News

The Barry County Health Department has reported a second COVID-19 associated death in the county. The second person was a 67-year-old man with underlying health issues. “The Health Department and Emergency Management officials wish to offer their sincerest condolences to the family and friends on their loss,” said Roger Brock, Barry County Health Department administrator...

A Monett man was injured Monday in a wreck at 6:22 a.m. on Highway 37, one mile north of Butterfield. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Johnathon Harper, 21, of Garfield, Ark., was driving a 2007 Lincoln Towncar southbound when he fell asleep at the wheel and struck the rear of a 2007 Toyota Camry, bring driven by Christopher Leroy, 49, of Monett. The collision caused the Lincoln to skid off the right side of the roadway and the Toyota to skid off the left side of the roadway...

The Monett school district has released its back-to-school plans for the upcoming year, addressing multiple areas of concern amid the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Russ Moreland, Monett superintendent, said many of the protocols the district is putting into place are temporary and hopefully will be removed upon guidance from local health departments; however, the district depends on information from those in the field of health to help guide it through this reopening process...

With so much of the world closing down due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), youth group leaders at First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Monett created a novel approach to delivering Vacation Bible School safely. Like many other churches, they took it online...

Mark Drake has had a busy four weeks starting in his job as the new assistant superintendent in the Monett school district. “During this time, it’s a bit challenging with COVID-19 to get a feeling for the district,” he said. “From the people I’ve met, I can see there is a deep concern for the well being of children. ...

Many people have loved ones that suffer from memory loss, and when that person is “stuck in a loop,” continually reliving the loss of a beloved pet, or not remembering what happened to their pet, it can be both heartbreaking and distressing. For Annie Smith, a Monett resident, and her husband, Brian, the answer to that type of strife came through a television program where they discovered a robotic companion pet...

Substitute teachers at the Monett School District spent Wednesday afternoon training to protect themselves and their students against armed intruders.

Our August Calendar Girl Gabriela Michelle Zengotita, is ready to hit the books her senior year at Monett High School.

The Pleasant Ridge Special Road District will hold its monthly meeting in the basement of the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church at 6 p.m. on Aug. 17, and is open to the residents of the road district. The 2020 Tax Rate Hearing will also be part of this meeting...

The number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County is now over 200, slowing to being up 26 (-3) from the previous week, and with 43 people recovering (+3). According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 206 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, one presumptive and two antibody positives. ...

A 71-year-old Barry County man has died from complications associated with a positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) diagnosis. Barry County Health Department Administrator Roger Brock said the man, who was hospitalized after the positive result, was known to have other underlying health issues. “We are extremely saddened to have learned this person has succumbed to complications related to the COVID-19 infection,” Brock said.”...

A fire of undetermined origin destroyed a three-story center-city home in Monett on the northwest corner on Fifth and Cale on Sunday (July 24), following a two-hour response by firefighters.

Despite the multi-month economic shutdown from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, local sales tax receipts in July to local cities and county governments still show little evidence of stress, marking the second consecutive month where receipts grew by 12 percent...

Crowder College, in conjunction with the Barry and Lawrence County Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs), recently completed a blended live fire instructor course. “The course was primarily conducted online with the final live burn skills session conducted at the Scott Regional Technology Center,” said Cpt. ...

Monett commissioners have given approval to purchase five new Zetron communication consoles for the Monett-Lawrence County 911 Center to replace Zetron 4000 series installed in 2006, which have exceeded their life expectancy. “We are unable to acquire parts for our system, but we have acquired parts from other agencies that have retired their systems,” said Bonnie Witt Schulte, 911 Monett-Lawrence County director. ...

It may have been a long time in coming, but the castle representing the Missouri Army National Guard’s 276th Engineer Vertical Construction Company’s crest is finally complete. Dedication and christening ceremonies were held Thursday afternoon at the Lawrence A. Witt Missouri National Guard Armory, in Pierce City, where the structure is located...

Members of the Barry-Lawrence Chapter of Crime Stoppers took the opportunity to catch up on what criminal activity is trending locally. Luckily, for most Monettans, the news is good. “The crime rate is down, and so are my stress levels,” said Jay Jastal, school resource officer and public information officer for the Monett Police Department. “The kids have not been too bad this summer, surprisingly. I figured by now they’d be bored out of their heads.”...

There is cause for celebration for Pierce City residents who have been waiting years for water system upgrades — the project is ready to go out for bids. “As painful and as long as it has been, we are putting the bids on a public website and advertising for 30 days,” said Andy Novinger, with Anderson Engineering. “We will do the projects in phases, so we don’t have people working in multiple places in town. Hopefully, by the September meeting, we will be ready for the council to vote.”...

The Monett High School band program held its annual awards ceremony on July 7. The following students received recognition for their musical efforts during the 2019-2020 school year. Top honors for the most outstanding dedication and superior musicianship for the year, the John Philip Sousa Award, went to Kysten Gorman. ...

The Pierce City Fire Protection District will conduct its monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 3, at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the fire station at 2543 Lawrence 2225, Pierce City, Mo. The public is invited to attend. St. Lawrence Catholic School officials are offering tours of the educational facility. Appointments can be made by calling Tracey Welch at 417-439-0456 or by e-mail at: twelch@stlawrencecatholicschool.com...

Two Clever residents were injured Saturday in a wreck at 3:10 p.m. on Highway 39, two miles south of Aurora. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Dennis Cisneros, 59, of Clever, was driving a 2015 Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycle southbound when his vehicle struck the rear of a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country van, being driven by Trenton Schmidt, 43, of Salina, Kan., which was stopped in traffic for another southbound vehicle in front of it making a turn. ...

An early morning fire in the 1100 block of Roosevelt in Monett, just south of Burl Fowler Stadium, led to the loss of one of the Dohmen Rental units early Friday. The initial 911 call came at 1:29 a.m., according to Monett Fire Chief Tom Jones. Crews were able to limit the damage to just one of the three Dohmen-owned buildings. However, several of the items in the building were destroyed including a boat belonging to the Missouri Department of Conservation, according to Jones...

The Barry County Health Department has issued a new set of COVID-19 (coronavirus) Phase II Mitigation rules, effective through Aug. 31. Among the rules are requirements for masking among employees of certain businesses, and the health department is encouraging other businesses to implement masking policies...

Age: 60 Current Occupation: Retired Federal Law Enforcement, Pastor at Northside Baptist Church, Mount Vernon Past Experience: I served 10 year in the US Marine Corps. I worked 20 years in the Federal Prison in Springfield, Missouri. I worked in Jefferson City as a Legislative Assistant during the 2014 legislative session...

Age: 35 Current Occupation: Independent multiline Insurance Agent Past Experience: Walmart-Monett 15 years, Town and country grocery store- Pierce City Education: Graduated Pierce City High School 2003, Graduated MSSU, degree political science Political party: Republican...

Age: 48 Current Occupation: Business owner of construction company/rancher farmer /fire fighter /road district/and owner of Exit 33 Truckwash Past Experience: Married to wife Lynn for 29 years, father of 8 children and 8 grandchildren Education: 12 years...

Rayne Clotfelter is pleased with how his patriotic mural on the historic Monett grain silo at Seventh and Front is turning out. A week away, depending on weather, from completing one of his most massive projects, Clotfelter, who bills himself as America's muralist, is back in Monett two years after finishing the scenes of historic Monett mural at Fifth and Broadway. Even then, Monett Main Street had begun talking to him about doing a second mural...

Lawrence County Health Department is accepting appointments for back to school immunizations. No walk-ins are accepted at this time. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 417-466-22010. New student enrollment for students at Monett School District will take place from 10 a.m. ...

Lawrence County has announced 15 news cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus), including an Aurora High School football player. The count is now at 132 total cases: 54 active, 76 recovered and 2 deaths. All positive cases have been told to isolate at home from all others and their close contacts have been notified and told to quarantine at home for 14 days and monitor for symptoms...

The number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County is at 180, up 29 from the previous week, but with 40 people recovering. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 177 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, one presumptive and two antibody positives. As of Tuesday, a total of 53 people were considered active cases in isolation, two of whom are hospitalized, and 247 close contacts are quarantined in their homes...

As COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry and Lawrence counties near 300 total, some of the hardest hit areas have been nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. As of Tuesday, Barry County had 180 cases, and Lawrence County had 117 for a total of 297. Between both counties, at least 86 of those cases (29 percent) have been in nursing homes or other long term care facilities...

The Monett school district is aggregating data from a parent and staff survey in an ongoing effort to formulate its plans for returning to school in August while COVID-19 (coronavirus) is still a concern. Russ Moreland, Monett superintendent, said the district has a rough draft of its plans for reentry, but the situation is fluid, and surveys submitted to patrons of the district are an important piece of the reentry puzzle...

Things are shaping up at the new Cox Monett Hospital construction site, with the majority of patient rooms, operating rooms and nurses station steel beam infrastructure in place. “We’ve made some changes to the original plans and now we will have four negative pressure rooms in the emergency department,” said Darren Bass, president of Cox Monett Hospital and system vice president of Community Hospital Group for CoxHealth in Springfield. ...

A Pierce City landlord with property in the Village of Freistatt has lost a two-year legal battle with the Board of Trustees in that community, but that has not stopped him from requesting a “settlement” for damages he allegedly incurred in providing water to a tenant, and for reimbursement of legal fees incurred when he instigated the legal action...

Organizers of First on Front, the popular summer concert series sponsored by First State Bank of Purdy in Monett, are hoping to be able to host a 2021 season. “It rained every night of our event in 2019,” said Amanda Lee, one of the event organizers. “Then, COVID-19 wiped out our 2020 season. But, we are hoping to be able to return in 2021, once it is safe for everyone to gather again.”...

A Monett man was arrested last week for a June incident where he allegedly pulled a gun on two people in their home, demanded money, then fled the home with cash and prescription pills. Trenton Carrington, 19, of Monett, is charged with first-degree robbery, a class A felony, and armed criminal action...

A Monett man was injured Saturday in a wreck at 7:40 p.m. on Farm Road 1100, one mile east of Monett. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Matthew Henson, 37, of Monett, was driving a 2007 Yamaha 450 ATV northbound and attempted to outrun a train...

Some rides were a bit slower pace at the Purdy Festival, like the barrel train that weaved its way through the festivities.

Monday was the first appearance of the mobile Murphy’s Orchard from Marionville bringing fresh produce to Monett.

New signage is in place at Freedom Bank of Southwest Missouri, formerly Community National Bank, at 901 E. Hwy. 60 in Monett.

The moratorium on music concerts was broken in Monett on July 11.

The Monett Rural Fire District will have its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday July 28 at the fire station no. 1 on County Road. A fundraising effort is underway to complete a mini-theatre at the Monett Historic Museum, reminiscent of the original Gillioz. ...

With COVID-19 positive cases on the rise in the bi-county area, school administrators are wrangling how to safely resume classes in August. The Monett School District has developed a re-entry plan based on recommendations from both Barry and Lawrence County Health Departments, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and other medical resources...

Age: 56 Current Occupation: Lawyer Past Experience: Attorney with Ellis, Cupps and Cole in Cassville since 1992. Barry County Prosecuting Attorney, 1995-1998 Education: Wheaton High School, Wheaton, 1982; Missouri Southern State College B.S. in Business Administration; University of Missouri-Columbia, J.D...

Age: 61 Current Occupation: Cattle rancher Past Experience: 27 year career at Mercy Hospital - Marketing Education: B.S. Education Political party: Republican Website: MikeMoonforMissouri.com 1. What do you see as the No. 1 issue facing residents of the 29th District and how do you plan to address it?...

Meeting for the second time since the election, members of the Verona City Council wrestled with the city's manufactured home ordinance in a debate that hinged on returning alderman Michael Haynes, a frequent critic of selective enforcement of city laws...

The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library's Summer Reading Club is now underway, using “Imagine Your Story” as a storybook theme for the first-time online package. The program encourages reading, especially by younger readers, but also has a focus for teens...

Thar she blows! When the water tower at the Monett Aquatics Center lets loose, children flock to the deluge to enjoy the cooling spray.

Those having business at the Lawrence County Judicial Center in Mt. Vernon are now required to wear masks upon entering the facility. Victim impact statements and restitution can be returned by e-mail to cvestal@lawcopa, or by regular mail to: P.O. Box 69, Mt. Vernon, MO 65712. For more information, call 417-466-2846...

The Lawrence County Health Department has announced 12 new cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus), bringing the county’s total to 117: 70 active, 45 recovered, and 2 deaths. All positive cases have been told to isolate at home from others and their close contacts told to quarantine for 14 days...