Celebrating the Coolest SUMMER Stuff in

Northwest Missouri

FREE - TAKE ONE THE REGULAR JOE FREE - TAKE ONE

June 2015 Vol 2, Issue 6

2

Mindi L. Phillips, EditorIn memory of my dear Uncle Don, I dedicate this issue to his fun-loving spirit and determina-

tion to keep family and community events alive. Don Supinger, a man who lived most of his adult years in North KC, may not be a name that rings a bell to most NW Missourians, but if I mention the fireworks stand down at Carmack, that wide place in the road between Stanberry and Albany next to the roadside park at the junction of 136 and 169, you might remember his friendly smile. Don had an easygoing laugh and a sunny disposition that belied his hardworking ways. His day job fell by the wayside come June the past 25 years, though, as each fireworks season began.

In my youth, I lived a couple miles north, where Don himself grew up a few decades before, and would spend many a summer day hanging around Carmack, helping him or my cousin Tina with inventory, hanging Black Cat posters, even spending the night there, sleeping in my grandmother’s car, guarding the stand in its early days.

As I grew older, I made it there only for the 4th, as he had a room in the back where family - and those who happened by - ate a potluck that always included whatever deep-fried concoction he was currently inventing. No one was a stranger, and they all went home from Discount Fireworks with a full bag or three, usually at a generous discount, sometimes even a full belly!

As a child, I remember Uncle Don as the guy who showed up at Grandma’s place on 169 south of Gentry, ready to start a bonfire for a weenie roast then dig a hole, set a sparkler bomb, and blow up Grandma’s front yard! Responsible? Well, maybe not eaxctly. But what he did take care of was our family. He hosted family dinners in various venues, bringing us together some-where in NWMO a couple times a year, until he acquired the old building at Carmack and began hosting bi-annual events there, carving turkeys in November, and setting off a display in July that was hard to beat! The wall inside the “family” area is covered in Sharpie autographs and drawings left behind from the family each time we gathered. There also hangs photos of Don’s giant morel mushroom finds. A couple rooms in the back have served as a hotel for family deer hunters over the years.

The marks of family tradition remain, but not because of permanent marker. It’s because of the love and dedication to family and fun, the same kind of attitude that makes up a summer day: bright, shining, outdoorsy, a cold beer, and a little hard work. That sums up the man we said goodbye to so unexpectedly this summer. But his legacy will live on. It’s hard to know a man like him and not want to carry on his traditions, if only to honor him.

Mindi

From the Desk of Joe Northwest

Buy 1 Large, Get 1 Free!

Regular Joe Northwest:We cover NWMO like no one else!

Tarkio, Mound City, Stanberry,King City, Maryville, Bethany,

Maysville, Grant City, Savannah,Albany, & more!

We can be found in gas stations, restaurants, libraries, senior centers,

grocery stores, and shops throughout NWMO. We also deliver to Casey’s,

HyVee, Dollar General, and Walmart stores north of Hwy 36 and west of I-35.

Still can’t find us? Call and ask where wedeliver near you! Want to see us in your place

of business? Request a delivery!

Our “Regular” Contributors:Jay Kerner, founder

Mindi Phillips, publisher/editorDanny Phillips, musicRich Piper, editorial

Paula Hayward, editorial

Contact Mindi at Regular Joe Northwest816-596-0701

northwest@regularjoepaper.com

PO Box 76Union Star, MO 64494

www.regularjoepaper.comClick “Northwest!”

Deadline for all submissions is the 20th of each month

3

4 Live Music Across NWMONew And Ongoing Live Music Events...

ALBANYFri 6/5: Country Style Band, 7pm (TLC Rental Hall)Fri 6/19: Country Style Band, 7pm (TLC Rental Hall)

BETHANYSat 6/13: Bill & Lisa & Green River Survivors (Legion Hall)

CLARKSDALESundays: Clarksdale Opry, 2pm (Hawman Center)

FILLMOREFridays: Music and Dance, 7pm (Fillmore Community Hall)

GENTRYFri 6/12: Ramblin Country Show, Special Guest Brandon Allee, 7:30 pmFri 6/26: Ramblin Country Show, Special Guest Jack Wicker, 7:30 pm

GRANT CITYWednesdays: Jam Session, 6pm (Senior Center)Fri 6/19: Country Style Band, 7pm (VFW/Skating Rink)

KING CITYSat 5/20: Rock N Country Variety Show, 7pm (TriCo Visitors Center)

MARYVILLESundays: Northwest Opry Country, 2pm (Nodaway Co Senior Center)Sundays: Forney and Paxson, 7pm (Eagles Lodge Bearcat Aerie #3669)

OREGONThursdays: Country Music Dance, 7pm (TJ Hall Comm Bldg)

SAVANNAHFridays: Savannah Country Jamboree, 6pm (Senior Ctr)7SEE pg. 7 for info on the Big BAM music lineup!

Your band or venue not listed? Contact us to get on the live music schedule!

Email submissions tonorthwest@regularjoepaper.com

Go to www.regularjoepaper.com and click “Northwest” for your latest issue!

Jay KernerPublisher/College Drop-out

I can’t believe another graduation sea-son has passed without an invitation to make a commencement speech. Maybe my phone was off the hook. Perhaps I was offline for a while. Probably everyone assumed I was al-ready booked.

Be that as it may, I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to share with this year’s graduates some life lessons acquired at my own alma mater (The Institute of Hard Freaking Knocks).

Normally, I would tailor my speech to the particular audience, but under the circum-stances I’m forced to include a little something for everybody.

So we’ll start with the PRE-SCHOOL Graduates.

Shut up you little babies! You haven’t done squat.

Big deal, you know some colors and num-bers. So what?

Sure, you can sing the alphabet song, but take away the melody and you can’t tell a “B” from an “Ellemeno Pee”. Your scissors are rounded off and your shoes are all Velcro.

Society has recognized your ineptitude with glassware and cutlery, and manufactured food and drink in pouches so you can feed yourselves without injury.

Still, they’ll put a cap and gown on you and make a big deal out of it. Try not to poop your pants during the ceremony.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADU-ATES. Way to go! You’re ready for Middle School, yet most of you still need help cutting your own meat. You can’t name the President but know even the secondary characters on Sponge Bob Square Pants. You get lost walk-ing the three blocks home from school, yet know every acre of fantasy real estate on 134 levels of some stupid game on your phone.

But thank heaven for those phones. With-out them you couldn’t do elementary math. Or fling cartoon birds.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATES. Con-gratulations. By all rights, your parents should have drowned you by now. You have made it to the end of a course of study, seemingly designed to foster obnoxiousness. You know nothing yet think you know everything.

Your parents will make a huge fuss, but the truth is you’re insufferable and they fear what will become of you with your anti-social behavior and less than stellar reasoning skills.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. Shut the hell up.

If you are reading this, (fat chance) you have now reached the same academic level as the average Asian ten year old. Look around you, H.S. graduate. Regardless of the “reach for the stars” platitudes tossed out by your commencement speaker, most of your class-mates have already passed the peak of their existence. There’s nothing ahead for most of you but unsatisfying, mind-numbing employ-ment and the long, slow, downhill slide to-ward death.

Some of you will go to college. Some of you will join the military. Some will join the family business. Maybe 2% of you will end up doing anything remotely similar to what-ever your plan is today.

The vast majority of you will trip and fall into a slot, not of your choosing. Like, one day you’re hanging out chillin’ with your buds, and the next thing you know, you’re the assistant to the assistant pit supervisor at the Speedy Oil Change joint and wondering what happened.

COLLEGE GRADUATES. You sorry bastards.

What the hell were you thinking? You’re so far in debt, your kids will still be paying off your student loans long after you’re gone.

You’re going off, sheepskin in hand, com-pletely unprepared for what’s out there.

As a public service I’ve put together a short guide to help various de-gree holders find some-thing they’re qualified for.

English Degree. Consider teaching Eng-lish as a second lan-guage. Start by teaching illegal immigrants. Lat-er on you’ll be in posi-tion to teach Americans once Spanish is our of-ficial language.

Recreation Mgmt.

You’re in luck! There are six Foot Locker stores in every mall, and your years of reffing intramural pickleball games means you’ll be right at home in the zebra suit.

Journalism. What? Was the telegraph course full up? Seriously, did you really think there was a newspaper job waiting for you? Ha ha ha! Welcome to reality, future blogger.

Business Majors should consider starting out in Organized Crime. Once you get used to the treachery and become immune to the sight of blood you’ll be ready for Corporate America.

Psychology. Sorry, there is no practical use for this.

So there you have it. Some friendly tips for graduates at every level.

What?You take issue with some of my com-

ments? You think they apply to everybody but you, don’t you?

Well, guess what? My smart alec com-ments don’t have any more to do with you and your life than any sunshine and balloons speech about the future.

Your future will be determined by the de-cisions you make more than any other factor. Do a good job on the big ones. Take chances on the ones that won’t kill you.

You have the power to be the exception to every rule. Don’t take anybody’s word over your own.

Figure out who you want to be, and the what you want to be will take care of itself.

For the Grads 5

6 Events & Festivals across NWMOALBANYSat 6/6: Northwest Medical Center 5k Walk/Run, 7:30am (Ballfield/Fire Station)Sat 6/6: Firemen’s Breakfast, 7:30am (Fire Station)

KING CITY6/5-6/6 KC Rodeo IRA/URA/MRCA, 7:30pmSat 6/20: KC Tractor Pull

GRANT CITY6/19-6/20 Worth County Smokeoff BBQ & more

MARYVILLE6/5-6/6: Big Fish 35, 6pm (Fri) 12pm (Sat) (Nodaway Lake)Sat 6/13: Maryville Marathon, 6:30am (Donaldson Westside Park)Sat 6/13: Country Showdown Prelim 4pm, Downtown Sounds feat. Jeremiah Hamilton, 6pm

NEW HAMPTONSat 6/6: City Wide Yard Sales

OREGONSat 6/13: Oregon Trail Day & Annual Garage Sale

STANBERRYSun 6/21: 32nd Annual Father’s Day Car Show & Flea Market (City Park)

UNION STAR6/5-6/7: Annual Stacy Wertenberger Softball Tournament

ONGOING EVENTSALBANY: Mon, Wed, Fri: Nimble Thimbles Quilters, 9am (Bookworm Bargains) 2nd Wed: Book Club, 10am (Carnegie Library)BETHANY: Thurs: Dungeons & Dragons, 5pm (Gamers Palace) Fri & Sat: Magic the Gathering, 6pm (Gamers Palace)GRANT CITY: 2nd Friday: Potluck, Noon (Senior Center)KING CITY: 3rd Wednesday: Potluck Dinner (Senior Center) Last Monday: Pitch Tournament (Senior Center) Daily: Cards (Senior Center)

Your event not listed?Contact us at northwest@regularjoepaper.

com to get on our schedule!

136 Highway, Albany, MO

Open Mon-Sat 3pm-1:30am21 & over only - We card at the door

NO credit cards - We don’t take plastic!Pool Table & Shuffleboard

Danny R. Phillips

The BIG BAM (Bicycling Across Missouri) trip across our Great State of Missouri is a weeklong event, spanning the region and covering 300 miles of beautiful sights, colors, music, and comradery.

The ride starts on the 22nd of June after a night spent in Rock Port for a pre-ride party featuring drinks, food, and live music. The really good stuff happening for the general public is the 30 bands playing during the ride.

Tyrannosaurus Chicken The band Tyrannosaurus Chicken marches to its own drum. The band

has a combined 53 years of experience in music, 50 years for Smilin’ Bob and around 3 for multi-instrumentalist Rachel Ammons. This, my friends, is a good thing. Bob brings the traditional forms of psychedelia and the blues to the sound, and Rachel brings blues and trance to create a music that has been called “psychedelta” and “hickstasy.” Tyrannosaurus Chicken avoids pigeonholing into one genre or the other, doing what they wan,t and it’s all working out in the end.

Ha Ha Tonka Ha Ha Tonka, taking its name from a state park in Missouri, are rising

stars on the alt-country front. With excellent releases like Buckle in the Bible Belt, Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South (based on The Shepherd of the Hills, a novel written in 1907 by Harold Bell Wright), and Death of a Dream show that the band is here to stay and can blend country and rock without sounding cliché or bland.

Brody Buster BandA former child prodigy on the harmonica, Brody Buster is lighting up

audiences everywhere with his Brody Buster Band. In his youth, Brody appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Full House, Dateline, and Crook and Chase, to name just a few. Also, Buster has shared the stage with Quincy Jones, the late great BB King, John Mayall, and many others. Just like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, The Brody Buster band is a hard hitting, hard playing, take no prisoners, three-piece blues band, ready to whip any band around with their tight basslines, great drum work, and harmonica playing that would make Little Walter and Sonny Boy Wil-liamson proud.

Tyler GregoryMaking music like it came straight out of the Ozark Hills, Tyler Greg-

ory touches those who listen with his honest approach to singing and song-writing. He has a voice that mixes the deep baritone similar to Crash Test Dummies frontman Brad Roberts with the lonesome sound of a man search-ing for his place in the world. Rustic in delivery, style, and composition, Gregory’s songs have struck a chord with the roots community. If there is any justice, Tyler Gregory will be a star.

Kasey RauschKasey Rausch is a proud Missourian and a very talented performer.

Writing and performing her own music is very important to Kasey, and it shows in her work. Whether it’s “Sweet Missouri,” “My Piney Wood Home,” “Moonshiner’s Dream,” or any of her other songs, there is a purity in her playing, an honesty that borders on profound with every word and is full of hope. Ms. Rausch was nominated for “Bluegrass Song of the Year”

in 2013.Split Lip RayfieldThe headliner for Night Four should make for a very interesting show.

On the fourth stopover, this one in Unionville, the headliner is none other than Split Lip Rayfield, a bluegrass/rockabilly/country act out of Kansas City. They blend their influences smoothly as to reach the audiences that they love so much. Not to mention that with every song heard and fan won, the band changes lives forever, living for anyone that loves to hear basslines laid down on a car’s gas tank turned into an actual bass guitar. Who doesn’t want to see that?

In addition to what I have featured here, many more bands will being playing, including Stone Sugar Shakedown, Shel, Boone County Tick Pick-ers, Brewer and Shipley, Aaron Kamm and the One Drops. (See below for a complete lineup.)

Think of it: five days of riding bicycles through one of the most beauti-ful states in the Union. Come, ride your bikes, listen to thirty plus bands, eat great food, drink wonderful craft beers made right here in Missouri, and be part of the growing tradition that is Big BAM.

For more information regarding registration, camping, show times for bands, or any other questions, visit www.bigbamride.com for all details.

June 21 Festival Pre-Party6pm SP3 9 (Rock Port)8pm Tyrannosaurus Chicken (Rock Port)

June 22 Rock9am Flood Brothers (Tarkio)11am Tyler Gregory (Burlington Jct)6 pm Hoe Down & Talent Show (Maryville)7 pm Brody Buster Ban (Maryville)8 pm The Great Jason Divad (Maryville)9 pm Ha Ha Tonka (Maryville)

June 23 Classic Rock9am David Knopf (Hopkins)11am Kasey Rausch (Sheridan)1pm Jason Redmond (Grant City)2pm The Crooked River Band (Grant City)7pm The Stone Sugar Shakedown (Albany)8:30pm Brewer and Shipley (Albany)

June 24 Stomp Grass10 am The Deer Run Drifters (Mount Moriah)1 pm Boone County Tick Pickers (Princeton)2 pm Ghost River Revue (Ravanna)7pm Acoustic Anonymous (Unionville)8:30pm Split Lip Rayfield (Unionville)

June 25 Easy Riding10am Overton Landing (Martinstown)1:30pm The Big Idea (Novinger)7:30pm The Marcus King Band (Kirksville)9pm SHEL (Kirksville)11 pm After Party at Dukum Inn Bar & Grill (Kirksville)

June 26 TGIF10am Mercer & Johnson (Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage)11am The Meanwells (Rutledge)8pm Opening band TBA (Canton)9:30pm Aaron Kamm and the One Drops (Canton)

Big BAM - the Performers Joe Music - 7

Co-ops are different. Electric cooperatives have loyalties to our members and communities. We care about improving the quality of life in the areas we serve. We have deep connections

here because it is our home too. And you are not just a customer. You are a member, an owner and our neighbor. Loyalty is part of the cooperative difference.

He is loyal

and to the co-op members he works for

to his

hometown

team

to his family

to his

country

Maryville Public Library EventsMay 26 - Aug. 1 - Summer Reading Program for kids

ages 1-18. Must have a library card to participate.Thursday June 4, 5:30 p.m. Story Hour, ages infant to 8 years. Please register by calling the library at 582-5281.Tuesday June 16, 6:15 p.m. Story Hour, ages 3-8 years.

Please register by calling the library at 582-5281.Thursday, June 11, 3-5:30 p.m. Super Movie Night fea-

turing Captain America:Winter Soldier. Teens 12-18.Thursday, June 18, 4-5:30 p.m. Super Crafty Night for

teens ages 12-18. Registration required, call 582-5281.Every Tuesday in June - Preschool Story Hour for ages

3-8, 9:45-10:45 a.m. Register by calling 582-5281.Every Thursday in June - Book Nibblers, stories and

songs for ages infant to 3 years. 9:45-10:15 a.m.Scholastic Book Fair June 6-13.

By Rich Piper

Positive perceptions have power in shaping the memories of our past, the moments of our present, and the momentum towards our future.

Here in the land of The Regular Joe of Northwest MO, positive percep-tions involving our – whether individual or community – past, present, and potential; are perhaps strongest when it comes to our past.

From generation to generation positive, meaningful stories from the past are told and retold about family members, significant people of the community, or of the community itself; whether that past be recent or be-yond a century mark in occurring.

And while I say they are positive stories, I do not mean to suggest that they are without tragedy, or conflict, or even pain or shame – for it isn’t the event or occurrence that makes it positive, it is the message that is intended to be conveyed that is positive. That is useful. That has meaning beyond the story or memory itself.

Yet, perhaps very humanly, even with, or perhaps occasionally because of, the positive perceptions of the past, many folks, and their collective communities, might seem lacking in positive perceptions: present.

A gap is seen, a divide is experienced, a disconnection is perceived, between what was and what is; and the preference becomes what was, over what is. With this preference over what was, often comes the likely lack of hope for the future.

Yet, this never needs to be the case.In fact, the only thing we cannot do anything about, interestingly, is that

which we tend to be most positive about – the past.The truth, whether it is regarding us as individuals or communities,

however is that we can shape our situation, present and future. But we can-not reshape the past.

To improve our positive perception of the present, as individuals or as a community, we first must look at the present and realistically reflect, and then decide to become response-able.

We need to reflect, to thoughtfully ponder, the present we live in utiliz-ing a realistic mindset. Which probably will result in our realizing it is bet-ter than the worst we think of it, and has more difficulties present then we would like to acknowledge.

Too often the good things, that should be cherished and celebrated about the present, become so common that we place them so into the depths of our consciousness, such that we are, in practicality, unaware of them on a regular, daily basis.

Other folks, usually those who know they are lacking in those positive elements of the present, see what we have and crave those very things.

An example might be the abundance of trees that are all about this land of the Regular Joe of Northwest MO. Do we really recognize the presence of one or two trees, let alone a thick forest, during our everyday travel. Yet it is one of the first things seen with awe and wonder by folks more accus-tomed to concrete than conifers.

However, if we are to be realistic in our reflection of the present, a somewhat opposite yet similar process needs to be recognized in that we tend to become so familiar with the broken, or disrepair, that we also no longer recognize it. Though, it may weigh heavy on our unconscious ability to stake out a positive perception of our present.

Such disrepair might be in relationships or real estate, or any of a vast

number of situations in our individual lives or within the communities in which we live and work. But often, it too becomes so commonly present that we no longer see it. And if it is unseen, we cannot do anything about it.

Here, one the oldest examples is the broken window, which could be an actual example or just as easily serve as a metaphor for something else broken, or in disrepair, within our individual or communal lives.

If it exists long enough, the cracked or even absent glass of a window, while still existing in reality, no longer exists within the span of our con-scious recognition. It is real. It is really there. It just doesn’t exist for all practical purposes.

Yet what we have learned about broken windows, both literal and sym-bolic, is that unattended brokenness attracts further brokenness. A broken window left unrepaired will eventually be joined by more broken windows, to be later joined by even more broken windows.

To be able to realistically reflect on the present, and thoughtfully rec-ognize the negatives, the “broken windows,” as well as the positives, will then make it possible for us to act to build upon the positives of the present, as well as work to diminish the negatives of the present. The very acts of which will actually help us to develop a positive perception of the present.

This second step is where we, individually and collectively, become response-able. Not responsible, for most of the good stuff was not our do-ing – nor was most of the bad stuff our doing. Instead, we, seeking to build a positive perception of our present, decide that we can be, and will be, response-able.

That we are able to take the present into our own hands and shape it into that positive perception we wish it to be, now and beyond, the present and potential.

Rich has spent most of his adult life living and/or working in small, ru-ral communities in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri, including several long stretches in Northwest Missouri. Rich chooses to spend most of his week-day, daytime hours teaching students science, and other things, in Union Star. He also chooses to spend his Sundays, and some other occasional time, with the good folks in Cainsville. You can reach Rich at RichPiper@LifePraise.org with comments.

Positive Perceptions: Past, Present, Potential 9

Hundreds of bikers will be riding for a reason on June 5, 2015, during the 13th annual, two-day, Ride for Ryan memorial fundraiser honoring Ryan Consolver.

Beginning June 5th, community members are invited to the Rock for Ryan pre-party in Downtown St. Joseph at the Coleman Hawkins Park, featuring music, food, and fun!

Rumbles of the ride will begin with registration at 10am for riders at St. Joe Harley Davidson, located at 4020 S. US 169 Highway. All makes of motorcycles are welcome. The cost $20 per rider, with children under the age of 16 free.

The 85-mile ride begins at noon and will travel through Amazonia, Filmore, and Savannah with a scheduled lunch at the Sa-vannah Middle School, located at 10500 State Route T, at approximately 1 to 2pm.

The ride will conclude around 3:30pm in Down-town St. Joseph along Felix Street from Fifth to Eighth Streets. Spectators can view the parade of bikes best along the parking garage between Fourth and Fifth Streets, across from the Corby Building.

Approximately 30 vendors, including food and merchandise, will be set along Felix Street Square/Coleman Hawkins Park at Eighth & Felix streets from 2 to 6pm. Live entertainment will include live and silent auctions, plus music at the gazebo and in-side Downtown pubs throughout the evening.

The 13th Annual Ride for Ryan event kicked off as a family fundraiser by a local family honoring the late Ryan Consolver, who died in a motorcycle accident in Kansas City, at the age of 24 in 2002. The memorial birthday party has benefited area high school students with similar passions as Ryan with interests into construction/engineering-related schooling interests.

To date, 144 students have been awarded $144,000 in scholarships.

Visit www.rideforryan.com for more informa-tion.

10 13th Annual Ride for Ryan

Thomas WilliamsRich Hill (2014) ***1/2 (3 1/2 stars)

In this interesting, engrossing, and yet depressingly bleak-yet-watchable documentary from filmmaker cousins Andrew Droz Pal-ermo and Tracy Droz Tragos -- who both have familial ties with the rural Missouri town that shares its name with the documentary -- Rich Hill follows the lives of three disadvantaged albeit “normal” for Rich Hill youths whose futures don’t offer up much promise as the town is slowly dying and poverty is overtaking its livelihood. While some of the citizens in the town still live an affluent life and maintain a high standard of living, their very neighbors live in abject poverty as those “whose sh*t don’t stink” looks down upon them wishing the lower rungs of society would simply disappear.

Sadly, coming from Missouri, I know this pattern is repeated in town after town. This story is an honest one, although there is a bit more to the stories of some of these boys (the three youth it follows are all male) that isn’t dived into in this film, as two are heavily medi-cated with one refusing to take them himself (his mother is overcome and can no longer handle him).

One hard-working kid in the film -- along with the story of his own family -- could have made for a better film regarding the hard-ships of the underprivileged trying to “make it” without decent em-ployment, an ill parent, and active children in high school whose only chance at advancement is through success at school (which isn’t allowed because of the snooty classmates who look down upon them). This kid tries to find random jobs around town to pay for gear to play for the high school foot-ball team while professing his devotion to God who seems to never hear the boy’s prayers (the kid has a very wise response to this “my con-cerns are much lesser than others”) and the kid is a rather remarkable one as he worries about the well-being of both parents and his younger sister.

The other two boys are a trying watch ... but it is a realistic depiction of what people in pov-erty, broken homes, or abusive situations might find themselves in. I’m thankful for the film “going there,” wanting to get its audience to understand instead of judge. Many can...others will criticize and find immediate fault without trying to understand...and that is what Rich Hill itself does.

The town ignores human beings with noth-ing in their very own community, while those with a bit of money and prestige (in a town of 1,300 -- big whoop!) proudly flock to the town square during the town’s yearly (4th of July?)

celebration to boast that some can afford to spend thousands of dol-lars on a single pie for a fundraiser that clearly doesn’t help those in the town in need. The pie sale simply makes those with money feel better about themselves...and the others be damned.

They’ll have their pie...and eat it too. The others most likely won’t even be offered the crumbs.

It is a sad watch, but an honest one. I’ve read that some have criti-cized it for being too heavy-handed; but I must say -- if ANY human is living a few doors down from ANY of us in this squalid of condi-tion, we should ALL be ashamed.

Hitting Close to Home - Rich Hill Joe Cinema-11

TRIVIA: Ha Ha Tonka is a band named for a State Park. In what Missouri county is the park located? Answer on Pg 12.

12 Joe Classifieds

WANTED: Aspiring writers to submit articles of general interest or NW Missouri

content, as well as short stories. Email us at Northwest@RegularJoePaper.com for more

details. Photos are also welcome.

YOUR AD HERE!Contact us for rates on display and

classified ads. We strive to support in-dependent and small business people

in the Northwest Missouri community by providing competitive rates!

816.596.0701 or northwest@regularjoepaper.com

Trivia answer from page 11:Camden.

Lord’s Warehouse donations needed:coats & food items

E of Albany on Hwy 136660-726-4297

Shannon BondIf adventure by bicycle, live music, festivals, and craft beer are

your thing, then Bike Across Missouri looks like your kind of ride. This is the first year for the 300 mile, 30 band, five day cycling ex-travaganza. If the venue is ringing a mental bell, then you’re think-ing of Iowa’s vastly popular RAGBRAI. In fact, RAGBRAI is the inspiration and model for this new state traversing adventure. It has been concocted by Missouri Life Media, who publishes Missouri Life Magazine, and owns Off Track Events, who happens to put on Ped-aler’s Jamboree. Pedaler’s Jamboree is a Katy Trail adventure, which is shorter in length and many miles south, but also filled with music and beer. You can visit www.pedalersjamboree.com and www.mis-sourilife.com for more information about those high quality Missouri productions.

While Pedaler’s Jamboree caters to the cyclist and non-cyclist alike, the Big BAM is strictly for those who enjoy extended time in the saddle. The five day adventure begins with a party in Rock Port, Mo. on Sunday, June 21st. Riders and support crews will partake in craft beer, food and performances by SP3 and Tyrannosaurus Chicken. Af-ter camping for the night, cyclists will mount up and ride to Maryville for the first leg of the journey. There are stops with live music at Tarkio and Burlington Junction along the way. While the first day is only 40 miles, the next day’s ride to Albany jumps up to 64 miles. Of course all of the daily schedules include small town stops filled with local charm, vendors, and bands offering everything from delta blues to folk rock. The adventure continues throughout the week with the longest day adding up to a grand total of 81 glorious pedal spinning miles. The organizers are anticipating about 2,000 riders so there will be plenty of company as cyclists wind their way through the rolling Northern Missouri landscape.

A luxury shuttle service is being offered, which will take riders from the final destination on Canton, Mo. all the way back to the start-ing point, in order to retrieve parked vehicles. The price tag on that cross state journey is only $95 and it probably takes less than five days to do it in a luxury bus. Hopefully the riders have a chance to jump in the shower before jumping on the bus. If riders do like the idea of creature comforts, like showers, they can opt in to the “Shower and

Comfort package” for only $75. According to the website riders get a hot shower every day, private dressing areas, towels, phone charging access, duffel bag transfer, access to a shaded social zone, and a com-plimentary craft beer at every overnight town.

While Missouri has a lot of festivals and fitness events, this looks like a fantastic merging of the two. It’s not a race, obviously, it’s more of a cultural blend of bike touring, brew and bands. As such, it may serve as a nice break for athletes who are pounding the United Fed-eration of Dirt series, Legend Triathlon series or any other cycling race series. Even if a rider isn’t able to take an entire week to cruise across the state, there is a $35 single day pass option. The full five day package costs $135. It’s important as cyclists, athletes, and Missouri enthusiasts to understand that it costs money to put these events on, not to mention run a magazine featuring the best of Missouri. Just like volunteering at your local trails on maintenance day (if you’re a trail runner or mountain biker), this looks like a great way to support Mis-souri cycling, local artists, and brewers.

For more information you can visit www.bigbamride.com. The site lists all of the towns, artists, and schedules. The route map provides a useful overview and the FAQ’s are thoughtful, for example riders can indeed have their own support and gear (SAG) vehicles. Not only that, the race organizers will give them a permit and safety guide. It seems like a classy event being put on by professionals. Check back with Joe Adventure (online at www.theregularjoepaper.com or in print at your favorite location) after the event for a recap. Of course, we hope to see you out there, just look for the Regular Joe Adventure jersey and say hi (if the wearer of that jersey is lying in the ditch halfway to the next town, don’t panic, we’re sure it’s not serious and the SAG wagon will likely be along any moment).

Along with being an avid cyclist and a writer, Shannon Bond is, in his words, a curious, creative, life long learner, and technology ad-vocate who is continually fascinated by innovations as a society and how we interact with our technology. He says, the objective is to keep growing creatively and remain passionate about design, communica-tion and technology.

13 The Big BAM Promises Big Adventure

14-Joe Northwest Alumni sponsors days at Omaha zoo, Worlds of Fun

Alumni Association sponsoring days at Omaha zoo, Worlds of Fun

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University alumni and friends of all ages are invited to gather with fellow Bearcats and enjoy a day at two of the region’s most popular at-tractions this summer.

The Northwest Alumni Association is sponsoring Northwest days at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium on Saturday, June 6, and at Kansas City’s Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun on Saturday, July 11.

Tickets for Northwest Day at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium are now available for $10 each by registering on-line at www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni/. Each ticket includes ad-mission to the zoo and Bearcat giveaways.

Northwest visitors to the zoo are invited to stop by the green Northwest alumni tent at the zoo’s main admission gate between 9 a.m. and noon to pick up admission tickets or to just say hello and register for giveaways.

Details also are being finalized for Northwest Day at Worlds of Fun. Tickets are $30 and must be purchased in advance by visiting www.worldsoffun.com. In the upper right corner of the website, enter NWBearcats15 in the promo code box and click GO.

Alumni and friends also may pre-purchase picnic tickets to join Bearcat family members for lunch from 1-2pm. The menu includes sub sandwiches, all-beef franks, kettle-style potato chips, coleslaw, Coke products and dessert. Giveaways and prizes for Northwest Alumni and Friends will be available at the

green alumni tent in the Scandinavia area.For more information about either event, contact the

Northwest Alumni Association at alumni@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1248.

Free Summer Movie SeriesRon Houston Center for the Performing Arts, College Park

DriveTwelve movies make up this year’s series, which is free

and open to the public. Movies are shown each Tuesday night, through July 29.

Tue, June 9, 7pm & 9pm CinderellaTue, June 16, 7pm & 9pm Run All NightTue, June 23, 7pm & 9pm The Hunger Games: Catching FireTue, June 30, 7pm & 9pm Age of Adaline

For more information about Northwest Missouri State Uni-versity visit www.nwmissouri.edu/media/

Big Fireworks for Small Towns Elmo and Union StarDanny R. Phillips

Yes, I am from the country, and no, contrary to what Luke Bryan would tell you, it is not a place full of fun times and mudathons. No, I hated the country to the point that, when the opportunity arose, I headed for concrete and cars, glass and asphalt; I was where I wanted to be. From then on, I kept away as much as possible.

On a recent lazy Saturday, a friend of mine and I went to her hometown (Elmo, MO, population 166), and it brought me back home, in a sense. Driving down blacktops, gravel roads that disappear from view, only to reappear under some brush, bean fields, dead still ponds, barns with corpses of rusted Chevys. As we drove along, a faint sound of guns dis-charging in the distance grew as we drove. Soon we had the place nailed down: we were at a one lane bridge where The Gypsy Shaman held court, presiding over the dead clay pi-geon fields and a shot dead, 9mm riddled tree. Finally, in that moment I had done it - I had perfected time travel. It was a redneck bachelor party, and we did them the same exact way twenty-five years ago in my hometown ( Mendon, MO, popu-lation 247).

Here is the good and bad of it. In a small town, everything often stays the same. But what I saw in Elmo as I always did with Union Star, my former home base and where my kids were raised, is a town, a community that loves one another, cares about one another and will always be there if someone falls. These people like to celebrate their country, their town, and their people when 4th of July rolls around.

The town of Elmo holds a big day of events for the 4th of July weekend. Inflatable bouncy things for the kids, food, drink, music, and a gigantic fireworks display after dark. This year’s celebration will be the town’s 65th, and many fun things are planned to commemorate the milestone.

This year’s celebration will be held on June 27th in Elmo City Park, located on the east side of town. There will be a 5K Run/Walk, a pancake breakfast, a late afternoon parade, games for the kids, music from the band Michael Goff and Broken Spoke, and fireworks. One new edition is a volleyball tournament held on an inflated volleyball court.

After celebrating with the good people of Elmo, head to another great small town, Union Star, for that wonderful com-munity’s own July 4th Celebration. This year the fireworks

will be held on July 5th, so if you are a firework or funnel cake junkie, you’ve got two chances, great chances, to experience revelries and the great people of two outstanding Midwestern small towns.

In addition to the fantastic fireworks display, Union Star will have live music from the band Echo on Saturday night, local favorites Rick and Manda Lynn to bring your favorite country tunes to life on Sunday evening, and all ending big on July 5th after dark with everyone’s favorite, the massive fireworks display.

These are the things, the people that make me, in my quiet moments, miss the country, miss my old life cleaning up after chickens and being chased across the yard by a very ornery goose my mother once had in the menagerie. I was too young to see the love of the Midwestern countryside, too angry to take a breath, too lost to find a path, too stubborn now to look back. If you like great people, great food, great fireworks and games, visit Elmo and Union Star. You will not regret a little time in the country, being part of those communities, whether you are a resident or not.

I guess the country isn’t so bad after all.Danny Phillips’ music and pop culture musings regularly

appear in online and print publications including Missouri Life Magazine, American Roots, Blurt Magazine, Deli Mag-azine, Popshifter, and The Regular Joe. Listen to his free form podcast “Don’t Have a Clue” the 2nd Saturday of every month at 4pm on www.stjosephmusicfoundation.org

15

Regular Joe is looking for your stories of Northwest Missouri past - your childhood memories, old traditions, favorite corner store...Photographs are also welcome. Email us at northwest@regularjoepaper.com

Since 1894

St. Francis Hospital & Health Services is proud of its long relationship

and strong roots in northwest Missouri. On September 8, 1894, the same

year of the St. Louis World’s Fair, we began as St. Joseph Hospital, a

12-bed facility located in a house on three acres of land next to St.

Mary’s Catholic Church (now St. Gregory’s Catholic Church).

Our first patient, Thomas Kidney, was admitted a week before we

officially opened, heralding a commitment to patient care that has long

been a hallmark of this hospital. Today, St. Francis Hospital & Health

Services is a 81-bed, Joint Commission Accredited, full-service acute

care facility, with advanced programs in women’s health, surgery, sports

medicine and mental health to name just a few.

As we look forward to our future together, St. Francis Hospital &

Health Services remains committed to this community and will

continually strive to provide the highest quality of healthcare!

A Mission Of Service

For 120 Years

660-562-2600 • www.stfrancismaryville.com • 2016 South Main Street • Maryville, MO 64468

Thanks to St. Francis Hospital for supporting the Regular Joe

Tell them you appreciate their support of the NWMO community!