Forum Flashbacks: April 2-7

FORUM FILE PHOTO
A large portrait depicting Pope John Paul II — white robe flowing and hands outstretched — stood in front of the altar at St. Gregory Catholic Church on Sunday as Rev. Martin DeMeulenaere led worshipers in mass. Maryville Roman Catholics joined church faithful across the globe to mourn the loss of their spiritual leader. John Paul II died on Saturday after leading the church for 27 years.

25 years ago

• With the Maryville City Council poised to discuss under-age drinkers in the city’s bars later this month, two taverns have been reprimanded by the state for serving minors.
  TO’s and Outback received one-week license suspensions from the state’s Division of Liquor Control for multiple counts of consumption of liquor by minors and sale or supply to minors. TO’s had seven counts of consumption by minors and three counts of supplying minors. The Outback had six counts of consumption by minors. The department’s report was issued yesterday. …
  The Outback promotes the so-called “over/under” nights which encourage minors to come to the business for entertainment, but not to consume alcohol.
  During public hearings on the matter, (owner Trent) Stringer told the city council serving alcohol is just part of his business and he would not risk that business by selling a $1.75 beer to a minor.
  Terry Oglesby, owner of TO’s, did not comment on the charges against his business, but said he favored some type of city ordinance to restrict minors from Maryville taverns.
• Recently Donna Henry Field, Savannah, formerly of Arkoe, helped to preserve a part of history for Nodaway County generations, both present and future.
  Last summer on a visit to the Arkoe area, where she grew up, Field noticed a sign for a fishing and camping access area … was misnamed Black Oak access.
  “I wrote to the Department of Conservation and asked if it was possible to have the name of the area changed,” Field said. “Their return letter asked me to prove its historical value and they would consider renaming it.”
  She did what the Conservation Department asked, using the book, “Tales of Nodaway County, 1837-1977” as proof of the historical background of the area.
  “Bridgewater was the name of a town which sticks in oldsters’ minds … ” according to “Tales of Nodaway County … ”
  Field received a letter from Dan F. Dickneite, Planning Division chief for the Missouri Department of Conservation, stating the Conservation Commission had met and approved the renaming of Black Oak Access to Bridgewater Access.

15 years ago

• The Maryville City Council voted to shut the doors at a local bar for two weeks for selling alcohol to minors.
  Three Maryville City Council members on Monday voted in favor of the two-week suspension of Lucky’s Bar and Grill, while councilman Ron Moss favored a three-week suspension and mayor Mike Thompson said he was leaning toward recommending revoking the bar’s liquor license altogether.
  The suspension will begin on Monday, April 18 and run through Sunday, May 1.
  This was the second hearing in less than four years to address Lucky’s selling to minors; in December 2001 the bar was suspended for 48 hours.

5 years ago

• The City Council voted unanimously this week to accept an Industrial Development Revenue Bond tax abatement package designed to finance a $25.5 million expansion at the Maryville small-engine plant operated by Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp. U.S.A.
  If carried out, the planned expansion would add 100,800 square feet of mostly production space to the facility and create an estimated 30 new jobs.
  The bonds will be issued by the city and purchased by Kawasaki.
  Under terms of the agreement, both Kawasaki’s existing facility and the expansion, including new fixtures and machinery, will be transferred to city ownership, with the corporation paying rent equivalent to principal and interest over the 10-year life of the bonds. …
  The agreement exempts Kawasaki from all real property and personal property … taxes for 10 years, with the exception of personal property taxes assessed on equipment in the existing plant.