Stories from Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Elizabeth Claire "Bette" Gragson, 84, of Shell Knob, died Friday, Oct. 14. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob.

Gerald Lee Hazen, 67, of Nixa, died Sunday, Oct. 16. Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20 at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cassville. Visitation will be held after services at Funeral Home in Cassville...

Billy Wayne Hill, 71, of Cassville, died Saturday, Oct. 15, at Cox Medical Center in Springfield . Funeral services will be held at Cassville First Baptist Church at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cassville...

Erma Lee Sack, 92, formerly of Shell Knob, died at Roaring River Health & Rehab Center in Cassville on Sunday, Oct. 16. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 at the Lakeside Christian Church in Shell Knob with Pastor Chet Shaw officiating...

Doyle Lee Ray, 57, of Cassville, died Sunday, Oct. 16. Graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Mineral Springs Cemetery under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, in Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville...

Betty Jean Williams, 86, of Shell Knob, died Monday, Oct. 17. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in 1st Baptist Church, Shell Knob, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob. Burial will be at Mikeman Cemetery, Shell Knob...

Seneca at Monett East Newton at Cassville Hollister at Mt. Vernon Marionville at Pierce City Warsaw at Lamar East Newton at Monett, 13-56 Mt. Vernon at Cassville, 29-30 Seneca at Lamar, 6-49 Aurora at McDonald County, 28-14 Sarcoxie at Pierce City, 28-42...

Missouri State junior linebacker and former Monett standout Kurran Blamey has benefited from extended playing time for the Bears

191: The number of rushing yards Michael Branch totaled against Seneca in the regular-season meeting. 0: The number of times the No. 1 district seed has won the district title in Monett's pod. No. 1 seeds in the past four years have been Cassville once and Reeds Spring three times...

With its highest district seed ever in the new format, Pierce City knows that certain expectations come with being the favorite. Despite being the No. 3 seed and welcoming No. 6 seed Marionville to Don Keebaugh Stadium on Friday, Coach Brad Hocker is still favoring the underdog role...

With 75 percent of the district pod teams being members of the Big 8 Conference, Monett knew the probability of playing an opponent it had already faced was high. With a win over East Newton, and then an automatic flip of the Patriots over Seneca in the district standings, the Cubs will welcome Seneca to Burl Fowler Stadium Friday, hoping to repeat a 35-14 victory over the Indians just two weeks ago...

A reunion of St. Vincent's Hospital employees will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 22 at Angus Branch Steakhouse on Chapell Drive. All former employees are welcome. For additional information, people may call 417-548-7322. Cox Monett Hospital will offer a two-hour "Changing Your Course" class designed to help improve cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure and pre-diabetes conditions. ...

The American Red Cross recently awarded two blood donors for contributions made in Monett drives.

Tuesday offered pleasant temperatures in the pre-dawn morning for Monett public school students to participate in the second day of Walk to School Week.

Members of Mt. Vernon Community Theater (MVCT) will be performing in Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite" this weekend. There are three shows, starting at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, at The MARC, located at 822 W. Mt. Vernon Blvd in Mt. Vernon...

The Monett City Council will hear public comment on four proposed ordinances and introduce four new ordinances in its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Council members will take comment on a change in zoning requested by Ken Madison for the property on the west side of Highway 37, north of Clear Creek and south of the railroad tracks. ...

Two teenagers and a 22-year-old were recently arrested and charged for the first of two burglaries of the Monett Laundry over a two-week period. Timothy Block, 22, of Cassville, Dylan Myddelton, 17, of Monett, and Travis Wentz, 17, of Monett, are each facing second-degree burglary charges...

Recent news surrounding the U.S. presidential election has not seemed to sway Barry County's sheriff candidates in how they plan to vote for the nation's top office. Former FBI Agent Gary Davis, R-Cassville, said his commitment to voting for Donald Trump is unchanged...

As election day nears, the candidates for Barry County sheriff are developing some of their plans for deputies when it comes to narcotics enforcement and training for hand-to-hand altercations. Barry County Deputy Justin "Dave" Ruark has previously said he has a Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)-certified individual willing to take on a full-time narcotics officer position, as well as a second individual looking to implement a K-9 unit. ...

The two candidates for Barry County sheriff say the county's law enforcement leader must have a strong relationship with the county prosecutor, especially if they hope to cut down on repeat offenders. Former FBI Agent Gary Davis, R-Cassville, said he has met Barry County Prosecutor Amy Boxx a couple of times, but has not discussed her's or the sheriff's jobs...

Revelations about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's 2005 comments about women continue to send ripples through party leadership. State Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob, has been in out of town at a friend's wedding last week and has not had the opportunity to speak to other party leaders. The chairman of the House budget committee, Fitzpatrick has nonetheless drawn his own conclusions about his party's nominee...