Forsyth News and Views - Issue 2

Opening Day for the Twisted Spoke Bar in Forsyth Mo.

Junction Bar and Grill - Kissee Mills - doing well...very well!
Wet T-Shirt contests -  Really!

Hydroplane races in June at Rockaway Beach Missouri!

Check out the pdf link here!

Disclaimer: As usual, any information provided is the sole property of the author and may or may not be accurate. All material offered in this blog is purely for entertainment purposes.

Forsyth Spring Fling May 19th!

I attended the first 'Spring Fling' event last year about this time and was impressed. The weather was awesome (I'm predicting good weather this year too) and a good number of people turned out to look at vendor offerings and listen to some excellent music. Here's a copy of the flyer for this year:

Click to enlarge

Here are a couple of pictures taken while I was there. Did I mention they had food for sale also?

For additional information, I'll assume you can contact the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce!

S&S Pumping Service

I don’t really have much information yet on this septic tank pumping service that is located at 2151 Burmingham Road in Forsyth Missouri. I’ve noticed the truck in and about my neighborhood on rare occasions, but have not heard how well they perform. Their number is 417-546-2390. If anyone is aware of their pricing, etc. please leave a comment.

New Book release - Basic Language Handbook for Excel!

A good friend of mine of some years has come out with a great book that really goes a long ways to help anyone who uses Microsoft's Excel to get more out of it. If you have a Kindle, you can download a free sample! Prime Members can read it for free!

 

The Wee Green BASIC Language Handbook for Excel

~A Non-Programmers Guide to Fully Automating Excel~

Forsyth, Missouri, April 16, 2012 -- Are you ready to take your Excel spreadsheet to the next step?  Can your macro find the next blank space in a column, update or add records to files used by other applications, or make alternative decisions when different conditions exist?  Of course not!

The Wee Green BASIC Language Handbook for Excel explains the easily learned BASIC language and how to use it to build applications that will ease your workload, astonish your supervisor and co-workers, and make you the expert of choice in everything Excel.

Each chapter guides the reader through a few simple commands and then provides a sample program demonstrating how each command is used in practice.  Sample programs include a point of sale program that saves data and updates inventory, a queuing program that tracks the order and progress of customer service, another for converting numbers to script for use in check writing, and building an appointment book where years of appointments can be stored and recalled using only the visible portion of a single spreadsheet. An Excel spreadsheet containing the sample programs are even provided for download from an accompanying website.

The Wee Green BASIC Language Handbook for Excel is written for the non-programmer.  This book provides all the tools needed to build almost any non-graphic application. What will you be able to do with Excel?  The only limitation is your imagination!    

Book Information:

Title:  The WeeGreen Basic Language Handbook for Excel

Format: Paperback and Kindle

Publication date:  January 27, 2012

Price: $9.95 & 6.99 respectively or Borrow for free with your Amazon Prime Membership

Available From:  Amazon.com

Author:  Dennis Conroy

ISBN-10: 1469931184

ISBN-13: 978-1469931180

Pages:  122

Size:  6” x 9”

A sign of the times? River Run Park in Missouri.

Click on to enlarge

Entering a park like River Run in Forsyth Missouri, it's nice to have informational signs that can be great aids in knowing what to expect. I'm not sure what this sign tells a visitor, especially anyone being asked to pay for camping. I think the bottom panel once read 'We take pride in our park system'.

July 2012 - The signs have been cleaned - Hurray! Not sure what happened to that bottom panel?

Where can I get a good order of fries in Forsyth Missouri?

In my small town of Forsyth Missouri, there are quite a few eateries that serve the ever popular French fry. Of these, McDonald’s, located next to the Country Mart, is pretty much king of the hill when it comes to serving what a good fry should be; salty, crisp, light and not greasy! Sadly, this is not the case at some of the other venues whose real names shall not be mentioned here. Instead, I’ll use fake names. Take a restaurant named Charliuky’s for instance. A this location, the fries are allowed to sit and soak up as much grease as possible prior to serving. The end result is a greasy limp mess that likes to stick to the plate and must be pried off. (This kind of fry abuse is also practiced by Ronics and to a lesser extent Fat Diddlies).

At the opposite end of the fry spectrum is a burger and beer joint on Highway 160 known as the Frosted Mug. Their fries are coated and come out of the hot oil even crispier than those offered by Macs. They are tasty and sell for about $2 if I remember correctly.

So, if you want some good fries and wouldn’t be caught dead at Macs, then give the Mug a shot!

Update: April 17 - Charlie's just down the road across from City Hall in Forsyth has also upgraded their fries.

Air Evac Lifeteam to the rescue!

Air Evac team lifting off

 Parks are useful in ways that I hadn't considered before. They can also be used as Landing Zones for the Air Evac Lifeteam of helicopters that can speed critically injured people quickly to distant Trauma Centers like Saint Johns in Springfield Missouri when time is of the essence! That was the case on an otherwise quiet evening at River Run. Apparently some unfortunate person wrecked their car out on O Highway and sustained life threatening injuries that required the services of Air Evac.  A fast response service of Men and women who can be dispatched on a moments notice.  These skilled pilots and Emt's are able to land their crafts in dark locations, thereby putting themselves at risk in doing so. My hat is off to these brave individuals who, along with the First Responders and emergency personnel, form the front line of help when tragedy strikes.

River Run Update for Feb 6, 2012

For a day in early February, seeing a temperature of 52F is pretty nice. I got out and walked a bit in River Run Park to see what I could see.  For starters, the sky was a brilliant blue and the sun felt warm even in spite of the cool breeze that came out of the west.

As I walked, I noticed there were a few others engaged in various activities including one couple that was busy cutting up a tree that had fallen due to the previous years flooding. Two more were out, as I was, walking around enjoying a chance to get some exercise on a nice day. Even a few fishermen were trying their luck, I think, as I spied some trucks over by the boat launch.

One piece of good news concerns the many camping spots. I think now all these have been steam cleaned and look in very good shape. The bathrooms have been cleaned and there was even a hint of grass growing here and there in some spots. All good indicators that spring might not be far off.

At right, you might be able to see the large tree log that got wedged in a tree when the flood waters receded last fall!

Shadow Rock Lodge to see new life!

Last September, representatives of Pensco Trust and Lincoln Trust stopped by to take a look at Shadow Rock Lodge located at the junction of Hwy 160 and 76 just outside of Forsyth, Mo. and apparently liked what they saw. They acquired the building and have already put a new roof on the building that they plan to completely refurbish in 2012. Included in the sale was the motel/motor lodge that has been deemed structurally unsound and which in all likelihood will be razed to the ground.

According a Taney Times article published on December 28, 2011; Forsyth Mayor, Ron Potter stated that the two trust firms envision an open air restaurant on top of the lodge that would attract motorcycle and eco-travelers throughout the region. If true, this development could breath new life into the area it is expected that much of the work will be awarded to local companies and contractors.

Personally, I’m looking forward to watching and recording the refurbishment progress here on this blog. It will be exciting to see the Lodge restored to its former glory and once again attain the status of an attraction as opposed to a vacant building.

Why I care about River Run Park in Forsyth Missouri!

I have been asked by more than one person, why I post so much information about River Run Park. At the same time, I write very little about either Empire Park or Shadow Rock Park both of which are located in the same general area to the east and south of Forsyth, Missouri.

That answer is really quite simple. Some time ago, I made a decision to try and adopt a park in a fashion that is similar to, but not quite the same as adopting a stretch of road. I did this because I thought it might be informative for those who drive great distances to this location to camp and find recreation. They deserve to be kept informed as it is their park in every sense of the word. So why River Run? Well, off the three parks I mentioned, River Run is the most problematic as it is run solely by the Army Corps of Engineers. A government body not well known, in my opinion, for their ability to communicate freely with a public they are supposed to be serving.

As a case in point, if you were to go to this government web page for River Run, you would find information pertaining to park rates, the park location and even a number to call for more information. Problem is, there is no attendant, the bulletin board listing the rates is gone missing and the phone number rings but is never answered. (Note: this site is listed as 'www.recreation.gov' and is not the official Corps page). Both the other parks are open and serving the needs of the public as usual.

Now as to the current conditions at the park as of October the 8^th, 2001 here is what I have observed:

• The access roads have been scraped off and are clear of river muck from the summer flood.
• The back access otherwise known as Baker Street remains gated.
• The access road to the Powersite dam remains blocked by fallen trees.
• Trees that have fallen as a result of the flood lie where they fell.
• There is damage to numerous park structures, including shelters, lantern poles and campsite tables.
• The grass has not been cut and is currently weed infested.
• There is no posted notice to inform visitors of the current park status. Actually, as I pointed out earlier, there is no bulletin board per sae! Just a sign that lists the rates to camp.
• There is no power, bathroom facilities, water or garbage collection at this time. (This is a guess on my part). So too, is my guess that they don't want anyone camping there. As I was writing this post while at the park, I noticed a large RV pull in and then turn around and pull out. Bye!

That summarizes what I have observed to date, and to be honest, conditions could change at any time. In the past, a contractor might show up out of thin air and put things to right. If I see anything like that, I’ll report it on this blog. This park has suffered a devastating flood that was really no ones fault. In particular the beautiful trees have really suffered the long term submersion of their roots.  So, if you are in the area, I'd encourage you to stop at this park and hug a tree!

As a side note: The Corps does have a Facebook page where you can feel free to leave comments! Please consider 'liking' them and leaving comments that let them know what you think! Remember that the government and the people should work closely together, as we are one and the same!

Shadow Rock Park needs helpers to paint on Sept the 10th!

On what turned out to be a picture perfect day in early September (a high temperature was 79), I packed a light lunch and headed down to Shadow Rock Park in Forsyth, Missouri to see what was going on. I even brought along my bike for a little exercise.

Even though the area where this park is located has been spending most of its time lately under water due to the floods, when I arrived I was still impressed with the extensive recovery efforts. It seems both the city workers and not a few volunteers from the Forsyth Baptist Church had been busy getting the area back up to snuff. I noticed right away that much of the debris, in the form of branches and twigs, had been collected and burned. Even the grass was coming back, poking bravely through a coating of mud that had covered nearly every surface. Now the roads are clear and the due to the efforts of a hard working few the park is beginning to shine again. Another sure sign of recovery was the numerous fishing trailers parked by the bathrooms as you enter the camping side.

I parked next to the Park Attendants RV and was surprised to find Chris Robertson there. Chris is the Manager of Forsyth's Public Services Department (hope I got that right) and is currently doing double duty by watching over the park. He informed me that the park will stay open until either the traffic stops or it gets too cold and they are forced to shut off the water. He then indicated that even after that should hunters want to stay there, the park may be able to offer electrical hookups. In any case they would want to call ahead to make sure.

Chris also informed me they were looking for additional volunteers to do some painting on Saturday, September the 10^th. Anyone who is interested in helping can plan to show up at about 9AM on that date. Otherwise, please make an effort to come down and enjoy all the Shadow Rock Park has to offer!

Demo Derby heralds back to medieval times!

While the average small town demolition derby is certainly no clash of knights in shining armor, it does share some of that same charisma. Back in the middle ages, brave men in heavy armor were helped onto their steeds by a page, so that they might vie for personal honor via the time honored sport of jousting; a process whereby one of the combatants was unceremoniously de-horsed by the other. (I can only guess that the winner then did a mad dance of celebration before riding off to defrock the king’s virginal daughter).

Today, in 20-something, we haven’t changed this rite of manhood very much (sadly there are no virgins), with the exception that our ‘horses’ have been replaced by a jumble of rusting metal on wheels. Creations that rumble and rattle their way across a field of mud, belching fire and smoke, much to the delight of  local citizens. As in days long past, the object is still to bash the hell out of your opponent while maintaining the integrity of your own personal ‘steed’. The winner is literally the last one standing. Crude, very crude!

Still, I must profess that there is a kind of attraction to the spectacle! Perhaps because it really is a spectacle. Some of the best memories, I’ve taken back with me after the dust settled, was not so much the cars crashing together in wild abandon, as it was the expressions on a few of the ‘knights’ faces as they fought valiantly to keep from being de-autoed. Inevitably though, there came that ‘coup-de-ville’ moment when a stalled vehicle’s owner watched helplessly as another hormonally charged contestant gained ramming speed with wheels madly slinging up mud; both knowing that the end of one was nigh. Cool stuff that! And, yet another reason I intend to watch the Demo Derby on September the 10^th at whatever Park it's at!

Farmers Market in Forsyth on Saturday, Sept. the 3rd!

This last Saturday, September 3, 2011 things were busy early in Forsyth Missouri as the early bird may not have gotten the worm, but he or she did get some good bargains at the Farmers Market which was set up across from the new Judicial Building on Main Street.

Both these fellas pictured here were named John and they both were from the Cedar Creek area. They were offering bell pepper, squash, zucchini and tomatoes at bargain prices. While I was there, I ran across Rick Finley who was telling me about an auction coming up on September the 10^th at 603 Secluded Acres. I was interested because there will be a lot of guns (see auction flier) for sale there.

Also, in the area, located at major intersections were firemen who were out collecting for MDA. I asked one of them how the collections were compared to last year and he indicated they were up slightly. These guys get up early on a day that they are off work so they can stand around busy intersections in the heat! But, it's for a great cause and I hope everyone, who can, contributes. 

The Forsyth Computer Shop: A Clinic for your computer!

Every once in a while I run into some nice people here where I live in Forsyth Missouri. That was the case today when I had occasion to visit with the owners of the newly opened Forsyth Computer Shop located at 15960 US Hwy 160, right across from the Prime Time gas island. Their phone number is 417-546-8400.

I talked, at some length, with both Brian and Michelle who were busy with customer when I first walked in. They were very courteous, and when Michelle got free, she filled me in on some of the services they offer. In a nutshell, the Forsyth Computer Shop is a full service center that specializes in refurbished systems that are rebuilt with all new parts (they also have new systems available). This includes desktops and laptops along with flat screen monitors. Prices for basic systems can range anywhere from $450 on up, and they can even build you a custom system should you so desire.  They also maintain a service center that offers you a place to take your existing system should it get sick.

While I was there, I was impressed with how neat the place looked and with the confident way they fielded my computer related questions. That is to say, they didn’t talk over my head, but in a manner that made me feel confident in their abilities.

If you have a spare moment, I would encourage everyone to stop in and say hi!

Flood waters are receding in Shadow Rock Park!

According to my sources, the water level downstream of Powersite Dam is now dropping very rapidly and in just a short time, people will be able to access Shadow Rock Park which as been under water for close to four months now. That's great news!

But, before the park can be allowed to open, city crews will have to fix damage that was done during the long term period that the park was submerged. This will include some sanitizing and the fixing of some electrical lines that became damaged by debris.

I also understand that the city will be looking for volunteers to help with a clean up effort some time soon. This will more than likely occur after the Labor Day weekend. If you think you might be interested in lending a helping hand, you can either call City Hall at 417-546-4763 or email the Mayor, Ron Potter at ron.potter@cityofforsythmo.com.

A Bail Bond and Attorney office all in one in Forsyth Missouri!

I recently had a chance to stop by the Queen City Bail Bonds office located across from McDonald’s on highway 160 this date and was glad I did. Not because I needed their services, but because I was curious about what a Bail Bond office was all about.

Inside I met a nice woman by the name of Ms. Myra Cox. I believe she is one of the owners, which also include two gentlemen by the name of Rex Shaffer and Rick Arnall. Their office is located at 15561 US Hwy 160 in Forsyth, Mo., and they can be reached at 417-546-3900 should you need to make an inquiry.They also maintain offices in the both the Springfield and Branson/Hollister area.

For those of you that don't know, a bail bondsman is someone who, provides a guarantee of financial responsibility to cover the cost of bail for a person involved in criminal proceedings. In plain language, they will get your sorry butt out of jail should you get arrested for an offense. The bonds-person often provide the guarantee of a 'blanket bond' that will cover costs should that person fail to appear in court. The bail bond company also generally charges a fee for the performance of their service. It can be a tough business, but can be invaluable if you are the one without enough money to post your bail.

Attorney Rita Sanders

Also, located in the same building are the law offices of Rita K. Sanders, a 17 year Police veteran. An attorney, who I understand, specializes in helping individual who have incurred a ticket of some type. She was not present on the day I stopped by and I hope to drop in again when she is around. Her office phone number is 417-890-0909. She also has a web page at www.theticketcenter.net. I understand her main office is located at 3023 S. Kimbrough St. in Springfield, Missouri.

These are all folks that can be of great assistance in the event you run into trouble with the law. Stop in and please say hi!

Update: This company is now also located right across from the Court House on Main street.

A new Gun Shop/Furniture Store opening soon?

There are now confirmed rumors circulating that a new fishing, gun and antique shop will be opening sometime in early August at what used to be the Carol Jones office on Highway 160 in Forsyth Missouri. My sources tell me it may be called KJM Mercantile. I'll try and have more pictures and information as soon as possible.

Here's an update!

Forsyth Fun Day 2011 was just awesome!

Whenever a dedicated group of individuals goes to the trouble to assemble great food and easy listening music in a setting of emerald green hills surrounded by sparkling water, well that’s anyone's ticket to good times! And, that’s also just what went down at the Forsyth Fun Day event held Saturday, July the 16^th at the Empire Electric Park (courtesy of Tom Schneider and his crew) located just above the Powersite Dam.

The Forsyth Fun Day is a tradition that has taken place now for eight years and each year the food seems to taste a little bit better. (But maybe that’s just my stomach talking). This year, I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich, potato chips and a diet coke while watching the hilarious antics known as the ‘cardboard boat races’.  This event  is a yearly competition where young kids get to test their home-brewed cardboard creations on the chilly waters of Lake Taneycomo. Some of the boats make it around the competition circuit and some don’t. Either way, it doesn't matter. Just watching was a great time and that’s what counts!

After awards were handed out to the kids, it was trophy time for the BBQ chefs, many of whom arrived the day before to setup. In the ribs category, Primo's Pizza man Big Josh took 1st place. Pork butt was nailed by the Skinny Broads, and last but not least, the winner of the beef brisket competition was also Skinny Broads (pictured above)! The top three contestants, in each category, all got trophies and checks for their efforts. The real winners, however, were the people (like me) who got to sample fabulous food while kicking back and listening to the great sounds of the band Hip Katz.

If you missed the action this year, be sure to check in about the same time in 2012 when the next Forsyth Fun Day will be held in one of the best locales to live in the entire United States... Forsyth Missouri! For anyone interested, I also have some of the pictures of the event posted at www.taneyservices.com.

The Forsyth Park Audit: Fair or Not?

By nature, I confess to two recurrent problems in my life; one, an ongoing and entrenched form of naivety and two, a sense of curiosity that often gets me into trouble. Blindly walking into problems is no way to live a life, but that’s just the way I was built. So, it was with a growing sense of curiosity that I began to follow the exploits of the City of Forsyth and its seeming trouble with parks.

Let me begin with what I think a park actually is. By one definition, it’s ‘an area of land, usually in a largely natural state, set aside for the enjoyment of the public, having facilities for rest and recreation, and which is often owned, set apart, and managed by a city, state, or nation.’ That would seem to be a pretty good starting definition to me. But, I also feel that a city’s park(s) should be locales that are planned, implemented and managed in such a manner that the citizens feel they have been a part of the process. Did that happen here? I’m not sure.

Here in Forsyth, Missouri we have now have two parks; Shadow Rock Park, a site that spends part of it’s time underwater and a recent addition, Shoals Bend Park. Interestingly, neither park actually resides within the city limits. Shadowrock lies on federally owned land and Shoals Bend is…well, it’s down Highway 76 a piece.

The first park, Shadowrock, has been under the control of the City of Forsyth for some time. As I understand it, we rent the place from the Corps of Engineers. However, the stuff built there over time has come from the city and the folks who paid property taxes. That was until a bill was passed in 2000 whereby a half cent city tax was enacted. The proceeds of which went into a fund for the future management of local city parks. (This act then repealed the City Ordinance numbered 128 which levied a portion of the funds collected from property taxes for park purposes). A move that would hopefully make money spent on the park systems much easier to track. Theoretically at least.

That half cent tax, by the way, amounted to something like 1.6 million dollars in the ten year span of time to up to 2010. How exactly that money was disseminated over that decade has only recently come into question by some in the community. The problem some have with Shadowrock is one of visual infrastructural accounting (VIA). Over the last ten years, where has the money gone and for what purpose? (I believe that even the walking path which runs from the Shadowrock Park proper to the property managed by Empire Electric was subsidized by the Federal government at a cost to the city of only $40K)! Then, there was the recurrent flood damage over the years. I’m not sure what the cost was there, but I do know that volunteers were employed at least once to help make things right. (I know, because I was one of them). Other expenses that were visible was park maintenance and the building of a bandstand. Other than that…what? I need some help here!

Now, we have us a brand new park area known as Shoals Bend Park. A sprawling 78 acre track of land which I understand was purchased by the city and which has now has been leased out to the Taney County Fair Board for a period of thirty years. As I understand it, both the city and the Fair Board will help build a couple of baseball parks and an arena along with other needed improvements to function as a vehicle for future Fairs and such. The profits of which will be funneled back into the park system for additional improvements. Did I get that even close to right? But, wait a minute! What about that half cent tax thingy? Are they still collecting it, and if so, which park will it go to? Both? Neither? I dunno. Tangled webs were never my bag man.

The bottom line is this park deal seems to be a bit of a mess, and I wholly endorse the expenditure of monies to have an audit performed at this time. I’m also confident that there is enough concern in the Forsyth community to warrant such an investigation. A process I would like to see done in a timely and transparent fashion.

Disclaimer: All the opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author and may or may not be factually accurate. Readers are encouraged to do their own research, and in doing so, come to their own conclusions.

Highway 76 Bridge repair in 2013!

If any of the rumors I’ve heard are true, the bridge that crosses Bull Shoals just east of Forsyth Missouri will be shut down sometime in 2013 for the better part of a year. This is needed to be done as major repairs are needed to this structure that goes back to 1953.

The problem this will cause is obvious. The highway is a major artery for much of the commuter traffic that runs between cities like Forsyth, Taneyville and Cedar Creek to and from the Branson area. Likewise, many area businesses would be severely affected by any disruption in existing traffic patterns.

So, a solution must be found that would cause the least amount of disruption, not only to existing traffic patterns, but also to state budgets. One idea I had would be for a group like the Army to come in an erect a pontoon bridge adjacent to the existing one. A bridge wide enough to handle two-way traffic would be expensive, but if built in sections, could be used at other locations to satisfy future needs.