Rockaway Beach to hold first Main Street meeting!

Rockaway Beach MO. - The first ever Town Hall Meeting for the Rockaway Beach Main street will be held on November the 9th, 2017 at 6:30 PM at the Community Center located at 2762 Street on Highway 176 in Rockaway Beach! In case you're not familiar with the Main Street Affiliate program here is a short explanation that was taken from their site:

'Main Street Alliance is a national network of small business coalitions working to build a new voice for small businesses on important public policy issues. Alliance small business owners share a vision of public policies that work for business owners, our employees, and the communities we serve.

The Main Street Alliance national network formed in 2008 to give Main Street small business owners a new voice in the health care reform debate, and has since broadened its focus to work on a range of issues that matter to small businesses and local economies. Our growing network includes small business coalitions in over a dozen states.'

According to an article published  on November 1 in the Taney County Times, 'The evening will begin with a presentation from Missouri Main Street about the Main Street Approach ( registered trademark) to Revitalization.'

Additional information can be obtained by calling Jim Harriger, Director of the White River Community Development at 417-880-0749 or via email at jmharriger@gmail.com!

Forsyth Events occurring on October 28!

Forsyth Halloween Parade!

Forsyth MO. – It's time for the annual Halloween Parade which is being hosted, once again, by the City of Forsyth. Registration is to occur in the parking lot of the Forsyth Presbyterian Church at 1PM on Saturday, October the 28th with the actual parade taking place from 2PM to 4PM. Pre-school through 4^th grade children are invited to participate. After the parade, and also in the 2-4PM time frame, will be the annual Trick or Treat Community Party which will be happening in the aforementioned parking lot!

Fall Cleanup Day set!

Not to be outdone with the kids parade, The Taney County Commission has designated October 28, as the day to allow Taney County residents to dispose of certain items at the two transfer stations – for free! One of the stations is located at 274 Buchanan Road with the other on Hwy 160 just three miles to the north of Forsyth near the Taney Center. From 8AM to 3:30PM, residents can dump; furniture, appliances and automotive batteries. Also allowed will be most anything made of metal or lumber. Glass will also be accepted as long as it is segregated from other items being disposed of. If you have any questions, you can give the Taney County Road and Bridge Department a call at 417-546-7268. You will be required to present some form of proof of residency before you will be allowed to dump stuff off. Note also that the Buchanan Road Transfer Station only will allow the dropping off of tires for a $1 fee per tire. The limit, per resident, is 12 tires at that location! www.taneyweather.com

Bridge project congestion? What congestion?

Forsyth MO. – With a number of weeks of construction now under its belt, the MODOT Bull Shoals Bridge project has proven to be something of a yawner as far as traffic delays have gone. As a matter of fact, I haven't even heard mention of it from the men I women who I know cross the bridge there on a daily commute. Now does that mean everything will run smoothly at all times? Surely not. However, it does appear as if the engineers do know what they are doing when it comes to scheduling trucks and equipment to lessen traffic impacts as much as possible.

I stopped by the site on Sunday, October the 8^th, as I wanted to get a few pics of the progress made thus far. Really, I was amazed to see just how rapid the progress had been! Already, there was sub structure work started on the water itself, along with work that had begun on the River Run side! It'll be interesting to see how far they come by the time of my next visit towards the end of the month!

Having never obtained my GED, I have little knowledge about much of anything. However, I do have an eye for color and odd shapes. And while I like to spend most of my time looking for such at the local grocery store, I do occasionally stumble  upon something that I have no clue as to its function or where exactly it will be inserted into the bridge framework. Whatever it is, it is 'female' and was therefore of interest...

Update: The OxBlue construction time lapse camera is up and running! Interested parties will be able to access it here.

Charlie's in Forsyth for sale?

Forsyth MO. - With recent information coming to me (Monday, Oct 2, 2017) that Charlie's Steak Ribs and Ale will be closed permanently, the question now becomes just how soon could it be
before some enterprising individual, group of individuals or consortium make a move to snatch up a property at what might be bargain basement prices? The structure, parking lot and location are all good. All it needs is ownership that's willing to make it in a competitive market!

The restaurant which is located at 139 State Hwy Y in Forsyth, MO is just across from City Hall and situated on Hwy 160 - a main artery that will soon see even heavier traffic when the Bull Shoals Bridge project and roundabout is finished in the fall of 2018. 

Update: As of mid July, 2018, the property was still being offered at $850K with leasing terms available.

Random thoughts heading into October!

No jeans, no job, lady!

Apparently a waitress was fired on her first day for showing up in a denim skirt! The dress code of Georgia Blue, a restaurant chain, requires the wearing of jeans. So, now she's suing the chain because her religion (Pentecostal) requires the wearing of skirts, not jeans at ones place of employment!

Me, I would much prefer women wearing skirts over jeans, any day!






Long time contributor gone from local paper!

Jann Clark, a long time correspondent for the Taney County Times is no longer officially with the paper as she has apparently decided to go look for greener pastures. I understand she will remain active, however, as a correspondent.

She will be missed greatly and the Times will have a hard time replacing her even assuming they get qualified people to answer the large call for reporters that they placed in a recent edition!





October 7 Harvest Moon should be fun!

The Forsyth Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the annual Harvest Moon Car/Truck Show and Craft Festival on Saturday, Oct 7 right smack dab in the middle of town on Main Street. I attended this event last year and greatly enjoyed the vendors, the music and the cars! The action starts at 8AM and goes until about 3PM.

Bull Shoals Bridge project - Traffic flow - Video 1!

Photo courtesy of Craig B Smith - Sept 20, 2017

Forsyth MO - In my never ending desire to make myself useless, I thought it to be a good idea to do a series of drives across the old Bull Shoals bridge just to see how much commuter traffic is affected over time. The project is expected to take about eight months or longer depending or weather and the potential for flooding. Click here for Video 1, taken September 25, 2017. That was on a Monday at about Noon! www.taneyweather.com

Stoplights needed at Highways 160 and Y?

Proposed roundabout!

Forsyth MO. – After a clean start on the Bull Shoals bridge project by both MODOT and Lehman Construction, it seems that all is well. Traffic problems have been reduced as much as possible considering the sheer size of the project and even the weather has been kind. So, I'm guessing somewhere down the road, say about seven to eight months from now, Taney County residents will have themselves a brand new bridge and roundabout. Once finished, I feel that the increased traffic loads expected over time will sail through that intersection in fine style!

But, there always seems to be a fly in the ointment and sure enough a friend, Scott Novak, asked me a question that made me take pause. He mentioned that during the rush times, both in the mornings and evenings, Highway 160 sees a large influx of cars, truck and school buses. Long line can often happen for traffic heading up the hill at Y Highway! He then wondered how much worst that could get with any increase in the rate of traffic flow at the Highway 76-160 junction where the roundabout will be created!

At this time that intersection is basically a four way stop with one blinking red light suspended in the middle (see short video clip). Perhaps it's time for the County and the City to begin making plans to upgrade it with the installment of regular stoplights? www.taneyweather.com