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Old Drum Network
An Alternative News Source for Warrensburg and Johnson County Missouri
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The Gadfly
The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette, beginning May 27, 1999 and last updated
October 31, 2005

For prior year postings, see the Archives for
2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 - 1999


Latest Postings

Gadfly 315 Submitted for 11/3/2005, is a final "farewell" to the Gazette and also discusses the upcoming sewer bond issue.

Gadfly 314 Published 10/27/2005, talks about the need for aggressive investigative reporting in what is likely to be a one-paper town with the impending demise of the Gazette.

Gadfly 313 Published 10/20/2005, comments on the juxtaposition of CMSU homecoming and citywide trash pickup.

Gadfly 312 Published 10/13/2005, comments on the "silence of the lambs" in belated public protest of the Hawthorne TDD.

Gadfly 311 Published 10/6/2005, addresses the contretemps placed on the City by the effort to turn the Opera House into aparments.

Gadfly 310 Published for 9/29/2005, talks about the Regional Planning Commission's impecunity.

Gadfly 309 Published 9/22/2005, comments on the decision to finally allow memorial bricks for pets around the Old Drum statue.

Gadfly 308 Published 9/15/2005, takes another shot at the proposal for mandatory curbside recycling.

Gadfly 307 Published 9/8/2005, is my annual lament over the absence of a fall festival in Warrensburg.

Gadfly 306 Published 9/1/2005, reacts to the City Council's cave-in on the "Wal-Mart" sales tax to benefit Hawthorne Place and wonders about compliance with the Sunshine Law.

Gadfly 305 Published 8/25/2005, gives the latest status on the "Wal-Mart" sales tax to benefit Hawthorne Place.

Gadfly 304 Published 8/18/2005, Contains even more detail on the nefarious proposal for a "Wal-Mart" sales tax to benefit Hawthorne Place.

Gadfly 303 Published 8/11/2005, is an update and call to action on the "Wal-Mart" sales tax to benefit Hawthorne Place.

Gadfly 302 Submitted for 8/4/2005, looks at the recent resignations of two local officials. (not published)

Gadfly 301 Published 7/28/2005, strongly condemns the attempt by the developers of Hawthorne Place to get a special sales tax for their development.

Gadfly 300 Published 7/21/2005, comments on the inherent problems of government subsidies for economic development in view of a new Missouri law.

Gadfly 299 Published 7/14/2005, lauds the completion of Blind Boone Park as an example of community work.

Gadfly 298 Published 7/7/2005, provides some philosophical analysis of the Declaration of Independence.

Gadfly 297 Published 6/30/2005, discusses the "Kelo" decision and mentions responses by local officeholders to qustions on eminent domain.

Gadfly 296 Published 6/23/2005, uses some Western analogies to comment on the visit by the official consultant to the Warrensburg branding initiative.

Gadfly 295 Published 6/16/2005, reports on a meeting held to discuss county actions to comply with another unfunded mandate, the "Help America Vote" act.

Gadfly 294 Published 6/9/2005, pokes some fun at the local "Greenies" and suggests they ought to look at political action using an alternative party rather than trying to force officials to listen to them. I also suggest the Libertarian Party as a counterweight to the "Greenies".

Gadfly 293 Published 6/2/2005, invites people to attend the 5th Annual Blind Boone Music & Arts Festival on June 11th.

Gadfly 292 Published 5/26/2005, lets fly at the Regional Planning Commission for spending money it doesn't have and for its grandiose planning activities of the sort we've regularly voted down. We've been snookered.

Gadfly 291 Published 5/19/2005, covers upcoming tourism-related events and asks Warrensburgers to support them.

Gadfly 290 Published 5/12/2005, reports on real progress noted at a tourism-related meeting last week, as well as what else needs to be done.

Gadfly 289 Published for 5/5/2005, observes the effect of consultants, who don't have to stay around to see the results of their advice.

Gadfly 288 Published 4/28/2005, comments on the newest jail proposal and how it could affect downtown.

Gadfly 287 Published 4/21/2005, highlights the new directional signs in Warrensburg, the non-funding of the MO-13 bypass, and local events.

Gadfly 286 Published 4/14/2005, further deplores the apathy exhibited by voters, candidates and media at the municipal election.

Gadfly 285 Published 4/7/2005, talks about Warrensburg's Spring Cleanup days and recycling.

Gadfly 284 Published 3/31/2005, discusses Warrensburg Sesquicentennial events and the inadequacy of the taxpayer-funded sesquicentennial website.

Gadfly 283 Submitted for 3/24/2005 but not published, takes humbrage at the total lack of adequate & timely information for the April municipal and school board elections.

Gadfly 282 Published 3/17/2005, describes the latest version of the downtown horror story, Invasion of the Bumpouts.

Gadfly 281 Published 3/10/2005, ridicules the consultant proposal for a complex city-run trash system to replace the current free market holders.

Gadfly 280 Published 3/3/2005, talks about HB348 which would make rural areas subject to Knob Noster zoning to protect Whiteman AFB, and suggests that only the Libertarian Party is fully committed to property rights.

Gadfly 279 Published 2/24/2005, takes issue with the "development agreement" tax break for Family Video on the grounds that, among other things, does not properly account for shifts in market share.

Gadfly 278 Published 2/17/2005, attacks the legislative proposal to allow school districts to charge sales or income taxes.

Gadfly 277 Published 2/10/2005, condemns the alleged racial incident in Warrensburg, but cautions the city to avoid a "hate crime" ordinance.

Gadfly 276 Published 2/3/2005, reports on HB215, which would allow Warrensburg to annex highway rights-of-way out to 2.5 miles from existing city limits

Gadfly 275 Published 1/27/2005, responds to a letter by Mark Pearce advocating "fixing" social security by raising taxes.

Gadfly 274 Published 1/20/2005, comments on the problems with the Warrensburg Sesquicentennial website, www.visitwarrensburg.org - don't bother to visit that website unless you have broadband.

Gadfly 273 Published 1/13/2005, offers a "brand" for Warrensburg. See also Gadfly 271


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