Marion Mayor still flies the Midwestern skies

Four months into the job, Marion Mayor Allen “Snooks” Bouska is still trying to change the culture of the city government.

"As a businessman, you are busy running your business seven days a week, and you trust the city is taking care of you," Bouska said in a Sun-Herald story. "Then, wow, you learn they aren't."

Bouska said it was the support of the Marion business community that helped him defeat his opponent, sitting councilman Nick Glew – with the core of his campaign being his opposition to create a new Seventh Avenue Corridor through Marion.

"They were going to shut down the original Seventh Street," Bouska said.

The plan would have put 90 businesses and their 350 employees at risk, plus another 56 residences in the area, Bouska said.

Bouska had owned two Dairy Queen franchises in the area – one of which his daughter, Lori, now runs.

But Bouska is probably best known as a crop duster pilot, which he did after flying for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He also worked for Coors Brewing Co. in marketing.

Bouska grew up in Arbuckle, California with a bird dog hunting pheasants and waterfowl and graduated from Pierce High in Arbuckle in 1963 and California State University, Chico, in 1967.

He said there is not a lot that is similar between Marion, a town of more than 40,000 people, and Arbuckle.

"Not at all. This is basically a Midwest town," he said.

Bousksa can be found flying the Midwest skies using the handle, "Crazy Czechoslovakian Pilot," he shares stories of near-death events as both a combat and crop dusting pilot.

For some of those stories, visit www.czechflight.com. Also visit http://www.colusa-sun-herald.com/news/bouska-8201-snooks-arbuckle.html for the full article about Mayor Bouska.