Stories from Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Since the end of the four-year-old dispute over Monett's tax increment financing program, many have said there is an unspoken rift between the city of Monett and Barry County government, and this year's presiding commissioner candidates are weighing in on the issue...

A goal of the prosecuting attorney's office is to do as much as possible to stem crime, and the trio of Republican primary candidates for the Barry County office have put forward their ideas to do so. Steve Dunker, 50, of Cassville; Amy Boxx, 42, of Monett; and Matthew Weatherman, 29, of Cassville will all be on the Aug. 5 ballot, and each has a plan to slow crime in the area...

It will be business as usual in the way local law enforcement officials investigate cell phone messages and contacts held by suspects. In a unanimous decision made in late June, the Supreme Court ruled cell phone content must be protected from routine searches for information...

Group asks for donations of books, audio books, movies for library By Caitlin McKenzie The Monett Times The Purdy Friends of the Library hopes to boost awareness of the committee, as well as usership at the Purdy Branch Library, by hosting its first ever fundraiser at the Purdy Festival...

Repair work started this week on the Arkansas-Missouri Railroad line through Purdy. Mayor Steve Roden reported that since the city closed the Jefferson Street crossing for upgrades on the remaining crossings, the railroad signed a contract with Hutchens Construction of Cassville to resurface the approaches on both sides at Highway C...

Over a year after asking the Arkansas Public Service Commission to approve the 345 kV transmission line project, the Southwestern Electric Power Company has sent a letter requesting another six months to justify the need for the project. SWEPCO officials requested in the letter that the company be given until the end of January 2015 to demonstrate the need for the construction of the 345 kV project. ...

A former Marine rifleman has been hired as a patrolman with the Pierce City Police Department. Joshua Heilig, a Granby resident, is also a team leader with the Missouri National Guard, where he has served the local communities of Branson and Joplin, as well as a deployment to Guatemala for the construction of a school...

Purdy High School's principal said he is concerned that money can play a factor in whether a student can be named valedictorian or salutatorian. Bob Vice said students from wealthy families have the ability to pay for dual credit classes, which can enhance grade point averages (GPA), prompting him to propose a new ranking system...

A Golden woman was injured in a single-vehicle crash at 7:40 p.m., Tuesday, on Highway 86 about three miles east of Golden. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, the crash occurred when a 2007 Hyundai Elantra, driven by Elisha R. Field, 37, of Golden, traveled off the roadway, came to a controlled stop, began backing up, struck an embankment and then traveled forward and struck a tree...

A Cassville man sustained serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash at 12:30 a.m., Tuesday, on Highway 76, about seven miles east of Cassville. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, the crash occurred when a 2008 Hyundai Tiburon, driven by Drew D. Still, 18, of Cassville, ran off the roadway, struck a culvert and overturned several times...

Personal watercraft collide on Table Rock Lake A Towanda, Kan., teen was injured in a collision between personal watercraft at 3 p.m., Saturday, July 12, on Table Rock Lake at Owl Creek. A Missouri State Highway Patrol report indicates a 1999 personal watercraft, operated by Luke B. Salmans, 15, of Towanda, Kan., attempted to make a turn and was was struck by another 1999 personal watercraft, operated by Brandon R. Mutari, 30, of Denver, Colo., which was following Salmans...

A collision initially reported as a three-car pile-up occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday on Highway 37, just west of Farm Road 1050, east of Pierce City. According to a Pierce City Police Department report, the crash occurred when a Nissan, driven by Theresa Roberts, 77, of Pierce City, slowed to turn off the highway into a private drive and was struck from behind by a Chevrolet Corvette, driven by Arlise Lee Gideon, 74, of Pierce City. ...

Summer fun means taking advantage of refreshing evenings to get outdoors and get busy. Riding their bikes around Brite Circle in Purdy, from left, are: Audra Mahurin, age 8; James Schad, 18; Aubree Bennett, 10, and Anna-Marie Schad, 9. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com...

The Rockin' A Saddle Club's annual rodeo runs Thursday through Saturday at the Saddle Club Arena on East Church Street, next to the drive-in. Folklorist and storyteller Steve Otto will share "The Tales of the Ozarks" at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 20 for the Lawrence County Historical Society at Jones Memorial in Mt. ...