Stories from Thursday, January 6, 2011

Monthly activity at the Monett Municipal Airport continued to rise sharply through the end of 2010. The year-end flight total showed a new record for the six years documented by the city and a jump of 36 percent over last year. Numbers listed reflect either a take-off or a landing at the Monett airport during weekday business hours. According to Airport Superintendent Howard Frazier, additional evening and weekend activity could double the numbers...

Elizabeth "Lu" Hulse, age 84, of Cassville, died at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 3. No services are scheduled at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob.

Erna Hartwig, age 81, of Shell Knob, died on Saturday, Jan. 1. No services are scheduled at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob.

She worked as a secretary at Hillcrest High School and then transferred to Parkview until her retirement in 1990. Henrietta was a long-time member and deacon of First and Calvary Presbyterian Church. She was also a member of the 49ers Sunday School Class. She was also a long-time active member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Laureate Gamma lota Chapter. Henrietta and Bill loved playing golf and taking trips across the country...

Lois Nadine Jaques Sherwood, age 96, born near Cassville, formerly of Rogers, Ark., died on Dec. 10, in Florence, Ala. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8 in Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery near Exeter...

Margie Ruth Fieker, age 89, of Mt. Vernon, died at 3:42 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 2 at the St. John's Hospital in Springfield. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with burial at the Orange Cemetery...

Marvin L. Puckett, age 74, of Cassville, died at 4:50 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 30. Arrangements are through Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. No services are planned at this time.

Sheryl Jean Hudson Chaney, age 63, of Harrison, Ark., died on Friday, Dec. 31. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at Northvale Baptist Church in Harrison, Ark., under the direction of Roller-Christeson Funeral Home. Burial was in Summers Cemetery...

Taylor Eugene "Gene" Garton, age 84, of Mt. Vernon, died at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 2 at the Cox Medical Center South in Springfield. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with burial at the Gray's Point Cemetery...

Vernon "Skip" Baird, age 62, of Pierce City, died at 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at his home...

Challis Lavon Brown, age 75, of Miller, died at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at Lawrence County Manor in Mt. Vernon. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8 at the Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home in Miller with burial at the Sycamore Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 7 at the funeral home chapel...

Board members for the coming year were elected at the annual meeting of the Monett Rural Fire Association. Six positions opened at the end of 2010. Paul Bricker succeeded Bill Lockhart in District 1. Kevin Huffmaster came on as a replacement for Scott Sangston in the other District 1 seat. Mike Shanks kept the District 2 seat. Jeff Holloway succeeded Leon Riggs in District 3. Mike Meier. Greg Carlin took the spot previosuly held by Todd Hills in the District 4 positions...

The singing talents of 16 local residents will be showcased during the 2011 Mocha Jo's Idol contest. The competition, in its second year, will be held on three successive Saturday nights, beginning on Jan. 15. At presstime, the contest had attracted 16 contestants, including Michaela Wallace, of "Justin Bieber's Girlfriend" fame, and last year's winner, Whitney Dahlstrom...

Although the number of influenza cases reported in Missouri are down significantly this year, area residents have not yet seen the peak of the 2010-11 flu season. "Knock on wood, we have had no cases in Barry County so far," said Roger Brock, Barry County Health Department administrator. "Typically, the likelihood of seeing flu cases is higher in January and February though."...

Ryan and Alisha Poage, formerly of Monett, lost their home in rural Aurora to fire on Jan. 4. The couple and their three children, ages 7, 9 and 10, escaped without injury but lost everything in the home and their family dog. The family is temporarily staying with family members until other arrangements can be made...

This week in Monett: At Mocha Jo's, 404 E. Broadway, Destiny Sawyer from Aurora will provide vocals and bass guitar accompaniment at 7 p.m. on Friday. Denali Dreams, 318 E. Broadway, will have karaoke on Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. This week in Springfield: At the Ozark Empire Fairground, Arena X and Freestyle MX bike performances will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday...

The new year is here, and I thought a "Top 10" list might be appropriate. Top 10 Monett sports stories of 2010 (at least since Aug. 8, 2010): #8. Verona's Jessica Smith seals win over Central with late free throws. The Verona Lady Wildcats basketball team kicked off its 2010 campaign with a thrilling 64-63 over Central High School. Smith had ice in her veins, hitting two free throws with 10.7 seconds to give the Lady Wildcats the lead for good...

100 YEAR AGO Jan. 6, 1911 EIGHTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1931 SEVENTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1941 SIXTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1951 FIFTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1961 FORTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1971 THIRTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1981 TWENTY YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 1991 TEN YEARS AGO Jan. 6, 2001...