FREE - TAKE ONE

THE REGULAR JOE

FREE - TAKE ONE

Our New Pet Project

Jay Kerner
Publisher/Civic Noodge

The new Dog Park is open in spite of not being complete. The dog people
couldnt wait.
Once the fences and gates were in place, there was nothing to stop them
and in they went.
Weve received some nice comments about our small role in the process,
but the real credit goes to the City Council and staff that listened to the publics
request and made it happen.
It just took longer than we thought.
So what now? Maybe its time for a new project?
There are plenty of opportunities, but in the end, we wanted to take on
something even more impactful to our community. Thats why weve decided
to point our attention towards the riverfront.
The Missouri River. The Big Muddy. The Mighty Mo.
That twisting, turning waterway is ultimately, why were all here.
It brought city founder, Joseph Robidoux, and he set up his trading post
along its banks. It carried goods and supplies from the east, animal furs and
eventually crops, the other direction.
It formed a natural boundary between the edge of civilization and the western frontier.
St. Josephs entire identity was closely tied to our place on the river.
But somewhere along the line, we forgot we were a river city.
Were not sure how or why, exactly. It probably was a slow process, taking
several decades.
But regardless of the cause, we think its high time to do something about
it.
Lots of folks use the wonderful walking trail along the river. Its one of our
favorite sections. Hike the strip south from the Nature Center, and youll no
doubt run into countless people you know. But unless the water is especially
high, nobody except the homeless seem to spend much time in the sorry excuse
for what we laughingly call our Riverfront Park.
Originally built as a landing spot for our Spirit of St. Joseph Riverboat
Casino, it has fallen into extreme disrepair since the casino moved to new digs
up-river and the spirit of the park left town when the boat did.
It doesnt look bad from a distance, but up close its pretty shabby. Weve
got gobs of paved parking, but full of potholes. Weve got a boarded up concession stand/restroom building, gutted and useless.
Weve got multi-levels of concrete that lead down to a loading ramp for a
boat that isnt coming.
And weve got a completely unused gazeebo at the top, for no apparent
reason whatsoever.
Some say the park is unused is because of the noise from the traffic on I229
overhead. Maybe thats so, but if some of the talk we hear is true, maybe thats
not a long term problem. Maintenance costs have the powers that be considering decommissioning the overpass and diverting the traffic to city streets.
Weve seen multiple approaches and will be curious to see which one emerges.
There has also been talk for some time about the casino coming back south
to anchor a new riverfront development, but they may or may not.
The citys gains from our increased Hotel Motel tax amount to almost a

million a year, and is earmarked for our newly designated Entertainment District, which extends in a narrow band, east from the river.
There are a number of big, big, possibilities, involving convention centers,
hotels, and everything else under the sun.
We like it.
We just dont want to wait for a major development before anything happens.
We can hope for it and anticipate people following the construction, or we
can do things to attract people now, and watch as the money follows the people.
We want to fix up that park a little and start using it. We want to move the
gazeebo to the bottom of the concrete from the top, forming a perfect amphitheater for bands. We want vendors along that parkway. A farmers market would
be a good fit. A flea market makes sense. A place for artists and crafters and
anybody else that wants to showcase their wares.
But mainly the river. We want access. We want docks and marina service
for boats.
We know several groups are working towards many of these goals, and our
little paper is going to get behind those efforts.
St. Joe is the river city that forgot about the river. But it doesnt have to
stay that way.

Dear Joes

The Voices of America Chorus announced

today that it will be delivering Singing Valentines
on Friday, February 13th and Saturday, February
14th from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. all around the St Joseph
and Maryville areas. Singing Valentines can also
be delivered by phone anywhere in the continental
U.S. A surprise visit from a quartet - dressed for
Valentines Day will deliver a sentimental love
song, a red rose, candy kisses, and a card with a
personal message to your significant other, at the
location of your choice around the St Joseph and
Maryville areas.
In years past, Singing Valentines have been
delivered in homes, offices, retail business locations,
doctors offices, Assisted Living Centers, restaurants, schools, churches, social gatherings and more.
Quartets will deliver the Singing Valentines,
and will be assigned as the orders come in. Cost
is $25 for a telephone delivery and $50 for a live
delivery within a 4-hour time window. Tighter windows are available for a nominal extra charge.
Doug Scheidegger, who chairs the Singing
Valentine program, said we get requests from both
men and women to sing to their loved ones. We sing
to wives and husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends,
children and grandchildren, parents and grandparents. Some will cry, some will be embarrassed, but
almost everyone appreciates the thoughtfulness and
the unique Valentines gift. Its a personal musical
performance, Scheidegger said. We spread love
through harmony.
Don Ransom, whose quartet delivered more
than 40 singing valentines last year, explains that
its a lot of fun to surprise the recipient at work or
a restaurant to sing for them and share that special
moment with them from someone who cares about
them.

Make this
Valentines Day one
to remember for
your loved one, or
your favorite group.
Orders can be made
on-line at: http://
www.vchorus.com
or by phone (816)
387-7236

WANTED Crafters & Artists

for BIG CHIEF Arts & Crafts Show
March 14 ....... (10 to 3)
for more Information call 816-248-2503
Mitchell Park Plaza Art Gallery

Dear Joe,
Performing Arts Association presents Cantus at the
Historic Missouri Theatre on February 7 at 8:00
PM. Tickets are now on sale at the Performing Arts
Association, 816-279-1225.
The Minnesota-based mens vocal ensemble
Cantus announced their 2014-2015 national
touring season and the October 7th release of
A Harvest Home this past September. With the
new season, Cantus launches a brand new touring program - Anthem - Anthem features works
ranging from the Hebrew Burial Kaddish to the
African American work song, Rainbow Round
My Shoulder, to works by Kodly, Holst,
Verdi, Janek and Tallis.
Tickets for the performance may be purchased by phone at the
Performing Arts Association, 816-279-1225 or
at the office, 719 Edmond Street or online:
saintjosephperformingarts.org.

Contact The Regular Joe

816-617-5850
email@theregularjoepaper.com
P.O. Box 1304 St. Joseph, Mo. 64502

Read us online
www.theregularjoepaper.com

Tickets:
One Concert: Adults $23 / Students $10
Both Concerts: Adults $40 / Students
$17
Purchase online or by calling
816-233-7701

Pre-Concert Talk

February 10, 2015 Noon at Lunas Fine Dining

$30 per person RSVP with payment by February 6
by calling 816-233-7701.

Chamber Concert III

February 14, 2015-3:00 PM

Ashland United Methodist Church
featuring:
Lory Lacy, Flute
Meribeth Risebig, Oboe
Randy Cunningham, Clarinet
Claudia Risebig, Bassoon
Sara Giovanelli, Horn
Charles Badami, Piano
Rico McNeela, Viola

Chicago Chamber Musicians

Ensemble
February 15, 2015-4:00 PM
First Presbyterian Church
301 North 7th Street
St. Joseph, MO 64501
featuring:
Joe Genualdi, Violin
Rami Solomonow, Viola
Loren Brown, Cello
Brad Opland, Bass
Steve Cohen, Clarinet
Gayle Williams, Horn
Gregory Quick, Bassoon
Kay Kim, Piano

We dont cut corners,

We clean them.

At Merry Maids, we know precisely, meticulously, immediately,

always the kind of clean you mean. You will receive the highest
level of professional care. From the consultation to the expert
cleaning and the follow-up, be completely satisfied every step
of the way. Guaranteed.

Ready for a professional clean? Call us today.

merrymaids.com
St. Joseph

816-279-8855
stjoemmaids@stjoelive.com

$30 Off

$10 OFF
each of your first three cleanings.

New or former customers only. Can't be combined with any other offer or discount. Additional restrictions
may apply. Offers are non-transferable. Cash value 1/100 of 1 cent.

WHY TNP WANTS TO SAVE THE CRACKER HOUSE

People like Mike Grimm and others from the Cracker House Project,
understand the importance of saving the Cracker House, and so do we at TNP
Historical Preservation & Education Project. We will do everything possible to
save it and give it a new lease on life.
TNP would like to use the Cracker House as a
base location to launch our Tourism through History &
Nature stage of our project which is only one of many
steps to promote St. Joe. We will use it to show visitors and St. Joe residents alike, things and sites about St.
Joes history. These sites are right under their feet and
all around them. After the building is repaired we will
use it as a location to display the man-made and natural artifacts along with maps of the historical sites and
stories that have been forgotten.
Most of the money from sales will be reinvested
to promote more tourism business, museums, schools,
and more.
This project is not limited to the St. Joe area
only. This involves many more towns in Missouri and
Kansas.

We are waiting to hear from you. If we can be of any service please

contact us at 816-364-0080 and ask for Mike.
Thank you very much for your time and interest.

Fridge Worthy
Jay Kerner
Somewhere around 25 years ago or so, I wrote
my first family Christmas letter.
We always received a few clever ones from
some crazy creative family and friends, so I knew
I was going to have to do something different if I
wanted to hang with the pros.
Thats why I added a little bonus: a silly picture
of me in a smoking jacket seated next to my taxidermied goat. (We could talk more about the goat, but
thats a story all its own.)
Anyway, I sent out around 50 copies to folks
across the country, to mostly popular response.
Over the next months and years I experienced a
visceral thrill to discover that picture on lots of my
friends and families refrigerators.
I began to realize that I had crossed that invisible barrier that separates the important from the
mundane, the relevant from the not so much. I had
become refrigerator worthy!
My picture was up there with the good report
cards and the save the date notices. My art, (if
I may be so bold as to call it that), right up there
alongside the hand-traced turkeys and finger-paint
masterpieces.
And a surprising number stayed there for years!
Come the next holiday season I started getting
early requests for the new version. Now the pressure was on. You cant keep giving them the same
ol-same ol.
There were a few hits and some horrible misses
over the next few years. But then, the kids everywhere (and of all ages) got their hands on Photo-

shop, and before you knew it, everybody was an artist, and pretty much any knucklehead with access to
a keyboard was putting out the kind of stupid stuff
that had been my personal domain for a number of
years.
It wasnt fun anymore after everyone was doing
it, so I slacked off for a bit.
Then, the opportunity popped up to do this ridiculous paper, and with it, the chance to inflict my
silliness regularly on an unsuspecting audience.
After doing this going on eight years, weve had
some hits and misses in the paper, too. Weve been
lucky to have put out a few things that resonated
with some folks. Again, weve been excited to have
seen a few of them on refrigerators.
If you think about it, hasnt that simple kitchen
appliance become the main repository for the bits of
paper we hold in highest regard?
Photos. The key-code for the internet. Long expired pizza coupons. The cartoon that just nails it.
Grocery lists, doctors appointments, baseball
schedules and the card from your bail bond guy.
And all held up with little magnets. You can
talk about Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, or any other
titan of American industry, but I wonder about
the dude that invented the
refrigerator magnet. We
may have a car in every
garage in this country and
a dozen or so lightbulbs
in the average home, but
both figures are dwarfed
by the number of refrigerator magnets.
Theres a hierarchy in
the magnet world. The

old-school, heavy duty ones are reserved for the

most important stuff. Over the decades, magnets
have gotten thinner and cheaper, to the point that
some budget-advertisers versions wont hold up
anything at all. Heck, theyll barely hold themselves up there. Yet we still keep them for some
reason. Who throws away a perfectly good refrigerator magnet?
But I digress. (I do that!) Anyway, it always
tickles me to see my stuff on peoples fridge or anywhere else they may have kept them.
When my mother-in-law passed away this fall,
I was touched when I found a dozen or more of
her favorite pieces of mine, cut out and saved in a
kitchen drawer. (Those feelings were tempered a bit
by the fact that I found them under about a hundred
of Alonzos.)
When you create a disposable medium like this,
you get excited anytime one avoids joining their
brethren at the recycler. I guess thats what keeps us
going in the wee dark hours; the idea that something
we produce, just maybe, has a chance at kitchen
immortality. We know we wont hit every time, but
shoot, a boy can dream, cant he?

Mirrors Loft at 111 Breathes New Life into Entertainment District

Brian J. Myers
The nightlife scene in downtown St. Joseph
has taken some major hits in the last few years. The
closures of three nightclubs since 2012 have left a
noticeable void on Felix Street for club goers and
live music fans, many of which have began frequenting venues in other parts of the city, or taking
their business outside of the community altogether.
With the bedrock of the entertainment district
still holding strong (Felix Street Pub, Buffalo Bar,
The Rendezvous, and Fosters), an opportunity existed to capitalize on replacing some vital pieces of
the downtown nightlife.
Mirrors at Loft 111 is actually a rebranding of a nightclub we were operating downtown
ten years ago, says co-owner Tracy Allen. Allen
and her partner, Beth Siapno, successfully own and
operate Buffalo Bar, and decided to reopen their
popular dance club that existed in the space currently occupied by Buffalo Bar.
The newer incarnation of Mirrors is situated
on the upper floor of the building Buffalo Bar occupies on Felix, in the spot that had most recently
been The Villa. Were using more of the top
floor than we did with The Villa, making Mirrors at
Loft 111 a much bigger space, states Allen. We
wanted to take what our customers loved about the
old Mirrors, and make it more modern, with a bit
different format.
The new Mirrors has a large dance floor, a VIP
section with bottle service during certain occasions,
and a fully stocked bar that offers a wide
variety of classic and signature cocktails.
While Mirrors at Loft 111 has
been a choice spot in recent months

for those wanting the dance club scene, fans of live

music will be pleased to know that many of their
favorite St. Joseph bands will be performing at the
venue. With shows from Afterparty and Hubcap Bandits already under their belt, the crew at
Mirrors are already promoting an upcoming Zombie
Valentine themed show on February
13th with Dsoedean, Third Wounded
Man, and Burnstyles. The club also has
a night featuring stand up comedy on
January 31st, featuring KC comedians
Randy Delp and Aaron Naylor, and St.
Joseph comedy veterans Brian J. Myers
and Ryan Gerster.
Were a night club, but we like to
mix it up and have different types of live
music, too, says bar manager Tyson
Moran. Its a work in progress, trying
to create something that looks and feels
new and different to St. Joseph.
Moran, who managed OMalleys
in Weston, MO, was the first choice for
Allen and Siapno to help relaunch and
lead Mirrors Loft at
111. Tyson was a
former employee of
ours, and has done
a phenomenal job at
managing and marketing this business, says
Allen.
You can visit

Mirrors at Loft 111 at 111 N. 5th every Friday

and Saturday night from 5pm to 1:30am. Be sure
to check out their Happy Hour every Friday from
5:30-7:30. The club can be entered on the 5th street
side, or through the Buffalo Bar downstairs.

Woods & Bruce Electric

No job too small!
David Bruce, Master Electrician
816-617-1152

Live Music Hi-Lites

Cafe Acoustic
2605 Frederick

Magoons Deli 8th & Locust

Mon 2/2 Amalgam Jazz 5-9

Tue 2/3 Jam
ALL SHOWS @9:30pm unless listed otherwise.
Wed 2/4 Tracy Huffman
Feb 4 OPEN MIC Hosted by Jason Osborn
Thurs 2/5 Colby Walter and Brian Shank
Feb 6 BBQtioners
Fri 2/6 Levee Town
Feb 7 Iris Project
Sat 2/7 Amanda Fish
Tue 2/10 Jam
Feb 14 Valentines Night with DREAM GIRL
Wed 2/11 Motors - No Cover
Feb 18 OPEN MIC hosted by Jason Osborn
Thur 2/12 Jeff Lux
Feb 21 Scruffy & the Janitors, SLUT & Holy
Fri 2/13 Page II

Mother Exhaust
Sat 2/14 Jerry Forney Blues Band
Feb 22 A Tribute to the Beatles with Tom mayfield, Sun 2/15 Mardi Gras Party 3-7
Scot Brunette & Joe Stretch
Feb 25 OPEN MIC hosted by Jason Osborn
Feb 26 the MODEL STRANGER
Feb 27 The Royal Absinthe Company
Feb 28 Christina Bday Bash w/The HOUNDS
of Bastardville

Eagles Lodge North Belt

Sat, Feb 7th, Friends, 8:00

Sat, Feb 14th Amanda Lynn & Rockn Country,
Sat, Feb 21st No Limits

Lucky Tiger
8th & Francis

First Saturday Live Music

Mon 2/16 Colby w/ Folk Alliance

Tue 2/17 Fat Tues Jam (Jambalaya red beans/rice)
Wed 2/18 Tracy Huffman
Thur 2/19 Colby w/Folk Alliance
Fri 2/20 Monzee Leo!
Sat 2/21 Brody Buster Band
Tues 2/24 Jam
Wed 2/25 Tracy Huffman
Thurs 2/26 Colby does Dylan
Fri 2/27 Hubcap Bandits and Mo. Homegrown
Sat 2/28 Coleman Hawkins Fund Fest 5:30 Close
Rich Berry, MWSU All-Stars, Gastown Lamps

First Ward House

St. Joe Ave & Grand

Fri 2/6 The Transients

Sat 2/7 The Souveneers
Fri 2/13 Hubcap Bandits
Sat 2/14 Enchantment Under the Sea Prom w/
Money For Nothin
Fri 2/20 Gas Town Lamps
Fri 2/27 Dbox
Sat 2/28 Echo

BK Vineyards For
Your Event
BK Vineyards is a wedding/event venue situated on the rolling hills of the
102 river bluffs one mile east of Riverside and Frederick Avenue on Hwy 6. BK
is also a working vineyard with approximately 2 acres of wine grapes.
We planted about 1200 wine grape plants eight years ago with the idea
of providing grapes for the fledgling wine industry of Northwest Missouri. Our
grapes are now in many of the wines being produced in our area. After the grapes
reached the point of maturity in which they actually produced a harvest, or vendage, we became inundated with requests for weddings. However, we had no facilities for anything other than the couple, the witness, and a minister.
So, about five years ago we tore down some out buildings and built a
gazebo and reception hall. We had an old dairy barn that we had to demolish
before the wind took it down. We had to replace it with a smaller version to hold
our vineyard equipment. Later we added a deck to the reception hall. Since then
we have hosted over 35 weddings and many receptions, baby showers, rehearsal
dinners, and other types of parties.
Our gazebo, which is nestled in the midst of our grape vines, will seat
about 45-50 comfortably inside under the cupola, but many brides and grooms
elect to get married on the steps of the gazebo with the attendees seated in the
grassy area in front. We have facilities, parking mainly, for about 90-100 guests.
The reception hall will hold approximately 40 inside, but our patio and deck will
allow expansion for about 20 more. The gazebo can also be used to expand the
seating for parties.
We have catered to the small to medium sized, intimate, weddings and
parties. It has, indeed, been an exciting time on our hilltop piece of paradise.
We feel that we have one of the most beautiful settings for outdoor venues in all
of Northwest Missouri. Come and visit or check out our website, BKVineyards.
com!

RRT Flies!
Picture this: The stage at the Missouri Theatre has been transformed in to
a jungle. The lights are low and green. You sit anxiously in your seat during the
overture and finally the stage lights brighten to reveal the jungle coming alive
with a large gorilla family jumping and playing. The music escalates and you
hear the opening notes from one of Phil Collins greatest musical numbers. The
gorillas split in the middle to reveal TARZAN swinging in from high in the
jungle. Its fantastic and seems like something from a movie. How did they do
it!? This is what we theatre folk so lovingly and simply call Theatre Magic.
Theatre magic refers to many gadgets, effects and illusions during
a live theatre production. From making Alice in Wonderland grow and shrink
right before your very eyes to The Wicked Witch of the East disappearing
through a trap door in the stage during a billow of green smoke, theatre magic
is used in every production no matter how big or small. Flying is just one of
those magical aspects. Robidoux Resident Theatre is currently
producing Disneys Tarzan The Musical and will need quite a bit
of illusion to make the show work. Half the cast are playing apes,
so, stage makeup and costuming will play a huge role in this production. But what would Tarzan be without him swinging from
branch to branch. Who are you going to call? Flying by Foy!
Flying by Foy is the most prolific and widely-respected theatrical
flying service in the world. Since 1957 they have flown everyone
from Paula Abdul to The Backstreet Boys and now our very own
St. Joseph actors.
So, who gets to fly besides Tarzan? Carol Myers, director,
says, In Tarzan, we are going to try to have as many different
actors fly as possible. What actor doesnt want to add flying to
their acting repertoire? We will have Tarzan and Jane flying or
course, in addition to some apes, and a creepy, crawly creature.
It sounds like a heap of fun for the cast but there is still a lot of
work that goes in to keeping those actors safe. There will be at
least 5 people backstage whose sole job is to be on fly crew. They
will

hook the actors up in their harnesses, counter balance the weight, and make sure
everyone is safe then unhook, remove harness and hook the next actor up. Only
three people can fly at once so, the delicate ballet preformed backstage will be
just as entertaining as the show itself.
Flying is important to this show because it allows the audience to feel as
if they have gone to the jungle and to experience life quite different from their
own. Myers adds, Not every show calls for flying and flying doesnt always
fit into a shows budget. So you wont want to miss this opportunity to see
Tarzan at the Missouri Theater. The last time RRT used Flying by Foy was in
2008 for their production of Peter Pan! Myers actually played Peter that year
and is very familiar with the flying aspect. Flying adds an element of mystic
to any show. Yes, the audience knows that the actor is not magically flying
through the air, but we all like to pretend that its possible, so we do. It is part
of why we go to the theatre, to escape and dream the impossible.
Disneys Tarzan The Musical run Febuary 20th, 21st and 22nd at the Historic Missouri Theatre in St. Joseph, MO. Call (816)232-1778 to purchase tickets or go online at rrtstjoe.org to make your reservation! See you at the theatre!

From the Shelf: Elliott Smiths Figure 8

Danny R. Phillips
Regular Joe Music Guy
There is just something about Elliott Smith in
the dark of the new days morning.
The angelic, lost soul voice of Smith, who
passed away by his own hand on October 21, 2003,
washes through the room like the ghosts of lost
love, regret and fragments of opportunities wasted,
friends no longer on your side, friends yet to be discovered.
As I stare into the beginnings of a new life
alone, Elliott comforts me, soothes me and tells me
it will be just fine, much like The Beatles showed
me melody, Big Star showed me perfection and Nirvana told me it was ok to be pissed; and to focus
that anger into words on a page. Elliott Smith made
great albums over his all too short life, be it Either/
Or, From a Basement on a Hill, (a posthumous
offering compiled by his family and finished by
friends following his suicide) or any others I may
have omitted criminally in my words here. However, the one that calls me back is 2000s Figure 8.
Opening with the track Son of Sam, Figure
8 is a showcase of how Smiths musical influences
had affected him. Whether they come from his days
in punk rock bands, his unabashed love for The Beatles and, especially Memphis, Tennessees Big Star,
the gang of rock n roll misanthropes is certainly
present and accounted for.
Son of Sam is possibly the bounciest, liveliest ditty ever written about a dog worshipping serial
killer; light piano work opens the track but, much
like many of Elliotts songs, Son of Sam has moments of anger and confusion.
Somebody I Used to Know really hits home
for me now that my marriage has departed. Now
that youre big enough to run your own show/ Youre

ity: greats of their craft.

They say every writer has one great book in
them, every musician one great album. Figure 8 is
his shot to greatness, Figure 8 is his masterwork.

just somebody that I used to know. It is a story for

failed lovers or someone that just failed at life.
In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)s piano
line plays like it is sound tracking a silent movie,
slowing and speeding up to go along with the action, all while Elliotts voice is layered like seraphim
on high, singing for a sunny day. Elliott Smith was
always looking for a crack in a cloud, wanting desperately the warmth of the sun on his tired face.
Sadly, the sun hid itself away from Elliott, only
peeking from the curtain, only showing up in the
grand arrangements that weave themselves to Peter
Glass as much as The Beach Boys Brian Wilson and
the jagged simplicity of folk great Pete Seeger. Elliott Smith stands with all the other great that went
mostly unnoticed in their lifetimes (look up Nick
Drake to set as the prime example) and only garner
fans and curious onlookers as what they were in real-

THANKS
FOR READING
THE REGULAR JOE!

Its a Nice Day for a Joe Wedding

Jimmy Hambone Hamilton
We once considered putting on a bridal fair. We figured wed book a
space and spend weeks hitting up all the various businesses that make up the industry and put out a special issue. Wed worry and stress and watch the weather, and go into the event not knowing whether Fridays checks would clear on
Monday. Been there. Done that.
We remembered our deal is supposed to be writing about people doing
things, and thats what were doing instead.
So we found a St. Joe bride. One that was just starting the process of
putting together her wedding. One that agreed to share her experience for our
readers.
Let us say right from the git-go that we realize there are all kinds of weddings, from shotgun affairs at the courthouse to the most over-the-top extravaganzas. Like you, weve attended pretty much every type, and have had both
wonderful and miserable experiences across the board. In fact, one of our
favorites all time was held in a field of wildflowers with a potluck reception in
the barn.
No matter how you do it, the wedding itself is no indication of how the
marriage will work out. To us, theres nothing sadder than still making payments on a big wedding thats already ended in divorce. (We know a few folks
in that situation and maybe you do yourself.)
So our recommendation is this: Start with the brides wishbook and factor
in the budget for the affair. Not just a made-up number, but where it is coming
from. Do what you can with the cash you can come up with. Even if everybody lives happily ever after, what seems crucial in the planning stage, becomes
a what-the-heck were we thinking item when youre continuing to make payments on it down the road. Our wish for every St. Joe bride is for them to have
the wedding of their dreams at a price that doesnt bankrupt whoever is footing
the bill.
That being said, lets have a wedding!
You would think that the first item on the agenda after the Will yas and
the Yeps would be picking a date. Nope. First you have to find a venue.
Maybe the most important thing to remember in wedding planning is that there
are lots of brides and a fixed number of Saturdays. To get the place you want,
you may have to be flexible on your dates.
Our St. Joe bride has three that she thinks will work, all towards the
end of this summer. In the wedding world, 7 or 8 months isnt much time to
pull this off, but they have a small window to get everyone there that wants to
attend. If they cant make it work, the next opportunity wont come till the following spring.
The first draft of her guest list is over 200 people, so unfortunately, some
places she wanted to consider were already scratched. There are several really
nice choices that seat up to 150, but the couple isnt ready to downsize at this
point unless they have to.
This would be a good time to mention that our bride is planning a wedding and reception in the same big space. That was a new one on us, when we
saw it the first time a couple of years ago, but it worked so smoothly that we
understand why its becoming a trend.
She considered the hotels and private clubs. They all had nice facilities
and were clearly set up to handle such events, but unfortunately, the dates didnt

work.

She went online to see what else was available, and found some options
that hadnt occurred to her. Some she knew, others shed never heard of. So
she made the rounds and compared notes.
It turned out that her next-to-the-last stop was the bulls eye. Someone
had told her about the Paradox Theater, the recently remodeled space in the old
Mattinglys building on 6th Street downtown. The word theater gave her some
preconceived ideas, so she wasnt overly optimistic walking in.
Beau Walker met her at the door and ushered her into the dark space while
he went to hit some lights. Our bride said she knew the minute the first switch
flipped. She could see the layout in her mind, and it was all over from there.
When he found a single Saturday inside her window next summer, she wanted
to grab it on the spot, but remembered she had one more appointment that afternoon. Beau was nice enough to hold it for 24 hours so she could think it over.
She looked at the last option, but her mind was already made up. She
knew what she wanted when she saw it, and that was all there was to it. She
made the deal, put down the deposit and signed the rental agreement. She had a
date and a venue. The wedding clock is ticking and the crazy starts now!
Look for more Joe wedding stories somewhere inside the issues leading
up to the summer event. As for me, Im going to get the heck out of the way so
I dont get trampled in the love fest.

MUG
SHOTS

We caught these people at

Boudreauxs, Galvins and
the always wacky streets of
the Joe.
If you know any of these
folks, tell em you saw their
mugs in The Regular Joe!

The 9th Annual Polar Plunge will take place Feb. 28, 2015. Brave men and
women from around the area will don costumes and swimwear and take polar
dips into Lake Contrary. Their Reason for Freezin. . . the athletes of Special
Olympics Missouri! All proceeds from this years event will benefit training
and competition for the 1,085 Special Olympics Missouri athletes here in the
North Area.
The Polar Plunge is open to anyone 10 years or older who is a fan of having
a good time for a good cause. The event is hosted by St Joseph Police Department and Maryville Treatment Center and will take place at Lake Contrary.
Day-of registration begins at Noon and the Plunge starts promptly at 2 p.m.
In 2015, 300 Polar Plungers raised more than $60,000 for Special Olympics
Missouri athletes. Each participant must raise a minimum of $75 to participate and can earn incentives by reaching fundraising goals. This years goal is
$67,000 with 350 Polar Plungers. Organizers hope to break the million-dollar
mark across the state with 14 events.
Costumes are highly encouraged. Awards will be given in the following
categories: for the Top Fundraisers, Top Fundraising Group and Top Fundraising School. Golden Plunger Awards for the most creative costumes will also be
presented to Top Groups and Top Individuals.
No wet suits are allowed and shoes are required.
The easiest and most efficient way to register is
online at www.somo.org/plunge. Participants may also
pick up paper registration forms at the SOMO North
Area Office 2300 Frederick, Ste. 204, St Joseph.
All plunging participants will receive an official
Polar Plunge commemorative shirt, bragging rights for
freezing your fur off.
For more information about the Polar Plunge,
please contact Melody Prawitz, Development Director,
at 816-233-6232 or email prawitz@somo.org.

18 -Joe Western

MWSU Wildlife Society Again Named Chapter of the Year

Missouri Western State Universitys Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society was named
2014 Student Chapter of the Year for the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society, the
sixth time the chapter has won the honor in the seven
years it has been eligible.
In the North Central Section, our chapter competes
against some of the largest, oldest student chapters
at some of the largest natural resources management
schools in the country, said Dr. Cary Chevalier, professor of biology and organization advisor. We can be very
proud of the hard work and commitment our student
chapter members invested and the respect and recognition they have clearly earned across eight states and 21
other student chapters.
Missouri Westerns student chapter was honored as
the section chapter of the year in 2004, 2007, 2009,
2010, 2012 and 2014. The chapter was twice honored
as International Student Chapter of the Year by The
Wildlife Society, in 2011 and 2013, and Dr. Chevalier
was honored as International Student Chapter Advisor
of the Year in 2013.
Student chapters are evaluated in several categories, including workshop development, professional
development, contributions to wildlife management,
community service and contributions to natural
resource education. Many chapter activities allow
wildlife and conservation management majors to work
alongside professionals in the field, Dr. Chevalier said,
an opportunity welcomed by the professionals as well
as the students.
It is an honor and privilege to work with such a
high-quality university and staff, said Dr. Paul McKenzie, endangered species coordinator for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. This award is a prime example
of why Missouri Western continues to excel in preparing students for careers in the many different facets of
outdoor conservation. The Fish and Wildlife Service
enjoys the long-term excellent partnership with all of
the staff of Missouri Westerns Department of Biology.
Missouri Westerns students volunteer thousands
of hours every year at Squaw Creek National Wildlife
Refuge, Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and with
the Missouri Department of Conservation. Volunteer
activities include deer surveys, managed deer hunts,
habitat work days, teaching hunter safety classes and
much more.

6
The Yoga Room
816-238-7101
emailewcrechr@@hotmail.com
DeAnn Rene Studios
Gymnastics 2327 Frederick
232-0074
2 Brothers
Affordable Local Trash Service. Now
taking new customers.
262-2330

Problem with alcohol? We have a solution. AA info: district2@wamo-aa.org

816-471-7229
Zion UCC Church
Open & Affirming
9th & Faraon

S&W Tree Serv.

573-819-9103
816-244-5633
Free Estimates
Licensed &
Insured

Now Open 4 Lunch!