Stories from Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Edward L. Auffert passed away Dec. 27, surrounded by family and friends. He was born Nov. 20, 1944, in Monett to Edna Pense Auffert and Leo Auffert. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Carolyn Sue Auffert; daughters, Jennifer Auffert of Little Rock, Ark., and Jackie Smith (Brett) of Bryant, Ark., and two grandchildren Cameron and Connor Smith of Bryant, Ark. ...

Carolyn F. Holmes Brattin, 76, of Wheaton, died Saturday, Dec. 26. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, at McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton. Burial will be at Rocky Comfort Cemetery, Rocky Comfort. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, at McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton...

Shirley Roberta Mason, 70, of Wheaton, died Sunday, Dec. 27. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, at King Cemetery, Seligman, under direction of McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at McQueen Funeral Home, Wheaton...

Vicki Lynn Russell, 58, of Monett, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, at Bentonview Health and Rehab in Monett. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, at Bethel Cemetery in Monett. Arrangements are under the care of Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home in Monett...

Brenton Hyde, Verona girls basketball coach, had a message for his team after it got bounced from the Walnut Grove Holiday Tournament -- the girls have to push the ball on offense. "We aren't as aggressive as we need to be on the offensive end of the floor," he said. "Right now, our strength is not in the half-court. We can't afford to let defenses get set before we decide to attack."...

The Monett City Council will meet at 9 a.m. today to appoint a new city council member and award a contract for an ultra violet disinfection system for the wastewater treatment plant. The 92nd annual Lawrence County Soils and Crops Conference will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 7 at the University of Missouri's Southwest Research Center near Mt. Vernon. A meal is available for $5 per person. The program will begin at approximately 6:45 p.m. To reserve a meal, people may call 417-466-3102...

A Nevada woman was injured Saturday in a wreck ay 10:48 a.m. on Highway 96, thee miles south of Miller. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Gary Jones, 71, of Mt. Vernon, was driving a 2002 Zetor Tractor westbound and crossed the center line to make a lefthand turn when his vehicle was struck from behind by a 2006 Toyota Corolla, being driven by Easton Mitchell, 19, of Nevada...

The Freistatt Village Board of Trustees voted to change its insurance broker, but not its carrier, during its December meeting. The village has coverage through Savers Property and Casualty company. Clerk Deborah Schoen reported having issues with the company's standing broker in Monett, the Tilley Agency, since the agency's founder retired. ...

Monett businesses will be eligible to seek a renewable energy agreement with the state of Missouri through the Property Assessment Clean Energy Act (PACE), following action by the Monett City Council. The city joined the Missouri Clean Energy District, authorized by federal legislation. ...

The Monett girls basketball team does not play again until Jan. 4, when it welcomes Sarcoxie to town. Coach Alyssa Kennedy is not worried about the Lady Bears as much as she is about her Lady Cubs. Just one game after the team secured its first win in 32 games, Monett took a step backward and fell, 55-26, to Hurley in the Walnut Grove Holiday Tournament...

Epic flooding, the likes of which Monett has seldom seen, deluged the city and the surrounding area over the weekend, again creating challenges not recalled from earlier battles. Barry County Emergency Management Director David Compton estimated damage to public infrastructure in the county would cost $400,000 to $500,000 to repair. ...