Stories from Tuesday, December 5, 2017

The Monett City Council has ironed out new contracts for banking, animal control and clarifier repairs. Every three years, the city requests bids for its banking service. In the last round of bids, the city moved its services from UMB Bank to U.S. Bank. This time, only U.S. Bank and Arvest Bank offered bids...

Summer Straw, 3, was all smiles as she shared her Christmas wishes with Santa Claus at the annual Jolly Mill Christmas open house on Friday evening.

Special high intensity traffic enforcement by Monett Police on Nov. 22 led to multiple arrests and the issuance of more than two dozen court summons to encourage drivers toward less risky behavior. Officers conducted their high intensity activity between 1 and 5:30 p.m. along Highway 60...

The Ozark Festival Orchestra will continue its 38th season with a performance of selections from George Frideric Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” for its Christmas concert on Dec. 16 and 17 in Cassville and Monett. Under the baton of Music Director Todd Borgmann, the orchestra, augmented by soloists and a community choir, will perform two pieces for orchestra only, 11 selections for soloists and 10 choral selections from the oratorio. ...

Oak Pointe Assisted Living and Memory Care in Monett will host an open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, at the facility, located at 1011 Old Airport Road. Guests are invited to view the Christmas decorations, donated from the private collection of resident Ruby Reese. In addition, there will be a hot cocoa bar, Wassail punch and treats...

A tournament title was something Purdy expected when it began the Pierce City Invitational Tournament a week ago. Of course, seven other teams also had visions of taking home the tourney trophy as well, but only the Eagles were able to claim the title of champion with a 46-39 win over Verona on Saturday...

Cold first-half shooting and a deep hole proved to be too much for the Verona basketball team to overcome in the Championship game of the 54th annual Pierce City Invitational. The Wildcats fell, 46-39, to Purdy, but they have plenty of reasons to smile...

Georgia J. Moss, 82, of Monett, Mo., passed away on Sunday morning, December 3, 2017, while at Cox South Medical Center in Springfield, Mo. Georgia was born on January 6, 1935, in Monett, daughter of the late Floyd Homer Isbell and Mary Ellen (Coatney) Isbell. ...

Ronnie Eugene Nelson, age 50, of Monett, Mo., passed away on Saturday morning, December 2, 2017, in an automobile accident. Ronnie was born on June 29, 1967 in Monett, Mo., son of Larry Eugene Atkinson and Edith “Sue” (Ingle) Cummings. He worked in maintenance for hotels in the Branson area and attended New Site Baptist Church...

Steve Allen Baxter, 55, of Monett, died Saturday, Dec. 2. Steve’s wishes were to be cremated. There are no services planned at this time. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett, Mo.

Karen M. Murray, 50, of Purdy, died Tuesday, Nov. 28. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Mickey “Mike” Joe Petty, 76, of Cassville, died Tuesday, Nov. 28. A Celebration of Life was held from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Cassville Senior Center, 1111 Fair Street, Cassville. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville...

Ellen Ann Taylor, 79, of Miller, died Wednesday, Nov. 29 at her home. A funeral service was held Monday, Dec. 4, at the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, in Mt. Vernon. Burial was at the Misemer Cemetery.

Dolan D. Underhill, 80, of Brighton, died Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Mercy Hospital in Springfield. A graveside service under the direction of the Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home, in Miller, was held Monday, Dec. 4, at the Round Grove Cemetery.

Dorothy Jeanne Wright, 70, of Mt. Vernon, died Saturday, Nov. 25. A funeral service, under the direction of Bishop Edward Numbers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with assistance of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, in Mt. Vernon will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 11, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 16922 Highway 39, Verona. Burial will follow at the Mt. Vernon City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9-10 a.m. on Monday at the church...