2022 in review: Successful fair highlights summer
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The following is a review of the news from the second third of 2022 as gleaned from the Palmyra Spectator:
May 4
Corey Mehaffy, executive director of the Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council announced Monday that Doyle Equipment Manufacturing and Riverview Manufacturing, makers of dry fertilizer handling equipment, are expanding operations in Palmyra.
The project will include an additional 80,000 square feet of production space, a capital investment of over $5 million and the creation of 50 new FTE positions.
The Marion County R-II School junior-senior prom was held Friday at the school. Madison Stewart and Spencer Whetstone were crowned the prom queen and king.
May 11
After an absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the spring Truck Rally was back in the PHS parking lot last Tuesday as hosted by the Palmyra R-I Parents As Teachers program. Despite the cold, wind and clouds, the event drew a large number of children and parents to see all kinds of trucks.
Mallory Sublette will be competing this summer on the national level in FCCLA, but has, in reality, been preparing for it for years. Sublette, a PHS junior, took first place at state in the Students Taking Action Star Event and will be competing at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in San Diego, Calif. June 29 through July 1.
Through the help of avid supporters, the Marion County Library has been able to complete a project to install new flooring in much of the downtown Palmyra facility. The Friends of the Library group helped raise money to lay new plank flooring in the young adult, juvenile and younger everyone rooms
May 18
The effort to establish a Community Improvement District in Palmyra continued with a second public meeting last Wednesday. Approximately 15 people, many of them owners of property in the downtown business district, attended the meeting at Hall’s Hall during which feedback was gathered concerning the proposed CID’s boundaries.
The buzz around downtown last week was the bees were being difficult about moving on.A unique site greeted visitors to downtown Palmyra last Thursday afternoon as two beekeepers, Skylar Anderson and Katherine Westhoff, of Buzzed Aster Apiary, attempted to remove a swarm of bees from the overhang in front of Hall’s Hall. Later, thanks to Lee Hall, the bees were safely removed.
May 25
The Palmyra City Council last Thursday gave final approval for the boundaries of the proposed Community Improvement District involving downtown Palmyra and some of the surrounding area.
A baccalaureate service was held for Palmyra High School graduating seniors Sunday in the school gymnasium. Luke Mahsman, a high school math teacher and a deacon at St. Joseph Catholic Church, gave the message.
After having weathered an 0-7 start to the season, the PHS varsity baseball team not only came back with a 12-3-1 turnaround, but they won their way into the state playoffs with a 6-2 district title win over Clark County Wednesday in Shelbina.
The PHS Concert/Pep Band, under the direction of John Hume, took a trip to Branson, last week. On Tuesday evening, they were the opening act for The Haygood’s Show with over 1,000 people in attendance and received a standing ovation. Wednesday morning, they performed at Silver Dollar City for guests as they arrived at the park.
June 1
Explaining the four pillars as to why men and women are willing to sacrifice themselves for this country, W.T. Johnson addressed a crowd of around 100 citizens at this year’s Memorial Day service at Greenwood Cemetery. Johnson, a Palmyra native, who spent two years in service after being drafted in 1969, was this year’s guest speaker at the event, which honored fallen veterans. The service was sponsored by the American Legion Boots-Dickson Post #174.
Commencement ceremonies were held for Palmyra R-I and Marion County R-II graduating seniors this past week. The PHS gymnasium was packed during Thursday’s commencement, which was moved indoors due to the threat of rain.
PHS athletes medaled in eight events at the MSHSAA Class 3 Track and Field Championships Friday and Saturday including Hayes Miller who won medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. Also receiving medals were Candra King, Abbey Redd, Alaina Loman and Sydney Compton.
June 8
A parade of more than 100 boats came through Palmyra Sunday afternoon in conjunction with the Fishing For Freedom event in Quincy, Ill. over the weekend. Area citizens volunteered their boats to be used active military veterans paired with professional anglers for the annual event. NEMO Power Cooperative provided a flag arch for the parade to go through, while American Legion members and citizens lined the parade route along Main Street.
June 15
Palmyra’s annual Flag Day celebration, organized by the Chamber of Commerce was held Saturday under sunny skies. Main Street was lined with onlookers as the traditional parade made its way south from Palmyra High School to the courthouse square.
Work was ongoing last week to maintain the historic old jail in Palmyra. Employees of Pischer Masonry were busy tuck-pointing the brick work and sand blasting the paint off the stone walls of the back of the jail in preparation for a new coat of a paint. Gary Stuhlman, a member of the Heritage Seekers, which oversees the structure and who took the photo, said the original stone walls of the 1858 building, are held together with hundreds of two-pound cannon balls. There is also ongoing maintenance work going on at the Gardner House Museum on Main Street.
June 22
The centennial of the opening of the Fabius Community House in 1922 was marked on a sunny summer-like day Saturday.
Missouri has a new Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen and Palmyra has another reason to be proud. Mallory Sublette of Palmyra, was crowned this weekend in the Missouri Military Academy gymnasium.
June 29
Corey Mehaffy, executive director of the Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council, announced June 23 the Missouri Department of Transportation has approved funding for the Marion/Ralls Regional Port Authority, dba Hannibal Regional Port Authority, to purchase land in Taylor/West Quincy for a new public port development. Mehaffy confirmed his office received confirmation in April of up to $1,670,545 of Missouri Port Capital Improvement Program funding available for purchase of property at the new port site.
Residents of the Taylor area will receive advance warning of dangerous weather following the installation of a new siren just north of the “round house” on the west side of U.S. 61 south of Taylor. The work to install the siren and make it operational was completed by L&B Electronics of Eldon, Mo.
July 6
While teaching, coaching and administrating in Northeast Missouri his entire career in education, Jason Harper had grown a strong appreciation for the Palmyra R-I School District. And, now Harper gets to see it up close and personal after officially becoming the superintendent July 1.
July 13
When Kate and Tony Dougherty’s son, Elliot, was born with Down syndrome, they never dreamed that a few years later, Kate would be leading the national organization, dedicated to improving the world for individuals with Down syndrome. But that’s what happened when the family traveled to the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) in New Orleans, where Kate was elected president of the organization.
July 20
Doyle Manufacturing will get a tax abatement and a refinancing of their current loan, following action by the Marion County Commission. The issue was approved during Monday’s Marion County Commission meeting. Mark Graham, the attorney for Doyle Manufacturing and who worked with the county in 2014 on Doyle’s original request, said they have been preparing all the documents for the refinancing and partial tax abatements, including to all taxing entities.
July 27
Marion County voters will essentially be deciding who will win all nine county offices during this Tuesday’s primary election. There are candidates for each of the offices, but they are split between the Republican and Democratic party ballots with the primary winners set to face no opposition during the upcoming November General Election.
With current revenue not covering rising costs, the Marion County Nursing Home District is seeking voter approval of a property tax increase during the Aug. 2 primary. If approved by a simple majority of Marion County voters, the district’s tax rate would go from $13 cents per $100 assessed valuation to $35.
By popular demand, the fast growing sport of pickleball is coming to Palmyra. Doug Meyers, Palmyra parks and recreation director, said work is already underway to convert the Flower City Park tennis courts to pickle ball courts with the hope of making them available to the public by this fall.
Aug. 3
The week-long Marion County Fair started Saturday with the traditional parade, queen crowning and bull-riding competition. Drew Billups, of Palmyra, was crowned the 2022 Miss Marion County by the outgoing queen, Olivia Lehenbauer during the pageant in Flower City Park Saturday evening. Glenn Griesbaum, of Taylor, was honored this year as the parade grand marshall.
Aug. 10
Republicans David Lomax, John Jackson, Cheryl Damron and Donna Rice-Goodin all won their races for county offices, while the proposed property tax increase for Maple Lawn Nursing Home went down in defeat in last Tuesday’s primary election. According to official results, voter participation was light with only 26 percent of the county’s 19,807 voters casting ballots.
Aug. 24
Zion Lutheran Church celebrated its 175th anniversary Sunday. Over 200 people were in attendance for the service with the Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan, Missouri District president, preaching at the service, Rev. Wes Gehrke leading the service, and Rev. Bryan Drebes assisting with the readings.
Aug. 31
With the help of the community, children could soon learn the joys of reading. The Palmyra Parents as Teachers program, along with help from the United Way, is launching the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Palmyra, which will bring a high quality, age-appropriate book to children from birth to age five every month–for free.
The Missouri Department of Transportation has approved funding for the Marion/Ralls Regional Port Authority, dba Hannibal Regional Port Authority, to purchase land in Taylor (West Quincy) for a new public port development.
Country music fans will be drawn to Palmyra Saturday for a special benefit concert. The Down Country Charity Country Music Concert, featuring Chris Janson and special guest, Michael Ray, will be held starting at 7 p.m. in the Marion County Fairgrounds arena Saturday.
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