Stories from Friday, January 23, 2015

There is only one word needed to describe the Monett swimming team's performances in the pool this year -- dominating. Over its last eight competitions, Monett has won one invitational, placed second in two more and gone 5-0 in dual meets. The Lady Cubs have rewritten the school's record book at nearly every meet this year, setting five new school records at Carthage on Saturday...

Pierce City Coach Rob Guerin keeps a calm demeanor on the bench during the Lady Eagles basketball games. He constantly communicates with his players on the floor and makes mental notes of where his team needs to focus and improve. His level-headiness in games is something he believes helps him when he goes back to practice to work with his squad. Guerin does not want to ride his team to make them get better. He believes that the change has to come from them...

A crowd of well-wishers turned out at the Scott Reginal Technology Center in Monett on Monday for a public reception honoring Dave Beckett, who is retiring after 41 years of service with the U.S. Postal Service. Beckett's daughter, Dedre, a professional pastry chef in Tulsa who graduated from the culinary arts program at Scott Tech, prepared delicacies for the occasion, including a 30-pound cake shaped like Beckett's Jeep from the post office, complete with his number of the back. ...

Members of the Church of Monett at 809 Eighth St. began clean-up work on their church building following the alleged arson on Monday. Kevin Stewart, a church leader, said the building will likely be demolished. He said the structure was originally a chapel at Camp Crowder, possibly dating back before World War II, and had been moved to Monett in the early 1950s for St. John's Lutheran Church...

On Dec. 31, 2014, Bob Berger officially retired from WinTech, a business that he helped to establish. While still on the board of directors, Berger stepped down from serving as company president in the spring, turning operations over to Mark Harper as his successor. At the end of 2014, Berger stepped away from all company management responsibilities, which began in January 1991...

The possibility of tax incentives offered to help attract more industrial jobs to Monett was discussed between city and school officials last month, leaving the door open for future action. City administrator Dennis Pyle reported two local businesses have expressed interest in expanding in Monett, one specifying it could add more than 100 jobs. ...

A Pleasant Hope man has been arrested for institutional vandalism in connection with the fire that destroyed the Church of Monett at Park and Eighth streets on Monday. The fire marshal has ruled arson as the cause of the fire. Christopher S. Irick, 25, was arrested on Tuesday as officers pursued leads in the case. ...

Wendell Alfred Nelson, 94, passed away Jan. 22, 2015. He was born in Garfield, Kan., on May 5, 1920, to Alfred and Mae (Dow) Nelson. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Irene Nelson Boman of Garden City, Kan. In 1939, he graduated from Garfield High School and then attended Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan. ...

D.L. "Buck" Prier, 83, of Abilene, Texas, formerly of Eagle Rock, died Tuesday, Jan. 20. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26, at Roach Cemetery, Eagle Rock, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville.