Stories from Wednesday, January 13, 2016

In less than 24 hours after the Barry County Sheriff's Office posted a call-out on Facebook, deputies arrested a man wanted for alleged crimes in Monett. The office said Thursday the suspect, who was wanted for thefts and forgeries of stolen checks at several businesses in the Monett area, was identified, located and taken into custody...

On Jan. 21, the Barry County Commission will hold its public hearing on the 2016 budget. Commissioners head into the session in a more positive frame of mind than in many recent years. Sales tax revenues up 5 percent in 2016 left the county at year's end with $1,187,000 in reserves...

A Seligman man who in October 2015 pleaded guilty to murder was sentenced recently to 15 years in prison. Brian Sharp, 33, of Seligman, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, driving with a revoked or suspended license, and leaving the scene of an accident. He was sentenced to 15 years on the murder charge and four years for each of the other two charges. All sentences will be served concurrently, and Sharp has been credited for time served, which totals nearly a year and five months...

Technology improvements continue at branches of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library. Information technology manager J.J. Goulbourne reported that the library service will need to continue to evolve to keep up with changes in the Internet and social media...

Students at Monett Elementary School this week are engaging in a variety of activities for Positive Behavior in Schools (PBS) Bootcamp.

As the last, surviving train depot in Barry County, which houses the Wheaton Train Depot Museum on Main Street, the little depot not only holds volumes of historical artifacts detailing the city's history, but speaks volumes about the people and events that built an all-American city from the ground up...

Plans for a major upgrade to the technology backbone of the Purdy school district have started, targeting improvements by summer. Superintendent Steven Chancellor reported the district needs an upgrade to its wireless system, as well as for all the switchers and routers...

A new administrative position has been created at the Purdy school district. Mindi Gates, instructional coach and director of curriculum and instruction, has been named associate superintendent. Gates will supervise curriculum assessment, professional development and teacher mentoring...

Verona High School will celebrate homecoming on Friday, when the Wildcats take on McAuley Catholic from Joplin in basketball action in the school gym. Disney and Pixar films serves as the theme for homecoming activities. Blue is the color for the occasion...

Monday was no day to be standing around outdoors.

Westbound motorists on Highway 60 in Monett, or those heading south on Highway 37, seen from this view around 5:20 p.m. on Monday, were treated to a spectacular light show as a sky of brilliant reds, orange and violet accompanied the sunset.

The annual chili supper, offered by the Men's Club at St. John's Lutheran Church-Stones Prairie, will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, in the parish hall. Donations accepted. Chili or vegetable soup, homemade pies and a beverage will be available. The church is located two-and-a-half miles northwest of Purdy at 5732 Farm Road 1057...

Alyssa Kennedy, Monett girls basketball coach, knows her team is not going to go out on the court and put up 80 to 90 points in a given night. In her first season, the coach has had to remind herself to keep an eye on the big picture, and know what she establishes today with her team, like an investment, will pay off over time...

For three years, Tommy Egan, Purdy boys basketball coach, has set up a meat-grinder of a schedule for his Eagles squad. This year is no different. A front-loaded schedule with larger schools culminates this week with three games before Ozark 7 Conference play opens next week...

Glennis Doreen Jennings, 74, of Bee Cave, Texas, formerly of Monett, died at 5:50 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, at Park Manor Nursing Home in Bee Cave, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15, at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, with burial to follow at the Orange Cemetery...