Stories from Saturday, October 3, 2015

This was a week that demonstrated once again that crime does not pay. Clinton Blizzard, the alleged murderer in the Steven Higgins homicide in rural Lawrence County on Sept. 26, ran out of places to hide as police in Joplin closed in on him after he was spotted in a Joplin retailer. ...

The Monett softball team earned an 11-1 victory Thursday over East Newton to improve to 12-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The Lady Cubs travel to Reeds Spring on Monday to close the regular season before beginning district play on Wednesday.

The Ozarks Youth Basketball League is registering Monett youth in grades first through sixth. The cost in $25, with games set to begin in November. For more information, people may contact Jeremy Land at 620-870-1954; Alyssa Kennedy, 417-840-0325 or Richie Rhea, 816-392-9024...

Two weeks ago, I was assigned to cover the Miller-Pierce City football game. As my custom, I arrived at the contest, set my equipment up and then began my pre-game ritual of walking the stadium, making small talk with the fans and school administration...

Jonny and Janaye Atkinson, of Louisvile Ken., announce the birth of their second son, Walter Thomas, on June 17, weighing 11 pounds, 14.7 ounces and measuring 23 inches.

Officials at Monett Elementary School have chosen students demonstrating the characteristics of being polite and respectful as Students of the Week for Sept. 28.

Purdy Elementary School has announced character education medal winners for the month of September, exemplifying teamwork. Teachers from kindergarten through fourth grade teachers present a different character trait each month.

Monett High School art portfolio and advanced art students attended the first Crystal Bridges Mjuseum of American Art artistic process tour of the school year recently in Bentonville, Ark.

The physicians and surgeons of Missouri Eye Institute are pleased to announced that Richard W. Stone is the new CEO and administrator of their seven practice and surgical locations across southwest Missouri. Stone brings over 20 years of management experience to MEI, including backgrounds in finance, insurance and marketing. According to Stone, he is looking forward to working with such a progressive and respected organization within the ophthalmic field...

Jack McCaffrey of Monett has been named to the Missouri Tire Industry Association's Tire Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Stone Castle in Branson.

The 10th annual Thomas Hart Benton Four State Regional Art Competition and Exhibit is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10 at Crowder College in Neosho. The exhibit will be on display from Oct. 10 through Oct. 25 in the Longwell Museum in the Elsie Plaster Building at the college...

The Monett Lawrence County 911 Advisory Board will meet at noon on Oct. 14 at the Lawrence County Courthouse in Mt. Vernon. The Ozark Festival Orchestra invites singers to join a community chorus to perform Handel's "Messiah" for the Christmas season. ...

The Monett Kiwanis Club recently installed new officers.

Efforts to keep pesticides from wiping out strategically-placed beehives have shaped a voluntary effort to map been locations. Moneen Jones, a food science and agricultural economist, explained the program at the annual Field Day program, held at the University of Missouri's Southwest Research Center near Mt. Vernon...

Aluminum manufacturer SAPA, formerly Wells and Hydro Aluminum in Monett, invited representatives from EFCO Corporation to share strategies on business safety at SAPA's annual Safety Day celebration. SAPA employs 60 people in Monett, one of only two casting facilities in the company's Midwest region. The Monett plant has gone more than 519 days since the last reportable injury that resulted in a day of lost work...

The Monett City Council has opted to make another attempt to limit noise from trucks passing through the city. Council members have adopted a resolution approving an agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission giving permission to install signs on state right of way. The new signs will declare, "Noise ordinance enforced."...

Three Monett Elementary School first grade classes raised $260 for the new Monett animal shelter at the recent Family Fun Fest.

Livestock producers are making adjustments in the use of antibiotics for their herds and flocks in light of new regulations issued by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Producers still have 15 months to complete the transition and prepare for new restrictions on the availability of drugs, according to State Veterinarian Dr. Larry Forgey, who spoke at Field Day for the University of Missouri's Southwest Research Center...

Upgrades in facilities in the Monett school district have started showing benefits. Austin McCracken, the district's heating and air conditioning specialist, and a representative from Control Technology Systems, demonstrated the new remote control system installed over the summer. He showed how to remotely access the system, adjust the temperatures in any room and check the water temperature in the ground source system...

PIERCE CITY -- It was a good contest early on between a pair of 2-4 teams, but El Dorado Springs poured on the points in the second quarter and didn't let up, defeating host Pierce City 48-20. The Bulldogs got on the board first with a touchdown and a 2-point conversion, but the Eagles (2-5) responded on the very next series with a scoring drive that was capped off by a 14-yard run by senior quarterback Avrey Freeman. The extra point was good, making the score 8-7, El Dorado Springs...

Monett had its chances to topple the No. 2 team in Class 4, but they couldn't capitalize on the gifts Lady Luck blessed them with, falling 35-0 to Carl Junction Friday. The Cubs' defense stymied the Bulldogs and did not surrender a first down until Carl Junction's fourth series of the game...