Stories from Saturday, December 9, 2017

Around 50 people attended a public meeting on Thursday about the issues of shifting the Verona school district to a four-day school week. Superintendent Tony Simmons offered opening comments, addressing how he has come to view the subject. Having been skeptical of the four-day formula at the outset, Simmons based his observations on what superintendents from five school districts practicing the strategy shared in a survey Simmons sent. ...

A new opportunity has been made available to the Monett Community Kitchen that will require additional resources for use. According to Melissa Priest, Community Kitchen coordinator, the Ozark Food Harvest has made arrangements with Hiland Dairy, enabling the local service to acquire milk for its families through the Milk2MyPlate program...

Second-grade students from Monett Elementary School, prepared by vocal music teacher Sarah Gripka, packed the high school performing arts center Thursday for their Christmas program.

While civic leaders in Verona ponder which direction to take in trying to preserve firefighting service while two of the city's fire trucks are sidelined, opportunities for tax exemptions exist for those who have federal and state tax obligations by the end of the calendar year...

In a special ceremony held last week at the Monett Area YMCA, Monett residents Leon and Norma Hilton were honored by the attachment of a permanent plaque to the wall of the YMCA’s Executive Office to recognize the Hiltons’ generous support of the Monett Y...

A Springfield woman was injured Wednesday in a wreck at 11:05 a.m. on Highway 248, three miles east of Cassville. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Rebecca Shoemake, 21, of Springfield, was driving a 2003 Ford Focus westbound and stopped to attempt a left-hand turn when her vehicle was struck in the rear by a 2013 Ford Escape, being driven by Doyle Russell, 81, of Aurora...

A Jasper man was seriously injured following an incident on Monday at 9:20 a.m. on Farm Road 2115, one mile north of Butterfield. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Orville Alberty, 77, of Jasper, exited a 1994 Kenworth truck and became a pedestrian on the roadway. He slipped and fell, and the truck rolled over him...

A Washburn man was injured and arrested following a wreck on Wednesday at 6:25 p.m. on Highway 90, three miles east of Washburn. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Michael Benton, 52, of Washburn, was driving a 1995 Ford F150 westbound when his vehicle ran off the roadway and overturned...

A Monett community choir will present the 2nd annual “Light The World” Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 10, at 7 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 601 S. Lincoln Ave. in Monett. The Kings Prairie Special Road District commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. at Angus Branch Steakhouse in Monett...

Monett-based Jack Henry and Associates has announced its Symitar division has expanded its successful 15-year partnership with Synergent, a credit union service organization. Based in Portland, Maine, Synergent serves more than 200 credit unions with comprehensive operational solutions, exclusively offering the Symitar Episys system for core processing. ...

Charlotte Cloud celebrated her 90th birthday with a Sunday brunch in her honor at The Top of the Rock restaurant at the Big Cedar Lodge.

A year's worth of dedication and service was recognized and celebrated recently as Monett Lions gathered at the Historical Society's Event Center. President Tom Wormington served as emcee for the Appreciation Dinner which provides an opportunity for project chairpersons to recognize the time and effort members give to carry out the club's successful fundraising and service projects...

Monett High School student Sammie Holt took on a service project as part of the dual credit class offered through Drury University, leading to a learning experience for third graders in etiquette and manners. Holt has been supervised in her class by instructor Beth Nation at MHS. Holt was charged to come up with a service project, then developed a support system around the experience to be educational for its participants...

As a part of their science chapter at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Pierce City, first and second grade students created a dinosaur from cardboard boxes to display in the multipurpose room of the school.

Six members of the Monett High School Band were named last Saturday to the All-Conference Band, which is director nominated.

Officials at Monett Elementary School have chosen students demonstrating the characteristic of being responsible as Students of the Week for Dec. 4.

The message from Coach Daryl Bradley to his Monett wrestling team after a 54-15 win over Diamond and a 36-26 victory over Webb City on Thursday was simple — we have to get better. “We did some good things and we did some bad things tonight,” Bradley said. “We are young in some spots, and that showed tonight. Our experienced guys took care of business. We had some guys just getting into action and it showed.”...

In the 12-team Monett Invitational, the Lady Cubs went 9-2 and all their relay teams, along with the individual 200-freestyle, 100-backstroke, 50-freestyle and 100-freestyle, earned state consideration cut status. “I was very pleased with where we were for our first meet of the season,” said Dan Janssen, Monett coach. ...

We are blessed this week and next to have such an abundance of seasonal programs in our communities. Many are still hosted by schools. While these pageants of Santa and the mythology of the holiday stray far from the real meaning of the season, they do still take place...

Eddie Blue Williams, age 30, of Monett, passed away Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, Missouri. He was born June 12, 1987 in Aurora, Missouri, the son of James Allen and Mary Beth (Sennett) Williams, who survive of Monett. ...

Joe Lynn Little Sr., 74, of Everton, died Monday, Dec. 4, at the Cox South Hospital in Springfield. A graveside service, under the direction of the Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home, in Miller, will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Sinking Creek Cemetery in Everton. Visitation will be held from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 in the funeral home chapel...

Richard Dean Phelan, 85, of Branson, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Quail Creek Nursing Center in Springfield. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery, Pulaskifield. Arrangements are entrusted to Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett...