Stories from Thursday, April 3, 2014

A suspect in the homicide of Rebecca and Russell Porter has been found dead in Barry County. Carolyn Campbell, 59, wife of suspected homicide mastermind Robert Campbell, was found dead in her home in Purdy on Thursday morning. Carolyn Campbell was arrested on Tuesday on three counts of felony perjury relating to statements connected to the Porter homicide investigation in October 2012. ...

times-news@monett-times.com Rural Monett residents in both Barry and Lawrence counties will vote for the first time on establishing a tax supported fire district. At the present time, membership in the association costs $70 a year. Passage would establish a property tax levy with a cap of 30 cents per $100 of assessed property, both real estate and personal property. ...

Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com Final rehearsals are being held this week for the Ozark Festival Orchestra's 15th annual Young Artists concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Monett City Hall Auditorium. On Tuesday, music director Ken Meisinger led the string section through Matthew Edwards' "Concerto for Young Pianists," with a new string accompaniment created for the orchestra. ...

reporter@monett-times.com Officials with the Lawrence and Barry County health departments report seeing little impact on their businesses as a result of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The main impact on the changes in health care coverage may not be seen until later in the fall, according to Roger Brock, Barry County Health Department administrator...

times-news@monett-times.com Monett voters will be asked to approve a $6 million bond issue to make renovations at the waste treatment plant on Tuesday. Sewer rate increases phased in over three years, the last of which began on April 1, will cover the costs, meaning the election will not trigger any further increases. Approval will enable the city to borrow money at a low interest rate through the State Revolving Fund...

times-news@monett-times.com The Pierce City R-6 School District is seeking a 35-cent increase in the district's tax levy and elimination of the Proposition C property tax rollback. School officials would place the revenues in its general fund for use on teacher salaries, student programs and facility maintenance...

The Monett Special Road District will meet in regular session at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 7 in the conference room of the Monett City Hall located at 217 5th Street. The meeting is open to the public. The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. on April 21 at the First Freewill Baptist church, 107 W. Sycamore in Monett; from noon to 4 p.m...

times-news@monett-times.com Registration for the Missouri Child Identification and Protection Program (MoCHIP) will be hosted by Monett Masonic Lodge No. 129 on Saturday. MoCHIP is a comprehensive child identification and protection program designed to provide families a proactive means of preparation should their child or teen become missing. ...

sports@monett-times.com A seventh-place finish in the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) Wrestling Championships in Virginia Beach solidified Monett's Chase Brennan as an All-American wrestler. It took Brennan a few moments to find the right words to describe what becoming an All-American meant to him...

sports@monett-times.com One glance at Pierce City offensive stats paints a surprising picture. In only six games, the Eagles (4-2) have scored 65 runs, collected 51 RBI, hit 3 home runs and are batting a collective .322. Five batters are hitting above .438 in the lineup and have drawn 36 walks...

times-news@monett-times.com The Barry County Village of Emerald Beach, located west of Shell Knob on a peninsula surrounded by Table Rock Lake, is seeking an increase in its annual maintenance fee from $50 to $100. A simple majority is required for passage...

Roy Thieman, 90, of Pierce City, died at 9:31 p.m. on Sunday, March 30, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Services with full military honors will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home of Aurora. Burial will follow at the Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora...

Jean Stubblefield, 91, of Aurora, died at 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, April 1, at the Sonshine Manor in Republic. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, April 4, at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home of Aurora. Burial will follow at Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora...

John Irwin Hedrick, 80, of Monett, died at 4:40 p.m. Friday, March 28, at his home. The body has been cremated. Services will be at 7 p.m. Friday, April 4, at Ebenezer Baptist Church north of Monett under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home of Pierce City...

Nelson Eugene Lindsay, 74, of Merriam Woods, died Tuesday, March 25. Burial with military honors will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 3, at Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Springfield under the direction of Fohn Funeral Home of Shell Knob.

Submitted photo/Special to The Monett Times A total of 55 sixth through eighth grade students were named to the Purdy Middle School 100 Percent Club for the second quarter of the school year. Students qualified by completing 100 percent of assignments in core classes, earning quarterly grades no lower than a C- and avoiding detention, in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension for the entire quarter. ...

Submitted photo/Special to The Monett Times Jim Carrier has been honored for service Missouri Gas Energy Company for 50 years. Carrier started with the Gas Service Company in its Carthage division as a laborer, working out of Lockwood. He advanced through the ranks and rose to operations supervisor in October 1987 in the Monett division. ...

Submitted photo/Special to The Monett Times Students at Monett Elementary School raised $5,395.08 for the American Heart Association through their annual Jump Rope For Heart event, held March 24 through March 27. Jump Rope For Heart is a program that promotes physical activity and heart health through jumping rope. ...

Submitted photo/Special to The Monett Times Character education medal recipients for March have been named at Purdy Elementary School. Kindergarten through fourth grade teachers present a different character trait each month. At the end of the month each teacher nominates one student who best exemplifies the trait presented. ...

Submitted photo/Special to The Monett Times The following students were selected Students of the Month at Monett High School for the month of March. In the front row, from left, are: seniors Jeremy Horton and Courtney Brown, and juniors Verenice Rodriguez and George Fulton. Back row: freshmen Caytlin Conrad and Jacob Lopez, and sophomores Gunner Holloway and Torri Davis...

Sixteen Purdy High School students brought home accolades from the Ozark 7 math and science competition, held at Crowder College on March 13. Lino Perez took first place in chemistry. Claiming second place honors were Rion Boyd in physical science, Kelton Mattingly in chemistry and Haydee Ramirez in general math...

Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com Members of the Purdy Board of Education received personal framed invitations to attend the high school prom on Saturday, April 5 at the Monett Area YMCA. Student Lucas White, at right, brought the invitations to board members, which were distributed by Kayla Branstetter, prom faculty advisor, at left. ...