TLC logo TLC #110:  August 24, 2008


Dear Hearts & Gentle People:
 
You keep asking what has become of me or, more accurately, what has become of TLC. The answer: summer. And the Olympics. I'm addicted to both.
 
Summer just began about a week ago, and now the Lexington kids are back in school! You know what they say: Life, like toilet paper, goes faster as you get closer to the end. (Well, that sounded cheerful, didn't it?)
 
We've had an unusual summer weather-wise. First we had a lot of rain and cool days early on. It was wonderful for the crops, and we have had a bumper season for peaches and others. Then we had some normal heat, but after the first week in August, it has been cool. I mean cool, in the 70s and 80s for high. Honest. Don't spread that around. Everyone will want to move here.
 
What's new in Lexington? Best overall news: the bond issue to improve and maintain our city streets passed by a good margin. But it passed over two weeks ago, and South Street still has potholes. (Just kidding, guys.) A group of local citizens worked hard to get the issue on the ballot and to make the public aware of it, and Lexington voters came through.
 
We have a couple of new restaurants, we have a lot of renovation going on, we have 42 flower pots on the corners of Main, Franklin and South that look just terrific and add a lot to the town.
 
Thursday 9/11, Patriots Day, the American Legion is sponsoring a walk from Main & 13th to the Veterans Memorial at Main & 10th. I believe I'll take my bad hip and march along. Hope to see a lot of you locals then.
 
This seems to be a good time to let you know (get out your calendars!) that on Oct. 11 the Krazy Kats will perform at the Municipal Auditorium. Dig out your saddle shoes, white bucks, poodle skirts, crinolines, jeans, or even your LHS beanies and be there.
 
For those who don't know - and for those who do - visit www.krazykats.net   (Be sure to put .net instead of .com)
 
The Kats are originally from Moberly and began performing in high school in 1957. By the late 50s and early 60s they were playing at the Auditorium nearly every Saturday night. Much of their continuing popularity began here. They reunited for their 40th (and 50th!) anniversaries, and have been performing regularly since then. "Still rockin' after all these years," and we plan to join them that night.
 
It's old-time rock-n-roll just like you remember it, and this will be a terrific and nostalgic night. Youngsters (under 60) will enjoy it too. Tickets are just $10 ($12 at the door) and only 300 will be sold. The Kats often have sell-outs in KC, so be forewarned. Tickets will go on sale in September, and more information will be sent out before then.
 
The evening is a benefit for "Live! in Lexington," our concert series, which begins Oct. 6 (see www.liveinlexington.org). In addition to presenting 4 or 5 internationally acclaimed acts each season, "Live!" also funds performances at area schools. So, it's a good cause and lively fun.
 
So ends the commercial.
 
That same night is the Class of 1958 Reunion, so all you '58 people come on over to the auditorium when you finish your festivities down the street.
 
I'm sad to report two recent deaths: we lost Paul Fenner LHS '57 and Lee Roy Ashinhurst LHS '58 within the last month.
 
Our social history Tall Tales & Short Stories of Lexington continues to be well-received. We had a lot of fun the other night discussing the history of the telephone system in Lex. A former telephone operator, Christy Magnusen Butler, filled us in on the behind-the-scenes activities.
 
We all shared some fun memories. I'll use my own just as an example. Most of you will identify with this, but you city folks may not believe it.
 
Operator:  Number please?
Me: 220, please.
Operator:  Oh, honey, your Daddy's not at the paper now. He's over at the courthouse. You call him later, okay?
Me: Okay.
 
And now to the mail:
 
Wally '55 Hulver visited with Lee Dresser, lead member of Krazy Kats fame, and I hope to have photo of that on our website. I asked Wally what he gleaned for TLC:
 
Went by to see Lee Dresser at his autographing signing at the library this week. Frank Wansing and I visited with him at length about his time in Lexington. Lots of stories were told ----but I can't repeat them.
 
(Lee has a book out - Was There A Band Here Tonight? - and it mentions Lexington and locals and events that happened here.)
 
When I persisted, Wally said this:
 
One story we talked about was when the Kats got back together in 1980 after about a 20 year lay off.  Freddie (the drummer) didn't have any drums, so our son, Greg took his set down to the auditorium for him to use and he liked them so well he bought a set almost like them.
 
At a recent Tall Tales gathering, we discussed Block 42. Jim O'Malley couldn't be there, but remembers the following:
 
I guess it would be easy to focus on several characters from that era for a few laughs, but I'd rather take somewhat of a global approach when talking about the Block. 
 
Actually there were two Block 42s!  The Block 42 of the day was a busy business scene, especially on the north side of the street.  It was anchored by Entine's Dept. Store, Marsh Drug Store, Gillen's Hardware Store, Malo's Bar, Joe Bookasta's Cafe, the Pool Hall, and the most interesting of all, the Palace of Sweets Bus Depot.
 
The reason the POS Bus Station was so special was that, before the Interstate Highways were built, there were several Greyhound busses daily to Chicago and St. Louis, using Highway 24 for Chicago and, connecting with Highway 65 at Waverly, to St. Louis and on eastward. On their returns the busses would pick up passengers for KC and westward. There was also service from the Missouri Pacific Bus Co. that took daily commuters to KC.  The Palace of Sweets had a restaurant to feed the travelers and they had the only pay toilet in town.  
 
A good idea from Sharon Shurmantine '65 McGuiness:
 
I think the story of Bobby Price would make a wonderful movie.  After all these years, he is remembered so fondly and has become such a Lexington legend.  With all your contacts in your TLC letters, is there anyone with a connection to a screenwriter or director?  I can visualize a movie starting with you and your friends gathering to discuss your newsletter and the good old days in Lexington.  The conversation turns to Bobby Price, and then a flashback to his life.  The town of Lexington is a great backdrop to a movie.  I think a movie that would capture the connection that all of us have for Lexington, the closeness of the community and a little boy/young man who has never been forgotten would be a wonderful movie.
 
Okay, all your screen writers, get busy!
 
Here is another Dr Brasher story, this time from Nola Redden '58 Banister:

Hi to you Susan and all the other TLC readers. First of all, I want to say that I am looking forward to seeing many of you at our 50th reunion. The way time flies it will be here before we know it.

Now I want to share a memory about Dr. Brasher. When I was 7 my parents had my tonsils removed by some other doctor (can’t remember his name). Anyway, a week later I began hemorrhaging. We lived on a dirt road, a huge thunderstorm and heavy rain was approaching which made our road impassable. Dad was gone in our only vehicle to help a neighbor get his hay bailed. Mom called and told them to send Dad home and to leave the car at the end of our road. She took me in a horse-drawn wagon to meet Dad. Good old Dr. Brasher met us at his office and finally got the bleeding stopped. He said I needed to stay in town just in case I needed more care. Well Mom and I stayed in the Palace Hotel, a Saturday night as I remember. Not a very restful night.

Anyway, I survived and continued to see Dr. Brasher for many more years. He even tended to me for the birth of both my daughters. What a great person he was!

Tom '57 Campbell missed me and TLC:
 
Hope everything is going well with you !!!  I just wanted to let you know that I have not received the TLC newsletter for July or
August. I sure enjoy reading them and keeping up on the news from the old hometown.  You do publish it every month, don't you ?? I hope I haven't been deleted from the e-mail list !!!!
 
Of course not, Tomcat.
 
Here's the story. I do try to write a TLC every month. Sometime I have no news in particular to pass along. Sometimes I have so much news or mail that I should do it more frequently. So, just hang in there and be patient. You may always contact me (and I wish you would!) if you think your email address has been dropped from the list. I am trying a new system, blind copies, so please check with your friends who receive this newsletter, to make sure nothing went awry.
 
Hoping for success with that for me and lots of mail from you. And don't forget to  check our web pages at our excellent web pages.
 
Your devoted scribe,
 
Susan
 
 
 
 



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