Stories from Saturday, March 4, 2017

Willa Dean Griffis, 85, of Shell Knob, died Wednesday, March 1. Funeral services for Willa Dean and her son, Philip Wayne Griffis, 56, who died Nov. 19, 2016, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 6 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Shell Knob, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob. Burial will be at Lake Park Memorial Gardens at Shell Knob...

It’s difficult in the current political climate for people to trust their governments. Big talk and a lot of promises by the leadership in both Jefferson City and Washington, D.C. dangle hopes and dreams that may prove equally illusive. Their rhetoric makes it difficult for even local governments to move forward in good faith...

With state wrestling and district basketball dominating the news coverage landscape, it was easy to overlook what Monett’s Kelli Sangston accomplished at the state swimming meet. The Lady Cubs swimmer missed her goal of reaching the top 16, but she achieved the goal of swimming her best by setting a personal and school record with a 59.97-second performance in the 100-yard Backstroke, good for 20th place...

The Monett softball team earned statewide recognition from the Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association for its achievements in the classroom in the 2016-2017 season. Of the 43 schools honored, the Lady Cubs finished No. 9 with a 3.65 GPA. Lutheran High School, of St. Charles County, finished first with a GPA of 3.94...

By this point in the season, the Pierce City girls basketball team knows every opponent is a good one and nothing is going to come easy. Today at 2:45 p.m., Pierce City (25-4) will play the No. 1-ranked team in Class 2 in Skyline at the O’Reilly Family Event Center on the Drury University campus in Springfield...

Character education medal winners for the month of February have been announced at Purdy Elementary School.

Honor rolls for the second quarter at Berean Christian Academy have been announced. The following students named to the A honor roll follow: • First grade: Neika Keeling, Seth McAlister • Second Grade: Joy Brittenham, Payton Copeland, Nerissa Cullers, Tessa Janssen, Malachi Morrow, Slate Schwin, Katera Stinson, Jeremiah Pitts...

Missouri University of Science and Technology announced the names of students who made the honor list for the fall 2016 semester. From Cassville, sophomore and computer science major Dillon Nelson Hess; from Monett, freshman and engineering major Jack G. Gibfried, senior and mechanical engineering major Tiffany Marie Newburry, sophomore and mechanical engineering major Andrew Hillman Rausch and senior and ceramic engineering major Luke William Verhoff...

Officials at Monett Elementary School have chosen students demonstrating the characteristics of being hardworking as Students of the Week for Feb. 27.

January Students of the Month have been named at Purdy Middle School.

PELLA, IOWA — Pella Corporation, the parent company to Monett-based EFCO Corporation, has announced further development of its Architect Series wood window and patio door line, first introduced in 1990. A leading manufacturer of artfully-crafted windows and doors, Pella has introduced the Architect Series Collection for residential and custom markets, while products from EFCO provide options for the commercial market...

Monett-based Jack Henry and Associates, through its Symitar division, has released SymApp, a computer product for the financial industry offering a centralized self-service hub for various account opening applications. SymApp gives Symitar’s Episys credit union applicants a single interface to apply for memberships, accounts, and loans. With its responsive design, SymApp is readily usable on a variety of devices including desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices...

The Monett Ministerial Association will host a weekly series of seven Lenten services at noon on Wednesdays. The next service will be held on March 8 at the First Christian Church, Fourth and Wishart. Aaron Weibel will be the speaker. A light lunch will follow the services, around 12:30 p.m., at the host church. All are welcome...

Braving the chilly temperatures, Marie Reid, of Miller, took a few moments Friday morning to allow her canine companion, Chloe, to carouse in the pocket park adjacent to Monett Family Restaurant on Broadway.

Planting is underway yesterday and today at the Monett Community Garden for the spring growing season.

Spotlights added to the Monett Museum building at Fifth and Broadway do not quite illuminate the turret on the renovated structure.

Professional author Polly McCrillis met last week with her Writers Helping Writers group, which gathers on the last Thursday of the month at Mocha Jo’s, 404 E. Broadway in Monett.

No one was hurt in a collision between a Monett school bus and a passing vehicle on Eisenhower between Scott and Cleveland Avenue around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. According to reports, a southbound bus...

Friends of Jolly Mill are hosting the second annual Jolly Mill Challenge Fun Run & 5K 2017 on April 29 at the park. The race starts at 8 a.m., with prizes and trophies to be announced at 9:15 a.m. Tammy’s Famous Biscuits and Gravy will be served and open to the public at the Old Mill from 9-11 a.m., followed by the annual Duck Race at 11 a.m...

1. Why do you want to win this position? I originally ran for election to this position because I wanted to give something back to the school from which I had graduated and that is still my reason for wanting to serve a second term.

1. Why do you want to win this position? I want to win to help to improve the district with providing a quality education. Knowing that finances are going to be of high importance I want to be able to help the district make sound financial decisions in order to keep providing a quality education.

1. Why do you want to win this position? To serve the Pierce City R6 School District.

1. Is proposing a higher base property tax levy something you as board member would consider to insulate the district from possible state or federal budget cuts? Monett is a conservative community and we are a fiscally conservative board. Tax levies are a very sensitive matter. Historically, the Monett R-1 District has been very good stewards of the patrons’ money.

1. Is proposing a higher base property tax levy something you as board member would consider to insulate the district from possible state or federal budget cuts? In the absence of any clear need for a property tax levy, I would not support laying the groundwork for higher taxes.

1. Is proposing a higher base property tax levy something you as board member would consider to insulate the district from possible state or federal budget cuts? The Monett R-1 school system has been able to conservatively budget over the past years which has brought forward excess revenues and on budget or under budget expenses.

1. Is proposing a higher base property tax levy something you as board member would consider to insulate the district from possible state or federal budget cuts? I don’t see a need in that type of action at this time. Our district’s finances currently seem to be in good shape with decent reserves. With large education cuts at the state level this year, I think it is a good sign that Governor Greitens targeted the vast majority of the cuts at higher education.

Personnel moves by the Monett school board have begun shaping changes for the next school year. Board members wanted to continue with the leadership of Superintendent Brad Hanson. At the board’s January meeting, Hanson’s contract was extended, keeping him on a three-year deal, through the 2019-2020 school year...

A half-cent tax proposed by the Lawrence County Commission to fund law enforcement would alter the income sources for the sheriff’s, jail, prosecuting attorney, coroner and circuit clerk offices. Facing a tight budget year, the commission has opted to place the half-cent sales tax for law enforcement on the April 4 ballot. If passed, the tax would garner approximately $1.5 million per year, which would be used to fully support the sheriff’s office and jail...

Schools in the Monett area this week have been celebrating the birthday of Ted “Dr. Seuss” Geisel with a variety of reading activities.