Stories from Friday, November 18, 2016

Progress on buildings in the Monett school district continues as the storm shelter at Central Park Elementary moves into finishing stages on the exterior and discussions have started on next steps the district should take. Superintendent Brad Hanson reported the concrete cap on the FEMA shelter at Central Park had been poured by the last week in October. ...

The Monett City Council is considering major revisions in the Missouri criminal code this month. Police Chief George Daoud said the Missouri General Assembly this year adopted the first major revision in the criminal code since 1977. More than 300 separate provisions underwent revision...

For the fifth year, Drury University's Principles of Leadership class hosted three outstanding persons from business and public service, sharing their experiences at Drury's Leadership Summit, held Thursday at the Monett City Park Casino. This year's speakers included Glen Garrett, CEO and chairman of the First State Bank of Purdy; Russ Moreland, superintendent of the Pierce City school district; and Charity Elmer, senior vice president and general legal counsel for CoxHealth Systems...

Teaching math at Verona schools now comes in several new strategies, including outreach to parents who may find the latest math approaches strange and confusing. Kelly McCaffrey, who heads math instruction under the Title 1 program, explained some of the effective approaches...

The sixth annual Pilgrim Run, a 5K and one-mile walk fundraiser to benefit the backpack food program at the Pierce City schools, will be held this year at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 24, beginning from city hall in Pierce City. This year, the run will become more interesting with the addition of a chip timing system for each 5K runner, provided by Ozark Racing Systems...

Crews for Hood Home Repair this week began installing windows on the Monett Museum building at Fifth and Broadway.

Taking advantage of a summer-like day, a dozen women from the Monett school district and Monett Area YMCA members hit the roads and hillsides of Monett's South Park for Teacher's Boot Camp on Wednesday.

Berean Christian Academy will hold its inaugural crafts fair to support the music department. The fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the BCA gym. There will be booths dedicated to quilts, woodworking, leatherworks and more. The school is located one mile east of Monett on the south side of Highway 60...

Football in Monett is the king sport when it comes to attendance. More than 20 percent of the town's population can be found at Burl Fowler Stadium during the season. When Monett played Cassville in the district semifinal, the official gate total exceed 1,700, and the crowded that funneled into the Class 3 quarterfinal against Owensville exceed that number...

For the last decade, the Big 8 Conference has been one of the toughest small school football conferences in the state. Since 2007, at least one school from the conference has made the semifinal in its respective class. Seven state title banners have been hung in that time, two by Cassville and five by Lamar...

Donna Ruth Sick, 61, of Monett, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, November 12, 2016, while at Cox Hospital South in Springfield. She was born in Fallon, Nevada, on October 27, 1955, the daughter of the late C.D. and Wilma (Ceasar) Taylor. She was united in marriage on October 1, 1973 in Galena, Missouri, to Robert Sick; he preceded her in death on February 1, 2015...

Leona Butterfield, 96, of Cassville, Missouri, passed away Tuesday, November 15, 2016, at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett, Missouri. She was born August 12, 1920, in Barry County, Missouri, one of three sets of twins, of Robert and Laura (Danley) Laney. ...

Christie J. Moore, 69, of Rocky Comfort, died Sunday, Nov. 13, at her home. A private Celebration of Life service will be held for the immediate family in the near future. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the White Funeral Home and Crematory in Cassville...

Edwina Cohen, 81, of Joplin, died Monday, Nov. 14, at Spring River Christian Village in Joplin. Following cremation, a graveside service will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19, at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Neosho. Arrangements have been entrusted to Buchanan Funeral Home in Monett...