Hometown Matters

By Pauline Masson Recently downtown businesswoman Nancy Omer began a search for B.F. Allen, the man who was the namesake of the Pacific School for Colored Children that taught elementary students here from 1887 to 1955. She said some type of marker should be placed near the location of the former schoolhouse at Osage and Fourth streets to show what occurred there. It turns out that a remarkable happening that propelled Benjamin Franklin “B.F.” Allen into the realm of education … Continue reading “Who Was B.F. Allen?”

By Pauline Masson Officials say it is time to notify residents that the life of the city swimming pool is nearing its end and the city must decide the future. The city pool, which anchors the entrance to the City Park ,was built in 1980. It features daily swimming in summer and is home to a swim club that attracts huge crowds of swimmers and their families for regional swim meets. But it is old as swimming pools go. During … Continue reading “Talk of a New City Swimming Pool or Rec Complex is in the Air / What Do You Think?”

By Pauline Masson Before the city fathers disband the cemetery committee and turn care of the cemeteries over to the city administrator, I want to share with readers what a group of community volunteers – the City Cemetery Committee – did for the city over the past twenty years. The recent cemetery committee was started in 2000, in the administration of former mayor Jill Pigg. The city owns two cemeteries – City Cemetery on North Orr Street and Resurrection Hill … Continue reading “Cemetery Committee Restored Neglected Burial Grounds into Places of Beauty / And Helped People Find Them”

By Pauline Masson For more than a hundred and twenty years the historic frame house has greeted motorists at the Osage and North First Street intersection with its perky front porch, twin pediments and vintage sandstone wall. A wrought iron fence was added above the wall 15 years ago. The Victorian style house was built in 1894, one of several impressive homes built by the family that operated Mauthe’s Department Store on St. Louis Street. (Later Leah’s Department Store)  For … Continue reading “Coffey Brings Back Romance of Victorian Era with Facelift of Historic House – Orchid Bouquet”

By Pauline Masson Does it really matter whether or not the police chief and city collector are city employees? In an attempt to justify the ordinance that makes the elected police chief and collector city employees, subordinate to the city personnel manual, acting board president and mayor pro team Herb Adams gave a lengthy speech Tuesday night, saying  “This is for the public.”  CORRECTION: In a 5-0 vote with one alderman absent, aldermen approved the ordinance at the Nov. 2 … Continue reading “Adams, Roth Defend Ordinance That Makes Police Chief and Collector City Employees”

By Pauline Masson An attorney, working for a group that opposes the planned subdivision on Lamar Parkway at Old Gray Summit Road say the zone change of the subdivision site and the preliminary development plan approved by aldermen violate the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances. In a letter addressed to the City and dated September 10, the firm of Zick, Voss, Politte, Richardson & Brinker, Washington, Missouri, notified the city that its client – the subdivision opponents – can … Continue reading “Attorney for Subdivision Opponents Says Rezoning and Preliminary Plan Violate City Ordinances”

By Pauline Masson 10 photos – scroll through The Halloween craze that we enjoy in Pacific started in 1990 when a 36-year-old  Pacific High School English teacher decided to buy himself a souvenir of a favorite childhood memory. Dan McClain went to Target and bought himself an eight-foot tall inflatable witch. He set it up on his front lawn at South Payne Street and Indian Pride Drive. When he hooked it up to electricity it lit up and bobbed about, … Continue reading “Halloween Craze: the Story of A Childhood Memory Blown to Incredible Proportions”

By Pauline Masson Driving along East Union Street, one might easily pass by a small brick building that sits at the back of the lot east of D’Angelo’s Restaurant without giving it another thought. But the white painted structure, with its frontier-style raised center facade, is a relic of Pacific’s once flourishing downtown business district. And it is a testament to one the town’s most progressive businessmen. The single-story brick and cinder block structure began as a soda bottling plant … Continue reading “Unnoticeable Building on East Union Hides a Splash of Sparkling History: Invention of Bottled Soda”

Isn’t This What We Voted Down? By Pauline Masson  Citizens voiced surprise and dismay when aldermen gave preliminary approval of an ordinance Oct. 18 that states that the police chief and collector – both elected by the people – are city employees and gives the city administrator authority over their performance. Citizens who watched the meeting on Facebook said the ordinance was in conflict with the wishes of the voters. Prop C, which called for the Pacific city marshal to … Continue reading “Citizens Shocked and Dismayed as City Passes Law Saying Police Chief and Collector are City Employees”

By Pauline Masson: Some of us wish the campaign had started much sooner. I lost my sister Kathleen Matthis to breast cancer in 1989. She was 55 years old and had never had a mammogram when she discovered that she had breast cancer. She was watching a television interview with actress Jill Ireland, who was campaigning to educate women about how breast cancer could sneak up on a person. Ms. Ireland said she had never had a mammogram before her … Continue reading “October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a Reminder of Loss”