Trash Services for the Forsyth Missouri Area

Here in the Forsyth Missouri area, I have looked at four companies that provide trash removal services on a regular basis. They are Allied Waste, Plummer, Raintree and Tri-Lakes. If there are more, please let me know and I’ll post them here.

Of the four, Allied Waste appears to me to be the most costly and getting more so on a quarterly basis. I say appears because I’m not really sure why their collection cost of around $29 per month averages fifteen dollars higher than either Plummer or Raintree who I am told come in at around $15 per month. (If any of these prices are incorrect, I will be happy to post that in a future blog).

Now of the three, Plummer seems to have the most basic equipment where as both Raintree and Allied have larger and heavier duty trucks. That said, I’m told by some people who use Plummer that they are very accommodating and have been know to take items that other companies might not. If true, good for them! I have noticed that Plummer seems to work even on some Holidays where as I know for sure that Allied does not.

Disclaimer: The information posted here may not be accurate in the future due to changing prices offered by the service providers.

Downhill Bikes in Branson Missouri!

One type of business I would like to see more of in the Taney County area would be bike shops like Downhill Bikes located at 116 Flynn Road, Branson, Mo 65616. This shop, owned and operated by Craig Erickson, has been in operation for a number of years. I think they moved to the site on Flynn a couple of years ago, having had another shop located on Highway 76.

Inside you can find bikes to fit most every need, including both touring and mountain bike configurations. They also stock a wide assortment of accessories such as air pumps, lights and even clothing to help make your biking experience all that it can be.

Check them out on Facebook or give them a call at 417-335-4455. You’ll find Craig to be knowledgeable and fair in all things related to biking!

Missouri Gun Bill HB294! Please read and act!

A bill, known as HB294, has now passed both houses of the Missouri General Assembly and currently resides on Governor Jay Nixon’s desk awaiting his signature. This bill is due to become law on August the 28^th, 2011 and while it has a number of good provisions, also has one that (intentionally or unintentionally) discriminates against the weak and poor. Here is the paragraph in question:

(10) Specifies that a certificate of firearms safety training course completion may be issued to any applicant for a concealed carry endorsement by any qualified firearms safety instructor if the applicant completes at least eight hours of instruction that includes a live firing exercise of sufficient duration for the applicant to fire both a revolver and a semiautomatic pistol and successfully hits the target with both handguns and specifies that any firearms safety instructor who knowingly provides any sheriff with any false information concerning an applicant’s performance on any portion of the required training and qualification will be guilty of a class C misdemeanor (Section571.111)…

In the past, an applicant only needed to qualify with a pistol or a semiautomatic, not both. This bill, as written, would exclude anyone who could work a handgun but not a semiautomatic due to hand weakness and for the rest of us, the course will cost a lot more money to boot! Credit for this change in Missouri law apparently goes to Dale Roberts of Target Masters in Columbia Missouri and Todd Burke of Tactical Training Specialties.

You can contact Governor Nixon by clicking here and let him know what you think!

Rockaway Beach Fourth of July 2011

A friend of my mine told me, a few days ago, about the Rockaway Beach 4^th of July Celebration that was going to take place on the main drag on Monday the 4th, so I made it a point to motor on down there to see what was what.

When I arrived, I noticed that a part of main the main street had been cordoned off. A company called Party Station (nixapartystation.com) had also set up a number of rides for kids right out on the street. And even though it was very hot (92F), when I arrived at 4PM, there were already a number of kids running around having a good time. At the very end of the blocked off area, a band that literally had no name (it was thrown together at the last minute according to one of the band members) was playing and sound pretty darn good!

My hat really goes off to all the volunteers that were in attendance to help made this deal go off. Been there and done that. It's hard work. Here’s a picture of some of them in a tent area recovering from the heat. And speaking of heat, I was really impressed with the folks at the food tent who not only were dealing with the blazing heat of the day, but also the heat of the grills that were turning out brats, hot dogs and hamburgers. I personally had a hamburger and I gotta tell you, there’s nothing better than eating good food on a hot summer day. It brought back a lot of good memories of days gone by.

During the balance of the summer season, Rockaway Beach is still a good bet to go hang out, what with many of the other nearby recreational areas flooded out. The city offers great accommodations, good fishing and that small town feeling that seems to be disappearing from much of Americana. I’d also like to say a big thanks to Rita and Steve at the Upper Deck Bar for offering a cold retreat and warm company to help one recover from the heat outside. Right next door to them, is the White River Grill. A venue I’ve written about in another blog.

You know everyone, throughout the remainder of the summer and on into the fall, Rockaway Beach, Missouri will be offering a action packed fun calendar of things to do and experience. Do yourself a favor and stop on by! Tell em DanO sent ya!

White River Grill in Rockaway Beach Now Open for Business!

If you plan on cruising through Rockaway Beach anytime soon, be sure and stop in at the White River Grill. A full service restaurant that recently opened for business and which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. After looking through the menu, I’d have to say that there are meals here for just about every taste and at affordable prices!

I made it a point to stop by on the first of July where I sat down for a good old fashioned hot dog and fries. The food was delicious and there are many more items that I will want to try out in the future. Also, I was impressed by how friendly and professional the service staff was. My order was taken promptly and the wait was very short. So, if you’re in the neighborhood, I would heartily recommend the White River Grill as a great place for the family to come and eat.

Valley View Sewer Update for June 2011

I would think it now safe to say that groundbreaking for the Powersite Sewer Project which also affects Valley View Village will not be happening this year. I'm not certain, but the absence of any material stockpiles is a good hint. I also don't have any idea how long the entire project, once started, will take. I'm guessing at least a year or more. Obviously, the flooding of Bull Shoals has hindered progress to some extent. For sure, the point at which the pipe will cross the river will have to wait for lower lake levels. That could be late this fall or even longer depending on how much rain we get.

What really concerns me, however, is how much the project could be affected by the planned work on the Highway 76 bridge that will be closed for up to a year starting in 2013. That alone will be a major undertaking and certainly one that will cause traffic delays in its own right. Add to that scenario, a major plumbing project that will affect over three hundred dwellings and you have the makings of a bad dream.

Whatever happens, it should be a most interesting period of time.

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.