Stories from Saturday, November 28, 2020

Wilma Lee Gilley, 92, of Cassville, died Saturday, Nov. 21. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Cassville, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Visitation will be held from 12-12:45 p.m. Monday, at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville...

Curtis Lee Nichols, 66, of Monett, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 26, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, following a lengthy illness. Services are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett.

Lena Clara Bremer passed away on November 25, 2020, at Cox Hospital in Springfield, Mo. She was born on March 4, 1929 in Schackendorf, Thuringer, Germany, to Albert and Clara (Amerell) Lutz. In August of 1949, she immigrated to the USA and came to Freistatt, Mo., to marry Wilbert Bremer. Their marriage lasted almost 60 years before Mr. Bremer passed away in 2009. She lived in the Monett/Freistatt area for 67 years before moving to Springfield to be closer to her daughter...

Purdy High School Senior Lauren Schallert signed a letter of intent to continue her education and play softball for Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., at a special ceremony hosted by her coaches, Lori Videmschek and Jennifer Cornelius, and her parents, Todd and Tracy Schallert, on Nov. 18...

The basketball season did not quite get off to the start the Monett girls wanted, falling to Spokane on Monday, 48-36. The Lady Cubs were led in scoring by Natalie Turner with 14 points and Sadie Camp with 10. This year, the team is breaking in not just a new lineup, but also a new head coach...

For three quarters, the Wheaton boys (2-1) looked out of sync and were just happy to remain a point down to Verona (1-2). However, basketball games are not three quarters long, and the fourth quarter was a one-sided surge that turned a 27-26 hole into a 37-30 win...

Janice Beshears enjoyed her yearly motorcycle trip with her son, Dale Beshears, on her 91st birthday.

Charlie Brown gets distracted by the Little Red Haired Girl as he preps his team for the big baseball game during Saturday’s performance of the Charles M. Schulz classic, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” which took place at Purdy High School.

Salvation Army red kettles will not be available in Monett this year. Because the Salvation Army gives 90 percent of its proceeds from these kettles to Crosslines in Monett, in lieu of placing money in a kettle, area residents are asked to consider making a financial gift to Crosslines by sending a check, payable to: “Crosslines” at 510 E. Cleveland Avenue, Monett, MO 65708...

A two-vehicle crash east of Pierce City on Wednesday resulted in minor injuries to one of the drivers.

Decorated vehicles, school bands, floats, animals — and of course, Santa Claus — will be making their way through the centers of our cities in coming weeks, as Christmas parades are scheduled. The City of Verona will kick the holiday season off right with a full day of activities to celebrate Christmas, including a parade and festival...

New complications dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and plans for future facilities improvements prompted discussion recently for the Verona school district. Superintendent Tony Simmons told board members Gov. Mike Parson had authorized a new option for schools to offer a modified quarantine strategy that would allow schools to keep students exposed to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) in school, rather than sending them home for two weeks. ...

Drury University’s ninth annual Leadership Summit on Nov. 12 brought insights from three executives from industry and education to a virtual audience on a broadcast from Drury’s Monett campus. Joel Thomas, who instructs Drury’s leadership class in Monett, and students provided introductions for Michael Farquhar, presently serving as owner and president of Pella Products of Arkansas and Missouri; Tiffany Haynes, chief people officer and head of consolidated contact centers with Monett-based Jack Henry and Associates; and David Hinson, chief operating officer of Drury University. ...

About 75 walkers and runners participated in the annual Pierce City Thanksgiving Pilgrim’s Run, a 5K or 1-mile run/walk event Thursday morning. The Pilgrim’s Run has long been a family event. Participants, dressed for temperatures in the 30s, began at 7:30 a.m. ...

Local thieves are finding yet another way to turn a quick buck, and it is costing some motorists big. Melissa Phillips, Lawrence County deputy, reported a rash of vehicles in the county that had been tampered with, as a person or persons has been cutting off vehicles’ catalytic converters...

Changes this week to COVID-19 quarantine guidelines in schools have given administrations some options for allowing students to stay in class in-person, but the changes have not come without some raised eyebrows. Gov. Mike Parson, the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced the changes on Nov. ...