Jeanne Newby
1999 – Beloved Bill’s Drive-In served its last foot–longs on Aug. 14. It was replaced by Wendy’s.
1999 – Ryan McFarland, a junior on the Cardinals football team, broke his neck during a game. He healed, assisted coach John Roderique. After coaching stints at Seneca and Riverton, Kan., he returned and has succeeded Roderique.
1999 – Eileen Nichols was selected as the Chamber of Commerce Champion Booster.
1999 – Broadway Market closed in November after 75 years of business.
1999 – New businesses opening on Madison Street were: Taco Bell, Arby’s, May’s Drug Warehouse, Wendy’s, Commerce Bank, Walgreens, Atwoods. New business on MacArthur: Arvest Bank. New businesses on Main Street: Hunter’s Lane, Rann’s Jewelry, Main Street Outlet. The old Dickinson Theater was opened as Route 66 Music Theater by Rick and Gina Monson.
1999 – The Lemmons Charitable Trust gave a $60,000 grant to improve the 119-year-old Webb City Cemetery.
2000 – An additional 11 acres were added to King Jack Park east of the rodeo arena for soccer fields. The purchase price was $68,000.
2000 – New walking trails were built, thanks to a grant from Missouri Department of Transportation. The trail connected Paradise Lake to the front of the park. Along the highway, bridges were built and donated by Bill Perry and Cardinal Scale.
2000 – City Administrator John Rogers’ contract was extended.
2000 – The Webb City Council approved a mandatory drug testing policy for city employees.
2000 – A portion of Missouri Highway 249 opened from I-44 to Seventh Street on April 18. Plans were in the works to extend the highway north toward Webb City.
2000 – A test run for a Farmers Market in King Jack Park was successful and Eileen Nichols, manager, was successful in applying for a grant to improve it.
2000 – St. Louis Ram Grant Wistrom, Webb City’s first representative on a Super Bowl champion team was presented the key to the city.
2000 – The World War II-era howitzer was put on display along MacArthur Boulevard at Ball Street. It was dedicated July 29. Robert J. Baker, who had spotted for howitzers in France, ramrodded the project to always remind everyone of the sacrifices made for peace and freedom.
2000 – Marion and William Perry Jr. donated $200,000 to renovate and expand the Webb City Public Library. Their donation spurred a drive to collect $2.1 million. Meanwhile, the library made a major move by converting its card catalog to a database.
2000 – The round-roofed gymnasium on First Street was demolished to make room for a bigger, better gymnasium to serve Webb City Junior High School. High school games were played in the demolished gym when it was new.
2000 – The big water tower sprung a leak, and the city took advantage of the empty tower to have the interior cleaned. Wouldn’t you know it, while the water tower was out of commission the city experienced a severe drought!
2000 – Gov. Mel Carnahan died on Oct. 16 when his private plane crashed while he was campaigning for U.S. Senator. Carnahan had been honored for being “the education governor” upon his visit here in February.
2000 – The Webb City R-7 Hall of Fame was established on Oct. 12, with the induction of the first five inductees: Kenny Boyer, W. Alton Jones, Kathy Lewis, W.H. Perry Jr. and Robert L. Teel.
2000 – Jerry Fisher was the Champion Booster.
2000 – The Webb City football Cardinals won the state championship again.
2001 – A plane crashed in a Carterville neighborhood. Six passengers from Louisiana died.
2001 – Wes and Marti Brewer opened Skateland in the old streetcar powerhouse at Broadway and Madison Street.
2001 –180 youngsters participated in Grant Wistrom’s annual football camp.
2001 – The new gym for the junior high was finished, along with a hallway connecting the gym and annex to the main building.
2001 – The R-7 School District had other building reports. Four new classrooms were added to the Carterville Elementary School. An office was added to Webster Primary Center. And a new floor was installed at Cardinal Gym.
2001 – September 11. The United States was attacked by terrorists, as the Twin Towers in New York were destroyed and thousands perished.
2001 – A new addition to the annual Mining Days Celebration was a history bus tour conducted by local historian Jeanne Newby.
2001 – Webb City celebrated its 125th birthday on Dec. 11. A ceremony was held in the Ronald R. Barton Theater with many historical artifacts on display.
2001 – The historic swimming pool bathhouse in Hatten Park was fixed up.
2001 – Thanks to a Lemmons Trust $60,000 grant, Webb City Cemetery and Wild Rose Cemetery, both received fencing and gates.
2001 – Inductees to the R-7 School District Hall of Fames were: Dick Burdick, Charles Cummins, Lisa Myers and Judge Ray E. Watson.
2001 – Bob Foos was the Champion Booster.
2001 – The Webb City Cardinals were back-to-back State Champs.
2001 – The price of a First Class stamp went up to 34 cents
2001 – Results of the 2000 Census showed Webb City’s population had grown 30 percent to 200 shy of 10,000.
2002 – Glenn Dolence was elected mayor through 2006.
2002 – Taige Hou was honored by Gov. Bob Holden for winning the statewide math contest, beating 3,100 other students.
2002 – Superintendent Ron Lankford received the prestigious Pearce Award from the Missouri Association of School Administrators.
2002 – For the first time, Webb City High School commencement was held at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center at Missouri Southern State University.
2002 – Webb Citians approved a 1/8 cent sales tax in August, mostly for the library.
2002 – Webb City represented the Midwest Region at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
2002 – Webb City R-7 Hall of Fame inductees were: Bob Baker, Clete Boyer, Cloyd Boyer, Frank E. Dale and Gretchen Myers
2002 – Fritz Rogers was the Champion Booster.
2002 – The new big flag began flying in front of the Praying Hands. The 28-foot by 40-foot flag is on a 100-foot pole, with a half-circle base and brass letters that say “So Proudly We Hail.”
2002 – The new Webb City Farmers Market was chosen as the best farmers market in the state.
2003 – The first floor of the old Southwest Missouri Railway Clubhouse was remodeled as the home of the Webb City Historical Society.
2003 – The Carl Junction tornado on May 4 destroyed many homes, injured many and killed two.
2003 – The unexpected firing of City Administrator John Rogers on Sept. 29 created a squabble as to his replacement.
2003 – Mayor Glenn Dolence submitted his resignation on Sept. 30 because of the City Council discord. Supporters showed up in his front yard on Oct. 9, to convince him to withdraw his resignation, which he did.
2003 – Wistrom Drive (a part of Crow Street) was dedicated.
2003 – Ground was broken for the new amphitheater and community building in King Jack Park.
