Day: March 8, 2023

A reminder from your local trash service County Wide Disposal.  On the first Tuesday of each month. Countywide Disposal will hold an Amnesty Day inside the city limits of Butler that allows ONE bulk item to be picked up per household at no additional charge.

Bulk items are defined as: excess household trash, mattresses, box springs, bicycles, large toys, car seats, grills (no propane tanks or hot ashes), furniture fixtures (no fluorescent lights), sofas, chairs, tables, etc. If you have more than one bulk item or do not want to wait until Amnesty Day, please call the Countywide office for a quote to get it picked up. This public service message is from Countywide Disposal of Butler.

Now that Spring has sprung, unofficially, it’s time to prepare for March wind and nesting birds, of which Butler airport always has an overabundance. Sunday saw gusts as high as 40 mph; variable crosswind conditions on Saturday had traffic going both ways, always a hazardous situation.

Visitors included a Piper Twin Comanche, a couple of Piper Warriors, a Piper Archer and a Cirrus. Locally, Jon Laughlin flew his Piper Cherokee 180C to Mexico, CFI Christian Tucker had several Cessna 150 flights and I motivated the Aeronca Champion. 

Clinton Airport is tapping into the Infrastructure Bill’s pork barrel with the receipt of $1.7 million in grant money, which is to be spent on a new terminal building and rerouting the access road.  KGLY  already has a nice large waiting room, attached to the row of T-hangars, but public expectations being what they are, an improved ambience for visitors is worth pursuing. Airplanes using the recently-constructed 5000-foot runway may bring passengers that are used to better accommodations.  Let’s take note.

Last week we received word of the passing of Darrel Koll, who longtime airport aficionados will remember as Butler’s last resident Airport Manager, back in the late 90’s. Darrel and his faithful dog Molly lived in the double-wide next to the gas pump, where they kept an eye on the property and would respond when an airplane pulled up for fuel. Those were the days when pilots appreciated having someone drag out the hose and pump for them. Let’s face it, self-service is okay for cars, but less-desirable for planes. Molly would sound the alarm if she detected an intruder or something amiss like the lights being out. After his tenure here, Darrel retired to roam the country in his RV, with a toy-hauler tailgate for his motorcycle in the back. When not on the road he “parked” in Bonham, TX near his daughter; he was 89.

The Experimental Aircraft Assn. Chapter #944 in Chillicothe is promoting an official “vanity” Missouri auto license plate with the logo “I’d Rather Fly.” It can be yours for a extra $25 fee at renewal time; the charge is a fund-raiser for Chapter activities. Visit http://idratherfly.org to sign up. Be the first on your block, er, airport, to have one.

The question of the week asked about the size of the regulation N-numbers on U.S. airplanes. They must be 12-inches tall, so law-enforcement can easily read them when checking the tie-downs at airports for stolen planes.  Okay, for next week, our question is “what is a Buzz Number?” Send your answers to kochhaus@gmail.com.

A delicious hot baked potato lunch will be served Friday, March 17 on St. Patrick’s Day at the Appleton City M.K.&T. Railroad Depot from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The large baked potatoes will be served with your choice of toppings of chili, broccoli, cheese, bacon , and sour cream.  Drink and a serving of homemade cake are included for only $8.  Come and visit as you enjoy your meal in the Depot or carry-outs will be available.  All profits will be used by Appleton City Landmarks Restoration for maintenance of the 1870 M.K.&T. Depot, Old 1870 Library and Museum Complex.

St. Clair County Cattlemen’s meeting will be 6:30 p.m. March 14, 2023 at Lakeview Barn in Appleton City, MO. The sponsor is Merck Animal Health and the speakers are Sydney Thummel, MBIC and Mike Deering, MCA.

The Appleton City PTO would like to invite all local “Little Ladies” ages Pre-K through 5^th grade to bring their best dancing partner out for an evening of dancing, snacks, pictures and overall good fun! The event will be held at the Appleton City Elementary gym, Saturday March 25 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The cost is $20 per couple, with an additional $5 per sibling attending.

Kindergarten Screening / Enrollment Day for the 2023/2024 School year will be April 4. If your child will be 5 before August 1, now is the time to begin thinking about Kindergarten enrollment requirements. The following items are required for enrollment: immunization records, state issued birth certificate, social security card and proof of residence. Did you know that your child can receive the immunizations that are needed to attend Kindergarten anytime on or after his/her fourth birthday? You do not need to wait until age five. They encourage you to have your child fully immunized now and bring the immunization record to school on the day of Kindergarten screening. If you have questions regarding required immunizations, please feel free to contact Nikki Piepmeier, School Nurse, at 660-476-2161, option #7.

Golden Apples Over 50 Social Club promotes the well-being of senior citizens in the cities of Appleton City, Montrose and Rockville, Missouri. Golden Apples was formed to address the issues of isolation and food security in this underserved rural area. Join them Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. for dinner and bingo (with lots of prizes). Everyone is welcomed. March 8 will be at the Methodist Church and will be Italian night. Please bring a side dish. March 16 will be on Thursday and NOT Wednesday as they will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Fried chicken and baked potatoes will be served. Please bring a side dish. The evening will be game night – NO BINGO. There will still be lots of prizes. March 22 will be at the Methodist Church with a casserole dinner with side dishes provided by the members. March 29 they are going to Short Street in Montrose. Time will be determined.

The ACHS Alumni Meeting will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 27, 2023 with a noon meal/meeting. Class coordinators of years ending in 3 or 8 are asked to please contact Linda Lampkin at 660-476-5857 or acmolampkin@yahoo.com to receive a detailed letter and postcard sample. Reservations of $14 may be mailed to Patti Purvis Young, 101 E. 3rd St., ACMO 64724.  Alumni traveling a distances like to make plans early.

The Appleton City Public Library is conducting their Friends of the Library Program until March 14, 2023. The program’s purpose is to fund the purchase of new hardback books for the library. You can become a friend by either choosing a book from the list or requesting another book you’ve wanted to read and then donating $20.00 for said book. The perks of being a Friend of the Library are that you will be the first person to check the book out, and you will be honored by having your name placed on a special nameplate in the front of each of the Library Friend books. Library hours are currently Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays, 8:30-5:00 p.m.

The AC Spring City Wide Garage Sale dates will be April 28 and 29. Information regarding permits will be posted at a later date.

St. Clair Co Emergency Management is hosting a series of Community Awareness seminars to assist the residents of the area to know what to do in an emergency situation. The program will present simple skills that can help you save you and your family in case of emergency. The first seminar will be 7:00 p.m. March 24 at Appleton City Forrest Park Community Building. Other seminars are being scheduled for more communities as well.