Stories from Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Area law enforcement officials are reminding residents that as the mercury rises, so does the crime rate, as there have been multiple reports of thefts across the bi-county area recently. “We received an anonymous tip about a stolen utility trailer,” said Jay Jastal, school resource officer and community relations officer for the Monett Police Department. “Det. [David] Haskins investigated the incident and recovered the trailer.”...

Two Pierce City businesses were broken into over the weekend when an unidentified suspect or suspects kicked through the doors. According to Police Chief Mike Abramovitz, Larry's Barber Shop, located at 107 N. Myrtle, sustained only property damage from the incident, which is believed to have occurred sometime between Saturday evening and the early morning hours on Sunday...

A grand opening celebration is planned for the new location of the Monett Museum, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at Fifth and Broadway. The museum, located at 418-422 E. Broadway, is housed in historic buildings renovated by Bob and Debbie Berger. The buildings will open to the public for tours...

Alena Anderson, 4, and her mother, Melinda Anderson, of Stella, spent Monday morning whiling away the hours at Monett’s South Park.

Sunday evening in Monett offered ideal conditions for a summer stroll. Tari Reeves, left, and Reagan Henry seized the moment to take their dogs for a stroll by North Park, a break from their usual routine of heading to South Park.

The board of the Monett/Purdy Habitat for Humanity affiliate will meet at 5 p.m. on June 20 at the First Christian Church, Fourth and Wishart in Monett. The Waldensian Presbyterian Church in Monett will hold its annual ice cream social at 6 p.m. on June 29 on the grounds of the church on Waldensian Road. Sandwiches, homemade pies and ice cream and beverages will be available...

The final group of baseball awards was released Sunday afternoon in the form of the All-State baseball teams from the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association. Four players from Monett made the cut this season. Mason Swearingen received First Team honors as an outfielder, while Ian Meyer was named to the Second Team as a pitcher...

Thomas Charles “Chuck” Oldham, age 71, died in his home near Springfield, Mo., of natural causes on May 9, 2017. He was born on March 9, 1946, in Cape Girardeau, Mo., to Bernice Minnie (Thomas) and Charles Elvin Oldham. His adult life was lived in California and Missouri...

Robert Edward Collins, 69, of Aurora, died Thursday, June 1, at the Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Burial was at the Missouri Veteran’s Cemetery on Wednesday, June 7, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora.

Maxine Ruth Crider, 96, of Ridgley, died Saturday, June 17. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at Ridgley Baptist Church in Ridgley, under direction of McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton. Burial will be in Leann Cemetery at Leann...

An Aurora woman was injured Monday in a wreck at 2 p.m. on Highway 76, four miles northwest of Shell Knob. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Samantha Hill, 50, of Aurora, was driving a 1999 Ford Explorer southbound when her vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree and overturned...