Stories from Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Charles Dean Blevins, 63, of Mt. Vernon, died Thursday, Oct. 20, at his home. A memorial service was held Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. Burial followed at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Walnut Grove.

Margaret Lucille Lindeman, 82, of Aurora, died on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Funeral services were held on Monday, Oct. 24 at the Grace Lutheran Church in Aurora. Burial followed at the Maple Park Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction oc Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora...

Ron Pruitt, 55, of Monett, departed this life on Oct. 21, while at Cox Monett Hospital following a sudden illness. Ron was born on Jan. 7, 1961, in Monett, son of Leroy Pruitt and Vivian (Dixon) Walters. He graduated from Pierce City High School with the class of 1979. ...

Dalton Dean Heseman, 14, of Monett, was called home by his Heavenly Father on Friday evening, Oct. 21. Dalton was born on June 11, 2002, in Springfield, son of Tim Dean Heseman and Sheri Leigh (Green) Heseman. Dalton was currently a freshman at Verona High School and was looking forward to playing baseball with the Verona Wildcats this next spring. ...

For the first time in five years the Monett soccer team will face someone other than Springfield Catholic in the sectional playoff round. Thanks to a 4-3 overtime district title upset, the Cubs (16-6-1) welcome Fatima, of Westphalia, to Burl Fowler Stadium tonight for a 5 p.m. kickoff...

Even Brad Hocker, Pierce City football coach, freely admits that the Eagles' youth have exceeded his expectations. Nowhere was that more evident than in a 33-0 district playoff win of Friday against Marionville. "Our young guys have been outstanding this season," Hocker said. "Marionville came out and threw several new fronts and formations at us, and our guys adjusted and kept making plays."...

Very seldom do games play out nearly the same way twice, not just in the final score, but in the manner in which the contest was won. Monett's 35-11 victory over Seneca on Friday was as close to a repeat performance as a team could get without being a complete carbon copy, as a tight score for three quarters gave way to a blowout late...

Students at Monett Intermediate School have been named Cubs of the Month.

Teacher of the Month for October has been named at Monett Intermediate School.

Lori Hoyt, an office assistant, has been named the Most Valuable Person at Monett Intermediate School for October.

The Dry Valley United Methodist Church, west of Pierce City, will celebrate its 180th anniversary with special services on Sunday, Oct. 30. Special singing will begin at 5 p.m., followed by a potluck meal. The church is located north of Highway 37 on Highway VV, and continue north on Farm Road 1010...

Swirling clouds over the horizon of a brightly setting sun created a panorama or orange and yellow against a blue sky as the day ended on Sunday.

Nine JROTC cadets from the Scott Regional Technology Center assisted the Monett Kiwanis Club to collect donations at Fifth and Cleveland Avenue on Friday.

Monett's traditional Halloween Costume Contest, sponsored by the Monett Lions and The Monett Times, will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the Monett High School commons. This will be the first time the contest has moved out of the center city. The Monett City Hall Auditorium is presently not available for public use. Participants are still welcome to show off their costumes to downtown merchants, who will open their doors to the costumed characters prior to the contest...

About two dozen area firefighters, plus ambulance and other emergency personnel, studied how to respond to a fire at the Freistatt Farmers Exchange fertilizer plant on Highway H on Saturday in an effort to widen understanding of how to tackle an emergency situation bigger than the town's firefighters could handle...

In its ongoing exploration of benefits that would make working in Monett more attractive, the Monett school district is looking at offering daycare services for employees with young children. Assistant Superintendent Mike Evans conducted a survey of district employees and found enough interest to pursue the matter further...

Threats from an allegedly suicidal man engaged three law enforcement agencies and resulted in a school lockdown in Purdy and the subject being taken on Tuesday. According to Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly, the Barry County Sheriff's Department received a report of a distraught Purdy resident, upset about a recent divorce, who threatened to go to the Purdy school, get his son and do bodily harm to the children...

Spurred on by four Jason Puente goals, the Monett soccer team rolled to a 4-2 sectional playoff win over Fatima on Tuesday at Burl Fowler Stadium. The Cubs fell behind 1-0 just 10 minutes into the contest, but five minutes later, Puente stole the ball off a Comet foot and raced 20 yards before right-footing the equalizer into the net...