Stories from Friday, February 26, 2010

The Monett City Council has unveiled its budget for the fiscal year beginning on April 1. After putting a freeze on new capital improvements and cost of living pay increases this past year, council members are anticipating a more typical year with increased spending...

Monett High School's Alan Spencer has received back-to-back honors over the past few weeks. The long-time football coach who announced his retirement this fall received the Charlie Long Distinguished Service Award from the Joplin Football Officials Association last Tuesday and then three days later attended a ceremony where his #40 football jersey was retired at Webb City High School...

Ray Elliot Hudson, age 84, of Diamond, died on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at his home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the White Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial will be in Cleo Cemetery, near Jenkins. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, at the funeral home...

Danny Lee Hughes, age 63, of Mt. Vernon, died at 11:29 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, in the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, in Mt. Vernon. Burial will follow in the Summit Cemetery, located northeast of Mt. Vernon...

Sondra Lynn Kennedy, age 50, of Waxahachie, Texas, formerly of Aurora, died on Thursday, Feb. 25, at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 3, at the Aurora Baptist Temple with burial in the Maple Park Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2 at the Aurora Baptist Temple Church, under the direction of Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora...

Marie Curtis, age 90, of Monett, died at 6:06 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, at Lacoba Homes, of Monett. Arrangements will be announced by Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home in Monett.

Donald Eugene Witt, age 66, died early in the morning on Friday, Feb. 26, at Cox Monett Hospital. His family was comforted that he left us in peace. A Biblical Wake Service will be held at St. Mary's Church, in Pierce City, at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 28th. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary's Church at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March, 1...

The Purdy R-2 Board of Education made plans for the 2010-11 school year by rehiring its administrators and adopting a calendar during its February meeting. All of the district's three principals were rehired for another year. Salaries will be set at a later date...

The Roaring River State Park staff is preparing to welcome around 2,500 anglers on March 1. Over the last few months, several park improvements have been completed in anticipation of the 2010 trout season opener. "The stream should be in good shape for fishing by opening day," said Jerry Dean, Roaring River Hatchery manager. "Crews have been busy this winter removing excess gravel that moved into the stream due to the flooding we had last season...

Representatives from the Monett R-1 School District were recognized in Springfield for receiving "accredited with distinction" status on the Annual Performance Report (APR) issued by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1930 SEVENTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1940 SIXTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1950 FIFTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1960 FORTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1970 THIRTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1980 TWENTY YEARS AGO February 26, 1990 TEN YEARS AGO...

The Pierce City Eagles closed out their regular season last night with a trip to Liberal, and both teams suffered defeat at the hands of their hosts. The Pierce City boys led 13-6 after the first quarter but were held to 6 points in the second, which placed the half-time score at 21-19 in Liberty's favor...