Stories from Monday, June 17, 2013

A Friday afternoon in the summer became anything but lazy for Monett firefighters on June 14. A major fire erupted at the Hydro Aluminum plant in the Industrial Park around 3:45 p.m. that resulted in six fire departments responding. The fire developed in the insulation of the roof in what had been used as the paint building. Built in the mid-1980s, the structure has been out of use since October, 2012 when Hydro shut down its extrusion operations...

Pierce City High School 2013 graduate Emily Ashley signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Cottey College in Nevada. "I knew I wanted to play on the college level," said Ashley. "I didn't care what sport." Ashley lettered in softball, basketball and track for the Lady Eagles...

Groundbreaking ceremonies have been held for the seventh house that will be constructed by the Monett/Purdy affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. Family, friends, co-workers, and Habitat volunteers gathered on East Nellie Street on Sunday, June 9 for the occasion...

A Monett man is in custody following an investigation into a report of stolen property north of Purdy. According to the Barry County Sheriff's Office, John Weber, 26, was arrested at a Monett business on June 12. Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly has asked Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Johnnie Cox to charge Weber with felony receiving stolen property...

The Purdy community is preparing for the second annual Purdy Festival to be held on Saturday, July 20. The Purdy Festival committee activity schedule includes free carnival rides, water activities, petting zoo for the kids and many different types of booths set up by the local school clubs and churches...

Tom Wolfe VFW Post #4207 Ladies Auxiliary will host a luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19. The menu will include barbecued chicken, baked potatoes, baked beans, roll, salad, dessert and drink for $6. The Post is located west of Monett on Highway 60...

A one-vehicle crash occurred at 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 15 on Farm Road 2010, five miles south of Aurora. According to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when the driver of a 1996 Jeep Cherokee exited the left side of the roadway and overturned. ...

A former YMCA camp employee has been sentenced in Federal District Court in Springfield for sexually exploiting children. According to Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, Matthew O'Dell, 29, of Springfield, was sentenced on Wednesday, June 12 to 20 years in federal prison without parole. O'Dell was formerly employed at YMCA's Camp Wakonda in Lawrence County...

Participation held steady despite the poor weather leading up to the fair. More than 150 exhibitors participated in the fair and 4-H achievement day. The Fair Board extended appreciation to Carl and Marilyn Wright, of Mt. Vernon, for enabling the board to receive funds to make the building project possible. The Forest Thompson family and Roddy Mikel installed all of the electricity for the cost of materials only...

Associate Circuit Court Judge Larry Wayne Meyer, Sr., age 71, of Aurora, Mo., passed away at 8:27 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2013, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo. He was born on Jan. 6, 1942 in Mt. Vernon, Mo., the son of the late Walter and Ruby (Kirkpatrick) Meyer. On June 24, 1966, he married Sandy Smith in Little Rock Ark...

William Joseph Vincent, 75, of Lee's Summit, Mo. passed away suddenly on Sunday June 2, 2013 at Saint Luke's East. Mr. Vincent was born on April 15, 1938 in Indianapolis, Ind. He was raised in Monett, Mo., graduating from the Monett High School in 1956. He married Diana Sue Muckey on July 12, 1964. He retired from AT&T after 28 years of employment...

John Herbert Critchfield, 87, of Monett, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at Cox Monett Hospital. He was born on Aug. 25, 1925 in Geary, Okla., the son of the late Herbert and Jessie (Watson) Critchfield. He was united in marriage on Dec. 19, 1952 in Oklahoma City, Okla. to Bernice Critchfield, she survives...

Beverly Kyle passed away peacefully on June 11, 2013 in West Valley City, Utah. She was born on Oct. 5, 1932 in Denver, Colo. to LeNeve Robert and Nellie Elizabeth (Campau) Clark. Beverly is survived by her children, Debra Bailey, and her husband, Rex, Connie Kyle, James Kyle-Fisher, Linda Cole, and her husband, David, Susan Henderson, and her husband, Carl, Glenn Kyle, and his wife, Heather and Thomas Kyle, and his wife, Trischa; 30 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Donald and Robert Clark.. ...