Stories from Friday, November 15, 2013

Reports have come in of shots fired at the Price Cutter grocery store in Aurora. Scanner traffic indicates that there are two patients at the scene and that two helicopters have been dispatched to airlift patients to hospitals. No official information has been released and it is not known at this time if the alleged shooter is in custody. More information will be posted as it becomes available...

times-news@monett-times.com Final plans for to proposed performing arts center at Monett High School, combined with the new storm safe room, were shown to a public advisory committee this week. Approval for the project came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Nov. 13, the day after the public meeting. School Superintendent Brad Hanson said the announcement was expected any day...

times-news@monett-times.com The third annual Turkey Trot 5K run and one-mile walk or fun run will be held on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, at the First United Methodist Church in Monett. Last year more than 200 people participated in the run. Organizers hope to exceed that number this year...

jwhitlock@monett-times.com The Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Monett is now in its third year and will be facing some changes in the coming future. The program has been eliminated in Springfield with the resignation of the coordinator and a lack of funds to train and hire a replacement...

Monett firefighters joined Pierce City firefighters in battling a fire that destroyed the unoccupied building at 408 ½ Walnut St. in Pierce City on Nov. 13. According to Pierce City Captain Brian Jones, the building was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived and could not be salvaged. ...

In the wake of Jeff Riekhof's resignation last month after a contract dispute, Pierce City aldermen heard from Ron Greenwood of RG Utility Contracting, of Crane, concerning the wastewater treatment plant. Greenwood said the shafts at the wastewater plant had been installed but one was not working properly...

The Monett Public Works Department will begin city-wide pick-up of loose leaves on Monday, Dec. 2. Leaves must be raked to the curb. Pick-up will run from the north side to the south side of town. Crews will only pick up in the same area once. For more information, call 235-3495...

sports@monett-times.com The Monett Lady Cubs softball team had three players named to the 2013-14 Class 3 All-State softball team. Kelsey Wiseman, Ally Krueger and Abby Krueger all earned a place on the state's most prestigious team. "Receiving All-State accolades is such a big accomplishment in any sport," said Monett coach Ty Goetz. "When you get recognized by all of the Class 3 softball coaches, it shows that you are truly one of the best players in the state."...

jwhitlock@monett-times.com Apexnetwork Physical Therapy and Monett/Purdy Habitat for Humanity affiliate raised over $3,000 in the first Heroes for Habitat 5K run/walk on Oct. 26 in Monett. Winners were announced in nine age divisions. Top male finishers, ages 15 and under division: Evan Mareth, of Monett, and Caleb Lewis, of Verona; 16-29: Nathan Floyd, of Willard, and Ivan Mareth, of Carl Junction; 30-45: Mark Conner (overall winner), of Pierce City, and Nathan Wilson, of Monett; 46-60: Don Weber, of Monett and Bud Mareth, of Butler.. ...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO Nov. 15, 1933 With the installation this week of an ammoniator for the Monett water system, Monett's water system will likely be returned to the approved list of systems, according to public health engineer H.M. Bosch with the State Board of Health...

Work in continuing on the new Habitat for Humanity house in Monett on East Nellie. Volunteers finished placing 99 percent of the siding last weekend. Work begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 working on the interior. For more information about the local Habitat affiliate, call 417-461-3065...

News editor Good efforts encourage more thoughtful responses. The input sought by the City of Monett into what the public wanted in a new City Park Casino was not the first time leaders in Monett went to the residents to make sure they got it right. The effort represented a trend...

In 1963, I was too young to remember the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. And sadly, because he was a Democrat and a Catholic, two strikes against him in the conservative political environment I grew up in, I had never bothered to research his life nor politics in the years since his death...

Dean Martin Duett, age 73, of Mt. Vernon, died at 7:01 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11 at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon.

The Verona Tillers 'n' Toilers Garden Club recently completed a community service project for the Verona community. Club members gathered historic photos of the town and Verona area, collected them into five large framed collages and presented them for permanent display at Verona City Hall. ...

A plaque acknowledging the Tillers 'n' Toilers Garden Club photo project "Scenes of Early Verona" was presented with the photos to Verona city officials. Pictured, from left, are: City Clerk Julie Ruscha accepting the plaque, and club committee members who worked on the project, Jane Johnson, John Archer and Betty Rumsey...

Donnie Craft, president of the Verona R-7 Board of Education, was honored at the Celebration of Schools for his 27 years of service as a school board member. The Celebration of Schools was hosted by the Southwest Center for Education Excellence. The event took place at MSSU on Monday, Nov. 11. The keynote speaker was Governor Jay Nixon...

The Verona R-7 School District honored Veterans' Day and the men and women who have died defending the nation by raising funds for military veterans and their families. On Nov. 6, teachers took part in the fourth annual "Jeans For Troops" fundraising drive. The effort benefited the GI Go Fund, an nonprofit organization that helps veterans returning home find employment, go to college, access their health care and financial benefits, and link to housing...

The Purdy High School Music Department will perform the hit Broadway musical, "Bye Bye, Birdie" on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. Both performances will be held in the elementary gym and are free to the public. Set in the early years of the Vietnam War, "Bye-Bye Birdie" sings the tale of Conrad Birdie, the era's biggest rock-and-roll star. ...

Monett Elementary School has announced Students of the Week for Oct. 28. Pictured above, from left, are: Truman Zinn, Zavior Shepley and Ana Ugalde. Not present for the picture were: Jessi Gonzalez, Dyson Cutbirth, Mia Granados, Carley Preston and Mehki Watson...

The Monett Intermediate School has announced fifth grade Cubs of the Month for October. Pictured above, from left, are: Diego Soriano, Parker Ticknor, Hailen Gudgell, Natalie Turner, Sydney Parrigon, Giselle Hernandez, Vianey Rodriguez and Melanie Cruz...

The Monett Intermediate School has announced sixth grade Cubs of the Month for October. Pictured above, from left, are: Rebecca Allen, Raina Good, Shotsie Denton, Ashley Kurima, Teigan Cook, Gunnar Bradley and Duncan Waltrip.