Stories from Friday, August 23, 2019

Lynn Coleen Periman, 47, of Pineville, died Monday, Aug. 19. A memorial service will be held at a later date with burial at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Cassville. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Rodney Lee Mabe, Sr., 74, of Aurora, died Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Cox South Hospital in Springfield. A funeral service was held Thursday, Aug. 22, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora. Burial was at the Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora.

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and hero, Wayne Roger Echols, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 21, 2019. Wayne was passionate about living life to the fullest and was always the first to assist those in need or fix a problem that needed solving. ...

Dear Editor: As of Aug. 30, I will be retiring from the Monett Post Office. It has been my pleasure to serve my C-1 customers and all the people of Monett for the past 19 1/2 years. It has been a most rewarding career. I thank my customers for trusting me and sharing your lives with me. I have seen kids grow from 2 to 21. I have fond memories of my friends who are no longer with us, except in spirit. I have shared your happiness and your sorrows...

Families are not perfect. Everyone has an oddball. There’s usually someone in the mix who will strain that last nerve. In general, though, parents teach children to figure out how to get along. In most cases, if you can’t navigate your way through life with family, the people closest to you, chances are you won’t have much success with strangers or the world at large. Family, in many cases, is all we’ve got...

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Rick Rath has been honored for his work on a challenge faced by many states — how to make things better for bobwhite quail. Rath, who’s the MDC private land conservationist for Cedar, Dade, and Lawrence counties, has received the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative’s (NBCI) Firebird Conservation Award for Missouri. ...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) released fall sports classifications and district assignments for all member schools in every sport except cross-country on Friday. The biggest change for Monett came in football where the Purple and Gold return to Class 3, District 6 and join a host of familiar faces in Reeds Spring, Seneca, Cassville, Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Nevada, and Hollister...

Completely shocked and surprised was the way Monett wrestling coach Daryl Bradley described his reaction on Thursday when he received notice that he was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) High School Boys Coach of the Year from Missouri...

Members of Cox Monett Hospital Auxiliary hosted a fundraising event on Tuesday, once again selling the popular luxury sheet sets, pillows, throws and comforters to benefit its scholarships, patient needs and educational programs.

Rodger Wheeler, president of Zeros4Heroes, received an additional $100 community grant from Aurora's Youth Empowerment Project Director Kim McCully-Mobley this summer to continue the efforts to support area veterans and their families. The organization received a $150 YEP grant earlier in the year and earned the additional money during the summer "in order to be able to continue to meet the local needs of our heroes," explained McCully-Mobley, an Aurora High School educator. ...

St. John's Lutheran Church in Monett celebrated its centennial on Aug. 4, with past pastors attending. Rev. W. Mart Thompson, who served as the church's pastor from 1992 to 2000, preached at the morning worship service. Other former St. John’s pastors joining that day were Rev. James Schnackenberg and Rev. Merwin Dessens...

The Monett Rural Fire District will have its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27, at Fire Station No. 1, east of the standpipes on County Road. The Verona City Council will hold its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 26, at Verona City Hall. The annual tax levy hearing will precede that at 5 p.m...

Balloons on the handrails of the entrance to Trinity Lutheran School in Freistatt on opening day Wednesday offered a backdrop for parents to take photos as they arrived with their children.

The Barry-Lawrence Chapter of Crime Stoppers has profiled one of Lawrence County Sheriffs Office suspects designated as “armed and dangerous.” Authorities are seeking the whereabouts of Wesley Blake Louderback, whose last known address was listed as Everton. Louderback is described as being a 38-year-old white male, having gray hair and blue eyes. He stands six feet, one inch and weighs approximately 215 pounds...

Members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and Barry County Emergency Management will conduct a Public Assistance (PA) grant applicant briefing from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29, at the Monett Park Casino...

Rehearsals started Tuesday for the 40th season of the Ozark Festival Orchestra. the first concert has been scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center.

Law enforcement officials in southwest Missouri are seeking information on the whereabouts of Keli Suzanne Clinton-Wilson, 47, of Cassville. Clinton-Wilson is wanted on two counts of possession of a controlled substance [of] 35 grams or less of marijuana of synthetic cannabinoid, driving while intoxicated – persistent offender, and pursuing/taking/killing/possessing or disposing of wildlife illegally. Bond is set for $40,505 cash only...

A wide ranging series of vehicle crashes in the past week resulted in injuries to 21 people either in the bi-county area or involving bi-county residents. • A Seligman man was arrested for felony driving while intoxicated following a two-vehicle crash at 3 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21, on Hwy. 76, one mile south of Longview, in McDonald County...

For the first time in more than 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public meeting in Verona on the legacy pollution from the Syntex Agribusiness plant in Verona, and more recent pollution issues that continue in vicinity...

Three separate $1 million gifts have been made to Cox Monett’s Momentum Campaign, taking the total to $4.6 million towards the $7 million local goal. All the donations help propel CoxHealth Systems’ $42 million project to build a new and modern critical-access hospital, taking shape east of Monett, off Highway 60. The 70,000 square foot hospital is due for completion in 2021...

The Monett City Council and the Lawrence County Emergency Services Board have reached terms to continue providing 911 and central dispatching services for possibly as long as five years. The Monett Council approved the deal at its monthly meeting on Tuesday. ...

For the past three weeks, Monett police have received reports of thefts from vehicles across the city. “[Thieves] have been hitting groups of neighborhoods, basically checking for unlocked vehicles, rummaging through them, taking whatever they want,” said Officer Lyndsi Waltrip. “We’re looking at two to three suspects.”...

Monett area residents are encouraged to assist local Lions help the hearing impaired by dropping off obsolete hearing devices at collection boxes. In Monett, collection boxes are located in the parking lot at Nestleroad and Roberts Optometrists at 507 E. Cleveland Avenue and in the pharmacy area of Monett Walmart. A plan to increase availability of donation sites is underway...