Stories from Saturday, November 23, 2019

David Leo Weathermon, 68, of Verona, died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, 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 Monday, Nov. 25, at the Spring River Cemetery in Verona...

Thomas Leon Smith, 76, of Mt. Vernon, died at 5:10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Marc, located at 822 West Mt. Vernon Blvd. in Mt. Vernon. Arrangements are under the direction of the Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home in Miller...

John Wayne Linder, 66, of Long Beach, Miss., died at 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, Miss. Visitation will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, with funeral services to follow at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at the Moore Cemetery in Stotts City...

Alfred Hayworth, 91, of Washburn, died Wed., Nov. 20. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 25, at Washburn Prairie Cemetery in Washburn, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville...

Opal Marie Crawford, 83, of Marionville, died Tuesday, Nov. 19, at her home. A graveside service, under the direction of the Williams Funeral Home in Marionville, was held Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Mt. Olive Cemetery north of Marionville.

Mary Margaret Buus, 74, of Miller, died at 2:51 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18, at her home. A celebration of Margaret’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at Miller Christian Church. Burial will be held at a later date at Miller Memorial Gardens. Arrangements are under the direction of Morris-Leiman-Mosher Funeral Home in Miller...

Linda Kay (Bargsley) Wright passed peacefully November 10, 2019, surrounded by family after battling kidney failure. She is survived by her sons, Clyde Wright and wife, Jacklyn, of Greenfield, Mo.; Tom Wright and wife, Paula, of Republic, Mo.; grandchildren Kristina and husband, Marc Nettles, Bradley Wright, Jason Wright all of Republic, Mo.; and Courtney Wright, Colorado Springs, Colo.; four great-grandchildren Kayvin, Maison, and Greyson Nettles and Landon Wright; her brother Clyde Bargsley and wife, Verna, Grand Prairie, Texas; nephews and nieces; and her best friend and partner Jo Morehart, Mt. ...

Tracie Dawn Fields, 43, of Monett, Mo., was welcomed to her heavenly home by her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, November 19, 2019. Tracie was born on August 2, 1976, in Grove, Okla., daughter of Ralph and Charleene (Painter) Fields. Tracie graduated from College View State School in Joplin. ...

When I was growing up, we had a family tradition at Thanksgiving. Each of us received 10 dried kernels of corn, and we would go around the table saying what we were thankful for during the past year. We’d place the kernels in an orange pottery bowl I made in first grade, crudely shaped and far from even, but fitting somehow for the evolving pattern of our lives, reminding us that we came from something unfinished into something much better...

The final grouping of softball awards has been released and the results were largely positive for the Monett softball team. Kaesha George landed a First Team All-State honor for her play in the outfield. George was also named to the First Team All-Region team...

Wrestling fans will not have to go far to see one of the best team in Missouri, as Monett returns a roster chocked full of state champions for the 2019-2020 season. “I feel that we have the makings to score more points in the state tournament that we ever have (145),” said Daryl Bradley, Monett coach. ...

• Linda M. Sitton, operate business without a license, Peppers and Co., $50. • Brandon L. Pointer, stealing, $75; trespass, $50. • Celma V. Hernandez Tebalan, fail to register vehicle, $77. • Adrian Cecenas Rueda, speeding, $127. • Ronald E. Chapman, domestic assault, $202; possession of marijuana, $177...

Verona FFA members Ashely Freiburger and Courtney Freiburger competed at National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., in October.

The Monett Historical Society’s second annual Fall Fashion Show raised $1,600 to support the Monett Museum.

Tom Wolfe VFW Post No. 4207 will host a community Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28, at the Post, 5400 Hwy. 60, west of Monett. The meal is free, no carry-outs. Donations of food are welcome, as are volunteers to serve...

A Marionville man has been bound over to Lawrence County Circuit Court for the alleged Oct. 2 murder of his girlfriend. Bobby Dale Ficklin, 42, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Monday, Nov. 18, in Lawrence County Associate Court and is scheduled to appear at an arraignment in Circuit Court at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 9...

As Marionville council members continue their efforts to clean up derelict properties in the city, the fire department is preparing to burn a recently condemned property. Fire Chief Kris Bowling said the house was tested for asbestos and he has received bids to remove the shingles...

The Aurora Houn' Dawg Alumni and Outreach Center, the All-School Reunion Committee and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce would like to expand the honors of the AHS Football Program being inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame into a special holiday event in December...

Each year the Small Wonders preschool at the First United Methodist Church in Monett hosts a lunch for students and their dads and grandfathers.

The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library last week kicked off a new program, “Leaders As Readers Storytime.”

More than 100 senior patrons of the Monett School District were served at the 46th annual Golden Age Dinner, sponsored by the Monett High School Student Council and National Honor Society.

A missing document in the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library files resulted in confusion over the assessed valuations for Lawrence County, published in The Monett Times. Assessor Doug Bowerman reported valuations had risen by 1.23 percent, comparable to valuation increases recorded in Barry County. Real estate valuations of $324,635,400 represented an increase of $3.3 million. Personal property valuations totaled $113,742,212, up $1.1 million...

Plans are underway now for the 66th annual Pierce City Christmas Parade, slated for 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, with the theme, “Merry Christmas to All.” Check-in for floats and parade entries will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Pierce and Gibbs streets, where they will be directed to their position in the lineup. Drivers are asked to enter from Myrtle Street onto Pierce. Signs will be posted...

Pierce City School District patrons interested in filing for one of three open school board seats on the April 7, 2020, ballot may file a declaration of candidacy at the office of the superintendent during normal operating hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., beginning Tuesday, Dec. 17...

The Monett City Council approved paying off its tax increment financing (TIF) debt and issuing new bonds for $1,415,000 to complete the intersection of Lowe’s Lane on the north side of Highway 60. Action followed a recommendation by the city’s TIF Commission on Oct. 10...

A delegation of 13 government officials and two industrial representatives gathered to address about 100 people Tuesday in the second meeting in three months with the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in Verona. Speakers provided a broader range of answers over approaches to the historic pollution and ongoing concerns around the Superfund cleanup site, but the lack of prompt action bubbled over in several outbursts from the crowd gathered in the Verona school cafeteria...