Stories from Friday, August 3, 2012

The Monett Diamond Divas 12-and-under fast pitch softball team won the claimed first place in the Summer Competitive League at Joplin. In the front row, from left, are: Destiny Freeman, Emily Admire, Maddi Coones, Myra Dierker, Sydney Sebastian and Kassie McCallister. Second row: Aleah Palmer, Jasmine Faavi, Katie Kurima, Josie Allcock and Kelli McCallister. Third row: coach Mike Coones, coach Dave Kurima and coach Myron Admire...

Several area youth participated in the punt, pass and kick contest held during the youth football camp last week. The competition was open to youth in third through sixth grades. Winners of the contest are pictured above. From left, are: Tyler Whittington, Zane McCracken and Kristopher Cloud. Second row: Ethan Berry, Logan Vangorkom, Gunner Bradley, Gavin Austin, Karter Brink, Randall McCracken and Cameron George. [Photo courtesy of Sean Kelley]...

Monett electric customers along Broadway between 11th and 12th streets experienced a power outage shortly after noon on Wednesday. The top of a utility pole collapsed and the pole flared in flames after the reclosure cut the power. The pole is shown smoldering at left. ...

Out in the country you can see oak trees turning brown, ready to drop their leaves. At a meeting held by the Monett Chamber of Commerce last week, one of those attending described a nearby community's downtown district and said it was a reflection of a dying town...

Forty-six 4-H members from six Lawrence County 4-H clubs exhibited 117 projects at the 2012 Lawrence County 4-H Achievement Day, held on June 1 at the Ernte Fest grounds in Freistatt, as part of the Lawrence County Youth Fair. According to an event coordinator, the number of exhibits were up 17 percent from 2011, and have grown 33 percent over the past two years...

Ashley Bailey, of Mt. Vernon, won reserve grand champion honors for her Simmental heifer in the Lawrence County Youth Fair. [Photos by Shawnya Wethington]

The 13th annual Kings Prairie Concert will feature three acts to fill the evening of Saturday, Aug. 11, with nostalgia and classic country sounds. Located east of Monett on the grounds of the historic Kings Prairie school, the concert will focus on the "old-time" music popular in the days when the school was active. Proceeds from the concert will go toward maintaining the school as a community center...

Glenn Obermann, of Monett, won high honors for his entries in the grass and hay show at the Ozark Empire Fair. Obermann's alfalfa hay won first place and grand champion honors. His alfalfa hay entry in the Class 1 legume division and his orchard grass hay entry in the Class 2 cool season grasses both won third place ribbons...

The Pierce City FFA chapter had a topical exhibit on the impact of the heat on display at the arena annex at the Ozark Empire Fair.

A brush fire along the Barry and Stone County line consumed approximately 25 acres of scrub brush, fields and woods on Tuesday, July 24. Central Crossing Fire Protection District firefighters responded to the call, which sounded at approximately 3:16 p.m. The fire was located on Lake Road YY-15 just east of Highway 39...

Last Tuesday, a federal grand jury indicted Michael Joe Stubblefield, 49, of Cassville, for conspiring to rob a convenience store in Barry County. Stubblefield formerly served as Eagle Rock postmaster. Stubblefield has pleaded not guilty to the charges...

MONETT SENIOR CENTER Monday -- Chicken and dumplings, beef cube steak, baked potato, broccoli, fruit cocktail. Tuesday -- Wieners and kraut, ham and cheese casserole, seven layer salad, green beans, corn bread muffins, pudding. Wednesday -- Oven fried chicken, chopped steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed peas, Jell-O...

A cruise-in and dinner will be held in Verona on Saturday, Aug. 4, to celebrate the start of a new school year. The event will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at the school. A barbecue brisket dinner or steak/chicken fajita tacos will be served for $6. There will be live music, carnival games, laser tag and an outdoor movie at 9 p.m. For more information, contact Melvey Hillhouse at 235-9663...

Mary L. Korinek, age 84, of Troy, formerly of Monett, died on Saturday, July 28. Arrangements are under the direction of McCoy-Blossom Funeral Home in Troy.

A Monett man was injured in a two-vehicle crash that occurred at 3:50 p.m. on Wednesday on Highway 37 about a mile south of Sarcoxie. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when the driver of a 1996 Dodge Ram 3500, Joseph F. Thomas, 24, of Monett, crossed the center line and hit a 2002 Saturn Vue, driven by Rachel J. Larson, 35, of Sarcoxie, head-on...

BarCo commissioner With no one filing for the post on the Democrat ticket, the winner in next Tuesday's voting will win the office. The candidates are hoping to succeed Frank Washburn, who is running for a 158th District seat in the Missouri House of Representatives...

Summer is winding down and area students are preparing to return to classes at area schools. Enrollment information, schedule pick up and other important information for area school districts follows. Monett R-1 The opening day of school for Monett R-1 School District is scheduled for Aug. 15...

Missouri's ninth annual "Back-to-School" sales tax holiday will begin at midnight on Friday, Aug. 3 and will continue through Sunday, Aug. 5, providing shoppers the opportunity to save money on clothes, computers and school supplies. Monett and Pierce City are the only local towns participating in the holiday in Barry and Lawrence counties...

There's nothing quite as refreshing as a snowball fight in July. Pictured above, these YMCA Challengers Day Camp members beat the summer heat at Monett's South Park by forming teams and engaging in a "snowball" fight, using loosely packed shaved ice. ...

In the biggest industrial jobs cutback to hit Monett in a dozen years, Hydro Aluminum has announced the closing of its aluminum extrusion operation in Monett. Employees received the news from management on Wednesday morning. At stake is 140 jobs. Shutdown of the extrusion division will take place on or about Oct. 15. Hydro will maintain its remelt operation, which employs 60 people...