Stories from Wednesday, November 23, 2011

By MURRAY BISHOFF Monett City Council members received adamant objections to a proposed city ordinance that would halt fundraisers at city intersections. At Monday's November council meeting, representatives from two of the three service organizations in Monett that hold "boot block" fundraisers were present to comment on the proposed change...

Favorite displays from the Monett Chamber of Commerce's Festival of Lights are all back this year, though they may be in a different location. Santa's village, shown above, is in the main field south of the tennis courts. The skyline of Bethlehem is located on the tennis courts fence. ...

The 2011 Monett High School Miss Merrie Christmas and her attendants have been announced. Senior Mackenzie Lay has been selected as Miss Merrie Christmas by a vote of the MHS student body. She is the daughter of Michele and Mike Lay. Mackenzie has been very involved at Monett High School for the past four years. ...

The 2011 Leadership Monett class, pictured above, graduated on Nov. 17 with a special dinner at the Monett Park Casino. The 14 graduates were the fifth class of participants to go through the leadership training program, which is sponsored by the Monett Chamber of Commerce. ...

The Purdy R-2 School District will be seeking a new superintendent in the coming months following the announcement of Jerry Lingo's retirement as superintendent at Monday's night board meeting. Lingo has served as superintendent since taking the post in 2004. Prior to that, he served for two years as elementary principal...

A Nixa man was injured yesterday in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 44 three miles west of Halltown. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at 4:20 p.m. when the driver of a 2000 Dodge Stratus, Jacob R. Whitehill, 34, of Nixa, struck the back of a 2007 Peterbilt semi-truck, driven by Joshua A. Kelly, 36, of Louisville, Ky...