Stories from Wednesday, July 15, 2020

John William Eden, 66, of Monett, died July 10 at Cox Medical Center south in Springfield. Masonic services were held on Tuesday, July 14 at the Howdy Neighbor Day Lodge Pavilion in Pierce City. A private burial will be held at a later date. Arrangements were under the direction of Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City...

Linda Mae Blunt, 71, of Mt. Vernon, died at 7:25 a.m. on Friday, July 10. at her home. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, at The Sheep Shed Church in Neosho. Burial was at The Sheep Shed Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon...

Wanda F. Banks, 86, of Monett, died July 11, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 15, at 10 a.m. at the New Site Baptist Church in Monett, with Pastor Aaron Weibel officiating. Burial will follow services at the New Site Cemetery...

Mary Elizabeth Gable, 97, passed away peacefully on June 19, in Tucson, Arizona. Mary was born July 14, 1922, in Pierce City, Missouri, to Joseph and Mary Katherine Abramovitz. She attended Pulaskifield School and Fairview High School. She felt fortunate to live on a farm during the Great Depression because her family always had food. She first moved to Arizona in 1958...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association issued a reminder to all member schools and athletes this week to stay hydrated as the summer temperatures begin to reach near 100 degrees. For some individuals, working outside or participating in summer sports camps is unavoidable. In these cases, extreme caution and care should be taken to ensure that an individual doesn’t succumb to the extreme elements...

It came down to 9:30 p.m. on a Sunday night at Monett’s North Park. In the last of 86 softball games over two days, the Northwest Arkansas Prospects out of Gentry sealed a walk-off win by a score of 8-7, wrapping up the opening event of the season for the Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League. A two-day undertaking, the MYBSL Summer Bash brought 46 teams to town, 500 athletes and an estimated 2,000 people total...

An open house, in honor of Arnold Ray, who will be observing his 80th birthday, will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, at the Monett Historical Museum, 422 E. Broadway.

Jack Prim, who is credited with helping secure fundraising dollars to build a $42 million replacement hospital in Monett, recently retired from Cox Monett Hospital’s Community Advisory Board. Prim served on the volunteer board from 2008 through 2020. He was vice president from 2015 to 2017, and president from 2017 to 2019...

The Monett Lions Club met in June for its last meeting of the outgoing year and to install new officers.

Due to recent exposure, the Lawrence County Health Department has recommended closure of the Mt. Vernon License Office until July 24. The office will be closed until that time. The Greenfield and Aurora License Office’s remain open at this time. Those having business at the Lawrence County Judicial Center in Mt. ...

Bonnie Cannon, of Monett, picked up an order of crab rangoon at the Monett Farmers Market, made fresh by Vang Knows Rolls from Stark City, a regular vendor to the weekly market.

The Monett Lions Club continued its annual Fourth of July barbecue chicken event, despite COVID-19 (coronavirus). The club’s motto, “We Serve,” is apparent in every aspect of the organization, and it was that motto that inspired the Lions when questioned on how to safely to continue their legendary chicken barbecue during the pandemic...

A total of 53 residents donated blood during the June American Red Cross blood drive at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Monett. Milestones at that event included Cheryl Morris, for achieving the five-gallon donor benchmark; and Nancy Noll Meyer and Teri Valentine, both one-gallon donors...

1. What, specifically, will you do to reduce the drug problem in Barry County? Aggressively pursue the dealers and transporters. 2. When addressing the drug problem, will you put more emphasis on certain substances compared to others (i.e. marijuana versus prescription pills versus meth)?...

1. What, specifically, will you do to reduce the drug problem in Barry County? I will continue to request more Deputies and personnel to address the drug problem. However, as has been stated in the answers to other questions, there is only so much funding to go around for all county functions and responsibilities. ...

1. What, specifically, will you do to reduce the drug problem in Barry County? Focus on the Farm Roads and the rural areas, where known criminal activity and drug trafficking occurs. Also, if we get a very active Neighborhood Watch Program, citizens can help be the eyes and ears of law enforcement in their neighborhoods...

County clerks have completed certification of election results from the June 2 local elections and tabulated who came out the winners in a wide range of positions left open for write-in voting. In Barry County, only one write-in race developed, the second seat on the Purdy Fire District board of directors. ...

The 9th annual Purdy Festival is slated to take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 18 in Purdy. Committee members feel that this year’s event is more important than ever. “This is an outdoor event, so there is plenty of room for social distancing,” said Renae Neill, one of the committee members. “With everything that is going on in the world, we want people to take a minute and just breathe. This is our gift to the community.”...

Justin Boots employee Ashley Tidwell was emotional Thursday morning as she said goodbye to the place she has worked for 15 years. Following the 39-year-old factory’s closing on July 6 and seemingly the end of Tidwell’s career as a ACS Stitcher, sewing on the top pattern of the world-renowned boots, emotions ran high...

A former corrections officer at the Barry County jail has filed a civil lawsuit in Barry County court against the county and Sheriff Gary Davis, alleging he was wrongfully terminated from his post in the jail. According to court documents, Emmitt Musick has filed the suit for actual damages in excess of $25,000, for the costs incurred, including attorney’s fees, and for such other and further relief as the court deems just...

A second death due to COVID-19 has been announced in Lawrence County, and officials announced the county has risen to more than 100 cases of the virus. Lawrence County has 105 total cases: 63 active, 40 recovered and 2 deaths. “Our thoughts are with the family [of the second person who died],” said Janella Spencer, administrator of the Lawrence County Health Department...

The number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County rose 50 percent in the past week, jumping from 101 on July 9 to 151 today. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 148 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, one presumptive and two antibody positives. As of Wednesday, a total of 64 people were considered active cases in isolation, one of whom is hospitalized, and 221 close contacts are quarantined in their homes...

The COOs of Walmart and Sam’s Club announced Wednesday that starting Monday, all shoppers at the stores will be required to wear face coverings. According to a press release from Dacona Smith, Walmart U.S. COO, and Lance de la Rosa, Sam’s Club COO, about 65 percent of the more than 5,000 stores and clubs are located in areas where there is some form of government mandate on face coverings...

The Barry County Health Department has announced a person employed at MO Wings in Monett has tested positive for COVID-19. The case is a result of community spread, and the individual is in isolation. Close contacts are being identified and, as appropriate, ordered to quarantine. Cases and close contacts are monitored each day by the Barry County Health Department...