Monday, September 27, 2010

Fashion and Fur


The Maryville Maurices hosted Rescues & Runways as part of a national effort to raise awareness for shelter animals in need of owners.
The paper ran four photos I took during the fashion show on the front page.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Docudrama - Reality Check


By Megan Tilk
Posted Sep 22, 2010 @ 07:42 AM

DOCUDRAMA: As the sound of sirens screamed through the air, and the footsteps of rescue workers echoed across the pavement a few hundred area high school students sat in near silence.

The occasion was the annual "docudrama" held for area high school sophomores in an attempt to educate young people about the high human cost of reckless and drunken driving.

Although only acting, the senior students chosen to participate put on a convincing show. The smell of alcohol was thick in the air as a carload of bloodied (with fake blood) teenagers portrayed the part of friends headed home from a party when the "crash" took place.

The other vehicle was filled with high school girls, and the driver sent a text message from her phone.

Within seconds, Nodaway County paramedics, peace officers and rescue personnel flooded the mock crash scene. As the actors let out screams of pain and the drunken driver attempted to flee the scene — The Hangar cinemaplex parking lot in Maryville — first responders went about their business as they would in a real emergency.

The message? Wrecks can and do happen...

For the complete story, pick up a copy of today's Maryville Daily Forum, or subscribe to the Daily Forum's e-edition.

I hate not to share the entire story with you but I must agree with the Forum and ask you to buy the paper or subscribe to the online e-edition. Thanks.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Just the way they want it


By Megan Tilk
Posted Aug 19, 2010 @ 09:03 AM
Last update Aug 19, 2010 @ 09:10 AM

The signs of aging are evident all around, they mirror those worn by the man in charge.

J.D. Hannah Jr. owned the Rea Grain & Feed Co. — the only grain elevator in Andrew County — for the past 57 years. If the rusty elevator shafts could talk, they would share the same stories told by Hannah and his employees over nearly six decades.

On Wednesday, a grand opening ceremony was held at the elevator. Hannah sold the family business to a younger generation.

"There are pictures of dad's grand opening," said Hannah's daughter Charlotte Myers. "They had a band and a dance and a hog roast. It was a big deal back then."

Along with his late wife Genevieve, Hannah raised a family of three daughters — Charlotte, Janet Herbert and Stacy Cole — on a farm about four miles from the elevator.

When the original elevator burned down in 1952, Hannah helped with the clean up and then took over. Over five years, he built the structure that stands today.

For the complete story, pick up a copy of today's Maryville Daily Forum, or subscribe to the Daily Forum's e-edition.

I hate not to post the entire story but agree with the Forum's decision - I don't work this hard for free after all. So please subscribe, get a rack copy or purchase the E-edition to read the rest. - Thanks

Local Walgreens pulls recalled eggs from shelves

By Megan Tilk
Posted Aug 20, 2010 @ 09:00 AM

Following a voluntary recall of eggs produced at the Wright County Egg plant in Galt, Iowa, the Maryville Walgreens has pulled all of their egg products from the shelves.

Eggs affected by the recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in eight states including Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska.

The eggs have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in people and animals.

Walgreens manager Brian Smail said that following the recall all cartons of eggs were removed from the store.

"Anyone that recently bought eggs can bring them back to the store and we will return their money," Smail said. "We are expecting another shipment of eggs that were not involved in the recall on Friday."

Smail said that all brands carried by Walgreens were included in the recall.

According to Wright County Egg officials the original recall happened on Aug. 13 and included eggs packaged under the following brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps.

An expanded recall, which went into effect Aug. 18 added James Farms, Glenview and Pacific Coast.

The recall only pertains to shell eggs and not packaged liquid eggs. The brands come in varying sizes of cartons with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 226 and the plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223.

Other local grocerers, restaurants and convenience stores seem to be unaffected by the recall.

The Maryville Hy-Vee, Walmart, Dollar General and Casey's stores all carry shell egg products, but store managers say their brands are not included in the recall.

School officials around Maryville confirmed that no shell egg products are used in their food preparations.

"We get our products from a vendor who would let us know the second anything were to happen," said Maryville R-II superintendent Vickie Miller. "We do not use shell egg in any of our meals however, so it really doesn't pertain to us."

Local nursing homes also reported that they are not affected.

Village Care Center is one of the few local care facilities that uses shell egg in preparing meals.

"We've contacted our wholesaler in Illinois to make sure our eggs are not involved," said Village Care food service staffer Lesley Oddi.

Fast food businesses that sell breakfast items as well as Gray's Truck Stop and Restaurant in Maryville are also reportedly in the clear.

The FDA suggests consumers who believe they may have purchased eggs comprised by the recall should return them to store where they were purchased for a refund.

A person infected with salmonella usually has a fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea beginning 12-72 hours after consuming contaminated food. Anyone who thinks they may have contracted salmonella poisoning should seek medical attention immediately.

Area archaelogists uncover history in Nodaway County




By Megan Tilk
Posted Sep 14, 2010 @ 08:04 AM

Treasures from the past can appear almost anywhere. For some geology and archaeology buffs the best places are near streams and in rocky outcrops — where skill, patience and a little luck can yield multi-colored rocks, arrowheads and petrified wood.

In recognition of Missouri Archaeology Month, the Nodaway County Historical Society hosted a presentation Sunday that included presenters Northwest Missouri State University geologist John Pope and local rock and artifact hounds Dean Heflin and Alan Coy.

"It's an addiction," Coy said of his collection. "You never know what you'll find, and sometimes you don't find anything."

Hundreds of various rock concretions, agates, arrowheads and early Indian tools were on display during Sunday's event. Several participants brought in their own finds for identification by the three presenters.

Nearly all the artifacts and materials were collected in northwest Missouri.
Coy said anyone can find interesting artifacts and agates — brightly colored stones found inside metamorphic rock — if they know where to look...

For the complete story, pick up a copy of today's Maryville Daily Forum, or subscribe to the Daily Forum's e-edition.

I hate not to post the entire story but I must agree - I don't work for free after all - please purchase a copy or subscribe to the e-edition for the full story.

Police, deputies make arrests in Maryville, county crimes

By Megan Tilk
Posted Sep 16, 2010 @ 07:45 AM

Following two separate incidents that occurred last week, the Maryville Public Safety Department and the Nodaway County Sheriff's Department have made arrests in both cases.

The first incident occurred at Judah Park in west central Maryville. Authorities said the handrails and planks of the wooden footbridge that crosses a small creek in the middle of the park were damaged some time late Sunday, Sept. 5 or early Sept. 6.

A fixture inside the public restroom of the park was also damaged during the incident.

Public Safety Director Keith Wood said officers developed an investigation and were able to identify two suspects. Warrants were obtained and the two were arrested on Wednesday...

For the complete story, pick up a copy of today's Maryville Daily Forum, or subscribe to the Daily Forum's e-edition.

I hate not to post the entire story but I must agree - I don't work for free after all - please purchase a copy or subscribe to the e-edition for the full story.

Caregivers get well deserved pat on the back

By Megan Tilk
Posted Sep 16, 2010 @ 07:46 AM

A project that started more than 25 years ago gained some well deserved recognition on Wednesday morning.

In September of 1984, the first three group homes in Maryville were founded. Today there are 11 group homes each with day-to-day caregivers for the many residents.

Caregivers for people with severe developmental disabilities wear many hats: housekeeper, cook, chauffeur, friend, advocate and can even mean the difference between life and death.

They go above and beyond the call of duty and no day is typical.

But in Missouri, and especially in Maryville, direct care workers are finally getting some recognition. In response to a request from a new organization, Director Support Professionals of Missouri, which local group home workers played a key role in founding, Gov. Jay Nixon has declared Sept. 12-19 to be Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week.

Nodaway County Presiding Commissioner Joe Baumli read the official proclamation in front of a small crowd of those with disabilities and their caregivers deeming the week effective in Maryville...

For the complete story, pick up a copy of today's Maryville Daily Forum, or subscribe to the Daily Forum's e-edition.

I hate not to share the entire story with you here but I must agree with the Forum's decision - I don't work for free - so please buy a copy or subscribe to the e-edition to read more.

Daily Forum Photos

I would really appreciate if you would take time to check out http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/photos. The Forum has had some great photos run in the daily paper and a lot of them, I took.
The site is continuously updated so check back often.

Tilk hired at Daily Forum

By Tony Brown
Posted Feb 01, 2010 @ 07:55 AM

Megan Tilk has joined the editorial staff of the Maryville Daily Forum as a general assignment reporter.

A native of Stuart, Iowa, Tilk graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 2008 with a degree in journalism and earlier attended Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.

"I came here in 2005 for school, immediately fell in love with Northwest and Maryville and haven't found a reason to leave," Tilk said. "I am more than excited about becoming more a part of this community and reporting the news. I love Maryville and Northwest football, and I look forward to getting to know our readers and telling their stories."

Though she only graduated from college a couple of years ago, Tilk already has a significant amount of newspaper experience. She spent the summers of 2007 and 2008 as an intern and police reporter for the St. Joseph News-Press, where she also wrote feature stories and did editorial research for the 35,000-circulation daily.

While a student at Northwest, she served as photographer for the university's award-winning Tower yearbook in 2005, taking over as editor of the flagship student publication from Aug. 2007 through Dec. 2008.

Outside of journalism, Tilk played an active role in several university organizations and philanthropies, including Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, Special Olympics, the Robbie Page Memorial, Dollars for Scholars and Homecoming.

"Megan has that rare combination of enthusiasm, energy and experience that is going to be a genuine plus for the Daily Forum's news operation," said General Manager Phil Cobb. "She has a proven affection for our community and a genuine commitment to her craft. I know that our readers are going to enjoy her work as Megan helps the Daily Forum report great stories about people, places and events across our readership area."