Stories from Tuesday, September 2, 2014

The letters S.O.S are commonly associated with such phrases as "save our ship" or "save our souls." This summer, the Cubs football team adopted the letters, but changed the acronym's meaning to "Surround, Offend, Suffocate." "We were looking for a motto for our defensive this summer and Coach (Jeremy) Land suggested it," said Jim Genzler, Monett defensive coordinator. ...

Denzil N. Leach, Jr., 70, of Cassville, died at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Friday, Aug. 29. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 6, at White Funeral Home and Crematory, Cassville.

Betty Lou Lee, 86, of Cassville, died Friday, Aug. 29, 2014 at Cassville Health Care and Rehabilitation. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 6, at Corinth Baptist Church, Cassville.

William "Bill" George Jereczek, 84, of Cassville, died Saturday, Aug. 30, at his home. Funeral Mass will beheld at 10 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 4, at the St. Edward's Catholic Church. Cassville. Burial, with full military honors, will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Blythedale...

It may be only the second week of the season, but it is huge for the Lady Cubs softball team (2-1). Monett has only six home games scheduled this season and will play one-third of them as they welcome Webb City and Cassville to North Park today and Thursday, respectively...

Pierce City coach Brad Hocker didn't have to think hard about what gave his Eagles a decided advantage in Friday's road win at Liberal. "Our five linemen dominated upfront and quarterback Kole Kelley play extremely well," Hocker said. "The line gave us options on offense and that made us unpredictable for their defense."...

The "One to the World" laptop computer initiative at the Monett R-1 School District is likely to expand to Monett Intermediate School this year. At its Sept. 18 meeting, the Monett Board of Education will consider leasing between 350 and 400 more laptop computers for use by fifth-grade and sixth-grade students...

The seventh annual Not So Square Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Mt. Vernon Arts and Recreation Center. Around 50 artists, from visual artists and authors to wood carvers, jewelry makers and sculptors are expected to exhibit their works. Those attending will have the opportunity to buy from the creators and get a first-hand look at the creative process in action...

Patrons of the Pierce City School District will pay a total of $3.54 per $100 of assessed valuation on real and personal property. Members of the school board approved leaving the incidental and debt service levies the same as last year, at $2.75 and 79-cents, respectively...

People came from far and wide for the opportunity to have fun on Saturday night at the Miller Fall Festival. Lisa Norman, right, of Pineville, tries a firefighter hat on granddaughter Autumn Moody at the Miller Rural Firefighters stand at the festival. Murray Bishoff times-news@monett-times.com...

A 17-year-old girl was transported by air to Cox South Hospital in Springfield Saturday after being run over by a vehicle near Wheaton. Zackary Kimbrough, 18, of Wheaton, was driving a 1992 Chevrolet Lumina on private property off Route T, five miles north of Wheaton, when a pedestrian, Raven Mullin, 17, of Wheaton, jumped into the window of the vehicle. The vehicle then began backing, and Mullin fell from the window and was run over...

A Pierce City man suffered moderate injuries Sunday in a wreck on Highway 97, four miles north of Pierce City. Patrick Wagner, 49, of Pierce City was traveling northbound on Highway 97 in a 2006 Chevrolet Impala when a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, being driven by Weaver Forest, 44, of Verona, pulled from an intersection into the path of the Impala. Both vehicles ran off the roadway, and Wagner suffered moderate injuries...

A Mount Vernon man suffered moderate injuries Monday in a single-vehicle wreck Sunday on Farm Road 1117, 1.5 miles west of Mount Vernon. Joshua Beall, 23, of Mount Vernon, was driving a 1998 Honda Civic northbound on Farm Road 1117 when his vehicle ran off the road, struck an embankment and overturned...

A 64-year-old Aurora woman suffered moderate injuries Sunday when her vehicle became airborne in a wreck on Highway 39, three miles south of Aurora. Carol Walker, 64, of Aurora, was driving a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup Truck when her vehicle ran off the right side of the road, struck a driveway embankment and concrete culvert, and became airborne for 70 feet before striking the ground again and coming to rest...

John Michael, left, of Monett, and Rob Michael of Purdy stopped to admire a Ford Mustang Roush, owned by Don Trantham, of Elkland, at Saturday's annual Pierce City Car Show, which took place at South Park in Pierce City. Prizes were awarded in a number of categories for the 67 entries for this year's event...

Rehearsals begin for the 2014-15 season of the Ozark Festival Orchestra begin at 7:15 p.m. today. All orchestral instrumentalists are welcome, said new music director Todd Borgmann. Rehearsals are being held in the Monett Middle School band room, in the northeast corner of the E.E. Camp gymnasium at Tenth and Scott streets in Monett. For additional information, people may call Borgmann at 636-221-2359...