Stories from Monday, December 2, 2013

Alex Hutchings and Patty Bounous have started their work on the $125,000 grant to make Monett R-1 School District students more health. Hutchings is the full-time new wellness coordinator hired to direct activities under the grant through he Missouri Foundation for Health. Bounous is the part-time community partner working with her. Both have an office at the Monett Intermediate School and will work to secure approval for Monett to receive renewal of the grant over a five-year period,...

One person received minor injuries in a two-vehicle crash on Business Highway 60, three miles east of Monett at 6:50 a.m. on Nov. 27. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, David L. Luebbering, 42, of Verona, was driving east in a 2004 Ford pickup when he slowed the vehicle to make a turn. ...

December brings all the joys of the holiday season. Calendar girl Brianna Morris, whose birthday falls on Dec. 24, found plenty of holiday wonderment at the V.B. Hall Antique Warehouse in Monett. The daughter of Ken and Delorris Morris, Brianna has been a busy senior at Monett High School. ...

The Ozark Festival Orchestra will present its Christmas concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Monett City Hall Auditorium. This will be the second concert in the OFO's 34th season. Under the baton of music director Ken Meisinger, the orchestra will play a concert of traditional music of the season, including sing-along carols with audience participation...

Shoppers got to have their Black Friday fun and a spree on Thanksgiving day in Monett. According to the shoppers themselves, there was plenty of adventure to be had. "It's entertainment," said Joey Coatney, who joined the crowds at the Monett Walmart, which served as Ground Zero for the Thanksgiving night shopping experience...

Area residents are invited to join the Friends of Jolly Mill for their annual Christmas Open House from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 7. Santa will be on hand each night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. to visit with children and have pho-tos taken...

The Monett Senior Center, located at 405 Dairy St., will host its monthly dance at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2. Evelyn Lock and the Outriders will provide live music. Admission is $3 per person. Participants are urged to bring food for a pot luck and finger food feast at the break...

The Purdy Eagles' fullcourt pressure forced 21 turnovers and Brent Cornman scored a game high 19 points to lead the Eagles to a 49-46 win over Greenwood in the basketball season opener on Nov. 26 The night started out well for Purdy as the Eagles took a quick 4-0 lead on a pair of free throws from Alex Mareth and a jumper from Cornman...

All six high school football classes of Missouri concluded their seasons with the annual Show-Me Bowl Championship games in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis on Nov. 29 and 30. Three teams with local ties and two from the Big 8 Conference competed in prep football's most prestigious event...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO Dec. 2, 1933 Nineteen men, with a total of 113 dependents, received relief through jobs offered improving the Junior Chamber of Commerce's athletic field. The men are paid 45 cents per hour and work five days a week. The men were urged to cash their checks as soon as possible as the procedure for replacing a lost check would be complicated and lengthy...

Mary Ann Morgan, 61, Springfield, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 in Mercy Hospital. She was born Nov. 4, 1952 to Gordon and Darlene Berger. She was preceded in death by her father, Gordon Berger and brother, Harvey Berger. She is survived by her two sons, Jeffery Danhauser and Gregory Danhauser; her mother, Darlene Berger and five sisters, Jean Berger, Cecilia Blinzler, LaRita Decker, Irene Berger and Della Tourville...

Beverley Anne Garringer, age 80, of Lamar, passed away Monday, Nov. 25, 2013 at Barton County Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 at Daniel Funeral Home in Lamar, where the family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m. until service time. Burial will be in Lake Cemetery,, under the direction of Daniel Funeral Home, o\f Lamar...

David I. Huffman, age 81, of Monett, died on Saturday, Nov. 30. Services are pending under the direction of Buchanan Funeral Home in Monett.

Keith Hamilton Stephens, Sr., age 90, of Mt. Vernon, died at 12:05 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Mt. Vernon Place Care Center. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. with burial at the Monett IOOF Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, prior to the service...

Fern Swisher, age 79, of Monett/Pierce City, mother of Fern Weston, of Pierce City, died at 1 a.m. on Nov. 30 at Lacoba Homes in Monett. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2 at Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City. Funeral services will be held Friday at the Guckin Funeral Mansion in Philadelphia, Penn., with burial in the Greenmount Cemetery in Philadelphia...

Walter "Ralph" Daniel, age 71, of Cassville, died at 2:44 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Decl. 3 in Muncie Chapel Cemetery in Wheaton, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, of Cassville. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2 at McQueen Home, in Wheaton...

William "Skinny" Cornell, age 94, of Verona, died at 3:25 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29 at his home. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with burial at the Mt. Vernon City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, in the funeral home chapel...

Around 100 people participated in the annual Thanksgiving dinner for the public on Nov. 28 at the VFW Post, located on Highway 60, west of Monett. Diners had a sit-down dinner with fellowship for the occasion.

Prices at the Show-Me-Select bred heifer sales Nov. 15 in Joplin stayed high right until the very end of the sale according to Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension. "You know it was a good Show-Me-Select bred heifer sale when the last heifer in the sale tops with a bid of $2,700," said Cole...

Members of the Pierce City R-6 School Board recognized Shania Hogan during their November meeting for her excellent performance for taking fifth place nationally for showing cattle. Hogan also took second place in sweepstakes at a Springfield cattle show and first place in state competition...