Stories from Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Litigation between the City of Monett and county officials over tax increment financing (TIF) heated up on Monday as attorneys for both sides faced off for the first time since November. The latest hearing, held in Lawrence County Circuit Court, offered new revelations in the contention that Monett's TIF program is legally illegitimate...

The sounds of baseball echoed through North Park in Monett officially signaling the start of the 2011 season for the Monett High School Cubs. On Tuesday, the Cubs (1-1) held on for a wild 13-11 over the McDonald County Mustangs in extremely windy conditions...

Beulah Harris-Mackey Garoutte, of Monett, died at her home on March 20. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 26, at the White Funeral Home in Cassville. Burial will be at the Arnhart Cemetery in East Purdy. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 25 at the funeral home...

Carmen Evelyn Berry, age 95, of Verona, died at 4:35 a.m. on Tuesday, March 22, at her home. A graveside service, under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home, will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 25, at the Maple Park Cemetery with visitation from 2 to 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel...

Carolyn Marie Sloan, 74, of Monett, passed away on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at her home. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 at Buchanan Funeral Home in Monett. Visitation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 25 at the funeral home...

Esther L. Painter Harrison, of Exeter, died on Thursday, March 3 at her home. Services with Military honors will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, at the Maplewood Cemetery in Exeter. A "pot-luck" lunch and celebration of Esther's life will begin at 11 a.m. at the White Funeral Home community room in Cassville...

Jude K. Williams, an infant girl of two months, of Purdy, Mo., left this life on Monday, March 21, 2011 at Cox Monett Hospital. She was born on Jan. 15, 2011 in Monett, Mo. to Aaron Nathaniel and Melissa Ann (Ramos) Williams. Visitation will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ...

Lonzo J. Henson, age 67, of Monett, died on Tuesday, March 22, at his home Services are incomplete at this time. Arrangement under the personal care of Buchanan Funeral Home in Monett

Vernon W. Weaver, age 91, of Cassville, died at 6:25 a.m. on Monday, March 21. Services will be held at a later date under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville.

The holidays are over and resolutions have been made. That usually leads to the same conclusion: time to get moving. In Missouri, only 40.3 percent of women regularly engaged in moderate to vigorous activity more than five days a week, according to 2009 statistics from the Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)...

Members of the Local Emergency Planning District (LEPD) were invited to participate in the 2011 Association of American Railroads Haz-Mat seminar, scheduled for May 24 through May 26 in St. Louis. The nine-car teaching train is geared toward firefighters and SWAT team training...