Stories from Thursday, April 19, 2012

This morning, the Monett City Council was expected to give final approval on the sale of the gymnastics center to the Monett R-1 School District. The availability of the city facility will change a number of plans under consideration by the school. Located at 2150 Park St., a short distance from the high school, the city's gymnastics center went up for sale after the previous operator asked to be released from the lease. The school district was the only bidder on the property...

The April Broadway Nights brought back tax free shopping last Friday in honor of federal income taxes that were due on April 17.

A long-time area educator has announced his candidacy for Barry County northern commissioner. Duane Kaiser, a Republican, spent his career helping others through education, developing budgets and operating under them and working with a cross section of the public. The Monett native, who has lived in the Stones Prairie community his entire life, taught vocational agriculture for 30 years...

In September, the All-American Red Heads, which were organized in Cassville, will become the first women's basketball team to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The Red Heads were honored during the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Four Men's Basketball Championship in New Orleans, La., on April 2...

The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office issued one ticket in the April 13 "Click It or Ticket" campaign. Law enforcement agencies throughout Missouri participated in the statewide mobilization in an effort to get more motorists to buckle up and save lives...

Shoe Roads Productions, a division of Laurie's Shoes, will be at Cox Monett Hospital from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1 in the hospital's main lobby. A wide variety of shoes will be offered at the sale, including Klogs, Dansko, Alegria, Sanita and Birkenstock. All proceeds will benefit the auxiliary's healthcare scholarship fund. For more information, call Monett Volunteer Services at 417-354-1409...

Faye A. Harvill, age 83, of Pierce City, died at 2:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18 at Benchmark Healthcare in Monett. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 22 at Shoal Creek Church. Burial will be in the Pierce City Cemetery at a later date. Mrs. Harvill has been cremated at her request...

Champ J.R. Marney, age 66, of Rocky Comfort, Mo., passed away on Monday, April 16, 2012, atFreeman West Hospital, Joplin, Mo. He was born on June 9, 1945, in Wheaton, Mo., the son of Champ and Kate (McNeill) Marney. On April 9, 1966, he was united in marriage to Linda Hailey, who survives. ...

Work continues on road improvements on Highway 37 in Monett. Over the past few weeks, crews with APAC Missouri have been making major improvements along Highway 37 between Monett and the Arkansas state line. Plans call for additional alternate passing lanes to be added to the 32-mile stretch of highway. ...

Monett High School inducted 30 new members into the Monett chapter of the National Honor Society. Students selected for this prestigious honor are pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Anna Cloud, Bailey Pfitzner, Morgan Spilman, Nicollette Fellwock, Jessica Schad, Tyler Webb, Stephanie Schumacher, Tyler Bass, Asher George, Garrett Maxey and Reese Johnson. ...

A pregnant Monett woman and her husband have been arrested near Midland, Texas, and charged with child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance. Lisa Marie Buchanan, 31, and Scott Alan Buchanan, 33, are being held in the Midland County (Texas) Jail in lieu of bond...

The Barry County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with Project ChildSafe, is offering Barry County residents free firearm safety kits as part of a nationwide firearms safety education program. Project ChildSafe, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, has distributed more than 35 million firearm safety kits throughout the country since 2003. The program is funded through a U.S. Department of Justice grant, with additional funding provided by the firearms industry...

In honor of the 61st annual National Day of Prayer, Monett will host a prayer breakfast from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Monett South Park Casino. The event is sponsored by the Monett Chamber of Commerce and the Monett Ministerial Association. The complimentary breakfast will be served by Monett Kiwanis Club...

Dancers from the Mary Beck School of Dance in Monett competed at the Dance Masters of America in Oklahoma City, Okla., March 30 through April 1. The dance group, "I Love the Nightlife," pictured above, won gold in the 13-and-up division and also earned the "Most Entertaining" award. ...

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash that occurred at 4:30 p.m. yesterday on County Road 2060 about two miles southeast of Purdy. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when the driver of a 1997 Chevrolet Astro van, Lillis A. Taylor, 77, of Washburn, made a left turn out of a private drive and struck a 2005 Toyota Corolla, driven by Sarah E. Davis, 33, of Monett, head on...

The Purdy Branch Library will be giving away free books during the first World Book Night in the United States on April 23. "What's better that a good book?" asked Anna Quindlen, the U.S. campaign's honorary chairman. "A whole box of them, and the opportunity to share them with new readers. The idea behind World Book Night is inspired, and as a writer and a reader, I am thrilled to be a part of it."...

Missouri's fourth Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday will begin on April 19 and will continue through Wednesday, April 25. People who purchase new ENERGY STARŪ qualified appliances in Missouri during the holiday will save at least 4.225 percent off the purchase. The reduced price represents the elimination of the state's sales tax...