Stories from Saturday, August 15, 2015

On my way home from Ernte Fest last Friday, where I had dinner and took photos for The Monett Times, I was stopped by two Lawrence County sheriff's deputies in a patrol car. The Freistatt Lions Club has long bristled over how their charitable event receives attention from the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department. Their harvest festival usually corresponds with a state DWI enforcement weekend, where checkpoints are set up and saturation patrols run...

Things are looking up for Pierce City water customers. After the installation of a grounding grid at tower No. 3, designed to absorb current from electrical surges and sending it directly to ground, the problematic motor came through a recent storm unscathed...

Monett Main Street has awarded six new grants in its annual program encouraging building façade improvements. The six grants totaled $7,199, putting up to $1,500 into private business enhancement. Bob Berger, chairman of Main Street's design committee, said this was the largest number of grants Main Street has awarded. He said the organization had to scrounge to find additional funds over the $6,000 budgeted for grants. Main Street received two additional grant applications that were not funded...

Howdy Neighbor Days in Pierce City started Wednesday and will continue through tonight. The event features various rides, craft booths and food vendors.

It has not taken long for Caysie Turner, the new assistant principal at Monett High School, to feel at home in her new job. Not a retiring personality, Turner fronted as a rock star during the rally for faculty on the first day back to school. Her attraction to Monett stems from the academic activity she sees around her...

Trinity Lutheran School in Freistatt opens on Aug. 17 with its first new principal in 38 years. Following the retirement of Carole Kleiboeker, Amanda Moennig picks up the mantle to head the school. Starting her 14th year as an educator, Moennig, a 1997 Monett High School graduate, comes to Freistatt after making her career in smaller public school districts. She spent three years in the 500-student Jasper School District, where she revived the music program...

The Ozark Festival Orchestra will begin its 36th season with rehearsals starting on Tuesday, and it has moved both its rehearsals and performances to the new Monett High School Performing Arts Center. Todd Borgmann returns for his second season as music director and has announced a concert schedule that includes participation in the grand opening of the performing arts center on Sept. 10 that will be open to the public and free of charge...

New Site Baptist Church members installed siding at the latest Habitat for Humanity house at 117 E. Nellie in Monett on Saturday, Aug. 8.

Monett had visitors from France this week, as Frederique Laouenan, who served as an American Field Service exchange student in 1982-1983, visited Mike and Phyllis Garrett.

The Monett City Council will hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Aug. 18 to review the 2014-2015 fiscal year audit. Council members will also appoint members to the new Monett-Lawrence County E911 Advisory Board. The meeting will be held at Monett City Hall...

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile visited Monett on Aug. 4 at the New Site Baptist Church. A total of 44 donors participated. Reaching milestone donations were Randy Kristek, four gallons, Julius Abramovitz, 12 gallons; Roger Spencer, 14 gallons; David Beckett, 17 gallons; and Madeline Ceseki, 21 gallons. The milestone donors received gift cards from McDonald's...

Helen Dixon, 103, of Lacoba Homes, Inc., was named Ms. Lacoba Homes at the Lacoba Homes beauty pageant and went on to take first runner up at the Missouri Health Care Association District 4 contest.

Chapel of Grace Church honored, from left: Irene Andes, Geneva Stephenson, and Bonnie King for the time, love and service they have committed to the church over a period of decades.

Amanda Kae Stevenson, of Purdy, and Joseph Paul Katzfey, of Peru, N.Y., announce their engagement and forthcoming marriage.

Trenton and Pamela Miller will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with a private family gathering in Pierce City over the Labor Day weekend.

James and Wilma Callan, of Monett, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary Saturday, Aug. 18, with a private family celebration.

Wayne and Cathie (Banks) Self, of Port Lavaca, Texas, formerly of Monett, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary Tuesday, Aug. 18.

The 2014-2015 football year was unforgettable for the Monett Cubs. For the second time in the last three seasons, they advanced to the Class 3 semifinal and thrilled the local fan base. However, the celebration after the season was tempered a bit with the departure of 22 letterman and 16 starters, due to graduation. To add insult to injury, Chad Depée and Jim Genzler, head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, were plucked away by the Ozark School District...

The residents of Carthage recently passed, by 38 votes, a 40-cent, 10-year increase to their property tax to help fund a new multi-purpose football field, track and field house. The new field will benefit the Tigers' football, track, soccer and band programs, as well as various community events and be located next to the current high school...