Stories from Saturday, July 5, 2014

Ongoing efforts by the U.S. Postal Service to reduce service in the bi-county area picked up momentum this month. A meeting on a proposed reduction in hours at minimum and possible closing of the Pierce City office has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the post office at Commercial Street and Elm. The location represents an odd choice, since the post office has no meeting room for a public gathering...

Monett Main Street will hang up to 60 new banners on main Monett thoroughfares and has offered to sell space to local sponsors. The banners will be 30 inches wide and five feet long. The space under the colorful banner graphic for a sponsor's name or logo will measure 18-by-30 inches...

People interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement have the opportunity to attend a basic law enforcement academy in Mt. Vernon. The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office will host its third academy at the sheriff's office in Mt. Vernon, starting Thursday, Aug. 14...

Two people received injuries in a motorcycle crash on Highway 97, three miles north of Pierce City. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Mark Gideon, 50, of Carthage, was driving a 1999 Yamaha Road Star motorcycle north on Highway 97 at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday when his vehicle struck a deer in the roadway. Gideon and his passenger, Carla Willoughby, 39, of Greenfield, were ejected from the motorcycle...

A Barry County man received injuries in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 76 at Highway 112 in Cassville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Billy Burnette, 32, of Cassville. was driving west on Highway 76 in a 2007 Lincoln MKZ at 2:16 p.m. Wednesday. An eastbound 2013 GMC Yukon SUV, driven by John McLean, 69, of Paola, Kan., steered into the path of Burnett's car, resulting in a head-on collision...

Nobody wants to deal with a party that acts in bad faith. Yet that's exactly the concern in the minds of Pierce City residents going into meeting on Tuesday at the Pierce City Post Office. It's no secret the U.S. Postal Service wants to close offices. ...

To suggest the U.S. Postal Service was tone deaf would suggest the agency actually listens to anybody. It's pretty obvious even from out in the weeds that the postal service is going to do what it's going to do, then say it's what the public it serves wanted...

If you had the ability to create a world with more birthdays, would you do it? This year, Monett will be holding its 19th annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life to support the fight for a cancer-free world. Everyone knows someone who has battled or is currently battling cancer. ...

Monett's Windmill Ridge Golf Course will get an upgrade this fall with the installation of a brand new clubhouse and pro shop that will be located just south of the Monett Area YMCA. Justin Beck, Monett golf superintendent, said the project is much needed...

Golfer interest at Monett's Windmill Golf Course is on the rise. According to Monett Golf Superintendent Justin Beck, membership to the course is stunningly ahead of last year's pace. "We have 184 paid memberships as of June 1," Beck said. "We had 181 all last season...

Arleta "June" Baker, 73, of Mt. Vernon, died at 4:50 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, at her home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 11, at Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. Burial will follow at the Miller Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Miller. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the funeral home...

Father John A. Brath, of Ozark, former priest at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Pierce City, died June 25. Funeral Mass was held on July 1 at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Ozark. Burial was at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield.

Betty Louise Etheridge, 85, of Aurora, died at 6:05 a.m., Tuesday, July 1, at the Aurora Nursing Center. Funeral services, will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, July 3, at the Southside Baptist Church, 412 W. Hadley St., Aurora, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home...

Ordon Oliver "Sonny" Tummons, 74, of Shell Knob, died at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday, June 30. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, July 7, at Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob. Burial will be in Painter Cemetery, Shell Knob. Visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., Sunday, at Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob...

Volunteers from the Monett Knights of Columbus raised walls on the site of the newest Habitat for Humanity house at 111 E. Nellie on Saturday, June 28. Construction broke this weekend for the holiday and resume on Saturday, July 12. Volunteers from the First Baptist Church in Monett will work on that date. Contributed photo...