FORUM FLASHBACKS: April 4-5

By Phil Cobb | April 4, 2019 |

FORUM FILE PHOTO
Maryville High School Principal Thom Alvarez sits in his office shortly after being named principal in 2014. Alvarez spent 13 years on the MHS faculty before being promoted to the top job after serving as assistant principal under Jason Eggers.

25 years ago

After hosting a series of four informational meetings in area communities, the West Nodaway R-I School District is now in the final hours before voters will make a decision on the district’s proposed $1.15 million school bond.
This is the 11th attempt by the district to pass a bond. The proposal would provide a self-contained structure for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Community meetings were held in Quitman, Burlington Junction, Elmo and Clearmont to share information about the proposal. According to Superintendent Dan Kercher, many patrons of the district have offered a positive reaction to the proposal at the meetings.
Angie Mutz and Ronda Wiederholt of Clyde were recipients at the Midland Empire Girl Scout Council’s Annual Recognition Dinner held March 29 in St. Joseph.
Angie Mutz, daughter of Marcia and Harry Mutz, Maryville, was recognized as one of the three top cookie sellers in the council. Mutz, a member of Girl Scout Troop 319 sold 419 boxes of cookies. She received a stuffed animal, a flight bag and a cash award. Wiederholt was presented with a tenure pin for 15 years of Girl Scout membership.

15 Years ago

U.S. Congressman Sam Graves announced that the House has passed legislation that includes $3,000,000 to help resurface U.S. 136 and widen the shoulders, and another $3,000,000 to construct a diamond interchange at U.S. 71 and Business 71 in Maryville. The announcement came a week after Graves announced he had secured the funding in the House Transportation Committee.
“Northwest Missouri took one big step forward today with the passage of this funding,” Graves said. “This funding will help reshape the future of northwest Missouri by making significant improvements in its transportation infrastructure.”
To help determine where you should draw the line, St. Francis Hospital & Health Services is offering a free, anonymous education and screening program as part of the National Alcohol Screening Day.
As part of the program, participants will hear an educational presentation on alcohol problems complete with a written self-test, and have the opportunity to talk privately with a health professional, all for free.

5 years ago

The Maryville R-II Board of education met in special session Thursday and voted unanimously to name Thom Alvarez as Maryville High Schools principal for the 2014-’15 school year.
Alvarez, a 13-year member of the MHS faculty who currently serves as assistant principal, was in attendance at the meeting, and said he was excited about the opportunity to assume the high school’s top administrative job.
“(Current principal) Jason (Eggers) has been an outstanding mentor to me over the past several years,” Alvarez said. “But at the same time, I’m anxious to get to work and put my stamp on several things at the high school.”
For most people the terrible reality has probably sunk in by now. Senseless mass shootings like Wednesday’s rampage at Fort Hood, Texas – the second such incident at the sprawling military base since 2009 – can happen anywhere at any time, even in small rural communities like Maryville.
The steady parade of such horrific episodes over the past 15 years, including the 2012 mass murder of 20 schoolchildren and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut by Adam Lanza, have resulted in a change in the way law enforcement responds to these monstrous crimes.
Keith Wood, who as director of Maryville Public Safety serves as both the city’s police chief and fire chief, said Thursday the new response strategies began to evolve following the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado, where two deranged teenagers murdered 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives.