Stories from Friday, April 8, 2016

Shirley A. Bass, 76, of Monett, died April 7, while at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, April 11, at New Liberty Methodist Church in Monett. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at Buchanan Funeral Home in Monett. Interment will be in the Kings Prairie Cemetery...

The Lawrence County Commission has chosen to renew its contract with the City of Monett for dispatching and 911 services, which is likely to continue through the remainder of the three-year contract, as originally planned. After signing a contract for three years of service with Monett, the county commission reconsidered when Monett reported that after six months of service, the volume of 911 calls ran 289 percent higher than the previous year. ...

The city of Monett has approved a contract to fund construction of a new street north of EFCO Corporation, as well as approved a mowing contract. City council members approved dipping into the city's allocation through the federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) urban funding agreement. ...

Sometimes, a demonstration offers the clearest way to grasp a concept. In Garrison Earnest's eighth-grade science class at Monett Middle School, students learned about the energy pyramid.

The Monett City Council has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Missouri Foundation for Health that will allow further collaboration and an expansion of services at Monett's South Park. Shawn Hayden, coordinator for the Health Schools/Healthy Communities initiative, funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health, explained that the latest collaboration would secure a $24,575 grant that would help fund a new basketball court on the west end of the tennis courts at South Park, as well as the addition of nine more holes to the Frisbee golf course in the park later this year.. ...

The Jolly Mill Park Foundation is hosting its inaugural Jolly Mill Challenge, a 5K and Fun Run, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 23, with proceeds to be used toward the restoration efforts of the historic park, its parking areas and other buildings on the site following the December 2015 floods...

The Cox Monett Auxiliary held a bedding sale fundraiser, offering high-quality sheet sets, blankets and comforters at discounted prices.

Physical education classes at Monett Middle School now have a digital component.

The Monett Farmers' Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and from 3 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at Monett South Park, near the west end of the tennis courts. An annual concert to benefit St. Mary's Catholic School in Pierce City, featuring the Mark Chapman Band, will be held at 8 p.m. on April 9. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25...

High school baseball in Missouri has a few quirky rules that make it unique. Take for instance, the 10-run mercy rule. It allows a game to be ended if a team possesses a 10-run advantage at the completion of any inning after the fifth. Then there is another rule that allows a team to substitute for a player on the field, and then reinsert the exited player back into the same position he was lifted from in the same game...

The Monett golf team has just two dual matches and one tournament left on the schedule this season. On Tuesday, Monett travels to Aurora for the first of the dual events. The Cubs are 7-0 on the season and earned a pair of huge victories over Aurora and Cassville on Tuesday...

Led by Brittany Garver's hat trick, the Monett girls soccer team defeated New Covenant, 4-3, in the second half of extra time on Tuesday. Garver scored three goals, and Angelica Ruiz scored one. Monett improved to 3-7 on the season. The three wins mark a school record for the young program...

The Monett baseball team fell to 9-1 on the year with a 4-3, nine-inning loss to Nevada on Tuesday. Cameron Witt collected three hits and two RBI for Monett. The Cubs are in action today at the Bill O'Dell Tournament in Carthage. Their opponent was not determined as of presstime...

The Monett golf team took fourth in the 10-team Bolivar Tournament on Monday. Lebanon won the event with a 325, and the Cubs shot a 369. Clayton Kaiser tied for ninth overall with an 83. Lane Witt tied for 12th with an 85. Caleb Long carded a 97, good for 36th place...

Monett softball players Haley Williams, Kelli McCallister, Katie Kurima and Josie Allcock, along with Regal Athletic coaches Jack Williams and Steve Roldan, will host a hitting clinic from 6-8 p.m. tonight at North Park. The cost is $10 for the clinic...

The 47th season at the Monett Speedway kicks off tonight with the six featured classes scheduled to race. Late Models, A-Mods, B-Mods, Midwest Mods, Pro 4s, and Pure Stock will all be competing. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with the hot laps coming at 7 p.m. The racing will begin at 7:30 p.m...

Still dealing with field issues due to flooding, the Monett-McDonald County soccer game slated for April 14 has been moved to Monett. The game will be played at the South Park fields. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

Monett will travel to Marshfield on May 10 to make up a rainout that occurred on March 24. First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m.