Stories from Friday, April 7, 2017

The Monett Chamber of Commerce has begun work on a number of 2017 activities, several of which will take place in the coming weeks. The Business Showcase on Saturday will feature 25 vendors and still has openings for businesses or service organizations interested in promoting their programs or making the public more aware of their products. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Monett City Park Casino. Anyone interested in participating may call the Chamber at 417-235-7919...

The Monett City Council has introduced an ordinance that would allow columbariums and mausoleums for the burial of cremains at the Monett IOOF Cemetery. City Administrator Dennis Pyle said 50 years ago, less than 4 percent of people had their remains cremated after death. By 1980, that number had risen to 10 percent and by 2015, the total had increased to 48.5 percent. Predictions suggest the trend will increase to 71 percent by 2030...

In school elections throughout the bi-county area on Tuesday, challengers and newcomers found themselves winners more often than not. Cassville: There were no races for Cassville school board after Wade Hermansen, making his third run for the office, withdrew after the deadline, forcing a vote though none was necessary. The election, nonetheless, drew 81 write-in votes...

Preschoolers in Lisa Hall and Kim Hankins’ class at Pierce City Central Elementary studied the letter “N” this week,, working on names, numbers and crafts, where they made nests.

Tuesday night’s storms appear to have created no significant damage in Monett, despite a funnel shaped cloud, visible from town, tracking northwest of the city.

No injuries occurred in a two-vehicle crash at 6:11 p.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of 13th Street and Cleveland in Monett.

The Monett High School Fashion Show will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center. The Monett Branch Library at Sixth and Bond will have a program on vegetable gardening with Master Gardener Lee Neill at 10 a.m. on April 11...

The Monett tennis team (0-2) heads to Carl Junction today looking for its first team win of the season. The Cubs took a hard-luck loss to Webb City on Tuesday, 5-4. They swept the doubles action, but managed to win just one singles battle. Jack Barta downed Jack Gossett, 8-3. The duo of Spencer Crossland and Naman Desai earned an 8-6 win, while Barta and Brennon Krueger prevailed by the same margin...

The waters for the Verona baseball team have been turbulent at best this season. The Wildcats (0-4) are unified in working toward the common goals of improving, but with raw pieces all over the field, the results have not been favorable. The most glaring weakness comes in the form of a shortage of pitching...

The Monett track team invades Nixa on Tuesday with hopes of streamlining its approach on the track. The boys team is looking to earn several points that may have been left on too many area tracks so far this season. The Cubs finished ninth in the 13-team Bolivar meet, scoring 26 points. Willard won the rain-shortened event with 143.5 points...

Mother Nature finally took a breath long enough to allow the Pierce City track team to squeeze in a varsity meet at Ash Grove on Saturday. The Eagles took third and the Lady Eagles finished ninth. “We have some kids already setting personal records,’ said Brad Hocker, Pierce City coach. “We like that trend, and we want that to continue for all our athletes.”...

Corey Spain (3-0) threw six innings of one-hit baseball and struck out nine to help the Cubs (8-1) defeat Seneca 4-0 in the opening round of the Bill O’Dell Tourney in Carthage on Wednesday. Ian Meyer and Zach Burgherr each drove in two runs apiece...

The Monett golf team improved to 5-0 on the season with a win in the three-team match at Cassville on Tuesday. The Cubs shot a 171, with Cassville coming in second at 192 and Aurora third with a 193. Clayton Kaiser paced the Cubs with a 37; Caleb Long hit a 43; Lane Witt scored a 44; and Tommy Sangston and Shane Pass each carded a 47...

The Monett junior varsity golf team won the 12-team Buffalo Bison JV Invitational on Monday. Nathan Parker and Blake Poage tied for first high individual with an 83. In the two-man scramble division, Nick Pilkenton and Gaven Carr took third with an 85 and Joel Ridenour and Conner Durkin shot a 95...

Wilber M. Walker, 79, of Pierce City, died at 5:45 a.m., Wednesday, April 5, at his home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 8, at Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City. Burial will be at Pierce City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m., Friday, April 7, at Lakin Funeral Home...

William Ward Torbett, 83, of Liberty, N.C., died Saturday, April 1, at the Liberty Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center of Alamance County. He was born in Marionville. A funeral service under the direction of the Williams Funeral Home in Marionville will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, at the First United Methodist Church of Marionville. Burial will be at the Marionville IOOF Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1-2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the church...

Sue A. Roddy, 68, of Shell Knob, died Tuesday, April 4. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 7, at First Christian Church in Shell Knob. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until service time Friday, at the church...

Lois Frances Powers, 86, of Aurora, died Tuesday, April 4, at the Aurora Nursing Center. A graveside service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 7, at the Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora...

Allan Eugene Kochell, 65, of Wheaton, died Saturday, April 1. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton.