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Barry-Lawrence Area United Fund was honored with the 2017 Head Start Head Award at a recent Missouri Head Start Association awards luncheon held in Jefferson City. On behalf of the organization, Ken Dudzik, president of BLAUF, accepted the award, presented by Kimberly Shinn-Brown, Head Start director at Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation, and Vonna Farris, Head Start staff...

Wheaton sophomore Zoie Simpson, and junior Hallie Mitchell, were selected to perform in a pre-show at the Hughes Brothers Theatre on the evening of July 1 and July 11, respectively, in Branson. According to Wheaton Vocal Music Director Billie Jo Hardy, the theater sent out invitations to local schools inviting voice students to audition with the possibility of being able to perform before their show this summer. ...

The Monett Lions Club has donated $1,000 to help the work of the Monett Community Kitchen’s food pantry, which distributes groceries on Mondays with the help of the Ozarks Food Harvest to an average of 700 families each month that meet income requirements, or approximately 1,800 people...

The Monett Community Kitchen has received the gift of a 10-by-10-foot walk-in freezer from the First United Methodist Church in Monett for storing food pantry groceries.

The Compassus program serving Monett and the surrounding areas is proud to recognize Heather Hendrickson during National Nursing Assistants Week, June 15-22. for providing the highest level of quality hospice care for patients and their families. “We are proud to recognize Heather for her tireless efforts to provide our patients and their families with superior care that goes beyond fulfilling their medical and emotional needs, delivering a more meaningful end-of-life experience for our patients,” said Janet Gard, executive director for Compassus – Monett. ...

Kindergarten students from Central Elementary School in Pierce City sang happy birthday to Geneva Brown.

The 48th annual Bailey-Funk reunion gathered 49 family members and friends on June 11 at the Monett City Park Casino. Gathering began at noon to socialize, followed by a basket dinner at 1 p.m. Those in attendance gathered in a circle, held hands and told of their relationship to Charles and Little Funk Bailey. Pictures were taken of each family...

The Cassville Golf Club held its 34th annual Ball & Prier Tire 3-Man Tournament on June 3 and 4.

CRIMINAL The following defendants plead guilty or were found guilty of the charge listed. An Alford Plea does not admit guilt but indicates defendant believes there is enough evidence for a conviction, SES is Suspended Execution of Sentence, SIS is Suspended Imposition of Sentence, ITC is Intensive Treatment Center, SATOP is Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program, CVCF is Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund, LERF is Law Enforcement Restitution Fund. ...

For the third year, SRC Automotive in Monett has donated $25,000 to several Monett area service organizations as part of its community outreach. Travis Weathermon, human resources manager for SRC, explained the company has 65 employees in Monett, with the rest of the 275 workers in Springfield. ...

Honors and achievements by the Monett FFA were announced at the organization's annual Parent/Member Banquet. A total of 36 members and guests attended. The Monett FFA Chapter had a successful year in career development events and FFA contests. Career development events, or CDE’s, are designed to educate students and develop skills in different areas of agriculture for possible careers in the future. ...

Linda Patton retired from teaching third grade at Purdy Elementary School at the close of the school year after 31 years.

Purdy graduate Chase Burns, and Wheaton graduate Mariah Kochell, were named to Missouri Valley College’s 2017 Spring Dean’s List. The requirements for the list are a 3.3 or higher grade point average, at least 12 graded hours for the semester and no D, F, or Incomplete grades for the semester. Burns obtained a degree in Nursing; Kochell, in Psychology...

College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, held its 2017 commencement exercises on May 7.

Monett High School underclassmen received honors for academic achievement at the close of the school year. April Smith named her top students in English I: Kaesha George, Jonathan Hughes, Abigail Patton, Amy Tsai and Black Wright. Chelsea Wright named her top English 1 students: Ashlie Gaches, Janeth Quinones, Jacob Balmas, Xavier Carlill, Ashley Kurima, Aveline McEntire, Amberlyn Schmidly, Stacy Hurtado, Monica Reveles, Joey Semerad, Rebecca Clark, Susy Salas, Logan Umfleet, Sara Drewianka, Kassie McAllister, Arijan Miftari, China Saturley, Julissa Cruz and Christopher Simmons.. ...

Academic honors and graduates from Truman State University have been announced for the Spring 2017 semester. Students named to the President's List had to complete the semester with a grade point average of 4.0 with at least 12 semester hours of credit...

Steh Thompson, from Cassville, received a master of business administration degree from William Woods University in Fulton at the conclusion of the spring semester. At its 147th commencement ceremonies, the university conferred 840 degrees, including 243 to undergraduates and 597 to graduate students...

Ellen Jackson of Miller qualified for the Dean's List at Iowa State University in Ames. Jackson, a four-year student, majored in agricultural engineering. Students qualifying for the Dean's List earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 out of a 4.0 scale...

Missouri Southern State University of Joplin announced recipients of its 2017 spring dean's list. The following Barry and Lawrence County students made the list, which recognizes full-time students who earned a GPA of 3.75 or above on a 4.0 scale while carrying 12 or more hours of credit courses:...

Character education medals for courage were awarded in May at Purdy Elementary School.

The Compassus hospice program serving Branson and Monett was ranked among the company’s top three programs at an awards ceremony during a Compassus National Leadership Meeting in Nashville, Tenn. The program, known as Tri-Lakes, outperformed more than 93 other Compassus programs throughout the U.S. in six Pillars of Success evaluation categories that include regulatory compliance, colleagues and culture, quality care, service excellence, expanding access to services and fiscal responsibility...

The Huffmaster Insurance Agency in Monett has purchased the Tilley Insurance Agency from owner Phillip Tilley. According to a statement released by Kevin Huffmaster, principal owner and president, the purchase was effective Nov. 30, 2016. The location of the Tilley Agency at 864 Hwy. 60 remained opened during the transition period, which concluded this week. All operations will now run out of the Huffmaster Insurance Agency office at 811 Seventh St...