Stories from Friday, March 20, 2015

The sound of engines screaming and the sight of cars circling the three-eighths of a mile dirt track at the Monett Speedway will signal the unofficial start of the 2015 racing season tonight. The Grand Ole' Lady hosts a free play day for racers to test out their cars and fans to get their first taste of racing action...

The Monett wrestling team hosted its annual team award banquet to honor the No. 7-ranked squad and its top wrestlers. Awards were voted on by the individual team members, except for the statistical-based categories. The honors were as follows: Most Outstanding Wrestler: Jacob Negre...

Year No. 2 for the Lady Cubs soccer team was one that saw progress, according to coaches. The coaching staff knew there were going to be growing pains, especially after an 0-20 inaugural season where Monett failed to score a goal. However, year two saw Monett demonstrate its first growth spurt...

For the Purdy baseball team, winning is the norm. Over 11 years, Coach Joshua Hughes has amassed a 235-148 record in the fall and spring seasons. Last year, the Eagles entered a transition phase and finished 8-15. Gone from that team is the senior leadership of Brent Cornman, Alex Mareth and Reese Veith who combined for six of the victories on the mound, 26 RBI, 41 hits and 29 stolen bases...

Expectations are through the roof in Pierce City this season as the Eagles embark on the 2014-2015 baseball campaign. Pierce City returns seven starters from a 16-8 team that went 6-1 in the Spring River Valley Conference to secure the conference crown...

The Monett Easter Egg Hunt will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, in the main field of Monett's South Park, sponsored by the Monett Jaycees and EFCO Corporation. The museum exhibit "Jean Pierre Michelin Salomon and Carolo Buffa: Pioneer Waldensian Ministers" remains on display through April 30 at the Waldensian Presbyterian Church, south of Monett...

There were no injuries to the driver or two passengers of a Ford Ranger XLT pickup truck that slid off the road Thursday morning on a 90-degree corner on Farm Road 1040 in Pierce City.

The Monett Museum continues to receive donations of artifacts capturing pieces of Monett's heritage.

Supporters of Whitetails Unlimited raised more than $5,000 at a recent banquet held in Pierce City. The funds will benefit a number of local charities, including scholarships for college-bound seniors, Shoeboxes for Soldiers and the Catch a Dream Foundation...

Registration for the Missouri Child Identification and Protection Program (MOCHIP) will be hosted by Monett Masonic Lodge #129, AF&AM, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Monett Masonic Temple, located at 501 13th St. MOCHIP is a comprehensive child identification and protection program designed to provide families a proactive means of preparation, should their child or teen become missing...

With winter temperatures hovering for the most part in the 20s and 30s, Monett water customers have had few difficulties with broken water pipes this season. "There have been maybe three or four line breaks that we have had to go shut water off so the customer could do repairs," said Skip Schaller, Monett utilities superintendent. "On our system, we really haven't had much as far as main breaks. I expect that will change as the weather warms up and the ground thaws."...

Public input for a new long-term transportation plan for the City of Monett began last week, as a selected advisory group met with representatives of the civil engineering firm TranSystems at the Monett City Park Casino. Transportation Planner Deanne Petersen and Project Manager Sara Clark led a discussion with around 50 business leaders about the community's transportation needs, present conditions and priorities for improvements...

For the fifth year, local service agencies will gather at the Scott Regional Technology Center for Transition and Resources Expo on Tuesday, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. According to Geneva Blue, work experience coordinator at Scott Tech, the expo focuses on people with developmental disabilities and their families. ...

Freistatt village trustees have voted to have the Freistatt Community Building professionally cleaned to resolve a dust issue left from an effort to even the building's concrete floor. ServPro of Carthage and Joplin received the contract on a $3,190.28 bid...