Stories from Friday, May 31, 2013

With the sun shining, people are coming to Broadway on Friday afternoon to take advantage of the vendors and activities scheduled for Monett's third annual Strawberry Festival. Monett Strawberry Festival update: weather has forced the street dance to be moved into the old WESTCO building on Broadway. Come on down!

Bob and Debbie Berger have begun an effort to save one of Monett's most endangered landmarks. With support from Monett Main Street and Darrin Newbold and Community National Bank, the Bergers have purchased 418, 420 and 422 E. Broadway, the complex of two-story buildings on the northwest corner of Fifth Street and Broadway...

A collision in Monett on Kyler at South Avenue, north of Highway 60, around 4:15 pm. on May 29 resulted in no injuries but prompted a response by Monett police, firefighters and a Barry-Lawrence Ambulance crew. Officers had to determine which vehicle failed to yield to traffic...

Patty Keener, age 64, of Aurora, died at 5:20 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, at her home. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, in Aurora, with burial at Osa Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 31, in the funeral home chapel...

Lorene R. Miller, age 96, of Monett, died on Wednesday, May 29, at the Maples Nursing Home in Springfield. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 2, at Buchanan Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 3, at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Monett...

Don Earl Stevens, age 57, of Cassville, died at 2:50 p.m., on Tuesday, May 28, at his home. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville.

There's something about photos of tornado damage that prompts some people to think, "Gosh, I'm thankful my yard doesn't look like that." Then, occasionally, some poeple might also think, "You know, my mess might not be very big out back, but I can do something about it."...

Dear Editor: Tolerance has almost reached its boiling point in Freistatt. How many of you would pay for a service you were not getting? And because what has happened in Freistatt could easily happen in your own town, the public needs to know what's going on in the small town of Freistatt...

She laughed to keep from crying, and it became a way of life as she enriched millions of life, including mine. Though she's been gone since April 22, 1996, Erma Bombeck lives on and will live on for generations because she not only laughed to keep from crying but she turned that laughter into words to uplift and feed the spirits of millions. ...

Monett High School Class of 1949 gathered at Grant's Restaurant in Monett over Memorial Day weekend to mark 64 years since graduation. Those attending included: Dave and Kathleen Turner, of Eagle Rock; Jack Howerton, of Carthage; Helen (Finley) and Sylvan Falmer, of Shell Knob; Delores (Huffmaster) and Charles Bertalot of Tulsa, Okla.; John Eden, of Paragould, Ark.; Marilyn (Mourglia) McKee, of Kansas City; and Jerald Cherry, of Kansas City...

Members of Monett High School Class of 1957 held their 55-year reunion on Sept. 21 and 22, 2012.

There are several new items coming to the Pierce City Branch Library. Books on CD include: "The Hit" by David Baldacci and "12th of Never" by James Patterson. New DVDs at the Pierce City Branch Library include: Dark Shadows, Fantastic 4, and The Sorcerer and the White Snake...

Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held on May 1 by the Monett Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors for Arvest Bank. Arvest acquired the Bank of America branch at 100 E. Broadway in Monett as one of its more than 260 locations. Rebecca Dunhan, sales manager, spoke prior to the ceremony, observing the branch has a strong customer base and Arvest plans to be very involved in the community...

Lydia Neher, 16, will give a clarinet recital at 3 p.m. on June 2 at the First Presbyterian Church, 700 Sycamore in Monett. Lydia is a student at Pierce City High School and attends the First Presbyterian Church in Monett. She has played with the Ozark Festival Orchestra. Lydia will perform clarinet "classics by Weber, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens, Rossini and Debussy...

Monett High School officials have released the underclassmen and subject area honors list. Students and their honors are listed below. Special Service Awards Job shadowing hours: Kyler Lemings, 144; and Hannah Curry, 113. Communication Arts Awards Advanced English I students: Jacque Ballay and Kristin Tilley...

A boys baseball tournament will be held on June 1 at The Sandlot (formerly Mickey Owen), east of Miller. Teams will include 8 and under(coach pitch), 9 and under, 10 and under, 11 and under, 12 and under, 13 and under and 14 and under divisions. Entry fee is $275 ($225 for 8 and under) and there is no gate fee. Coolers are welcome. Submit entries to www.sandlotbaseball.net. For more information, call Brad Longley at 417-466-5653...

Deer are not a common sight in the Dierker subdivision in the northeast part of Monett. Ralph and Mary K. Scott, who live on the corner of Linwood and Dierker, don't recall seeing a deer in their yard, before April 30. Neighbor Julie Patterson was driving home around 6 p.m. and spotted the doe above hung up on a fence erected by the Scotts about four years ago...

The bull is back in town to remind everyone that the Monett FFA will have its second annual Fish Fry and Craft Show on Saturday, June 1. The craft show begins at 2 p.m. and the meal will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by Neva Welters on the hammered dulcimer and Spur of the Moment will play bluegrass music...

A man from Shell Knob has been sentenced to 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections in connection with a fatal crash on Highway 39 in Barry County on July 11, 2012. Nicholas Kulhanek, 28, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. He later pleaded guilty to those charges...

Pierce City aldermen held a busy session on May 20, accomplishing a number of items on the agenda. Aldermen approved a resolution rescinding the city tax that funded the Pierce City Fire Department. The tax will end June 30. Pierce City Police Chief Mike Abramovitz requested two new tires for the police cruiser, which were approved...

Frank Washburn, at left, and Gordon Brown, right, "inspect the ducks" that will be used in the Monett Kiwanis Club's second annual Duck Race this Saturday at the Monett Strawberry Festival. Washburn is chair of this year's race and Brown is the current Monett Kiwanis president...

Deadlines have been announced for two federal farm programs available through the Farm Service Agency (FSA). For coverage under crop insurance for planting that was prevented by natural disasters, crop producers must report crop acreage that they intended to plant and the actual planting totals...

Monett Emergency Management Director Bonnie Witt-Schulte has released an updated list of storm shelters and refuge centers in the city. In Monett, one Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-rated shelter is available at the Monett Elementary School, located at 601 Learning Lane...

Voting went viral as over 18,000 votes were cast in the "AD Your Voice" student ad contest, sponsored by The Monett Times in conjunction with Drury University in Monett. Brownsberger's "Get Branded" ad won the contest, attracting 9,354 votes, with Regal Athletic's "Train like Champions" ad finishing second with 8,738 votes. The Bruner's Pharmacy ad for Mr. B's Frozen Yogurt came in third...

"I've seen ponds with clearer water," said Charles LaGarce, Monett Area YMCA aquatics director as he surveyed the muddy and murky mess that was Monett's outdoor swimming pool on Friday morning, May 31. A rainsåorm swept through the Monett area on May 30, delivering more than three inches of water that resulted in flash flooding at South Park...