Stories from Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Last Year, members of the Monett Area YMCA Challengers day camp program hosted a food drive to benefit both the local food pantry and the Missouri Hotel, a homeless shelter, in Springfield. When those supplies were delivered last year, day camp participants toured the facility and were in awe of how the families lived...

An Aurora woman sustained serious injuries in a crash that occurred at 2:50 p.m. on Sunday on Farm Road 2113 about three miles north of Reavisville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when the driver of a 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, Kristin N. Cordell, 20, of Aurora, started skidding off the left side of the road, overcorrected and went off the right side of the road, striking two trees...

Members of the Purdy Chapter of the FFA attended the Missouri FFA Association's 2012 Leadership Adventure in Springfield on Aug. 3 at the Christopher L. Bond Learning Center on the campus of Missouri State University. Topics for this 23rd annual event included agricultural careers, leadership development and positive role models. ...

Vendor applications are still being accepted for the first annual Barry County OACAC Neighborhood Center Senior Fair, which will be held at the Crowder College Cassville Campus from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, Sept. 14. The senior fair is designed for community members who are 55 years of age or older. Senior caregivers and children of seniors will also find an assortment of value information at the event...

Heading back to Pierce City's Central Elementary School for the first day of classes was a family event for many area residents. Pictured above, from left, are: Robert Hull, grandfather to Ginger, Robert and Steven Leavitt, with camera in hand to capture those first day memories. [Times Photo by Melonie Roberts]...

Officer Don Massengill, of the Monett Police Department, was one of several state, county and local officers participating in a county-wide driving while intoxicated checkpoint. Officers were not only looking for impaired drivers, but other violations such as no insurance, defective equipment and no seat belts during the enforcement effort...

Jarvis W. Asbill, age 81, of Wentworth, Mo., passed from this life on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012 at his residence following a lengthy illness. Jarvis was born on June 3, 1931 in Lexington, S.C., the son of the late Richard Asbill and Otta Lee (Woods) Asbill...

Larry Butler, age 58, of Wheaton, died on Sunday, Aug. 19, at Freeman West in Joplin. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., on Wednesday, Aug. 22, in McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton. Burial was in Muncie Chapel Cemetery, Wheaton.

Georgia Emma Cannon, age 94 of Joplin, formerly of Mt. Vernon, died at 7:29 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 20, at the Spring River Christian Village. A funeral service, under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, at the Mt. Vernon Christian Church with burial at the Mt. Vernon City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22, in the funeral home chapel...

Violet Mae Haushalter, age 80, of Aurora, formerly of Madison, Wis., died at 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15, at her home. Local arrangements have been conducted by the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora. A funeral service will be conducted by the Gunderson Funeral Home of Madison, Wisc...

Stephen Joe Williams, age 53, of Aurora, died at 7:08 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18. A funeral service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, was held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22, in the Aurora Church of Christ with burial at the Maple Park Cemetery...

Members of the Pierce City Board of Aldermen turned down a proposed tax levy for 2012 in a special hearing on Monday night. "We promised the voters they wouldn't have a tax increase if they approved the wastewater system project," said Alderman Cory Sooter. "I wouldn't approve a tax rate increase because of that promise."...

The steady increases in student numbers seen in the Monett R-1 School District did not reflect a trend for all districts. Both the Pierce City and Verona school districts recorded notable declines in student counts on the first day of classes on Aug. 16...

Kristi Ann Hayes, daughter of Ralph and Marlene Hayes, of Monett, and Mark Christopher Chapman, son of Fred and Cheryl Chapman, of Pierce City, announce their engagement and forthcoming marriage. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Ed and Sally Welters, of Verona, and Ralph and Juanita Hayes, of Neosho. ...

Jimmy Michel Motors, of Aurora, was presented with the President's Award from Ford Motor Company on Aug. 8. This is one of the company's most prestigious awards and recognizes dealers achieving the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

New adult fiction titles at the Monett Branch Library include: "Off the Menu" by Stacey Ballis; "The Scent of Rain" by Kristin Billerbeck; "Sneaky Pie for President" by Rita Mae Brown; "A Vision of Lucy" by Margaret Brownley; "Sea Glass Summer" by Dorothy Cannell; "Faithful to Laura" by Kathleen Fuller; "Sweet Talk" by Julie Garwood; "Haven" by Kay Hooper; "You Don't Want to Know" by Lisa Jackson; "Fifty Shades Darker" by E.L. ...

The Storytime program for pre-school children at the Pierce City Branch Library will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 12, following the Labor Day holiday. The Bookworm Club, for teens and home school children, will be held on the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 3 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the library...

Air Force Airman Benjamin T. Clere graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills...

A proclamation honoring the service of the physicians who came to Monett in the 1970s for their service to the community was issued at the monthly meeting of the Monett City Council on Monday. Mayor Jim Orr and Commissioner Mike Brownsberger presented the proclamation to Dr. Andres Apostol and Dr. Sergio Cruz. Apostol said that Dr. Auturo Montellano was unable to attend due to babysitting duties in St. Louis...

A presentation on shingles and the shingles vaccine will be presented at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22, by Old Town Pharmacy at the Monett Senior Citizens Center, located at 405 Dairy St. in Monett. Shots will be available that day. The descendants of John and Tina (Doty) Hall will hold their annual Hall family reunion on Sept. ...