Stories from Tuesday, January 12, 2016

EIGHTY YEARS AGO Jan. 10-16, 1936 Tomato packing for the Ozarks in 1935 totaled 1,567,517 cases and brought approximately a half million dollars to Ozark farmers, according to estimates by local canners who attended the annual meeting of the Ozark Canners Association at Springfield. Prices and futures for 1936 will be set at a national convention on Jan. 19 in Chicago...

A new partnership between the Monett city government and organizations playing major roles in Monett's economic development has been announced. The partnership will drive future projects that may have a notable impact on the city's job market in the coming year...

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) visited Monett on Monday as part of a larger survey of Barry and Lawrence counties to assess damage from flooding on Dec. 26 and 27, 2015...

School will start a week later for students in the Monett R-1 School District in August. The Monett school board adopted its calendar for the coming school year at its December meeting, to give schools sending students to the Scott Regional Technology Center time to plan their calendars early in the year. Sending schools generally schedule their opening day in conjunction with Monett's...

A Lebanon man was injured and subsequently arrested after a wreck on Sunday at 3:27 p.m. on Interstate 44, three miles west of Halltown. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Blair Myers, 21, of Lebanon, was driving a 2010 Honda Civic eastbound when his vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, became airborne and struck several trees...

A Texas man was injured Saturday in a wreck at 5:40 p.m. on Interstate 44, at the 59.2 mile marker. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Eugene Shields, 59, of Bedford, Texas, was driving a 2007 Freightliner westbound when his vehicle lost control, causing it to travel off the south side of the roadway, crossing the median into eastbound lanes of traffic. The Freightliner struck a tree on the south side of Interstate 44, with the front end coming to rest against the tree...

Upcoming activities at the Monett Branch of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library include Joetta Johnston leading a crafts class, "Making Angels from Christmas Cards and Snowmen" at 2:30 p.m. today. The library is located at Sixth and Bond streets. The SilverTeens seniors singles group will meet at 6 p.m. on Jan. 21 for supper at the Angus Branch Steakhouse on Chapell Drive, east of Walmart. For additional information, people may call BJ McCauley at 417-393-9212...

The Monett wrestling team heads to Carl Junction on Thursday with for a dual with the Bulldogs and Logan-Rogersville. The matches give the Cubs another opportunity to knock the rust off of a long holiday break and work on a few conditioning items. "Overall, I like the way we are progressing," said Daryl Bradley, Monett wrestling coach. "We are becoming a force to be reckoned with, but we still need to improve our conditioning."...

Regular season basketball does not get much bigger than the two games on the Pierce City boys' schedule this week. Tonight, the Eagles (7-6) travel to College Heights, and on Friday, they host Purdy. Both opponents on the Eagles' docket are district opponents, meaning if the Green and White can sweep the two hardwood tilts, they would have the inside track to a No. 1 district playoff seed...

Roger Dale Catron, of Walnut Grove, passed away at home on his beloved farm Jan. 8. He was born to Martha and the late Sherman Catron in Iberia. Stationed in Germany, he served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged. After retiring from U.S. Bureau of Prisons, he enjoyed fishing and farming...

Patricia Ann Ackley, 74, of Aurora, died at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, at her home. A funeral Mass will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, with burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Aurora. A prayer service will be held from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, with visitation to follow until 8:00 p.m...

Lewis Dwight Blevins, 89, of Miller, died at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at Mt. Vernon Place Care Center, after a long illness. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Round Grove Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Miller Memorial Gardens Cemetery...

Martha Elizabeth (McNeill) Harper, 90, of Rocky Comfort, died at 3:20 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at Bethlehem Freewill Baptist Church in Wheaton. Burial will be at Union Cemetery in Stella. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton...

Jack Gordon Johnson, 93, of Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Miller, died at 7:28 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, at his daughter's home. Graveside services will be held at 11a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, at Shiloh Cemetery, northeast of Miller. Arrangements are under the direction of the Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home in Miller...

Mark Allan Price, age 52, of Aurora, died at 10:59 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, at his home. No services are planned at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora.