Forum Flashbacks: Jan. 23-29

FORUM FILE PHOTO
100-ton machine delivered A 200,000-pound die-cast machine was driven to Maryville from the St. Louis area over the weekend on a huge big rig. The truck, nearly 200 feet long and rolling on over 70 tires, is considered a “super hauler.” The Kawasaki Motors plant will use the machine to make V-Twin crankcases for riding lawnmower engines. It will be the single largest machine at the Maryville plant. The phrase “oversize load” seems to be an understatement.

25 years ago

• The former Mount Alverno Convent could apparently be housing prisoners within a few months depending upon the outcome of a community meeting slated for next weekend.
  State Sen. Sam Graves said late this morning, he had been contacted by Missouri Department of Corrections officials about the feasibility of locating a minimum- to medium-security prison in the facility east of Maryville.
  “The Department of Corrections is extremely interested in putting a facility in Mount Alverno,” Graves said.
  According to information provided to Graves by the Department of Corrections, the facility would house 525 inmates during what they call “phase one” of the project. Graves said he has not received information about any additional phases. The proposal calls for apparently utilizing both the former convent structure which sits atop a hill overlooking the city and the former school which is located west of the main structure.
• Maryville city officials will apparently take another look at an ordinance which would block minors from entering Maryville taverns. The move comes in response to concerns voiced by a Maryville resident who said he represented a “small group of people who are concerned” at Monday night’s Maryville City Council session.
  Dave Weigel spoke briefly to the Maryville City Council, noting an ordinance recently passed by St. Joseph city officials which blocks minors from entering taverns in that city after 8 p.m.

15 years ago

• Northwest Missouri State campus safety officers are looking for the person who slashed tires on 14 vehicles parked on campus last weekend, and they’re asking for help from Northwest students.
  Campus safety Sgt. Raymond Ottman said the vandalism occurred in the early morning hours on Sunday, Jan. 23. The vehicles were parked in three parking lots close together on the interior of campus, although Ottman did not want to specify which lots.

5 years ago

• The New Nodaway Humane Society received a $100,000 trust donation last week, and if the organization can raise another $50,000, the same trust will match the latter amount.
  The monetary gift to the shelter, located at 829 South Depot in Maryville, is from the Gladys M. Rickard Trust. Rickard lived and owned a business in Hopkins, Mo. She and her husband had no children, and left most of their money to local charities.
• Jason Offutt doesn’t know where the idea came from.
  It began in May 2012. He was waiting for a plane in Kansas City and it hit — it hit and he started writing.
  Eight months later, Offutt, an instructor at Northwest Missouri State University, finished writing his first full-length novel.
  Published in December, “A Funeral Story,” the novel tells the story of Deever Dickson, a normal guy with a secret. The character goes to funerals and meets strange women. This continues until he finds Marissa, a woman with the same hobby.
  “The story is about him and his completely dysfunctional state,” Offutt said. “It gets so much worse when he meets a girl who does the exact same thing.”
  Offutt said the writing was simple, but publishing posed a challenge.
  “This really doesn’t fit into a category,” he said. “That was a major problem. With any publishing venture, it’s hit or miss. Finding people who deal with weird humorous subject material is difficult.”