Dona Reynolds, Blog: January 2009

                                  Calendar of Events  St Joseph, Mo

                                      January 23-February 28

                                          DATE   TIME   EVENT   LOCATION

• January 23 10am-8pm KQ2 Midland Empire Farm & Ag Show   Civic Arena

• January 24 11am-4pm KQ2 Midland Empire Farm & Ag Show   Civic Arena

• January 24 & 25 24th@8pm & 25th@2pm Haygoods In Concert   Missouri Theater

• January 30 & 31 8am Jesse James Kennel Club Dog Show   Civic Arena

• January 31 7pm Dancing with the Stars-St. Joseph   Missouri Theater

• February 1 8am St. Joseph Kennel Club Dog Show   Civic Arena

• February 7 9am-5pm Antique Show   Civic Arena

• February 8 11am-4pm Antique Show   Civic Arena

• February 13 & 14 13th@7pm & 14th@7:30pm Peter Pan presented by RRT   Missouri Theater

• February 15 2pm Peter Pan presented by RRT   Missouri Theater

• February 16 1-3pm Presidents Day Special Skate Session   Bode Ice Arena

• February 20 & 21 20th@4-8pm & 21@10am-7pm St. Joseph Home, Lawn & Garden Show                Civic Arena

• February 21 8pm St. Joseph Symphony Concert   Missouri Theater

• February 22 11am-4pm St. Joseph Home, Lawn & Garden Show   Civic Arena

• February 27 7pm Sawyer Brown, Bucky Covington, and Scott Allyn Peery   Civic Arena

• February 28 8pm Leahy presented by PAA   Missouri Theater

Dr George Washington Chase started the Chase Candy Company in 1876 when he had difficulty of raising a family on a doctor's meager wage.  His son persuaded him to hire two expert candy makers and worked the idea into the Chase fine confections, working on the second floor of the store.

In St. Louis, Mr. Busch was brewing his first batch of beer and Alexander Graham Bell was making his famous telephone call.

Chase Candy became known throughout the Midwest in a few years for the hand dipped chocolate candies.

Cherry Mash became one of the countries best selling candy bars, after being firstly named the Cherry Chase and secondly known as the Cherry Chaser around 1918.  The company by the mid 1920's had made over 500 different candies including candy bars.

In 1944 the company sold to Yantis and Company an investment firm in Chicago.

In 1954 the company acquired Bunte Brothers Candy and the company became known as Bunte-Chase and all production was consolidated to a huge plant in Chicago.

The Chicago plant closed in 1961 and returned Chase and Cherry Mash back to St Joseph.

The Cherry Mash is different than most candy bars with a pink cherry flavored center and covered with chocolate and peanut topping.  Twenty-Two full time employees produce over 50,000 Cherry Mashes daily until the fall season when additional part time employees are added to make fudge and other holiday candies working 7 days a week.

Cherry Mash has been a favorite of mine since childhood and remains to be so.  A word of warning though~you can't just eat one alone as a second one is nearly always required for a true candy lover.

There recently was a nice article in americanprofile.com about Cherry Mash.

Western Tablet Company plant has been an integral architectural part of St Joseph since the early 1900's.  Not only was this where the original BIG CHIEF TABLET was made, but also the number of jobs at the factory.  The Western Tablet Company held the original copyright of the popular writing notebook but was sold later to the Mead Corporation.  In 2004 Mead closed the St Joseph plant.

 The Big Chief Tablet was a popular writing notebook for several generations of young children.  It featured widely spaced lines, easier to write in for those learning to write.  It's prominence however, was the cover's representation of a native American in full headdress "Big Chief".  Schools provided lists of required items to parents spelling out the necessary supplies, citing the Big Chief tablets by name.  The exact date of the tablet debut is unknown but it served untold millions of school kids in the 20^th century.

It is said that John-Boy Walton used a Big Chief tablet to hone his writing skills.

In 2007 The Foutch Brothers purchased the 500,000 sq ft. building, creating a prime example of luxury residential living, with a daylight atrium that opens through the heart of the building. 

Their inclusive design plans call for first floor: restaurant, coffee shop and other retail spaces open to the public.  The Second floor: residents will enjoy a pool, gym including a running track, indoor basketball court. To protect the privacy of the tenants and the exclusivity of the other amenities offered to the residents, the building is completely secured, with leasing underway.  The rooftop deck will be landscaped and entertaining space with hot tubs, drive-in style movies, plus plenty of space for soaking up the sun.

The 200+ residential spaces range from studio style to three bedroom and will also have 70+ executive apartments, keeping the architectural integrity of the building.

The Foutch Brothers have been the recipients of many awards for their historic rehabilitation projects, including others completed in St. Joseph.

Further information on Mitchell Park Plaza may be found on their website

More info on St Joseph

I finally had the opportunity to go to this home improvement company yesterday.

Dillon Company opened in the mid 70's as an insulation company during the energy crisis.

In the mid 1980's Dillon's expanded to a complete home improvement company specializing in exterior home improvements and remodeling.

I have read about Dillon's and their superior workmanship but today I had a chance to visit several of their recent remodeling projects with the owner Randy Rowland.  The two kitchen projects were a beautiful change of new kitchens and windows to enhance the quality of natural light.

Randy said Dillon's also specialize in window installation, entry doors, siding, awnings, room additions and sun-rooms.   Their employees are residents of St Joseph and local neighbors, experienced and professionally trained by Dillon Company.

They have over 10,000 satisfied customers completing over 14,000 projects.

Dillon Company is conveniently located on the corner of 12^thand Faraon.

 If you are thinking home improvement give Dillon Company a call.

This is a win for the people of Missouri by bringing the Kansas City Chiefs training camp to the teams home state.

Senator Charlie Shields has worked for several years to bring the current Wisconsin based training camp to Missouri.

The Missouri Development Finance Board approved tax credits that are a vital step in securing St Joseph and Missouri Western State University as the new home of the Kansas City training camp.  The board approved $25 million in tax credits for improvements to Arrowhead Stadium, a publicly owned facility, where the Chiefs professional football team plays.  Part of the credits would go toward building a new training camp facility at Missouri Western State University.  The facility is expected to open in 2010.

The Chiefs could attract 5,000 visitors a day to St Joseph during the training camp.

Missouri Western new facility will benefit the Chiefs for a few weeks a year, but the rest of the year the facilities will benefit Western athletes and students.  Senator Shields said this facility and training camp will bring a new image for St Joseph, as well as help Missouri tourism as a whole.

Many Kansas City residents will come to St Joseph and symbolically builds another bridge with our neighbors in the larger metropolitan area of Kansas City.

One hurdle remains, Gov-elect Jay Nixon's administration including the directors of natural resources, economic development and agriculture must approve because the proposal exceeds a $10 million board cap, according to the St. Joseph News-Press

One more reason to be proud of St Joseph, Missouri

 UPDATED 01/13/2009

According to the St. Joseph News Press today, the ONE REMAINING HURDLE, has been approved