Stories from Saturday, April 27, 2019

Karen Sue Wessell, 67, of Pierce City, died Thursday, April 18, at Cox Monett Hospital in Monett. Memorial visitation for Karen is being held on Tuesday, April 30, from 6-8:00 p.m. at the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home in Monett. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home in Monett...

William Madison Skidmore, 54, of Seligman, died Monday, April 22, 2019. The family received friends from 5-7:00 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Wayne Eldon Robbins, 73, of Marionville, died Monday, April 22, at his home. A graveside service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, at the Osa Cemetery.

Willis Ray Herndon, 87, of Marionville, died Monday, April 22, in his home. A funeral service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, was held Thursday, April 25, at the Marionville First Baptist Church with interment at the Marionville IOOF Cemetery...

Justin Allen Good, 42, of Monett, died Tuesday, April 23, at his residence in Monett following a sudden illness. Justin’s wishes were to be cremated with services to be held by the family. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett, Mo...

Susan Elaine Neely, 63, went to meet her husband in heaven on April 24, 2019. She was the daughter of Dale and Bernice Waggoner. She is survived by her brother Kent and Bambi Waggoner; her children Katie Neely, Alan Neely, Audrey and Brandon Wormington, Brett and Sarah Neely; and seven grandchildren...

Finally, a couple weeks of warm weather and it looks like winter is finally gone. We’ve come to the point in our annual calendar where like the trees, activities are blooming in every outlet. We have moved into the final weeks of school, where every school, every campus has an activity, a concert, and awards ceremony, and, in many cases, a graduation. ...

It was not that long ago where wins were few and far between — and even runs were equally as hard to come by — for the Verona baseball team. The Wildcats were routinely run-ruled in games, and the season victory total hovered around zero. However, that team took its licks and grew up, and just four short seasons later, it has earned a 9-2 record and claimed its first winning season and Ozark 7 Conference title...

For the area spring softball teams, the district playoffs are approaching fast. Purdy hosts the District 10 tournament, which begins on Monday. The Lady Eagles (20-5) also secured the No. 1 seed in the field and will play No. 8 seed Marionville (9-10) at 3 p.m...

Clinging to a precarious 1-run lead, Monett’s pitcher Corey Spain found himself in a bit of a pinch in the sixth inning on Thursday night against East Newton. The Patriots had runners on second and third, with two outs and their clean-up hitter at the plate...

The Barry County Relay for Life will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. today, April 27, at the Jerry D. Hall Memorial Pavilion at Fifth and Front streets. Opening ceremonies will be held at 2:15 p.m. Games and entertainment will be offered into the evening. A silent auction will run from 3 to 6 p.m. with items donated by area merchants. Concessions will be available throughout the day...

The fourth annual Reboot of Woodbutchers’ Follies took the local spotlight on April 18 at Aurora High School. A wide variety of acts took to the stage for the two-hour show, which was preceded by a dinner and Spring Showcase in the high school commons. The event raised $700 to help fund local scholarships for students and mini-grants for teachers through the Youth Empowerment Project...

Project RISE in Aurora, an effort to address needs of low-income families to break the poverty cycle, has received a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks through Commerce Trust Company. Aurora Project RISE, standing for Reach Independence through Support and Education, works to fight poverty through case management and cohort efforts. Grant money will also be used in a collateral fund that will assist families in securing traditional loans...

The Monett Community Foundation has presented a $5,000 grant to Arc of the Ozarks in Monett for use remodeling the kitchen in its office and day program facility on Old Airport Road in Monett.

A program on the history of the Foggy River Boys vocal ensemble was presented for the Monett Historical Society’s April meeting.

Anne Watson happily dished up a fruit salad at the annual St. Lawrence Council of Catholic Women’s Salad Luncheon, held Wednesday at the church fellowship hall.

Preparations continued all week for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Cox Monett Hospital at 10 a.m. on May 1.

The Monett Street Department has had a trackhoe in the Kelly Creek channel, west of the Schreiber Foods plant, this week, rebuilding the base of the stormwater channel.

Activities will run throughout the day on May 4 at the 11th annual Pierce City Arts Festival, held at the Jolly Mill Park, 10 miles southeast of Monett. According to Becky Golubski, event coordinator with the Pierce City Arts Council, artisans will set up booths on both sides of the Children's Creek that runs through the park. The fourth annual photography show will open at 10 a.m. in the Chapman School, running until 4 p.m. One booth will also exhibit works from the Draw Pierce City contest...

The Monett Fire Department will host training for responding to a hazardous materials incident on two weekends, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 29 through May 3, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 6. Sessions will be held at the Monett Schools Athletic Complex (the MAC), located at 2150 Park St. in Monett, behind the Price Cutter supermarket...

After two months of sales tax declines in the bi-county area, receipts in April continued a mixed display, with a slight upturn among Barry County cities offset by a third consecutive month of declines in Lawrence County, compared to last year. Drops in countywide receipts also dropped the grand total into the negative column...

Marijuana and initiative petitions in Missouri were hot topics, as two local lawmakers and representatives of the federal delegation discussed issues pending in the legislatures during the Monett Chamber of Commerce’s annual spring Eggs and Issues gathering on Friday at the Monett City Park Casino...

The Monett City Council recently voted to hire Dalton-Killinger to build the new public works building and to retain Javiation as its airport engineering consultant. Council members reviewed bids by five contractors for construction of a new public works building on 17th Street, south of Bass Equipment. Architect Richard Werner said he was pleased to see all the contractors bid so closely, which he credited to the quality of the plans offered...

The Monett Board of Education reorganized and addressed building plans recently, setting goals for summer projects throughout the district. Board Secretary Lonnie Norman administered the oath of office to one-term incumbent Brian Hunter and new coming Yesenia Perez to complete the new board. Outgoing board member Keith McCracken received a plaque for his one term of service from Superintendent Russ Moreland...

The Verona school board has approved the sale of $3,150,000 in general obligation bonds for construction of a new gym on the west side of the school campus. Voters on April 2 approved the bond issue, promoted at Proposition KIDS (Keep Improving District Schools) by a 122-vote margin, or 60 percent in favor. Board members voted to sell the bonds to L.J. Hart and Company of St. Louis as the municipal bond underwriter...

A Pierce City woman was killed and a Monett man was injured in a crash between a car and a truck on Wednesday morning, south of Monett. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Susan Neely, 63, of Pierce City, was driving east in a 2015 Kia Optima, and pulled onto Highway 37, two miles south of Monett. She pulled into the path of a northbound 2012 Chevrolet truck, driven by Lon Cearley, 64, of Monett, resulting in a collision...

A Conway man was allegedly found in possession of a 105 grams of methamphetamine and arrested following a three-vehicle collision Tuesday morning on Highway 37 in Purdy. According to a statement from Jackie Lowe, Purdy police chief, the wreck occurred when the man arrested, Lucas Baldwin, 24, of Conway, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado southbound and failed to maintain his lane, crossing the center line and striking a 2018 Freightliner, driven by Harold Wells, 59, of Aurora. ...