Stories from Friday, May 2, 2014

SPRINGFIELD -- A Stella man has pleaded guilty in federal court to transporting a minor across state lines for illicit sex in a case investigated by the Cassville Police Department. Tong Yang, 45, of Stella, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charge contained in a Jan. 21 federal indictment...

For exceeding her goal by the highest percentage in April, Sheila Harris, account executive for The Monett Times, got to put a pie in the face of Editor and Publisher Jacob Brower outside of the newspaper's Broadway Street office Friday. Harris exceeded her goal by 30 percent. To advertise in The Times or make suggestions for future sales "incentives", people may contact Marketing Director Lisa Craft at community@monett-times.com, or 417-235-3135...

Spring moves into all its glory in May, especially as the crabapples and redbuds burst into flower at Monett's South Park. Calendar girl Madeleine Weber adds an extra dash to the landscape, having run it often over the past four years as a cross country star at Monett High School. ...

reporter@monett-times.com School officials at the Purdy School District are reviewing policies and procedures for staffers having to implement disciplinary measures toward students. In the aftermath of a child allegedly receiving injuries when a school counselor attempted to restrain him earlier this week, the boy's mother, Amy Liggett, took to social media with the story...

reporter@monett-times.com Officials with the Missouri Emergency Response Commission have tentatively approved a distribution of assets between Barry and Lawrence counties as a result of the dissolution of the Local Emergency Planning District. The district was originally formed between Barry and Lawrence County partners under the direction of the late Gene Mulvaney, former Monett city emergency management director, who died June 28, 2008...

reporter@monett-times.com Employees with the city of Verona were recently awarded raises by aldermen, which were made retroactive to April 1. Rick Wright, who provides maintenance and animal control, received a 75-cent per hour raise, bringing his hourly earnings to $11.75. Wright was hired in April 2011...

reporter@monett-times.com Graduates at Scott Regional Technology Center in Monett were honored this week with ceremonies marking their accomplishments. Students were recognized for placing in district and regional SkillsUSA or DECA competitions, obtaining national career readiness certificates, and received scholarships from various organizations...

reporter@monett-times.com Approximately $30,000 in grant requests have been awarded to agencies assisting Lawrence County clients with developmental disabilities. The Lawrence County Tax Board for the Developmentally Disabled has approved two grant requests from the Monett Area Workshop totaling $3,673.36. ...

Alice Sommers will offer a program on the Wonderful World of Honey Bees at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 10, at the Mt. Vernon Branch Library, located at 206 W. Water St. She will explain the world of bees, their perils, promoting a bee-healthy environment and the basics of hive management. The program is free to attend...

sports@monett-times.com What do the Monett, Mt. Vernon, Carl Junction and East Newton baseball teams all have in common? Give up? They all are tied for first place in the Big 8 Conference title race. Mt. Vernon, which has already defeated East Newton and Monett, lost its undefeated record and subsequent title bid on Tuesday with a 14-5 loss to Carl Junction -- the same Bulldog team that fell to Monett 10-0 last Friday...

sports@monett-times.com "Underweight, undersized but undeterred," are some of the words that Monett athletic director Daryl Bradley has used to describe Chase Brennan. The Monett senior wasn't blessed with a large frame or great height. When one thinks of Division 1 athletes, he doesn't fit the mold...

favorite at Kentucky Derby Monett resident Jane Rogers' Thoroughbred Wicked Strong will race out of the No. 20 starting gate in Saturday's 140th running of the Kentucky Derby. Wicked Strong is an 8-1 favorite to win the race. The Kentucky Derby will broadcast at 5:24 p.m. on NBC...

Robert Miles Nevin, age 96, passed away on April 25, 2014 at Cox Monett Hospital in Monett, Missouri following a brief illness. He was born in Pittsburg, Kansas to John Andrew Nevin and Ruth Loring Hartzell on April 17, 1918, where he later graduated from Pittsburg State University, then known as Kansas State Teachers College...

Jean Marie Erickson, 75, of Mt. Vernon, formerly of Des Moines, Iowa, died at 6:22 p.m. Monday, April 28, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home of Mt. Vernon. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. at the funeral home...

Diane Michelle Litzsinger, 59, of Shell Knob, died at 6:19 a.m. Monday, April 28. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, May 2, in Fohn Funeral Home of Shell Knob.

Fifteen Monett High School band students are traveling this weekend to Columbia to perform at state level competition. In the front row, from left, are: Shelby Bennett, Jacob Furry, Emmy Mosier, Kristen Buck, Aaron Morley and Kenny Mobley. In the back row: Cristin Jones, Alex Ragsdale, Chance Gray, Valentin Vizcaino, Sarah McCullough, Jamie Salas, Chris Dunaway and Samuel Tolliver. ...