Stories from Saturday, July 26, 2014

Between flurries of activity last Saturday at the Purdy Festival, some of the organizers expressed a tinge of disappointment that the crowd was not bigger. Indeed, in its third year, the festival seemed to have a bit smaller crowd, fewer vendors in the craft show and fewer booths in the not-for-profit section...

Tiffany Grace Morris and Brandon Lee Williams announce their engagement and upcoming wedding on Aug. 2.

Carl and Charlotte Tilley, of Monett, will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 7.

A concert by Brian Arnold, known as "America's favorite one-handed pianist," will be given as part of a special service at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2 at the Body of Christ Outreach Center, 501 S. Gillman St. in Wheaton.

Officers at Tom Wolfe Memorial Post No. 4207, Veterans of Foreign Wars, have taken office for the coming year.

Air Force Airman Kelly D. Martin graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills...

The Monett FFA collected donations and supplies for the mid-year Shoeboxes for Soldiers drive.

A member of the Monett-Pierce City Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has returned home after serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Julia Willis, 24, comes from a large family of 14 siblings. Her younger sister, Jessica, is also a missionary in South Carolina. Three years ago only 13 percent of the 85,000 Mormon missionaries were women. Today 30 percent of Latter-day Saint missionaries are young women...

The Monett Rural Fire District board will hold its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29 at Huffmaster Insurance, Seventh and East Cleveland in Monett. The Lesters will appear in concert at 8:20 and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 27 at the First Baptist Church in Monett...

Pierce City artist Becky Golubski was a featured artist at the American Kennel Club's Museum of the Dog on June 28 and 29 at Queeny Park in St. Louis. Golubski took eight pet portraits, plus prints and cards, for display. The Museum of the Dog has been in St. Louis since 1990. Golubski received a letter in February offering artists the opportunity to show there and sent in her application...

One of the most popular innovations during Summer School in the Monett School District was the Morning Mile, one of the activities introduced through the Missouri Foundation for Health. Students and teachers walked the Morning Mile at 7:15 a.m. at Monett Elementary and at 7:45 a.m. at Monett Intermediate School. Participation started off with a few people, but the numbers increased daily...

Law enforcement personnel in Purdy are seeking information on the identity and location of a suspect wanted for questioning in connection with cashing stolen checks at a chain store retailer in southwest Missouri. Jackie Lowe, Purdy police chief, said a woman and two male subjects had stolen a box of checks from a residence in Purdy and had subsequently cashed several at Walmart stores in Monett, Springfield and Nixa in April. The men have subsequently been identified...

Crews for Crossland Heavy Construction crossed off one of the biggest parts in the building of the new water treatment plant in Monett on Wednesday. They lifted the 91,000-pound, high-pressure pump building into place, setting it on 12 ground-level pipes...

One month after passing a smoking ban in city buildings and North Park, except in designated areas, the Monett City Council returned to the issue in July. The latest revisions also ban the use of electronic cigarettes, as well as traditional tobacco products...

Lawrence County Republicans will choose between four candidates on Aug. 5 in selecting a nominee to run for the Division 2 associate judge seat, replacing Samuel Jones, who retired after serving the last four years. Candidates in the Republican primary include: Shara Martin, of rural Aurora; Bryan Berry, of Mt. Vernon; Robert George, of Aurora; and Stacy Tomlin, of Aurora...

Wicked Strong, the 3-year-old thoroughbred colt co-owned by Monett's Jane Rogers, races today in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at the Saratoga race Course, in Sarasota Springs, N.Y. Also in the field we be Tonalist, winner of the 2014 Belmont Stakes. The race is scheduled for 6:01 p.m...

The 2014 Monett WaterThrashers pose for a photo at South Park.

Most people have done it before: worked outside, got a little queasy, but pushed through the discomfort to finish the task at hand. Such symptoms are warning signs that a person is moving from dehydration to heat exhaustion. For the last two weeks, the Monett football team has played in the heat conditions. Special steps were in place to ensure player safety...

The sights and sounds of pads popping on Friday was a joyful chorus to the Monett football coaching staff. For two weeks, the Cubs met at the practice field for their annual summer camp. Head coach Chad Depée was encouraged by what he saw. "We have a large senior class and we've challenged them to step up this season," Depée said. "We aren't a polished product and not ready for week one, but we saw some kids compete and show that there will be competition for some starting sports."...