December 10 — The Monett Times Midweek by MonettTimes

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Free distribution to thousands of local residents Thursday, December 10, 2015 V olume 2, I ssue 49

The Monett Times

Midweek Monett Shopper

Serving Barry and Lawrence County, Mo., since 1899

Going bananas Local enthusiast eager for spring planting season

- Page 3

The Monett Times Midweek

Page 2 • Thursday, December 10, 2015

Back in the Good Old Days EIGHTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1935 • The WPA has approved resuming work on Kelly Creek on Dec. 16. Employing 45 men will relieve the worst of the distress situation here and help matters a lot. The creek is finished east to Ninth Street. Work continuing east will include straightening and clearing of the channel and some rip-rap work. Men were selected at the federal re-employment office here. • The Monett Christmas Carol Association organized on Dec. 17 and prepared to sing traditional carols around town. Carolers plan to be out on Christmas eve and the sound of trumpets will herald their arrival. The enthusiasm for the carol singing continues to grow and it promises to be one of the happiest and most colorful Christmas plans ever launched here. SEVENTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1945 • Hatcher’s Cafe reopened on Dec. 14 after being closed for several weeks for remodeling. The horseshoe bar has been changed so that the seating capacity is doubled, making 70 seats available. Nine new tables have been added to bring the total to 12. The size of the kitchen has more than doubled. • The Monett Post Office had its biggest day in history on Dec. 17, selling 11,500 of the brown 1 1/2-cent stamps and 3,000 three-cent stamps over the counter. In another sign of bet-

ter times, bacon, ham and pork arrived over the weekend in a supply equal to one previous month. Most stores were displaying bacon in meat cases for the first time in six months. SIXTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1955 • Charles Dixon, owner of the Monett Hatchery, was elected president of the Missouri Poultry Improvement Association at the annual convention in Kansas City. Dixon was vice president of the organization last year in addition to serving as convention chairman for the past three years. • More than 5,000 Barry County residents have had their chests X-rayed by the Missouri State Division of Health mobile X-ray unit. Remaining visits are planned for Golden, Seligman, Shell Knob and Jenkins. X-rays are being taken by the Barry County Health Department and the County Tuberculosis Association. FIFTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1965 • The Monett City Council on Dec. 18 signed a contract for $7,500 with the Turfcon Company of Tulsa, Okla., for the construction of the first grass greens at the Monett golf course. A contract for $4,790.47 was signed with MarDel Golf and Turf Inc. of Derby, Kan., who will furnish all the pipes, fittings, watering apparatus, seed, fertilizer and supervision. • Bond sales for $200,000 have been reached to pay for the new 52-bed nurs-

ing home planned by the Lawrence County Baptist Association on Dec. 16. The entire amount was sold in three weeks to the day, 90 percent to Barry and Lawrence County residents. FORTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1975 • The Barry-Lawrence County Association for Retarded Citizens received a $20,000 grant from the Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Mental Health to establish a group care home in either Barry or Lawrence County as a residence for nine developmentally disabled citizens employed in the community or at the Monett Area Sheltered Workshop. BLARC estimates that to meet the need, three homes should be established in Barry County and five in Lawrence County. • Nearly 500 students from more than 30 high schools in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma are expected to participate in the 16th annual Southwestern Missouri Speech and Debate Tournament at Monett High School Jan. 9 and 10. Three new individual events are offered this year: original humorous, pantomime duet and bicentennial minute competition. THIRTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1985 • The Monett Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the Monett City Council’s plan to regulate derelict and abandoned buildings in the city. The council has planned such an ordinance for several

Climaxing three years of Brownie Scout activity, these girls became intermediate Girl Scouts at “fly up” ceremonies held on Dec. 12, 1955 at the First Christian Church in Monett. Formerly from three Brownie troops, they became new members of Intermediate Girl Scout Troop No. 124. Receiving their pins, front row from left, were: Janice Kay Davis, Sally Shelton, Etta Watson, Linda Allen, Gail Green, Janice Campbell, Martha Hager, Martha Ratliff, Sue Kelley and Margaret Wolfe. Back row: Joyce Singer, Jacquetta Davidson, Vicki Greenlee, Judy Cole, Cheryl Edward, Evelyn Shelley, Suzanne Bradley and Jo Ann Potter. Not pictured were Carolyn Bennett, Linda Black, Judy Grishaber, Sue Lambeth and Carol Tennison. File photo/The Monett Times months. The ordinance would provide for regulation and possible condemnation and destruction. • The Farmers State Bank of Barry County at Exeter apparently became insolvent due to loan losses, exhausting the bank’s capital. The bank closed on Dec. 13 and, re-chartered by Gary and Janet Acker of Barry County, reopened on Dec. 14 as Security Bank of Southwest Missouri at Exeter. TWENTY YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 1995 • For the third consecutive year, the Santa Claus Exprees, the Christmas-time train prepared by Burlington Northern Railroad employees, visited Monett on Dec. 15. An estimated 2,300 people stopped at the station for a first-hand look at the

train or to greet Santa during the 40-minute stop. • For the third time in just over four years, a car crashed into a storefront in the 300 block of East Broadway. A car backing out of a parking place went into reverse at significant speed, hitting an angle parked vehicle and pushing it into the Monett Video store at 312 E. Broadway. Cars had driven into Jack Frost Printing on Sept. 23, 1991 and Brownsberger’s on Jan. 8, 1992. TEN YEARS AGO Dec. 13-19, 2005 • For the first time in several years, Monett High School students

stormed to take sweepstakes honors for medium-sized high schools at the 24th annual English Field Day at Missouri Southern State University. • Dec. 16 was “Do-It Day” for Monett Street Department crews to finish installing the new storm sewer that runs from the north side of Broadway to Kelly Creek. Part of the job involved keeping a 30-inch round pipe on a downward slope, getting it underneath the 12-inch water main running along the south side of Broadway. Crews hoped to have Broadway reopened for the weekend.

ON THE COVER: This scene in not a typical landscaping sight in Monett, appearing to be located in more of a lush tropical clime than the Midwest. The banana plants, cultivated by Bob Holmes, seemed to thrive this summer on a select mix of steer manure, compost and planting medium. Contributed photo

The Monett Times Midweek

Thursday, December 10, 2015 • Page 3

Growing bananas in Monett

Local enthusiast eager for spring planting season By Melonie Roberts

reporter@monett-times.com

onett resident Bob Holmes cannot wait for spring. April, to be exact, is the time he is looking toward, when the chance of a late snow will not threaten the tropical constitution of his favorite hobby plants — bananas. Native to tropical Indomalaya and Australia, bananas are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea and are grown in at least 107 countries, primarily for their fruit, and to make fiber, banana wine and banana beer. They are also used by landscaping artists as ornamental plants in more tropical areas of the nation. While banana plants are not exclusive to the tropics, they do tend to grow best in warm and humid climates. There are a lot of banana tree varieties, and with the right care, sufficient water, and bright sunlight, banana plants can fare well in the home, a greenhouse, or in adequate outdoor areas. “I started growing bananas three or four years ago,” Holmes said. “I lived in Honduras with my wife two years, working as a school teacher. There are a lot of tropical plants, and it’s interesting to see the banana-growing operations down there. Living there is what initially drew me into the Hispanic culture.” Holmes has also lived for two- and three-month stretches in Mexico, where banana production contributed $177 million to the country’s economy this year. “I’ve also been to the Dominican Republic, where they eat bananas called plantanos,” Holmes said. “They’re quite a bit different from the yellow, sweeter fruit banana you typically see in the grocery store. The green bananas are the ones used in cooking. One of my favorite ways to eat them

Cultivated banana plants vary in height depending on the variety and growing conditions. Most are around 16-feet tall, with a range from Dwarf Cavendish plants, at around 10-feet, to Gros Michel, at 23-feet or more. Bob Holmes, of Monett, is standing next to the “mama” plant that produced fruit late in this year’s growing season. Plants grown in the Midwest take longer than their tropical counterparts to mature and produce fruit. Contributed photo is to slice and fry them like a potato chip. I developed a taste for those in Honduras.” Holmes would occasionally see banana plants offered at some larger retail locations, such as Lowe’s, but didn’t consider purchasing the plants until he talked to a co-worker at Playpower who is also growing banana plants. “I thought it would be fun to grow them,” he said. “Another co-worker, who lives in Purdy, also grows bananas and I asked him for some of his pups, the new shoots that grow from the root systems of adult trees. I picked out two

or three, and the rest of my plants have been grown from their pups.” According to Holmes, his Purdy co-worker, although a hobby farmer, has been in production long enough it is not unusual for him to slice his home-grown bananas onto his family’s morning cereal. “It takes about four years for plants to mature in this environment, because we have to interrupt their growing cycle,” Holmes said. “In the tropics, it usually takes one year to 18 months for a plant to mature and bear fruit.” Holmes said he had heard a plant will not bloom until it has put out at

least 28 leaves. “I don’t know if that’s true or not,” he said. “But, it makes sense. The bloom is the last stage of the growing phase. Once a plant blooms and bears fruit, it dies. They are replaced by their pups, which sprout from the same root system, and continue to populate that way. This year, I cut down the mama tree, but left the roots to see if they would produce pups in the spring.” In this environment, Holmes has to dig up his plants each fall and winterize them, sending them into a dormant state. He typically replants them Continued on Page 7

The Monett Times Midweek

A look at area events this week

By Murray Bishoff

SPRINGFIELD: “Imagine,” the annual John Lennon tribute concert, is offered at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East. Jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon presents a Christmas concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. Drury University presents a Christmas vespers concert a 3 and 7 p.m. on Sunday in the Stone Chapel on campus. Evangel University’s music department presents a music concert at 7:45 p.m. on Friday in Spence Chapel. Song stylist Kim Crosby presents a cabaret show of show tunes and holiday must at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Springfield Contemporary Theater, 431 S. Jefferson. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.: Symphony Orchestra of Northwest Ark. performs with an airing of the film “The Snowman” at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson. At George’s Majestic Lounge, 519 W. Dickson, playing this week at Black Tiger Sex Machine on Thursday; the Belairs, Good Luck Slim and Here Come the Mummies on Friday; and Cody Canada and the Departed on Saturday. At the Faulkner Arts Center, 453 N. Garland, University of Arkansas Men’s and Women’s Choruses perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The UA Symphony Orchestra plays at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7. The Schola Cantorum choir performs at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 10. The University of Arkansas Latin American Ensemble plays at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall, 340 N. Garland. FORT SMITH: The Fort Smith Symphony plays a holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the ArcBest Performing Arts Center, 55 S. Seventh St. SPRINGDALE, Ark.: The Arts Center of the Ozarks Chorale presents its Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at 214 S Main. BELLA VISTA, Ark.: The Bella Vista Men’s Chorus gives a Christmas concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Community Church, 75 E. Lancashire Blvd. EUREKA SPRINGS, Ark.: Native American flutist John Two-Hawks performs his holiday concert at 7 p.m. on

Saturday at the Auditorium, 32 S. Main. JOPLIN: Missouri Southern State University’s sixth annual Seasonal Choral Flourish, featuring the Concert Chorale, Chamber Signers and Jazz Unlimited, will be offered at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 812 S. Pearl Ave. The MSSU Wind Ensemble will perform its winter concert at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 at Taylor Performing Arts Center. At the Downstream Casino, west of Joplin, Ricky Fugitt plays country on Friday. Asphalt Cowboys play country and rock on Saturday. NEOSHO: “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Crowder College Community Chorus at 7 p.m. on Sunday at the United Methodist Church, 224 S. Wood St. MIAMI, Okla.: The Northeast Oklahoma A&M College presents a Christmas concert with the “Lessons and Carols” program at 4 p.m. on Friday. Turnpike Troubadours perform at 9 p.m. Friday at the Buffalo Run Casino. TULSA, Okla.: Lyle Lovett and his QuasiCowboy Band performs at 8 p.m. on Friday at the River Spirit Events Center, 8330 Riverside Parkway. Tulsa Symphony under Ron Spigelman presents a Christmas pops concert at 7::30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. in the Chapman Music Hall at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 S. Second St. At Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main, performing this week are Gaelic Storm on Thursday; The Neighborhood, Atlas Genius and Wolf Alice on Dec. 7; August Burns Red, Everytime I Die, Stick to Your Guns, Polyphia and Wage War on Dec. 8; and Hot Club of Cowtown on Dec. 9. Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience concert is offered at 8 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady. TobyMac, Britt Nicole and Colton Dixon perform at 7 p.m. on Sunday at the BOK Center, 200 S. Denver. BARTLESVILLE, Okla.: The Bartlesville Choral Society presents Handel’s “Messiah” at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Bartlesville Community Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd. PITTSBURG, Kan.: The Pittsburg State University Wind Ensemble presents a holiday concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, 1711 S. Homer. A Holly Jolly Tuba Christmas is offered at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Bicknell Center. Pittsburg State University music department presents its annual holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Timmons Chapel, 409 E. Ford.

AREA THEATRE

AREA MUSIC

Go Guide

Page 4 • Thursday, December 10, 2015

SPRINGFIELD: The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s traveling show, “The Ultimate Christmas Show,” is offered at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. Springfield Little Theater’s stage version of the film “Miracle on 34th Street” has shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 with more shows through the next weekend at the Landers Theater, 311 E. Walnut. Final performances of Springfield Contemporary Theater’s presentation of the musical “Xanadu” has shows at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. on Sunday at 431 S. Jefferson. OZARK: Ron Boutwell’s play “From the Harvest Fields,” reenacting the Biblical story of Ruth, runs through Dec. 19 at the Stained Glass Theater, 1996 W. Evangel. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.: Rick Elice’s play “Peter and the Starcatcher” opens at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, with more shows Dec. 9 through Jan. 3 in the Studio Theater, 505 W. Spring St. CARTHAGE: “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas,” a seasonal version of “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” opens Thursday, running through Sunday, with more shows next weekend, at the Stone’s Throw Theater. JOPLIN: The original play for children, “Christmas at the Old Toy Store” by Lyndall Burrow, is offered at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at MSSU. The Christmas play, “Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus: the Musical,” opens Dec. 9 and runs through next weekend, with weekday shows at 7:30 p.m., at the Joplin Little Theater, 3009 W. First St. A stage version of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” opens Thursday, with shows at 7 p.m. through Saturday, 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, with more shows Dec. 10 through next weekend at the Stained Glass Theatre, 2101 Annie Baxter. NEOSHO: The children’s play “Charlotte’s Web” is presented at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Elsie Plaster Auditorium at Crowder College. TULSA, OKLA.: At the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 S. Second St., Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” is presented at

The Monett Times Midweek

Thursday, December 10, 2015 • Page 5 David Sedaris’ “The Santaland Diaries” through Dec. 24 at the Copaken Stage, 13th and Walnut downtown. Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” runs through Dec. 24 at the Spencer Theater, 4949 Cherry.

Murray’s top picks for the week

MONETT: The Monett Chamber of Commerce’s Festival of Lights runs nightly through December at Monett’s South Park. SPRINGFIELD: An RK Gun Show runs Saturday and Sunday at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. EUREKA SPRINGS, Ark.: The 49th annual Silver Tea will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 at the Crescent Hotel, 75 Prospect. The 33rd annual Candlelight Tour of Homes runs 3 to 8 p.m. on Saturday in numerous locations around town. SPRINGDALE, Ark.: Arts Center of the Ozarks, 214 S Main, offers Breakfast with Santa, with treats and activities for kids, on Saturday morning. Time slots limited. CARTHAGE: The Way of Salvation ChristmaslightshowrunsnightlyThursday through Sunday at the Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix, 1900 Grand Ave., through Dec. 27. WEBB CITY: The Midwest Clay Artists 2015 Fall Show and Sale runs Friday through Sunday at the City Pointe Shopping Center, 501 S. Madison at Highway 171 and Range Line Road. NEOSHO: The 2015 Dickens Christmas Faire Holiday Market, featuring more than 50 booths of gift and decorating ideas, runs evenings Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at Mills Park Centre, 100 N. College St.

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7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. on Sunday, with more shows next weekend in the Liddy Doenges Theatre. Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is presents at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 with more shows running through the next two weekends in the John H. Williams Theatre. The “So You Think You Can Dance” tour performs at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Brady Theater. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, with more shows Dec. 10 through next weekend at the Henthorne Performing Arts Center, 4825 S. Quaker Ave. The Broken Arrow Community Playhouse presents a stage version of “Cheaper By The Dozen” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, with more shows next weekend at 1800 S. Main. South Tulsa Children’s Ballet presents “A Children’s Nutcracker” at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at 9353 E. 95th Ct. BARTLESVILLE, Okla.: A touring production of “Ragtime: the Musical” is offered at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Bartlesville Community Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd. KANSAS CITY: The “So You Think You Can Dance” tour performs at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Midland Theater, 1228 Main. The Dirty Dancing tour performs at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 through next weekend at the Music Hall, 13th and Central. A stage version of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” runs through Jan. 3 at the Coterie Theater at Crown Center, Grand Blvd. and Pershing Road. The Quality Hill Playhouse presents the revue “Christmas in Song” Thursday through Dec. 23 at 303 W. 10th St. The musical “Mr. Burns: A PostElectric Play” by Anne Washburn, a “Simpsons” cross with WWIII, and runs through Dec. 27 at the Unicorn Theater, 3828 Main. Kansas City Repertory Theater presents

864 US Hwy 60 Monett 417-235-7800

Winterfest opens at the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts in Springfield on Friday, running from 5 to 10 p.m., and all day Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visual arts on display augment live music performances by local choirs and instrumental groups. Winterfest is like a stroll through a holiday landscape indoors, a pleasant and scenic way to while away an afternoon, with good music thrown in.

Fans who can’t get enough of Handel’s “Messiah” will have two chances for Missouri’s best performance competing this weekend. In Kansas City, Handel’s “Messiah” is performed with a 250voice KC Symphony Chorus and Independence Messiah Choir with the Kansas City Symphony at 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway. In St. Louis, the St. Louis Symphony and Symphony Chorus performs “Messiah” at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Powell Hall, Grand and Delmar.

If you need your annual dose of Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Nutcracker,” you have several choices. The Moscow Ballet’s touring production, which uses recorded music, is presented at 7 p.m. on Dec. 8 at the Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East in Springfield. Kansas City Ballet’s production, which uses a live orchestra, runs through Dec. 24 at the Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway. Tulsa Ballet’s production, which also uses a live orchestra, runs for the next two weekends at the Tulsa PAC, 110 S. Second St.

Murray Bishoff is a veteran theatergoer, traveling weekends to many of the venues within driving distance, from Tulsa to St. Louis. From dance recitals to operas, he’s been there and shares his recommendations.

The Monett Times Midweek

Page 6 • Thursday, December 10, 2015

These three plants, in front of the home of Bob and Neyda Holmes in Monett, are just a few of the banana plants he has cultivated and raised over the course of the past three or four years. Holmes has given away several “pups” and adult plants to friends and acquaintances interested in cultivating their own plants, for either the edible fruit or ornamental purposes. Contributed photo

At the top in the center, the maroonish banana inflorescence, or pod-looking bloom on the “mama” plant, is pictured as it began to droop. As the inflorescence continued to mature, small hands of bananas formed under each leaf, in large hanging clusters. Contributed photo

The nearly-mature banana inflorescence is pictured as the leaves start to open, revealing hanging clusters of fruit. Each bunch is called a hand, and individual bananas are called fingers. Contributed photo

Looking more like a lush tropical yard snuggled warmly somewhere down in the lower latitudes, these banana plants grew surprisingly well last summer in the central hemisphere, more locally here in Monett. The center plant, the “mama,” propagated by Bob Holmes, produced fruit late in the growing season this fall. Contributed photo

The Monett Times Midweek

Thursday, December 10, 2015 • Page 7

Bananas: Interested in forming a local banana-growers networking group

Continued from Page 3

in mid-April, after the danger of frost or a late snow has passed. “This year, I used a combination of steer manure, dead leaves and topsoil ,and they really took off,” Holmes said. “It was my best growing season ever. Of course, the rains helped.” Holmes said the root ball of a banana plant is not very big, about the size of a basketball, and often he will have to stabilize a large, top-heavy plant. Hairlike roots will extend from the main

portion of the root ball to bring in necessary water and nutrients from the soil. “They can grow to be about 14-feet tall,” he said. “The leaves grow from the ground up, so I was surprised, when I started removing leaves from one of my plants, to find seven pups. You’ll usually only see three or four.” During the last growing season, Holmes was surprised when his “mama” plant shot an outgrowth that initial-

ly looked like a vibrant green ear of corn. Over the next few days, the growth changed colors, to a dark, smoky maroon, and, within a week, began to droop. “I figured it was the bloom,” he said. “I had never had a plant bloom before, but I figured that’s what was happening, but it happened late in the season.” Indeed, the plant’s inflorescence, or bloom, was sheltering several hanging clusters of fruit. Each bunch is called a

hand, and individual bananas are called fingers. “Leaves from the pod started falling away, and I saw the bananas. I only got four clusters this year before the weather started getting too cool. I was excited for the longer growing season this year. The fruit was an extra bonus, even though they really didn’t have time to ripen.” His banana plants are a curiosity to his neighbors and their acquaintances. “People don’t expect to find banana trees in Missouri,” Holmes said. “Some of my neighbors’ guests have questioned me about what the plants

are and expressed curiosity about them. But, there are hobby growers as far north as Massachusetts. Their growing season is going to be far shorter.” For those interested in obtaining one of his pups, or even a mature tree, Holmes has developed a handout that tells how to properly plant, manage and winterize the tree to continue to have successful growth each year. Holmes is sure he is not the only banana plant enthusiast in Monett. “You see plants here and there, tucked into corners and backyards,” he said. “You recognize them when you see them.” Holmes is interest-

Chapman Medical Clinic

ed in forming a local banana-growers networking group to discuss the many facets of growing tropical fruit in this environment. Others interested in joining a group discussion can e-mail Holmes at rholmes@sofnet.com with bananas in the subject line. For now, Holmes is eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. “I’m excited,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what happens next growing season. The people I’ve given plants to as gifts are eager for spring, as well. There is a high-energy excitement to see a plant grow and mature, and to see that plant come to fruition.”

Dr Shanna Chapman 101 North Elm St., Pierce City, MO 65723 Phone: 1-417-476-9005 • Email: clinic@chapmanmed.com Website: www.chapmanmed.com Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday Closed 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm for lunch Friday by Appt. Closed Saturday & Sunday

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“Because the People Must Know.” Public Notice advertising plays a unique role both in American history and in the process by which this country’s democracy is preserved. Its one premise is that people must be informed if they are to govern themselves competently. Public Notice advertising first came into being with the Congress of 1792. That body, recognizing its responsibility to the people, required the Postmaster General to advertise for bids for the construction of new post offices. From that inauspicious beginning to the publication requirements in federal, state and local laws today, government officials have come more and more to understand their obligations to inform the public through Public Notice advertising. Newspapers over the years have been the vehicle by which these obligations have been fulfilled. They will continue to be as long as the public demands that it be informed frequently and by the best means possible.

The Monett Times Midweek

Page 8 • Thursday, December 10, 2015

Teen’s serious relationship draws fire from boy’s mom

EAR ABBY: I’m 13 and in what I think is a serious relationship with “Josh.” The problem is, his mom thinks I’m “mentally abusing” him. I have never done anything to Josh to make her think that. She and I have had our disagreements and have not spoken for periods of time before, but nothing like this has ever happened. I’m pretty sure I love Josh, and I don’t want to lose him because of what his mom thinks of me. What should I do? — PUZZLED IN INDIANA DEAR PUZZLED: You didn’t mention how old Josh is and how he feels about all the attention you’re giving him, but I can offer a couple of suggestions. The first is to slow down. Take a step back so Josh can have some breathing room. The second is to try to make a friend rather than an enemy of Josh’s mother, who may be worried about a 13-year-old girl who seems fixated on her son. DEAR ABBY: I remarried when my son, “Kevin,” was 5. He’s now 20. My husband has always tried to be a good dad to him even though Kevin was challenging at times. Kevin is now in the military. Before he left, he adopted a dog, “Leisel,” that’s a year old. Kevin will be deployed

Jeanne Phillips Dear Abby overseas for three years and wants us to take her. We have a dog and cat, a big yard and three teenage daughters who want Leisel, but my husband says no. He says it was a mistake to get the dog in the first place, and Kevin needs to learn a lesson and do the hard thing and give her up. I agree it was a mistake, and I don’t really want another dog, but I’m willing to do it for my son. Lots of parents get “stuck” with their kids’ pets. They roll their eyes and just do it. Who is right? — WILLING TO DO IT IN WEST VIRGINIA DEAR WILLING: You are. This is no time to teach your son a lesson. With the international situation heating up as it seems to be, there’s no telling where your son could wind up being stationed. Let him go with peace of mind knowing his pet will be well cared for until he returns. DEAR ABBY: You probably wonder why I think this is a problem, but it is for me. I’m a

single male, almost 77, who can easily pass for 50 or 55. The problem is friends, acquaintances and some strangers (in their 40s, 50s and 60s) think that because I look so much younger than my age, I should be able to perform the same physical tasks they do, which I can’t. I have the same aches and pains as anyone else my age. I’m flattered that I look younger, but how do I explain that because I look 50 to 55, doesn’t mean I necessarily feel that way. I know, I know. Some people probably wish they had my problem. — YOUNG/OLD IN CALIFORNIA DEAR YOUNG/ OLD: I have news for you. There are plenty of people half your age who also have physical problems that prevent them from performing certain

tasks — including bad backs, bad knees, rotator cuff injuries and more. Because someone looks great doesn’t necessarily mean that the person IS 100 percent. If you are asked to do something beyond your ability, be honest about it and say no. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. To order “How to Write Letters for All Occasions,” send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby — Letter Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.

The Monett Times Midweek

Peanuts

Thursday, December 10, 2015 • Page 9

By Charles M. Schulz

Mutts

Garfield

By Patrick McDonell

By Jim Davis

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The Monett Times Midweek

Page 10 • Thursday, December 10, 2015

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1a. Garage Sale FOR SALE, Electric range, dual recliner love seat, twin size adjustable bed with vibrator, computer desk, bookshelf. Call 417-235-6466

8. Business Services TREE TRIMMING & Cutting. Sweet Gum Ball Removal. Guaranteed Cheapest Rates. 417-669-0235 After 4pm or Leave Message.

9. Services Offered DOSS APPLIANCE Repair Service: Service all major brands, prompt, experienced service, affordable rates. Call anytime 417-235-6314.

FOR ALL of your heating, air conditioning and sheet metal work, call Monett Sheet Metal, 235-7116. SIDING & TRIM, Replacement Windows, guttering, entry, storm & garage doors. Over 30 yrs. experience, local references provided. Ken R Mitchell 417-838-2976 Free estimates.

10. Lost and Found MISSING 11-25-15 604 7th St. Male declawed neutered cat. Bright orange on back white legs, orange spot on nose, amber eyes. 417-669-8950. Please help me bring him home.

16. Help Wanted

29. Houses for Rent I HAVE very nice rental homes, varied number of bedrooms, the city of Monett. Call Max Easley at 417-235-6871 or 417-693-1024.

George’s Inc. Cassville, MO is currently seeking qualified and dependable applicants for the following positions: Egg Pickup - Chick Delivery Drivers Chick Delivery Drivers and Egg Pick up Driver require a Class A CDL plus a good driving record. Interested applicants should apply in person at George’s Inc. Human Resources located at the intersection of Highway 37 and Highway W beside the community of Butterfield. Apply in person. Or e-mail resumes to dan.halog@georgesinc.com for questions please call 417-442-3500 or visit our website at www.georgesinc.com George’s is an equal opportunity employer. BROKERS WITH AUTHORITY to pull our loads, 2,3, or 6 day runs, solo or team, mileage or percentage pay, same day pay. www.trailiner.com 800-769-3993. DRIVERS CDL-A: Get Home Weekly! Earn $70,000 to $80,000 per year! $2500 Sign-on Bonus! Same day pay! 2016 Trucks! 800-769-3993. DRIVERS CDL-A: Get PAID Same Day! Free Health Ins.! 3 or 6 Day Runs! Make the Change, Call TODAY! 800-769-3993.

DRIVERS: HOME WEEKLY! Paid Health Ins. Vacation, Holidays & More. Truck w/fridge & microwave. CDL-A w/2yrs recent experience. Standard Transportation Services. 1-888-992-4038 ext 133. ENTRY LEVEL DRIVERS CDL-A: $65,000+ Per Year! $2500 SignOn Bonus! Free Health Ins.! Same Day Pay! No CDL? Free Training! 800-769-3993.

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29a. Duplexes For Rent

George’s Farms, Inc. Poultry Processing Worker. Cut, trim and pack poultry. Various shifts, multiple openings, full time positions. 9066 State Highway W. Cassville, Missouri 65625. Apply in person. * Applicants with 1 year of verifiable poultry processing experience will start at the 1 year payrate. JOPLIN GLOBE Newspaper Route in Pierce City Available December 1st. $500/month less expenses.IndependentContractor. Must have dependable vehicle and back-up. Apply online at joplinglobe.com: on the Subscribe drop-downmenu,clickonCarrier Application. TRUCK LEASE PURCHASE, 1 yr. CDL,A exp., no money down, same day mileage pay. 2, 3 or 6 day runs. www.trailiner.com 800-769-3993.

18. Situations Wanted EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER $10 per hour, cash only. Call Jackie 417-393-5982.

THINK INFORMATION The Monett Times 235-3135 www.monett-times.com

25. Real Estate For Sale PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “anypreference,limitation,ordiscrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference,limitationordiscrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertisingforrealestatewhichis in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

27. Homes for Sale 4 SALE, No Money Down, Financing Available, 3 BR, 2 BA home,CarportandStorageBuilding, Aurora Schools. Call 417-846-0324

2 BR, 1 Ba. 4-plexe units in Monett.AllelectricCentralH/A,appliances furnished, W/D hookups. Starting at $425 per month, $250 deposit. 236-0140. NEWER ALL Brick Duplex, 2 Br, 2 Ba. Nice Location, Appliances, Open Floor Plan. $495 or $550 w/ garage. Rent. Call 417-773-8948 or 417-354-0744 UPSCALE QUAD-plexes, 2 Bd, 2 Full Ba, Walk In Closet, Garage, Laundry With W/D Hookup. All Stainless Appliances. Call 417-773-8948 or 417-354-0744.

30. Apartments for Rent APT IN 4-Plex. 495.00. 2 Bedroom 1 Bath, Garage with opener. No Pets. 300.00 Deposit. Call Mike 417-489-2935

APARTMENTS FOR LEASE IN MONETT

Monett Apts 1 BR starting at $350 2 BR starting at $450 ONLY $99.00 deposit!

Call

417-224-2127 31. Rooms for Rent J & T ECONO Rooms to Rent. Weekly low rates - No pets. Cable TV, refrigerator, microwave. 417-489-6000

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46. For Lease 8400 S.F. office/warehouse, 600 Dairy St., Monett. Excellent location for co. needing additional space or for service company. Fork truck accessible doors. $4,000/mo. Call Dave at 480-634-0599.

55. Storage

Thursday, December 10, 2015 • Page 11

Rewriting ‘No Child Left Behind’ — House passes easily By JENNIFER C. KERR Associated Press

CROSSLAND STOR-ALL. Across East of Wal-Mart. 10 buildings, 7 sizes. 235-3766. FRIEZE’S STORAGE- 10 Sizes plus outside storage. Gated at night. Phone 417-235-7325 or 417-393-9662. THREE SIZES To choose from, electricity available, concrete floors with partitions to ceiling. Marshall Storage S Hwy 37, 235-6097. WHY PAY More, Rent from Us & Store. S & G Storage. 417-235-1914 or 417-235-9289.

WASHINGTON — After years of failed efforts, the House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to sharply scale back the federal role in American education. But the bill would retain the testing requirement in the 2002 No Child Left Behind law that many parents, teachers and school districts abhor. The legislation, approved 359-64, would return to the states the decision-making power over how to use students’ test performance in assessing teachers and schools. The measure also would end federal efforts to encourage academic standards such as Common Core. The 1,000-plus page measure was a compromise reached by House and Senate negotiators. The Senate is to vote on it early next week and President Barack Obama is expected to sign it. Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., who led the House-Senate conference committee on the legislation, said Washington has been micromanaging the nation’s classrooms for too long. “Today, we turn the page on the failed status quo and turn over to our nation’s parents and our state and local leaders the authority, flexibility and certainty they need to deliver children an excellent education,” he said.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement after the vote that the bill would “reduce over-testing and one-size-fits-all federal mandates,” though some conservative lawmakers argued that it would not go far enough, and they voted against it. Outgoing Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who has overseen much of the law’s implementation, praised the bill as a critical step toward protecting the civil rights of students. “It enshrines in law the expectation that where schools serve students poorly or have low graduation rates over extended periods of time, and where groups of students aren’t making progress, there will be accountability and action for change,” Duncan said in a statement just after the vote. The No Child law has been due for renewal since 2007, but previous attempts to reauthorize it have gotten caught in a broader debate over the federal role in public education. The legislation would maintain a key feature of the Bush-era law: annual reading and math testing of children in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school. And it would require schools to make those test scores public noting students’ races and whether they are disabled to help identify achievements gaps and strug-

gling schools. Principals, teachers, parents and others have complained for years about what they consider a maze of redundant and unnecessary tests and too much “teaching to the test” by educators. The legislation would encourage states to set limits on the total amount of time kids spend taking tests and end federal efforts to tie test scores to teacher evaluations. Some more conservative voices balked, saying the bill didn’t go far enough. Neal McCluskey of the libertarian Cato Institute cautioned that the federal education secretary could still wield too much influence when it comes to monitoring accountability plans for schools. “It does not appear that the secretary can state specifically what a plan must have, but the Ed Sec could potentially veto plans that he deems inadequate until - wink, wink - he gets what he wants,” McCluskey blogged. But teachers’ unions hailed the vote on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as a historic step. “For the first time since No Child Left Behind was enacted nearly 14 years ago, ESSA empowers educators as trusted professionals to make school and classroom decisions while keeping the focus on students most in need,” said National Education

Association President Lily Eskelsen García. Under the bill, the Education Department would see a much-diminished role and no longer be able to sanction schools that fail to improve. Instead, states would be responsible for working with schools and local districts to develop achievement goals and accountability plans. Still, states would be required to intervene in the nation’s lowest-performing 5 percent of schools, in high school “dropout factories” and in schools with persistent achievement gaps — something Democrats insisted must be part of any education overhaul. On Common Core, reviled by many conservatives, the compromise bill says the Education Department may not mandate or give states incentives to adopt or maintain any particular set of academic standards. The Common Core college and career-ready curriculum guidelines were created by the states, but

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have become a lightning rod for those worried that Washington has too much influence in public schools. Since 2012, the administration has offered grants through its Race to the Top program for states that adopted strong academic standards for its students. The bill also ends the waivers the Obama administration has given to more than 40 states, exemptions granted around the more onerous parts of No Child when it became clear that requirements such as having all students proficient in reading and math by 2014 would not be met. One thing absent from the bill is portability — allowing money to follow low-income students to public schools of their choice, an idea embraced by Republicans. Those dollars would remain at struggling schools. But the bill would allow for a small pilot program that would let some federal money move with students in some school districts.

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