January 31, 2002

No channel 7 or channel 10 last night. The freezing rain brought over 30 trees were damaged by the ice storm last night. The city crew was so busy, all they could do was just push the limbs over to the side of the road and go on to the next one. Today, they were busy using the new chipper/shredder to grind up all the mess.

Saturday is coming on fast for the Lions Pancake and Sausage day. And, the Boy Scouts will have their soup supper on February 16th. The City Council will meet February 11th and 25th, plus numerous other dates and times. Did you see Cousin Dorothy English's picture in the paper? TOP Realtor producer. I guess that Donna Collier was on vacation and let her have it this time. It looks like the picture used in the paper was taken some time ago. Our family has been in disarray the last week with the death of my wife's younger sister. It took the whole family by surprise. Out of five kids, she was the middle one. One thing it has done with us all is to wake everyone up to bring up your will and have a grave site ready. Here was a young girl who had no medical problems all her life and was a vegetarian and poof, gone.

I put on here about the Bird Nest Restaurant in Canton having alligator on the menu last week and now I found out that there were several customers who came to the Seafood dinner who saw it on the Gossip Page. Now they are planning an old time sweetheart's dinner, complete with dim lights, candles, and music. What more could you ask for. I looks like he will doing it with reservations. 573-288-3986. I like his fresh cut steaks he is going to have Friday and Saturday.

In reading the minutes of the Council meeting last Monday night, it seems that the City Council still can't see what needs to e done. All they seem to do is talk about today's problems. No one on the Council has the balls to stand up for the people of La Grange, the businesses in town and the Foundry. All they can think about is how much more money they can spend on the police department and the fire department. Spend - Spend - Spend, that money. $500,000 police budget, Almost $80,000 fire department budget. Nothing for the people of La Grange and Nothing for the businesses in town and Nothing for the Foundry. We need two more people to sign up for write in Councilman for the North ward and South ward. Someone, who will make a stand for the people, the businesses, and the foundry. SOMEBODY SIGN UP!

January 29, 2002

One email about the antics of the cops brings more emails. The questions today are wondering why the chief hasn't been able to control his cops and others wonder why the police committee hasn't been getting rid of the problems.

Rumor has it that the City backhoe had a front tire severely damaged and the Street Super went to Ayers in Canton to buy a new one wholesale. Then the Street Super goes to the gas station to "borrow" his tire tools and then has the gas station to remove the old tire and replace it with the new tire he got in Canton. Do you see anything wrong with this picture?? Now, you can't lay the blame entirely on the Street Super, the Mayor has always been anti La Grange business. He has always refused to do City business with any business in La Grange. In fact, he will got almost 100 miles away to do business instead of doing business in town, even if the business in town could save the City a lot of money.

Have you ever seen the Mayor or any City Hall person or any police officer in any other business in town other than Casey's or the Casino? NO!. One thing about the bald rabbit, is that he did come into to coffee shop in the mornings and visit. Out of the 7 or 8 or 9 police officers the City has, NONE come into the cafe, at any time. The Mayor displays such great public relations, hell, he won't come out of hiding in the ice cream shop or the office at City Hall. 184 people have to be tickled o death.

January 27, 2002

Rumors keep coming in. Many of them. All about the antics of a couple of police officers. Harassment of citizens, their own speeding around town not using turn signals. Rumor has it that the Mayor and a couple of cops have been meeting with the ex-chief. Rumor has it that the Mayor as been telling the Council that some of the things they want to do for the town is illegal and the Council has been backing down from the Mayor. After all this time their legs are still wobbly.

The Council has completely forgot about redrawing the wards, since they are so busy buying diesel pickups for the street super to ride around in. Spend all that money boys, there will never be a rainy day, the Casino will be there forever. Forget about the foundry and businesses down town, you don't need them.

I want to thank the friends who saw the notice in the paper about the death of my wife Linda's younger sister that have contacted us. It doesn't make sense, just a few hours earlier she visited with her mother 100 feet away.    

January 25, 2002

We had supper at the Casino last night. Talk about service, it was in full force tonight. There were three hostesses and several waitresses to handle the customers easily. The Filet that I had was cooked superbly, the baked potato was excellent. The only thing out of order was the drinks. I tired to order a bicardi cocktail on the rocks. wrong. I then tried for a rum sour, then settled for a rum and coke. But, to give credit, very few bars get the bicardi cocktail right. Speaking of the Casino, I received a message that the Casino is not behind the push to spend over $1,500,000.00 to build a new sewer lagoon. But, other information received seems the involvement is higher up and with the Mayor.

I guess several, many, people who "used" to go down town to have a beer or two have decided that the harassment of the police trying to get them for dwi have found a new place to go to tip 'em up. OUTSIDE of the city limits. I stumbled on to the new watering hole this last evening. I was wondering what DL was doing getting ice.

If you live in the North or South Ward, you still have until April 5th to sign up as a write-in. 

The City Council still is searching for any way they can to spend all that money before we get a City Administrator hired. They still have a dream of a St. Louis style police department. Seven on the force now and ads to hire more. Cars that are not being used and buying more. Canton police department laughs whenever you talk to any of them about the La Grange PD. Mostly, they laugh at the Council and Mayor for spending all that money, $500,000.00 police department budget slated for next year. There has to be something sick about that. Over 1/3 and close to 1/2 of the income from the boat blown away for nothing and the Mayor and Council are tickled to death. That even makes 184 voters tickled to death. And to make it more sicker is that most of the Council complained with the rest of us about the school board using lease/purchase to get around letting you vote on a new elementary school. Yet, the Mayor and Council are planning to screw the people of La Grange over the very same way with the sewer plant. Yet, not one Councilman can prove that the present plant is even breathing hard. I can here the Mayor signing now, screw them once, screw them twice, screw them once again, its been a long long term. Maybe that is why he hides in the ice cream shop every day.

January 23, 2002

I wrote a letter to the editor of the La Belle Paper. I referred to the amount of money that the Juvenile Officer has been spending in his witch hunts, namely Charles Sharp. I also referred to the amount of money that comes from Lewis County provided by the Lewis County Commissioners. Today in the La Belle paper the commissioners responded with the statement that they do not have any control over the juvenile officer and that they are mandated to provide money by the State. The mistake they made was to include figures. The State mandates a little over $30,000, but the Commissioners admitted that the budget amount this year is $3,000 more than last year of over $80,000.00. How much would $50,000 help the schools?? It is sad that people run for positions and then refuse to accept the responsibility. Hopefully the voters will remember the fiasco of the Sheriff and the Juvenile office.

A couple of weeks ago, I and others tried out the $1.99 buffet at the casino restaurant. Since then, I continued to use the Driftwood cafe. I like a warm clean plate for my food. I like the hot food. I like the service I get there. But, an emailer friend kept after me to try the buffet again. So, Monday, I went again. Even though the plates are still cold, the food was considerably better. I don't like to eat the same thing every day, and so do a lot of other people, so eating a buffet with the same thing day after day, even if it is only $1.99 gets dull quick. 

 Two more houses went up for sale by Realtors this week. The only businesses down town that doesn't seem for sale is the Bank and Casey's and some aren't too sure about the bank. The street department patched a few holes today. As always, one wonders how they determine which holes to patch and which not to patch in the same area.

Sooner or later, your Mayor and Council will surprise you with a new sewer lagoon you don't need. They will use the old school board trick of NOT letting you vote on it. They will use the lease / purchase option to screw you over with. Everyone! get ready to bend over. With the slow down of all that money coming into the city coffers from the casino. The $500,000.00 police budget will quickly use up 50% of the income. And, they are still hiring more police. Does insaneness breed madness or is it the other way around. Oh, by the way "pave my drive free" and "no prayer here", I finally took care of the item you objected to and tried to use. For a couple three thousand, most anything can be deleted or disappear. Now, what will you try to use.

January 21, 2002

Remember the movie "Dumb and Dumber"?  The sequels are being played at the City Council Committee meetings. For instance, it seems the City has an old police car. One of three cars sitting around with dead batteries for not being used. The Police Committee wants to trade the car in. This is after the PD says the car isn't wanted and not needed, AND it is after the City spent $1,000.00 on new equipment for the car knowing they were going to trade it in. Who says the Mayor can't manage all that money.

Now the Street and water Committees wants to buy new ride around trucks for the street super and water super. Someone on the Council who has a diesel truck thinks the street super needs a diesel truck. Let's see now, they are going to spend thousands of dollars more for a diesel truck so they can pay more for fuel, get about the same to worse mileage and pay thousands more for any repairs. Who can vote against all those features and savings. Then they want to trade in the water super truck and give away the unused bed that was taken off to put the utility bed on. 184 voters have to be so proud of the Mayor that they have to be tickled to death. It is beginning to look like the people of La Grange are going to need someone to run as write-in for the North and South Wards. You have until April 5th to sign up to run as a write-in.

What building is missing here?  click here.   Now what building is missing here? click here. More and more buildings are being torn down in La Grange. The Driftwood cafe and the whole building is for sale. The MFA Tiemanns gas station is for sale. The Wilma's Specialty coffee shop and building is for sale. The old F&M Bank building is for sale. It seems like the only place NOT for sale in town is the Bank, and no bets are being taken on that. The first building is the old two stor building just North and across the street from Alice Fish. The other is the old Bradshaw feed store or the older Slats Morris garage.

January 19, 2002

Well, it looks like the Bird nest restaurant in Canton had an excellent crowd for their sea food dinner with alligator.

Rumor has it that Courtni Combs had an accident by the foundry last night. Emailer was wondering why the police and fire are now asking each other to not use sirens and lights responding to an emergency.

Rumor has it that Ralph (pave my drive free) Martin is spending a lot of time with challenging candidate for the middle ward councilman, Kelly Murphy. Emailer wants to now what is being cooked up now??  A phone call has revealed that anyone can run as a write-in for councilman any time up and until April 5th, 2001. So there is still time to get some challengers.

A drive through town and you will notice that another building has been torn down. The old Slats Morris Garage. Remember when??

January 15, 2002

Everyone wants to let me know when I make a mistake, January 24!..  Well anyhow, rumors come in from the oddest places. I got one today about an attorney who told a church he wanted to be a preacher. He got the church to pay for his college, all except the last year or so and then changed his mind to be an attorney. Rumor has it that the church never did get paid back after all these years. And speaking of attorneys, I see in the PNJnewscan.com that La Grange has raised the amount they pay to the City attorney. It wouldn't be so bad if he would say "yes, council, you can do this or that and I will make it work for you." Instead of the him-haws and scare tactics they get now. 

The Mayor is still up to his dirty tricks which those 184 love. Today, he and three councilmen held a committee meeting at 3pm knowing that two Councilmen couldn't attend because of their jobs. 

THIS IS A FAIR NOTICE TO THE PEOPLE OF LA GRANGE. YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET THE SHAFT AGAIN.

For some unknown reason, the Mayor is hell bent to spend ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS needlessly. AND can you believe that there is at least two Councilmen DUMB enough to follow him? They were planning to build a new sewer lagoon north of town near the Wyaconda bridge. NOW, the Mayor is working on a deal to build one South of town. THE QUESTION IS, WHY?????? To give you an idea how sneaky this is, the Mayor and some Councilmen are going to try to do to you what the Lewis County School board did to you. Instead of letting YOU vote on whether to spend the money or not, they are looking at a lease purchase to screw you with. Those 184 have to be so proud and tickled to death.

The answer is, THE CASINO. The Casino doesn't like the sewer plant where it is and wants YOU the TAXPAYER to PAY to move the sewer plant. So, the Mayor, who doesn't care about you, the taxpayer and at least two Councilmen are going to try to RAM this down your pocket.

Did you know that the police committee is working on a $500,000 police budget? FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. For police protection. 

EASY COME - EASY GO. For more spending, in the pnj it shows that the fire department went to Iowa to look at sirens. Now the paper shows that the sirens would be given to the City, but the City innocently, forgot to state what it was going to cost to repair an install them. Most people want to give away something good and expensive so they can more good and expensive. The fire chief got another 2 day paid for vacation out of the Council. One wonders if it will be like the trip to Caruthersville????

It is nice to know that at least one Councilman is trying to bank and save some of the Casino money. 

January 14, 2002

The rumor for today is that the police had several cars watching and following the customers of the ju-joint the other night. Ruor has it that they want to run another business out of town. Then I received this email in regards to the observation of Canton fire trucks and rescue flying through La Grange to go to a fender bender at the Casino.

I am just sending you a e-mail in reference to the comment that you made to the Canton Fire Trucks running through town like it was the middle of the desert!  I just want to clarify that this would not happen if LaGrange's finest could just let the Canton Fire Department know that all they have is just a "fender bender"!!!  But I think you know how well they like to work with other agencies!!  The Canton Fire Department has a little more sense than that, but if they think there are lives in danger, they are going to do everything that they can to make a difference. And it seems to me like the LaGrange Police Department are burning bridges all over the place!!  Rumor has it that one of your finest had a little conflict with the Missouri State Highway Patrol!!  Seems as if one of the finest thinks that he knows a little more than the Highway Patrol and expressed a little disagreement with a decision made by a Highway Patrolman!!  Seems to me, the Missouri State Patrol puts their Patrolmen through an extensive training academy, and it seems like these men probably know just a little bit more than a LaGrange city officer!!  But who knows, I mean, they have some pretty sharp cookies down there!!  Yeah whatever!! Another thing I notice now days, is that LaGrange has an officer who likes to sit in the truck parking lot at the Casino and run radar!!  And yes, it is hard to see him unless you spend very much time in LaGrange and figure out their little hiding spots!!  Just another example that they are trying to get all of the business from the casino.  (coming and going too)  Anyway I just thought that I would like to defend the Canton Fire Department because I know for a fact they don't like to be compared to LaGrange and all of the finest that you have in your town!!

Rumor has it that the foundry is not doing very well at all. Rumor has it that a high level officer was terminated, that the employees were told that if the massive monthly losses didn't turn to pluses by April, the doors would close. One employee said that everyone is scared for their job.

It has been said that when La Grange had it's high school sold out from under it, the same proportion of businesses were lost. When the junior high was taken away, more businesses were lost and so on to when the school was sold, to now only a couple of businesses are left. If the foundry closes, the only businesses that will be left in town will be the Casino and Casey's. All owned by out of towners.

A good Mayor and Council still have a chance to save and restore the town. They have to immediately remove all taxes and fees and refund the property taxes they collected last year. The property tax needs to be removed, which will help the foundry. The 5% franchise fees needs to be removed from all utilities, which will help the foundry. Not only will this help the foundry, but it will help the businesses in town to be able to survive and also create a better climate for someone to move to town to create customers.

But, all this will take an intelligent, forward thinking Mayor and Councilman. A challenger for middle ward Councilman has already stated to me that if he is elected, he will not only push for the removal of city property taxes and the franchise fees, but also the refund of last years taxes and one more thing, I didn't think of, and that is removal of the City sales tax. If he was in the North Ward, I would vote for him. We need more people to run for city council that will vote FOR THE PEOPLE of La Grange and not for themselves.

January 12, 2002

Just when you think the Mayor can't be any dumber, the rumor is that he now doesn't want the LRO building for a new City Hall, he wants to put the police department there. Instead of just buying the Neer property and the old metal building and putting parking there and building a garage to house all the unused cars, we wants to use the best building in town for a police station so the police will be able to park all the cars around the building. Lordy, Lordy, those 184 voters have got to be tickled to death.

If the Mayor wants to put the police department on main street, why doesn't he suggest the City buy the old bank building. At least there, they have a shelter in back for the police cars.

And the rumor is that he is still dead set on spending all the money from the Casino to put in a multi-million dollar sewer lagoon that isn't needed. This is what is expected from a gambler, someone to gamble away the City money. Yet, the 184 voters are tickled to death to see al the City money squandered away.

The hard part for most of is the fact that the City Council seems to be going along with the squandering of all that money.  

January 10, 2002

Three cheers fro Charlie Sharp. Maybe the Lewis County Commissioners will wake up to all the trouble and money Mike Waddle, the Juvenile Officer is causing the County. It is too bad the Lewis County Sheriff is such a good friend of Waddles and let himself get sucked into such a stupid mess.

How many people from La Grange attended the Lewis County C-1 School District? Rumor has it they pulled a Chamber of Commerce deal, you know awarding each other.

The La Grange police committee met last Dec 3rd and then met again on Dec 17th. This time the committee listened to Shawn Hydron tell them why he shouldn't have been demoted. Then they discussed suspending Robert Roscher until Jan 14th. Roscher was ordered to turn in all City owned equipment and stay away from the police department.

The City Council met Dec 11th and heard from Lovie Richards complaining about the loud music at the Ju-joint. The Council then discussed redoing Monroe street from Main to Second with concrete. This is the hill where all the ice is coming down the ditch onto the street. Then the Council discussed putting up another illegal speed limit sign on route C, like some of the other illegal stop signs placed around town. It is too bad we don't have an intelligent Mayor to do the job right and a City attorney that will speak up. But 184 voters are tickled to death.

The Council then voted to move two $75,000 6 months Cd's to the Bank of Monticello. A new police officer named Tara Welch was hired. And then the Council voted to look into the purchase of the LRO building for a new City Hall. Fo some reason the Mayor and City clerk are not happy. 

Every time you talk to a Councilman about spending some of the Gambling money for anything, they come with the statement that it isn't in the budget. For some reason, the Council can't get the fact that ANY BUDGET can be amended at any time. But, who in the City knows anything about protocol. Just another good reason for a CITY ADMINISTRATOR.  

January 9, 2002

In regards to the "dangerous & unsafe" building, the building the Mayor and Street Super deemed so, did not have any walls that were slanted, the roof didn't sag and was used only for storage, well that is until the City broke in. So if such a building was deemed "dangerous & unsafe" then is this building with the sway back roof like an old old horse and walls that have fallen over at an angle "dangerous and unsafe"??? click here Will the Mayor and Street Super condemn this building?

Rumor has it that the other day a car or truck gas pedal got stuck and the vehicle ran into another one in the parking lot a the Casino. No big deal, except that every police car the City owns, fire trucks, ambulance from Marion County, Air Evac, and other officers of the law responded like someone was run over. By the looks of the van in the PNJ, it looked like a fender bender. Emergency vehicles from Canton went through town like it was the middle of a desert.

As most of the people around down town say, it is only a matter of time when two or more of these emergency vehicles meet. Then there will be a need of air evac and more ambulances. Someday, maybe, a new Mayor will put some sense into these emergency people.

Do you know how many police officers La Grange has? Well, the City payroll shows 10 police officers and dispatchers. Do you know how many police cars there are? If you drive by City hall you see 5 unmarked police cars. But if you look around town you will several more unmarked cars 

Rumor has it that the Fire Association meeting last Monday evening was interesting. Rumor has it that the Mayor and City Clerk want to turn the association into a fire District. And raise Taxes. It looks like the fire department cost over $22,000 to respond to fires last year. A couple of us could only count about 10 fires, so that comes to about $2,000 cost per fire. 

How much do you make at work? According to City records, the second highest paid City Employee is the Street Super making $371.37 per week. He is being paid for a 44 hour work week and only is supposed to put in 40, but most people on see about 10. Another past Mayor said that he could only get about 20 hours a week on a good week.

The police chief makes a little more, but he has a lot of headaches. He has to keep a half a dozen hot dogs corralled and at the same time keep 1 nut and a committee of three happy. The third highest paid employee is the water super. And the fourth and sometimes the highest paid is the City clerk at $317.00 per week. Robert Roescher came in at $328.00, Shawn Hydorn at $294.00 Alex Dixon makes $228.00. Last December the firemen Greg Heindselman got $405.00, Henry Gunsauls got $356.00, Mark tanner got $366.00, Mike Lowe got $337.00, Craig Todd got $163.00, James Ellison got $257.00. Kelly Murphy got $346.00, David Burbridge got $138.00, Monte Tanner got $307.00, Raymond Nichols got $292.00, Mike Henderson, got $446.00, Pete Harmon got $267.00. Ernest Martin got $228.00, Theresa Gunsauls got $173.00, melinda Heindselman got $134.00, and Aaron Stutheit got $153.00. And the City attorney got his usual over $1,000.00 check. And Heindselman Electric got another $527.00.

Now, explain to me why Kelly Murphy is running for Councilman.  

January 7, 2002

Let me give you a prime example how dumb the Mayor is. The Mayor has decided that a building is now, all of a sudden, a dangerous and unsafe that has been sitting there in the same condition for over three years.. He orders the City crew to "investigate" this dangerous and unsafe building. First off, the Mayor "assumes" that the building is or will be used for human habitation and not for maybe storage. The dumb part is that this building has been in the same condition for several years. Yet, now, all of a sudden on December 12th of last year he decides to order the inspection. NOW, in the dead of winter, cold as hell, he orders the owner of the building to what? Vacate the vacant building. No check mark there. Have it repaired? No check mark there. Notify the mortgage owner and or other interested parties? No check mark there?

The notice says it is unsafe and dangerous, but doesn't say what is actually unsafe and or dangerous, and doesn't say what is actually needed to make it comply with, (what?). And to the stupidity of the notice. It says whatever he wants done, completed in 30 days in the dead of winter. Whatever he wants done???

Here is a Mayor, whose town is dying, who doesn't know what to do to get it going and he wants another building removed. So when you have a person not smart enough to save his town, he keeps on tearing down buildings like the old fire station to make more and more park areas. The most pathetic part is that he picks on people poorer than himself. Those 184 voters have to be tickled to death with THEIR mayor.

January 6, 2002

By the amount of emails, it has been too long a time to update this page. Some of the things that have happened since New Years are that a rumor has it that on New Years eve, there was supposed to be a fight at the Ju-Joint. Rumor has it that 3 police cars swarmed the place only to find the fighters gone. Rumor has it that the radioed to the PD and notified the dispatcher that the fighters left town heading South. Then it was rumored that the dispatcher said, "Toward Canton right"?

Then, there is the rumor that on Saturday morning the fire chief speeding to an ambulance call almost ran a city employee in the ditch.

Here is a prediction. By the end of the year, La Grange will lose 3 businesses.

In May 1993, the vice president of the La Grange Bank stated, "Dean Phillips and the Gambling boat will be the best thing La Grange will ever see". Quincy Herald Whig. Some of the other statements were like, "Tourists will come to La Grange". "Every business in town will benefit from the gambling boat".  

Yet, there are no new businesses. Every business in town is suffering. Even businesses in Canton are closing and hurting. The competition of the subsidized restaurant at the Casino is putting the hurt on all the other restaurants in town and even those in Canton. The Mayor, the Council and the Chamber of Commerce need to be working on ideas to save the businesses La Grange has left or downtown will be a ghost town. The Mayor and council have been banking hundreds of thousands of dollars every month, yet the Mayor and Council have refused to even refund the little amount of property taxes they took from the people of La Grange. They refused to sell the old fire station for a business and now want it to be another "park"

But, the Mayor, pave my drive free, no prayer here, and vp are tickled to death about the businesses in town suffering, just like they were when they gave away our school.

January 4, 2002

Elmer Logan's visitation will be tonight and the funeral will be tomorrow at 2pm at the Church.

I don't know if any of you remember the Dillon boys that used to live here several years ago. Several years ago they were towboat Captains. There were Don and Bob and Bill and they had a sister Pat. The PNJ shows that Bob Dillon died last month. 

And then, if you are old enough to remember "doc" Herrick. He used to live in the brown shingled home East of the City park. The PNJ shows that Doris Herrick died Jan 1, 2002. La Grange seems to be losing more than it share of past and present citizens.

January 3, 2002

We start off the new year with sorrow with the passing of Elmer Lee Logan last evening.
 Elmer since his retirement has been the main stay of the town, the Community and the County. 
He will be missed by an awful lot of people down town.