Tree work in this cold?

I noticed that for the past couple of days, area workers have been out in my neighborhood trimming and shredding trees, even though the weather was less than ideal.

When I went over and inquired as to the reason, I was informed by one worker that they were expecting ‘sleet’ by the coming evening. I wondered, ‘do they know something the rest of us don’t?’  True the weather service has been ‘hinting’ at possible freezing drizzle for the Thursday night to Friday time frame, but even they don’t seem to give it that much play.

Well, it’s good to know these guys are around anyway. In the event we do ever get hit with an ice storm, I’ll definitely remember their efforts today!

The Junction Bar and Grill thriving!

After being away for more than a month, I stopped in at a favorite watering hole called the Junction Bar and Grill to see how this fledgling, yet growing establishment was making out. Once inside, I ran into the owner Mike Osterday who served me a nice cold beer while filling me in with all the latest gossip. And, even though it was mid afternoon, customers had begun to file in, so our gossip session was short lived.

The Junction, which first opened it doors back in April of 2012, has grown into a really nice place to visit. Mike has installed pool tables, video games, TV’s, Keno and all the sorts of the things you’d expect in a first class establishment. In addition to great beverages, The Junction also serves up a full selection of food items as this menu illustrates.

The Junction is located in Kissee Mills Missouri near the intersection of highway 160-76. They can also be reached by calling 417-546-2550. They're hours are Tuesday thru Saturday 11AM to midnight at this time. Be sure and stop in and enjoy this establishment’s fine hospitality!

Disclaimer: Menu items and prices are subject to change without notice. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

 

The Kookoos Nest in Forsyth Missouri

Perhaps it's a coincidence, but I swear there seems to be more and more flea markets springing up in and around the Forsyth Missouri area. Whether by luck or in response to tough economic times, these 'emporiums of nicknacks' provide a valuable service. With many residents looking for bargains due to restricted budgets, many of this stores offerings would make wonderful gifts at a fraction of the cost if they were purchased in a retail chain!

After I had a chance to talk with the owners of the Kookoos Nest, I had a chance to wander around and to look at all sorts of collectibles. They have a little bit of everything to offer and one of the owners, Dino, told me that he was always on the lookout to buy stuff for resale from individuals in the community.

If you get a chance, please stop by and look around. The store also maintain a web site at www.kookoosnest.weebly.com for anyone who's interested. Update: This location is closed!

River Run’s Facelift!

I'm guessing the pipes are for electric cables...

I’m not sure if the term ‘facelift’ defines what’s going on in this small federal park located close to Forsyth Missouri. It’s the best I can come up with after witnessing recent improvements such as new park site electrical junction boxes, new tree starts and even stop and yield signs at select locations! I’m not sure who authorized these improvements, but I’ll applaud them for these efforts none the less. (River Run Park has had its share of problems in recent years, not the least of which has been repeated episodes of flooding. Now, in the midst of a drought, it looks as though the likelihood of too much water will be replaced with the local river known as Bull Shoals drying up)!

During a walk I took earlier today, I’ve spied a pile of pipes, re-bar and what looks to be a water drainage pipe along with a backhoe and an equipment trailer parked by one of the camping sites. There are also some spray painted blue and red lines going this way and that with weird symbols. I’ve no idea of what these are for but will post something if and when I find out. One thing that's for sure is that I've witnessed more 'work' going on in this park this past fall than I ever remember seeing in the past. Does this mean that the chances of the park flooding again are over? Or perhaps it means that now the park will be better able to stand whatever Mother nature might think to throw at it.

Update: Apparently there was more work that had to be done on the electrical outlets at some of the sites as I noted a number of areas near the outlets had been dug up and the power cables exposed. I'm still not sure if this work qualifies as 'repair' or 'improvements.  Whatever the case, it's good to see the work being done.

New tree starts for River Run!

Seems we have some new trees planted in River Run Park! While tooling through the area recently, I noticed a whole passel of new trees that had been planted all over the place! I’m assuming two things; 1) that these trees will replaced the ones damaged by recent floods and 2) that these little guys will be resistant to any flooding that might occur in the future.

During my visit, I counted about 38 tree starts. I also tried my best to identify what they were and think that most are sycamores with a few cedars thrown in for good measure.

July 2013 Update: The cedar trees and 'sycamores' (not sure of what they are yet) are doing very well as this picture testifies to:

Country Mart: A study in minutia!

I've never quite figured out those cute little cards that Country Mart gives out so you can 'save' money when you shop at one of the local Country Mart stores like the one located in Forsyth Mo. To me it's a strange and rather idiotic way of doing business. I mean does a customer really save any money at the checkout counter with these cards, or are they getting a phantom discount while those without cards are just getting jacked with higher prices. What this practice boils down to, as far as I'm concerned, is for tourists to seemingly pay higher prices than the locals who shop at these stores on a regular basis. It that some form of discrimination? I don't know. A practice made all the stranger when one realizes that Save A Lot, another grocery store located just across town, is owned by the same parent company - Pyramid Foods.

Now, Country Mart is running a promotion whereby a customer gets yet another a card that the checkout clerk punches each time you make a purchase. Each cycle through the checkout line now involves scanning your discount card and then punching little holes in another card where, if you're lucky, you might win five bucks (1 in 57). To me, a very time consuming process with little return and one that only prolongs the wait for other customers standing in line. (Like I said, too much minutia). One has to wonder should Country Mart ever dump all these gimmicks and focus  on selling food, how much lower would the prices be? Wait a minute! That's right, you could go over to Save A Lot and see for yourself.

River Run Recreational Park update for October 2012

Location: Forsyth Missouri

Official Web Site: Recreation.gov

Status: Closed until Tuesday, April 30, 2013

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
36.67444, -93.1125
36°40'28"N, 93°6'45"W

Information: (417) 546-3646 (during the regular season)

Even though this beautiful park is currently 'closed for the season', on some nice fall days it's a great place to come take a stroll or have a lunch while watching the Bull Shoals river slow flow on by.

As far as I can tell, all the damage from previous years floods have now been repaired and I have to admit, the place is looking great! There are still one or two sites, out of the 32 total, that have issues; broken tables, damaged lantern poles, etc. But, I'm confident these will be addressed prior to the start of the next season.

Water levels continue to remain low, but recent rains in October are helping this waterway system to recover back to more normal levels. My post on the long range prediction for the coming winter is calling for wetter than normal conditions in this part of the country. I sure hope that works out!

Disclaimer: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

Harvest Moon Festival on Oct 6th!

This coming October 6^th, 2012, the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce will be hosting yet another Harvest Moon Festival that is scheduled to be held at the Shadowrock Park. Those interested in registering for the annual car show ($300 in cash prizes and trophies), can do so by getting to the park anytime between 8AM and 1PM. At 11AM the Forsyth JROTC will present the American Flag and the Forsyth High School select choir will sing the National Anthem. There also should be live entertainment throughout the day. Not into music or cars? Well, there will also be food vendors along with dozens of 'crafters' who will be there to display their wares and fill your tummies. You can also get additional information by calling 417-546-2741.

Update: With temperatures that never got much above 45F and under overcast skies, the turnout to this event was on the light side. Still, I had a great time and enjoyed the sights along with a great tasting hotdog!

Disclaimer: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

The strange cost structure of electric power in Taney County Missouri!

Where I live in southwest Missouri (Taney County), there are two electric companies that serve the area; Empire Electric and the White River Valley Electric Coop.  I happen to use Empire Electric while others I know have White River. Both are relatively competitive although each has its own scheme of charging customers.

Empire Electric has a variable tier approach where by they charge differing rates based on the month of the year; winter rates include the months of November through June and summer rates include the four months July through October.

In the summer months, there is basically a single tier charge of 0.1070 cents per kilowatt hour with a $12.52 ‘access fee’. During the other eight months that comprise the ‘winter season’, the system changes to a two tier approach with the first 600 kWh charged at a rate of 0.0170 cents per kWh and then a change to a rate of 0.0871 for any use above the first 600. Oh, and there's also something called a ‘fuel charge’ which I think is an extra amount they kind of throw in whenever the mood hits them.

White River, on the other hand has a much more simplistic approach. They charge $25 for the first 20 kWh (think of this as an access fee) used and then apply a rate of 0.089552 cents for every kWh above that. A person using 1000 watts of power in the month of September would have to cough up $112.76 if they use White River whereas and Empire customer would pay $119.52, (that is assuming Empire doesn’t decide to throw in an addition ‘fuel charge’).  So, while Empire comes off as looking gimmicky, White River is not only is easier to understand, but their rates are also cheaper in the long run!

My question then is, ‘why do they even mess with such complex fee structures’? Why not come up with a single rate that would be the same for every month? Perhaps the answer lies in the way Congress passes bills like ‘ObamaCare’ or in the way the IRS access taxes. Apparently, the more complex the approach, the easier it is to befuddle the people who are paying the tab.

Update: Another increase of approx 13% has been granted and will take effect in 2014!

Residential & Commercial Window Cleaning Service

Yes, this guy does do windows! His name is Dennis and he’s pretty darn good at getting your grimy windows back to pristine clarity in no time at all!

For one time or periodic window care, give Dennis a call at 417-546-0124. Also, for residential customers, Dennis also offers professional screen cleanings. He uses professional grade equipment for professional results and would be happy to offer competitive estimates at no charge. Make sure you tell him that DanO sent ya!

Empire Electric and their intermittent outages!

Click to enlarge

 For more than a couple of months now, I've been experiencing an annoying and potentially harmful series of power events courtesy of the Empire Electric Company out of Joplin Missouri. And, as it turns out I'm not alone. At least two other dwellings on my street have experienced the same problem which is a second or so of lost power that generally occurs in the early mornings. This has been going on for at least a couple of months and maybe longer. The problem had been to actually chronicle something that has been so intermittent and widely spaced.

Enter TED, the Total Energy Detective. A device that monitors the electricity usage in a home 24/7. The graph above is of an actual event that lasted perhaps a second, yet was long enough to force me to reset all my clocks and reboot my desktop computer. An annoying task and a potentially harmful electrical event as electronic equipment, like computers, can be damaged by such abrupt power fluctuations. TED will help track this problem and I intend to use Empire's outage report form to help keep them up to date.

If anyone who reads this has experienced a similar problem with Empire's service, please leave a comment.

Update: Shortly after I posted this, I noticed an Empire Electric crew that were working with a transformer just down the street. Interestingly, the problems seem to have ceased since that time.

Update 2: Problem resurfaced on November 15th at 8:12 AM - and was reported to an Empire Electric representative at 800-206-2300. Here is the graph of that event. You can just make out the drop off to zero power right above the 'ea' in Real-Time.

Update 3: After numerous assurances that this matter would be looked into and 'people contacted', I experienced another outage on the morning of December 7, 2012. This outage followed the same pattern as all the others and apparently is beyond the power or maybe the expertise of Empire's people to handle. It seems sad for me to say that even as this company is looking for yet another rate increase to take effect this coming summer, their ability to maintain even basic infra-structure seems to be in question. One has to wonder just how much money it will take?

River Run Campsites now being repaired!

Sites that were without power for 2012 are now being restored!

Water damage to junction boxes rendered them useless.

 After a number of months of delay, additional funds from the Federal Flood Recovery effort became available to allow repairs to electrical junction boxes that were knocked out after extensive flooding inundated the River Run Park area over a period of four years. Included in the ongoing repairs will be new awnings over some of the RV sites along with new electrical junction boxes for as many as sixteen sites that had been without power since last season.

Owner Don Freeland working on site!

I had a chance to talk briefly with the owner of the company that was doing electrical portion of the repair. His name was Don Freeland and his company 'Freeland Electric' operates out of Mountain Home Arkansas. Mr. Freeland informed me that the work was moving along quickly as he and his working staff were putting in long ten hour days in order to restore the campsites to full operational status as soon as possible.

Well, it looks like River Run Park will be back up 100% before the end of the season and just in time for the fall RV crowd to come down and take advantage of the great fishing found in this part of the Bull Shoals waterway near Forsyth Missouri!

Update: As of early September, it now looks as though electrical power has been restored to all the campsites (call them to make sure). There are also a few awning that are being replaced at this time. Other than that, the Park looks good to go!

Senior Friendship Center Swap Meet

Click on to enlarge

Seems like more and more of us are becoming seniors every year! One great gathering place down where I live is the Forsyth Senior Center. A great place to find 'homemade' food served each week day at 11:30 AM along with good people who like to get together and have fun.

This event helps keep the Center going and growing. Please come and give your support at the Swap Meet to be held on Saturday, October the 13th at Shadowrock Park just to the east of Forsyth, Missouri off Highway 160! Click on the picture above for additional information.

Charlie's Ribs Steak and Ale revisited!

After a tough month in July when this popular venue failed a couple of Health Department inspections, I happy to say that they have cleaned up their act in fine style.

When I visited for lunch recently, I found the tables to be immaculate and the service prompt. From the time I sat down to when I was served wasn't much over five minutes or so. For me this was fast! In addition, the food (a hamburger and fries) looked and tasted great. Kudos to Chaz, the owner for knuckling down and getting his venue ship shape!

Update: As of mid September 2012, Charlie's has continued to improve and is a regular eating destination for myself.

Should malware companies be subject to terrorist penalties?

After having to spend an entire morning rebuilding my laptop due to a malware infestation named Security Live Platinum aka Reveton delivered by the Citadel platform, I had pause to think about these evil people and the manner in which they prey on the novice internet user as well as the older population that is not computer savvy. These vultures infect a system with software that makes it appear as though the system was infected, when it’s actually the software they snuck onto your system that was to blame. They then offer to ‘cure’ your problems for a certain amount of money. Now mind you, their spyware is still active and tracking your every move, they just make it appear that all is well. But wait! There’s more. Then, they sell the credit card information to other crooks who can then take a swipe at your money as often as they can before the card is shut down! So, not only did your system not get fixed, but you also got taken…numerous times!

To me, this is nothing short of domestic cyber terrorism and I would like to see Americans everywhere write their congress person to encourage them to enact laws that would bring these people to justice under a military tribunal; a court that has the power, by the way, to impose the death penalty. I would also like to see ‘bounty hunters’ granted border immunity in going after these idiots. Let no country be a safe haven!  Only when this happens will we ever have a chance of ridding ourselves of the lice that is costing so much in the way of grief and expense.

If anyone has any information concerning the identity of the people who are spreading this malware and spyware crap over the internet, please feel free to post that information in the comments section.

Forsyth Senior Friendship Center in Forsyth Missouri!

This meal tasted as good as it looked!

On a warm day in early August, I met with a couple of friends at the Forsyth Senior Friendship Center located at 13879 US Highway 160 and to sample that days offering of roast beef with carrots, mashed potatoes, dinner roll and a large cookie! The Center, which is owned and operated by the Seniors of Taney County, offers a complete lunch menu Monday through Friday (excepting Holidays) starting at 11:30ish AM. (I’d been told that you need to arrive early if you want to get a parking spot! That point was driven home to me when I arrived at 11:20 AM and found the parking lot nearly full)! The establishment had twelve large circular tables set up that day that could handle about 7 to 9 diners each by my estimate. On this day, I think that there were at least 60+ attendees.

The lunch menu, from day to day, is varied and a wonderful meal deal at a suggested donation of $3.50 for seniors over the age of 60 and just $6 for everyone else! Also (with the assistance of the Southwest Missouri Office on Aging), they offer services like free home delivery for those unable to attend. A great and worthy cause indeed!

Click on to enlarge

The Friendship Center is a pretty interesting place for some other reasons also. They have numerous special events each weekday along with a flyer that highlights each day’s menu offerings. For additional information, you can reach them at 417-546-6100 during regular business hours. I’m hoping to post more on this wonderful establishment later next week.

You can visit their site at Eastern Taney County Seniors for up to the minute news!Also, don't miss the giant Swap Meet to be held on Oct 13, 2012!

Update: If you pan to ever visit, do so on a day when they offer up the Breakfast Buffet! It's awesome and you can really load up your plate!

Disclaimer: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

Forsyth Area Eateries for July 2012

I thought I would update some of the eateries in the Forsyth Mo. area as they have changed in some cases. Click on any image to expand! I plan to try and update this panel every few months. Note that some locations have not been visited and so are left blank as far as the ratings go.

Disclaimer: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

Tri-Lakes Motors does take care of its customers!

Recently, I received a recall notice from the folks at Chrysler who wanted me to bring my Jeep Liberty in for replacement of some rear stabilizers they felt might be defective. I immediately called and got an early morning appointment for the next day.  Now, mind you, it’s been quite some time since I visited this dealership. I remember that I bought my 2006 Jeep in the summer of 2007 and other than one maintenance service call that was the last time I’d been there.

That next morning I pulled into the service area and was taken care of immediately. The service personnel seemed to be upbeat and professional. Even my waiting in the dreaded ‘waiting room’ turned out to be pleasant as I ended up talking to some other nice folks who were getting their vehicles serviced. Even though the wait was for two hours, the time when by quickly. (The waiting are sports a TV, free computer, vending machines, bathrooms, magazines and free coffee). It was sort of like hanging around my house.

The repair went smoothly and I would have to say that this establishment seems to have a great desire to take care of their customers. I would recommend Tri-Lakes Motors to any and everyone.

It’s mid summer at River Run Park!

It’s just after 10AM on a sunny July the 11^th with a temperature standing at 80F (but which is destined to reach 90F before the day is done). And, while the sky overhead is clear, I can see haze along with some scattered cumulus clouds near the horizon.

I’m sitting at campsite #27, one of about a dozen still without power due to flooding that occurred the year before. After the waters finally receded, they had done a number on the power outlet boxes for the campsite that run along the rivers edge. Fortunately, ten other campsites that lie on higher ground were spared and today about half are occupied with RV’s. These sites cost $18 per day and offer both power and water, while the water only sites are going for $9.

It being midweek, the park was not very crowded. Those that were here, however, were taking advantage of the much lower temperatures than what was the regime just a week before. According the weather service, things should be relatively normal for the mid section of the month with daytime readings of about 90 followed by evenings in the low seventies.

It was gratifying to see one of the Corps of Engineer people out repairing the bath house and I hope to hear that all the campsites will be brought back up to code fairly soon. I was also pleased to see that the signs at the entrance of the Park had been refurbished!

Update: Shortly before closing for the winter - all the affect power outlets were removed and replaced! This was done in September and come next spring, the park should be clean and fully functional!

Disclaimer: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

City Council Meetings on You Tube! A good idea? Well no, maybe not!

Taney County Web page allows anyone to listen in

At first blush, you’d think this to be a good idea. Perhaps even a great idea. But, after a little time to reflect, some problems begin to show up.

First up, by just having a video camera in the room, taping the entire proceedings could pose problems. Believe it or not, some people could go from ‘open’ mode to ‘quiet’ mode as they realize that everything they say will be later scrutinized by an inquiring public. (Something a politician is all too aware of). It so true that words uttered in casual mode cannot be taken back once those words are recorded and then launched on the internet. End result, the meeting might become stifled.

Another problem (one that can be fixed) is the potential for equipment malfunction where part or most of the recording is lost. This could be corrected in a number of ways. Firstly, taping an entire hour long meeting would require enormous amount of digital space. Also, there’s a problem with YouTube limiting a segment to just ten minutes. You’d need something like six segments to cover just one meeting. Another fly in the ointment would be to try editing out parts of the meeting in order to save time. That would inevitably create a conflict when some would demand to see the parts that were edited out. Bummer.

So, is there any solution that could work? Sure, one thing that could be considered would be to do a ‘live’ podcast in the same manner that Taney County already does for its meetings. In addition, these recordings can be left on that .com’s server for access later on by the public. That would work, but could suffer due to the sheer length. Talk about being bored out of your mind….

My suggestion then would be a twofold approach; One, offer the public the ability to listen in during the live session and two, have someone jot down a condensed version of the significant points that came up during said meeting. (Actually, if a clerk takes the meeting notes, this is already being done). If the notes were made into a .pdf file, it would be a simple matter to link each summary text to a newsletter whereby each session would be accessible at any time and by anyone.

Just a thought….