforcement, inventories, documents, tags, and secures items in the evidence facility.

2. Inspects and audits all incoming property and evidence ensuring policies and procedures related to packaging, labeling, and submission are followed.

3. Maintains clear and accurate records of all property/evidence received, property/evidence transferred, property/evidence submitted to various laboratories for examination, and the disposition of property/evidence.

4. Facilitates or transports evidence to the court and testifies regarding chain of custody and/or receipt of testing results.

5. Conducts periodic audits of the property rooms to ensure full accountability for all property and evidence.

6 Responds appropriately for requests for copies of digital media and requests to view evidence.

7. Effectively communicates status of evidence or property to other staff, officers, attorneys, other law enforcement agencies, and the public.

8. Input various detailed records into computer and maintain accurate data.

9. Returns or coordinates the return of property to owner(s) or properly disposes of property and evidence upon final disposition of court case(s).

10. Assists in responding to various sunshine law requests.

11. Transports evidence to other locations for further processing while maintain chain of custody.

12. Monitors Evidence Room facilities and equipment to it is working or function as required.

13. Maintains Property Room and its inventory. Returns or disposes of property as necessary.

14. Performs other duties as assigned Expectations of all Police Department employees, regardless of rank, status, grade, or pay: • Shall adhere to the City of Monett and the Monett Police Department’s Policy manuals; and • Shall take necessary safety precautions to ensure the safety of themselves and others; and • Shall undergo required training; and • Shall cooperate as part of the team, and as such, assist and/or assume the duties/responsibilities of other employees when directed and/or as needed; and • Shall exhibit strong customer service not only with the general public but with our internal customers as well (i.e., other City employees); and • Shall ensure that those who report to him/her, if applicable, are adequately trained; and • Required to mentor, train, coach, and monitor other employees, volunteers, program participants, etc.

Qualifications Required: Any combination of education, training, and experience providing the following knowledge, skills, education, physical requirements, and abilities are met.

Knowledge: · Knowledge of modern office equipment and computer software including, but not limited to, Omnigo and Microsoft applications. · Should have knowledge of principles and techniques of law enforcement operations; applicable State Statutes and municipal ordinances, and regulations and interpersonal communication and modern criminal investigation techniques. · Must be able to perform as a member of a team in carrying out the City’s and departments’ missions.

Abilities: · Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions. · Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors and the general public. · Ability to manage and organize multiple projects and tasks simultaneously. · Ability to handle a large volume of public contact, including difficult situations, in a pleasant and efficient manner. · Ability to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality for both written and verbal information. · Ability to perform the essential functions of the job without posing a threat to the health and safety of others.

Education, Experience, Training · Completed High School Diploma or equivalent. · Must be 21 years of age, U.S. citizen. · Non-convicted felon. · Preferred, at least two (2) years relevant clerical experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Physical Requirements: Requires high levels of sitting, standing, walking, running, squatting, lifting, bending, twisting, and kneeling; requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate essential job related equipment, must be sighted, hearing, and mobile to such a degree as not to compromise safety rules or the safety of self and others while working. Reaching to both ground level and overhead is required for tasks such as retrieving files; lifts and carries up to 50 pounds; pushes and pulls up to 113 lbs; holds and grips objects; Must possess manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer keyboard.

Working Environment: Performs some work outside in all weather conditions Licensing/Certification: Must possess a valid Missouri operator’s license.

Applicant must meet minimum qualifications set forth by the FBI and MSHP CJIS Security policy.

16. Help Wanted

30. Apartments for Rent

33. Miscellaneous for Sale

CONTRACT LABOR: The City of Washburn is seeking Contract Labor position for Assisting the Utility Superintendent and for general yard work. Starting at $10 an hour, 40 hours weekly. Call City Hall: 417-826-5242 or email: cityofwashburn39@gmail.com

MOVE IN special. Large 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. Microwave, dishwasher, w/d hookups, walk in closets. Storage closet on balcony. Truck parking available, family atmosphere. Small pets ok. Water, sewer and trash paid. Close to Wal-Mart.

Aurora, MO. 417-229-2871.

FACTORY DIRECT Mattress.

Now open in Monett. 209 3rd St. 235-5681.

31. Rooms for Rent

FRIEZE’S STORAGE- 10 Sizes plus outside storage. Gated at night. Phone 417-393-9662.

THE CITY of Pierce City is taking applications for a full time Police Officer. Applications can be picked up at City Hall.

21. Autos, Trucks for Sale 1986- 34’ Silverton Upper/Lower Station Family Cruiser 4.75 with in.

65’ Slip, and PWC-Table Rock Lake-$100K. 417-438-4071.

J & T ECONO Rooms to Rent.

Weekly low rates - No pets. Cable TV, refrigerator, microwave.

417-489-6000.

cassville-democrat.com

55. Storage CROSSLAND STOR-ALL. Across East of Wal-Mart. 10 buildings, 7 sizes. 235-3766.

STAY CURRENT Call 847.2610 to subscribe to the Cassville Democrat

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Annie Reed and her four boys, Franciso, Victor, Raymond and Angel, are happy and healthy with her new life of sobriety. Contributed photo

Recovery: Being fully committed

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

was still a foothold for the devil to use. I quit smoking last year because of that same hold the devil had on me.”

The first time Reed got clean, she stayed sober for four years, then after a relapse, she got clean again 10 years ago.

“The first time I used meth, I was 13 or 14 years old,” she said. “I was using it to escape.”

Throughout the 12-step process, and in taking an inventory of her past, Reed began to understand her trauma from her childhood.

“My trauma happened when I was about 12 or 13,” she said. “I already had abandonment issues because when I was little, my mom and step-father moved to the U.S. but left me in Honduras for five years.”

Reed said she understands now that happened to make a better life for her, but at the time, it was confusing and difficult to deal with.

“Then, at age 12, I found out my step-dad wasn’t my real father,” she said.

“My parents were going through a bad divorce, and us kids were put in the middle of it.”

Shortly after, Reed’s grandmother, who she stayed with in Honduras, passed away. This was the gateway to her dangerous behavior.

“I started acting out,” she said. “I feel bad now, because when my mom needed me the most, I had turned away from her.”

Reed began running away and skipping school, and since she was living in California at the time, her mom sent her to Missouri to stay with family and get straightened out.

“Later on, my mom moved here too,” she said.

“But, I had been molested over that time. I lost my innocence, and that is when everything got worse.”

Running away and skipping school turned into partying and drug use.

“My dad had moved to Texas,” she said. “He was a military man, and after the divorce, he went from strict to the cool parent because he wanted us to live with him. I’d get in trouble in Missouri and mom would send me to Texas, and vice versa.”

At 19 years old, Reed had her first son.

“I was young, broken and stupid,” she said. “I felt like I was damaged goods because of what happened to me in my past. I was in an abusive relationship, which I eventually left, but when I found a good guy I didn’t think I deserved him.”

Reed said she tried to stay clean for her now two sons, but she went back to that abusive relationship and was constantly around drug houses.

“You can only be around that lifestyle for so long before it sucks you in,” she said. “I was working a fulltime job, and my kids’ dad would watch the kids. He came up with the idea that we would start hustling, so we would make trips from Missouri to Texas every week — until it finally caught up with him.”

Reed’s ex went to jail,

and she was left and lost in her addiction.

“At this point, I was 24 years old and left him for his dealer,” she said. “He was about to go to jail too, and was completely lost in his addiction too. He was selling our belongings to buy as many drugs as he could before he went to jail.

I was losing everything.”

Reed decided to go to a friend and voice her fears.

“I said, ‘I’m scared. I am going to lose everything,’” she said. “I was at a friend’s house in Monett and we heard a knock at the door.

It was a pastor and he just said, ‘How can I help you.’”

This divine intervention brought Reed to her knees, and she broke down and reevaluated her life.

“They helped me get an apartment,” she said.

“I had nothing, but I had God, and I had peace.”

At 26 years old, Reed was reading her Bible and attending church and Celebrate Recovery regularly.

“I did the 12 steps,” she said. “I used to think Christians were weak, but now I see how strong they are. I didn’t need drugs or alcohol, but I did need Jesus.”

Other people in her apartment complex would call her a ministry because she tried to get everyone to go to church.

“But, I eventually started using again,” she said. “Me and my three boys moved in with my mom so I could keep custody of them.

“Because I didn’t know my self worth and what I am to God, I got into a new relationship and had my fourth son.”

Reed noticed the signs of an abusive relationship and got out before it got bad.

“When you don’t deal with your past you end up dating the same guy with different faces,” she said.

“I realized that if I didn’t get clean I would start to lose everything again, so the next day, Jan. 8, 2011, I went back to Celebrate Recovery.”

Reed said her Christian walk was a rollercoaster.

“Sometimes, you go hard for Jesus,” she said.

“But, sometimes, you leave a footstep that the devil uses. We have to break our generational curses.”

Step eight is about making amends, and Reed said this forces addicts to take a look inward.

“It makes you pull stuff out and realize all of the people you hurt along the way,” she said. “It was freeing to do that. It is easier to ask forgiveness than to forgive yourself. But, if God already forgave you, who are you to not forgive yourself.”

Reed said it is important to be fully committed, to lay everything out to God, because he already knows.

“The last two years are the best two years I have ever had,” she said. “I have never had a tribe of good Christian and sober people around me before. I am so blessed these years in my sobriety.”

Reed gives her testimony and does jail ministry regularly.

“I remember 14 years ago, that’s me sitting in jail listening to someone talk

about Jesus and sobriety,” she said. “Maybe I will be that person that helps someone.”

Jeremiah 29:11 is Reed’s favorite scripture.

“For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

“Looking back, I can see that God’s hands were always there,” she said. “Everything I went through led me to who I am now, and I wouldn’t change it. I couldn’t imagine going through the things I have gone through without Christ.”

Reed would also like to let people know about Redemption Recovery Ministry every Friday night at 7 p.m. at 300 East Hadley in Aurora.

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal.

Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

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S E P T E M B E R 2 9 , 2 0 2 1 | C A S S V I L L E - D E M O C R AT. C O M

SALES TAX IN SEPTEMBER

Trend: Unlikely pandemic surge continuing with new records Cassville: About $124,000 better than two years ago Two-year trend: Most recipients continue to gain on pre-pandemic numbers

Sales tax continues strong gains Cassville nearly $124K better off than in 2019

BY MURRAY BISHOFF, SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR Cassville Democrat

As improbable as any economic resurgence, sales tax to the Barry County area has continued to surge into a second year following the uptick in local sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

September numbers, reflecting quarterly reports and generally some of the biggest disbursements of the year, established several new records, even topping big numbers a year ago. The numbers suggest that in boosting local sales, the pandemic has been the biggest gift local governments could have asked to have.

Barry County’s two .5 percent sales taxes paying for general operations and maintenance on roads and bridges each pulled in about $272,800, up by more than $48,238 each. The general fund tax through September had received $1,917,981.32, up 9.5 percent over a year ago.

Compared to before the pandemic, receipts are up by nearly 18 percent, or nearly $290,000.

Barry County’s sales tax at .375 percent generated $204,594.49, a gain of $36,201.68 over last September. The 2021 total is up 9 percent from last year’s pace and up 17 percent, or nearly $212,000, from two years ago.

The seven Barry County cities collecting sales tax received $908,704.97, up 17 percent from a year ago. The county total is skewed by a phenomenal disbursement to Wheaton.

Without Wheaton, receipts CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

Former teacher pleads guilty in federal court McCullough pleads to 5 total counts involving child exploitation, coercion

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

A former business teacher at Cassville High School has pleaded guilty to five federal crimes involving exploitation

GUILTY PLEA

Who: Brandon McCullough, 32, former Cassville High School business teacher What: Pleaded guilty to three counts of exploitation of a minor and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor Sentence: May be 15-30 years per exploitation count and 10 years to life for the coercion counts

and coercion of a minor.

FFA teaches with Food for America program

Who: Russell and Anthony Dizpenza What: Step 9 — making amends More: Dealing with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN

From left, Cassville students Lisa Lester, Lydia Stockton and Neelei Johnson pet a goat during last week’s Food for America presentations, sponsored by the Cassville High School FFA. Food for America aims to educate elementary students about agriculture and farming, as well as where their food comes from. Contributed photo

BY KYLE TROUTMAN

8

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

editor@cassville-democrat.com

Vol. 150, No. 37 ©2021 Cassville Democrat

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

Russell: ‘When you crash — you crash hard’

Active cases, quarantines both take dip

39292 00068

be performed on Oct. 7 and used as a factor in the sentencing. Court documents also say by pleading guilty, McCullough is eligible for a level reduction in sentencing per the federal sentencing guidelines.

By pleading guilty, McCullough must also register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Step nine, month nine in the path to recovery

COVID cases fall in last week

7

Brandon McCullough, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts of exploitation of a minor, class B felonies, and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, class A felonies. The class B counts carry a possible 15-30 years in prison, and the class A counts carry a possible 10 years to life in prison.

A sentencing hearing has yet to be set, as the court has ordered a psychiatric evaluation

Barry County’s positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases and number of total quarantines both took dips in the last week.

According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 4,377 (+57 from Sept. 22) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19.

As of Sept. 22, a total of 78 (-25) people were considered active cases in isolation, and at least 2 are hospitalized (-2).

There are more than 100 close contacts (-100) quarantined in their homes.

BARRY COUNTY

What: Had 4,377 cases of COVID-19 as of Sept.

22 Count: 78 active cases in isolation, at least 2 of whom are hospitalized, and 4,226 recovered; more than 100 close contacts quarantined More: A total of 15,018 vaccines initiated, accounting for 42 percent of residents

No new deaths were reported in the last week.

The total number of deaths in the county is 73, and all those who have died were at least 41 years old.

Of the deaths, 26 (even) have been residents of congregate care facilities, and 47 (even) lived independently in their homes. A total of 66 (even) suffered from underlying health conditions.

Gender-wise,

47 (even) males and 26 (even) females have died.

The death rate, deaths as a percentage of positive cases, in Barry County is 1.7 percent, and the survival rate is 98.3 percent.

The mortality rate, deaths as a percentage of the population, for the county is 0.2 percent, or about 2 of every 1,000 residents.

A total of 4,226 people had recovered from the virus, a gain of 82 since Sept. 15.

A total of 37,948 tests have been done in Barry County, surpassing county’s total population, though some people may have been tested multiple times. The 4,377 positives account for 12.2 percent of the county’s population, and there is an overall positive test rate of 11.53 percent (-.09). The weekly positive test rate is 7.48 percent (-2.8).

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A

In the 12-step journey to recovery, the eighth and ninth steps — making amends — can be some of the most difficult, but the most healing.

The act of making mental and emotional inventory of the wrongs one has committed and preparing to make amends is step eight, and without that work, one couldn’t reach step nine, the physical act of making that amends, except when doing so would cause harm to oneself or others.

Step nine is about taking action, but all understanding exceptions.

For a pair of local brothers, that step takes exceptional CONTINUED ON PAGE 2A

FELONY SENTENCING

Who: Kyle Glenn, 36, of Cassville What: Pleaded guilty to first-degree statutory rape Sentence: 12 years in prison

Cassville man gets 12 years in prison

Glenn pleads guilty to statutory rape

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

A Cassville man is being sent to the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to raping a victim less than 15 years of age.

Kyle Glenn, 36, of Cassville, pleaded guilty on Sept. 20 to first-degree statutory rape, and he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Glenn has been given credit for time served, and was arrested on July 2, 2020.

He must serve at least one-

third of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

According to the probable cause statement filed by Abby Parsons, deputy with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, Glenn engaged in sexual intercourse at least three times with a female less than 15 years of age at the time.

The victim became pregnant, and before his arrest, Glenn was still in contact with the victim and planned to run away with her after the child’s birth.

Glenn was also a victim in an alleged crime in October 2019, where he and another man were shot near a home on Farm Road 2200.

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

Cassville Democrat

Page 2A • Wednesday, September 29, 2021

FELONY SENTENCING

Who: Jamie Holland, 35, of Golden What: Pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon at a jail and unlawful possession of a firearm Sentence: Five years supervised probation

Golden woman gets probation for bringing gun into jail

35-year-old pleads guilty to pair of felony charges

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

A Golden woman has pleaded guilty to two felony charges involving sneaking a weapon into the Barry County jail in March.

Jamie Holland, 35, of Golden, has pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon at a jail and unlawful possession of a firearm, for which she has been sentenced to five years of supervised probation.

Holland was arrested

on March 15 near Roaring River State Park for possession for a controlled substance. When she arrived at the Barry County jail, a search revealed she was concealing a North American Arms .22-caliber revolver, with five rounds of live ammunition, in her private region.

She had been asked if she was concealing anything and denied doing so, later admitting she knew it was there. She also allegedly admitted to being intoxicated at the time.

Holland has no felony criminal history, and the possession of a controlled substance charge was dropped.

NEWS BRIEFS 9th Annual Frontier Day this weekend

The 9th Annual Frontier Day will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Schreiner farm, located 7 miles east of Cassville on Highway 248, left on Farm Road 1157, or 7 miles west of Highway 39 on Highway 248, then right on Farm Road 1157. Admission is free and restrooms are available. Events include: Sorghum cookin’, buggy rides, rope, kettle corn and more. Events begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and Cowboy Church is at 10 a.m. on Sunday. For more information, people may contact Edgar Schreiner at 417-846-7831.

April Election filing date changes

Filing for the April 5, 2022, General Municipal Election opens Dec. 7, and the last day to file is Dec. 28.

These changes are due to legislation passed in August.

With the shorter filing time, it will give Department of Revenue more time to review of the “Candidate’s Affidavit of Tax Payments and Bonding Requirements” and investigate any complaints prior to the election. In years past, candidates had 26 days in which to file, while the new legislation now only allows 16 days for filing.

Purdy school district events coming up

Purdy FFA will host its annual Barnwarming on Oct. 8. This year’s theme is “Sold at the Grundy County Auction.” The chili supper and ice cream social will begin at 6 p.m. in the elementary gym, with Barnwarming games and royalty coronation to follow. The chili supper and ice cream social is $5 per person, all you can eat.

Members of the Purdy High School Concert Choir will perform in the 2021 All-District Honor Choir Concert on Oct. 23. The concert will be held at Joplin High School, at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. The Purdy High School Music Department will present its fall musical, “Little Women,” on Nov. 5-6. Both performances will be held in the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door.

Veterans Taskforce of America to meet

The Veterans Taskforce of America, Inc., will be meeting at the Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett on Sunday at 4 p.m. All honorably discharged men, women, wartime or peacetime are welcomed.

Southwest to host blood drive Oct. 6

The Southwest High School Student Council and Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will sponsor a blood drive on Oct. 6. The event in the high school gymnasium starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. and appointments are strongly encouraged. The event is open to the public and students and staff. All donors will receive a Kansas City Chiefs T-shirt. For more information, contact Southwest High School at 417-826-5413.

Old Church Gallery Farmers’ Market open

The Old Church Gallery Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 8-11 a.m. The Market offers fresh produce, eggs, jellies, relishes, baked goods, cut flowers and handmade crafts. Visitors are asked to please follow the health guidelines and wear face coverings and practice 6-foot physical distancing while shopping. Old Church Gallery is located on Farm Road 1240 in Shell Knob and can be reached at 417-858-2510.

CORRECTIONS The Cassville Democrat corrects factual errors promptly and courteously. If you have a correction or clarification, please email Editor Kyle Troutman at editor@cassville-democrat.com

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Purdy schools talk clean air District considers UV air filters for classrooms

BY MIKE GERVAIS Cassville Democrat

Purdy schools are considering a purchase that will provide clean air for students while in the classroom, but district leaders want to make sure they’re getting the best long-term deal for the schools before investing in new air filters.

Purdy Superintendent Travis Graham said the school district has an opportunity to purchase ultra violet light air purifiers through UV Angle Air Technologies through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that would include a total of 396 units for classrooms.

Graham said each classroom or “learning environment” would need four to six UV units to effectively clean the air.

CLEAN AIR IN PURDY

Who: Purdy schools What: Purchase of UV air filters for classrooms Why: To be health conscious during ongoing pandemic

As proposed, Graham said the school district would pay for half of the $277,695 cost for the units and installation, then apply to FEMA for a reimbursement.

While a free air purification system for the district – once reimbursements are approved – may sound appealing, Graham said the UV air purifiers would have a cost.

Graham said each unit will cost approximately $110 per year to maintain, including new UV light bulbs, filters and software to run the purifiers.

In all, that would come to approximately $40,000 per year in maintenance on the air filters, which does not include labor for the maintenance.

“We are in no way at this level committed to buying this system,” Graham said, pointing out that the ongoing maintenance cost may be prohibitive.

School board member Mike Bennett said he would like to look more into air purification systems for the district, but isn’t sure this project is one the school should rush into.

“I think this number is pretty high,” Bennett said of the ongoing costs. “I’m a real supporter of doing something, especially in our common areas, but I don’t see any kind of performance guarantee from this company. But I do like the concept.”

Graham said UV Angel Clean Air is the only manufacturer he has found thus far that is offering the rebate from FEMA, but also said he is hesitant to sign on at such a high annual cost.

“I don’t want to jump on a bandwagon because it’s the popular thing to do right now,” Graham said.

“We have to ask what’s the sustainability of it.”

The board of education elected to table to discussion on air purifiers until Graham and interested board members have an opportunity to research the various options available to create a fair price comparison.

Graham also received permission to demolish two unused buildings, a house and a stone block building, that are uninhabited and unused on school district grounds.

The district is contracting with Rick Scott for $8,500, which includes the demolition, clean-up and grading of the property.

Graham also said he is researching possibilities for new playground surfaces at the school, which could range from asphalt to a more expensive “no fault” rubberized surface. He said he would be returning to the board at a later date with recommendations for the playground.

Celebrate Recovery: ‘Every man has his bird’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

strength, because for them, they had to start with forgiving themselves.

Anthony Dispenza, 43, and Russell Dispenza, 53, have been active members of Celebrate Recovery (CR) for five years.

Now small group leaders for CR, the brothers aim to reach those people who may not think CR is the right place for them.

Both brothers suffer from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and co-dependency.

Anthony and Russell came to live in Cassville seven years ago. They grew up in Wichita, Kan., but often came to the area throughout their childhood.

Russell bought a property locally about 20 years ago, and they moved in 2014.

Russell, ten years older than his brother, realized his issues in college.

“We didn’t have addictions like people think you have to have to be in CR,” Russell said. “People think it is for addicts, but it is so much more.”

Russell saw a counselor at a local clinic, then started going to the Clark Center to get help with his medications.

“CR was mentioned many times throughout my treatment here,” he said.

“People say, ‘I’m not one of those people,’ and that’s exactly what I thought. I realize now how much more there is to CR and how much help is involved.”

Anthony said the funny thing is, they were extremely close to CR long before they actually first connected with the program.

“We used to play pickle ball at the Life Center on Tuesday nights,” Anthony said. “We were downstairs, and all the while, CR was going on upstairs.

“We knew they always had food delivered and they always had music playing, but we didn’t realize what it was.”

When Russell was 18 or 19 and in college, he began talking to a counselor as part of a free program the school offered.

“I started medication, but back then there was only one option, and it didn’t work for me,” Russell said. “I just didn’t fair very well with it.”

After moving to the area, Russell continued to see a counselor at a local clinic, and after about a year, he was able to finally get into the Clark Center to start some medications.

“I am more stable now than I ever have been in my whole life,” he said. “I attribute that to the CR and the Clark Center.

“I still deal with bipolar disorder every day, but I am so much better. I don’t experience so many mood swings, and it has helped with the disagreements and fighting.”

After being seen by the Clark Center, Russell realized a local person in the community who went to CR. “I had no idea they

were in CR,” he said.

“They helped me through my first visit, and by the third visit, I had dragged Anthony to CR with me.”

Now, both brothers are small group leaders, Anthony is the men’s addiction group leader, and Russell is the men’s A-Z group leader.

“It was funny that when I first started I was a co-leader for the group,” Anthony said. “I was comfortable with that, and the other leader had dealt with drug and alcohol addiction, so I felt like he knew more than me on the subject.

“But really, we all have addictions — whether it is an addiction to a substance or a behavior.”

Anthony wasn’t diagnosed with bipolar disorder until the brothers moved here, although Russell had been diagnosed for many years.

“When they told me, I was like, ‘No I would have seen that. I know what bipolar looks like because of my brother,’” Anthony said. “Some guys talked about the binges and the highs and lows with their addiction. I was like, ‘Wait a minute, how were they describing my life through a completely different experience?’”

Russell said it is actually very common for bipolar to not want to take their medications in order to control the highs.

“I used to have heavy mood swings,” Russell said. “When you crash — you crash hard.

“I learned in CR that having bipolar is very similar to being on drugs. It is like they go hand in hand, because a lot of times people who are undiagnosed will try to self medicate and end up on drugs.”

The brothers said they encourage anyone who thinks they may have some sort of mental disorder, any kind of symptoms, to reach out and get help.

“If I had had the resources from the Clark Center when I was first diagnosed, it would have made a world of difference to me,” Russell said. “It would have made such a greater impact. We have made huge steps in the way of mental health in the last few decades, but we aren’t there 100 percent yet. There is still a stigma around mental health, and we have to encourage people to get the help they need.

“More medications are available now, but we still need to get the word out about what those diseases are really. There is a quote in German, ‘Jeder mann hat seinen vogel,’ it roughly translates to ‘Every man has his bird.’”

The quote is about each person’s uniqueness and the importance of that.

“That is what makes CR so great,” Russell said.

“It focuses on everyone’s uniqueness and celebrates what sets us apart from others. There are many different types of hurts, habits and hangups.”

The brothers have a

Russell and Anthony Dizpenza, a pair of brothers living in Cassville, focus on step nine in the path to recovery from their hurts, habits and hangups that include depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Contributed photo close relationship given that they are the only two siblings, with not much other family to speak of.

Their mother came from Germany, and their father’s side is from Italy.

Interestingly, their parents were both born on the exact same day of the exact same year.

“We think our problems are both genetic, or a chemical imbalance, but also formed out of a city of trauma,” Russell said. “When working the 12 steps, the first step is to get out of denial and face the fact that you have a problem.

“For us, it is a physical issue with a chemical imbalance, and sometimes it is hard to face — this is the way I am.”

The brothers agree that all of the steps help to focus on that, but the ninth step, the one that takes you face that and face the people you have hurt helps you accept that.

“The hardest part is making that amends with yourself and with God,” Russell said. “You have to start there. You can’t make amends with others if you haven’t forgiven yourself.”

Anthony said it is so easy to beat yourself up over the things you have done, that is true for anyone, not just the ones in recovery, but it is especially true for those in recovery.

“By allowing God to forgive you, you allow him to fully take the weight of your problems,” he said.

“That’s what he did on the cross. He took that weight.

“In CR you hear other stories and realize you are not alone. There are others like you and you get to see their victories, that gives you hope that you can change too.”

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal.

Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies,

they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it. They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m. Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12. Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

CASSVILLE DEMOCRAT September 29, 2021 Volume One Hundred Fifty Number 37 (USPS092920) 600 Main Street - P.O. Box 486 (417) 847-2610 FAX: (417) 847-3092 Rust Publishing MOARCASS, L.L.C.

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Cassville aims for first away win at districts. — PAGE 1B

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Step ten, month ten in the path to recovery

Dutton: ‘I finally decided it was time to change my life’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

The path to recovery is paved with step after step of own-

FIRE IN PURDY

When: 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 Where: 700 block of East Washington in Purdy Injury: 63-year-old male transported to hospital with severe burns

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Who: Brittany Dutton What: Opiates to methamphetamine More: Sober since Aug. 8, 2020

ing one’s mistakes and taking accountability, but that doesn’t mean that one won’t stumble or

make further mistakes.

Step ten in the 12-step journey is to continue to take a personal inventory, and when one is wrong, promptly admit it. The biblical comparison to this step is 1 Corinthians 10:12.

For Brittany Dutton, of Seligman, taking that personal inventory and learning how to

deal with it was life changing.

Dutton will turn 30 on Nov. 6. She graduated drug court on Sept. 2, and she has been sober since Aug. 8, 2020.

“I was born and raised in Rogers, Ark.,” she said. “I moved to Barry County four years ago.

I had a good childhood, but I CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

Lights shine on local talent at The Show

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

Jessica Ponder, pictured, performed a cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” a duet with Jessica Naugle at The Show. Kyle Troutman/editor@cassville-democrat.com

DRUG BUST

When: Friday at 8 a.m.

Where: A property on Highway 112, just east of Highway 37, in Seligman Who: Kenneth Hutchinson, 37, of Seligman, and Charles McGarrah, 41, of Seligman

2 arrested in ODET meth bust More than 90 grams of meth found in camper in Seligman

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

Two men were arrested on Friday at a property in Seligman where the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team recovered more than 90 grams of methamphetamine.

Kenneth Hutchinson, 37, of Seligman, is charged with second-degree drug trafficking, and Charles McGarrah, 41, of Seligman, is charged with possession of a controlled substance.

According to a probable cause

Shell Knob teen arrested after chase 18-year-old leads police on chase from Cassville to Monett, twice editor@cassville-democrat.com

Accidental blaze caused by smoking with medical oxygen present

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2A

Who: Sage Duhr, 18, of Shell Knob What: Is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing and resisting arrest for a felony

BY KYLE TROUTMAN

Man hospitalized after Purdy fire last week

A Purdy man suffered severe burns on Tuesday night after an accidental fire caused by smoking with medical oxygen present.

Nick Mercer, Purdy Fire Protection District chief, said the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. at a home in the 700 block of East Washington in Purdy.

“The first arriving rescue company found a single story residence with smoke presenting from the rear doorway,” Mercer said in a press release. “The crew entered the structure and found the fire contained to a single room in a small area and was extinguished with an extinguisher and then cooled with a water can. The fire was found to be accidental and involved a subject in the residence smoking with medical home oxygen present.”

FELONY ARREST

statement filed by an officer with the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team (ODET), at about 8 a.m. on Friday, members of ODET, the Barry County Sheriff’s Office and McDonald County SWAT served a warrant at a property on Highway 112, just east of Highway 37, in Seligman. An investigation into Hutchinson identified him as an alleged source of methamphetamine distribution in the county, and he had an active warrant in Carroll County, Ark. The warrant was served and occupants of the property were detained, and Hutchinson allegedly directed the ODET officer to his camper on the property and said there was meth in the stove.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A

A Shell Knob teenager is facing three felonies after leading police on a high-speed chase on Thursday night from Cassville to Monett, then back to Cassville and back to Monett.

Sage Duhr, 18, of Shell Knob, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing and resisting arrest for a felony.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Sgt. Anthony Larson, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, at about 9:28 p.m. on Thursday, he joined a pursuit started by Cassville Police of a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed with no lights on.

Larson said the vehicle traveled at a high rate of speed on Highway 37 northbound through Purdy and Monett, where it nearly struck several vehicles. The vehicle circled the city of Monett and nearly struck a deputy’s patrol vehicle, then headed back southbound on Highway 37, where the tires were successfully spiked, deflating the left driver’s side tire.

The vehicle continued to circle through Cassville and back to Highway 37 toward Monett.

Larson said he was following at a safe distance in an attempt to illuminate the dark pickup that did not have its headlights on.

The vehicle entered Monett again, allegedly going through a red light and nearly striking another vehicle, with county patrol units about a quarter-mile behind.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A

COVID-19 cases rise slightly

Active up for week, new cases down

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

Barry County’s active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases went up slightly this week, but the new number of cases compared to last week is lower.

According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 4,564 (+44 from Oct. 12) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19.

As of Oct. 20, a total of 59 (+13) people were considered active cases in isolation, and at least 3 are hospitalized (-1).

There are more than 50 close contacts (-even) quar-

BARRY COUNTY

What: Had 4,564 cases of COVID-19 as of Oct. 20 Count: 59 active cases in isolation, at least 3 of whom are hospitalized, and 4,430 recovered; more than 50 close contacts quarantined More: A total of 14,415 vaccines initiated, accounting for 40.3 percent of residents

antined in their homes.

One new death was reported in the last week. The total number of deaths in the county is 75, and all those who have died were at least 41 years old.

Of the deaths, 26 (even) have been residents of congregate care facilities, and 49 (+1) lived independently in their homes. A total of 68 (+1) suffered from underlying health conditions. Gender-

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wise, 48 (even) males and 27 (+1) females have died.

The death rate, deaths as a percentage of positive cases, in Barry County is 1.6 percent, and the survival rate is 98.4 percent. The mortality rate, deaths as a percentage of the population, for the county is 0.2 percent, or about 2 of every 1,000 residents.

A total of 4,430 people had recovered from the virus, a gain of 30 since Oct. 12.

A total of 40,150 tests have been done in Barry County, surpassing county’s total population, though some people may have been tested multiple times. The 4,564 positives account for 12.7 percent of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

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Wednesday, October 27, 2021 • Page 3A

Celebrate Recovery: ‘I was going through 120 hydrocodone in three days’

Continued from Page 1A

lost my mom at 12 — that’s when everything started.”

Just after graduating high school, Dutton was 18, newly married and pregnant.

“They gave me hydrocodone after delivery to help with the pain,” she said.

“I used opiates until I was 24 years old. I was going through 120 hydrocodone in three days.”

Dutton did get herself off of opiates, but then she turned to meth.

“I started using meth in 2016,” she said. “I started hardcore using it intravenously.”

On Aug. 4, 2017, she caught her first criminal charge and lost custody of her children.

“My brother took custody of them both, and I spent nine days in jail,” Dutton said. “I lost everything. I was living on the street. At one point, I lived in a tent in the woods, and I struggled to find food — but I continued to feed my addiction.”

From her first charge to June 6, 2020, Dutton accumulated a total of eight felonies in Benton County and one in Barry County, most of which were possession of a controlled substance or

paraphernalia.

“I was on probation, but I ran from my parole officer,” she said. “My address was listed in Barry County, and that is where they found me and arrested me.”

Dutton was put on an ankle monitor and ordered to start Barry County Drug Court.

“I was still in my addiction for the first two months of Drug Court,” she said.

“On Aug. 8, 2020, I went to the Lafayette House in Joplin. I was there for 19 days — it is the best thing to happen for me.

“I finally decided it was time to change my life.”

Dutton said Lafayette House was strict on rules due to COVID-19, but she did what she needed to do.

“The first 3-5 days of the 19 days were just getting the drugs out of my system,” she said. “I didn’t have terrible withdraws. It was mostly just being tired and irritable.

“After I got clean, I had to open up and talk to others.”

Realizing she wasn’t alone and her story is so similar to so many others helped Dutton continue.

“My brother still has my kids,” she said. “I am

just now getting them back for visits, and I actually get them on Halloween.

“My brother was very strict about me talking to the kids because he didn’t want them exposed to my addiction. I understand that, and I am thankful to have family like that, but I am ready to make up for the time I lost with them.”

Step ten is about continuously taking a personal inventory.

“For me, that means not allowing for things to build up,” Dutton said. “That keeps me from falling back. My sponsor and my husband are always there, and if I do mess up, I know how to deal with things the right way instead of going and using drugs.”

Dutton married her current husband on June 26, and they have been together for three years.

“He is my rock and my support system,” she said. “My ex-husband actually introduced me to him. I actually stayed at his house and we became close. My son is now 10 and my daughter is 7. The best advice I could give someone would be to never give up.”

Dutton said even if you only have a little bit of hope, you can make it through.

“Out of all the 12 steps, starting that inventory and realizing what I have done to others and myself is the hardest,” she said.

“I had to forgive myself.

My sponsor helped me do that and to see the best way to handle it without hurting myself more.”

Dutton said she encourages people to reach out for help.

“Always know there is someone there to help,” she said. “Get help. It gets easier after allowing people into your life.”

As far as advice for someone dealing with a loved one in recovery,

Dutton said to always have love for them.

“Don’t give up on them,” she said. “You can even help from a distance if you need to. You can pray for them — prayer works in so many ways.”

Dutton also said those who go to Celebrate Recovery meetings will come back.

“The love and help that is there is incredible,” she said. “Even if you aren’t a drug addict, it can help in so many ways. There are people out there that have gone through the same things as you, and they can help.”

Dutton said her mother died of a methadone overdose.

“She fell asleep and didn’t wake up,” she said.

“Her brain died and we had to make the choice to take her off of the ventilator. She died the first day of my sixth-grade year.”

After being prescribed hydrocodone for pain, an addiction grew in Dutton.

“Throughout high school, I was depressed, and it was hard,” she said. “But, my dad always pushed me to get through it. There were five of us kids, and it was hard on us all.”

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle

On Sept. 2, Brittany Dutton graduated Drug Court. She was beside her two children, Mckenzie and Michael, and her sponsor, Nessa King. Contributed photo when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it.

They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in

Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417-342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12.

Meals to go at the end of every evening. People may contact 417-235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

population and 66.4 percent of the population 18-and-over.

The CDC Wonder Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System shows 129 (+3) events reported where death was a result, possibly in relation to a vaccine. A report is not conclusive evidence the vaccine was the cause of death.

They are listed as 120 deaths, 4 sudden deaths, 1 brain death, 1 cardiac death and 3 foetal deaths.

The number of death reports in the state accounts for 0.0038 percent of the total number of people vaccinated, or 1 in every 26,041 people.

As of Oct. 8, the Cassville school district reported 1 (+1 from Oct. 8) active cases, accounting for .04 percent of the district population. Two (+2) people are quarantined due to school-related cases, accounting for .09 percent of the district population.

Monett has 2 positive cases (-3), none at the elementary, none at Central Park, none at the intermediate school, 1 at the middle school, 1 at the high school and none at Scott Tech. A total of 15 are quarantined (+4), 1 at the elementary, 3 at Central Park, 1 at the intermediate school, 5 at the middle school, 4 at the high school and 1 at Scott Tech.

The age ranges of Barry County cases are: People under 25 account for 1,026 cases (+7), those 25-40 account for 1,026 cases (+5), those 41-60 account for 1,332 cases (+13) and those 61-and-over account for 1,180 cases (+19).

Gender-wise, cases among females went from 2,482 to 2,504, while male cases rose from 2,038 to 2,060.

Community spread continues to be the lead-

ing cause with 4,546 attributable cases, and the other 18 (even) are attributed to travel.

As of Oct. 20, counties bordering Barry County report the following cases: Lawrence, 5,251; Stone, 3,314; McDonald, 2,760; Newton, 6,094; Benton (Ark.), 41,767; and Carroll (Ark.), 4,279.

Unemployment in Barry County, the most recent data available for which is from August, shows the county climbed fell to its lowest rate yet at 3.5 percent, down from 4.7 percent in June and 3.8 percent in July. The previous low was 3.9 percent low in October 2020. In February 2020, it was 4.3 percent, and it peaked in May 2020 at 10 percent.

COVID-19 can appear 2-14 days after exposure, and symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or a new loss of taste or smell.

Anyone who believes they have symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home, call a medical provider and wear a mask when near anyone who does not live in the same home.

Barry County Phase 2 Mitigation rules expired March 31, meaning there is no longer a requirement for source control masking of service providers. Physical distancing, cloth face coverings and enhanced hygiene practices are still recommended per CDC guidelines.

For more information about COVID-19, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus, call the Barry County Health Department at 417-8472114 or call the Missouri DHSS 24 hour hotline number at 877-435-8411.

COVID: 14,415 vaccinations initiated in county

Continued from Page 1A

county’s population, and there is an overall positive test rate of 11.37 percent (-.01). The weekly positive test rate is 9.82 percent (+5.23).

Vaccinations initiated in the county, which include people who have received at least the first dose, number 14,415, a gain of 87 in the last week and accounting for 40.3 percent of the county’s total population. About 20 percent of the county is comprised of children 16 and under who were originally not eligible to receive a vaccine, about 7,177 individuals. If those people are not counted, about 50.2 percent of eligible adults have been vaccinated.

Pfizer has also now been approved to vaccinate children 12-and-up, which may add to the overall percentage, as ages of those vaccinated are not broken down. The figure of those eligible for vaccinations is based on an estimation from U.S. Census Bureau figures.

The Lawrence County Health Department said as of Oct. 15 it had 5,251 total confirmed cases (+56 from Oct. 7). A total of 130 (+1) people have died in Lawrence County.

A new reporting system from the health department no longer includes the number of active cases or number of recovered cases.

Lawrence County has 43.6 percent of is population ages 12-and-up vaccinated.

According to Johns Hopkins University tracking, statewide as of Oct. 20, Missouri has had 694,886 confirmed cases and 11,935 deaths, a death rate of 1.7 percent (98.3 percent survival rate) and accounting for 0.19 percent of the state population, or 1.9 of every 1,000 people. Nationally, there have been 45,184,863 positives and 729,710 deaths, a rate of 1.6 percent (98.4 percent survival rate) and accounting for 0.21 percent of the nation’s population, or 2.1 of every 1,000 people. State and national recovery figures are not provided.

Statewide, 3,359,176 people have initiated vaccinations, accounting for 54.7 percent of the total

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COVID CASES CONTINUE TO RISE — PAGE 2A

PARNELL RESIGNS AS FOOTBALL COACH

Offensive Coordinator Weldy to take reins of program. — PAGE 1B

THANKSGIVING

emocrat D N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 2 1 | C A S S V I L L E - D E M O C R AT. C O M

Cassville students: We’re thankful for...

We asked Cassville fourth-grade students what they are thankful for, and here’s how they responded.

DIESEL BERANEK

CARA LEACH

CONNAR TAYLOR

LANDRI MEADOWS

GAVIN CRFT

HUDSON JACK

IVAN ORTEGA

NEIKO TOON LILIANA BURGESS

Step 11, month 11 in the path to recovery Sater: ‘Let the word of God dwell in you richly’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

The serenity prayer is a key focus in Celebrate Recovery, because after all, God is involved in every step of the journey to recovery.

Sharon Sater, co-ministry leader of Cassville Celebrate Recovery (CR), has been involved since the very beginning, 12 years ago.

Step 11 in the path to recovery is to seek out prayer and meditation to improve one’s conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of his will for and the power to carry that out. Its biblical comparison can be found in Colossians 3:16.

“Let the word of God dwell in you richly,” Sater said. “When I first got into Celebrate Recovery, I was very ignorant about addiction, but I was so drawn into it by what God had done in Mark

CELEBRATE RECOVERY Who: Sharon Sater What: Step 11 More: Journey to being a prayer warrior

Barton’s life — and soon my own.

“I always knew what God could do, but to see him work on people right before my eyes and in the flesh was amazing.”

Although Sater doesn’t have a background in addiction, she said she is no different than anyone else who attends.

“I was blessed in the fact I came from a heritage of faith,” she said.

“Many people don’t know what that is like. I honestly care about their journeys, and I want to help them be better. I can help direct them to a God that loves them just the way they are, and who they become as they walk the steps.”

Celebrate Recovery is a non-judgment zone.

“My issues include pride, control and being a perfectionist,” Sater said. “I can see those things inside of myself, and CR is a place

where the mask comes off and we can all see you.”

Sater said CR is a place to learn about yourself.

“There is no one who doesn’t have an issue, whether it is physical or in your mind or heart,” she said.

Sater said it is freeing when you can walk up those steps to your first meeting.

“I grew up in Purdy,” she said.

“I grew up singing gospel music in church. With faith, I understand there is a God who loves us. I grew up listening to my mother pray and have an unashamed faith.”

Sater said prayer is the vehicle God gave us to reach him.

“That is why this step 11 is so important,” she said. “It is a maintenance step, but if people can get to this step, I feel very strongly they can overcome their struggle.”

It all started with Barton 12 years ago.

“He said he needed me, and I asked, ‘Why?,’” she said. “It has been interesting, and God has always provided. Sometimes I CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A

CHRISTMAS PARADES

What: Barry County Christmas parade schedule Where: Purdy, Cassville, Washburn, Exeter, Wheaton, Seligman More: Annual Christmas tradition

Christmas parades coming to towns

Local area getting in holiday spirit

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

Bundle up and head into town — the Christmas parades are on their way.

The hot chocolate, the music and the lights, and the Main Streets are festive and exciting with Christmas spirit. Don’t worry, there are more than enough Christmas parades in Barry County to keep families invested in the holiday tradition.

people can gather on Main Street in Cassville for the annual Christmas Parade by the Cassville Chamber of Commerce.

With a $1,000 Kids Choice Award grand prize, for the best float, sponsored

by Hutchens Construction, there will be first-place awards for marching bands; single unit vehicle, best decorated; single vehicle unit, oldest; single vehicle unit, most unusual; and horse drawn. In addition, CONTINUED ON PAGE 8A

Cassville

On Dec. 4 at 6 p.m.,

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Local

INJURY WRECK

When: 11:55 p.m. Tuesday Where: Highway 37, 1.5 miles south of Washburn Who: Christopher Matern, 39, of Seligman

Seligman man arrested after wreck

Vehicle hits fence, tree south of Washburn

BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@cassville-democrat.com

A Seligman man was arrested following a wreck Tuesday at 11:55 p.m. on Highway 37, 1.5 miles south of Washburn.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Matern was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu northbound when

Wednesday, November 24, 2021 • Page 3A

his vehicle ran off the roadway, striking a fence and a tree.

Matern suffered minor injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital in Cassville.

He was wearing a safety device, and the vehicle was totaled.

At 12:38 a.m., Matern was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway resulting in an accident. He was released to medical personnel.

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE! Call your account representative today. 417-847-2610 Cassville Democrat | Cassville-Democrat.com

Vaccine available for ages 5-11 Call Health Department to schedule appointment

The Barry County Health Department has received a limited quantity of the Pfizer COVID-19 child dose vaccine for administration children ages 5-11.

The child dose is 1/3 of the adult dose and is a

COVID VACCINE

What: Now available to children ages 5-11 Vaccine: Pfizer dose is 1/3 of adult dose Schedule: With Barry County Health Department

two-shot series. Pfizer is currently the only COVID vaccine approved for use in children 5-and-older.

Children can become infected and get very sick from COVID. Those infections may lead to short

and long term health complications.

Vaccination for children 5-and-up is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is currently the best way to prevent these infections.

In addition to protecting your child, vaccination helps by: • Protecting younger children and other at risk family members • Protecting your child from serious illness, if

they contract COVID • Helping to keep children in school and other group activities • Helping to slow the spread of COVID in the community For questions regarding the vaccination, please contact a Primary Care Provider or the Barry County Health Department.

People may call 417847-2114 to schedule an appointment a child’s vaccination.

Recovery: Family support along the way

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

leave for a while because I think, ‘Why am I here?,’” she said. “But, I feel God wants me there, and it has become a passion.

“A lot of my past singing in church has helped me with CR. I don’t have stagefright. I wanted my daughter to grow up in church and give the glory to God.” Sater said her husband and children have all been very supportive of her journey with CR. “I am a perfectionist, so I have to tell myself to let things go,” she said.

“God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, so why do we?

“I expect too much from myself and I hate to disappoint people, but God doesn’t expect all of that from me.”

In November, Sater was sick and in the emergency room, and her first thought was that she wouldn’t be able to make it to CR that night.

“You can’t fix everyone, and CR has helped me see that,” she said. “I had tried and it took a lot of my mind space. I want my end days to be good, and I hope that I will know when to step aside and let someone else come in who can do more. Like the serenity prayer to have the wisdom to know what I can change and what I can’t.”

Sater said she loves CR and the passion Barton has for it.

“I am thankful for the church and the missions director that help to support us,” she said. “There are a lot of people with a passion for CR and the people in it.

“We encourage anyone with an issue, or even an issue with a loved one to come and see if we can help you,” she said. “We have a group for you.

“Amenity is important to us, and the first time in small group, you don’t even have to talk, just listen and get comfortable.”

God puts the past in a sea of forgetfulness.

“He doesn’t go fishing there,” Sater said. “So, why do we? We haver to look forward and not behind at what once was.

We all want peace in our minds — God is that place of peace.”

Sharon Sater, co-ministry leader of Celebrate Recovery, cut the anniversary cake to celebrate the 11th year of Celebrate Recovery in Cassville in August 2020. Jordan

Troutman/jtroutman@cassville democrat.com

Sater said she wants people to know that through faith is power.

“But, we have to work the steps, and we have to be honest with ourselves,” she said. “You have to apply everything you learn. Be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer.”

Background

This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery

understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it.

They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in

Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417-342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12. Meals to go at the end of every evening.

People may contact 417235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.

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COVID ACTIVES STAY NEAR 100 OVER FORTNIGHT — PAGE 2A

LITTLEFIELD SETS BIG RECORD >>>

All-State goalkeeper recognized as Missouri career saves leader. — PAGE 1B

CASSVILLE

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150 YEARS

Who: Cassville Democrat What: Celebrates 150 years More: A look at editors from 1871 to 2021

Local news 150 years strong An inside look at 150 years of publishing a weekly paper

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

The Cassville Democrat has served the people of Cassville and Barry County for 150 years by covering breaking news, crime, school boards and city councils, sports teams, weather and capturing meaningful and memorable moments.

Newspapers do not sleep or take a day off, from the overnight fires to events on weekends and teamwork with countless members of the community. A 24/7 approach to coverage is what it takes to get all of the notable events to your doorstep, or Facebook page.

While news reported has change very little over the years, the biggest changes came with technology.

The current Cassville Democrat office is nearly unrecognizable compared to the early office. In 1953, the community got an inside look a the Cassville Democrat.

At that time, the paper was still printed on location and a CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Who: Mark Barton, co-founder of Cassville Celebrate Recovery What: Methamphetamine, used and cooked More: Fire burned 78 percent of his body, got him clean

Step 12, month 12 in the path to recovery

Barton: ‘My brother had actually made funeral arrangements for me’

BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cassville-democrat.com

The twelve steps seem like miles at the beginning of one’s journey, but eventually, those on the road to recovery take that final step, and it all seems worth it.

Step 12 in Celebrate Recovery (CR) is to carry out the message to others and practice the principles in all of one’s affairs.

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Roaring River flood, new superintendent top list of year’s news stories

Roaring River floods, strands visitors

Heavy rains on April 27 led to some high waters and hairy moments at Roaring River State Park, as flooding shut down camping through the weekend and cleanup took about a week. Flash flood waters did significant damage at Paradise Valley Resort and stranded about 100 park visitors on high ground. No one was injured, but multiple vehicles and RVs were totaled. Waters peaked at 9.84 feet, topping the 2017 flood and 9.82 feet.

Cassville hires new superintendent

In March, Merlyn Johnson was hired by the Cassville Board of Education to replace 11-year Cassville Superintendent Richard Asbill. A total of 13 applied for the position, none of whom were in-house applicants.

Johnson was the St. James superintendent and has 23 years of experience in education. Asbill resigned from the post to become superintendent at the Bolivar school district.

COVID continues to affect area

The COVID-19 pandemic continued making its mark in 2021. At one point over the summer, southwest Missouri was the nation’s hotspot for the Delta variant.

Since then, local health departments have been stripped of their authority to quarantine individuals, per the State Attorney General. Cases in Barry County have topped 5,000, and 88 people have died from COVID. More than 15,700 county residents have been vaccinated this year.

Man murdered near Butterfield

A Monett man was killed by gunshot near Farm Road 1078 and Farm Road 2140 in Butterfield in late May. Dylan Rixon Williams, 21, of Pierce City, Carlos Gutierrez, 19, of Carthage, and Jonathan Renteria-Marquez, 20, were charged in connection to the death of Daylon Michael Anderson, 25, of Monett. Williams told detectives the purpose for taking Anderson to the location was to “rob him of his drugs and money.”

Cassville grad, Trooper shot in Springfield

A Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper and Cassville graduate was shot in the line of duty on Dec. 10. Colton Beck, of Cassville, attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation on the south side of Springfield. The vehicle became disabled, and the driver was armed with a shotgun and fired at Beck, who was struck by the gunfire and sustained serious injuries. Justin M. Jackman, 37, of Bolivar, was arrested for the alleged shooting.

Celebrate Recovery celebrated in series

A 12-story series over the course of 2021 shared testimonials of those who participate in Celebrate Recovery, a local support network for anyone looking to overcome a hurt, habit or hangup. The stories follow the 12-step program and delve into addiction, the power of prayer and changing lives with better mental and physical health.

For more information, search Celebrate Recovery at www. cassville-democrat.com.

Cr-ose builds near Exeter, reopens

A staple of home-cooked meals in Cassville had been the Cr-ose Cafe until the beginning of 2021. After closing the doors to the Main Street location, Owners Stu and Laveta Crowe opened a food truck, ultimately opening a new restaurant on Highway 76, east of Exeter. The business has boomed in the new location and is open every day except Monday, offering home-cooked breakfast and lunch items served for more than 15 years.

WWII vet’s remains buried in Arlington

The remains of a Cassville soldier killed during World War II were interred at Arlington National Cemetery on Sept. 13. Army Sgt. John V. Phillips, a Cassville native, was a member of Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippines in December 1941. Phillips died in July 1942 and was in a common grave, later exhumed and identified in 2019 using circumstantial evidence, dental and DNA analysis.

Body found near Seligman

A group of squirrel hunters in Barry County made a grim discovery on Nov. 27 near Highway 112, north of Seligman. While hunting near Farm Road 1014, the men found the body of Richard Phillips, 39, of Springdale, Ark. A Seligman man and an Arkansas man allegedly killed Phillips at his apartment in Springdale, then disposed of the body near Seligman. Phillips had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and shells were found on the scene.

Montgomery celebrates 103rd birthday

A local farmer, veteran, beloved family man and community member celebrated his 103rd birthday this year.

Clayton Montgomery, born April 8, 1918, came into this world in the middle of the 1918 pandemic of the Spanish Flu, which infected more than a third of the world’s population. Montgomery has now outlasted the 2020 pandemic and resides at Roaring River Health and Rehab.

C O V E R I N G B A R R Y C O U N T Y, M O . , L I K E T H E M O R N I N G D E W S I N C E 1 8 7 1 .

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021 • Page 3A

Recovery: ‘My daughter came to visit me, but I didn’t want her to see me like that’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

The biblical comparison for this step is found in Galatians 6:1.

It is very clear that although one may have reached the final step, they must continue to both model and share their journey to those around them.

Mark Barton, co-founder of the CR in Cassville, is 17 years sober from cocaine and methamphetamine, and he continues every day to take a step and witness to others.

“I think 50 percent of people who struggle with a mood disorder also struggle with addiction, and visa versa” he said. “I am one of those who has a dual diagnosis. I am an addict, and I have a mood disorder.”

Barton said one of his favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 6:14, which says you can’t heal a wound by pretending it’s not there.

“I grew up in Springfield,” Barton said.

“I know now that I grew up with ADHD that was never diagnosed.”

He said he struggled throughout school, getting Ds in grade school, which didn’t help his already strained relationship with his father.

“I didn’t know what was wrong with me, so I can’t blame him for not understanding it either,” he said. “It was back in the 1960s, so I would get whipped for bad grades.

“One thing I’ve learned with CR is to take inventory of everything, the bad and the good.”

Barton and his father never had a good relationship, and Barton had a lot of anger he had to deal with.

“I got into a lot of fights,” he said. “But back then, I didn’t know one person who saw a therapist or took medication for mental disorders.”

In a dark time for mental and mood disorders, when there wasn’t a lot of help or understanding, Barton found himself in

an even darker place.

“When I was 12 years old, I tried to kill myself,” he said. “I took my dad’s belt and tried to hang myself, but the door came ajar and when I fell, I broke my wrist.

“I kept thinking my parents would be home and I would have to explain how I got hurt. I went outside and I pretended that I broke my wrist while playing.”

It was then at age 12 that Barton first started drinking and smoking marijuana.

“My freshman year in high school, I fell in love with Cathie,” he said.

“The connection and the chemistry between us was amazing. But after two years she broke up with me. She was a Christian and I just drank too much.”

Over the years, Barton would think about her and wonder what she was doing in life.

“I had such a problem with authority figures and when I got out of high school I got busted for the first time in 1975,” he said. “I got four state felonies for marijuana.”

Barton said he knew he had a problem with authority figures, and he always had the feeling they were always out to get him.

“So what did I do? I joined the military,” he said. “I scored high for mechanical work, so I became a part of the Seabees, a branch of the service. Our motto was, ‘We build and we fight.’”

Barton spent three years active and three years in active reserve.

“I spent my 21st birthday in boot camp,” he said. “I was active from 1978-1981.

“When I got out I moved to Dallas, and a friend of mine found me in the phone book.”

That was in 1981, when Barton was invited to a party and, at 23 years old, used methamphetamine for the first time.

Mark Barton fell in love in 1973 with Cathie, but due to his lifestyle, they split up. Contributed photo “Things eventually came crashing down and I moved back to Springfield,” he said. “In 1984, I got interstate trafficking charges and spent a year in a halfway house.

I started cooking meth in 2000, and I would rotate my setup from a house to a storage unit to a shop to another house.

“In 2004, I had been up for a long time without sleep. I had a lot of charges, so I was cooking around the clock to make money to pay off attorney and other fees.”

On Aug. 10, 2004, Barton woke up in the burn unit of St. John hospital in Springfield.

“I had been in a drug-induced coma for seven weeks,” he said. “I didn’t remember the fire at that time, but over the years, I have pieced it together.

“They told me it was a meth fire and that there was a cop stationed outside of my room.”

Barton said once he realized they knew he was in there for meth, he assumed he would be treated badly.

“But, it was the opposite,” he said. “I spent three months in the burn unit and it turns out most of the people who worked there were Christians.”

As a child, Barton had not been raised in a church environment.

“Bobby Eden would come into my room and tell me about Jesus,” he said. “I didn’t want to hear it at first, and if I could have run I would have. But, after awhile I started to look forward to his visits.”

While in the hospital, not even one of Barton’s drug-using friends came to visit him.

“My brother had actually made funeral arrangements for me,” he said. “My daughter came to visit me, but I didn’t want her to see me like that.

“When it was time to leave, they told me I would need several more surgeries and needed to stay in a nursing home for three months.”

Barton said Bobby would tell him, “God has a plan for you.”

“I was in a low place,” he said. “Seventy-eight percent of my body was burned. I had 17 felonies that had been filed against me and they took my daughter away and told me I could not have contact with her for one year.”

Barton was getting depressed, and his suicidal thoughts came back.

“I went to the store and bought an adapter,” he said. “I put it on the tail pipe and ran the hose up to the window. I had a bunch of pills that I was taking from my burns. I was scared.”

Barton said suicide had been on his mind, and even though he was scared, he started the car.

“I started praying and thinking of my daughter,” he said. “I said, ‘I don’t know anything about it, but I am going to give this Jesus stuff a year.’

“Everything changed after that, I had hope and I wanted to be productive.

I asked God to show me who he was.”

That day was 16 years ago, and Barton said he hasn’t had a suicidal thought since.

“I have nothing but a positive outlook on life,” he said. “There is this song by Anne Wilson called ‘My Jesus.’ It is kind of my anthem.”

So there he was, living in the Budget Inn, when he went to the Cassville laundromat.

“There was this booklet from Crowder that said, ‘Older adults going to college,” he said. “I enrolled in college and started the addiction counseling program. In my biology class I had a partner, I told her I was looking for a church to go to so she invited me to a church in Monett. Her husband was the preacher at New Site Baptist Church.”

Barton went from a laundromat to college, and meeting a pastor’s wife to New Site, finally finding Celebrate Recovery.

“We started CR there with about six people,” he said. “After a year, we had 50-60 people in CR. Then, my psychology teacher Heidi Henderson, asked me to come to the

In 2013, after 40 years, Mark and Cathie Barton reunited and got married after he gave his life to the Lord.

Contributed photo

First Baptist Church in Cassville to speak to her Sunday school group.”

That is where Barton met Sharon Sater.

“I told her that we needed a CR in Cassville and she, with tears in her eyes, said she needed to pray on it,” he said. “After 10 days, she came to me and agreed to start it. Our first meeting was April 21, 2009.”

Henderson, Sater and Barton started CR in Cassville with about 10 members, four of which were leaders.

“We have seen 80-100 people over the years,” Barton said. “In 2008, Barry County started Drug Court. My psychology class would attend, and I wished I had had that when I was in trouble.”

In 2012, Barton was attending a Fourth of July event at New Site when he got a notification on his phone.

“I got a notification that said there was someone I may know on Facebook,” he said. “It was Cathie, so I sent her a message.

“After 40 years, I told Cathie that I had given my life to the Lord.”

It wasn’t long before the two met in person for the first time in decades.

“I have never been so happy,” he said. “We were married four months later. There is no such thing as a perfect marriage, but this is as close as it gets.”

Step 12 is about yielding yourself to God to bring the word to others through words and actions.

“When I started I thought it was a weak person who went to counseling or to a meeting,” Barton said. “But, I was wrong — it is really the opposite.

“Sharing the stories like these people have this past year, that takes a strong person. I would like to tell people that with the new year coming up, do what I did — give God a year. What is a year if you aren’t happy now.”

Barton said he is thankful for the scars on his arms because it opens up an opportunity to witness.

“I always tell people at Celebrate Recovery that Jesus was the last thing I tried and the first thing that worked,” he said. “I would like to thank my pastor, Aaron Weibel, for his friendship. It was his wife Cindy that invited me to New Site Baptist church. He was a great mentor and taught me a lot. I honestly wouldn’t be where I’m at without his friendship.”

Barton said he is sharing his suicidal stories in hopes of helping someone else.

“It’s not easy to talk about, and that’s part of the problem,” he said.

“The stigma about drug addiction and mental

health keeps people from seeking treatment that they need. I hope these testimonies will help and encourage others that it’s ok, and that they seek the help they need.”

Barton said he takes full responsibility for his action and he doesn’t blame anyone else for his decisions.

“I knew right from wrong,” he said.

Background This article is part of a monthly, 12-part series giving an inside look into the testimonies and lives of a dozen individuals who have met their recovery goal. Each month will focus on the corresponding step in the 12-step process, as well as its biblical comparison.

While the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, it also deals with the pandemic of addiction. For a time, due to social restrictions, Celebrate Recovery and other meetings were postponed. Those in recovery understand the struggle when they are unable to reach out for help.

With these testimonies, they aim to reach those who need help, but are unable to get it.

They want to reach people in their communities and offer them a hand, a resource and a safe space.

In 2019, there were 304 felony and misdemeanor drug-related charges in Cassville, and as of the first week of December, there were 293 for 2020.

Places people can turn to include: • Celebrate Recovery Cassville — Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church’s Family Life Center in the loft. Meal is served at 5:45 p.m. and large group is at 6:30 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mark Barton at 417-766-5449.

• Celebrate Recovery Seligman — Wednesdays at Mozark Fellowship in Seligman. Meal is served at 6 p.m. and large group is at 7 p.m. Child care is provided. People may contact Mike Avers at 417-342-8659.

• Celebrate Recovery Monett — Thursdays at New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Large group goes from 6-7:30 p.m.

Child care provided birth to fifth grade, and The Landing group is available for youth grades 6-12. Meals to go at the end of every evening.

People may contact 417235-6135 for more information.

In addition, the local Clark Center office number is 417-476-1000. The 24-hour Crisis Line is 1-800-801-4405, and the National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Those involved with this 12-month, 12-step series hope to reach as many people as possible in their communities.