Stories from Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Around 100 firefighters from over a dozen departments battled a fire on Tuesday that jumped two county roads and blackened between 200 and 300 acres in over nine hours. The fire started at 21278 Farm Road 1100 in Lawrence County shortly after noon on Tuesday. Monett Fire Chief Tom Jones said welding on a corral sent sparks into the dry grass, igniting the blaze...

Approximately 150 cyclists participated in the 2012 Tour de Monett that took place Saturday. Proceeds from the fourth annual event benefited the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The event featured three routes, a 100-mile event, a 62-mile ride and a 40-mile ride. ...

The Purdy R-2 AmeriCorps Reading Coaches have received funding in the amount of $71,778 from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Missouri Community Service Commission (MCSC) announced that 18 Missouri organizations received funding for their services...

Voters in Barry and Lawrence counties will decide on two school bond and other money-related issues in the Aug. 7 election. Pierce City residents will vote on making $750,000 in improvements to the water and sewer system. The revenue bonds would cover state-mandated installation of ultra-violet treatment of discharge from the wastewater treatment plant. Other funds would be used to cover operation and maintenance expenses...

A full evening of enterainment and activities are planned for Friday, July 20, at the St. John's Lutheran Church at Stones Prairie, northwest of Purdy. The band Common Bond, from Nixa, will perform a variety of music throughout the evening. At least three teams of horses will provide free wagon rides around the church grounds...

The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library Board of Directors elected officers and passed a budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year during their June meeting. Current officers were returned to their posts for another year. Continuing their leadership roles are Ann Hall, president; Charles Peiter, vice president; and Felicity Nesbitt, secretary/treasurer...

Olga G. Worm, age 98, a lifelong resident of Freistatt, Mo., passed away on Sunday, July 15, 2012, while in Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett, Mo. Olga was born on April 28, 1914 in Freistatt, the daughter of Emil Rusch and Adelheid (Fritz) Rusch. She had attended school in Freistatt and was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church. Olga worked on the family farm, was an avid gardener and enjoyed sewing...

Cecil L. Johnson, age 84, of Eagle Rock, died on Sunday, July 15. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville, Missouri.

Martha Paulina Hernandez, age 7, of Wheaton, died on Monday, July 16. The family will receive friends from noon until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18, in McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton. A Spanish funeral Mass will be held at noon on Monday, July 23, in McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton, with visitation to follow until 5 p.m...

Betty Jean Catlin, age 87, of Bolivar, formerly of Mt. Vernon, died at 10:20 p.m. on Friday, July 13, at Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar. A graveside service, under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Pratt, Kan...

A Shell Knob man has been arrested in connection with a fatality crash in Shell Knob on Wednesday. Nicholas C. Kulhanek, 27, of Shell Knob, has been charged with felony vehicular involuntary manslaughter, felony leaving the scene of an accident, driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving and no insurance...

Sign-ups for Monett Mighty Mite football and cheerleaders will be held July 23 through July 26 at the field house at Burl Fowler Stadium from 5 through 7 p.m. For more information, call Sean Kelley at 235-9700. The first game will be on Sept. 1. The Kings Prairie Special Road District commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, at Grant's restaurant in Monett...

ors The fifth annual Not So Square Arts Festival in Mt. Vernon has been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 8. For the first time, the event will move from the square to the Mt. Vernon Arts and Recreation Center (the MARC), located at 822 W. Mt. Vernon Blvd. on the Highway 44 Business Loop...

The Barry County Sheriff's Department responded to 39 calls on July 3 and 44 calls on July 4. Calls included five fireworks complaints and seven domestic disturbances. Deputies also provided traffic control for the fireworks celebrations held in Shell Knob and Eagle Rock on July 4. According to Sheriff Mick Epperly, deputies work to provide a law enforcement presence for the large crowds and to ensure all area citizens have a safe Independence Day holiday...

Over the next few weeks, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) maintenance crews will be mowing many of the roadsides throughout southwest Missouri. These crews will complete maintenance on roadsides on state routes in rural and city areas, small towns and suburban areas. They will usually cut six to 15 feet from the road in one pass, depending on the area's terrain...

Ronnie Schad and his hardworking team of horses, shown above, will provide wagon rides for those attending the St. John's Lutheran Church picnic at Stones Prairie on Friday.

Descendants of Ami and Charlotte Noverraz Cuendet met at Monett City Park on Saturday, June 23 for the 50th annual "gathering of the clan." Ami and Charlotte, with their children, Julie and Eugene, came from Switzerland to the United States in 1887 and eventually settled near Monett on what is now Waldensian Road...

Winners have been named in the various competitions during the Lawrence County Youth Fair, held on June 1 and June 2 at the Ernte Fest grounds in Freistatt. Dog show: Showmanship, Jessica Cobban, Fair Grove, grand champion; Mattie Cobban, Fair Grove, junior...

Officers for the coming year have been installed for Hobbs-Anderson American Legion Post #91 in Monett. Shown, from left, are: Dan Musgrove, district commander and installing officer; Ron Branum, commander; Gary Shoemaker, vice commander; Tony Gripka, chaplain; Jon Suit, adjutant; Mark McMillin, sergeant-at-arms; Melvin Kennedy, officer of the day; and Cliff Daniel, historian. Not shown was Dennis Housman, service officer...