Coronavirus News

The Barry County Commission and the Barry County Health Department, in alignment with Governor Parson’s Show-Me Strong Recovery plan, are announcing the extension of the Phase 1 rules until June 15. The rules allow businesses to remain open, while mitigating the potential spread of COVID-19 in Barry County. The rules include requirements for physical distancing, maximum occupancy limits, and source control masking requirements for some service providers...

County health officials are hoping for continued good news regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) as the local board and state prepare to advance the recovery effort into Phase II. Roger Brock, Barry County Health Department administrator, said how the next step will look depends largely on new guidelines expected from Gov. Mike Parson...

Thoughts of summertime in small towns typically lean toward dropping a line at the local fishin’ hole, picnics by the creek and a fall festival to celebrate a healthy harvest, neighbors, friends and community before the long days and nights of winter set in...

The Barry County government recently received a distribution from the state in the amount of $4,198,764, money from the CARES Act the county will have to distribute to smaller political subdivisions. Gary Youngblood, Barry County presiding commissioner, said the county is in the process of determining a distribution method...

The full slate of municipal races, school boards and assorted local government positions usually decided in April will be resolved when voters go to the polls on June 2, the new date set by the state because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. City of Monett...

The Barry County Health Department has reported an eleventh case of COVID-19. This is an active case of COVID-19, which is a result of community spread. The individual is now under an isolation order, and as part of the disease investigation, close contacts with the individual will be contacted and if appropriate ordered to quarantine...

More than 100 families brought chairs and sprawled out on the parking lot at Verona High School for the annual sports award banquet. Normally, the event is held in the cafeteria, but county social distancing guidelines due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) forced the coaches and athletic director to get creative with their approach...

You don’t have to travel far these days — if you can find a group of people — to see folks shopping or standing around socializing without wearing face masks. The heavy social media campaign underway has made wearing face masks into a political issue. This part of the country, while historically more conservative, may be more inclined against policies that can be freely interpreted as liberal. But conservative also means being extra cautious. Somehow that hasn’t translated to this situation...

Testing for COVID-19 (coronavirus) infections will continue for the time being in Monett, reported Steve Edwards, chief executive officer for CoxHealth Systems, in a weekly media briefing on Thursday. Testing at the First United Methodist Church in Monett by Cox Monett and Mercy Hospitals staff through May 18 had tested 133 people, approximately 10 per day...

After the COVID-19 (coronavirus) delay, election time is upon us once again, as city and school elections are set for June 2. Candidates in contested races are no doubt excited, losing two months of a possible term to the virus that tranquilized the norm...

Editor’s note: This piece is printed verbatim from a post on Dr. Erik Martin’s personal Facebook page. It is being reproduced in print with his permission. I am worried. I have been worrying a lot recently. We all are, aren’t we? I’m worried about COVID, and the economy, and about school starting. Doctors worry about our patients too...

The Barry County Health Department has announced its ninth and 10th cases of COVID-19 in the county, the first new cases since May 7. Administrator Roger Brock said the county was notified by the state after the Barry County resident tested positive in another county...

What will their next milestone bring? Matthew Hall, valedictorian of the 51-member Pierce City High School Class of 2020, gave audience members and his peers some serious food for thought at Sunday’s graduation ceremonies, held at the Don Keebaugh Stadium in Pierce City...

Stocking has resumed at Roaring River State Park and campgrounds are available for reservation, but one change is more noticeable than others — the fish-cleaning station is no more. Joel Topham, Roaring River State Park natural resources manager, said initially, staff were allowing anglers to use the station, so long as six-foot social distancing rules were observed. However, Topham said at times, there were still groups of more than 20 gathering at the small facility...

After having shuttered their stores in accordance with COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic restrictions on non-essential employment, local merchants are happy to be doing business again. During Phase 1 of the re-opening, employers are required to maintain social distancing, calculate maximum occupancy limits based on square footage and maintain masking requirements for some service providers...

For high school seniors across the nation, 2020 has not been a typical year. While school officials hope to resume classes as normal in the fall, those who are graduating this year are challenged by how to commemorate their milestone events in a non-typical fashion due to social restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic...

The breakfast for the 22 seniors at Verona High School was held on Friday morning in the school cafeteria, spaced for social distancing with separate tables for each family.

In an attempt to make sure that players received just recognition, the SouthWest Central League (SWCL) recently doled out baseball all-conference awards for the 2019-2020 season. Most of the the schools play a fall season, and those stats were used as a basis to award the honors...

The innovations we’ve seen as our area high school have approached graduation have been interesting and worth noting. The parades of seniors, dubbed a caravan for Monett High School graduates, have been great fun. The Monett graduates in particular took advantage of the opportunity to wear their caps and gowns and ride down Broadway, Central and Cleveland in their purple and gold flashing in the evening sun. It was great for them to cheer and wave and hear the public hail them...

Following the revelation that seven residents at a Lawrence County long-term residential care facility had tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus), tests of the staff to date have come up negative, relieving anxiety about the largest concentrated outbreak of the pandemic in the bi-county area to date...

Monett graduates Lourdes Morales, Ruben Dierker, Maria Cecenas and Graciela Morales waved to the crowd winding west on Broadway during the senior caravan on Friday.

Good news has arrived for local bookworms. The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library will soon be re-opening its branch locations implementing COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety protocols for the protection of staffers and the public. “The staff of BLRL is anxious to see our patrons again and get those materials our readers can’t wait to have into their hands,” said Gina Milburn, director. ...

Purdy High School senior Ezequiel Gaucin shared the sentiments of his class during the senior parade on Saturday, with rolls of toilet paper as part of the Class of 2020 on his sign, as he and fellow graduates rolled through town in a parade honoring seniors...

The reopening of the Monett Area YMCA on Monday came as a welcome relief to many.

Visitors to City Hall in Pierce City will now be faced with the Snot Blocker.

The 19th annual Sertoma Grin Iron Classic, southwest Missouri’s all-star high school football game, will not be held in 2020 due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Slated for June 5 at Parkview High School’s JFK Stadium in Springfield, the annual event benefits the Tooth Truck, a mobile dental clinic for at-risk children serving the Springfield area for nearly 18 years. ...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) is offering residents a chance for friends and family to honor spring sport athletes and support area schools with a T-shirt purchase.

One of the most iconic sounds of summer in Monett is the sharp ping that is made when a baseball bat connects with a ball, but it will not be heard this year. On Tuesday, the Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League finally relented and announced that its 2020 summer season has been canceled...

Local nurse Cheryl Webb received a hero’s welcome as she returned to Monett on Tuesday after three weeks of service in New York City as one of the frontline medical personnel treating COVID-19 (coronavirus) patients. A crowd of 62 people, separated by social distancing, half remaining in their vehicles, waved, honked, sounded bells and held signs as Webb, still wearing a protective mask, was driven by her husband, Jason, through the church parking lot. ...

Pierce City High school seniors will have a chance to celebrate their milestone accomplishments when commencement ceremonies kick off at 7 p.m. on May 17 under the lights at Don Keebaugh Stadium in Pierce City. With some of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic restrictions being lifted this month, administrators at Pierce City have determined to fulfill the promise made to the Senior Class of 2020 by giving them the traditional commencement ceremonies they have earned...

The Lawrence County Health Department has announced six additional laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, all of whom are residents of the same long-term care facility as the original case. All residents at the facility have been tested, and three of those results are still pending. ...

An eighth case of COVID-19 is being reported by the Barry County Health Department. The case is likely a result of essential domestic business travel to a COVID-19 hot spot. “The person self- isolated upon return to Barry County and has not had close contact with family or friends,” said Roger Brock, Health Department administrator. ...

In its first week in operation, the drive-thru testing option at the Barry County Health Department tested 22 people, none of whom returned a positive result. Roger Brock, Health Department administrator, said the process worked well. “We tested more on Wednesday and Thursday than we did Tuesday,” he said. ...

With the regular school year drawing to a close, the Monett school board reviewed the virtual teaching strategies employed since classes dismissed on March 16. Superintendent Russ Moreland told school board members during their April meeting that learning packets were available for students at each grade level weekly at Price Cutter. ...

At least one local elementary student is not afraid to admit he learns better in a classroom setting. Jacob DeWitt, a fifth-grade student at Central Elementary School in Pierce City, said learning some subjects at home was hard. “I work best in a classroom, where stuff is written on the chalkboard,” he said. “It’s harder now, especially learning parts of sentences, like nouns, verbs and adjectives.”...

The Monett school board wrestled with more issues relating to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic recently, as well as routine business that has taken on a different dynamic during the unusual school session. Superintendent Russ Moreland reported the district anticipates receiving federal stimulus funding to help during the economic downturn. ...

The Monett Chamber of Commerce’s License Office at 200 E. Broadway was back open for business on Monday, and by Tuesday, and with better weather conditions, lines of customers formed.

Ethan DeWitt, of Pierce City, took advantage of the beautiful weather on Thursday to try his hand at catching a fish from the pond at Pierce City’s South Park.

Special guests surprised the residents of Lacoba Homes and Villas on Friday afternoon.

There is nothing like an afternoon outing to get rid of cabin fever, especially when there is plenty of fresh air and sunshine to be found.

On Tuesday, Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett welcomed its second day of customers after the COVID-19 (coronavirus) stay-at-home order ended on Monday.

Being at home these past weeks has provided the opportunity for Monett second graders Violet Hill and Junia Smith to learn to ride their bikes in the parking lot of the First United Methodist Church in Monett.

Last week, in a decorative effort, children in the emergency childcare service offered to families of health care and emergency services families painted colorful designs on the former kindergarten building at Monett Elementary School to brighten the unused building for the summer...

Barry County has announced its seventh case of COVID-19, a positive determined in an antibody test for a person who has already recovered and is no longer contagious. According to a press release from the Barry County Health Department and the Barry County Department of Emergency Management, the new case was the result of a serological test, commonly called an antibody test. ...

The Lawrence County Health Department announced on Saturday its first case of a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 (coronavirus) and is proceeding with follow-up testing. According to Janella Spencer, Lawrence County Health Department...

With the lifting of restrictions on public gatherings on Sunday, many businesses in Monett are expected to reopen on Monday. Jeff Meredith, executive director of the Monett Chamber of Commerce, plans to reopen the License Office, maintaining social distancing between customers extending a line on the sidewalk outside to keep the number inside to 10...

Two weeks of testing for the COVID-19 (coronavirus) at a mobile testing unit in Monett has generated 69 tests, and to date, no one coming up positive for the disease. Speaking at a weekly media briefing, Amanda Hedgpeth, vice president of hospital operations at CoxHealth, said the mobile unit, run in conjunction with Mercy Hospital, continues to run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. ...

A special celebration for the graduating Monett High School seniors will be held on May 8, the original date for graduation. “I’ve been in touch with the senior Student Council members, and we wanted to do something special for them,” said Principal Stephanie Heman...

With businesses about to reopen, the demand for face masks is increasing, as both merchants and customers are encouraged to wear them. That places the burden of finding face masks on the public, not just health care professionals. “We want to keep going with source control masking,” said David Compton, Barry County emergency management director. “It’s the next best thing to physical distancing.”...

Earlier this week, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced the first phase of the “Show Me Strong Recovery” plan outlining how Missouri will gradually begin to reopen economic and social activity starting Monday. Based on this news, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is working on its transition plan to safely reopen MDC facilities, including nature centers and staffed shooting ranges, to ensure social-distancing requirements and infection-prevention measures are in place before opening. ...

For Virginia Gaston, it’s business not quite as usual. Gaston, one of the founders of For the Kids Foster and Adoptive Parents Association in Aurora, said children continue to be placed into foster care even during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, many times with nothing other than the clothes on their backs...

Verona High School has announced plans for graduation for the Class of 2020 on June 19 at a location to be announced. Principal Naomi Austin reported administrators and school board members discussed having commencement exercises either June 19 or July 17...

The Barry County Commission and the Barry County Health Department as a part of the Barry County Phase 1 Reopening plan and Gov. Mike Parson’s Show-Me Strong Recovery plan are announcing these rules for the reopening of all businesses in Barry County...

During Monday’s COVID-19 briefing, Gov. Mike Parson announced the first phase of the “Show Me Strong Recovery” Plan outlining how Missouri will gradually begin to reopen economic and social activity on May 4.  Governor Parson was joined by Missouri Hospital Association President and CEO Herb Kuhn, MO HealthNet Director Todd Richardson, Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. ...

While voices in some corners are getting louder to “reopen the economy,” the exact meaning of that term varying from person to person, people are continuing to show more frayed nerves and edginess. For some time now, we have received reports of COVID-19-positive employees at businesses in operation. It is not unusual for people to bring gripes to us. We take reports seriously, and we pass them to the appropriate health authorities to investigate...

Details have been announced for how Monett High School will bring the 2019-2020 school year to an end, calling for the first summer graduation in the school’s history. “Obviously, May 8 is not going to happen due to restrictions on public gatherings,” Superintendent Russ Moreland told Monett school board members last week. “We’re talking about June 12, or an alternative date of July 10. It looks less and less likely that June will be allowable.”...

Plans are still in flux at Pierce City High School on just how graduation will “look” this year in the wake of restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. “We are brainstorming multiple ideas, but we are waiting to see what the Governor announces once the current stay-at-home order expires on May 3,” said Dr. Kelli Alumbaugh, superintendent. “We will have a graduation. We will do everything they can to make sure [seniors] have some sort of closure.”...

“Monett is Rockin’”, but perhaps not rollin’. For rock lovers, collectors, decorators and those with youngsters wanting to get out and about for a local adventure, there is now a “Monett is Rockin’” chapter, started by Ellie and Olivia Scritchfield, which encourages locals to seek out painted rocks that have been hidden on public property...

Area law enforcement agencies have seen a noticeable dip in crime rates, which they have partially attributed to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) stay-at-home order. In Monett, two vehicles were recently reported missing, which were later returned with no charges filed...

With a decision Thursday that school lunch programs would extend to June 30 statewide, the Life360 crew setting up at Central Elementary School in Pierce City prepared Friday morning to distribute suppers and breakfasts.

These days of social distancing provide eagerly accepted opportunities for families to get out of the house and possibly even distance from each other.

What’s there to do on a sunny spring morning during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic?

Dear Editor: Voting by mail can ensure the welfare of Missourians and make it easier to vote in our state. I disagree with the narrative that there is a higher potential for voter fraud with vote by mail compared with in precinct voting. Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah vote entirely by mail. ...

Dear Editor: We hear a lot of talk these days about “re-opening” the country and a “new normal.” Some might believe we will get back to things the way they were very soon. Others think it’s going to take a lot longer, and may never be the same. So in the midst of such uncertainty and waiting, I suggest we be very deliberate about something we can all be in charge of: our attitudes...

A Newton County resident who died at Mercy Hospital in Cassville after suffering a cardiac event is being counted as a COVID-19 death following a positive result for the virus postmortem. Larry Bergner, Newton County Health Department administrator, said the individual was in Barry County and taken to Mercy Hospital for a cardiac event, pronounced dead in the emergency room, then later testing positive in Kansas City as the person was being prepared for organ donation...


In a unified effort to share information and empower Missourians to stop the spread of COVID-19, the One for All Missouri public health campaign launched statewide today. A collaborative partnership led by Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence (MOCPHE) and powered by Missouri Foundation for Health, One for All Missouri provides Missourians with clear, consistent and actionable information about COVID-19 they can use and share with others...

A drive-thru COVID-19 (coronavirus) testing site will open at the Barry County Health Department on Monday. Roger Brock, Department administrator, said the facility recently received the appropriate materials and trainings from the state to enable staff to open the site, which will offer testing Tuesdays through Thursdays on the south side of the Department office in Cassville...

The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library System has announced all its library branches will be closed until further notice in a continued effort to decrease risk among patrons and staff during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. “The decision to remain closed was a difficult one as we know that patrons in our community see the library as an essential and valuable service,” said Gina Milburn, System director. ...

The Barry County Health Department is reporting a sixth case of COVID-19 in Barry County. The individual is under an isolation order and is being monitored closely by the Barry County Health Department. As appropriate and allowed emergency responders are made aware of potentially hazardous situations. The new case is believed to be unrelated to previous cases in the county...

On April 13, local nurse Cheryl Webb boarded a plane for New York City, the United States’ COVID-19 (coronavirus) hot zone, to help care for those sick from the pandemic. With more confirmed coronavirus patients than anywhere else in the world, the essential medical workers have been strained by long hours, and many of them have also contracted the virus...

With restaurants closed and public traffic curtailed, food producers nationwide have found themselves in a pinch, either moving the product they make or finding an open market for it. According to Reagan Bluel, dairy specialist for the University of Missouri Extension Service, that crunch has extended even to local dairy producers...

Clif Crockett, retired church pastor, led the volunteers with the Community Kitchen’s grocery distribution in prayer prior to Monday’s effort.

By Jared Lankford sports@monett-times.com Although we are only a week past Easter, 2020 spring sports in Missouri could soon join the ranks of institutions that are resurrected. The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Board of Directors has voted to grant relief of portions of the MSHSAA bylaws that include summer limits on contact between coaches and student-athletes...

Reports of problems from COVID-19 (coronavirus) impacting food production plants in other parts of the country have brought additional attention to workers required to labor in close quarters. Tyson Foods and Schreiber Foods report extra precautions have been taken to keep both employees and products safe during the pandemic...

The Lawrence County Commission, in conjunction with the Lawrence County Health Department, is adjusting its emergency declaration to help start the process of transitioning back to normal, pre-COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic times. “Currently, the best defense against the coronavirus is to stay home as much as possible and we, as a health department, will continue to advise our residents to do so,” a press release said. ...

The Barry County Health Department is reporting a fifth case of COVID-19 in Barry County. This includes four confirmed cases and one presumptive positive case. The fifth individual is under an isolation order and is being monitored closely by the Barry County Health Department. Processes are in place to make emergency responders aware of potentially hazardous situations. The new case is believed to be unrelated to previous cases in the county...

The Monett Animal Shelter is empty of its usual cluster of carousing canines. “I have two in quarantine because they are bite dogs,” said Karen Griggs, animal control officer for the Monett Police Department. “I also recently transported several dogs to Joplin Humane Society for adoption there. But, the rest have been adopted.”...

With the close of school, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has provided some guidelines to school districts about how the state will authorize going forward. Mike Evans, Monett assistant school superintendent, found direction in some areas and other issues wait for further clarification...

As sheltering from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic continues, strain has begun showing in some less obvious places, like daycare centers. At Kiddie City Preschool and Daycare, one of the larger state licensed facilities in Monett, businesses furloughing workers began a domino effect of families pulling their children out to work from home. The reduction of children to serve cut the client load but ultimately forced staff layoffs, making the continuing work more difficult. ...

During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, many of the normal activities and events during the spring months have been canceled or rescheduled. The local Camp Barnabas has also been affected and has made a decision for the 2020 year to close it doors, but the Camp intends to reopen for the 2021 year...

Beginning Friday, CoxHealth Systems and Mercy Hospitals jointly opened a mobile testing unit for the COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Monett, located at the First United Methodist Church. According to Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth, who spoke during the weekly media briefing on Thursday, Monett was chosen because of its central location to serve Cox patients in Monett and Cassville, and Mercy Hospital and clinic patients from Aurora and Cassville...

Social media is becoming a thing for people trying to stay in touch with family members and friends during these weeks of self-isolation, but for those missing their retail therapy, some local merchants are offering help. “I am doing curbside deliveries for my customers,” said Mitzi Doss, owner of Mitzi’s Gifts and Decor, located at 411 E. Broadway. “I post things on my Facebook page and people let me know if they want to buy it...

When the weather finally offered a break Wednesday evening, Allison Heider’s boys, Truman, left, and Graham, took the opportunity to romp in the yard of their Monett home with their swing, suspended from a tree by a 40-foot rope.

Thursday dawned a bit chilly, but that did not stop gardening enthusiasts from shopping for bedding plants at Lowe’s Home Improvement Center in Monett.

The Barry County Health Department is reporting a third confirmed case and a presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Barry County. The cases are from the same household and likely due to community spread. The individuals are quarantined and being monitored closely by the Barry County Health Department. Processes are in place to make emergency responders aware of potentially hazardous situations...

Today, Gov. Mike Parson extended the statewide “Stay Home Missouri” order through May 3 and announced the state’s initial framework to help Missouri safely and gradually move into the recovery phase of COVID-19. “We are seeing very early signs in the data leading us to be cautiously optimist that Missouri is beginning to slow the course of the infection and see improvement, even in our hardest hit areas like St. ...

To help test a greater number of individuals for COVID-19, Mercy Aurora/Cassville and CoxHealth are collaborating on a mobile testing unit in Monett. The unit is slated to open on Friday. The site, which will be housed at the First United Methodist Church in Monett, will only conduct tests with a referral from a health care provider...

A national salute to the high school classes of 2020 by use by lights at athletic fields on Friday offered a way to express solidarity and support for students who will not have a traditional end to their school year. The plan called for turning on lights at 20:20 hours military time (8:20 p.m.) for 20 minutes, in honor of the Class of 2020...

Though business activities have slowed, the Monett Chamber of Commerce continues to plan events and organize for community needs as the economy reopens. Following the annual joint meeting of the incoming and outgoing Chamber boards, Jim Randall with the law offices of Randall, Masri and Randall, took over as the new chairman, officially starting his duties on April 1. ...

The Monett Area Sheltered (Extended Employment) Workshop continues to run with modified hours during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. “We are staying ahead on baling cardboard and staff is filling orders for clients at this time,” said Mica Plummer, director. “We didn’t want the cardboard piling up and floating down Kelly Creek.”...

Members of Life360 Community Services are establishing a second distribution point for free food for children in Pierce City.

Organizers of the 55th annual Barry County Youth Camp, held at Camp Smokey at Roaring River State Park near Cassville, have put this year’s plans on hold. “We will not be hosting the camp at the end of May,” said Jane James, one of the event organizers. “We plan to see how things look later in the summer, and perhaps host a three-day camp at that time.”...

Gabby Jiminez braved the chilly temperatures on Monday morning to take a turn around Monett’s South Park.

Almost 200 area youth are hoping that they get the chance soon to hear the golden words — “Play ball.” The Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League (MYBSL) is usually gearing up for its opening ceremonies this time of year, but with Missouri’s stay at home rules in effect due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the organization, like many, is stuck in a holding pattern...

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has announced that Kids’ Fishing Day events at the state’s trout parks have been canceled this May amid concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Kids’ Fishing Day events canceled include: May 16 at Roaring River State Park near Cassville and Maramec Spring Park in St. James, and May 2 at Montauk State Park near Licking and Bennett Spring State Park in Lebanon...

Adapting to the world with COVID-19 (coronavirus) has been new for everyone, and in the news world, it has led to a first for me. On Saturday morning, I was given the phone number of the second person who tested positive for coronavirus in Barry County and asked to call so this person could tell their side of the story...

The second person who tested positive for COVID-19 in Barry County has come forward to the Cassville Democrat to combat information released by the Health Department regarding locations visited before and after the positive test. To protect the person’s identity for safety purposes, this story will refer to the person as “Avery” or the gender-neutral pronoun “ze.”...

Measures taken by state and local governments to protect the public in the midst of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic have taken a number of forms, but with somewhat limited results. Public activity appears near normal in Monett for non-school days, though other communities have become notably quieter...

Dear Editor: Writing from Nazareth, Texas, on Thursday, we got our fourth notice of a death in our family. The virus and its effects have affected all of us in one way or another. At this time, we are deeply grateful to our country raised parents who taught us that life and death went together. It seems that people who work on the land with animals and people understand a part of death that modern society tries to overshadow...

With classes out for the rest of the school year, Life360 Community Services has broadened its meal outreach to school children in Monett, Pierce City and Purdy. “We’re serving in the ball park of 2,500 students,” said Drew Forsman, Monett area site director for Life360. That’s about 35,000 meals a week.”...