Stories from Wednesday, February 8, 2017

After two years of record prices, local cattlemen heard little to bolster their spirits from agriculture economist Scott Brown at the Monett Beef Cattlemen’s Conference, who reported the just released nationwide herd inventory from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed bigger herds than even expected...

A Monett man is charged with three felonies pertaining to two incidents, one where he allegedly assaulted a woman, and a second where her is charged with raping the same victim. Robert Umfress, 36, of Monett, is charged with second-degree domestic assault, first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy...

Vicente Reveles, of Monett, took a moment from his morning stroll around South Park Tuesday to visit the Christopher Stark Memorial and reflect upon the local hero’s sacrifice to his country.

Facing a market that tolerates very little change, dairy producers heard several ways to view their situation but no clear path to prosperity from Scott Brown, University of Missouri agriculture economist, during the Monett Dairy Day conference. According to U.S. ...

“Aunt Ollie’s Home Away From Home” will be the next production of the Mt. Vernon-based Rebel’s Bluff Troupe. Productions are slated for this weekend, as the group presents “Aunt Ollie’s Home Away From Home” at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, at the Mt. Vernon Arts and Recreation Center (the MARC), located at 822 W. Mt. Vernon Blvd. in Mt. Vernon...

For the second consecutive year, the Monett Kiwanis Club, this year partnering with the Monett Chamber of Commerce, will bring the Ozarks Musical Showcase to Monett. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center...

Partner or not, line dancing is for everyone and is a popular feature at dances hosted by the Monett Senior Center at the Monett City Park Casino.

A total of 17 vendors catering to agriculture producers had booths at the Monett Chamber of Commerce’s trade show centered around both the Monett Dairy Day and the Beef Cattlemen’s Conference.

Royalty were crowned Friday at homecoming for Purdy High School.

Motorists on Interstate 44 by mile marker 43.4 near Mt. Vernon can expect delays beginning this week. Crews will undertake major reconstruction on the bridge over Spring River. Crews will detour traffic from Highway 97 to Highway 39. Detour signs will be up on Exit 38 to route traffic onto the outer road. ...

The wrestling season for Monett has boiled down to a two-day district playoff tournament in Clinton on Friday and Saturday. No one has any higher expectations than Cubs Coach Daryl Bradley as he takes his 10-member team north. “I expect at least seven wrestlers, and maybe nine if things break right, to qualify for state,” Bradley said. “We hold these guys to tough expectations. We have the talent. They just need to go to Clinton and execute.”...

Before she has even taken her first at-bat for the Purdy softball team, Devyn Callahan has signed a national letter of intent to play softball at Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City. Callahan is the daughter of Robert and Kriya Callahan, of Purdy, and will play her first season of softball as a Lady Eagle this spring. Devyn represented the Lady Wildcats of Cassville before she and her family relocated to Purdy...

For college sports fans, last week was the most important non-season week of the year. The week was highlighted with thousands of athletes declaring their college intentions with the signing of national letters of intent and various other documents binding them to the school of their choice...

Macario Salas, 82, of Monett, died Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Cassville Health Care and Rehabilitation in Cassville. Prayer service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Buchanan Funeral Home. Memorial Mass will begin at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will follow until 10:00 p.m...

Hal Eldon Mapes, 76, of Holiday Island, Ark., died Feb. 5. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Holiday Island Community Church. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of White Funeral Home and Crematory, Cassville...

Jackie Lee Hill, 84, of Mt. Vernon, died Sunday, Feb. 5. A visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. Graveside services with full military honors will follow at 11:30 a.m. at the Mt. Vernon City Cemetery...

Betty “Ruth” Horton, 79, of Rocky Comfort, died Sunday, Feb. 5. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 at McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton. Burial will be at Union Cemetery in Stella. Visitation will be held after 5:00 p.m. Thursday at McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton...