Stories from Monday, July 15, 2013

Monett Main Street has awarded the second round of grants for façade improvements on downtown buildings. Main Street's Design Committee announced the six grants at its June meeting. Under terms of the grants, Main Street provides $1,500 to building owners that submitted projects to enhance the social, cultural and environmental well-being of historic downtown Monett...

The annual Purdy Livestock Show will be held in conjunction with the Purdy Festival on Saturday, July 20. The event will be held in the air-conditioned elementary school gymnasium. Registration will be held one hour prior to the show with the exception of the hog show. Registration for the hog show will be at 7 a.m. There is no entry fee for any of the events...

MT. VERNON -- Two Lawrence County 4-H members were elected to the 2013-2014 State 4-H Council at the State 4-H Congress, held May 29 -- 31 at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Katie Pennell was elected secretary of the State 4-H Council. Pennell, the daughter of Gary and KayLynn Pennell, of Aurora, begins her final term on the council as a member of the executive committee...

Donald L. "Donnie" Powell, age 66, of Wheaton, died at 5:15 a.m. Thursday, July 11. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 14, in Wheaton Southern Baptist Church, under direction of McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton. Burial was in Rocky Comfort Cemetery...

Billy R. "Bill" Thomas, age 83, of Cassville, died at 1:52 p.m., Thursday, July 11, at Cassville Health and Rehabilitation. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, July 15, in Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. Burial, with military honors, will be in Maplewood Cemetery, Exeter...

Janie Elizabeth Walles, age 70, of Galena, formerly of Verona, died on July 11 at her home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, July 15 in Manlove-Stumpff Funeral Home in Crane. Burial will be in Spring River Cemetery in Verona.

George Nuss, age 75, of Cape Fair, died on Wednesday, July 10, at his home. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the White Funeral Home and Crematory in Cassville.

Shaylinn Chase Freeman, age 21, of Pierce City, died at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 13 at his home. Graveside funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 17 at the Pierce City Cemetery, under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home of Pierce City...

Betty Marie Burk, age 87, of Aurora, died at 2:25 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, at the Aurora Nursing Center. A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora with burial at the Maple Park Cemetery...

Mary Alice McAvoy, 56, of Creve Coeur, Mo., passed away at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2013 at the family home in Monett. Mary was born at St. Vincent's Hospital in Monett on March 28, 1957, the daughter of the late Lucille and Joseph McAvoy. Mary attended church at St. ...

EIGHTY YEAR AGO July 15, 1933 Thieves syphoned eight or nine gallons out of John Sturdivant's coupe in front of his home at 302 Euclid Ave. The gas cap was found some distance away. "At least they left enough for me to drive downtown," Mr. Sturdivant said...

Two Nixa women were hurt in a two-vehicle crash one mile east of Mt. Vernon on Interstate 44 on July 12. According to the Missouri State Highway patrol, Virginia Roberts, 80, was driving east on Interstate 44 in a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac at 5:10 p.m. ...

A sharp acrid smell outside the main building for the Monett Electric Department's fiber optics service prompted an emergency response by city crews on July 11. Utilities Superintendent Pete Rauch contacted Daryl Kelly, an independent contractor and networking specialist. Rauch figured from the smell that one of the backup USB battery units had failed, creating hydrogen sulfide gas...

Summer weather has prompted busy activity by city crews. Monett department heads provided details at the June City Council meeting. Monett Utilities Superintendent Pete Rauch reported bids for constructing the new water treatment plant on the west end of town were opened on June 4 to some consternation. Contractors quoted higher than expected prices. The low bidder, Rauch said, was $3 million over the architect's estimate. He was unable to explain why the estimate was so far off-target...

One of Monett's oldest summer traditions, the annual Jaycees Carnival, begins on Wednesday, July 17 and runs through Saturday, July 20. Rides and games will again be offered at the South Park soccer fields, off Waldensian Road. Carnival hours will be 6:30 to 10 p.m. nightly. Discounted tickets are available at Top Hat Cleaners...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The 2013 Southwest Regional Shooting Sports Contest was held July 2nd at the Andy Dalton Range located near Bois D'Arc, Mo. A total of 103 participants from 11 different counties registered and participated in 31different events...

SPRINGFIELD (AP)----A day long manhunt in western Greene County came to an end on July 11 after deputies arrested a man from rural Monett. The manhunt began early Friday when deputies tried to stop a pickup near the Bois D'Arc Conservation Area. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported Howard Perryman was taken into custody on numerous charges that include stealing farm equipment and rustling cattle...