Stories from Friday, January 3, 2014

Advertising for contractors to build the new performing arts center at Monett High School and the new FEMA storm safe room at Monett Middle School will begin by mid-January, bringing closer the awarding of contracts. According to Pam Crawford, architect with Sapp Design Associates, bidders for the multi-million-dollar projects will begin in the next two weeks. The school district should receive bids in early February, setting up a bid opening in mid-February...

Mike Baldus, executive director of Lacoba Homes in Monett, will be the speaker at the Monett Kiwanis Club at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at Happy House restaurant. The Pierce City R-6 Board of Education will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9 to discuss a tax levy increase proposed for the April 8 ballot. The meeting will be held in the superintendent's office conference room...

A natural gas leak at Madison Street in Aurora, next to the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks, prompted a response by Aurora firefighters and Missouri Gas Energy (MGE) on Thursday. According to Jenny Gobble, spokeswoman for MGE, a third-party contractor around 10:30 a.m. hit the gas line, which turned out to be a 1/8-inch service line to a single commercial customer. MGE turned off the gas line and proceeded to make repairs over the noon hour...

It may come as no surprise to some, but the numbers of flu cases in Barry County are on the rise. According to Roger Brock, Barry County Health Department administrator, the department has seen 20 confirmed flu cases in the past two weeks -- the majority of which has been Influenza A, which is part of the vaccination this year...

Several efforts within the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library have accompanied the roll-out of e-books on Jan. 1. Lee Ann Rosewicz, who has switched from children's librarian at the Monett Branch to computer technician, visited each branch to provide basic training to the staff...

After 30 years working for the U.S. Postal Service, Mike Wilks of Monett has retired. Wilks, known to neighborhood youngsters as the man who would hand out suckers when they stopped into the local post office, said one of the things he will miss the most is seeing local children...

Christmas is over and the decorations put away, but there is one thing many households still have to determine -- how to dispose of their cut Christmas tree. Wickman Garden, located on Highway 60 in Monett, will accept trees for recycling through Jan. 13...

A Monett man was hurt in a collision between a pickup truck and a bicycle this week. Monett police say James Meehan, 60, was riding his bicycle ay Highway 37 and Hazel when he reported being struck by a passing pickup truck at about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday. Two motorists reported almost striking the bicycle after the incident, before noticing Meehan on the ground...

College football is exciting and unique. The rivalries, marching bands, cheers and legendary stadiums give the game its own flavor. Fans' obsession with "their team" has driven them to deface opponent's property, kill trees, kidnap mascots and try to persuade (monetarily) athletes to attend their school...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO Jan. 3, 1934 Pearl Moorman, technician in Freeman Hospital in Joplin, a former school girl in Monett, has become famous. By many years of study and experimentation, she has perfected a new hypodermic which promises to call back from the verge of death persons suffering from too much alcohol, drowning, electric shock, surgical shock and asphyxia...

Dear Editor: Within the last few weeks, the Monett Post Office has posted on the outside mail boxes and on the inside of the post office where letters are mailed that the last pick-up of mail is at 2 p.m. Although the last mail pickup is still at 5 p.m., the 2 p.m. time is expected to be in effect within a few weeks when mail is no longer worked in Springfield but taken to Kansas City to be sorted...

As 2014 begins, the Monett City Council has started work on its budget for 2014-15. The city has done a remarkable job addressing long-running problems. There are a few more to do. One that will get significant attention in the coming year is patching up those old sewer mains. When it comes to out-of-sight, out-of-mind, there's nothing quite as easy to forget as an underground sewer line...

Midweek snow may have slowed activity around Monett on Thursday, but not crews from the Monett Electric Department. According to Aaron Burdett, foreman, electric crews take out the photo cells in the street lamps while the Festival of Lights is underway so that the displays can be seen better...

MONETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Monday -- Breakfast: French toast sticks, breakfast calzone, cereal or oatmeal. LUNCH: 1. Cheeseburger. 2. BBQ beef on a bun. 3. Turkey chef salad. Tuesday -- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, yogurt, cereal or oatmeal. Lunch: 1. Chicken strips. 2. Three cheese grilled cheese sandwich. 3. Fajita chicken salad...

Sister Josephine H. Fenske, age 82, of Pierce City, died on 11:11 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Cox Monett Hospital. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Pierce City. Burial will follow in the church cemetery, under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home of Pierce City...

Lydia Marie Beavers, age 52, of Mt. Vernon, died at 10:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, in Mt. Vernon. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. Burial will follow at Summit Cemetery in Mt. Vernon. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at in the funeral home chapel...

Charles Francis Moore, age 93, of Aurora, died at 5 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013 at the Ozarks Methodist Manor in Marionville. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral in Aurora.

Upcoming programs at the Pierce City Branch Library include: weaving and spinning, folk art, with Marion Williams, at 1;30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14; and watercolor painting with Alexander Murphy, at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21. New adult fiction titles include: "Brazen" by Kelley Armstrong; "Command Authority" by Tom Clancy; "Hunted" by Karen Robards; "Innocence" by Dean Koontz; "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Retribution: a new Jason Bourne novel" by Eric Lustbader; "Sabrina's Man" by Gilbert Morris; and "No Escape, a large print edition by Mary Burton.. ...

Members of the Dorcas Ladies Aid met on Dec. 5 in the Fellowship Hall at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freistatt with Judy Lehde, president, welcoming 15 members. Following the business meeting, cards were signed for Selma Kleiboeker, Pearl Lampe, Anne Teslchow, Erna Schoen and Esther Holle...

In honor of their 50th wedding anniversary, a reception will be held for Daniel and Carolyn Carr from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Halltown Baptist Church. Daniel F. Carr and Carolyn C. Chapman were united in marriage on Jan. 11, 1964, by the groom's father, the Rev. Francis Carr. The couple has two children, Tracy D. Carr, of Owasso, Okla., and Gail M. Carr, of Everton. They couple has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Friends and family members are invited to attend...

A new pastor has been signed to lead the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Monett. Richard Francis Virnig of Ash Grove has agreed to serve the church as its official part-time pastor. The church voted earlier in 2013 to switch from a full-time pastor to a part-time minister...

The recent ice on that lingered until Christmas left striking visuals around Monett. One scene, pictured above, was found on Farm Road 2170, north of Verona, where a canopy of trees extending around a mile sheathed the roadway.

The Purdy High School chapters of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Family, Career and Consumer Leaders of America (FCCLA) joined forces first semester to plan and implement several activities in conjunction with the Battle of the Belt program sponsored by Missouri Department of Transportation. According to the MoDOT website, "Battle of the Belt is a safety belt competition between Missouri high schools to encourage the use of safety belts among students."...