Stories from Friday, August 7, 2015

The Monett Cubs Athletic Booster Club has begun its annual "Catch the Spirit" membership drive. The membership drive kicks off Saturday at the annual Monett Fall Sports Pride Night with the booster club tailgate party at 5:30 p.m. at Burl Fowler Stadium...

The Monett High School cross-country runners are used to early starts. With practices routinely beginning at 6 a.m. in the summer, the squad is usually just getting warmed up as most make their morning commute to work. This season, the team is hoping the extra training will pay off with results at the state meet...

Verona schools' open house is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Students may pick up schedules and beginning school packets at this time. Prior to the open house, seventh grade students and their parents are invited to meet in the gym for an orientation meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m...

On his way from Cassville to a report of shots fired at the Pierce City National Guard Armory Thursday morning, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Travis Hilburn encountered a unlikely scenario, as his vehicle struck a buzzard at more than 100 miles per hour...

The Monett City Council has awarded a contract for wastewater plant improvements, and some of the promised grant money for the project, which was once cut, has been restored and has opened room for broadening targeted projects. Branco Enterprises of Neosho won the base bid at $1,680,000. The four bidders' quotes ranged up to $1,886,517. Bids on alternate additions were not addressed...

Four nights of live entertainment, carnival rides, a pageant and favorites like the duck races will highlight Pierce City's annual late summer celebration, Howdy Neighbor Days, which runs Aug. 12-15 in Pierce City's South Park. Final fundraising activities will take place leading up to the festival to help cover the cost of the entertainers...

Two women were injured Tuesday in a wreck at 6:40 p.m. on Highway 86, one mile north of Eagle Rock. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, an unknown driver of a 1980 Chevrolet pickup was traveling northbound, attempted to make a left turn and struck a 2008 Ford Focus, being driven by Tracy Youngblood, 53, of Cassville. The driver of the pickup allegedly fled the scene...

Monett school faculty returned for their first day back at work on Thursday, gathering for their rally for the first time in the new Monett High School Performing Arts Center. Superintendent Brad Hanson greeted the group with encouraging comments about recharging over the summer. Two groups that worked throughout the summer break in preparing the new facilities, the maintenance crew and the technology team, received applause and cheers from the assembled faculty...

Summer improvement projects around the Monett school district progressed well, according to the latest update Superintendent Brad Hanson provided to the Monett school board. By mid-July, work on the two FEMA projects had decreased to minor punchlist items, such as painting touch-ups and cabinet work. ...

Law enforcement is investigating a shooting incident at the National Guard Armory in Pierce City, where police say five shots were fired, but no impacts or shell casings have been found. At about 9:40 a.m., staff inside the armory reported hearing five gunshots, four in quick succession and one after, which sounded like they came from a handgun...