Stories from Thursday, June 27, 2013

News editor Next week is Monett's biggest party, the Fourth of July at South Park. It's a time to celebrate being in Monett and enjoying what our country has to offer. The Fourth of July celebration offers so much in a seemingly seamless package that it feels like a party that runs itself. ...

reporter@monett-times.com Cox Monett Hospital is taking a pro-active stance on emergency preparedness. In the business of dealing with emergencies on a daily basis, officials at the facility have taken another step to-ward preparing for disaster or mass care scenarios. Heidi Clark, house supervisor and emergency preparedness coordinator for Cox Monett Hospital said the facility has a 98 completion percentage to have all employees trained in emergency response...

times-news@monett-times.com Plans are complete for Monett's Fourth of July celebration. Planned on the nation's birthday, festivities will last throughout the day at Monett's South Park. Activities will get underway at 11 a.m. as the Monett Lions Club sells its barbecued chicken dinners from the cooking pavilion, next to the City Park Casino. ...

times-news@monett-times.com Preparations for the 2013-14 school year provided focus points for the Verona Board of Education during the May and June board meetings. Board members approved several late resignations, which included Courtney Mills, kindergarten teacher, Chasity Vangunda, agriculture teacher and Chelsea Vieceli, the high school language arts and yearbook sponsor. Donna Higginson left her junior high science position to retire...

reporter@monett-times.com A suicide awareness and prevention fundraiser to benefit the D and JH Foundation will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 29 at the CCC Park and Pavilion on Highway YY in Shell Knob. The foundation, started by Teresa Velat in 2011, hopes to spread awareness of suicide among young people and methods of prevention, along with access to resources for those battling with mental illness...

Times Photo by Melonie Roberts Approximately 107 bikers participated in the sixth annual Tour de Monett fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis on Saturday, June 22. Riders had the option of riding a 40, 62 or 100-mile loop, starting from the Monett Area YMCA on Highway 60, south of Monett. Event organizers had several checkpoints along the routes, offering water, snacks and respite from the heat. There was also Support and Gear (SAG) vehicles assist riders suffering exhaustion or mechanical problems...

community@monett-times.com Forty-eight people gave blood at the American Red Cross blood drive held on June 17 at the New Site Baptist Church in Monett. Donna Beckett, bloodmobile chairman, noted that Eileen Greer reached the six-gallon mark. Schreiber Foods provided cheese for the donors, and Ramey's Supermarket provided the soda pop...

Community Blood Centers of the Ozarks will host blood drives on June 28 in Mt. Vernon, from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at the Justice Center, 240 N. Main, and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Lawrence County Manor, and in Monett on July 1, from noon to 5 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1706 N. Ninth St...

Photo courtesy of LaDonna McVay Photography The Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League team sponsored by Bruners Pharmacy is pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Jacob Ingle, Trevor Moore, Dale Slater, Dalton Grant, David Amos, Bradden Smith and Dakota Hamm. Second row: Josh, Luke Allcock, Nick Pilkenton, Marcus Isbell, Ethan Berry, Alejandro Groomer, Luis Salas and Austin Misener. Third row: coaches Jason Ingle, David Moore and Evan Slater...

Photo courtesy of LaDonna McVay Photography The Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League team sponsored by Bell and Associates is pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Addison Sustaita and Karlee McCallister. Second row: Kenna Schatte, Maddie Metlach, Adyson Washick, Jayden Hohensee and Jordan Cole. Third row: Kailyn Cendroski, Abby Apostol, Molly Poole, Kimmy Long and Victoria Gutierrez. Fourth row: Cale Cendroski and Lance Mettlach...

Photo courtesy of LaDonna McVay Photography The Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League team sponsored by American Family Insurance is pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Dakoda Jensen, David Southard, Samuel Pinkley, Ethan Harrison and Heisman Welch. Second row: Brayden Tucker, Charles Ortwein, Gage Depee, Evan Witt and Alex Huntress. Third row: coaches Keith Southard and Nick Witt...

Photo courtesy of LaDonna McVay Photography The Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League team sponsored by Architectural Systems Inc. is pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Addi Branch, Jacob Hinkle, Sean Lechner, Alexis Doty and Jacob McCall. KaLeah Cohen, Parker Messer, Owen Thomas, Caiden Doty and Jesse Hinkle. Third row: coaches Bill Stonebreaker, Walter Branch and William Stonebreaker...

Submitted photo Purdy Elementary Girls fast-pitch softball team, for girls ages 10 and 11, finished an undefeated season with first place victory at Triway tournament, where 13 teams competed. Team members, front row from left, are: Faith Coscia, Mackenzie Fuller, Lauren Schallert, Kinsley Mattingly and Shelby Haskins. ...

TOP PICKS 1. The Monett Freedom and Fireworks celebration on July 4 begins with Lions Club barbecued chicken sales at 11 a.m. and closes with fireworks at Monett's South Park at 9:15 p.m. Bands begin at 3 p.m. and include Lain'z Hot Rod Gang, Rise of the Condemned and Felonious Monk. Those attending should bring lawn chairs...

Submitted photo The Pierce City Senior Citizens organization received a grant for $3,300 from Ozarks Food Harvest to purchase a new double-wide freezer. Senior center directors plan to purchase and store more food at better prices, especially meat, because of the freezer. ...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO June 27, 1933 Monett's need for a new post office building was the subject of a petition being circulated in Monett by a number of business men. The agitation for a new post office building has been carried on for a long period of years...

Brent Lee Gosnell, age 47, of Shell Knob, died at 3:47 a.m. on Monday, June 24. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob.

Earl "Bud" Walter Berry of Purdy, Mo., passed away on Thursday, June 6, 2013 in his home. He was born on Nov. 27, 1937 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, son of Walter and Thelma (Black) Berry. Bud is survived by his fiancée, Judy LeMaster of the home; three daughters, Cassie Brewer, of Purdy, Jolene Berry, of Cassville and Susan Oden; and two sons, Danny Berry, of Iowa and Davåid Berry, of Willard Mo.; three sisters, Donnis Smith, Jolene Joyner, and Connie Otto; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. ...

community@monett-times.com Lt. Col. Maella Blalock, lead instructor of the Scott Regional Technology Center JROTC program, will relocate to Clinton High School for the 2013-14 school year. "It is kind of poetic justice that I am even here," said Blalock. "I was a music major and I was suppose to student teach in Monett and at the last minute there was an opening in the Springfield school system."...