Stories from Saturday, January 6, 2018

Pierce City lost a king this week. Mike Flummerfelt was not the kind of king who lorded himself over others. He would never even have considered himself for such a title. That in no way diminished what a quality person he was, one who stood out not by proclamations but by deeds, a person you didn’t have to know long to know he was special...

Motivation should not be an issue today when Verona and Purdy square off for the Miller tourney title. The game will mark the second time this season that the Ozark 7 Conference foes have battled for a tournament title. In December, Purdy topped the Wildcats to take a crown...

The investigation into the shooting of Monett resident Michael Culhane by Monett Officer Michael Royster has been completed, exonerating the officer of any wrongdoing. The incident, which occurred on Sept. 8, 2017, resulted in the death of Culhane, who slashed his own throat and received two gunshot wounds from Officer Royster's service revolver. Details of the incident have not been fully disclosed, left to an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

The Monett City Council approved contract changes on contraction projects in December. The city will receive $250,000 in settlement money from Tyson Foods for the 2014 amino acid spill that impacted the biological cleansing system at the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Utilities Superintendent Skip Schaller proposed a new project for using the settlement money, working with McClanahan Construction of Rogersville, which is repairing one of the clarifiers at the plant...

Approximately 194 sixth grade students at Monett Intermediate School took part in D.A.R.E. graduation ceremonies Friday morning.

Following more than 21 years of service to the City of Monett, City Clerk Janie Knight retired at the close of 2017, receiving commendation for her service at her last city council meeting on Dec. 20. Knight, who succeeded Clerk Doris Meyer, the first woman to ever hold the job, started as an office clerk on April 1, 1996, became deputy clerk on Nov. 16, 1996 and clerk on April 1, 1997. Lisa Crawford, whom Knight praised as her assistant, took over the post...

Interest in the A+ program appears to be waning at the Monett school district. Coordinator Marlene Driscoll is making efforts to rekindle interest in the state-funded program, which offers free tuition to a two-year college to provide a jump on post-high school education...

Pierce City High School will celebrate basketball homecoming next Friday, as the Eagles take on the visiting Purdy Eagles at the conclusion of a dance-themed week. “Dancing Through The Decades” is the theme for homecoming week. Daily themes to inspire apparel for the occasion will be the 1950s on Tuesday, the 1960s on Wednesday, the 1970s on Thursday, and Green and White Day to wear school colors on Friday...

Agriculture conferences can prove heavy going for even the most astute listener.

Monett Middle School will host its first robotics tournament on Jan. 13, with approximately 10 teams demonstrating their machines and meeting challenges.

The boys hang onto their lead in the 75th annual Monett Times First Baby Contest.

Lawrence County Area Retired School Personnel will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Olive Grille, 15 E. Olive in Aurora, for a breakfast meeting. School superintendents will discuss changes in recent years. An open house is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday at New Site Baptist Church, southwest of Monett, for the new children’s building...

Monett-based Jack Henry and Associates has announced its Symitar division has expanded its partnership with Member Driven Technologies (MDT) in providing service to the credit union sector of the financial industry. MDT, based in Farmington Hills, Mich., provides credit unions with a private cloud alternative for core processing and information technology needs. Its client base represents more than $22 billion in assets and approximately 2 million members...

Eldon Cole, livestock specialist for the University of Missouri Extension Service, announced at the Lawrence County Soils and Crops Conference that a limited supply of the Little Red Book, an organized package for recording farm data through the year, is available from the Extension office in Mt. Vernon...

The Knights of Columbus from Council No. 1075 in Monett have donated $1,430.44 to the Arc of the Ozarks in Monett to help continue services to the locally developmentally disabled.

More than 400 of students at the Scott Regional Technology Center in Monett who are active in SkillsUSA participated in the Local Leadership contest day activities. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The SkillsUSA mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens...

On Dec. 31, John Witt retired from Schreiber Foods in Monett.

Ivan and Kylie Mareth and big sisters, Ivey and Lilien of Stotts City, announce the arrival of Aspen Sophia Fern. Aspen was born at 7:57 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2017 at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Aspen weighed in at 7 pounds and 7 ounces and measured 20-1/2 inches in length...

Elmer and Norma Kaiser, of Monett, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Thursday, Jan. 4.

The Monett wrestling team takes a two-dual winning streak into its own invitational tourney today after defeating McDonald County, 51-24, and Republic, 41-23, on Thursday. Results are as follows. Monett wrestlers are listed first. • 120: Karter Brink defeated Oscar Ortiz, 7-3...

Monett High School cross-country runner Santiago Granados was recognized by the Monett school board for qualifying to compete in the state meet.

The Monett school board honored the 2018 Monett High School softball team for winning the state championship during the board’s December meeting.

Frank Lee Clapper, 83, of rural Pierce City, Mo., passed away on January 3, 2018, at his residence. Frank was born on September 10, 1934, son of the late Frank and Velma Clapper. Frank served his country honorably during the Korean War. He was discharged from the United States Marine Corps in February of 1956. For many years, Frank worked as a Mechanic for many of the local dealerships and shops in Monett. Frank enjoyed boating and water skiing, farming and his animals...

Ruth June Burleson, 94, of Washburn, died Wednesday, Jan. 3. Graveside services were held Saturday, Jan. 6, at Horner Cemetery in Cassville, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.