Stories from Friday, April 6, 2018

Cox Monett Hospital recently earned a 5 Star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, putting it in the top 7 percent of hospitals nationwide. The HCAHPS summary combined all information about the specifics of the patient care experience. Cox Monett is the first hospital in the CoxHealth system to achieve the rating...

Write-in votes in Tuesday’s election have upended the results in one municipality and left a number of questions unanswered for those who now must sort through several apparently eligible candidates to determine a winner. Write-in winners must also agree to serve, or the governmental entity must turn to the next highest vote getter, if there is one...

After extended dialogue between downtown merchants, Monett Main Street has proposed a new strategy for policing parking availability downtown, which has received the support of the Monett City Council. In March, tickets issued by police for vehicles parking on Broadway and between Broadway and Bond from Second to Sixth Street began reaching municipal court. ...

Monett people remarkably find themselves in some of the nation's hot spots, and this week was no exception as Jennifer Blevins, 1994 Monett High School graduate and daughter of educators Vicki and the late Jim Orr, joined the protests in Oklahoma City over higher pay for teachers and public education in general...

Members of the Pierce City School Board accepted resignations from nine teachers and coaches last month. Resignations, for both personnel and extra duty contracts, include: Alexandra Gibson, third grade teacher; Kim Hankins, early childhood special education teacher; Erica Doty, fourth grade teacher; Gretta Guerin, middle school special education teacher; Travis Stokes, middle school teacher; Crystal Charles, National Honor Society advisor; Jared Frey, high school assistant boys basketball coach; Brooke Hinds, middle school assistant volleyball coach; and Zachary Hill, middle school assistant boys basketball coach.. ...

A field day for Monett school students is planned for Saturday, April 21, as a fundraiser for the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital network as part of a passion project by two Monett High School students in the Greater Ozarks Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (GO CAPS) program...

Pickleball is coming to Monett's South Park. This month, one of the tennis courts at the park will be converted for the sport, providing space for four simultaneous pickleball contests. Three tennis courts will remain for their traditional use, and are striped accordingly...

The Monett Chamber of Commerce has reorganized for the coming year following the annual membership meeting on March 8 and the election of new board members. The annual meeting of the outgoing and incoming boards led to the election of officers and the appointment of committee chairpersons...

A three-vehicle collision at Highway 60 and Kyler at 8:25 a.m. on Wednesday left a Monett man injured. According to a Monett Police report, Stanley Nowak, 85, of Monett, was driving a 2016 Nissan Rogue south on Kyler and failed to stop at a steady red light. He drove into a westbound 2005 Chevrolet pickup truck, driven by Paul Fenske, 59, of rural Pierce City...

Anticipating only one day of decent weather to play outdoors this week, children in the preschool at the Verona school district piled on to a playground caterpillar on Thursday afternoon to enjoy the sunshine.

The fifth and sixth grade choir and Ukulele Club at Monett Intermediate School offered a concert at the Monett Senior Center on Friday, one of several stops around town.

Alvin Schad, a long time volunteer at the Monett Senior Center, was recognized Friday for years of effort helping in the kitchen, sealing meals taken out for home delivery.

The Monett Senior Center’s April dance on Monday at the Monett City Park Casino came with an invitation to the ladies to wear their Easter bonnets.

At the Monett Branch Library, Sixth and Bond, a special program on Dutch oven cooking with Dr. Larry Quinalty will be offered at 10:30 a.m. on April 11. Sign-up is needed as a limited number can participate. Knitting and crochet sessions will continue at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Coloring get-togethers continue at 2 p.m. on Thursday...

A group of Missouri Retired Teachers from Barry and Lawrence counties are pictured around the check presented to the state organization in Jefferson City recently representing the number of hours of volunteer service rendered by the teachers in the past year...

Perfect attendance honorees at Trinity Lutheran School in Freistatt for the third quarter were recognized.

Students of the Quarter have been announced by Trinity Lutheran School in Freistatt.

Trinity Lutheran School sixth grader Ruby Knight won third place in the regional Joplin Globe Spelling Bee on March 19.

Trinity Lutheran School recognized third quarter awards at chapel on March 21.

Thirteen studens at Trinity Lutheran School in Freistatt have been honored for achieving the All-A Honor Roll.

Coming into the season, Michael Calhoun, Monett baseball coach, knew he had a couple of giant holes to fill in his roster. A year ago, the Cubs were blessed with an All-State lead off hitter in Mason Swearingen. Calhoun said then that Monett would be hard pressed to replace his production, and it would require the team to pick up the slack in the aggregate...

An assault on the Monett school record book in girls track may happen sooner than later at the pace the current team is improving. The girls track team traveled to Springfield for the Girls Night Out on Thursday and took 10th out of 29 teams. “I am so proud of our girls,” said Kelly George, Monett track coach. “The girls set personal records in seven events and several seasons best.”...

On Wednesday the Monett tennis competed against Republic, Clever, and Mt Vernon in the Mt Vernon Tennis Tournament.

Election day offered revelations on Tuesday, an interesting reflection in the water of the populace at large. The public, it seems, felt rather optimistic. That showed most vividly in the vote for money issues. The school bond issues in Pierce City, Marionville, Miller, Sarcoxie — with some Lawrence County voters, and Crane — with some Barry County voters — all passed easily. ...

Barbara “Bobbie” Ellen Pruente, age 85, of Verona, Missouri, passed away at 3:20 a.m. on Sunday, April 1, 2018, at the Aurora Nursing Center. She was born April 26, 1932, in Republic, Missouri, the daughter of Russell and Bernice (Davis) Bassore. Bobbie was a graduate of Mt. Vernon High School and was a homemaker...

Lemuel Elbert Compton, of Miller, died Saturday, March 31. Services were under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home. Services were held Friday, April 6, at the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Burial was at the Mt. Vernon IOOF Cemetery...

Gary G. Deditius, 70, of Purdy, died Monday, April 2, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. The family will receive friends from 2-4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 8, at the White Funeral Home and Crematory in Cassville. Burial with full military honors will be held at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, on Tuesday, April 10 at 1 p.m...

Lunisa Marie Munoz, 66, of Monett, died Tuesday, March 27. Services will be held at a later date in San Jose, Calif. Cremation arrangements were under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Mildred Myers, 91, of Purdy, died Tuesday, April 3, at Lacoba Homes in Monett. Funeral services were held Friday, April 6 at the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Chapel in Monett, with Rev. Jerry Nickel and Rev. Mike Tharp officiating. Burial was at Arnhart Cemetery, Purdy...

James Franklin Nelson, 83, of Marionville, died Saturday, March 31, at the Mercy Hospital in Springfield. A graveside service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, at the Delaware Cemetery, west of Nixa...

Richard Lee Tyson, 74, of Mt. Vernon, died Monday, April 2, at the Lawrence County Manor in Mt. Vernon. A graveside service under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home, in Mt. Vernon will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 9, at the Ozark Prairie Cemetery, northeast of Mt. Vernon...