Stories from Thursday, April 4, 2013

Times Photo by Jared Lankford A former entertainment venue south of Purdy, that in recent years had served as a bar, burned in a fire reported around 5 a.m. on April 2. According to Purdy Fire Chief Mike Redshaw, around 35 firefighters from Purdy, Butterfield, Wheaton, Cassville and both the Monett city and rural departments responded. ...

The Monett Cubs baseball team dropped their first two games in a pool play game at the Bill O'Dell Tournament in Carthage. On April 1, the Cubs fell 6-5 to Mt. Vernon and on April 3, Monett was defeated 12-0 by Carthage. Against the Tigers, Monett played solid for five innings. The game was closer than what the final indicated...

The Monett boys and girls track team competed at the Redbird Relays at Webb City on April 1. Neosho won the boys division of the 13-team event scoring 130 points. Carl Junction was second with 123.5 points and Webb City finished third with 115 points. Monett tallied 37.5 points...

Pierce City standout Cedric O'Hara recently signed a national letter of intent with Missouri Valley College in Marshall. O'Hara's athletic ability will allow him to be a two-sport athlete (track and football) for the Vikings. "It was always a goal of mine to go to college," said O'Hara. "The closer the decision got the more nervous I became. After a campus visit (to Missouri Valley) and talking to the players it felt like home."...

About 200 children between the ages of one and 12 participated in the Pierce City Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30. The event was sponsored by the Dacy Foundation. Despite an early morning rain, sunshine and cool temperatures graced the event. Winners in each category are as follows:...

Around 20 Monett business leaders, property owners and supporters of Monett's downtown responded enthusiastically to forming a National Historic District. Details were provided at a special meeting of Monett Main Street on March 27. Allen Casey, president of Casey Architecture in Springfield, and historic consultant Deb Sheals spoke about the requirements and advantages of forming a historic district. Casey's firm works as a consultant in securing the National Historic District designation...

Sales tax revenue in bi-county cities and counties, dropped for the seventh time in the last nine months, compared to a year ago. Receipts in March declined 14 percent from a year ago, with only two recipients marking gains. Monett's two sales taxes for general expenses, totaling one cent, generated $159,285.88 in March, the second largest sum in four years but down $25,504.55 from last March...

Pierce City R-6 district is one step closer to having a new track. Board members met in special session on March 13 to discuss options for the district track with Sam Fisher, of Fisher Tracks. Fisher told board members he had walked the track prior to the meeting and there were several areas of concern...

Two Monett teens were injured in a two-vehicle crash that occurred at 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, on Business Highway 60 at Route W, about three miles east of Monett. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol the crash occurred when the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet pickup truck, Kyler G. McKnight, 18, of Monett, pulled into the path of a 1994 Honda Accord, driven by Nicholas A. Boggs, 19, of Monett, striking the Boggs vehicle broadside...

Monett police took one man into custody and issued warnings to two others in a door-to-door sales investigation on April 1. Monett Police Sergeant Dennis Camp reported police were alerted to activity by a team of door-to-door salesmen active during evening hours. A team left the home of an elderly resident with a check and refused to return the check when confronted by the resident's son...

Vietnam Veterans Chapter #1023 will meet on Sunday, April 7 at Grant's restaurant in Monett. All veterans are welcome. For information, call Paul at 471-271-3835. A spaghetti dinner will be offered on 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18 by Hobbs-Anderson American Legion at 717 E. Broadway. Cost is $5. Carry-outs are available...

Submitted photo Max and Aline Cole, of Monett, celebrated 64 years of marriage on April 2. They were united in marriage at the home of Rev. Alvin Erickson, of Monett, who presided over the ceremony.

A folk art basket weaving class with Paula Gillespie, will be held at the Pierce City Branch Library at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 13. Those wishing to participate must register for the class. There will be a $15 fee for materials. Scrapbookers will learn to make gift bags from seasonal papers at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at the library...

U.S. Air Force photo by Chris Cokeing Staff Sgt. Benjamin Dean, 325th Maintenance Squadron, of Monett, received an award for the 325th Fighter Wing Foreign Object Preventer of the Year. Presenting the award were: Col. Curtis Hafer, 325th Maintenance Group commander, Chief Master Sgt. ...

Submitted photo Marjorie Leah McCarthy, of Tampa, Fla., celebrated her 100th birthday on March 22, with her daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Charles Wallace, of Monett. The celebration was held on March 17.

Submitted photo LaVonna Arndt, of Monett, and Alan Arndt, of Shell Knob, announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of her daughter, Kayla Arndt, to Chris Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Billie Joe Long, of Monett. The bride-elect is a graduate of Pierce City High School is employed at the Missouri Rehabilitation Center in Mt. ...

Nola Alleace Mourglia, age 99, a lifelong resident in Monett, died on April 1, 2013 at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett. Alleace was born on July 13, 1913, the twin of Ola Berniece, to George and Charlotte (White) Williams, of Texas City, Texas. Alleace married Eugene "Moge" Mourglia on March 2, 1946. She is survived by three sons, Jon Mourglia, of Eureka Springs, Ark., Max and Debbie Mourglia, of Webb City, Mo. and Rex Mourglia, of Monett, Mo. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren...

Johnie Wilson, age 87, of Shell Knob, died at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 1. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, in Shell Knob First Baptist Church, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob. Burial with military honors will be in Painter Cemetery, Shell Knob...