Stories from Friday, March 24, 2017

Voters in Verona will have a choice between two candidates on April 4 for mayor. Campaigning for the position is firefighter, former policeman and first-time office seeker Joseph Heck; and three-year city council member and current mayor pro tem, Brittany Thomas...

First-graders at Monett Elementary School gave a join concert before a capacity crowd at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center on Tuesday.

A Mt. Vernon man was injured Wednesday in a wreck at 6:14 p.m., five miles west of Halltown. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, David Rose, 22, of Mt. Vernon, was driving a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado southbound when his vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a culvert and caught fire...

The Lawrence County Tax Board for the Developmentally Disabled approved $22,361.96 in grant requests in March. The first, while technically not a grant request, came from the Missouri Department of Mental Health requesting $17,683.82 for reimbursement on billing errors that occurred over a two-year period between 2014 and 2016...

A Monett man received substantial injuries in a pre-dawn crash between a scooter and a pickup truck in Monett. According to Police Sergeant Dennis Camp, Scott Aldridge, 22, was driving a 2014 Buddy 50 scooter west on Dairy Street at 5:36 a.m. Aldridge approached an eastbound Ford F-250 pickup, driving by John Schnake, 55, of Wentworth, who was on his way to work at EFCO Corporation. ...

Two Mt. Vernon men were injured Wednesday in a wreck at 3:45 p.m. on Farm Road 2130, 0.4 miles west of Route H. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Daniel Clark, 21, of Mt. Vernon, was driving a 2003 Ford Ranger westbound when his vehicle traveled off the roadway and overturned...

Members of the Monett Sportsman’s League hosted their annual wild Thursday, March 16, at the league’s facility, south of Monett.

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 29 at the Monett Copmmunity Church, 2101 E. Cleveland. Father Hank Grodecki from St. Lawrence Catholic Church will be the speaker. A light lunch will follow the services, around 12:30 p.m., at the host church...

● Joshua D. Brown, within city park after closing, $77. ● Kayla M. Dunmire, failed to register a vehicle, $102. ●Patricia K. Fielding, failed to register a vehicle, $102. ● Mario Granados, speeding, $112. ● Amber L. Gutierrez, no driver’s license on person, $152...

The final and most prestigious awards were officially released on Wednesday with the revealing of the Missouri High School Basketball Coaches Association All-State teams. Two area stars, both juniors, were included in this year’s Class 2 list — Belle Golubski, from Pierce City, and Layne Skiles, from Purdy...

A win is a win, and the Cubs were happy to escape a valiant effort by Pierce City with a 4-3 decision on Tuesday. Monett (3-0) is still fine tuning its approach in the field and at the plate. “Against Pierce City, we had a different lineup on the infield due to Ian [Meyer] pitching,” said Michael Calhoun, Monett coach said. “We had some guys seeing a new position for the first time, and we made some mistakes.”...

East Newton High School is once again looking for a football coach after Jamie LaSalle resigned on Wednesday. LaSalle has agreed to become the football and softball coach at his alma mater Miller next season. In his only season at East Newton, LaSalle led the Patriots to a 3-6 record in 2016, their most wins since a 4-6 campaign in 2008...

The Tuesday Ladies Golf League in Monett will have an organizational meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday at Angus Branch Steakhouse on Chapell Drive, east of Walmart. The breakfast will be the kickoff for the league. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to call Dixie Latshaw at 235-5331 or Janie Bates at 235-5917...

Anyone interested in umpiring this summer for the Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League should contact Jack Williams (jwill1023@suddenlink.net) no later than today. There will be an umpire training clinic at 9 a.m. at the Monett North Park. This training will be mandatory for anyone with less than three seasons experience...

Anthony Edward Anderson, 66, of Crane, Mo., passed from this life to his eternal home in Heaven on Monday evening, March 20, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo. Tony, as he was called by those who knew him best, was born on February 3, 1951, in Aurora, Mo., son of the late Max and Verla (Pringle) May. ...

Rene Coley, 76, of Monett, Mo., passed from this life to her eternal home in Heaven on Tuesday morning, March 21, 2017, while at Cox South Medical Center in Springfield, Mo. Rene was born on February 22, 1941, in Fanshawe, Okla., daughter of the late Euell Aubrey “Shorty” Newby and Ileen Marie (Rana) Newby. ...

Sweet are the Memories that Never Fade- Darrel Lee Harris, long-time resident and loving husband of Virginia Harris, adored father of Sherri Selman, Brad Harris and Shelly Fox, and treasured grandfather of Josh Harris, passed away peacefully March 11 in Alpharetta, Ga., where he was residing near his daughter, Sherri, after a lengthy illness...

Oleta Perkins Doennig, 98, of Edina, Minn., formerly of Aurora, died Monday, March 20 at the Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. A private burial will be held at the McCormick St. John’s Cemetery in Monett, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, in Aurora...

Dana Diann Harris, 62, of Monett, formerly of Mt. Vernon, died Monday, March 20, at the Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett. A graveside service, under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 27, at the Martin Cemetery in Cherryville. A visitation will be held from 2:00–3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, in the funeral home chapel...

Mary Freda O’Connell, 96, of Aurora, died Monday, March 20 at her home. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 24 at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, in Aurora. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery northeast of Aurora.