Stories from Monday, November 2, 2009

On Oct. 26, the City of Monett filed its anticipated lawsuit against Lawrence County, Barry County and the Barry County Emergency Services Board over payments to Monett's two tax increment financing (TIF) districts. Filing of the lawsuits advances the city's case that reimbursement is owed to the city under state laws. Both Barry and Lawrence counties stopped making TIF payments...

Almost 50 children participated in Monett's traditional Halloween costume contest on Saturday, held at Monett City Hall Auditorium and hosted by The Monett Times. More winners from the contest are pictured inside the print edition of the Nov. 2 issue...

A contract for work on closing the Central Avenue railroad crossing and naming a new member of the 911 Advisory Board were among the business matters addressed at the regular monthly meeting of the Monett City Council on Oct. 20. Anchor Fencing of Springfield received the contract for fencing off the now closed crossing over the railroad tracks at Central Avenue. ...

The Monett Police Department recently participated in a rural "Click It or Ticket" campaign in southwest Missouri from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. According to Sergeant Dennis Camp with the Monett Police Department, officers issued a total of 162 traffic and warning tickets during the campaign...

Demolition of the old city hall and old fire station in Verona is a step closer to reality. Both projects were discussed at the October meeting of the Verona City Council. Mayor Roy Snyder announced the Verona Community Development Corporation met and agreed to accept the proposal from Sherwood Services to demolish the old fire station and old city hall at a cost of $13,200...

Two runners from Monett qualified for state as well as several other area runners in district cross country meets held on Saturday. Hannah Martin, of the Monett Lady Cubs, qualified for state for the third straight year. She finished ninth at the Class 3A District 6 meet held at Bolivar. Marin had a time of 21:53...

Playing without their top three scorers, the Monett Cubs soccer team was defeated 3-0 by the Marshfield Bluejays in the first round of the Class 2A District 5 tournament at Marshfield on Saturday morning. Monett finished the season with a 10-8 record...

Fred Edward Strickrodt, 71, of Aurora, died Oct. 28, 2009. Memorial services were held at 12 p.m. Oct. 31 at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora. Burial was in Maple Park Cemetery.

Mrs. Peggy M. Smith, 85, of Pierce City, Missouri, passed away Sunday, November 1, 2009, at her home. She was born February 13, 1924, the daughter of Ben and Eva Jane (Ellis) Keigley in Pawhaska, Ok. Peggy was united in marriage to James Robert Vinsant in 1943. He preceded her in death in April of 1952. She then married Laverne Smith in 1960, and he preceded her in death in September of 1976...

Loreen (Sandi) M. Pugh, 75, of Emerald Beach, died Oct. 26, 2009. Memorial services will be held at noon on Nov. 9 at White Funeral Home in Cassville. Visitation will be held at 11 a.m. Nov. 9 at the funeral home.

David Maurice Ray, of Rogersville, Missouri, born March 23, 1948, in Joplin, passed away in his home on November 1, 2009, at the age of 61. He was married on May 24, 1974 to Evelyn Grotheer, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his son, William, and daughter, Amelia; three sisters, Mary Ann Wood, Bentonville, Arkansas, Sarah Stecher, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Connie Jarvis, Pierce City, Missouri; and a host of other relatives and friends...

Patricia Helen Belanger, 79, of Mt. Vernon, died at 10:15 p.m. Oct. 29, 2009. Services will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Nov. 3 at St. Susanne Catholic Church in Mt. Vernon. Burial will be in Mt. Vernon IOOF Cemetery under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home of Mt. Vernon...

Raymond Knittle, 77, of Exeter, died Oct. 29, 2009. Services will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cassville. Burial will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 at Maplewood Cemetery in Exeter under the direction of White Funeral Home of Cassville...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO November 2, 1929 SIXTY YEARS AGO November 2, 1949 FIFTY YEARS AGO November 2, 1959 FORTY YEARS AGO November 2, 1969 THIRTY YEARS AGO November 2, 1979 TWENTY YEARS AGO November 2, 1989 TEN YEARS AGO November 2, 1999...