Stories from Friday, January 15, 2016

Firefighters from four departments battled an extremely hot fire in the garage for J Bar J Trailers on South Highway 37, a quarter mile south of the Monett city limits on Wednesday. The building was deemed a complete loss. The business is owned by Jim Crist. According to Crist's daughter, Jan, the fire erupted five minutes after a compressor in the old wood shack at the back of the garage was activated...

Mayor Allen Stockton appointed two representatives to the Pierce City Board of Aldermen at the January meeting, filling vacancies caused by recent resignations. Stockton appointed former Ward 4 council member Malia Henderson to fill the remainder of Alderman Scott Wahl's term, which expires in April. ...

Monett-based Jack Henry and Associates has announced a plan for executive transition. David Foss, who has served as president of Jack Henry and Associates since July 1, 2014, will be named president and chief executive officer on July 1, 2016. Jack Prim, the current CEO and chairman of the board, will become executive chairman...

Farm Road 1050, west of Monett, remains closed for the mile stretch between Farm Road 2240 and north to Highway 37. The road was closed in October while Tyson Foods replaced the low-water bridge over Clear Creek as part of a settlement over the 2014 amino acid spill in Monett, and it remained closed while a construction crew for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad replaced the wood trestle south of the tracks...

Two women were injured Thursday in a wreck at 5:50 a.m. on Route W, three miles east of Wheaton. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Sheri Meyer, 40, of Fairview, was driving a 2005 Honda Accord eastbound when her vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway, began overturning and struck a fence...

Cub Scout Pack No. 140 experienced significant damage from the Dec. 26 flooding in Monett.

A benefit fundraiser dinner and auction for Charles Lewis of Monett, who will be at the Mayo Clinic for at least a week for testing related to kidney disease, will be held beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16 at the First Baptist Church in Pierce City. ...

All Coach Tommy Egan could do was smile after his Purdy boys basketball team rallied from a 13-point, third quarter deficit to top Seneca, 61-58, on Tuesday. "I don't want to get in the habit of having to make furious comebacks, but the way we played in the fourth quarter is the way we have to play in order to win games," Egan said...

The Purdy girls basketball team knows what it is like to face adversity. The early part of the Lady Eagles' season schedule pitted them against three state-ranked teams and two defending state champions. Coach Eli Ernst's message to his squad was fit for a sermon in any church pulpit -- endure, persevere and overcome...

Edward G. Spicer, 59, of Washburn, died at 9:23 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

John Coleman Krause Sr., 97, of Mt. Vernon, died at 12 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, at the Missouri Veteran's Home in Mt. Vernon. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Aurora. Arrangements are under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon...