Stories from Tuesday, December 12, 2017

A sunny but nippy morning brought out crowds Saturday to line Broadway for the Monett Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas parade. A total of 94 units joined the 50-minute procession, filled with glitter, pageantry and a few seasonal surprises. “The Christmas parade went very well this year, and ran smoothly as usual,” said Jeff Meredith, Chamber executive director, who served as master of ceremonies from a grandstand at Fourth and Broadway. ...

A burn ban is now in effect for the City of Monett, the Monett Rural Fire District, the Purdy and Pierce City fire districts and territory served by the Freistatt Fire Department. Fire chiefs for the five departments consulted each other on Monday, concluding that dry, windy conditions placed fires in danger of spreading. No burning of any kind will be permitted. Fires found inside the city limits of Monett will be put out by city firefighters...

The Freistatt Village Board of Trustees recently approved a franchise agreement with Total Highspeed internet service and a new key arrangement for the village hall. Following discussion with Scott Cribbs, chief operating officer of Total Highspeed, in October, the village received a draft for a written franchise agreement, the first non-verbal deal with the company that includes paying the village $250 a month for space on the village’s water standpipe...

Logan Garza, 1, center, reached from the safety of her mother Lyndsey Garza’s arms to give Santa a gentle poke on the nose to see if the Jolly Old Elf was real at the community dinner hosted by members of First Baptist Church in Pierce City on Saturday evening...

Officials at Crosslines in Monett are struggling to make the holidays happy for several families still waiting to be adopted for the Christmas toy drive. In addition to providing food baskets for nearly 300 families this holiday season, officials at Crosslines are also hoping to have the remaining children on the toy list adopted by community members, businesses or civic groups...

The Verona City Council will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. today at Verona City Hall. Monett City Administrator Dennis Pyle will be the speaker at the noon meeting of the Monett Kiwanis Club on today, Dec. 12, at the Family Room Steakhouse, First and East Broadway in Monett...

•• Defense is Monett’s shining star this season The word “GRIT” is written on the back of the warm-up jerseys of all the Monett basketball players. The team knows that it is not the most flashy or glamorous when it comes to its approach, but there is no excuse for being outworked and grinding out wins...

Trailing 15-10 in the second quarter to Hollister Thursday, the Monett girls basketball team was skating on thin ice. In years past, the Lady Cubs (2-2) had a propensity of fading early and then self-destructing, but this night was different. Kaesha George buried back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Lady Cubs a 16-15 lead, which the team held and extended into a 50-39 victory...

Dora Jean Isley, 87, of Monett, died Friday Dec. 8, 2017, at her home in Monett. Funeral services are being held on Wednesday Dec. 13, at 2 p.m. at the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Chapel in Monett. Burial will follow services at the Monett I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Monett...

Howard, Terry Bagby, 94, of Aurora, died Friday, Dec. 8, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mt. Vernon. A graveside service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, in Aurora will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora...

Harold Lee Jenkins, 75, of Cassville, died Dec. 8. No services are planned at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora.

Lonnie Edward Allen, 71, of Cassville, died Thursday, Dec. 7. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville.

Emmett R. Allen, 88, of Cassville, died Sunday, Dec. 3. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial will be at McGuire Cemetery in Viola. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville...