Hometown Matters

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”

When Mary Shelley crafted her 1818 horror story about a mad scientist named Dr. Frankenstein digging up corpses and welding body parts together with metal braces to bring the dead back to life she created a fictional figure that would be a favorite Halloween character for more than 200 years. A case in point, a life-sized statue of an animated Dr. Frankenstein’s monster is on display at First State Community Bank, 302 West St. Louis Street, compliments of local fantasy … Continue reading “Ghost of Frankenstein’s Monster Looms Large in My Halloween Memories”

The story of the bench that once graced the Pacific Railroad Depot stirred up memories of a momentous day in the life of one Labadie resident. Julie Dutton Jones was ten years old when she and her two brothers and two sisters were, in all probability, lined up on the bench to await the return of the flag-draped casket carrying their uncle. The youngsters were accompanied by their parents Julius and Edna Dutton and their grandfather James O’Brien. Not only … Continue reading “Depot Bench Story Stirred a Momentous Memory for One Labadie Resident”

The ghost of Nellie Ottman. Irish lore tells us that Halloween is the time when ghosts return to visit their former homes.  As the legend goes, ancient Celts set bonfires on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts.  Maybe this is what’s behind the extravaganza at local Irish icon, Dan McClain’s house each October, when he  fills his yard with every conceivable symbol of Halloween. Regardless … Continue reading “Halloween Junkies Not Satisfied with Costumes and Candy Might Consider Pacific’s Haunted History”

An Unexpected Journey took a vintage Union Pacific and Frisco railroad depot bench to a temporary destination as a cookie cooling station, where it was rerouted to the City of Pacific History Museum. It is now on a stop over in the lobby of a local bank a few hundred yards from its original location. Christina Borcherding, made her father-in-law Brian Borcherding, who now resides at Pacific Care Center, two promises. She promised him she would stay in the house … Continue reading “A Vintage RR Depot Bench turned Cookie Cooling Station, Donated to the City History Museum – Now on Stop Over at Local Bank”