Stories from Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Helen Juanita Wasson, 99, of Aurora, died Wednesday, Feb. 22. A funeral service was held Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora with burial at the Osa Cemetery.

Bonnie June (Rose) Shrum, 77, of Washburn, died Thursday, Feb. 23. Funeral services were held Monday, Feb. 27 at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial was at King Cemetery at Seligman.

Billy C. Dowler, 78, of Cassville, died Thursday, Feb. 23. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cassville, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cassville...

Robert Leroy Washam, 80, of Mt. Vernon, died Feb. 23, 2017, at his home. A funeral service was held Monday, Feb. 27 at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. Burial was at the Sycamore Cemetery, east of Miller.

The Pierce City faithful filled up more than half of the Sarcoxie gym on Friday, and their cheering helped carry the Eagles and Lady Eagles to championships in the Class 2, District 12 tournaments.

Spurred by a loud and roaring fan base that at times created a deafening sound in the Sarcoxie gym, the Pierce City girls basketball team flew to the Class 2, District 12 tourney title on Friday night. In what has developed into a full-blown rivalry between Pierce City and Purdy, it was the team that donned the Green and White jerseys that claimed a 57-48 victory to advance to the sectional playoff round against Crane...

In June of 2016, Matt Street, Pierce City basketball coach, knew his Eagles were loaded with potential and talent. The bulk of the talent rested in an incoming freshman class and a solid group of sophomores turning juniors. With a trio of seniors to provide leadership, the pieces were in place, and the attention turned to building the necessary chemistry...

The Monett Ministerial Association will host a weekly series of seven Lenten services at noon on Wednesdays. The first service will be held on March 1 at the First Baptist Church on South Highway 37. Tony Martin will be the speaker. A light lunch will follow the services, around 12:30 p.m., at the host church. All are welcome...

The following defendants plead guilty or were found guilty of the charge listed. An Alford Plea does not admit guilt but indicates defendant believes there is enough evidence for a conviction, SES is Suspended Execution of Sentence, SIS is Suspended Imposition of Sentence, ITC is Intensive Treatment Center, SATOP is Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program, CVCF is Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund, LERF is Law Enforcement Restitution Fund. ...

Speakers from the Monett Healthy Schools/Healthy Communities initiative will be among the featured speakers at the second annual Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Schools Healthy Communities summit, being held today and Wednesday at the Monett City Park Casino...

A Purdy man was injured Sunday in a wreck at 1 p.m. at 7646 Highway HH. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Joshua Talbert, 34, of Purdy, was driving a 2005 Polaris 4-wheeler at a high rate of speed in a field when he fell off the vehicle...

A Purdy man was injured Monday in a wreck at 6:17 a.m. on Farm Road 1095, two miles north of Butterfield. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Mathew Watson, 20, of Purdy, was driving a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu southbound when his vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a fence...

The Daddy-Daughter Dinner and Dance, held Saturday evening at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Monett, was sure to be a memory-making event for all who attended. Elissa Browning was all smiles as she danced in the arms of her father, Chris Browning, after dinner...

The Monett City Council has approved a $1 monthly increase in sanitation collection fees. Under the new rates, customers will pay $16 per month to cart, effective March 1. Bills will appear in the April utility cycle. Senior citizens age 65 and older will continue to receive a discount, paying $14 per cart monthly...

After three Hispanics were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Monett in the past month, fear of raids and deportation have spread throughout the local community, prompting questions about how the local police department cooperates with ICE on immigration issues...

Familiar foes enter the Class 2 sectional tonight in Carthage, as the Pierce City and Crane girls basketball team prepare to battle for the right to advance to the state quarterfinals on Saturday. The teams have met in the sectional round three times in the last four seasons, and all three times, the Lady Pirates have claimed victory en route to eventual state championships...

According to Matt Street, Pierce City boys basketball coach, two different teams are set to take the floor tonight than the ones that met in December. At 6 p.m. the Eagles (19-7) and Crane (14-10) are set to battle for the right to advance to the state quarterfinals on Saturday. On Dec. 1, 2016, the two hardwood squads met in the semifinal of the Pierce City Invitational, where the Pirates prevailed, 71-58...