Hometown Matters

By Pauline Masson – At the Tuesday evening May 16 board meeting, two local residents addressed aldermen asking for help with, what they described as, an out of control feral cat problem in their neighborhood. Officials were caught off guard. They had no idea there was a cat problem in Pacific. But for this reporter it was flash from the past. A quick review showed that over a three year period 2014-16, I had written 15 stories about one local … Continue reading “Ode to BJ Lawrence / Cat Lady of Pacific / Founder of Pacific Feral Cat ‘Trap Neuter Release’ (TNR) Program”

Among MVR-III Programs at risk if Prop E fails are ROTC, band, art, music, extra curricular sports, and vocational programs ___________________________________________________________________________________ By Pauline Masson – Members of a school district tax levy committee, say if the school district has to compete with a bond issue tax increase for a new swimming pool on the August 8 election ballot, both may lose. The MVR-III School District will place Prop E, a 56-cent operating levy tax increase on the August 8 ballot … Continue reading “Prop E Committee Asks City To Postpone Swim Pool Bond Issue, Fear If On Same Ballot Both Might Lose”

By Pauline Masson – On Monday afternoon at 6:00 p.m. a four-member committee will meet at city hall to discuss whether or not to place a $6 million bond issue to construct a new swimming complex on the August 8 election ballot. Committee members are Rafael Madrigal, ward 1; James Cleeve, ward 2; Debbie Kelley, ward 3, and Mayor Heather Filley At the May 2 board meeting, Ryan Casserly, with Westport Pools, presented the proposed 9,700 square foot aquatic center … Continue reading “Are We Ready To Take a $6 Million Bond Issue to the Voters in the August Election?”

By Pauline Masson –  She was a former jurnalist turned real estate agent who fell in love with a short lived Pacific Facebook page. When the page folded due to a version of Facebook hate mail, she started her own page that spawned a bevy of copycat sites where, now, Andy Warhol style, everybody in Pacific can be the center of attention for at least fifteen minutes. Cathy Lirette first got interested in media in the miliatry. In the U.S. … Continue reading “Cathy Lirette – the Andy Warhol of Pacific – Gave Everyone 15 Minutes of Fame on Social Media”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Pauline Masson –  The decision to kill a planning and zoning commission recommendation to the board of aldermen last week, which prevented action on the issue, illustrates the challenges the current board of aldermen faces.  On April 25, during its regular meeting, P&Z voted 6-0 to recommend that a gate be installed at the end of Candlewick Lane allowing only emergency and farm vehicles to travel between the subdivision and the industrial park. P&Z Chair Linda Bruns sent a … Continue reading “Planning & Zoning Recommendation on Candlewick Lane Gate is Dead – “Nothing More Than Suggestion,” City Attorney Says “

On Friday afternoon April 21, Riverbend Middle School enjoyed a Life Skills Expo where 29 local business and civic leaders helped seventh and eighth graders master skills that will come in handy as they approach adulthood. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Pauline Masson – I read once that children are the smartest that they will ever be at age four because they are reaching for everything they desire without the ubiquitous “No” that will fill most of their childhood.  But I have a … Continue reading “Skills Day at Riverbend School: How to Hammer a Nail, Change a Tire, Make an Omelet, and More”

By Pauline Masson –  All bets are off on a whole range of issues as the new board of aldermen flexes its muscle. The first full meeting of the new board of aldermen lasted for three and a half hours, telegraphing that the days of discouraging discussions in favor of short meetings is over. And that’s not all. Aldermen listened attentively as speakers, most representing busnesses in the industrial park, created a new playing field in the question of closing … Continue reading “New Game for Candlewick Gate, City Pool, Mayor’s Appointments, Downtown Parking and Length of Meetings as New Board Holds First Meeting”

By Pauline Mssson – The city swiming pool that former Mayor Diquie Omer built in 1979 –  over the objection of some residents  – was a popular city amenity for four decades, spawning a successful swim and dive team for young athletes, hosting regional swim meets that brought hundreds of visitors to Pacific and providing summers of fun for local families and visitors.  But the basin of concrete filled with a welcoming splash of blue at the entrance to the … Continue reading “City Swimming Pool Gave Us 40+ Years of Summer Fun, Got Old and Wore Out. Now What?”

By Pauline Masson –  When the new board of aldermen – three first termers with one year under their belts and three newly elected – sits for their first full meeting May 2 they will be asked to act on a knotty issue. The Planning & Zoning Commission voted Tuesday evening to recommend that a high tech version of the former gate between Candlewck Lane and the Dailey Industrial Park be installed. This is a recommendation to close Candlewick Lane … Continue reading “As New Aldermen Face First Full Meeting P&Z Calls for Candlewick Gate to Go Back Up”

______________________________________________________________________________________ By Pauline Masson –  It might seem unbelievale that a pair of unrleated events that brought us into the modern age 70 years ago set in motion the traffic woes on today’s Candlwick Lane. Joe Dailey developed Pacific’s first industrial park on the south end of town in 1954. In 1957 the Russians launched the first artificial satellite to circle the globe, giving it a funny name that most of us remember.  Thirty years later, in a second set … Continue reading “Flood of ’82 and Russian Satellite With Funny Name Set Candlewick Lane Traffic Woes In Motion”