Stories from Thursday, January 31, 2013

Criminal or inappropriate behavior by juveniles, requiring intervention by the 39th Judicial Circuit Juvenile Office, declined again in 2012. Chief Juvenile Officer Keith Parris said the news was not all good, as abuse and neglect cases have gone "through the roof."...

Times Photos by Murray Bishoff Winter may have been mostly cold weather so far, but when snow flurries moved across Monett on Jan. 31, the Monett Street Department top-dressed its trucks for winter combat. Above, one of the big dump trucks, already equipped with a blade, received a load of salt from the department's salt compound south of the Justice Center. Below, a truck equipped with a sprayer loaded up with Geomelt, the beet juice extract sprayed on bridges to keep the roadway from freezing...

Verona High School will celebrate homecoming on Friday, Feb. 1 with a basketball game against Thomas Jefferson. The Student Council selected three boys and three girls from the senior class to compete for king and queen. Each class selected representatives for the royal court as well...

Adriana Salas is the new director of the Monett Chamber of Commerce's License Office, a service provided at the chamber's office at 200 E. Broadway. Salas succeeded Jamie Stephens as license office director. Both Salas and Stephens studied under Monett High School business teacher Anessa Brown. While in Brown's class, Salas worked as an intern at the chamber office from January through July of 2009...

Skip Schaller, the new assistant utilities superintendent for the City of Monett, began his duties on Jan. 14. Schaller was introduced at the January meeting of the Monett City Council by Utilities Superintendent Pete Rauch, who said Schaller will step into the top utilities spot when Rauch retires later this year...

The Harlem Ambassadors basketball team will play a benefit for the Monett Chamber of Commerce on Sunday, Sept. 22, at Monett High School. Tip-off will be at 3 p.m. A professional team in the style of the Harlem Globetrotters, the Ambassadors will provide high flying fun and an elevated demonstration of basketball skills. Advance tickets for the game will be sold...

The Pierce City R-6 Board of Education heard during its January meeting that influenza has hit district students and staffers hard. "We had 54 kids out with the 'flu," said Kristi Marion, principal at Central Elementary School. "It's starting to turn around...

A "sweetheart dance" is planned for 7 to 10 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4, at the Monett Senior Center, 405 Dairy St. The Fun Timers Band will provide music. Participants are encouraged to bring potluck or finger food. Admission is $3. A Super Sunday Party with the Eagles Aerie #3948 at 18896 Farm Road 2185, north of Aurora, will begin at noon on Sunday, Feb. 3. The $7 admission and all you can eat treats will benefit the Childrens' Advocacy Center...

An Arkansas man sustained minor injuries when the 2006 International semitractor he was driving overturned. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at 2:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29, on Highway Z, about one-tenth of a mile east of Highway M, in northern Lawrence County...

Marilyn Faye (Keeton) Drollinger, age 73, of Lowell, Ark., died on Wednesday, Jan. 30, while at the Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, Ark. Funeral services are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett...

Andrew Loyd, age 20, of Wheaton, died on Monday, Jan. 28. Services were held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, at the White Funeral Home, Cassville. Burial will follow at Union Cemetery near Longview. Arrangements are under the direction of White Funeral Home in Cassville...

Charles William Vineyard, age 80, of Jackson, Tenn. died Monday, Jan. 28. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. Burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Butterfield Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, in Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville...

Larry J. Parrigon, age 61, of Pierce City, died at 8:07 p.m. Jan. 28 at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Pierce City. Rosary will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1 with visitation to follow at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Pierce City...

Elizabeth Miller, age 79, of Duenweg, Mo., passed away on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013 while at the Webb City Health and Rehabilitation Center in Webb City, Mo. Elizabeth was born on Dec. 5, 1933 in Monett, Mo., daughter of the late Carl Sloan and Dora (Richardson) Sloan. For many years, she operated the Elizabeth Carr Figure Salon in Joplin. She later worked for the J.C. Penney Salon, and later operated Liz's Hen House in Duenweg...

Scott Regional Technology Center (SRTC) in Monett hosted the eighth annual Focus on the Future on Thursday, Jan. 17. Focus on the Future is an opportunity for students to interact and network with representatives from business and industry as well as gather information from colleges and technical schools to assist with future decisions...