Stories from Monday, February 17, 2014

reporter@monett-times.com The Aurora Police Department has issued an endangered person advisory in connection with a parental abduction that occurred at about 7:45 a.m. Monday. The victim, Danielle Monica Smith, 12, was reportedly abducted by her non-custodial parent, Andrew Smith, 46, who is driving a gray Mazda 6 with blacked out windows bearing the Texas license BT3T202. ...

Elzy Glenn Fletcher, 91, of Purdy, died Thursday, Feb. 12, at his home. Graveside services with military honors will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Dent Cemetery in McDonald County under the direction of White Funeral Home of Cassville. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. Tuesday until service time at the funeral home...

sports@monett-times.com BOLIVAR -- Two home practice are all that remain for eight Monett wrestlers as they prepare for the Class 2 state championships at the University of Missouri, beginning Thursday. "We're ready to get on the bus go to Columbia and dominate," said Daryl Bradley, Monett wrestling coach. "Our guys are performing at a high level. I am proud of this group. They work hard."...

xtimes-news@monett-times.com The number of homeless students in the Monett R-1 School District is at a five-year high. Assistant Superintendent Mike Dawson reported that the school district has 29 homeless students -- nearly double the number last year. The number has typically held at about 17...

Susan Funkhouser/Special to The Monett Times Careya Garcia, daughter of Jorge and Maria Torres-Garcia, smiled as the announcement was made before the hometown crowd on Friday night that she was the Purdy High School homecoming queen for 2014. Garcia was escorted by Alex Mareth, at left, and Andrew McCormick, at right...

reporter@monett-times.com Aldermen in Verona are considering their options for "tightening up" on delinquent sewer bills from rental customers inside the city. Verona contracts with Empire District Electric for both electric and water, while the city bills for sewer service...

reporter@monett-times.com PIERCE CITY -- Local students are gearing up to celebrate basketball homecoming with a variety of Spirit Week games and activities. The theme of Pierce City's homecoming is "Shall We Dance?" Today, students kick off the week at 7:45 a.m. with music and activities in the gymnasium. The featured event will be the photo booth, in which students can have photos taken on Monday during the lunch hour and before school on Tuesday and Wednesday...

times-news@monett-times.com New standards for when a Monett city employee could return to work following either an illness or injury has been introduced by the Monett City Council. City Administrator Dennis Pyle said the current testing policy to determine safe activity had been established in 2008. The city now works with Cox Rehab, which worked with the city's safety director in overhauling the testing procedure...

times-news@monett-times.com A new Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for Lawrence County has organized and will take on an active area role in 2014, including involvement by the City of Monett. The Barry-Lawrence County Emergency Planning District (LEPD)...

Nationally known author Jennifer Kennedy Dean will speak at the annual Women's Conference at Monett Community Church at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21; 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 22; and 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Monett Community Church, 2101 E. Cleveland in Monett. Cost is $5 per session on Friday and Saturday. Childcare for children 0-5 years of age will be provided. Those attending are encouraged to call the church at 235-6200...

composition@monett-times.com A Miller man received serious injuries in a crash at 5:25 p.m. Friday on Interstate 44 about 2.5 miles west of Republic. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the wreck occurred when a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Jeremy Samuels, 34, of Miller, struck the rear of a trailer being pulled by a 2003 Chevrolet 3500, driven by Dennis Worm, 65, of Monett...

Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com The Wheaton Historical Society gathered nearly 100 people to enjoy a Valentine's Day dinner over the weekend at the Wheaton Community Center. In addition to a meal and a drawing, a skit on romance by Lindy Lombard and Kay Hughes, shown above, and Shelley Wiseman singing "You Gotta Ring Them Bells," provided entertainment...

times-news@monett-times.com The Monett Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its Board of Directors. Four seats are open or three-year terms, plus two alternates. Leaving the board are Janell Patton, Scott Smith and Noel George. George resigned at the January board meeting to take a church post in North Little Rock, Ark. Walter Branch, the immediate past president, also steps down after serving for four years...

sports@monett-times.com SENECA -- Monett basketball coach Jeremy Land hasn't changed his postage message to his team in the last several games. "We still have a lot to play for and we can't give up," Land said. "We have to dig a little deeper to find a way to win."...

A solid second half couldn't overcome a first half slump as the Seneca Lady Indians topped Monett, 57-43 on Thursday. The Lady Cubs trailed 14-6 at the end of the first period and 28-12 at halftime. "We missed some easy buckets in the first quarter and it took us a little bit to settle down," said Monett coach Kelly George. "We came out in the second half and played much better."...

Feb. 17, 1934 Mrs. L.N. Goessy, of Kansas City, state president of the American Legion Auxiliary, will speak at the quarterly meeting of the 15th District of the American Legion and Auxiliary in Monett on Feb. 18. Between 400 and 500 Legionnaires and their families are expected to attend...

Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com A two-vehicle crash around 3:15 p.m. Thursday left a Mt. Vernon woman injured. According to a Monett police report, a GMC Sonoma, shown above, driven west on Sycamore by Dalton Dunn of Monett failed to yield and struck a GMC pickup, driven south on Ninth Street by Steven Locke of Mt. Vernon. Amanda Cottrell, a passenger in the Locke vehicle, received back injuries and was transferred to Cox Monett Hospital by Barry-Lawrence Ambulance...

Caroline Frances McNerney, age 98, went to her eternal reward on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, in her home at Mt. Vernon, Missouri. She was born Dec. 9, 1915, to Paul II and Christine (VanHatten) Probstfield, the fourth of 11 children, at Verona, MO. She attended Crescent School, Sacred Heart School and High School in Verona, where Caroline loved playing basketball and being in class plays...

Dorothy Haase, 86, of Winchester, Kan., formerly of Pierce City, died at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the F.W. Huston Senior Living Center in Winchester. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City. Burial will follow at Jolly Bethel Cemetery west of Pierce City...

Carol Jennett Dixon, 73, of Aurora, died at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. A memorial visitation service will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora. Burial will be in the Maple Park Cemetery at a later date...

Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com In what Monett's Waldensian Presbyterian Church hoped will become an annual event, the church gathered a capacity crowd for the first Waldenian Heritage Day celebration over the weekend, serving an Italian dinner and showing a film on the church's history. ...

times-news@monett-times.com Health champions have been named for each campus of the Monett School District to spearhead efforts for the district's wellness initiative Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities. The new coordinators will assist wellness director Alex Hutchings shaping the action plan under the Missouri Foundation for Health grant...

Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com Melissa Eck is the winner of The Monett Times' annual Pigskin contest, sponsored by Ball and Prier. Eck is a Sarcoxie-area native who now lives in Springfield and works as a dental hygienist at Spring View Dental Care. Eck received a 32-inch LED color TV as her prize. Asked for the secret of her success, Eck said, "Luck." The TV is presented by Jacob Brower, left, editor and publisher of The Monett Times...

Linda Mae Gulick, 74, of Wright City, formerly of Mt. Vernon, died at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at her home. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at the Round Grove Cemetery near Mt. Vernon under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home of Mt. Vernon...