Stories from Saturday, September 1, 2018

The Monett Historical Society will host an Italian buffet fundraiser on Sept. 15 at the Monett Museum Event Center, 418 E. Broadway. Tickets are $25 per person. Wine and beer will be available. The meal will be catered by the Family Room Steakhouse. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Serving will begin at 6:30 p.m...

During the initial colonization by the English in India, British authorities became concerned with the number of poisonous snakes that inhabited the region. To combat this problem, the British government offered a bounty for every snake killed. By all accounts, the program initially worked like a charm...

The tenor of Verona City Council meetings took a turn this week with the resignation of City Attorney Darlene Parrigon and Police Chief Levi Neely. Parrigon, who has attended most city council meetings since last December at the council’s request, submitted a letter of resignation as city attorney and prosecutor, effective immediately. ...

This fall Drury University in Monett is beginning its third year of its Somos (“We Are”) program, a federally funded outreach to help students from a migrant background seek a college education. According to Yesy Perez, Somos program director, the initiative has been successful and continues to grow...

A ribbon was cut for the new Plymouth Landing apartments at 1444 E. Cleveland Ave. in Monett on Tuesday, concluding an affordable housing initiative funding through the Missouri Housing Development Commission and endorsed by the Monett City Council in 2016 and approved in 2017...

Monett city department heads have taken on a wide range of activities over the past month. Building Inspector Wade Ennes reported EFCO Corporation has Anderson Engineering looking at plans to relocate employee parking lots to make space for a new warehouse. Foundation work has been underway for five weeks on the first warehouse planned by Weston Enterprises in the Monett Industrial Development Corporation's new industrial park, south of Wellington Avenue and west of the Lowe's Lane extension...

After a lull in sales tax revenues to the bi-county area in July, receipts made a strong rebound with 22 percent gains in August, led by Monett. Monett’s two sales taxes generating 1 percent for paying general bills produced $158,932.28, up $51,209.60, or 48 percent, for a new August record. The sum was more than double the August payment in 2005...

The University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center, southwest of Mt. Vernon, has announced plans for its annual Field Day, including changes from the traditional routine. Field Day has been an open house for the research center, showing off areas of study and bringing experts from Columbia to share insights on recent projects as well as the latest trends. ...

Utility service transitions this month in Freistatt as Don Robertson retired as the city's sewer operator. Alan Obermann, the water operator, reported he has a colleague working for Monett's wastewater system lined up to serve as a backup operator. Obermann plans to complete training and test for certification so that he has a wastewater license as well as a water license...

Despite threats of rain throughout the day, a strong turnout supported the Freistatt community barbecue and picnic, organized to promote community solidarity and neighborhood spirit.

Reaching the senior year in high school is like climbing a long series of steps, like these at the sledding hill at Monett’s South Park.

The Monett Branch Library Preschool Story Time will be each Tuesday and Wednesday beginning Sept. 4 at 11:15. Story time sessions will include stories, songs, finger plays, and crafts which help children develop language and listening skills. Story time sessions are 30 minutes in length and children ages 0-5 are encouraged to come...

The Purdy R-2 School District welcomed six new staff members to its ranks as the 2018-2019 school year began.

The 128th annual McCullah-Wasson family reunion was held July 29 to Aug. 5 at the Finley River, near the Hawkins Bridge, five miles south of Nixa. The reunion location has been in continual use for 110 years, on a portion of the Hawkins farm. The first reunion was a surprise birthday party for Samuel Calvin McCullah, son of Alexander and Lucy (Robertson) McCullah, held north of Marionville at Samual McCullah's home in 1890. ...

Maintaining a farming operation in the family for one century or more is cause for a congratulatory celebration. Jared and Mendi Wormington, of Monett, have achieved this accomplishment as the fourth generation to operate their family farm. The 154-acre farm eligible for Century status currently houses beef cattle, row crops and broiler houses. Jared’s great-grandfather, Bert Wormington, started the farm in 1918 with beef cattle and horses...

Glenn Obermann has a winning recipe for quality hay. At the 2018 Missouri State Fair, Glenn and Toni Obermann took champion and reserve champion awards in alfalfa and grass classes 4-8, and champion in alfalfa classes 1-3. The Obermanns entered the fair with championship awards in seven of eight years since 2010...

Although the Monett school district's participation in programs funded for five years by the Missouri Foundation for Health's Healthy School/Healthy Communities grant has concluded, physical activities efforts promoting healthy lifestyles have continued...

Monett’s Kassie McCallister throws a pitch for the Lady Cubs during their 14-2 win over Marshfield on Tuesday.

An 18-hit explosion for Monett led to a 14-2 softball win over Marshfield on Tuesday in Big 8 action. Monett posted 2 runs in the first, 3 runs in the third and fourth innings, a single tally in the fifth and 5 runs in the sixth. Maddi Coones went 4-for-4 at the plate with a double, triple and 3 RBI. ...

The celebration this week for the new Plymouth Landing apartment complex on East Cleveland in Monett was warranted and encouraging. Joe and Marie Carmichael built a beautiful facility to house 39 new apartments, located dramatically on the east end of town near the school, an instant landmark. ...

Dear Editor: I want to tell you about the unheard cries of a six year old. This all started for a 6-year-old girl on Oct. 15, 2015, and is still going on today. She has been defined by the foster care system as a troubled child. All the child wants is to be back with her dad. She has never waiver in what she wants. She has been moved to five different foster homes in a two-year time span...

Youa Moua, 106, of Stark City, died Sunday, July 29. Services will be held from 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, until 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, at Broomfield County Commons Cemetery in Broomfield, Colo...