The children's refrain, "It's A Small World" came to mind recently while sitting in the chair at Dr. Rick Jones' office. His assistant, Linda Rainey, when she had me upside down in the chair with both hands stuck down my throat, told me about a recent telephone conversation that took place between the office and a dental lab in St. Louis.

Elizabeth Karsten, receptionist/office manager/girl Friday/anything else she needs to do, for Dr. Rick, was on the phone with one of the technicians at the lab when he asked her where she was located.

When she replied Kennett, Missouri, the tech said his sister was engaged to a guy from Kennett. Elizabeth then asked who that might be and he replied, "Adam Nichols." Dr. Rick was Adam's dentist before he moved off to the big city. And Elizabeth was in school with Adam, although just a little ahead of him by a couple of grades.

Another little twist on the "small world" analogy.

Adam's fiancée, Andrea Bono (regular readers will recall I've already explored the possible link to the late singer -- there is no link), works in the accounting office of ARI corporate offices. Her mother also works at that office.

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Progress

Much-needed, and long-sought help for motorists on Independence Street here is getting closer.

According to information passed along from MoDOT, your friendly highway builders, a traffic signal will be installed later this spring. The light will be at the intersection of Independence (also designated as State Route 25) and Russell streets. MoDOT is currently developing design plans for the project.

Keeping the focus on Highway 25 to the north, MoDOT plans on resurfacing that highway from Holcomb -- at the intersection of highways 53 and 25 down to the intersection of U.S. 412 in Kennett (referred to locally as the McDonald's intersection.

That contract is to be awarded later this year, probably in the fall.

Now if we can just keep MoDOT focused on highway 25 a little further to the south we can get it widened to a four-lane all the way to the state line. Arkansas' four-lane highway construction project is well underway from the Missouri line into Paragould.

Close the Gap.

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A demotion

Thankfully, for fans of the St. Louis Rams, the season has come to an end. For a while there it looked like a race to the finish with the Miami Dolphins to see which team would go the entire year without winning a game. The Rams ended up winning three and the Dolphins won one.

Last week while reading online -- it must have been the Kansas City Star's website, but I'm not entirely sure and apologize for that, I came across a blurb about a former radio personality there.

This talk-show host, a fellow by the name of Bob Fescoe, had been hired away from a KC station to KFNS in St. Louis last January. Apparently Bob and the new station didn't jive.

According to the news story, he was "demoted from his talk show at KFNS to Rams reporter."

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From the past

A large tip of the hat to the DDD's unofficial, buy much appreciated historian, Vivian Helton for the following from the Friday, July 26, 1918 edition of the Dunklin Democrat.

"The first car of watermelons to be shipped out of Dunklin county were billed from Kennett last Monday, July 22nd, having been raised by Abe West, who is farming one of Mrs. D.B. Pankey's places on Ipley Island.

"The average weight of the melons was 29 pounds apiece and the car load brought $300 (don't you just know Jack Holifield and Jerry Wilson are salivating over those numbers). The melons were shipped to one of the commission houses in St. Louis, who is represented in this area by a local buyer.

"there are a number of watermelon buyers who have come to Dunklin County for the purpose of bidding on this year's melon crop and while the crop is not as large as it had been in some of the years past and the melons are not as bit, yet they are an unusually sweet flavor and it is thought they will bring a very satisfactory profit."

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One more resolution

Jim Pry and his bride, Debbie, stopped by the house New Year's Eve along with Dr. and Mrs. Steve Pu. They had been out to dinner and Jim looked pretty content. That got me to thinking about the last time I had seen Jim after he had been eating and so I decided it was time, we're only a few days into the new year, to add an additional resolution that should be made for 2008.

Jim should never, ever listen to Donnie Burke when it comes to suggestions about dining. Particularly about fruits Jim might want to eat. And even more particularly, when it comes to fruit snacks Jim might want to eat while playing golf.

Bud Hunt is the publisher of the Daily Dunklin Democrat.