Kennett (Missouri) police recently assisted a U. S. Marshal in apprehending 66-year-old Pearl Elizabeth Martin, who escaped from a Georgia prison. In 1969. How did they track Ms. Martin down? Last Wednesday afternoon, she backed into a parked Kennett police car that was parked in the Kennett City Hall parking lot. A computer check eventually revealed that she was wanted for the escape 40 years ago.
Sometime in the 70’s I interviewed Lee Garrett on the Grapevine, a talk show we did at KBOA. If memory serves, Garrett –who was blind– was in town visiting his momma (or some relative). I recall him being a funny guy. Following the interview, I walked him out to the parking lot (where his driver was waiting) and he said that he could drive himself, but only at night.
I sure would like to know the Kennett connection. Can anyone out there help me with that?
Barb’s pop –Dr. Paul C. Miltenberger– is one of eleven residents (and former residents) that will be inducted into the Hall of Honor at the county library.
To have been considered for induction, individuals "must have distinguished themselves within their occupation, trade, or field of endeavor, through intellectual, creative, humanitarian and professional accomplishments."
Great opportunity to visit with some old friends and spend quality time with family. Took a drive around the old home town but didn’t take any pix. Just too much plywood.
Barb and I headed down to Kennett this weekend. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was there. We used to joke, "Nobody goes to Kennett… you have to be born there." I’m looking forward to seeing old friends.
I’m a little fuzzy on the details, but I think the Dunklin County Library is dedicating a room to some of Kennett’s former citizens, including Barb’s father, Dr. Paul Miltenberger. So the family heading home to show the colors. Won’t be much blogging this weekend.
I always get a few “you filthy perv” emails when I post one of these photos of Kennett’s Favorite Daughter, Sheryl Crow. I promise, I’m motivated by nothing more than small-town-pride. And appreciation for the work it must take to keep a 45-year-old body looking this fine. (I’m getting close to perv, aren’t I?)
What can I say? Smart, talented women in control of their lives is a turn-on for me. Okay, it doesn’t hurt if they’re hot.
The cover is from the October issue of Shape. Previous posts on SC.
I received the following email last week:
“My name is Mike McGuire. While camping at Lake Wapapello a few years ago, I came across a class ring from Kennett HS lying in the rocks. The year is dated 1966 and the initials on the inside of the ring are BDS. I looked up the students on classmates.com and found a Buddy Shivley. I sent an email through classmates.com and received no response. I then did a google search on “Buddy Shivley”, “Kennett” and “MO” and came up with your site.Do you have any way to contact Buddy or his family? I would like to get in contact with him to determine if the ring is his and return it. I know this is “out there”, but it is a true story. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.”
I grew up with Buddy and went to highschool with him. If you know how to get in touch with him, let him know he can stop searching for his senior ring.
Update: 9/25/07 — One ring to rule them all. Thanks to Mike McGuire, Google, and a lot of luck, Buddy Shively will soon be reunited with his Kennett High School senior ring. Email from Buddy:
“Did you go on a trip to Lake Wappappello around the time we graduated HS? (not to be confused with the (in)famous float trip) I remember about 15 or 20 of us went. I remember riding in a boat with Ronnie Carnett pulling in toward shore in water over my head. All of a sudden Pat Brooks was in the water in front of the boat and Ronnie was setting there with his foot pumping an imaginary brake pedal with the boat going on toward Pat. (I think it was Pat and Ronnie – it may have been someone else – but I was still a hero!) I dove into the water (rather heroically, I might add) and pushed the boat away from Pat. When I came up my ring was gone and I really hadn’t thought about it much in what 41 years.”
And today, out of the blue, a Mike McGuire called and said he had found the ring and traced me down. He is sending it to me. What a deal.”
Yes, what a deal. And no, I wasn’t on that trip. But I love the Lord of the Rings flavor of this story. The story of my high school ring was one of the early posts here at smays.com.
Update: 10/11/07 — Bud Shively has his high school ring back.
“Who said it wouldn’t fit? It is as good as new. It sure hasn’t been worn much. I cannot believe it. Mike McGuire, of near St Louis, found my Kennett High School Class ring that I lost about 41 1/2 years ago and graciously had it cleaned at Randy’s Jewelry (you did a great job, Randy’s) in O’Fallon MO and kindly returned it to me.”
“Helluva rhubarb up at the courthouse last Friday. One of the prisoners tried to take his attorney hostage, stabbed her two or three times — not real serious — then took off running down the hall. One of the deputies and the investigator for the Prosecutor’s office tackled him and subdued him. In the process the investigator was stabbed in the face. Everybody says the prisoner was lucky that Raymond Scott was not (still) the sheriff, because Raymond would have killed him right on the spot.”
On her way back from Destin last weekend, Barb stopped off in Memphis to hook up with some Kennett pals and catch The Usual Suspects at B. B. King’s on historic Beale Street. [Photos] The Usual Suspects is a pick-up band made up of some good old Kennett boys: Wendell Crow (Sheryl’s daddy), Jim Baker, Gary Wilcoxson, Darryl Wilcoxson, Doug Carter and Ken Williams. Barb shot a little video on her Casio (she didn’t have a real good angle).
My make-over of “KBOA: The Early Years” is far from complete. But I had to share a snippet from one of the pages. A Tribute to a Country Store was written (and self-published) by Virginia B. Branch. It’s probably the only history of this small country store that got big. Not Wal-Mart big but something of a phenomenon where I grew up. Here’s the paragraph that caught my eye:
“About 1952 television had come to Gobler and each night, out back on the porch of the furniture department, one of these new inventions was displayed for benefit of the general public. It was here that most of Gobler’s citizens saw their first TV. A good-sized crowd was on hand every night. There was only one channel at the time so no disagreements could arise as to program choices.”
And now it’s Tivo, iPods, AppleTV and all the rest. From one channel… to thousands.
I love this photograph of my father. It was taken in the control room (Studio A) of KBOA in Kennett, Missouri, probably around 1950.
Anyone that has ever “cued” a record recognizes that sense of touch and the delicate balance of the heavy tone-arm on the oh-so-easy-to-scratch record.
A skill (if you could call it that) that hasn’t been needed for many years. I’m glad I didn’t miss those final years of high-touch, hands-on radio.
We had one of the early automation systems (for our FM station) but it felt like telling someone how to make love to your girl friend.
And the thrill of having the program director walk into the studio while you were on the air and put the hot new single into “current” box. Is it as much fun to see the new single come into the rotation on a computer monitor?
Before I get carried away, allow me to say –for the record– I don’t miss using a grease pencil and splicing blog to edit tape. If I had to choose, I’d be th digital boy I have become.