Stories from Friday, September 28, 2018

Monty Jay Pate, 62, of Purdy, died Monday, Sept. 24. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Jane Elizabeth Traynor, age 99, of Fort Smith, Ark., formerly of Monett, Mo., and Aurora, Mo., passed away Tuesday, September 25, 2018, at Methodist Nursing Home surrounded by family and friends. Jane was born December 7, 1918, in Denver, Colo., to Thomas Lee Eaton and Hazel Strain Eaton. She was raised in Bosler, Wyo., where she met and married her husband James Richard Traynor of 54 years on June 18, 1939...

A good example of what happens when you put good people in charge of a project showed itself this week at Monett Elementary School. Finding a safer way for parents to drop off and pick up students wasn’t seen as an issue until the tragic accident at the Neosho schools left a teacher dead. ...

A 5-run third inning and a 5-run sixth inning lifted the Monett softball team to an 11-1 win over Lamar on Thursday. Monet improved to 11-6 on the season and heads into a weekend tournament in Springfield where the team plays five games in two days...

Purdy Elementary School students have been recognized with medals as part of the character education program.

Officials at Monett Elementary School have chosen students demonstrating the characteristics of being polite and respectful as Students of the Week for Sept. 24.

Walk to School Week has continued to be a popular activity among Monett school children.

WinTech’s Employee Family Picnic was held on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Jerry D. Hall Memorial Pavilion in the new Glen and Sharon Garrett Park downtown. "Everyone enjoyed a family style picnic with games, contests, drawings throughout the day, as well as a catered meal," observed company spokesperson Mary Lemings...

The Monett Lions heard about the activities of Monett Main Street during a recent meeting. Jeff Meredith, Main Street president reviewed how Main Street grew out of the downtown revitalization program stimulated by the state's DREAM initiative. Meredith detailed how Main Street developed the Glen and Sharon Garrett Park at the site of the former Jumping-Jacks Shoes factory...

The Trinity Lutheran Lutheran Women's Missionary League Dorcas Ladies Aid reviewed Aletha Smialek’s Bible study on “Hold on to His Promises When Overloaded” during its Sept. 6 meeting. Bible verses were read by each of the 15 persons attending. The guest present was Bonnie Worm...

A free electronic recycling event, open to households in Lawrence County, will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. today, Sept. 29, at the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center off Highway H, southwest of Mt. Vernon. Southwest Missouri Solid Waste Region N and computer Recycling Center are sponsors, supported by a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources...

President Donald Trump’s visit to Springfield on Sept. 21 was attended by many area residents, including Steve and Deborah Schoen, of Monett.

October offers the last stand for late blooming flowers. Calendar Girl Kelli Sangston fit right in with the Sedum flowers and crepe myrtles in full flourish late in the year at the home of Robert and Elva Sharp on Fifth Street.

The Monett High School Performing Arts Center served as the site for a concert by Christian rapper S.O. on Wednesday as part of the annual Meet Me At The Pole endeavor.

Things are getting “hairy" at the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office in Mt. Vernon. Deputies and employees of the agency will soon start to change, in looks that is. Starting Oct. 1, personnel will begin growing beards or dressing down while on duty...

The Lawrence County Health Department has announced vaccines are now available for the upcoming flu season. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses, resulting in mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, who are at high risk of serious flu complications, receive vaccinations annually...

History Day at Jolly Mill Park, a special celebration of pioneer living and old-time technology, is planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Jolly Mill Park. According to organizers, the park will open to show how the mill and surrounding community operated a century ago. ...

The Verona City Council voted this week to buy a pistol for emergency use by its police department, due to action by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Verona Mayor Joseph Heck reported the Missouri Department of Public Safety decided to take back an M1911 Browning pistol and night vision goggles, necessitating the purchase. Heck said the reason given was that the city had “too much turnover” in Verona’s police department...

Alyssa Waterman was named the 2018 Monett Homecoming Queen Friday at Burl Fowler Stadium.

The Monett City Council juggled its insurance options for the coming year and amended rules for compensation time instead of overtime in action. City Administrator Dennis Pyle said in renewing the city’s property and casualty insurance for the year beginning on Oct. ...

A new system for improving safety in the drop-off and pick-up of children at Monett Elementary School went into use this week with surprising effectiveness. The change followed the freak accident in Neosho where teacher Angel Hayes, 48, was killed during crosswalk duty on Sept. 5 when she was struck by a vehicle. Monett Elementary School was the only one in the Monett system that had side-by-side vehicles dropping off children in the morning and picking up students in the afternoon...

The Monett City Council has made several decisions concerning land, including advancing the closing Bridle Lane between County Road and Callan Street. The permanent road closing was requested by EFCO Corporation, running along the west side of the manufacturer’s main plant. The move has been expected for more than a year and a half, when EFCO expanded its glass division and moved its main loading dock for glass to the west side of the plant...

Bettie Jeane Brandt, 91, of Mt. Vernon, died Monday, Sept. 24, at the Lawrence County Manor in Mt. Vernon. A graveside service, under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon was held Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Maple Grove Cemetery, southwest of Mt. Vernon...

A 12-0 lead at halftime was precarious to say the least for the Pierce City football team on Friday. However, a challenge from their coaches at intermission spurred a 26-0 victory for the Eagles. “We kind of got after our line at halftime and challenged them,” said Brad Hocker, Pierce City coach. “We told them that we loved them, but they need to dig deeper, and they responded and stepped up for us.”...

In what served as a harbinger of things to come, the Monett football team began Friday night’s 49-28 loss to Seneca with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike delay of game penalty. The penalty was assessed due to the Homecoming coronation hitting a snag that caused a delay in the start of kickoff...

Monett’s Alex Sparkman returns a volley for the Lady Cubs during varsity action this week. Monett fell to Aurora on Monday and Nevada on Thursday.