The only request: wash down the trailers first. Pratt worked at the Marianist Retreat & Conference Center in Eureka, and the nuns donated ornaments. We have no way of knowing that there will not be additional sites in the future. He was 91. She compiled a list of where Bliss and his employees collected waste and where they disposed of it. This is where you find it, though.. If I thought it was something bad, would I spray it on my own farm where my family is? Bliss asked CNN in 1997, in one of the few extensive interviews hes given. Why put your tail between your legs and run now after you been living with it so long? Some Times Beach residents evacuated, but many defiantly stayed. He is now 78 and lives just off I-44 near Cuba. The toxic chemical was contained in waste oil Bliss' company sprayed on roads, parking lots, truck terminals and horse arenas for dust control. The Callahan dump was discovered in August of that year. BY C.D. Bliss, 48, who for years made his living hauling hazardous wastes and used oil from factories, has been quoted here as blaming a now-defunct pharmaceutical firm for failing to warn him of the dangers in its waste. When everybody was scrambling, because we lived almost to Blakey [Road], farthest away, we didnt think the water was going to come up to us, Purler says. The door was locked, and Burford stood in a second-floor conference room. Exposure can cause cancer, immunodeficiency, endocrine disorders, and reproductive and developmental issues, says Dr. Arnold Schecter, a professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health and one of the worlds foremost experts on dioxin. WebJERRY-RUSSELL BLISS, INC., Petitioner-Appellant, v. HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, et al., Respondents. The mostly pleasant trails run north by the railroad tracks and then take a right along the river. Well, no. She serves as a Eureka alderwoman, continuing a career in public service that had been cut short when her stint as mayor of Times Beach ended with the towns abolishment. Jerry Bliss, 26, said he should not be penalized for the actions of his father. The EPA removed the remaining barrels in July 1983. April 28 (UPI) -- A Nebraska high school said it broke a Guinness World Record when more than 1,000 students participated in a water balloon toss event. The same man was under investigation for spraying dioxin-laced oil on roads across the state in the early 1970s. Dioxin clings to dirt and dust particles and officials fear that residents may inhale it or swallow it if they return home. She worked as a receptionist at a dental office and became a Times Beach alderwoman in 1981. DNR officials described the location of the dump as a ravine, filled 15 feet deep with rusty barrels. So do two of her granddaughters. She is survived by her devoted husband of 36 years, Jerry Bliss; her loving daughter, Hannah Bliss; her siblings, Paula Wohldmann, Steve Hyink, Carrie Hyink, and Mary Rust; her father-in-law, Russell Bliss; and her brother-in-law, Cash Bliss. One residence has had to be evacuated because of interior contamination. The first half of the name refers to Russell M. Bliss, the waste hauler responsible for dumping the pollutants. April 28 (UPI) -- A South Carolina woman won a $300,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket just three years after winning a $250,000 lottery jackpot. A federal court jury July 22 found Bliss guilty of over-stating his business expenses for 1976, 1977 and 1978. This is only her second time coming to the reunion. TBAG started its investigation because it thought there had been a coverup by state and federal authorities on the source and extent of contamination in Missouri, says Taylor. Trailers were tossed about like bumper boats. Natalie is reunited in Heaven with her parents, Robert and Nanon Hyink; her mother-in-law, Evelyn Bliss; and a host of cowboys, cowgirls, and horses that loved her deeply. Last Saturday morning, Steve Taylor heard a tapping at his apartment door, a gentle rapping that he hopes to hear no more. Look at the record of decision. It was safe. Everyone in attendance says that if the town were reopened tomorrow, they would move back in a heartbeat. ", Dave Covert feels bad about what happened. In Times Beach, an ex-truck driver for hauler Russell Bliss came forward to retrace his route. Hammer, for example, wants "proof" that dioxin is dangerous or a fair-market price from the government for his property to move. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Evelyn J. Bliss and is located at 149 Strecker Road, Ballwin, MO 63011. William Powell was St. Louis Magazine's senior editor from September 2012July 2016. S.C. woman wins $300,000 lottery prize -- her second jackpot in 3 years. He didnt want to look at all this shit. Downstream from the Verona plant, dairyman Bill Davis watched eight cows die after they drank from a river a half-mile from the factory where all Missouri's dioxin was once produced. Its a difficult position for the city, says Joe Vujnich, Wildwoods director of parks and planning. CNN Chicago: Toxic Town: Bliss Transcript Horses became sick, and eventually, Piatt would bury more than 50 of them. WebJERRY-RUSSELL BLISS, INC. is a Missouri Domestic Gen. Business - For-Profit filed on November 15, 1978. She traveled the country to countless rodeos, barrel races, and team ropings, often with her husband and daughter by her side. You got to do your homework on these pieces, otherwise youre wasting your time. Mrs. Piatt, who said Mr. Bliss had been paid $150 to oil the floor of the arena near Moscow Mills, Mo., described in gruesome detail how pet cats and dogs and a total of 62 horses succumbed to the poisoning and died from 1971 to 1973. Within a couple of days, cats, dogs, and birds in the vicinity began to drop dead. She was loyal, selfless, honest, and witty. Some was used in highway roadbeds. Jerry Russell Obituary - St. Louis, MO He believes that his grandfathers health suffered as a result of the spraying. Most lung cancer is caused by smoking, but most people who smoke dont get lung cancer. Jordan, who has lived in her home for 43 years, recalls the late Odie Greenspon, once operated a breeding farm for trotters at the location of the present park.. "Hindsight would be wonderful," Lafser said. Every year, former residents of Times Beach gather on the site to see old friends, tell stories, and inevitably shed a few tears. Mennonites came in to help rebuild. On a hunch, one stable owner dug up his contaminated dirt and sold it as landfill for homesites in Imperial. Former company officials said their warnings were ignored. The EPA received its own test results on December 23 and delivered a Christmas message to the citizens of Times Beach. Again, it showed that the incinerator was safe, and again, Taylor found flaws in the testing procedure. Sometimes, Copeland and Bunch would spend a summer day walking the railroad tracks on the west end of town. The discovery followed an announcement earlier last year of another suburban dioxin site in Ellisville on Lemar Drive. Bliss then mixes the dioxin with waste oil. "Bliss told me it couldn't be in the oil because he didn't haul chemicals.". In an effort to control the dust, the city hired waste oil hauler Russell Bliss to spray them down, which he did multiple times between 1972 and 1976. She doesnt speak to me., Eventually, the properties of those who didnt take the buyout went into condemnation. Although the state hastened to dispose of hundreds of barrels at the Callahan site in the early 1980s, the EPA did not close its case on the property until last September. Thats why just about every physician will tell his or her patient to stop smoking cigarettes, Schecter says. The way we understand it, Monsanto told EPA investigators that they did not hire Bliss end of story, says Taylor. Hes been sued repeatedly. Of 15 confirmed dioxin sites in Missouri, five were contaminated by waste oil laced with dioxin from a southwest Missouri chemical plant for which Mr. Bliss hauled wastes in 1971. But she was determined to have Christmas. WebIn his early life, Jerry Hicks had been a circus acrobat for two years in Cuba, and then, beginning in 1948, had toured for 20 years as a musician, master of ceremonies, and comedian. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. According to the accepted version of events, Bliss obtained the dioxin in 1971 from a plant in southwest Missouri that produced hexachlorophene and a chemical component of Agent Orange, the dioxin-laden defoliant used in the Vietnam War. Shipping the waste to Coffeyville would have been prohibitively expensive even if it had remained an option, according to one local official. The top level found beneath the surface in Ellisville was 1,173 ppb, according to the EPA. The requests to develop these two properties have dredged up a litany of questions that have never been adequately answered by EPA officials or by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Russell Flowers Death Cause: How Copeland made friends with a kid who went by the name Boner T. Bunch. For about a week and a half, that was the biggest topic.. Is it in the ditches? April 29 (UPI) -- An Australian tourist facing possible flogging after being accused of going on a drunken nude rampage in the Indonesian province of Ache says he felt "almost possessed" at the time. Then there were the health problems. Several other sites were created because government agencies failed to prevent removal of tainted soil to other locations. 67115. WebView the profiles of people named Jerry Russell. Catching up with Mike Bliss. Those who do return, however, are eager to have the EPA check their homes for dioxin and fill out CDC health questionnaires as part of a $500,000 statewide study of potential dioxin victims. There are other holes in the EPAs theory. first published in the Riverfront Times (St. Louis), March 25, 1998 The DNR investigation of Terre Du Lac in the spring of 1983, however, does not appear to have been as thorough as the EPA now claims. The trees are thin, which helps visibility. There are a lot of people I know who were exposed to the same stuff and moreand didnt., Today, the land that was once Times Beach has been turned into Route 66 State Park. The chemical companies paid him to take the sludge, and then he turned around and sold it to somebody else. Taylors list of objections goes on and on. EPA considers itself blameless. When I talked with the (St. Louis) Post-Dispatch, I got misquoted. If theres any dioxin left, it doesnt seem to bother the wildlife. Sometimes, its thought that people are asking for complete safety, complete security. Jerry Russell Bliss, Ballwin, MO (63011) - Spokeo Taylor is a man called to causes. More than 150 beverages delivered to woman's home without explanation. As much as I hated to see that happen to people, Leistner says, it was part of the contract to get the buyout going and to get all of those people out of there and in permanent homes., Still, all these years later, animosity persists. Were hesitant to give this information to an agency that we feel is corrupt. He had acquired an official document detailing suspected dioxin sites across Missouri. Many in Times Beach were caught in their homes. The offers were very low, so we got organized, Leistner says. I believe that the whole area there is littered with contamination pockets, she says. ST. LOUIS -- Waste-oil hauler Russell Bliss, who allegedly sprayed dioxin-contaminated oil around the state in the 1970s, was sentenced Friday to one year in prison on unrelated charges of income tax fraud. Or they might go fishing in the river. Theyve dragged me through the courts and I dont think theyre ever gonna quit, he told CNN. Truckers crudely called him the hemorrhoid with the Polaroid. He wrote ticket after ticket. No further actions were taken at these locations. It was nearly a week before people could return to begin the daunting task of rebuilding. Dioxin, its silent, unseen. WITNESS SAYS DRIVER LIED ABOUT SPRAYING DIOXIN, https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/27/us/witness-says-driver-lied-about-spraying-dioxin.html. The greatest surface concentrations, 169 ppb, are present in a wooded ravine, which is currently being fenced off. Almost 100 horses died agonizing deaths at three horse arenas Bliss visited. An EPA tracking sheet lists 29 such sites. Bliss showed no emotion during sentencing before U.S. Dictrict Judge Clyde S. Cahill. While the CDC warned residents to evacuate and stay out to avoid dioxin exposure, the jury is still out on its long-term effect on humans, as well as the extent of contamination. Now officials worry that they may never find the 87 places reportedly used for dumping of dioxin-contaminated waste oil. He wanted to stay there, so she just divorced him. That was too much for Hammer to bear. "What will happen to my kids in 10 years?". The problem, however, was that Bliss was also being paid to haul away the sludge from a chemical plant in Verona, Mo., that had stored up dioxin-laced wastes from Rock 'n' roll's first great wild man, Jerry Lee Lewis the singer and pianist nicknamed "The Killer" has died. He was 80. The discovery of the Lemar and McDonnell sites came after the closing of the controversial Times Beach dioxin incinerator in June, which precluded burning the waste locally. Our city adopted a resolution asking them to remedy this problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, says LaGarce. His parents opened a donut shop at the corner of Forest Road and Park Drive, serving Boston creams and coffee to the residents of the tight-knit community, nestled in a valley along the Meramec River, southwest of St. Louis. . Hed take out the trash in exchange for a free pastry. Now the fledgling city faces a dilemma: Two developers are asking for zoning variances so that they can wedge dozens of high-priced houses on either side of Strecker Road on parcels of land that were once part of the Bliss-Ellisville hazardous-waste site. The news, on the other hand, broke on the 22nd of December, with no mention of any accident. Past Addresses: Eureka MO, Saint James MO EPA lab tests Dec. 23 confirmed dioxin on several Times Beach roadsides 100 times higher than that. Eventually, they moved into a place of their own and started a family. She currently holds the position of Senior Program Manager at The Walt Disney Company. The activists appeal to the local governing body follows the public disclosure late last month of the existence of a previously undiscovered dioxin site in Ellisville. The level of PCBs was low, not a major concern, but the dioxin was a problem. After dealing with the revelatory shock, the stress, the mysterious health issues, and the anger from all sides, yes, Marilyn Leistner would like you to remember Times Beach. More than a decade later, erosion spread dioxin-laced fill dirt to a nearby subdivision and contaminated a creek. Despite evidence of erosion, the EPAs investigation concluded that the fill area of the Callahan subsite was not contaminated (and) that the original objectives of the remedial action had either been achieved through natural processes, or were no longer considered necessary due to the preference expressed by the site owner., Aside from groundwater contamination, the most serious threat to human health posed by the contamination at the Callahan site was airborne migration, according to the EPA. The rabbits died. Eventually, it was. The mixture is used for dust The other St. Louis companies used PCBs or other hazardous substances for different purposes.. "It's literally like trying to piece together a cold trail," said Bill Hedeman, director of EPA's hazardous waste cleanup program. Some of it, he buried in drums. WebThe Bliss site is an 11.5 acre tract owned by Jerry Russell Bliss, plus four contiguous properties near Ellisville, Missouri. "When I hear people talking about the effects they're feeling now, tears come to my eyes.". The environmental activist, who is too young to remember the Selective Service System, and too poor to be concerned about the Internal Revenue Service, had, nevertheless, received a frightening message from a federal agency. On December 5, the river jumped its banks, and quickly, the entire town was submerged. Only Bliss actually knows how much he knew about what he was hauling. Once their stay in temporary housing ran out, it was hard for people to find homes. The citys nearly 2,500 residents were divided about what to do next, whether to stay or to ask for a buyout of their property through the EPAs Superfund. Cottages on stilts were replaced with modular homes and even a few brick houses. TBAG had opposed the project, saying it was unsafe to human health and the environment. Officials seemed to be acting as if the residents might be contagious. Bliss has said he had no idea that toxic chemicals were involved. We didnt like that, because people were building new homes. WebFor the first time Russell Bliss speaks publicly about the accident that forever changed the town of Times Beach, Missouri. Leistner grew up in Valley Park and moved to Times Beach in December 1956, at age 18. The first offers were made that month. Jerry Lewis is, in spite of it all, still alive. The EPA has long blamed the dispersion of the toxins on Russell Bliss, the salvage operator who sprayed dioxin-contaminated oil on unpaved roads, parking lots and horse arenas as a dust suppressant in the early 1970s. "I don't think we're proud of the track record," said Fred A. Lafser, director of Missouri's Department of Natural Resources at one hearing. A missing page, a missing date, a missing signature. Ive been looking for answers, and I dont know what direction to go in, says Jordan, who was belatedly informed by a neighbor of an EPA informational meeting held on March 12. Hazardous materials have been identified in 17 waste disposal locations on the site. Bliss son still lives on a Strecker Road property once owned by his father, from which the EPA only a few years ago finally removed more than 900 I'm staying until they make me leave.". Ultimately, there is probably more than one correct answer to that question. "Is it in the houses?" This was hazardous waste It wasnt milk and yogurt.. A 74-year-old grandmother, Leistner looks 10 years younger and remains as feisty as ever, with no plans to retire. Defense attorney Charles Shaw said no decision had been made whether to appeal the sentence, which included fines totaling $8,000. In 1971, Judy Piatt hired Bliss to spray waste oil on her horse arena, near Moscow Mills, to alleviate dust. When a driver frequently moves from team to team, hes often called a journeyman.. If she had a couple of drinks at Bucks Place, she could walk home. JERRY-RUSSELL BLISS, INC As things stand, Byrne Builders holds an option to buy the land from its current owners, Gerald and Patricia Primm. By its order dated August 7, 1987, this Court found the NEPACCO defendants, IPC, Russell Bliss and Jerry-Russell Bliss, Inc. jointly and severally liable chemical plant, where the EPA presumes all of the toxins originated. Natalie faced her 20-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis with bravery, grace, and dignity. The missive from Martha Steincamp, the EPA regional counsel, instructed Taylor and other members of the Times Beach Action Group (TBAG) to turn over any information they may have concerning potential hazardous waste sites in the St. Louis area. The dioxin content in his mixture was estimated at 350 parts per million. He was 92. I didnt set the price, but its my fault. But now, she turns indignant, her jaw tightening and eyes narrowing, seething at the people who dare to argue that dioxin never hurt anyone in Missouri. Insects fell from the air. The EPA and CDC have each published massive documents detailing the many health hazards associated with it. (He declined to comment for this story.) But despite what McClellan implies, scientists agree that dioxin is dangerous. They wanted to paint, but she wouldnt let them, told them to go help somebody else. After a 30-day public comment period, the agency will then decide which means of remediation to pursue. The lots were small, and you needed at least two to build a house. This site that was discovered over in Ellisville was completely new information, he adds. He was 80. People here tend to talk about the flood more than the dioxin. The fencing is certainly just an interim measure, while we are preparing the final alternative, says Bob Feild of the EPA. Fourteen calves either have been stillborn or died shortly after birth, and last week another tumor-riddled cow was slaughtered for dioxin testing by the Food and Drug Administration. In Taylors view, the EPA was more interested in making Syntex legally responsible for the cleanup than exploring the full scope of the contamination. Surveyors have also staked out a section of the park near Jordans residence with bright orange flags. Man who sprayed dioxin says he tried to be responsible 67115 (Mo. Others drove out through the rising water, trying to follow the roads they couldnt see. 1 killed in shooting at Massachusetts house party, Heavy shelling in Kherson, Kharkiv destroys residences, Cuba postpones International Workers' Day parade over fuel shortages, Democrats, Republicans remain split on debt ceiling plan. So she took matters into her own hands. "This is a war to stay on the land you worked and paid for. They didnt have anything. You know, hed give Gary (Lambarth) some of these old, old sex magazines. A trio joggers run past them. Her husband, Grover Callahan, worked as a truck driver for the Bliss Waste Oil Co. in the early 1970s. Ironically, one of the sources of dioxin is incineration itself. She still has her family reunions down here. As the offers improved slightly, many of the holdouts grudgingly gave in. The second half of the sites name is something of a misnomer, because the locations of the Bliss farm and the other hazardous-waste sites are all outside the Ellisville municipal limits. WebJerry Bliss lives in Saint James, MO; previous cities include Ellisville MO and Ballwin MO. Her second husband died years ago, so she lives alone, unless you count her cat, Sarah Palin. I know Monsanto was not a viable defendant in this litigation.. The full-page advertisements boasted that the sweltering heat and discomfort of the city are unknown at Times Beach.. Copeland didnt know it then, but he had inadvertently contributed to wiping the entire town off the map. Representatives of the DNR and the Missouri Attorney Generals office were also present. After all, Bliss sprayed the oil on his own property, and once even claimed to have tasted it to test its strength. "If they had, I wouldn't have taken it. After years of trying, Taylor had finally attracted the interest of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We decided that we would do it ourselves, so we started taking up a collection to pay to have our streets tested. When the EPA got wind of that, it decided to test immediately, too. See the article in its original context from. The paper had purchased the land from a farmer and rebranded it as a resort, a place for doctors from St. Louis to relax or catch a few fish on the weekend. We have to determine what there motivation is.. On the recommendation of an EPA ombudsman, a retest was completed. She confronted Bliss, but he insisted he had used only crankcase oil. It had been there for a decade without harming them. She wants to let people remember the good times, and she knows that she reminds them of the bad ones. We've found it on the shoulders of the roads, but how much is in the roadbed? Leistner rejects the notion that its all simply genetic. Jerry Lewis, the legendary actor and comedian, has died, his talent agency said Sunday. April 28 (UPI) -- A lost dog in Northern Ireland was found 26 days later after walking more than 40 miles to the home of his former owners. Jerry Russell Bliss, Age 66. aka Jerry Bliiss. Memories of the eviction are still too emotional. Its important for people to know what happened, to remember. I think its very interesting that PCBs were so overlooked, Taylor says. Everybody kindly watched after their kids, your kids, and everybody elses kids, she says. Scottish Island for sale with asking price of $188,000. At the time, the EPA considered anything above 1 part per billion hazardous. STELZER. I dont really think there was enough dioxin down here to do anything, he says. Instead, she has learned the little she knows from the scant newspaper coverage afforded the subject. Denial of Application. When asked to comment last week, Monsanto spokeswoman Diane Herndon responded with this prepared statement: No information exists that any dioxin material was hauled by Bliss for Monsanto and so no material from Monsanto would have been sprayed on roads. They wanted more money, Leistner says. Jerry Russell Jerry Russell Bliss In this instance, however, because the highest level of dioxin is believed to be buried more than a foot deep, it has been deemed safe by the EPA. I will bet you two weeks pay there is no dioxin on your streets, she recalls Bliss telling her. The park is nice enough. They were in there in 1981, pulling out barrels and treating them differently from the rest of the waste. They all have thyroid disorders. We do not have the expertise that the U.S. EPA and Missouri Department of Natural Resources have. Due to budgetary constraints, long-range solutions now under consideration include alternative technologies shunned by the EPA during the Times Beach clean up. Eventually, in 1985, there was only one couple left living in the town, George and Lorene Klein. WebIn Jerry-Russell Bliss, Inc. v. Hazardous Waste Management Comm., 702 S.W.2d 77 (Mo. In Times Beach, the dioxin level was more than 100 parts per billion. Some, he spread across his own farm. Scapegoats seem to abound here. On the other side of the road, at 210 Strecker Rd., developer Larry Wurm of James Properties Inc. is proposing to build Wildwood Ridge, an 11-home development on 7.6 acres of land now owned by Jean Callahan. '', Mr. Lambarth said that in a 1974 deposition he falsely denied ever hauling chemicals ''because I wanted to keep my job.'' It's been 30 years since dioxin contamination was discovered in Times Beach, in one of the largest environmental disasters in our nation's history. Dioxin is considered a probable human carcinogen and is known to cause reproductive and immunological health problems in animals and humans. Seven families sued the responsible Realtor, and they were awarded a cumulative settlement of more than $500,000. He carries a brown leather briefcase, packed full of documents, many of which he says are classified. Scientists disagree about how much it takes to put someone at risk. McDonnell Park, which is part of the St. Louis County Parks system, is the most recent dioxin site discovered in the metropolitan area. Now, we might be veering slightly toward conspiracy territory, but again, Taylor shows restraint, making associations rather than accusations. At the hearing on the matter, the DNR submitted two contracts between Monsanto and Russell Bliss dated 1975 and 1976, the time period in which Bliss is known to have sprayed Terre Du Lac. Its the sort of detail that might make Taylor seem like a conspiracy theorist. Even so, between picnics with neighbors, river recreation, town dances, and quite a few saloons, life in the Beach, as old-timers called it, was downright pastoral. Sometimes its just best to leave well enough alone.. no. Bliss sprayed dioxin-contaminated oil on unpaved roads, parking lots, truck terminals and horse arenas as a dust suppressant. Emmett Copeland moved to Times Beach as a teenager in the early 1970s. Parents in nearby towns wince when Karen Adams, a Times Beach school bus driver, picks up their kids. The dispute pitted neighbors, even relatives, against one another, eroding the citys greatest asset, its family atmosphere.