MISSOURI PRESS GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER Community dailies, 2015
PIERCE CITY APPROVES CONTRACTS FOR UPCOMING YEAR — 3A SPORTS More awards come Cubs baseball team’s way. — Page 1B
July 7-8, 2018 | Monett-Times.com
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Monett July 4th beats odds Last minute fireworks show, cooler weather enhance celebration BY MURRAY BISHOFF times-news@monett-times.com
Cooler weather and a last minute heroic effort made Monett's July 4 celebration a memorable and successful party for the community. Despite additional preparations, the party ultimately hinged on the fireworks show, which came in jeopardy on Tuesday when the A.M. Pyrotechnics fireworks warehouse in Pleasant Hope exploded and burned. Jeff Meredith, executive director of the Monett Chamber of Commerce, did not know until Wednesday morning after receiving a text to call A.M. Pyrotechics at 7:30 a.m. that Monett had indeed lost all the fireworks of its show. Meredith has been consulting over fireworks for the past two years with Jared Lankford, regional supervisor for Hale Fireworks with 18 years of experience in the fireworks business. Meredith called Lankford Tuesday night, in case the worst-case scenario played out, at which time Lankford said maybe. On Wednesday morning, with A.M. Pyrotechnics' cancellation official and a formal request on the table, Lankford said yes. "He promised and delivered a 30-minute show," Meredith said. A.M. Pyrotechnics provides a commercial grade show, with much bigger shells, visible at a greater distance, using operators licensed to handle higher explosive material. Hale Fireworks uses consumer-grade material, for sale to customers at road-side tents. Lankford said the fireworks he could provide would run in the two- to three-inch shell range, rather than the five-inch or bigger shells used by A.M. Pyrotechnics. He was unsure how much of the show would be visible over the treetops, so the word went out for spectators to "pack the park" to be THIS STORY IS CONTINUED ON PAGE 10A, AS WELL AS A SPECIAL LOOK INTO THE MONETT YOUTH WHO PUT TOGETHER WEDNESDAY’S SHOW ON SHORT NOTICE.
Lawrence County Sheriff gives history of sheriff’s office
DeLay: ‘The biggest problem is citizens do not understand what we do’ BY MELONIE ROBERTS reporter@monett-times.com
Lawrence County Sheriff Brad DeLay spoke to students at the Lawrence County Citizens Academy about how the department operates and some of the practices law enforcement officials undertake. “When people look on our web-
site and see someone has been released from jail, often times that individual has been sent to a county where more serious charges are pending,” DeLay said. “Don’t worry, DELAY he’ll be back.” In breaking down the stereotypes of law enforcement officials, DeLay said a number of residents only have television icons to compare to their local officials. “They think of Andy Griffith and Barney Fife as representatives of good law enforcement and the Sheriff
of Nottingham and the old west-style shootouts at the O.K. Corral for some who are not as well liked,” he said. The office of sheriff can actually be traced back to 600 B.C. in the book of Daniel. “The Roman sheriffs played a military role and it didn’t last,” DeLay said. “The sheriffs of Spain, France and England all had a duty to keep the peace among all citizens.” The Roman sheriffs had the responsibility of keeping and maintaining order among the slaves, controlling unruly citizens and controlling fires. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
FROM THE ACADEMY
Editor’s note: This is Part 4 of an 11-part series detailing the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy.
Louisiana saturday nights! Louisiana Style Shrimp Boils With All The Fixins
Red Beans & Rice • Gumbo • Jambalaya Catfish, Shrimp, Oysters, Alligator, Authentic Muffulettas Ribeye Steaks, Grilled Pork Chops, Salmon and so much more. Vol. 110, No. 183 ©2018 The Monett Times
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