Stories from Saturday, June 9, 2018

This is a busy week for Barry County resident Madison Horner, as she is vying for the title of Miss Missouri. Horner, as 2016 Cassville graduate, is entering her junior year at Missouri State University in Springfield, majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in political science. ...

The Verona Benefit Special Road District commissioners have moved their monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month behind the Guanajuanto restaurant.

The ceremony on Thursday marking the completion of the addition to the Monett plant of Schreiber Foods marked another great day in Monett’s industrial history. Coming 70 years after the original Producers Creamery plant opened in Monett, the latest plant expansion for Schreiber underscores the continuing value of the Monett’s link to the surrounding agricultural base. ...

A Monett man has been charged with first-degree rape or attempted rape following a report of sexual assault of a victim under the age of 18. Joseph J. Rodriguez, 32, of Monett, has been arraigned on the lone charge and is being held in the Barry County jail on a $75,000, cash-only bond...

As the Monett school district moves into summer, Superintendent Brad Hanson provided a review for school board members on which summer projects, approved several months ago, will be undertaken on facilities. Having spent over $1 million last summer on such major undertakings as renovating the field house at Burl Fowler Stadium and gyms at the middle school and Central Park Elementary, this year’s list adds up to approximately $350,000. Nonetheless, the work extends across the district...

The Summer Reading Club opened Tuesday at the Monett Branch of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library.

The first vision for what widening Central Avenue in Monett may look like, part of the city's transportation master plan, was unveiled this week in a presentation to the Monett City Council by TranSystems Corporation. Hired to help develop the city's master transportation plan, TranSystems received a contract to conduct a study using funds from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Traffic Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) to look at Central Avenue, from Broadway to Cleveland, to frame how a widening project on one of the city's oldest main thoroughfares would look.. ...

Schreiber Foods celebrated completion of a $60 million expansion of its Monett plant on Thursday, which included a ribbon cutting and a visit to the plant by the international company’s executive board. Construction has continued steadily on the Dairy Street site for much of the past year. ...

Two people were injured Thursday in a wreck at 9:23 p.m. on Highway 39, three miles north of Aurora, where both vehicles caught fire. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Clayton Gold, 33, of Verona, was driving a 2008 Farm Tractor northbound when his vehicle was struck in the rear by a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, being driven by Donald Springer, 62, of Mt. Vernon...

A Purdy woman was injured Tuesday in a wreck at 10:45 a.m. on Highway 37 at Farm Road 2160, one mile north of Cassville. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Amy Graham, 46, of Purdy, was driving a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am eastbound when her vehicle failed to yield to a northbound 1998 Dodge Durango, being driven by Raegan Brock, 18, of Cassville...

A Seligman woman was injured Thursday in a wreck at 11:35 a.m. on Highway 37, four miles south of Monett. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Jessica Seymour, 27, of Seligman, was driving a 2009 Chrysler van southbound when her vehicle pulled into the path of a 2007 Honda van, being driven by Daniel Head, 66, of Blue Springs...

About 75 children in the Jump Start Kindergarten at Monett Elementary School’s Summer School program reveled in the end-of-the-week water games on Thursday.

Teens from Monett, Stockton, Carthage, Aurora, Granby and Cassville participated in the youth conference hosted by the Monett Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this week.

Announcement has been made of the engagement and upcoming marriage of Katelyn Hansen, daughter of Stanley and Fawn Hansen, of Wentworth, to David Strucely, son of Steven and Kathy Strucely, of Ephraim, Wisc.

Officials at Monett Elementary School have chosen students demonstrating the characteristic of being safe in their environment as Students of the Week for May 14.

Keith Butler, of Monett, a culinary arts student at Scott Regional Technical Center in Monett, was one of two recipients of a Breaking Traditions award in the state secondary category by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, given at a ceremony in Jefferson City on April 23...

Crowder College Neosho released its Spring 2018 Dean's List. Out of 649 students who made the list, many were Barry County graduates. The honor is accomplished by completing 12 or more credit hours and achieving a 3.5 grade point average or higher. Barry County recipients by city, were:...

There is an old saying, “to the victor, goes the spoils.” Nowhere was that more true than for the Pierce City baseball team when it came to the Spring River Valley All-Conference baseball team. The Eagles were the undefeated regular season champions and secured seven spots on the roster...

There are several different methods coaches and fans can use to determine how much talent a team has. One metric that is easy to use is what other coaches think of a team’s players when it come to the all-conference teams voting. In the case of Pierce City, the team landed five players on the Spring River Valley All-Conference, as voted on by the member schools...

Purdy athletic director and former Monett coach Alan Spencer recently received state-wide recognition for another passion, being a track official.

Jim Dick passed away June 6 at Cox Hospital in Springfield. He is survived by a daughter, Jama Scott, and her family, Greg, Quinn, and Kainn Scott; and a sister Jeannette Borusheski, and her family Bob, Angie, and Rob. Jim was a teacher and coach. He taught in the Monett School District and then retired from the Marshfield School District in 2009...

Anna Mae Koenemann Ford, 86, of Mt. Vernon, died Sunday, June 3, at her home. After a private family service, there was a celebration of life held Saturday, June 9, at the Eagles Lodge in Mt. Vernon. Arrangements were under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home...

Benjamin Franklin “Frank” Lloyd, 61, of Cassville, died Wednesday, June 6. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 11, at Clio Cemetery in Jenkins, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Visitation will be held from 9-10:30 a.m. Monday, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville...

Harold L. Merritt, 90, of Pierce City, died Sunday, June 3, at Lacoba Homes Inc. in Monett. Funeral services were Wednesday, June 6, at First Baptist Church in Pierce City. Burial was at Pierce City Cemetery in Pierce City. Arrangements are under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City...

Robert M. Stevens, 85, of Cassville, died Sunday, June 3. Funeral services were held Friday, June 8, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial with military honors was at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cassville.

Elsie Twitty, 93, of Monett, died Sunday, June 3, at Bentonview Health and Rehab in Monett. Graveside services were held at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Monett. Arrangements were entrusted to Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett.

A Celebration of Life service for Eugene “Gene” Wilson, of Washington, N.C., formerly of Monett, will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, at the Monett VFW Post on West Highway 60, Monett.

Scott Tech students received scholarships and awards at the 22nd Annual Recognition Night held May 1 and May 3 at Scott Regional Technology Center in Monett. At the event, 75 students received Passport portfolios. To meet the requirements for this honor, a student must complete one of the 14 programs and maintain a ‘B’ average both years while missing no more than six days in attendance per school year during the course of the program...