News

Vandals struck Burl Fowler Stadium in Monett last Wednesday, leaving graphic graffiti on the astroturf field that is proving difficult to completely remove. Daryl Bradley, Monett athletic director, said the damage was confined to the field and some brick below the scoreboard, but was not on the scoreboard itself, nor was it on the track...

A Monett man was injured on Saturday in a wreck at 7 a.m. on Highway 37, 1/8th of a mile west of Monett. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, David Wyrick, 33, of Joplin, was driving a 1994 Chrysler Concorde westbound when his vehicle failed to yield after stopping at a stop...

A historic Newton County landmark was destroyed Friday afternoon at Jolly Mill when a dead tree toppled over on the north bank of Capps Creek, taking down Haskins Bridge, which has been a long-time feature of the park. The steel bridge with a wooden floor was erected in 1926 and was once the county road leading through Jolly Mill. ...

The Barry County Health Department will have a limited supply of Moderna vaccine for vaccinations on Tuesday and Wednesday. All Missouri residents aged 18 and older are eligible for the Modena COVID-19 vaccination. There is no cost to individuals receiving the vaccine. Residents must call 417-847-2114 to schedule an appointment...

Two changes relating to the scope of work at the Airport Improvement Project in Monett have resulted in an increase in costs for the overall project, which will all be covered through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project, awarded to Sierra Bravo Contractors, LLC, was slated to run $9,322,534. ...

A Monett High School alum is back at home after joining the Monett Police Department. Jacob Negre, 23, has completed the four-month police academy training at Missouri Southern State University and six months of field training and probation with the local department. He is now serving the residents of Monett as a night patrol officer...

Lawrence County has announced the winners of five races from the April 6 election that relied wholly on write-in candidates. The largest write-in race was for one seat available on the Mt. Vernon Road District, which received a total of 83 ballots. Seven ballots were illegible or blank...

America’s Muralist Raine Clotfelter is working on a new project that will honor Aurora’s rich history, from it’s humble beginnings as a mining town, through the town role as a railroad hub and its military heritage. The “All Roads Lead Home” mural is being painted on the north wall of Aurora’s Children’s Smile Center, a non-profit dental facility with offices in Aurora, Branson and Ozark directed by Jackie Barger and is located at the corner of Church Street and Madison Avenue, just south of the square.. ...

Freistatt firefighters are working on an expansion of their fire house that will help house two additional pieces of equipment. Fire Chief Art Mattlage said work on the expansion began March 26 and will likely continue through June. “We’re doing all the labor ourselves,” Mattlage said. “There are about 12 people helping, pretty well all volunteer [firefighters] with a couple retired guys.”...

The Freistatt Volunteer Fire Department, assisted by Aurora Rural firefighters, responded to a small brush fire on Farm Road 1120 between Monett and Verona at about 12:30 p.m. Monday afternoon.

Former Monett Times news editor Murray Bishoff presents a set of Purdy newspapers dating back to 1921 to the Purdy City Council.

A two-vehicle crash that took place at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday at Highway 60 and Kyler in Monett resulted in no injuries to any of the occupants of either vehicle.

Pierce City School Board Secretary Melissa Yonker administers the oath of office to the school district’s newest board members Chris Jasumback and Danielle Saffer during a special meeting of the board.

Trinity Lutheran School is now enrolling children ages 3 through eighth grade. Some classes are already full, so parents who would like to enroll their students are encouraged to call soon. The cost is $20 a day, and scholarships are available. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 417-235-5931...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has dropped into the single digits, and nearly 1-in-3 eligible persons has been vaccinated. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 3,106 (+6) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

The Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine for COVID-19 has been put on pause after people at multiple vaccination sites experienced adverse reactions. In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating unusual clots in six women that occurred 6-13 days after vaccination. ...

It’s not unusual for people to occasionally feel a bit under the weather and decide a visit to the doctor is in order. However, on those occasions when a primary care physician in not available to schedule an appointment, people are at a loss as to their next option. Often, they are not “sick enough” to visit the emergency room, yet getting professional care for minor illnesses, injuries or suturing is a priority...

American Legion Hubert H. Kleiboeker Post 419 dedicated a gravestone for an American veteran, who served more than 200 years ago, interred at Lee Cemetery north of Verona. Members of the Legion gathered at the Lee Cemetery Saturday morning to pay respects to Pvt. Benjamin J. Allen, who served in the 45th Infantry during the War of 1812 under the command of Col. William Metcalf...

Purdy school board incumbents Ruben Henderson and Ken Terry retained their seats on the school board following the April 6 Municipal Election. Henderson, who has served three years on the board and will be beginning his second term, was the top vote-getter, earning 104 votes, or 41.27 percent...

Sgt. Melissa Phillips, a detective with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, was named the organization’s first Detective of the Year 2020 in March. Phillips was chosen for the honor based on a peer-review by fellow detectives. Phillips’ name was placed on a plaque that will be displayed at the sheriff’s office, and she received a certificate for the honor...

The Monett Area Extended Employment Sheltered Workshop may have a new recycling venture up and running soon. Members of the Lawrence County Tax Board for the Developmentally Disabled (LCDD) recently approved paying just over 61 percent of a $3,800 price tag for a licensed electrician to wire a foam densifier machine to recycle styrofoam packing material. Mica Plummer, workshop director, plans to request the remaining cost from the Barry County Tax Board at its May 6 meeting...

Audrey Lowe and Allison Whitman were having a ball and looking fabulous at Purdy’s 2021 prom.

CoxHealth will be hosting its annual diaper drive through April 30. Locally, diaper donations may be dropped off at Cox Monett Hospital’s employee entrances or at CoxHealth at Home in Monett. Donated diapers will be given to Diaper Bank of the Ozarks in Springfield, Elevate Branson, Monett Community Kitchen, and the Barton County Health Department. The organizations will then distribute the diapers to local families in need. For more information, call 417-269-4664...

An Aurora man died on Saturday in a wreck at 10:40 p.m. on Highway 174, six miles west of Republic. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Dustun Stockton, 35, of Aurora, was driving a 1998 Jeep Wrangler westbound when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck head-on a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, being driven by Christian Clingman, 25, of Ozark...

A Pierce City teenager was injured Friday in a wreck at 4 p.m. on Highway PP, 1.5 miles northwest of Monett. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a 16-year-old female, of Pierce City, was driving a 2015 Dodge Journey eastbound and pulled into the path of a southbound 2010 Chevrolet Silverado, being driven by Sergio Esquivel, 47, of Monett, which struck the Journey in the driver’s side...

An Aurora man was injured on Friday in a wreck at 12:20 p.m. on Highway 39, 1.7 miles south of Aurora. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Charles McDonough, 73, of Aurora, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe northbound and attempted to pass a 2007 Dodge Ram, being driven by Joshua Mark, 39, of Verona. The Tahoe struck the Ram, causing the Tahoe to overturn...

School lunch programs can be an expensive endeavor to operate for any district, but the payout — seeing food go into empty tummies or into the trash can — is what determines the success or failure of the effort. Ralph Meredith, in his first year as food service director for the Monett School District, has seen participant numbers increase dramatically since the board voted to once again have the district undertake the meal service program as opposed to having an outside management company provide the operation.. ...

Tuesday’s election resolved numerous bi-county races, some by the slightest of margins, in a year with many unopposed races. County clerks tallied one of the lowest voter turnouts for April’s vote in recent years. The Lawrence County count ran 9.13 percent with a little over 2,116 votes. Barry County did even more poorly, mustering only 6.7 percent turnout or 1,483 votes. A lack of contests at the municipal level contributed to apathy among voters...

Verona has approved its 2021-2022 budget, and plans to end the fiscal year with a healthy surplus. In its general fund, Verona is anticipating $192,025 in revenue and $124,078 in expenses. The budget also shows an anticipated $20,000 in court income and $5,400 in court expenses...

Monett’s newest restaurant, Macarena, is now open for business at the intersection of Third and Front streets, where the old Memories Bar was located. Macarena opened on March 17 and is currently operating seven days a week, from 3 p.m. to midnight...

Friday morning offered the perfect opportunity to dip a line in the quiet lake at Pierce City’s South Park and take time to contemplate the meaning of life and new math.

A single-vehicle crash resulted in significant damage to the Freedom Bank driveway entrance sign on Thursday afternoon.

CoxHealth will be hosting its annual diaper drive through April 30. Locally, diaper donations may be dropped off at Cox Monett Hospital’s employee entrances or at CoxHealth at Home in Monett. Donated diapers will be given to Diaper Bank of the Ozarks in Springfield, Elevate Branson, Monett Community Kitchen, and the Barton County Health Department. The organizations will then distribute the diapers to local families in need. For more information, call 417-269-4664...

Two Pierce City residents died on Wednesday in a wreck at 5:23 a.m. on Interstate 44, half a mile east of Mt. Vernon. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, David Galer, 67, of Pierce City, was driving a 2003 ford Ranger eastbound in the westbound lane and struck head-on a 2017 International box truck, being driven by Shane Clark, 45, of Ozark...

Two people were injured on Wednesday in a wreck at 1:40 p.m on Highway 174, eight miles east of Mt. Vernon. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Thomas Checkett, 85, of Mt. Vernon, was driving a 2009 Chevrolet HHR northbound when his vehicle pulled into the path of a westbound 2017 Kia Sportage, being driven by Kimberly Clay, 45, of Purdy...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County remained at 12 active since two weeks ago, and only 17 new cases have been reported in that time frame. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 3,100 (+17) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

A local bondsman is offering his largest-ever cash reward for information on the whereabouts of an alleged drug trafficking fugitive that failed to appear for court in December 2020. Monica Cuske, 40, whose last known address is 401 Park St. in Joplin, is charged with second-degree drug trafficking, a class B felony, and had a bond of $25,000...

Two incumbents and two newcomers faced off at the polls Tuesday in hopes of being named to one of two vacant seats on the Monett school board, and at the end of Election Day, the incumbents stayed seated. A.J. Bahl, current board president, and Ken Gaspar tossed their hats into the ring for re-election, while first-time challenger Maella Blalock and second-time challenger Kaley Thigpen announced their interest and willingness to serve the school district and its patrons...

Election results are in, and Danielle Saffer and Chris Jasumback will be replacing incumbents Kenny Fenske and Larry Zebert, who did not seek re-election this year to the Pierce City Board of Education. Zebert held a seat on the Pierce City School Board for two terms, and Fenske served for one term...

Purdy has a new superintendent taking the helm July 1 following the resignation of Mindi Gates, who will be returning to her hometown school in Cassville next year. Purdy School Board of Education President Todd Schallert introduced Travis Graham as the district’s 2021-2022 Superintendent at a special staff meeting on March 22...

An 18-year veteran of the Missouri State Highway Patrol is now the public information and education officer for the western district of Troop D. Samuel Carpenter, who began his PIO career with the department in Springfield in July 2019, started his career with the patrol in Newton and McDonald counties...

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting nominations for the Missouri Agriculture Awards. The MAA will honor five individuals that strive to innovate their farm or ranch, give back to their communities, or stand as a great example for future generations. Award categories include Missouri Farm Innovation, Missouri Agriculture Education Leader, Missouri Food Animal Veterinarian, Missouri Agriculture Volunteer and the Missouri Agriculture Communicator...

A late afternoon fire on Highway 37 in Pierce City resulted in the loss of three outbuildings.

Job training for a new mobile mercantile that will bring health and hygiene supplies to local communities is now available. This six-week training program provides essential job skills with classroom instruction and hands-on experience. The training also includes an OSHA 10-hour certification in general industry. Anyone interested in learning more is invited to visit www.oac.ac...

An Aurora child died on Thursday following a wreck at 8:26 p.m. on Farm Road 1180, two miles south of Aurora. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a 12-year-old male, of Aurora, was driving a Polaris Ranger 900 HD westbound when the vehicle made a U turn and overturned, ejecting another 12-year-old male, of Aurora, who was a passenger in the UTV...

A Lampe teenager died in a wreck at 3 a.m. on Sunday on Highway 37, one mile south of Purdy. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Jarett Crouthamel, 19, of Lampe, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado southbound when his vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned...

A Monett man was injured in a wreck on Sunday at 1:50 p.m. on Route P in Purdy. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Jose Gomez, 52, of Monett, was driving a 1997 Chevrolet Lumina westbound when he stopped in the merge lane to make a turn and was struck in the rear by a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis, being driven by Daliah Bradley, 55, of Monett...

Monett City Council Commissioners have appointed a third member to fill the vacancy left by the unexpected death of former commissioner Jerry Dierker on March 20. Ken Gaspar was appointed to fill the position on Thursday, with his official duties as a commissioner beginning Monday...