Stories from Friday, February 13, 2015

After several years of declining caseloads, staff at the Juvenile Office, which serves the 39th Judicial Circuit, saw a sharp increase in the number of referrals during 2014. A total of 852 cases for the year represented a 28 percent rise, the first increase since at least 2009...

The Verona boys basketball picked up its eighth consecutive victory on Tuesday with an 87-39 win over Wheaton. Even more impressive has been the revolving door of players stepping up to take leadership roles. On Tuesday, senior guard Dre Sitton set the tone, scoring 29 points. He recorded 18 of those in the first quarter, and he was 4-of-5 from downtown in the first quarter...

Two games remain in the the Verona girls basketball regular season schedule. However, for coach Brenton Hyde, he views them as a postseason challenge. "We face Exeter and Southwest, and we know they are pretty good," Hyde said. "I've told the girls we might as well be in the playoff mind set now. The games aren't getting any easier."...

Monett alumnus Chase Brennan had his red-shirt status removed by the University of Missouri wrestling team so that he could help the Tigers this season as a true freshman. Brennan earned his first career dual win at 125 pounds on Sunday, defeating Blake Caudill, of Eastern Michigan University, by a 9-3 decision. The Tigers are ranked No. 2 nationally. Clayton Hotze Special to The Monett Times...

Plans for a new baseball complex for the Verona School District will start later than expected following a re-examination of the five-year construction strategy. Superintendent Tony Simmons reported breaking the project up may not prove as beneficial as he initially hoped. ...

The Verona Board of Education has renewed Superintendent Tony Simmons' contract for a third year, granting him a 3-percent raise. The raise will put Simmons' salary at $81,370, up from $79,000. The school board will review administrators at its Feb. 19 meeting, certified staff in March and classified staff in April...

Encouraged by his teacher, Robin Bucher, left, Stephen Graessle stretched to reach the mailbox to send his Valentine at the conclusion of his preschool class' visit to the Monett Post Office. Murray Bishoff times-news@monett-times.com

Freistatt will be one of the first bi-county towns to consider taking advantage of a new state law that will allow towns to not hold elections if there are no contested races in the annual selection of the city government. Based on Revised Missouri Statues 115.124, updated in August 2014, the new state law allows towns with less than 1,000 residents to be excluded from annual elections, with voter approval. Voters have to reauthorize the exemption every six years...

The Ozark Festival Orchestra's Pops in the Park concert will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Monett City Park Casino. Doors open at 2:30 for pie that goes with the $10 admission. Movie music will be performed. Scott Clayton, from Habitat for Humanity in Joplin, will speak to the Monett Kiwanis Club about the impact on Habitat of the Joplin tornado, at the noon meeting in Feb. 17 of the Monett Kiwanis Club, held at Happy House restaurant...

Vickie M. Marks, 62, Cassville, died at 3:25 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville.

Kenneth Ewell Graves, 76, Purdy, died at 12:14 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton.

Donald Edward "Don" Hobbs, age 83, of Monett, Mo, passed away on Wednesday evening, Feb. 11, 2015 at Lacoba Homes in Monett, Mo. Don was born on Nov. 9, 1931 in Carrollton, Mo., son of the late Everett E. Hobbs and Etna (Hill) Hobbs. Don graduated from Verona High School with the Class of 1949. ...

Pauline Sweet, 85, of Springfield, formerly of Miller, died on Feb. 11 at Cox Hospital south in Springfield. Graveside funeral services were held Feb. 13, at Maple Park Cemetery in Springfield, under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home of Pierce City...

Micaela Anne Abernathy, age 31, of Leesburg, Fla., died at 1:18 a.m. on Feb. 10. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today, Feb. 13, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Elsie M. Foust, 84, Mt. Vernon, died at 6:43 a.m., Feb. 9, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, First Christian Church in Mt. Vernon. Burial will be at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home, Pierce City...

Donald Wendland, 74, of Pryor, Okla., formerly of Purdy, died Feb. 1. Funeral services, under the direction of Stephens-Key Funeral and Cremation Care, were held Feb. 5, in Pryor, Okla.

Marvin C. Cruzan, 76, of Shell Knob, died at 4:08 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob.