It could be illegal to mail yourself
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The man is Charles McKinley, a 25-year-old shipping clerk who wanted to visit his parents in Dallas. The problem was that McKinley didn’t have the money. By now, you have probably guessed what McKinley did. Packed in a wooden crate, he mailed himself to his parents’ house.
You can imagine the shock his parents received when a 350-pound crate was delivered to their home and — presto — their son pops out. McKinley probably could have gotten away with it if he had just waited long enough for the delivery driver to leave. Unfortunately, he broke open the box with the driver still present and the driver then called police.
McKinley was arrested on unrelated bad-check and traffic charges. And federal authorities, wanting to drum up some charge so people don’t start shipping themselves all over the world, are considering additional charges of stowing away on a plane. Outside of that, officials say they know of no other law McKinley broke.
In a rambling jailhouse interview, McKinley told a Dallas TV station he made the trip because he was homesick and a friend thought he could save money by flying as cargo. He took no food or water on the 15-hour journey.
Before setting out, McKinley filled out shipping instructions saying the crate held a computer and clothes. Authorities believe he had help from at least one co-worker at the warehouse where he works in New York when he loaded himself in the box.
The box was taken by truck from New York’s Kennedy Airport to New Jersey. Then it was loaded onto a pressurized, heated cargo plane. It flew from Newark, N.J., to Niagara Falls, N.Y., then to Fort Wayne, Ind., and on to Dallas.
In answer to the real important question, authorities say they don’t know if McKinley had any toilet facilities. His box was carried in pressurized, heated cabins, but could just as easily have been placed in lower, unpressurized holds. McKinley could have died if placed in the unpressurized cargo space.
The freight cost – billed to McKinley’s employer – was $550. And here’s the kicker. At that rate, he could have flown first-class.
Other than the federal statute, Dallas District Attorney Bill Hill said he could not cite any law that McKinley broke. “He violated the law of stupidity if nothing else,” Hill said.
Now for this week’s Business Pulse.
New bank is close to opening
I received an e-mail this week from a faithful Business Pulse reader who said he wanted an update on Homeland Community Bank. At the risk of sounding like an old Toyota commercial, “You asked for it, you got it.”
I’ve mentioned the nuts and bolts of Homeland Community Bank before. Ray Talbert and John Duncan left Security Federal about a year ago to start their own bank, and now those plans have almost come together.
“Our building is near completion and we’re hoping to hear something any day that the state has completed our application process,” said Talbert, the bank’s president.
Apparently it takes some time to form a bank and that’s something I never really thought about before. But if you’re going to be trusted with the life savings of hundreds and possibly thousands of people, you had better be put under a pretty large microscope.
Talbert and the rest of his crew are waiting to hear from the state and the FDIC. Talbert says the building itself is probably two to three weeks away from completion. And it sure is nice.
There will be a giant chandelier in the main lobby and there is new hardwood flooring upstairs. The vault is securely in place and there’s even an elevator. All that’s left to do is to bring big bags of money into the vault.
I’m excited about getting a new hometown bank in Warren County. I’ll have more information on this when it is made available.
The latest news on Ruby Tuesdays
I told you last week about the whispers that big chain restaurants such as Ruby Tuesdays and O’Charley’s may be interested in McMinnville. I think this sudden interest is from the news Lowe’s coming to town as much as it has to do with liquor by the drink.
Either way, word on the street is these restaurants are eyeing McMinnville — and right now that eyeing appears to be at a distance. I called the Ruby Tuesday home office Friday afternoon and received the answer I’ve come to expect.
That answer goes like this: Ruby Tuesdays is constantly looking for new areas in which to grow. Ruby Tuesdays could very well be looking at sites in McMinnville as we speak, but at this point there is no firm commitment. Restaurant officials will be more than happy to comment if a commitment is in fact reached.
I was told that any time there is extra development in an area – such as a new Lowe’s – that is looked upon favorably. For the record, there are 650 Ruby Tuesday restaurants world wide and the company is based out of Maryville, Tenn.
Bridge Side Market has a new owner
For years, Chris Cope had been coming to Bridge Side Market for breakfast. He was no stranger to the menu and the great-tasting food.
Now when Chris goes to the market for breakfast, he’s in for a little bit longer stay. As the new owner of Bridge Side Market, he is there for the day.
“I had been here every morning for the last three or four years so I figured why not,” said Chris. “The opportunity came up for me to buy it and it just sort of happened.”
Bridge Side Market is known for its food – most notably its hamburgers. And as you would expect, any time there’s good food around, there’s also a crowd. Bridge Side Market stays busy for breakfast and lunch with food orders flying and the cash register singing.
“I’m going to keep it going like it is,” said Chris. “There’s no need to change a good thing.”
It’s with that in mind, Chris has kept the former employees. Among them is Amber Dodson whose parents had owned the store for the previous six years. It was Amber’s parents who changed the name from Beersheba Street Market to Bridge Side Market.
“It’s still the same people and the same food,” said Amber.
Chris has been the new owner since the first of the month. Asked if he still had the same thoughts about operating a convenience store two weeks later, Chris didn’t miss a beat.
“I love it,” he said. “This is right up my alley.”
That’s all folks
It’s a little bit shorter Business Pulse this week, but it’s not a bad effort from a guy who spent last week with his head buried in cotton candy. And, as extra incentive for reading this column, I’m offering $50 to the first person who has themselves shipped to the Standard office in a wooden crate. The address is 105 College Street.
Give me a call with your business questions and I’ll try to track down the answer. The phone number is 473-2191 and the e-mail is [email protected].