Stories from Wednesday, June 5, 2013

"A great spirit." "His generosity can't be beat." "He was the Santa Claus of the town." These were just some of the tributes offered by Monettans as they remembered Linn Thornton, who died from cancer at age 78 on June 2. A significant figure in the Monett community for over 30 years, Thornton was closely associated with Christmas. ...

Monett High School's Michael Morley knew his sports options were limited because of his physical size in high school. After an eighth grade meeting where all the high school coaches made their pitches to gain new athletes, Morley decided to give cross-country a shot. That decision paid dividends as the Cubs' thin clad inked a national letter of intent to run for Southwest Baptist University next year...

Monett senior Mackenzie Ast signed a letter of intent to dance for Northeastern Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanics Junior College (NEO A&M) in Miami, Okla. Ast becomes the first member of Monett's talented Pizzazz Poms history to receive a collegiate dancing scholarship...

Times Photo by Jared Lankford Getting ready. Monett High School football coach Chad Depée surveys and encourage his West All-Star team during a practice on June 4. Depée is the head coach for the Grin Iron Classic to be held at JFK Stadium in Springfield on June 7...

"Giving your best is greater than being the best," is a mantra that Christin Janssen preaches to her swimmers every year. Being a member of the Monett WaterThrashers is about more than winning medals, winning races, and setting records. "It is our goal to have swimming be a tool that prepares these kids for real life as they learn integrity, honesty, perseverance, self-discipline, and respect," Janssen emphasized. ...

The 12th annual Sertoma Grin Iron Football Classic are slated for Friday, June 7, at JFK Stadium at Parkview High School in Springfield, will have a decidedly local flavor. The 2013 game features 90 athletes and 16 coaches from southwest Missouri. Participants were selected by the Southwest Missouri High School Football Coaches Association...

Monett senior basketball player Kyle Woods signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Missouri Valley College, in Marshall next year. "Playing college ball was always one of my goals," said Woods. "I love the game of basketball and hope my knowledge of the game will serve me well in college."...

Construction is underway to complete a 6,000 square foot expansion at the Monett plant of International Dehydrated Foods (IDF). The project involves a two- story concrete addition on the front of the plant. According to Mike Scabarozi, IDF vice president of manufacturing, the first floor will include the main office, reception, and test kitchen area. ...

Board of Trustee members in Freistatt heard numerous complaints over the lack of progress by the U.S. Postal Service installing cluster boxes during the May board meeting. A lease for village land next to the Freistatt Community Center was approved at the board's April meeting and faxed to an official in the state of California, as instructed. Clerk Deborah Schoen reported the only response since that time is that the Postal Service has "hired an architect" for the project...

Ribbon cutting ceremonies were recently held for the new playground equipment secured for the city park in Purdy. The project, spearheaded by the Purdy Renewal Project, received volunteer assistance financial support from the Purdy Youth Empowerment and Leadership Project and the Purdy R-2 School District, each of which provided a $1,000 grant, and the Robert and Frances Chaney Family Foundation, which provided a $3,700 grant. Frances Chaney was on hand to cut the ribbon...

Local volunteers and landowners are needed for the Table Rock Lake Water Quality's (TRLWQ) inaugural snapshot sampling of Roaring River Watershed, which will be conducted on Saturday, June 15. "The Roaring River Watershed has excellent volunteers and partners to work with for this pilot project," Tammy Trantham, TRLWQ education and outreach director. "The goal of TRLWQ is to conduct other snapshot sampling events on other tributaries to Table Rock Lake with the success of this event."...

A Pierce City man was injured in a two-vehicle crash that occurred at 5:35 p.m. on Monday, June 3 on Highway 60 about seven miles east of Granby. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when the driver of a 2004 Honda Shadow motorcycle, Justin D. Medley, 31, of Pierce City, stopped in traffic to make a turn and was struck from behind by a 1993 Nissan pickup, driven by Chad W. Blanchard, 33, of Granby. Blanchard was not wearing a seat belt...

The New Liberty Methodist Church will hold its 17th annual Ice Cream Social from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Live gospel music and grilled food will also be available. The church is located two miles east of Monett, south of Highway 60 on Highway Z...

With summer upon us, Monett Police Department officials are offering tips for residents and business owners to help protect their homes and property. "Drivers need to remember with school out and warm weather upon us, children will be outside riding bikes and playing," said Jay Jastal, school resource officer. ...

Preparations are underway for Monett's annual July 4th celebration. The Freedom and Fireworks Committee has announced plans to hold the annual event on Thursday, July 4 at Monett's South Park. The day-long festivities will kick off with the Monett Lions Club's barbecued chicken dinner sales at 11 a.m. Vendors will open booths beginning at 2 p.m...

Linn Owen Thornton, 78, of Monett entered into eternal rest on Saturday June 1, 2013 at his home in Monett. He was born December 11, 1934 in Cape Fair, Mo., the son of the late Clarence and Ruth (Wells) Thornton. He was united in marriage to Geraldine Swafford on May 24, 1954 and she preceded him in death on February 29, 2000. He was later united in marriage to Anna Parmley on Sept. 6, 2008, in Pine Ridge, Mo, she survives...

Lois Derr, age 94, formerly of Aurora, Mo. and formerly of Monett, Mo., passed away Friday, May 31, 2013 at Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia, Mo. She was born on June 4, 1918, near Dunnegan, Mo., a daughter of James and Eunice (Goodrich) Goodwin...

Herbert "Allen" Henderson, age 54, of Pierce City, Mo., died Sunday, June 2 at his home following a lengthy illness. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 8 at the Breshear's Memorial Chapel in Brunswick, Mo. under the direction of Breshear's Memorial Chapel...

Kathy Ellen "Kathy" Root, age 43, of Verona, formerly of Marshall, died at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 2 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. A private family memorial will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the family in care of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora,...

Roy Leonard Thurman, age 88, of Shell Knob, died at 5:45 a.m., Monday, June 3 at his home. Visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday, June 6 in Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob. Burial will be Friday in Painter Cemetery in Shell Knob.

There are four new water features at the Monett Municipal Pool this year. Three of the features, the Wibit Hand, Wibit Wiggle Bridge and a floating slide, were all purchased through the funds from an anonymous donor. The three commercial grade inflatables will hold several people at one time...

Some mornings don't start as well as others. Vicki Thomas, who lives at 112 W. Cleveland in Monett, awoke at 3:15 a.m on June 3 to the sound of a big crash overhead. "It was as loud as a shotgun blast," Thomas said. In daylight, Thomas investigated and found a large section of a tree from the adjacent property had fallen onto the house, damaging the roof over three rooms...

Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has scheduled road maintenance in Barry and Lawrence counties for the month of June. Barry County Route Z, between Highways 60 and 39 east of Monett, will be sealed with a mixture of rock and oil on Tuesday, June 11 and Wednesday, June 12...