Stories from Saturday, August 1, 2015

The first time I encountered a "sharrow," I did not know what it was. I was driving in the neighborhood near the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, a city with a variety of traffic patterns unfamiliar in a routine spin around southwest Missouri. After spotting a bicyclist using the "share the road" lane and detecting the bicycle emblem painted on the asphalt, I realized the sharrow wasn't an extra lane for me and quit driving there...

Growing up a sports fan, there seemed to be two things I always knew about the opposing team -- its mascot and name of its head coach. A common thread that bound the two together was the time spent at the program and achievements accomplished. It was not uncommon 25 years ago to see coaches with 15 or 20 years of coaching experience at a single school...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) and its member schools voted to make 11 changes to its constitution and bylaws, which were passed in May at the annual MSHSAA election. "There were a few things on the ballot that were more editorial changes to the bylaws," said Jason West, MSHSAA media director. ...

The children of Leona Butterfield, Bob and Janie Painter and Marvin and Carol Thomas, invite friends, relatives and acquaintances to an open house for her 95th birthday.

Christina Dawn Steele Novak, of Granby, and Lawrence Henry Renkoski, of Granby, were united in marriage July 25 at Rose Hall in Eureka Springs, Ark.

R.H. Silverwood will be performing at The Mt. Vernon Arts and Recreation Center, located at 822 W. Mt. Vernon Blvd, Mt. Vernon, at 7 p.m.

Rides across the width of states are now a popular annual venue for bicyclers. In its first year, about 1000 riders participated in Missouri's event, called the BigBAM - The Big Bicycle Across Missouri. This year's event began Monday, June 22 and ended Friday, June 26. The riding distance each of the five days was 40, 64, 81, 39 and 80 miles...

The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office has been recognized by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Division of Highway Safety for its efforts in DWI education and enforcement in Lawrence County. At this years Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Advisory Council conference, the sheriff's office was awarded a grant to purchase a vehicle to be used for DWI enforcement and education. The award is for a total of $35,000 to purchase and fully equip a vehicle...

Weather permitting, Eisenhower Street in Monett will be closed one-half mile south of Highway 60 the week of Aug. 3 for repairs. A concealed and carry weapons class will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 with certified instructors at the farm of Patty Spencer on the county line at Farm Road 2000 in rural Verona, approximately one-and-a-half miles east of Highway 60. ...

Volunteers for Habitat for Humanity installed siding on the ninth house the Monett/Purdy affiliate has built in Monett.

Teachers at Monett Elementary School began their back to school activities on Friday with a technology workshop and other training sessions.

A full contingent of students from grades six through nine interested in healthcare attended the Southwest Missouri Area Health Education Center's M*A*S*H (Missouri AHEC Science and Health) day camp for the first time at Cox Monett Hospital on Thursday and Friday...

The Monett City Council passed an ordinance banning parking on Highway 60, west of Highway 37. The Highway 60 parking ban came at the request of the Missouri Department of Transportation, due to complaints made by customers at the Casey's convenience store...

It's time for parents and students to gear up for back-to-school activities, including open houses, schedule pick-ups and first day of classes. Freshmen orientation at Monett High School is slated for Thursday. Classes start Aug. 12. In Monett, open houses will be held at all campuses on Aug. 20...

Monett's long-range transportation plan, designed as a guidebook for all spending from the proposed half-percent transportation sales tax going before voters on Aug. 4, includes several proposed changes in downtown Monett. The plan specifically calls for altering the intersections at Third, Fourth and Fifth streets by extending the sidewalks in bulbs into the present roadway. ...

August starts the new school year, and a new class of seniors at Monett High School. Sydney Barta prepares for Friday night lights by posing a football in the hands of one of the bear statues at Burl Fowler Stadium.

When asked to identify transportation needs in Monett, residents pointed to the junction of Highways 37 and 60 as a major problem. The intersection becomes significantly congested at peak rush hours, especially when traffic from Jack Henry and Associates lets out...

About 15-20 of the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office's patrol cars now bear a decal with the national motto, "In God We Trust." Brad DeLay, Lawrence County Sheriff, refutes arguments that he is promoting one religion, that he is violating church and state regulations and that it is not allowed on government property...