Stories from Saturday, February 27, 2021

Phyllis Clark Williamson, 95, of Marionville, died Friday, Feb. 19, at Oak Pointe Senior Living in Monett. A private family burial will be held at a later date at the Bell City Cemetery in Bell City. Arrangements are under the direction of the Williams Funeral Home in Marionville...

Betty Jo Thomas, 90, of Monett, died Thursday, Feb. 25, in Aurora. Visitation is being held on Sunday, Feb. 28, from 2-4 p.m. at the Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home in Monett. Graveside services are being held on Monday, March 1, at 2 p.m. at the Calton Cemetery in Pleasant Ridge...

Carl Raymond “Ray” Ritchey, 79, of Shell Knob, died Tuesday, Feb. 16. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday, March 1 at Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob. A private burial will be held at a later date.

Richard “Whitey” Mettlach, 72, of Monett, died Feb. 19, at Specialty Select Hospital in Springfield, from coronavirus complications. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery...

Marvin L. Johns, 95, of Shell Knob, died Sunday, Feb. 21. Services will be held at a later date at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield. Cremation arrangements are under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Shell Knob.

Elizabeth Sue Colley, 35, of Miller, passed away at 1:44 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, at her mother’s home. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the First Baptist Church of Miller. A private family burial will be held at the Waters Cemetery in Jasper...

Nina Almus Brashers, 57, of Marionville, died at 3:54 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, at her home. Visitation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on Monday, March 1, at Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, with a memorial service to follow at 2:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be held at a later date at the Rock Prairie Cemetery in Halltown...

Dear Editor: I write to request that Congress create a grant program to support recreation, sports and amusement venues that provide live entertainment yet were excluded from “Shuttered Venue Operators Grants” program (Section 324 of Public Law No:116-260)...

Seven years ago, I set the earliest alarm of my life. It was March 1, and I got up at 5 a.m. to attend my first Opening Day at Roaring River State Park. Outside of overcoming my sleepiness, as I was not much of a morning person in those days, I was excited to cover an event I was told was a local tradition, something you can’t miss if you want to know anything about Barry County...

District basketball tournaments are still playing out, with only a few teams left in contention. After the Pierce City girls defeated Purdy, 48-36, on Monday, the Lady Eagles fell to Miller in the semifinals on Wednesday, 64-27. Wheaton’s girls defeated Jasper on Monday, 35-21, but the Lady Bulldogs also fell in the semifinal round, losing to College Heights, 49-35...

A house fire benefit account for Steve Snider has been opened at First State Bank. Snider lost everything during an electrical fire at his home in Monett on Feb. 16. Donations can be made at all five bank locations (Monett, Monett Walmart bank, Pierce City, Cassville, and Purdy) and the donations will go directly to him...

Victor Kelbaugh, Sr. at Reeds Spring HS (Mo.) got to start and get an assist on Senior Night after serving as the team’s biggest fan and team member for four years. Victor was born with arhtrogryposis, and was not expected to live past his 1st birthday. Awesome @SportsCenter @NBA pic.twitter.com/JHrcL249Vv— Josh (@J_Chair) February 23, 2021...

While they did not receive any medals, the Monett girls swim team competed in four total events and set one personal record at the state swim meet on Feb. 20. Senior Faith Drewianka finished 20th in the 50-meter freestyle and 24th in the 100-meter freestyle. The relay team of freshman Ava Fritts, sophomore Claire Nation, junior Gwen Lesue and Drewianka also took 21st in the 200-meter freestyle relay, where they set a personal record, and 23rd in the 400-meter freestyle relay...

The Monett boys basketball team is hoping the third time is the charm on Monday, as the Cubs head to Neosho with their season on the line. Monett, 7-16, has suffered a pair of losses to the Wildcats this season, 64-52 at home on Dec. 15, and 68-61 in the Neosho Holiday Classic on Dec. 30...

Memorials in the name of Gordon Gray, of Green Valley, Ariz., who died on Feb. 10, may be made in his name to the Monett Historical Society. Pierce City Senior Center will be closed through March due to COVID. The center will evaluate the situation at a later date to consider re-opening when it is safe to do so...

Fortunately, Monett firefighters responded to what was determined to be a false alarm Wednesday morning at Lacoba Homes in Monett.

Pierce City Police and fire responded to a two-vehicle collision at approximately noon Wednesday.

March is here and spring is in the air and our monthly Calendar Girl, Kate Huntress and her horse, Tyson, are looking forward to warmer weather and an opportunity to get outside and hit the trail.

Monett-based Jack Henry and Associates (JHA) has announced an innovation for credit card users that offers a more secure transaction method. JHA’s Jack Henry Payments division reported developing a modern contactless EMV card that financial institutions can use with their own imprint for faster, more convenient and more secure ways for customers to make transactions. ...

Freistatt has appointed former Trustee Sarah Robinett to the village’s clerk position and appointed Holly Hughlett to fill her vacated position on the Village Board of Trustees. Hughlett filed papers to run for the board in the upcoming April election. Because she accepted the appointment to fulfill Robinett’s term, she will instead serve until that seat is up for reelection in 2022...

A project to help preserve and develop the public appreciation of historic Route 66, begun more than 10 years ago, reached its goal of achieving All-American Road status on the America’s Byways listing, thanks in large part to the research and effort invested by Monett native Jerany Jackson...

Local law enforcement officials are reminding area residents to keep their vehicles locked. “Lock your vehicles no matter where they are,” said Lt. Dennis Camp, Monett Police Department. “We have a suspect in at least six cases involving theft from vehicles on parking lots at Walmart, Price Cutter and at the laundromats in Monett.”...

The City of Monett has proposed to spend $48,934,500 on city operations and capital improvements in the fiscal year that begins April 1, 2021, with total revenues anticipated to be $48,041,005. That leaves a projected ending fund balance of $16,751,509 as of March 31, 2022...