City seeks public input on future plans

FreePress
JULY 13 - 26, 2011
Community
Park it
Explore the outdoors
and go camping in
state parks. Page 18
YOUR LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER OF THE SPRINGFIELD AREA | www.cfpmidweek.com
QUICK TAKES
Upfront
Lasting impression
‘Don’t Meth with Us’
teaches fifth-graders
dangers of drug use.
............................................
■
Citizens can share feedback on projects with online surveys
By Amanda Hess
p.3
Blast off
Drury physics team conducts experiment for NASA.
............................................
City seeks public input on future plans
p.5
Home & Garden
In the first two weeks
after the City launched its
online transportation survey, more than 900
responses have been
made.
The survey for the
City’s strategic plan, however, has been online
since April and has
received a total of only 17
responses so far.
Mike Brothers, the
City’s co-interim director
of Public Information,
said the City will leave
the transportation survey
online until July 29, allowing a five-week window
to collect feedback from
Springfield citizens.
“There’s no one thing
jumping out; people are
voting for lots of different
things,” Brothers said.
“People are really taking
advantage of the open
comment box.The survey
is not going to be the
only definitive thing to
narrow the list of projects
but it’s not going to be
one measure used to
Open the window
Window manufacturers
offer energy efficient
choices for homeowners.
Window coverings top off
the look and keep the
weather out of the home.
..........................................
OUR COMMUNITY
p.14
A&E
Ice cream and history
SUBSCRIBE » 417-447-2130
o n l i n e a t w w w. c f p m i d w e e k . c o m
The History Museum for
Springfield - Greene
County presents an Ice
Cream Social on July 21.
The event, Beyond Toy
Soldiers and Dolls:
Children’s Games and
Toys of the 19th century,
offers old-fashioned
games for children.
.......................................... p.20
INDEX
A&E ............................20
Business ....................11
Events ......................21
Health........................16
Photo by Amanda Langsford
Dillons Stores presented $250,000 to Ozarks Food Harvest on Friday, July 8, at the Food Bank Facility in north
Springfield. The major gift was designated for long-term relief efforts in Joplin. Immediately following the check presentation, two teams of 10 employees from the Springfield stores, including four Springfield store managers, raced to pack food
bags for the Food Bank’s summer Backpack Program in three Joplin schools. Each team filled 100 food bags and the winning team won bragging rights during the Volunteer Challenge for Joplin.
decide. It’s one tool that
we will use to make sure
our priorities match up
with the public’s.”
The transportation survey allows citizens to prioritize among more than
70 proposed transportation projects or comment
on possible projects they
would like the City to
consider. Brothers said
the survey results would
likely be released once
City officials review the
responses.
The City’s Strategic
Plan survey can still be
found online as well,
Brothers said.
“It’s interesting we’ve
had over 900 responses
in two weeks for the traffic survey but only 17 for
the strategic plan,” he
said.“I think people who
learn more about the
plan will start to care
more but it’s been a discussion for the Strategic
Plan
Coordinating
Committee how to make
this more tangible for
people.”
see SURVEYS, 5
Home & Garden ....14
Outdoors..................18
Bus station site talks go round and round
Puzzles ....................22
■
Upfront ......................3
By James Hanson
Marketplace............23
Look for our
next issue:
Wed. July 27
Opponents of Elm Street site urge CU to search elsewhere for new location
City Utilities has altered its original
plan to locate a bus transfer facility at
Elm Street and Kimbrough Avenue by
changing the position of the station.
Instead of running north to south, the
station—if approved by the CU Board
of Public Utilities and the Federal
Transit Administration (FTA) —would
run east to west in an attempt to limit
the amount of traffic on Walnut Street.
But opponents of the proposed site
still object to the location.
Several citizens spoke during the
Board of Public Utilities meeting June
30, urging CU to consider another location and to not rush into a decision just
because the $3.1 million awarded for the
project in grants from the FTA could disappear if something isn’t done soon.
OPPONENTS
SPEAK OUT
Gary Blankenship, president of the
Walnut Street Historic Association, said
the association understands the need to
move the bus station but said the current proposed location isn’t the right
location in the view of the WSHA.
“The neighborhood has improved
dramatically and …our charge is to continue that as a neighborhood association,” he said.
Another concern that Blankenship
mentioned is the location of the Early
Childhood Development Center ran by
see COUNCIL, 4
Photo by James Hanson
The corner of College Street and Main Avenue was one of
five sites identified as a possible location for a new City
Utilities bus transfer station. However, after a discreet inquiry,
CU chose not to pursue that option any further.
2 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Upfront
LOCAL NEWS
Boys & Girls Club Alumni
host fundraiser
The Boys & Girls Club
Alumni Association
presents an Ice Cream
Social fundraiser from
5:30 to 8 p.m. July 21 at
the Boys & Girls Clubs
Musgrave Unit, 720 S.
Park St. Admission is
$5, and includes Hiland
ice cream, Krispy
Kreme donuts, drinks,
music and inflatables.
Funds support the Boys
& Girls Clubs of
Springfield.
Discovery Center
collects school supplies
The Discovery Center
of Springfield and the
Salvation Army are collecting school supplies
for local children
through Sept. 30. A
donations barrel is
located in the
Discovery Center lobby,
438 St. Louis St.
Donated supplies must
be new and in original
packaging. Possible
donations include: back
packs, 8 oz. liquid white
glue, scissors, rulers,
rubber eraser toppers,
paper, crayons or colored pencils, calculators, or a large box of
tissue. Discovery Center
members will receive a
free guest pass and
non-members will
receive a buy-one-getone-free admission
pass for items donated.
Doula Foundation of MidAmerica awarded grants
The Musgrave
Foundation awarded
the Doula Foundation
of Mid-America (DFMA)
$2,000 to improve
pregnancy outcomes
and strengthen family
bonds for mothers and
their babies by providing doula support during pregnancy, birth
and the early postpartum period. The
Children’s Trust Fund
awarded DFMA
$28,859 for a pilot project called “First
Connections:
Community Based
Doula Support for
Pregnant Teens.” The
project, in cooperation
with Jordan Valley
Community Health
Center and
Springfield/Greene
County WIC, provides
intensive in-home visitation and labor support for pregnant teens.
The Doula Foundation
of Mid-America is a
see LOCAL NEWS, 10
July 13 - 26, 2011
|
3
The Green Mom
Ashley Gann talks about being
“Greenest Mom in America.”
» Page 6
e-mail [email protected]
‘Don’t Meth With Us’
catches on in Springfield
■
Fifth-graders get a close look at the dangers of methamphetamine use
By James Hanson
M
ethamphetamine
use can, and
often does, start
at an early age.
A statewide survey conducted in 2009 by the
Department
of
Elementary
and
Secondary
Education
(DESE), reported that 4.8
percent of Missouri high
school seniors admit to
having used
methamphetamine one or more
times.
The Rotary Club of
Springfield Southeast got
involved last fall in the
hopes of helping curb
those numbers.
PROGRAM’S BEGINNING
John Horton, a member
and former president of the
Rotary Club of Springfield
Southeast, attended an
Expo Center at the Rotary
International Convention
in Montreal in June 2010.
And there he discovered
a program done by the
Rotary Club in Farmington,
New
Mexico—“Don’t
Meth With Us.”
After, sharing the concept with his fellow
Rotary members, the club
got permission from
Springfield Public Schools
(SPS) to teach the drug
prevention and education
class aimed at keeping
kids away from meth to all
of the fifth grade students.
More than 2,000 students took part in the first
year of the program,
including fifth graders at
Springfield
Catholic
School and Redeemer
Lutheran School.
Horton
said
fifth
graders are the right age
group to begin drugabuse education.
“Don’t Meth With Us”
utilizes before-and-after
images of meth users, a
variety of interactive activities and other educational
material, all aimed at delivering the message about
how dangerous meth is.
Horton shared the story
with the SPS Board of
Education during its June
28 meeting.
He said Rotary members wanted kids to know
that they were there
because they care about
them and the community.
“This education allows
them to see how dangerous and destructive meth
can be,” Horton said.
Horton said meth is a
larger problem in rural
areas because it is cheaper than cocaine and the
ingredients needed to
make it are readily available in smaller communities.
He also said the high
lasts much longer.
Horton
said
the
response from students,
teachers, principals and
parents has been fantastic.
“We are committed to
do this until we don’t
need to do it anymore,” he
said.
He said law enforcement
officials,
like
Springfield Police Chief
Paul Williams and Greene
County Sheriff Jim Arnott,
have also been very supportive of the program.
“It would help the city
in the long run to get
behind this effort and
they have all been very
supportive,” Horton said.
“We are always looking
for new sponsors and
next year we plan to target high schoolers too.”
LEE’S
INVOLVEMENT
Gerry Lee, an SPS board
member, participated in
several presentations with
Horton and is a member
of the “Don’t Meth With
Us” board for the RCSS.
“It is a great program.
All of the schools that
were involved this year
were very excited about
it,” Lee said.“Next year, we
hope to tie it into Red
Ribbon Week, which we
have in October.”
Red Ribbon Week is the
Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast
Gerry Lee speaks with a group of fifth-graders about the
dangers of methamphetamine. His presentation was part of
the “Don’t Meth With Us” program.
nation’s oldest and largest
drug prevention program,
reaching millions of
Americans during the last
week of October every
year. By wearing red ribbons and participating in
community
anti-drug
events, young people
pledge to live a drug-free
life.
Lee said the “Don’t Meth
With Us” program had a
lot of positive reaction
from students, parents,
teachers, principals and
community members.
“The presentations had
lasting impressions on the
kids,” he said.“I would come
back and visit and they
were wearing their T-shirts.
I think they got the message. The district was real
supportive.This program is
very good for the Rotary,
the district and most importantly, the students.”
PRINCIPAL’S
REACTION
David Martin, principal
at Rountree Elementary
School, said he was
impressed with the organ-
ization of the volunteers.
“They had their presentation down pat,” he said.
“You can tell it was something they had really
worked on. I felt like it
was a very engaging presentation. It had different
visuals and activities for
the kids to get involved
with. I was impressed
with how well it went.”
Martin said the students
enjoyed the interaction and
he was surprised by how
much information the kids
had retained when he
revisited the issue with
them a few weeks after the
presentation.
“I think the message
had a certain level of
stickiness that stuck with
the kids,” he said.
He said he would like to
see the program come back
to Rountree Elementary
next year.
“It was nice to get
something back in the
schools to educate children about the dangers of
drugs,” Martin said.“It was
a quality presentation.”
Upfront
4 | July 13 - 26, 2011
A closer look at
the grid concept
By James Hanson
Some people have suggested
that City Utilities bus service move
to a grid-style system, which
would not necessarily require a
transfer terminal.
And while CU continues to analyze that option, it appears the
odds are against it.
Mark Viguet, CU’s director of
marketing and communications,
said a route study is periodically
done and one is scheduled for
later this year.
“That speaks to the grid issue
some,” he said.“Until we do that, it
would be difficult to know if a grid
system would work.”
Typically, a grid system disburses
multiple stops throughout the city.
“It could create some efficiencies
but then it could not either,”Viguet
said. “We do know that a grid system would require more buses and
more drivers.When you move from
one operating model to another, it
is important to do due diligence
and that is what we are doing.”
Viguet said CU continues to
explore both a grid system and a
new transfer site.
“This is all part of the process to
make public transit better,” he said.
“Our goal is to make it the best as
it can be here in Springfield.”
Dan Scott, a member of the
Board of Public
Utilities and owner of
Jericho
Development, said he
thinks just because
finding a site for a
new transfer station
Scott
has presented a challenge doesn’t mean a jump should
be made to the grid system.
“We don’t have the population
density nor could we bear the
expense it would require for a
grid system,” he said. “It doesn’t
mean that there are not other considerations for locating a transfer
station.”
Scott said he believes CU should
find a place for a transfer station or
stations so they don’t have to
bring all of the buses to one site.
“If you look at the consultant’s
commentary on the two-station
thing, it wasn’t that they objected
to the concept but routes would
have to be looked at,” he said.
He said he is glad members of
the Historic Walnut Street District
have made their voices heard.
“I indicated to them that I didn’t
know if I would support that location or not,” he said. “But I told
them it was important that they
had a voice in the process and I’m
glad to see that is occurring.”
Scott said his opinions are his
alone and do not represent the
entire CU board.
Council Wrap
Rezoning requests get approval despite opposition
By James Hanson
Several members of the public stormed out of Council chambers
after City Council approved two requests for rezoning—one regarding the expansion of Salvation Army’s campus on property on
Chestnut Street between Kansas Expressway and LaFontaine
Avenue; and the second regarding a low-income housing apartment complex in the 200 block of North Hilton Avenue being proposed by Affordable Homes.
At the June 27 council meeting, residents and members spoke
about concerns over the interaction between children and individuals
living at either one of the proposed developments, as well as fears of
an increase in criminal activity and decreases in property values.
A discussion continued among council members before the votes
were cast.
Most council members concurred that a facility to assist individuals and families in need, such as the one proposed by Salvation
Army, is needed in the Springfield community.
General Seat B Councilman John Rush cited Salvation Army’s
track record and history of helping the less fortunate as the reason
he supported the rezoning request.
Zone 2 Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky said she was hesitant to
vote in favor of the request but feels better about the Salvation
Army’s plans to continue working with the neighbors near the
development, such as the Salvation Army’s plan to build a privacy
fence around the campus and transitional housing units.
Zone 4 Councilman Scott Bailes said although he supports the
Salvation Army, he understands property owners’ frustration.
“When I bought my house, I was under the assumption that the lots
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
on both sides of me would continue to be single-family homes, not an
apartment complex,” he said. “Will it be nicer? Maybe. When I asked if
the Salvation Army could look at this project in another way, they said
no.”
Council voted 8-1 to rezone approximately 10.2 acres of land near
709 N. Kansas Expressway from Planned Development District No. 167
to Planned Development District No. 167 Amended. Bailes voted no.
A protest petition triggered a requirement of at least six affirmative votes and all nine council members present to approve the
rezoning request by Affordable Homes for the development of the
Westport Woods Apartments.
Approximately 6.23 acres of property located on the east side of
the 200 block of North Hilton Avenue was rezoned from Single
Family Residential and Highway Commercial districts to a LowDensity Multi-Family Residential District and establishing
Conditional Overlay District No. 42.
The bill passed by an 8-1 vote, with Zone 1 Councilman Nick
Ibarra abstaining.
Council also agreed to accept the dedication of the public streets
and easements to the City of Springfield as shown on the
Preliminary Plat of Westport Woods.
Ibarra voted against this bill.
Several members of council agreed that the individuals who
would live in the low-income apartments are “the working poor.”
Rushefsky said she supported the development and hopes to see
it succeed.
“We aren’t talking about transients or a halfway house for people
with alcohol and drug abuse, we are talking about working poor,”
she said. “People who are holding jobs and trying to make it just
like everyone else in that neighborhood. Things are tough and they
can’t pay a full rent but they are entitled to decent housing just like
everyone else in that neighborhood is. Unfortunately there are
more and more people put into this position, where they need help
to pay the bills.”
Rush reiterated that potential residents must go through an extensive background and criminal check in order to live in the building.
Council: Ready to assist CU to ensure federal funds aren’t lost
CONTINUED, from 1
Missouri State University (MSU).
The transfer station would
be located directly across from
the center, which also causes
concern for Aaron Buerge,
market president for First
National Bank.
Buerge agreed that a new
station is needed, but
expressed concerns about air
and noise pollution, and how
it would negatively impact the
children at the ECDC.
“For those of us who have
children, we know nap time is
very contributory to children
for
brain
development,”
Buerge said. “I don’t see how
200 buses going by the center
every day would make that
even a possibility.”
Buerge also cited safety concerns for children and other
pedestrians as a reason why the
proposed location is problematic.
During the meeting, board
member Lisa Officer asked
Buerge if he had spoken with
MSU about moving the center
to ease parents’ concerns.
He said no one at the ECDC
knew about the proposed bus
station.
“It seems MSU has a fairly
neutral stance,” Buerge said.
CU board member Tom
Rankin said he thinks discussions with MSU are still ongoing regarding MSU’s possible
sale of the property.
Carol Lorance, a Springfield
resident living near Walnut
Street, said she shares
Blankenship’s concerns about
rushing the proposed site.
She showed the board an email she had received from
Mokhtee Ahmad, an FTA
regional director, addressing
CU’s alleged deadline for
selecting a site and possible
loss of $3.1 million in federal
grants if the deadline is missed.
She said Ahmad made no
mention of a concrete timeline
to use the funds and that the
funds are available until expended, or until the City decides to
not use the funds, which at that
time would then be re-obligated
for another community.
Lorance also questioned
why a route study was being
done after the selection of a
bus transfer facility.
“That is backwards,” she
said. “I see this as a lateral
movement at best. Why not
pursue real improvement?
Now is the time to really look
at our needs and the desire of
the Utility to expand and better our bus system. Don’t just
settle for the same system we
have had since the late 1950s.
Think outside of the box.”
She said she would rather
the City lose the money than
to waste it on a station that
isn’t part of the route revision.
CU General Manager Scott
Miller said he was surprised by
the e-mail and would follow up
with the FTA for clarification
on whether or not a timeline
does exist to use the funds.
He said that CU must show
positive progress on the bus
transfer station or risk losing
the funds.
At a meeting between City
Council and CU’s Board of
Public Utilities on July 8, Miller
said he had received confirmation from Ahmad that while
there is no technical timeline
for the project, positive
progress must be shown or
the funds could be rescinded.
He said CU hasn’t used anything from those funds since
2009.
The Community Free Press
reached out to the FTA for
clarification but did not
receive a reply by deadline.
COLLEGE
AND
MAIN
The feasibility study conducted in March found five
possible locations for a future
bus transfer facility.
Consultants Esterly, Schneider
and Associates Inc., with assistance from HNTB of Kansas
City, used the following screening criteria to determine which
site would be most suitable:
operational functionality; passenger convenience; cost; environmental impact;land-use compatibility; safety; and flexibility.
One site measured as well as
the Elm Street site: the intersection of College Street and
Main Avenue.
According to the study,
operational
functionality
measured better at College
and Main than it did at Elm
Street, citing more sight distance and wider streets with
surplus capacity.
The study found that Elm
Street is relatively narrow and
could pose operational problems.It also stated that site access
might be limited to Elm Street.
Joel Alexander, manager of
communications for CU, said
the reason CU didn’t pursue
the College and Main site further than a discreet inquiry
came down to two factors.
“Not all of the property is avail-
able and some of it would never
become available for sale,” he
said.“That led us to the next location; the Elm corridor. It also had
more community acceptance.”
CURRENT
SITE ‘UNSAFE’
During the June 30 meeting,
CU bus driver Brian Shipe said
he is in favor of another site,
saying a new site is needed for
the overall safety of both passengers and drivers.
“To me it isn’t about where is
the best site,”he said.“I’m wanting
to address the safety concerns
from where we are at now.”
Shipe said handicap-accessible
ramps at the current transfer site
on McDaniel Street lack enough
space to allow passengers to
move easily between buses.
He also voiced concerns
over the amount of parking
allowed along McDaniel Street
and said maneuvering around
delivery trucks can create challenges for the buses.
“It is just unsafe,” Shipe said.
At the conclusion of the July
8 meeting, Mayor Jim O’Neal
said CU has the council’s support in working with the FTA
to ensure federal monies for
the project aren’t lost.
“My strategy with this is to
defend that money against the
perception we are not making
progress,” O’Neal said.“Citizen
input, this type of meeting,
consideration of route systems, the noise studies …all of
these things, to me, that is
progress. I want to make sure
that the City of Springfield
works with CU to secure
those funds. We will help so
we can try to get this thing
resolved correctly.”
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Upfront
July 13 - 26, 2011
|
5
Drury team conducts experiment for NASA
By Amanda Hess
Students from the
Drury University’s Physics
Department were chosen
to participate in the NASA
2011 Grant Us Space
Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program.
The Drury team was
selected out of 14 teams
nationwide. The students
on the team are Andrew
Chase,Dalton Sivils,Preston
Julian, Kieran Ojakangas,
Celka Ojakangas and Kiefer
Barrett. The team departed
for NASA’s Ellington Field in
Houston on July 6 to conduct the experiment July
14 and 15.
The students’ experiment is called Hamiltonian
Dynamics of a Two Degree
Freedom Robotic Arm
with Viscoelastic Muscles
in Micro-gravity, or Son of
Toby for short.The project
is a continuation of
Drury’s 2007 experiment
that was also chosen for
the program.
The team will conduct
Photo courtesy Drury University
Drury students aboard the Weightless Wonder in 2007.
Surveys: Shortened
strategic plan will be
‘brief and digestible’
CONTINUED, from 1
The strategic plan is a
map of Springfield’s
plans to meet future
needs of the community
and enhance existing
strengths. The 13-chapter
plan addresses specific
topics to improve the
city, with an overview of
four themes: sustainability, minimizing poverty,
regionalism and civic
engagement.
City Manager Greg
Burris is a member of the
Strategic Plan Coordinating Committee. Burris
said after trying different
approaches to reach the
public, the committee
found it received more
responses when it went
to the public instead of
expecting the public to
come to it.
“It’s hard to cut through
the static of everyone’s
daily lives and I understand that,” Burris said. “I
think a big problem right
now is the 13 chapters
are longer than we originally intended; some are
over 15 pages long. The
good thing about it is that
the committee members
took the challenge seriously, but it requires a certain level of commitment
for a citizen to read that
much.”
The committee wants
to create a smaller, more
digestible version of the
strategic plan for citizens
to read and give feedback
on, Burris said.
“Instead of picking up
a stack of 13 chapters
we would like to make
an eight-page document
that shows the major initiatives that are proposed in the plan,” he
said. “We will also be
shortening the plan by
putting the performance
measures at the end of
the document or something like that. We need
an annual report card
that
is
brief
and
digestible.”
Find the surveys and
more information on the
City’s strategic plan
online at springfield
mo.gov
the experiment while flying in NASA’s Weightless
Wonder aircraft that will
drop from 35,000 to
25,000 feet of altitude in
25-second windows to
create weightlessness.
The team’s purpose for
the experiment is to understand how muscles create
arm motions in different
amounts of gravity. NASA
will give the team
resources for the experiment and assign a mentor
who will help guide the
team and make suggestions
to achieve better results.
Dr. Greg Ojakangas,
associate professor of
Physics at Drury, said the
new arm is much better
and has a higher fidelity
than the last one constructed by the team.
“In our 2007 project,
the arm was made crudely
out
of
roughly
machined materials,” he
said. “This time it was
done much better and has
much better measuring
devices on it and
accelerometers on board.
“We are going to analyze
the data and see if our
equations of motion do
correctly predict the direction of the arm in the presence of gravity, absence of
gravity and in micro-gravity. When astronauts move
in space, it’s different.This
is an effort to understand
how the brain controls the
body better.”
Upfront
6 | July 13 - 26, 2011
stay-at-home moms on
there. It’s a big market
and it seems to be getting
bigger because more people are going back to
that.
15 MINUTES
WITH…
Greenest
Mom in
America
Q. What are your
philosophical reasons
for wanting to go
green?
By Janice Mason
Ashley Gann won the
distinction of being the
Greenest Mom in America
through a national contest
by making a difference in
her family’s life and in the
environment.
The Springfield mom
entered
the
contest
through Children’s Orchard, a national franchise
with a local store on
Republic Road that sells
gently used and new namebrand children’s items.
Gann entered the contest
in May by posting her green
practices and a photo of
her four-month-old daughter on the store’s Facebook
page. The moms with the
highest number of fans, tallied by how many people
clicked the “Like” button,
were then narrowed to
three moms. A panel from
Children’s Orchard chose
the winner. Gann received
a $500 gift card to the
store for winning the contest.
She has lived in
Springfield for four years.
Her husband, Joshua,
grew up in Springfield
and is a medical technician and an Air Force
reservist.
Q. How long have
you been going to the
Children’s Orchard?
A. I have nieces and
nephews, so my sister-inlaw and I go over there a
lot.
Q. Were you surprised when you won
Photo courtesy Ashley Gann
Ashley Gann holds her fourmonth-old daughter, Rory.
the contest?
A. I won! I actually
didn’t think I was going
to. I’m glad I did.
Q. What did you submit to the contest?
A. I submitted a photo
(of my daughter) in one of
her cloth diapers. It was
actually one of her first
photos of being able to
push herself up on her
hands. She was just in a
Mizzou cloth diaper. I then
put the description of the
(green) things that I do,
and that was basically it.
Q. Do you shop from
home or do anything
to make money from
home?
A. I actually buy some
of my cloth diapers from
a work-at-home mom in
Wisconsin. I really try to
support work-at-home
moms because I stay at
home and work for my
own Etsy.com shop. I
make burp cloths and
hair accessories, sometimes baby blankets.
Sometimes people want
custom items. It’s more of
a hobby. Etsy.com is a
place where people who
make homemade items,
hand-made items, sell
their stuff.There are hundreds of thousands of
sellers on there, but it’s
mostly for hand-made
items. There are a lot of
A. Ours is mostly health
and the environment in
general. My husband and
I… through the cloth diapers and having our own
garden, and shopping at
the farmers market—it is
helping the environment
and it’s helping local business owners here in
town. We’re trying to cut
back on our carbon footprint as much as possible
and to kind of give Rory a
better life in the future.
We are hoping that she’ll
pick up a couple things,
even if it’s just gardening,
shopping at the farmers
market, to give her another option in life.
Q. How did you get
interested in environmental concerns?
A. I grew up on a horse
farm in Ohio and so I’ve
always kind of been more
aware of what’s around
me and my husband also
grew up on a farm around
here with his family. So, he
was into the gardening—
all sorts of stuff. So, he got
me into the gardening.We
didn’t want to keep going
down the same path as
everybody else, so we
wanted to be able to eat
healthier and not have to
wonder what was in all
the foods.
Q. Do you think that
you save money by
going green?
A. Yes. I personally
think it’s saving us a lot of
money. We started out
putting her in cloth diapers during the day and
putting her in Pampers at
night.We were still spending at least $100 a month
Ashley Gann
in brief
Profession: Stay-athome mom
Hometown: Bradford,
Ohio
Family: Husband
Joshua and daughter
Rory
Why she’s interesting:
“I think what’s interesting about me is
that I am of the
younger generation. I
am only 23,” she said.
“So, I am in between
the group that is transitioning from everything everybody is
doing to the greener
lifestyle. I feel like I am
kind of the middle
person. I am always
the person people
come to, to ask questions because I am the
one taking the step
and trying to change.”
on disposable diapers and
we weren’t even doing it
all the time. So for the last
month or so, I have been
doing cloth diapers fulltime and you can really
tell with our budget that
it’s working out for us. I
have about 30 diapers and
I plan on getting more in
the next month or so, so
I’m not doing laundry so
much. Also I’m not wearing out the diapers quickly. It’s a big investment at
first, but in the long run I
think it’s best for the
babies and the environment. You aren’t putting
so many diapers in the
landfills.
Q. What are you and
your husband’s green
plans for the future?
A.We are in the process
of making plans to build
our own house and he’s
wanting to do solar panels
and use sunlight for heating the house during the
day with big windows.We
are going to integrate
green living into it
because it will be better
for us and everybody else
in the future.
www.cfpmidweek.com
News
| Community Free Press
Digest
Partnership for Hope to help Missouri families
Gov. Jay Nixon announced on June 30 that he has
authorized the Missouri Department of Mental Health
to request from the Federal Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services an expansion of the Partnership for
Hope to serve an additional 300 Missourians with
developmental disabilities, from 10 additional counties.
The Partnership began enrolling Missourians in October
2010 at the direction of Gov. Nixon. In total, the
Partnership will serve nearly 1,300 individuals in 83
Missouri counties and the city of St. Louis. The additional counties requested were: Barry, Christian,
Grundy, Morgan, Perry, Oregon, Reynolds, Ste.
Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne. Participants in the
partnership receive up to $12,000 in services per year.
Funding for the program comes from the Missouri
Department of Mental Health, county developmental
disability boards and the Federal Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services. The county boards contribute
up to $2.8 million annually for the program, which is
matched by up to $2.8 million in existing state funds
and up to $10 million from the federal government.
County developmental disability boards and the
Department of Mental Health already have enrolled
869 individuals in the Partnership.
Missouri State Parks accepting donations for Joplin parks
Visitors at Missouri State Parks might notice something new: donation boxes. The boxes became available on July 2. All of the donations received will be
used to purchase and plant trees in Joplin-area parks.
The boxes are part of an effort to assist in replacing
hundreds of trees destroyed by the May 22 tornado.
Missouri State Parks is currently participating in the
Odwalla Plant-a-Tree Program, which allows people
across the nation to vote where they want trees planted. Odwalla has committed $100,000 to the campaign
and each vote will be equal to $1 to be used for trees.
To vote to donate trees to the Joplin area parks, visit
mostateparks.com and click on the Odwalla Plant-aTree program link. Voting ends Aug. 31.
DSS Director to take post at St. Louis University
Department of Social Services (DSS) Director Ronald
J. Levy is leaving the department July 31 to accept a
position at St. Louis University School of Public Health.
Levy has been the DSS director since 2009. He will
become Executive in Residence at the St. Louis
University School of Public Health. He also will be
available to assist Gov. Jay Nixon on special projects
related to health care. DSS Deputy Director Brian
Kinkade will serve as acting director pending a national
search for Levy’s replacement.
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
School Board Wrap
SCHOOL NOTES
Board adopts 2011-2012
By James Hanson
Springfield Public Schools finished
the 2010-2011 fiscal year better than
expected financially, which will help
push the district’s operating fund balance to almost 17 percent.
SPS’s Chief Financial Officer Steve
Chodes presented the news to the
board at its June 28 meeting.
The board adopted the presented
budget for 2011-2012, which includes
total operating expenditures of
$207,970,000 and total operating
revenues of $208,370,000.
All non-represented employees are
scheduled to receive a 1-percent
salary increase plus a step increase.
All employees who are represented
through collective bargaining will
receive salary increases in accordance with their ratified contracts,
which were approved during the
board’s May 24 meeting.
Springfield National Education
Association (SNEA) represents teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses and
maintenance, custodial and supply.
The Teamsters Local No. 245 represents the district’s transportation
department bus drivers, aides and
bus nurses.
During the June 28 meeting, the
board voted to ratify a collective bargaining agreement between SPS and
the Teamsters No. 245, which is effective July 1, 2011 through June 30,
2012.
The estimated additional cost to
implement proposed revisions in the
agreement is $115,000 and has
already been included in the district’s
operating budget for the 2011-2012
Upfront
Evangel University director
receives award
fiscal year.
The 2011-2012 budget also provides
for the addition of 17 teaching positions.
Thirteen of those positions are to
address an expected increase in enrollment and four class-size-reduction
teachers who were paid previously
with Title II funds. Title II funding was
cut by 21 percent for next year.
Decreases in the budget were also
made, in case of revenue shortfalls.
A total of $1.07 million was cut in
administrative salaries and another $2
million was cut in other expenditures.
The board also approved a
fundraising agreement with Athletic
Surfaces Plus.
Athletic Surfaces Plus will develop
and initiate a campaign to raise $4
million in private donations to
improve the district’s athletic fields
and tracks.
Money raised would help pay for
new fields and tracks at Kickapoo,
Glendale and Hillcrest high schools,
as well as replace the outdated field
turf at JFK Stadium at Parkview High
School.
Athletic Surfaces Plus must raise at
least $2.5 million before the district can
begin seeking bids for work on the
projects. Athletic Surfaces Plus was also
selected to provide project management services for the installation of artificial turf and track replacements.
Dr. Tom Prater said private donations, such as those being sought for
the field and track replacements,
helps the district ensure more money
is available for the most important
thing: education.
Gina Rentschler, director of
community life at Evangel
University, has been awarded
the Don L. Boender Award for
Distinguished Service from the
Association for Christians in
Student Development (ACSD).
The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the
ACSD and the field of Student
Development. Rentschler
holds a Masters degree in
Guidance Counseling and has
served Evangel University for
17 years, five as the residence
director for Spence Hall and 12
as director of community life.
Emerson Charitable Trust
contributes to college fund
Emerson Charitable Trust
contributed $16,000 to underwrite need-based scholarships
to member schools of the
Missouri College Fund (MCF).
The grant will provide a
$1,000 scholarship to each of
the 16 member schools. The
scholarships will be awarded
to students studying to
achieve degrees in science
and math. MCF member
schools in Springfield are
Drury and Evangel universities.
Central High School
student receives award
Albert Scherff, a student at
Central High School, was one
of 14 high school students in
Missouri awarded the 2011
Horatio Alger State
July 13 - 26, 2011
Scholarship. Scherff will
receive $5,000 toward his college education as well as
financial aid guidance.
Students were selected for the
scholarships because they
persevered in overcoming
adversity while succeeding
academically, contributing to
the community and exhibiting
exemplary character.
OTC Foundation receives
$15,000 for building expansion
The OTC Foundation, the
fundraising arm of Ozarks
Technical Community College,
received a gift of $15,000
from the BKD Foundation, the
charitable division of
Springfield-based BKD, L.L.P.
The funds will be used to
expand the Information
Commons West on the college’s Springfield campus.
One of the new classrooms in
the addition will be named in
the firm’s honor.
SPS coordinator honored
Jean Grabeel, Springfield
Public Schools coordinator of
health services, was inducted
as a Fellow into the National
Academy of School Nursing
(NASN) at the annual National
Association of School Nurses
conference on July 2. She is
the second person from
Missouri to receive this honor.
NASN awards this to individuals whose achievements have
made enduring, unique and
extraordinary contributions to
the advancement of professional school nursing practice.
|
7
PHS picks up national awards
Parkview High School
speech and debate squad
placed second in the nation in
rounds of competition at the
national tournament in Dallas
in June. The team of Aaron
Sowards and Thao Anh Mai
placed ninth in public forum
debate; Zach Perry and
Christian Weaver placed in the
top 35 in duo interpretation;
and Dakota Brown placed in
the top 50 in supplemental
debate. Parkview also moved
to 10th in the nation in rounds
of competition in national student congress and Zach Perry
placed seventh at the National
Catholic Forensic League
National Tournament over
Memorial Day weekend.
Motorcycle instruction
revs up at OTC
OTC’s Community
Enrichment Center is offering
basic motorcycle instructions
at the OTC Springfield campus in August. The beginner
classes prepare riders for the
required state street test and
teach basic survival skills.
Motorcycles and helmets
are provided during class
unless a student wants to
bring a bike with a motor of
500ccs or less. OTC will also
offer classes in driving threewheel motorcycles. The classes will be held on the fullsized test range being
stripped on Parking Lot O,
southwest of the CEC offices.
The classes are a total of 18
hours and are held over a
Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
For details, call 447-8888.
Upfront
8 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
To blight or not to blight?
By James Hanson
Several properties and pieces of
land in Springfield, predominantly
near Center City, downtown and
Missouri State University, carry the
label of “blighted.”
Mary Lilly-Smith, economic development director for the City of
Springfield, gave a presentation on
Blight and Redevelopment Plans at
the June 28 City Council luncheon.
Blight, according to Lilly-Smith, is
often misunderstood.
To understand blight, one must
understand the definition of blight as
defined by Missouri state statutes
established to help with economic
development.
Lilly-Smith said the definitions for
each type of blight—Land Clearance
for
Redevelopment Authority
(LCRA); Tax Increment Financing
(TIF); and Urban Redevelopment
Corporations (URC) —are similar
but with a few modifications.
LCRA blight can be used when an
area, which by reason of the predominance of defective or inadequate street layout, unsanitary or
unsafe conditions, deterioration of
site improvements, improper subdivision or obsolete platting, or the
existence of conditions which
endanger life or property by fire and
other causes, or any combination of
such factors, retards the provision of
housing accommodations or constitutes an economic or social liability
or a menace to the public health,
safety, morals or welfare in its present condition and use. (Section
99.320(3) RSMo.)
This definition is also used in
Section 99.805(1) RSMo. when
defining TIF Blight.
URC blight (Section 353.020(2)
RSMo.) is used when a portion of the
city within which legislative authority of such city determines that by
reason of age, obsolescence, inadequate or outmoded design or physical deterioration have become economic and social liabilities, and that
such conditions are conducive to ill
health, transmission of disease, crime
or inability to pay reasonable taxes.
COUNCIL’S ROLE
Lilly-Smith said that council must
find that a predominance of one of
the blighting factors exists and that it
leads to one of the conditions in the
last part of the definition before labeling properties and/or buildings as
blighted.
“Council must also determine
Recommendations
Springfield’s Economic Development Director Mary Lilly-Smith made several recommendations regarding blight and redevelopment plans to City
Council at its June 28 meeting.
Those recommendations include:
■ Prepare council action declaring that blight has been remediated in the
Hammons Tower Redevelopment Area, the University Plaza
Redevelopment Area, the Downing Street/Winstead Commons
Redevelopment Area, and the Juris Building Redevelopment Area;
■ Review the redevelopment areas annually to determine if any should
be declared free of blight;
■ Continue to search for the missing Southwest Missouri State University
Redevelopment Plan and encourage developers in that area to prepare
their own redevelopment plan for the interim;
■ Discourage the use of property tax abatement in the Commercial
Street TIF District, since abatement is in direct conflict with the adopted
TIF Plan; and instead encourage developers to prepare their own redevelopment plans for the blighted areas outside of the Commercial Street
TIF District;
■ Consider use of blighting/redevelopment plans in strategic locations in
conjunction with other planning efforts;
■ All blighting/redevelopment plans should be consistent with the adopted
Economic Development Incentives Policies (adopted earlier this year);
■ Develop documents and website information regarding the
Redevelopment Areas to inform and assist potential developers interested in designated areas.
Buy One Specialty Donut,
Get One Specialty Donut
FREE! Offer Expires 07-31-11
| Community Free Press
Oktoberfest brews
exemption draws
support, concern
By James Hanson
Photo by James Hanson
Local developer Tim Roth received
approval for his tax abatement request
earlier this year. Above is his development at Kimbrough Avenue and
Madison Street, scheduled to open to
tenants on Aug. 1.
that blight no longer exists, before
removing the blight designation,”
she said.
Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky
made a suggestion that the city develop a system that would allow the
blight to be removed automatically
when tax abatements, such as Tax
Increment Financing end.
“When a tax abatement ends on a
property, the blight designation
remains unless council declares that
the blight no longer exists,” Lilly-Smith
said.“The law department is looking
into the possibility of blight being
removed once an abatement rolls off.”
To date, most of the blight in
Springfield has been LCRA Chapter
99 and URC Chapter 353 property
tax abatements.
From 1964 to present, there have
been a total of 26 redevelopment
areas and 38 blighting actions.
Lilly-Smith informed council that in
2010, four properties rolled off the
abatement—University Plaza Hotel,
Hammons Office Building, One
Parkway Place Condominiums and the
U.S. Federal Courthouse. In 2011, two
more properties— Hammons Tower
and Springfield Area Chamber of
Commerce Building—will go back on
the tax rolls.
The assessed value for those
properties in 2009 was $3,923,940.
In 2010, the assessed value
increased to $8,390,020.
Economic development is encouraged in blighted areas, because that
designation allows for developers to
apply for various tax abatements that
can assist with the development.
“Blight is a way to qualify an area
for incentives or a funding program,” Lilly-Smith said.
The Urban Districts Alliance (UDA) is seeking a onetime exemption to allow the possession, sale and consumption of alcohol on the square on Oct. 1 for
Oktoberfest.The request was referred to more than once
as a pilot project during the July 11 City Council meeting.
City Attorney Dan Wichmer said the Springfield
Police Department must approve UDA’s security
plan and shop owners affected by the event must be
notified before the event could take place.
Currently, under city code, an open container is
not allowed on the downtown Mall, the area proposed for this event.
Wichmer said UDA is seeking approval now so it
can get everything in order.
Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky had two concerns, security and underage drinking.
SPD Chief Paul Williams said he must sign off on
the security.
He said he believes wristbands would be used to
ensure the area is a controlled area.
“I’m not so concerned about the young professionals who might attend,” Rushefsky said. “I’m a little
more concerned with the very young, not-so-professionals who may take advantage of the opportunity to
drink illegally.Will there be any limitations placed on
the police’s ability to check for underage drinking?”
Sara Hough, community event coordinator for
UDA, said there would be no limitations and that
SPD would have free reign to check identifications.
Big Whiskey’s would be the agent in charge of selling alcohol for the event.
Other restaurants and bars will sell alcohol but
none of it will be allowed to leave their premises.
Hough referenced that at the annual Taste of
Springfield event, a beer garden is available for
patrons.That downtown event has been successful for
the past four years, with no incidents being reported.
The ordinance for Oktoberfest would be only for
the Oct. 1 date and would only be valid for beer and
wine. There would be only one place where beverages would be sold for the event.
Chief Williams said SPD services shouldn’t be impacted under the proposal.Williams said off-duty police officers are often hired for events such as Oktoberfest.
“If it is approved, we will work with UDA and the
Oktoberfest committee to make it a successful event,”
he said.
He said underage drinking is always a concern but feels
SPD has a very good under-21 program and does a lot of
target enforcement of retailers and compliance checks.
“Whenever there is a special event like this, our
officers have a heightened awareness of making sure
young people aren’t drinking,”Williams said.
Council will decide on the issue at the July 25 meeting.
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Viewpoints
July 13 - 26, 2011
THINK
About It!
– Benjamin Franklin
FreePress
Local Voice
Breck Langsford,
President/Publisher
Amanda Langsford,
Associate Publisher
Photos and interviews by Amanda Hess
What’s your biggest Springfield
construction pet peeve?
EDITORIAL
Janice Mason,
Editor
James Hanson,
Reporter
Kim W. Schumer,
Copy Editor
Amanda Hess,
Intern
The bridge on
Kansas
Expressway. It
slows traffic
down and you
only have two
lanes to work
with. You don’t
really see any
progress being
made, it just feels
like it’s taking a long time.
– Cynthia Lewis, Springfield
CONTRIBUTORS
Kelsey Garman
Phil Morrissey
Jacy Tilton
DESIGN
Amanda Langsford
Lonnie Bolding,
Art Tech
Breck Langsford
Amanda Langsford
Greg Hansen
CIRCULATION /
DISTRIBUTION
Marylee York, Manager
Mike Weber, Courier
Mike Metz, Courier
ADMINISTRATION
Donna Blackburn,
Senior Accountant
Muriel Lincoln,
Credit Manager
Dudley Brown,
IT Systems & Web
CONTACT
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
classifieds@
cfpmidweek.com
B Publishing Group
3057 E. Cairo / Springfield, MO
65802
Mailing address: PO Box 2418
Springfield, MO 65801
Phone: (417) 447-2130
Fax: (417) 447-2140
www.cfpmidweek.com
The Community Free Press is
published by B Publishing Group, Inc. in
Springfield, Mo. It is available free of charge,
limited to one copy per reader, from distributors
in the Springfield-metro area. Additional copies
may be obtained at the B Publishing Group
offices. CFP may be distributed only by the publisher’s authorized agents. No one may, without
permission from B Publishing Group, take more
than one copy of each issue. Postal delivery to
your home or business address is available via
Standard Mail. Call 417-447-2130 for information. Reproduction prohibited without publisher’s
written permission. Unsolicited materials should
be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped
envelope. B Publishing Group reserves the right
to publish unsolicited articles, and is under no
obligation to return such materials.
Vol. 9 Issue 13
The thoughts and
opinions of columnists in
the Viewpoints section do
not reflect those of the
Community Free Press.
If you wish to respond
to Viewpoints please
e-mail CFP:
[email protected]
9
“Words may show a man’s wit
but actions his meaning.”
Community
ADVERTISING
|
Illustration by Phil Morrissey
Mayor’s Commission addresses discrimination
T
he Springfield Mayor’s Commission
to be a factor in the differential
on Human Rights and Community
treatment of specific groups of peoRelations is a local Board of
ple in the local community. Once
Commissioners appointed by the Mayor
the Commission has finished its
to provide representation from a reasonresearch function, it will then move
ably broad spectrum of the community.
to educate the public and policy
Factors such as areas of expertise,
makers on issues and needs related
geographic location, education, race
to eliminating the discriminatory
and profession are considerations
factors. The Commission will then
made in choosing appointees. Human
advocate for policy changes that are
Rights Commissioners are given the Kelly Johnson more inclusive and sensitive to
task to educate the community on varunderstanding.
GUEST COLUMN
ious human-rights issues and to
The quality of life of residents can
address complaints of discriminatory acts be substantially enhanced when human-rights
made by community members. Discrimination principles are taught and reinforced at the local
on the basis of a person’s race, color, creed, level. The MHRC is tasked with identifying
religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex methods to promote social cohesion, dialogue
or familial status in housing is forbidden by between different groups and non-discriminatolaw. Commissioners work to promote equality, ry practices.
understanding and respect among all citizens
The MCHR conducts many educational and
and provide the community recourse for dis- intervention programs that target specific
criminatory acts.
issues including but not limited to racism,
One of the MCHR’s primary functions is to housing discrimination and public accommoadvocate for and take positive action toward dation. If your business, school, or organization
eliminating discrimination, racism and bigotry, would like to receive training on a specific
strengthening inter-group relationships, and human rights issue, or learn more about the
fostering greater understanding, inclusion and MCHR’s current endeavors, call 864-1038 or ejustice for those who live, work, study, wor- mail: city&springfieldmo.gov
ship, travel and play in the City of Springfield.
Anyone may file an official complaint with
To achieve this task, the Commission uses dis- the Springfield Mayors Commission on Human
tinct procedures for intake, investigation, Rights.There is no fee for this service.You may
mediation and determination of need to file your claim at www.springfieldmo.gov/
process official complaints at the state level.
boards/humanrights
Mediation is often utilized by the MCHR to
Kelly Johnson is the commissioner of the
resolve disputes or complaints of human- Mayor’s Commission on Human Rights.
rights violations. Mediation is a form of dispute resolution gaining popularity as an alterCorrection
native to formal litigation. Mediation is frequently utilized to expedite a case through a
In the June 29 edition of the Community
mutually agreed settlement and therefore benFree Press, Greg Gaines’ service in the United
States Marine Corps was incorrect. Gaines
efits both parties. If mediation is successful,
enlisted for a four-year tour in the USMC in
the Commission typically closes the case. If
the early 1980s.
mediation is unsuccessful, the Commission
then determines if the complainant should
Correction Policy
Every attempt is made to ensure that all informatake his or her case to the Missouri
tion in the Community Free Press is factual. In the
Commission on Human Rights.
event of an error we will publish any necessary corThe MCHR is actively researching policies
rections as soon as we are informed of a mistake
and can confirm the correct information.
and practices where discrimination is believed
The square
because it’s not
pretty and there
is no real place
to hang out
anymore.
– Michael
Winiewicz,
Poland
It’s everywhere
you turn, downtown, South
Campbell. It feels
like it’s everywhere at once.
– Elaine Smith,
Springfield
The square. How
many times have
they changed the
plan for it? It
seems to be taking
more time than it’s
supposed to.
– Adam Johnson,
Nixa
The lack of sidewalks on busy
streets. You can’t
ride your bike or
walk along many
of our streets.
– Michelle Brown,
Springfield
Everyone seems
to be against us
getting a new bus
terminal for our
buses. No one
wants it in their
neighborhood but
we’ve outgrown
the ones we have.
It seems like
Springfield is 30
years behind other cities.
– Larry Bond, Springfield
Upfront
10 | July 13 - 26, 2011
Letters
E-mail: [email protected].
It has been about a month since Joplin,
Missouri, got hit by the tornado and over
150 people perished. A city of 50,000 people had one-third of its homes and businesses destroyed. Live for Joplin, a concert, could help raise money, raise the spirits and feelings of the citizens and advance
the efforts to rebuild the areas of the city
that have been devastated.
George Harrison’s “Concert for
Bangladesh” started the movement worldwide of artists raising money though concerts. Tom Petty and Dire Straits and many
local not-for-profit organization that provides pregnancy support services to
financially disadvantaged
women and teens through
prenatal and baby yoga,
doula services and childbirth classes.
TARGET barbecue
returns to its roots
The Association of
Republicans Getting
Everyone Together (TARGET) presents its annual
barbecue fundraiser at
Doling Park’s Northview
Center, 301 E. Talmage, at
5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23.
Admission to the event is
$10; advanced registration
is suggested. Children 12
and younger are admitted
free. Doling Park is the site
of the first Greene County
Repubicans barbecue in
1960; the park’s Northview
Center was selected for
others were at Live Aid. A little star power
could go a long way in helping.
Send your own messages on their
Facebook sites to Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow,
Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, Willie Nelson,
Mark Chestnut, Toby Keith, Norah Jones
and others asking them to consider a concert for Joplin, Missouri. Please let me
know of any ideas at
[email protected] or Facebook
Steven L Reed Springfield.
this year’s event because
of concerns over excessive
heat.
Entertainment at the barbecue is provided by No
Less Than One Member of
the Geezer Band, lead by
Greene County Clerk
Richard Struckhoff. Guests
scheduled to attend the
event include Republican
office holders and 2012
candidates, including
Congressman Billy Long
and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.
For more information, call
823-9130 or visit
GreeneCountyGOP.org
Park board offers options
to beat the heat
The Springfield-Greene
County Park Board will
offer options to cool down
when the National Weather
Service issues heat advisories for the Springfield
area this summer. Grant
Beach Park Outdoor Pool,
833 W. Calhoun St., will
| Community Free Press
Larino’s extension request approved
What you think is important
Live for Joplin
LOCAL NEWS, from 3
www.cfpmidweek.com
Steven L. Reed
Springfield
remain open until 8 p.m. if
a heat advisory is issued
Wednesdays through
Sundays. Chesterfield
Family Center Indoor Pool,
2511 W. Republic Road, will
stay open until 8 p.m.
Citizens are welcome to
visit the lobby areas of
Chesterfield Family Center,
2511 W. Republic Road,
Doling Family Center, 301
E. Talmage St., and
Mediacom Ice Park, 635
Trafficway, during normal
business hours to cool off.
Gillenwaters Tennis
Complex, 3635 S. Jefferson
Ave., and Perry Tennis
Courts at the corner of
Bennett Street and
National Avenue will leave
outdoor tennis courts lighted until 11 p.m. during heat
advisory days.
Submit Events:
events@
cfpmidweek.com
Broyles, Meyer and Straw move to permanent status
Three members of the City of Springfield’s Leadership Team began permanent duties
leading their respective departments with the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. Phil
Broyles became the Director of Public Works; Steve Meyer became the Director of
Environmental Services; and Chris Straw became the Director of Building Development
Services. Broyles and Meyer served as Co-Interim Directors of Public Works since April 2010.
That department split into two separate departments after July 1. The new Public Works
Department includes the following divisions: Transportation Engineering, Storm Water
Engineering, Street Maintenance, Traffic-Operations, Traffic-Transportation Management,
Construction Inspection, and Internal Services. The Environmental Services Department is
comprised of Clean Water Services, Solid Waste Management, the Office of Sustainability,
and Environmental Compliance. Straw had served as Interim Director of Building
Development Services since February 2010. The interim appointments came as a result of a
hiring freeze at all levels of City government that began in January 2009. Hiring restrictions
were eased this spring although more than 70 jobs remain frozen at the City. For more
information, call Phil Broyles or Steve Meyer at 864-1902 or Chris Straw at 864-1059.
By James Hanson
Paul Larino, developer and owner of
Larino Properties LLC., remains in the
thick of his latest development, Hickory
Hills Marketplace.
Last spring, Larino agreed to buy the
property from Springfield Public Schools
for $4,450,000, with a $2.5 million payment due June 15.
But Larino missed the deadline and
sought an extension, which the
Springfield Public Schools Board of
Education granted at an executive session on June 28.
The new agreement gives Larino a 120day extension, making the payment due
by Oct. 14, in exchange for a non-refundable $50,000 cash payment, which the
school has received.
According to a release sent out by SPS,
the $50,000 cash payment is the equivalent of 6 percent annualized interest on
the $2.5 million that Larino Properties
was scheduled to have paid SPS on June
15.
Board president Dr. Tom Prater said the
decision to grant the extension was an
easy one to make.
“The pieces of the puzzle are coming
together,” he said. “He (Larino) just needs
a few more things done. This is the closest we have been on closing the sale,
ever. We thought the additional time for
him to wrap things up was appropriate.”
Prater said the board has wanted to sell
the property for some time.
“This is the best deal we have had so
far,” he said.
In the same release sent out by SPS,
Prater called granting the extension “a
prudent financial measure for the school
district.”
Larino intends to develop a retail center, to be called Hickory Hills
Marketplace, at the site of the former
Hickory Hills Middle School.
The center will have an anchor tenant,
still unknown at this time, and various
eateries and retail shops.
Upon completion, the center is expected to generate sales and property taxes
that could have an impact on the city’s
economy.
SPS has estimated that once the development is complete, an additional
$250,000 to $300,000 in property-tax
revenue could be generated for the district each year.
According to the terms of the contract,
Larino must conduct asbestos abatement
on the 102,609-square-foot building and
then demolish it, even if the sale is not
finalized.
For more information, visit springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org
The Salvation Army rolls out new canteen
Salvation Army rolled out its new canteen on July 1. The mobile feeding unit provides food, hydration, counseling and other assistance to disaster survivors and emergency responders. The 16-foot canteen’s amenities will allow the Salvation Army to
prepare food on site and serve more people in need.
The Missouri Office of Homeland Security paid $130,000 for the canteen and provided
it to the Salvation Army. The canteen will primarily deploy to disasters within Missouri
Region D, an 18-county area in southwest Missouri that includes Greene, Polk, Christian,
Taney and Stone counties. The Springfield Corps’ previous canteen is being used to provide relief efforts in Joplin and will permanently transfer to the Joplin Corps.
Construction begins on Route 65 sound barriers
A project to build noise-reducing barriers or sound walls in five locations along Route
65 began July 5. The first few weeks of the project include clearing trees and brush.
Crews began building footings for the sound walls on July 11.
Most of the sound-wall construction will take place away from traffic; however, it
may be necessary at times for crews to close lanes of Route 65 during nighttime
hours, possibly from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. The sound-wall locations are:
■ Chestnut Expressway to Catalpa Street on southbound side of Route 65
■ Bennett Street to Sunshine Street on southbound side of Route 65
■ Battlefield Road to Gasconade Street on both sides of Route 65
■ Republic Road to Route 60 on the southbound side of Route 65
In December 2009, property owners living along Route 65 voted on whether they wanted sound walls built adjacent to their homes. Seven locations were proposed and property
owners approved five locations.
Sound walls were proposed as part of the widening of Route 65 to six lanes between I44 and Route 60 in Springfield. Under federal guidelines, the noise-reducing barriers are
offered to property owners when noise increases to a certain level as lanes are added.
The walls are proposed only if the barriers can effectively reduce noise. The prime contractor on the project is Archer Western Contractors of Chicago, Ill., doing the work for a
low bid amount of $4 million. The project is scheduled for completion by May 2012.
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
July 13 - 26, 2011
Business
|
11
Coffee and More
Boca Mocha the newest spot for
coffee lovers. » Page 12
e-mail [email protected]
FYI
Expanding
the Empire
Liberty Bank contributes
$50,000 to Joplin schools
Liberty Bank is donating $50,000 to aid Joplin
schools with immediate
and long-term efforts to
rebuild school buildings
and assist students recovering from the tornado
that struck Joplin on May
22. Liberty Bank, headquartered in Springfield,
has two locations in
Joplin, one of which was
damaged by the tornado.
The 2350 S. Range Line
Road location re-opened
on June 6. Liberty Bank
serves southwest Missouri
with 19 locations in 11
communities through
banking, lending and
mortgage services.
Public Relations Boot
Camp scheduled
The Southwest Missouri
Chapter of the Public
Relations Society of
America (PRSA) presents
a Public Relations Boot
Camp workshop for individuals wanting to
improve their PR skills.
The event is from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. July 28 at the
Springfield Area
Chamber of Commerce,
202 S. John Q. Hammons
Parkway. Registration
begins at 8:30 a.m. The
cost is $40 for PRSA and
Chamber members, $50
for non-members. The
fee includes breakfast,
lunch and program materials. For more information, call 269-4113.
Company earns American
Building Companies award
Williams Construction
Inc. received the 2011
Building of the Year
Award by American
Buildings Company (ABC)
in its annual Excellence in
Design Awards. The award
was for the construction
of O’Reilly Family Event
Center. Williams
Construction was also
named the Excellence in
Design winner in the
Recreation category for
the same project and
received second place in
the Warehouse/Distribution category for
Arrowhead Building
Supply in Hollister, Mo.
Judges chose from more
than 95 entries to select
the best projects in 11 different categories.
Branson hotel named
Comfort Inn of the Year
Choice Hotels
International awarded
the Comfort Inn of the
Year designation to the
Comfort Inn & Suites
see FYI, 12
Newest branch
in the design and
planning stage
■
By James Hanson
Photo by James Hanson
Arthur Coats (left) and Angel Kim, co-owners of Blu Sesame and Side by Side Dessert Lounge, at 413 S. Jefferson Ave.
Open, Blu Sesame!
Asian eatery, dessert bar latest downtown dining options
By James Hanson
After finding success with the
Argentina Steakhouse, ReRico
Brazilian Grill and Springfield
Catering Company, Angel Kim
decided to take his talents downtown.
Kim will open two new ventures, side by side, at 413 S.
Jefferson Ave.: Blu Sesame and
Side by Side Dessert Lounge, with
both venues expected to open
July 18.
Kim’s wife, Song Kang, will manage Side by Side, while his business partner Arthur Coats will
oversee operations at Blu Sesame.
Kim said a developer and partner in Wilhoit Plaza, Jeff Schrag,
played a role in the decision to try
downtown for a new business.
But he said he also hadn’t seen
any Asian restaurants downtown.
“We are going to provide for a
comfortable environment and
everyday food that is high quality,
yet affordable,” Kim said.“We think
this has a chance to be really successful here as there are a lot of
college students and workers
down here every day.”
He said the Side by Side Dessert
Lounge is something he and his
wife have always wanted to do.
“We have invested a lot of
money into her learning all of the
desserts,” Kim said.“So we wanted
to put it to good use.”
The dessert lounge will be similar to a French-style patisserie.
Diners can enjoy a variety of
beers while dining at Blu Sesame.
Kim said the restaurant will be a
fusion of traditional Asian and
everyday foods.
Both venues will be open from
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through
Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m.
on Friday and Saturday.
Kim said the plan is to cater to
diners’ needs.
“We know this is a college town
and we want to provide high-end
food at an affordable price,” he
said.
He said everything has gone
smooth and on schedule.
“Our ultimate goal is to build on
this,” Kim said. “We already have a
second location in mind if all goes
well here in the next six months.”
For more information, call 8818882 or visit blusesame.com
CoWorking Center to open more doorways downtown
By James Hanson
The Creative Foundry LLC was established by Jim
Michels in January.
The Foundry serves as a volunteer-supported; grassroots-style organization that supports entrepreneurial
innovation and collaborative creativity.
And on Aug. 1, it will further its mission with the opening of the CoWorking Center at 325 W. McDaniel St.
CoWorking Centers are spaces where independent
professionals, freelancers and entrepreneurs can come
together to work and network.
Desirina Boskovich, media communications for the
Creative Foundry, said CoWorking Centers appeal to
people who often work at home.
At a CoWorking Center, individuals have similar
resources, equipment and social opportunities as typically found in a traditional workplace, while still operating independently and pursuing their own projects.
“It can get boring and get lonely at home,” Boskovich
said. “There is a chance for more distractions at home.
So having an office space where you can just go and
focus on your work can help. There are also the social
benefits where you can meet colleagues. You can support them and they can support you.”
Boskovich said CoWorking Centers are all about building a community and building a network.
“This should be really beneficial for downtown
Springfield and be a tool for economic development,”
she said. “This provides a new opportunity for entrepreneurs and independent workers. We are hoping this will
generate some dynamic energy down here.”
Boskovich said fees to use the space are still being discussed.
Early indications are that the fees to use the space
would be as follows: $10 per day; $100 per month for a
part-time user; and $250 per month for someone wishing to utilize the space the entire month.
For more information, visit thecreativefoundry.org, email Desirina at [email protected] or Jim
Michels at [email protected]
Empire Bank remains
committed to bringing its
name to the east side of
Springfield.
The company purchase
a two-acre parcel of land
at the intersection of
Sunshine Street and
Blackman Road in 2007 to
serve as the future home
of its 12th branch in
Springfield.
Ground was broken on
June 23.
Andrew Tasset, vicepresident of marketing at
Empire Bank, said before
the branch is built, a
deposit-taking ATM would
be put in place.
“This will help serve
our customers on that
side of town, ahead of the
branch,” he said.
Tasset said Empire has
no timeline established to
build the new branch.
“Right now we are still
in the designing and planning stage,” he said.
He said Empire Bank
saw an opportunity to
expand its presence in
east Springfield.
“We want to better
serve our customers in the
east Springfield area,
where we don’t currently
have a branch,” Tasset said.
“This will make it more
convenient for them.”
In total, Empire Bank
has 22 branches in Polk,
Greene, Christian and
Webster counties.
In 2011, Empire Bank
was named one of the
best banks in America—
through its holding company CentralBancom—by
Forbes Magazine.
Tasset said the company is well capitalized,
which has allowed it to
continue growing.
“We’ve always been a
real strong bank,” he said.
“We were able to weather
through the financial
downturn and expand.”
Business
12 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
IN BUSINESS
Fresh, frozen yogurt made simple
Photo by James Hanson
Michael and Rachel Trimble (left) and Jessica and Tim Kelly launched Boca Mocha on July 1.
Boca Mocha provides unique blends for java lovers
By James Hanson
Boca Mocha
Michael Trimble grew up in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and
■ Owners: Tim and
started his path as a young entrepreneur with the opening
of Boca Mocha, a coffee shop in Port-au-Prince.
Jessica Kelly; Michael
Shortly after meeting his wife Rachel, who was in Haiti
and Rachel Trimble
for a mission trip, he moved to the United States, settling
Opened: July 1
in Springfield.
Location: 320 Park
The two became friends with Tim and Jessica Kelly and
Central West
discussed opening a restaurant.
Hours: 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Boca Mocha was referenced as an ideal venture and the
Monday-Thursday; 7
four agreed to become business partners.
a.m.-1 a.m. Friday,
On July 1, their dream and hard work came to fruition
Saturday
with the grand opening of Boca Mocha Coffee Shop and
Phone: 865-3828
Café at 320 Park Central West.
Web: bocamocha.com
Tim Kelly said everything he had read about the company compared it to a “Caribbean Starbucks.”
“It is very diverse,” he said. “All of the coffee we use is found in Haiti. Different blends
and types of coffee can be found in different regions of the country.”
Boca Mocha offers more than coffee. The restaurant features breakfast, lunch and dinner specials, beer, both on tap and bottled, wine and an assortment of mixed drinks.
Jessica Kelly said the restaurant intends to buy local and fresh products, as well as organic
products when applicable.
She said they are also using local bakers as much as possible for their pastries and
desserts. Tim said the business has created 19 full- and part-time jobs and the possibility
for expansion could become reality.
“In the near future we would like to have our own roasting house, which would create
more jobs” he said. “We are importing the coffee ourselves. Long-term, we hope to
appear in kiosks and in other areas in the community to spread the brand. We think we
have the potential to become the next Starbucks.”
He said everyone at Boca Mocha has the desire to do well by the community and they
are excited about the new café.
“Everything is going well,” Tim said. “I think it will be a hit.”
FYI, from 11
Branson Meadows. The
award is given based on
guest satisfaction scores, the
quality assurance scores and
unannounced on-site
inspections.
GOLD applications accepted
through August
The Greater Ozarks
Leadership Development
program (GOLD) is accepting applications until Aug.
31 for Class VI. The Missouri
State University regional
leadership development
program’s goal is to further
civic engagement, regional
awareness, community
development and economic
growth in southwest
Missouri. Participants meet
regional communities for
program days and spend
two days in Jefferson City.
Sessions run from October
2011 to June 2012. Cost is
$795; limited scholarships
are available. For details,
call 836-3701. Applications
are online at ozarkleaders.us
Verizon Wireless hosts
smartphone workshops
Verizon Wireless presents
online workshops and free
in-store to help customers
learn how to use smartphones. A free workshop on
Android and Apple Basic is
from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. July
28 at Remington’s Verizon
By James Hanson
As temperatures continue to increase in the coming
■ Owner: Butch Brooks
months, most people will be finding ways to keep cool.
Opened: June 8
Simply Yo Self Serve Yogurt Lounge’s grand opening
Location: Kickapoo
on June 8 is a classic case of perfect timing.
Corners Shopping
The store is located at 3600 S. Campbell Ave., inside
Center, 3600 S.
the Kickapoo Corners Shopping Center.
Campbell Ave.
Butch Brooks, owner of Simply Yo Self Serve Yogurt
Hours: 11 a.m.- 11 p.m.
Lounge, said the idea came about after helping his
Monday -Saturday;
brother-in-law open a restaurant in Mountain Home,
noon- 10 p.m. Sunday
Ark. last fall.
Phone: 881-1425
“He had people tell him about the frozen yogurt craze
Web: simplyyo.com
coming from California,” he said. “We all kind of talked
about it and researched it. We helped on the weekends
down there and then threw out the idea of starting one
here in Springfield.”
Brooks has been in business in Springfield for over 40 years, but never in the restaurant business.
“This is something different that I can do with my family,” he said.
Simply Yo Self Serve Yogurt Lounge uses certified real dairy frozen yogurt with live
and active cultures. No powder mixes are used.
Visitors can make their own creations by topping their yogurt with a variety of toppings, including fresh fruits, nuts, candies, sprinkles and more.
Brooks said business has gone really well so far.
“We do have a loyalty program for our customers. We have had over 1,000 people
join that, so I think that speaks for itself. It is slowly growing and getting new people
every day,” he said.
New store a destination for all things outdoors
Destination
By James Hanson
Outdoors
Mike Bodine and his associate Greg Deckard attended the
■ Owners: Greg
Shot Show in Las Vegas last year and came back with an idea
Deckard and Mike
to bring with them products that were not seen in Springfield.
Bodine
In January, Destination Outdoors, 3335 W. Sunshine
Opened: January 2011
St., opened its doors.
Location: 3335 W.
The store features a variety of outdoors products, includSunshine St.
ing commercial and residential mowers, trimmers, leaf
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
blowers, shotguns, rifles, handguns, paper targets, Case
Monday-Friday; 9
knives, and Commando Calls, which are made in Bolivar.
a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday
Other major brands found in the store are Husqvarna,
Phone: 763-3300
Echo and Shindiwa.
Web: destinationoutThe store also serves as a service center for MTD
doorsinc.com
products.
Bodine said they try to buy products made in
America.
He said that business has been a little slow in the early going.
“The lawn business has been a little slow because of the cool spring but we’ve been
reaching a lot of our sales goals,” Bodine said. “We focus on providing superior customer service. We want out customers to feel welcomed and acknowledged when
they are here.”
Other items like fishing and camping gear and more sporting goods should be
added in the future.
“Our long-term goal is to get into a more diverse line of our outdoor products,” Bodine
said.
Wireless Store, 1645 W.
Republic Road. Customers
can also educate themselves online or check for
other workshops at verizonwireless.com/workshops.
Bank ofAsh Grove
The
Oldest
Bank
Greene
County
Main
Bank in
Ash in
Grove
– 672-2572
INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE LOANS
• Apartments • Rental Houses
417-672-2572
Strength and Longevity
Simply Yo Self
Serve Yogurt
Lounge
Since 1883
Community Free Press
Business
| www.cfpmidweek.com
July 13 - 26, 2011
Homeowners facing foreclosure have another option
Take a Taste class, get free groceries
Thanks to the Emergency Home Loan Program (EHLP), Missouri homeowners
struggling with their mortgages might get the help they need to keep their homes.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Springfield (CCCS) is the recipient of the EHLP
funds, which provide direct financial assistance to homeowners struggling with their mortgages.
Funds from EHLP benefit homeowners who are unemployed, under employed or have a
medical condition that has resulted in foreclosure risk.
A press conference announcing the program is at 9 a.m. Friday, July 22 at the
Community Foundation of the Ozarks, 425 Trafficway.
EHLP funds are part of the $1 billion Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act. Under program guidelines, consumers can qualify for an interest-free loan that
pays their past-due mortgage payments and a portion of future payments for up to two years.
CCCS has been allocated 181 households to provide assistance to.
To learn more, call Tonya Collister, housing director at CCCS at 889-7474, e-mail her at
[email protected] or visit cccsoftheozarks.org. The deadline to apply is July 22.
Price Cutter’s new Taste Culinary Classroom
offers a variety of cooking classes for the
home chef. Local and national “celebrity”
chefs, health and nutrition experts and beverage specialists are the Taste instructors. The
classroom is located in Price Cutter store at
2021 W. Republic Road. All classes are from 6
to 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. In July,
Taste students receive a Price Cutter gift card
worth $5 to $20, depending on the class. The
class schedule for the rest of July is:
• July 13: Healthy Kitchen: Love the Skin
You’re In. Nutrition and wellness consultant Jessica Idleman, owner of Glow
Nutrition, shares simple, healthy recipes
for young, healthy skin. Fee: $25.
• July 14: Thursdays with Clary:
Authentic Mexican. Chef James Clary,
Price Cutter’s culinary director, prepares
authentic Mexican recipes. Fee: $40.
• July 15: TGIF at Taste: The Wines of
California, Sonoma vs. Santa Barbara. Jim
Kreissler of Major Brands samples wines of
California paired with hors d’ouevers suited to their companion wines. Must be 21
or older to attend. Fee: $25.
• July 18: Guest Chef Classroom: David
Bauer. Bauer, owner of Coyote’s Adobe
Café, Mille’s and Coyote’s Dockside Café,
shares favorite Coyote’s recipes including
Coyote’s award-winning wings. Fee: $50.
• July 19: Ask the Experts: All About
Steaks. Pyramid Foods meat specialists Carl
Nixon presents Flag of Freedom award to Springfield business
On July 1, Gov. Jay Nixon presented Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling
Company with the first “Flag of Freedom” award. Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper
Bottling Company has hired 11 military veterans in the past year under the “Show-Me
Heroes” program. The company was one of the first Missouri employers to take the
“Show-Me Heroes” pledge to increase efforts to hire veterans. The Flag of Freedom
award recognizes “Show-Me Heroes” employers who have hired military veterans.
Nixon announced “Show-Me Heroes” in January 2010. It is designed to connect military veterans with job opportunities when they return home from service. Since its
inception, 1,413 Missouri employers have taken the “Show-Me Heroes” pledge, and 275
veterans have been hired in new jobs. The plaque features an American flag patch from
the combat uniform of a member of the Missouri National Guard worn while that
Citizen-Soldier or Airman was deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Employers who wish to
participate in the “Show-Me Heroes” program can visit the state’s website at mo.gov
Lithium called the New Oil by green investors
L
ithium is the Earth’s by 2012. China is the
lightest metal. It is world’s fastest-growing
used in batteries for cell auto market and it simply
phones, cameras
can’t afford to
and laptop comimport oil for
puters.
gasoline.
Chile is the
Estimates are
leading producer
that 9 percent of
of lithium, folChina’s cars will
lowed
by
be electric by
Argentina, China
2020.
That
and the United
would re-duce
States. The U.S. is
the
country’s
the leading user
petroleum
of the metal, Kelsey Garman demand
by
FINANCIAL INSIGHTS
although China is
120,000 barrels
rapidly catching
a day.
up.Global sales were up 30
Like the U.S. governpercent in 2010 over the ment, the Chinese governprevious year. Many new ment is offering an $8,800
companies are exploring subsidy for every electric
for lithium worldwide.
vehicle sold.It has set aside
Since lithium has the 5 billion yuan for the procapacity to store electric gram and is spending
energy better than any another 1 billion yuan on
other metal, it’s widely research and development.
used in the alternativeLast year, the Obama
energy sector. It is essen- Administration invested
tial for generating solar $2.4 billion in the develand wind power and in opment of batteries and
powering electric and electric-car technology.
hybrid cars. Because of its That’s after granting
potential substitution for more than $25 billion in
oil in the transportation loans to car and battery
industry, it has been tout- makers in an effort to put
ed “the new oil” by some a million electric cars on
green-energy enthusiasts. the road by 2015.
It’s the use of lithium in
Most European car comelectric cars that makes it panies are also joining the
attractive as a long-term fray.
investment.
We’re talking about a
China plans to invest lithium-battery
market
about $15 billion in elec- that will hit about $15 biltric cars during the next lion this year—and proba10 years. The plan bly double that by 2020.
includes putting 500,000 Just imagine what would
electric cars on the road happen if 250 million elec-
tric cars were cruising U.S.
highways, not to speak of
the millions in China,
Japan and other parts of
the world. It would delight
lithium miners worldwide
and put millions in the
pockets of investors.
Although I can see the
potential, I’m not overly
enthusiastic because I’m
77 years old, so I’ll not likely live to see the potential
realized. Investing in lithium is a long–term investment in green technology
that will contribute to the
green-energy revolution
and eventually generate
huge profits.
Lithium prices have
triples in the last decade
and will likely do so again
by 2020. However, of the
50 companies set up over
the last two years to develop lithium, 80 percent of
them are not expected to
survive due to technology
challenges and costs,
according to Edward
Anderson, president of the
TRV group, a Toronto
based consulting group
specializing in lithium.
That means it could be
risky to invest in some of
the lithium startup companies. Although there are
dozens of well established
companies involved in
lithium mining, processing
or battery manufacturing,
your best bet is probably
buying shares in the Global
X Lithium Exchange
Traded Fund (LIT).
Each of the 22 companies owned by the fund is
engaged in some aspect
of lithium development,
including
exploration,
mining or lithium battery
|
13
Allen and Corey Lawler share the grilling
basics, including how to choose a steak,
and preferred grilling techniques. Fee: $25
• July 22: T.G.I.F. at Taste: A Night in the
High Sierras with Sierra Nevada Beer.
Instructor Jeff Larson of Glazers Midwest
will sample Sierra Nevada beers paired
with recipes created by Taste chefs. Must
be 21 years or older to attend. Fee: $25
• July 23: Kids’ Cooking: Veggies That
Even Kids Will Eat. Taste chefs show parents and kids how to prepare fresh vegetables and fruit to tempt the pickiest of
eaters. Class time is 1 to 2:30 p.m. Fee: $15
• July 25: Guest Chef: Tony Garcia.
Garcia, chef/owner of Avanzare
Restaurant, shares classic Italian dishes
and Avanzare favorites. Fee: $50
• July 27: Healthy Kitchen: Guilt-free
Summer Pies. Nutrition expert Jessica
Idleman shows how to make delicious yet
guilt-free pie. Fee: $25.
• July 28: Thursdays with Clary:
Heirloom Tomatoes. Chef Clary discusses
heirloom tomatoes and shares recipes celebrating this popular vegetable. Fee: $40.
• July 29: T.G.I.F. at Taste: Hot Food and
Cold Beer. Chef Clary leads a beer tasting
featuring Anheuser-Busch products paired
with spicy hors d’oeuvres. Must be 21 to
attend. Fee: $25.
To register or for more information, visit
pricecutteronline.com
production..About 51 percent of its assets are allocated to mining and processing and 49 percent to
battery production.
If you are inclined toward
green investing,invest a few
dollars in this fund and hold
on to it for a long time. It
could make you rich.
Kelsey Garman is a
former financial consultant who writes a column for Community
Free Press. E-mail him at
[email protected].
The Ozarks Transportation Organization announces a public
comment period for the public to review and comment on the
2012-2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The
TIP is a schedule of transportation improvements planned by
various agencies within the Springfield Area Metropolitan
Planning Organization boundary over the next four years. To be
eligible for federal funds, a project must be included in the TIP.
The 2012-2015 TIP is available for review at www.ozarkstransportation.org
and at the Springfield-Greene County Library Center, 4653 South Campbell
and Ozarks Transportation Organization, 117 Park Central Square, Suite 107.
Comments may be submitted in writing to the Ozarks Transportation
Organization, 117 Park Central Square, Suite 107, Springfield, MO 65806, or
emailed to [email protected].
The public comment period runs from July 10, 2011 through August 17,
2011. A public hearing will be held at the OTO Board of Directors meeting
on August 18, 2011 at noon in the Busch Municipal Building located at 840
Boonville, Springfield, MO. This public notice of public involvement activities and time established for public review and comment on the TIP will satisfy the program-of-projects requirements of the Urbanized Area Formula
Program. If no comments or changes are made to the program, then the program as proposed will be the final program.
For more information
contact: Sara Edwards,
Ozarks Transportation
Organization, 117 Park
Central Square, Suite 107,
Springfield, MO 65806,
(417)836-5442.
14 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
Home & Garden
Fast
Fact:
| Community Free Press
Now is the time to sow
seeds of carrots, beets,
turnips and winter radish
for fall harvest.
(Source: friendsofthegarden.org)
Dressed to impress
Homeowners have stylish
options when choosing
energy-efficient windows
■
By Janice Mason
W
hether energy efficiency or style leads
to the decision to
upgrade the home’s windows,
choices are abundant.
TODAY’S
“Marvin used to have a saying, ‘Whatever your mind can
conceive, we will create,’” said
Kendrick.
Energy efficiency has taken
over the window manufacturing business. Kendrick says the
company sells all double-paned
glass now. Single-paned glass
windows are rarely requested,
“mostly for historic value,” he
said.
DRESSING
WINDOWS
UP THE WINDOW
Southern Supply, a local, famiLinda Holman has been the
ly-owned business since 1934, owner of Budget Blinds for
offers a wide range of windows three years.
to fit each room style.Windows
“There are 1,500 of us,” she
are custom-made to fit the said. “We are all independently
home. Southern Supply uses owned. We do draperies—all
Marvin windows.
types of window treatments.
Larry Kendrick, contractor
“Budget Blinds means there’s
salesman at Southern Supply, a window treatment for any
sells aluminum-clad, wood inte- budget. It does not make us
rior windows; Marvin Integrity cheaper or second-hand.”
and
Integrity
Budget Blinds
brand, all Ultrex
offers custom cov(fiberglass) winerings including
The big
dows.
ViWin
blinds, shutters,
thing right
Tech, an all-vinyl
shades, curtains
now is …trying to
window, is the
and
drapes.
make everything
company’s ecoMotors
with
cordless.
nomical choice.
remote controls
“A lot of those
open and close
— Linda Holman,
are sold today
coverings with a
owner, Budget Blinds
because of the
touch of a button.
economy,”
“Anything can
Kendrick said.“They are a more be motorized,” said Holman.
cost-friendly window. They do
Window films, installed
have insulated, double-paned, directly onto the window surlow-e (emissivity) and argon face, shield the sun but are a
(insulating glaze) glass.”
material Holman discourages.
“I don’t agree with window
WINDOW STYLES
film because it’s not green,” said
Southern Supply offers dou- Holman. “In the winter months
ble hung and casement win- you are not utilizing the
dows, awnings, sliders, patio warmth of the sun. It can cut
doors, geometric shapes, round down on your daylight so a little
tops, Gothic styles and more.
bit of tinting is great accompa-
”
POND CONSTRUCTION
LANDSCAPING
POND CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
MIKE KENNEDY
417 833-POND (7663)
LIBERTY
TREE CARE
FREE TREE CHECKUP
LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED
– Certified Arborist –
TREE HEALTH SPECIALIST
“Difficult Jobs Our Specialty” 417-350-0734
Energy efficiency
■
To improve the energy
efficiency of existing
windows, add storm
windows to the outside
and caulk and weather-strip
inside windows. Window
treatments help but it
might be more cost effective to replace the windows.
New energy-efficient
windows eventually pay
for themselves through
lower heating, cooling
and lighting costs.
(Source: energysavers.gov)
nied by some sort of solar shade
or something like that. It
depends on what the customer
wants, if it’s function or fashion.
Function meaning, do they
want privacy, sun control?
Window tinting is great if it’s
real high windows and you
don’t want to put a window
treatment up there.”
KEEP
Photo courtesy Southern Supply/Marvin catalog
Bay windows are a popular choice in creating the perfect space.
out 97 percent of the UV rays.”
THE WEATHER OUT
Holman said her 2-inch
blinds and cellular, honeycomb
shades work well for insulating
windows. She said the most
energy efficient window coverings are shutters.
“Usually it goes—shutters,
cellular shades then blinds,” she
said.“Anything you put on your
window is going to be insulating, better than the bare glass.
“You can get a solar shade
that’s 3-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-percent
visibility. And, basically what
that means is that you can see
through it. It’s not the best
thing for privacy.What you can
see out in the day with the sun,
you can see in at night with
lights on, but you are blocking
WHAT’S
NEW?
Holman said the new window-covering samples coming
in offer a wide selection of
solar shades and colors, but
that the most requested covering is based on safety.
“The big thing right now is
…trying to make everything
cordless,” she said.
Holman says window-treatment manufacturers are often
blamed for choking accidents
related to cords. She suggests
parents either keep children
away from windows or keep
the cords up.
“They have done an awful lot
to eliminate any danger to children.” she said.
Roman, or folding, shades are
made from fabric or a woven
wood. Holman said the cords
behind Roman shades used to
be further apart. They are now
made with the cords closer
together so children can’t get
their heads between the cords.
“Pretty much everything
now is available in cordless,”
she said.
Holman said people are also
interested in saving money.
“If it’s white, there’s no reason not to get faux wood shutters,” she said. “If you don’t
need the beauty of the wood
grain, there’s no reason for
painting good wood. Shutters
are the most expensive, so any
time you can, eliminate the
expense.”
Community Free Press
Home & Garden
| www.cfpmidweek.com
July 13 - 26, 2011
|
15
Brew-and-brats dinner July 22
By Janice Mason
Slow food, a term symbolizing the opposite of
fast food, has many definitions. Where did the food
come from? How did it
get here? Is it organic or
grown locally? One group
in Springfield represents
the term and what some
call a movement.
Made up of volunteers,
75 members strong, Slow
Food Southwest Missouri
promotes local food and
farmers. To continue its
education efforts, the
group presents a Farm to
Table event on July 22.
“We use these dinners
as the big fundraiser for
the year,” said Mindy
Armstrong, president of
Slow Food SWMO. “We
will use the funds for
bringing education to the
area.”
The organization offers
information on local food,
farmers markets and supports local in-kind organizations.
Armstrong said Slow
Food SWMO was formed
by a group of people in
the food-service industry.
“There were a few of us
that got together and said
‘We would like to bring
this organization to the
area.’ Slow Food is actually
a global organization that
started in Italy. So there are
chapters all over the U.S.
“We are a chapter of Slow
Food USA.We started Slow
Food of Southwest Missouri
in November of 2009. We
work with farmers. Our
events are all focused on
everything coming locally.
We do all sorts of things to
support the local food community in Springfield,”
Armstrong said.
Slow Food SWMO has
a list of local farmers and
organizations on its website.
“We all serve different
purposes within the community,” said Armstrong.
“So there are all these
really great organizations
in the area that bring
together a holistic picture… they all just work
together.”
The group works with
the Springfield Urban
Agriculture Coalition, a
group that promotes vegetable gardens in schools.
“We are going to partner with them in August
to try to raise funds for
their gardens this year,”
said Armstrong. “We also
send out information to
our members in case they
need volunteers.”
The organization holds
farm tours once a month
and a members’ forum
once a year where local
farmers explain their operations and techniques.
“The farmers’ forum
gives them an opportunity to come talk to an audience about what they
grow and how they grow
it, and where they sell it
so that the community
can become more aware
of the food resources
here,”Armstrong said.
Kelly Spencer, brewing
administrator at Mother’s
Brewing Co., said Slow
Food SWMO approached
them to emphasize the
Slow Food SWMO
■ Farm to Table Dinner
Brew and Brats
When: 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 22
Where: Tasting Room,
Mother’s Brewing Company, 215 S. Grant Ave.
Fare: Brats made by
Farmer’s Gastropub with
a locally sourced menu
Entertainment: Music
by Dallas Jones and
Barak Hill
Tickets: $20.
Registration available
online only at brownpapertickets.com/even
t/183966
Web:
slowfoodswmo.com
local aspect of the event.
Mother’s offers four locally
brewed beers—Towhead
(American blond beer),
Three Blind Mice (brown
ale), Lil’Helper (IPA) and
Sandi Wheat (summer, seasonal beer).
“I do know everything
is local,”said Spencer.“The
food’s local, it’s being
made local, and of course
our beer is local.”
HOME HAPPENINGS
Rutledge-Wilson Farm
offers Gardening Series
The Springfield-Greene County and
University of Missouri Extension Master
Gardeners present the Growing
Knowledge at the Farm gardening series
from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through July 21
at Rutledge-Wilson Farm Community Park,
3825 W. Farm Road 146. Fees for the
series are $5 to $15. The workshop “Plan
Now for a Fall Harvest-Into the Garden,” is
from 9 to 11 a.m. July 21. Saddle up for a
Western history celebration at “Frontier
Days at the Farm,” 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July
23. The Fiber Arts Fair, from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Aug. 13, features workshops on fiber
techniques, spinning and weaving demonstrations, and local vendor booths. To register for a workshop or for details on
events, call 837-5949.
FISHEL
POOLS
8 TIME INTERNATIONAL GOLD MEDAL WINNER
Locally Owned Since 1971
I T ’S A COMMERCIAL
F I S H E L & RESIDENTIAL
I Residential Design / Construction Of Gunite Or Vinyl
Pools & Vinyl Liner Replacements
I Total Pool Renovations
I Weekly Service, Maintenance And Repair
I Free In-Store Computerized Water Analysis
I With Full Line Chemicals & Supplies
886-6699
(800) 994-2090
1421 E.Sunshine
www.FISHELPOOLS.COM
EMAIL
[email protected]
16 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Health & Wellness
Kids left in cars –
Bad idea
Cooler heads prevail
Simple precautions can help you avoid
heat sickness as temperatures skyrocket
■
By Amanda Hess
Summer is here and it
brought 90-degree weather with it. Although summer is a time to go outside
and be active, whether it
is swimming, running, or
mowing your lawn, there
are important health
issues to consider while
you are outside.
THE
PROBLEM
Lisa Cox, media relations specialist with St.
John’s, said the hospital
had 19 heat-related cases
between June 14 and July
4. Only one person was
admitted, the rest were
treated in the ER and
released. Most cases were
diagnosed as heat exhaustion, Cox said.
Ted McMurry, St. John’s
medical director for the
Emergency
Trauma
Center, said as the number
of
high-heat
days
increase, so does the number of people who go to
the hospital for heat illnesses.
“You don’t see a spike
during that one day with
high heat in the spring
but when you get continuous days with 90
degrees, people start feeling the symptoms,” he
said.
Katie Towns-Jeter, public information administrator for the Springfield-
Beat the Heat transport
■ City
Utilities Transit system provides free transportation to cooling centers during its normal operating
hours. Riders who want to travel to one of the cooling
centers must mention it to the driver.
Cooling centers offered by the Springfield-Greene
County Park Board include:
■ Chesterfield Family Center, 2511 W. Republic Road
■ Doling Family Center, 301 E. Talmage Road
■ Mediacom Ice Park, 635 E. Trafficway
On days the National Weather Service issues heat
advisories for the Springfield area, the park board
will extend hours on services such as the
Chesterfield Family Center Indoor Pool until 8 p.m. If
the heat advisory is on Wednesdays through
Sundays, Grant Beach Park Outdoor Pool, 833 W.
Calhoun St., will remain open until 8 p.m.
Gillenwaters Tennis Complex, 3635 S. Jefferson Ave.,
and Perry Tennis Courts, at Bennett Street and
National Avenue, will leave outdoor tennis courts
lighted until 11 p.m. during heat advisory days.
Information from press releases from the Springfield-Greene County
Park Board and City Utilities
Greene County Health
Department, said the most
common heat-related illness is heat exhaustion.
Symptoms can include
heavy sweating, cramps,
headaches, nausea and
vomiting.
“A lot of times it’s people like senior adults, people with chronic illnesses
or young children [who
are affected],” Town-Jeter
said. “However it can be
cumulative,so people who
work in high temperatures
for a long time can have an
accumulative effect and
have these illnesses develop more rapidly.”
THE
EFFECTS
McMurry said most
heat-related illnesses do
not require a visit to the
hospital.
“Most of the time when
people have these symptoms,
its
self-care,”
McMurry said. “When it’s
important to seek medical
care is when they lose
mental ability. When you
get dizzy or confused,
when you become unconscious or cannot stop
vomiting and keep water
down, if blood pressure is
very low, those are the
ones you become much
more concerned about
and need medical care.”
Towns-Jeter said if you
ignore symptoms, the
heat-related illness could
grow into something serious.
“If they keep going [and
ignore the symptoms],
you can get heat stroke,
Google images
which is when your
body’s cooling system
quits working,” she said.
“They have red, hot, dry
skin, because the sweating
mechanism shuts off.They
are often confused. People
with these symptoms
need to seek medical
attention immediately.”
THE
PREVENTION
McMurry said prevention is the key to keeping
a heat-related illness from
becoming serious.
“Don’t wait until you
have symptoms before
you try to protect yourself,” he said. “Early on it
will be a headache or feeling of loss of energy.
When you start to feel
those, you are already
behind.”
Drinking plenty of fluids before and during an
outside activity and moving to a cool place when
you start to feel overheat-
■ Safe Kids Springfield
launched an education
and awareness program to help reduce
the number of child
deaths in vehicles
caused by heat stroke.
The program featured
a demonstration on
July 1 that cooked
s’mores inside a hot
vehicle to show how
quickly temperatures
rise in a vehicle.
Safe Kids Springfield
shares these tips to
help reduce the number of child deaths
caused by heat stroke
in vehicles:
■ Take immediate
action and dial 911
immediately if you see
an unattended child in
a vehicle
■ Lock vehicles so kids
can’t enter and
become trapped; and
■ Always take your
child out of the car
with you when you
arrive at your destination.
ed or dizzy can stop a
heat-related illness from
progressing.
Jamie Blackwell, trauma
program manager for Cox
Health, said to keep work
at the hottest part of the
day to a minimum and
maintain hydration.
“Kids, they love to be
outside, swimming, biking, even people in the
pool can become dehydrated and most people
don’t realize that.”
Towns-Jeter said it is
very important to avoid
alcohol and caffeine
when outside for long
periods of time because
they dehydrate the body
and to never leave anyone
in the car, people or pets.
HEALTH
NOTES
Wheeler Heart and
Vascular Center launches
heart valve clinic
CoxHealth provides a
Heart Valve Clinic on
Fridays inside Wheeler
Heart and Vascular
Center. Patients receive
an accurate diagnosis
and the physicians
determine treatment.
CoxHealth’s Wheeler
Heart and Vascular
Center is located at
3800 S. National Ave.
Patients must be
referred to the clinic by
their physician. For
details, call 269-6479.
CoxHealth provides
workshops and events
CoxHealth provides
the following workshops
and events:
■ Fibromyalgia
Education Program,
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Thursdays beginning
July 14 in the
Administrative
Classroom, Cox Walnut
Lawn, corner of National
and Walnut Lawn. This
is a six-week course
that helps individuals
with fibromyalgia take a
more active role in their
health care. The fee is
$30. Call 269-4636 to
register.
■ Osteoporosis
Screening, Friday, July
15 in the Turner Center,
1000 E. Primrose, Suite
110. Osteoporosis risk
assessment and bone
density heel screening
fee is $25 and for ages
21 and older. Call 2694636 to register.
■ Driver Safety
Program, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Monday, July 25 in
Conference Room C,
Meyer Center, 3545 S.
National. To register, call
see HEALTH NOTES, 17
Community Free Press
Health & Wellness
| www.cfpmidweek.com
July 13 - 26, 2011
|
17
Scramble for Miracles to benefit Children’s Miracle Network
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CoxHealth will hold the annual
Scramble for Miracles Golf Tournament Monday, July 25 at the Fremont Hills
Golf Course, 1953 Fremont Hills Drive, Nixa. The tournament features a fourperson scramble format. The individual entry fee is $125 and team entries are
$500. The fee includes green fees, golf cart, lunch and a gift bag. Tournament
sponsorship opportunities are available. The tournament begins with a 1 p.m.
shotgun start and ends with dinner and an awards ceremony. Proceeds from
the tournament benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CoxHealth. To
register, call 269-5437 or visit coxhealth.com/cmn
HEALTH NOTES, from 16
269-3616. Please pay
AARP on day of class.
Garage Sale, 7 a.m.-4
p.m. Friday, July 29 in
the Foster Auditorium,
Cox South, 3801 S.
National. Proceeds benefit CMN Hospitals. For
details, call 269-5437.
Free back-to-school
physicals July 30
The CoxHealth/
Children’s Miracle
Network C.A.R.E. Mobile
will be at Washington
National Baptist Church,
1722 N. National Ave.,
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, July 30 to
conduct free physical
check-ups for kids. Cox
Hospital nurse practitioners working with
Cox physicians will conduct the physicals for
back-to-school and
school sports.
Registration is requested; limited walk-ins will
be accepted. Call 8662750 to schedule and
appointment.
St. John’s physician
certified in travel health
John H. Brown, M.D.,
a physician at St.
John’s Clinic-Smith
Glynn Callaway, earned
the International
Society of Travel
Medicine’s Certificate
of Knowledge in May.
Physicians earning the
certificate have demonstrated an understanding of the challenges
facing international
travelers such as epidemiology, disease prevention and diagnosis
and global health
issues. Dr. Brown is certified to provide travel
vaccinations and medicine and pre-travel
consultations.
Cardinal Health awards
$31,500 to CoxHealth
The Cardinal Health
Foundation has awarded
a $31,500 grant to
CoxHealth for the hospital to use for improvements to its operatingroom safety and efficiency. CoxHealth will
use the grant to implement its program to
enhance performance
and patient safety in its
operating rooms at its
three hospital campuses.
The Cardinal Health
Foundation, an organization that supports
community-wellness
and health care-quality
programs, encourages
health-care provides to
submit funding requests
for programs that seek
to improve management and safety.
CoxHealth offers parenting classes
From pregnancy to
graduation, parenting
is challenging.
CoxHealth offers a
variety of classes to
help parents navigate
the challenges of
child-rearing.
BabySense teaches
basic baby care and
safety to new parents.
The class is from 6:30
to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13
at the Turner Center,
1000 E. Primrose.
There’s a $20 fee and
registration is required.
Toddler Times helps
parents learn to teach
their 15-month to 3year-old child basic
social skills such as
sharing. Toddler Time
is from 7 to 9 p.m. July
19 in Meeting Room 2
at Cox South, 3801 S.
National Ave. The fee
is $10 and registration
is required. The
Refresher Childbirth
class is from 6 to 9
p.m. July 21 at the
Turner Center, 1000 E.
Primrose. This refresher class has a $30 fee;
registration is required.
Call 269-5239 to register or for more information.
Photo courtesy Emma Talbot
Phyllis Swearingen, Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild member, stitches a quilt for Joplin victims.
Quilt makers stitch for Joplin
By Janice Mason
Ozark Piecemakers Quilt
Guild members are stitching
and collecting new quilts for
Joplin tornado victims. They
began the project in June and
the guild has pieces for 30
quilts, and donations of finished new quilts have started
rolling in.
The quilts will be stored at
the guild building on South
Campbell Avenue. Joplin help
agencies will distribute the
quilts to tornado victims
before the winter months.
Ozark Piecemakers Quilt
Guild has approximately 300
members across southwest
Missouri and Arkansas. Judy
Gold is in charge of the
Community Quilts project.
“We make quilts all year
round for different organizations around Springfield,” she
said. “I think last year we
donated 245 quilts to places
like the Kitchen, Harmony
House, Crosslines, Southwest
Independent Living Center, a
whole bunch of places, the
hospitals of course.”
Ozark Piecemakers Quilt
Guild holds a quilt show in
September. Kay Turner, past
show chairman, helps out at
the boutique.
“What the guild decided,
they wanted to do something
special for the Joplin people,”
Turner said.
Joe Haik, owner of the
Take donations to:
Ozark Piecemakers Quilt
Guild
Village Shopping Center
Address: 2738 S.
Campbell Ave.
Delivery time: 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. Tuesdays
Web:
ozarkpiecemakers.com
Fabric Outlet on Glenstone
Avenue, donated the material
for the quilts.
“He donated hundreds of
dollars of fabric specifically
for the quilts in Joplin,” said
Gold. “He’s really good to
work with. We went over
there and thought we’d get a
discount and he said,‘No, just
take it.’”
18 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Outdoors & Recreation
Missouri State Parks
ideal for camping
Visitors can enjoy
trails, water sports,
fishing and history
■
Photos courtesy of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
An angler fishes for trout at Bennett Springs State Park.
By James Hanson
With summer in full
swing, outdoor enthusiasts are making the most
of their opportunities for
hiking, mountain biking,
fishing, water sports and
camping.
And camping, along
with many other activities, can be done inside
most of Missouri’s state
parks, many of which are
conveniently located for a
day or weekend get-away.
Sue Holst, information
officer for Missouri State
Parks said Missouri’s parks
provide something for
everyone.
“Some people may like
to go for the historic factor, while others may like
to go for the fishing and
the hiking that is available,” she said.
Holst said each park has
something
different,
Stockton Lake is a national destination for water sports,
espcially sailing.
Show Me
the Parks
■ Bennett Springs State
Park
26250 Hwy 64A
Lebanon
Phone: 532-4338
■ Watkins Mill State
Park
26600 Park Road North
Lawson
although some are known
for particular things.
“Bennett Springs State
Park is well known for
many things, but especially the trout fishing,” she
said. “It has a large campground and a large nature
A couple and their dog relax by their campfire at Table
Rock State Park.
Phone: 1-816-580-333387
■ Stockton State Park
19100 S. Hwy 215
Dadeville
Phone: 276-4259
■ Table Rock State Park
5272 State Hwy 165
Branson
Phone: 334-4704
For more information,
visit mostateparks.com
center with lots of
exhibits. If you catch your
limit of fish you can take a
break and visit the center.
Bennett Springs also has
some nice hiking trails
and provides access to
the Niangua River for
float trips.”
She said a dining lodge
is also available for those
camping who may wish
to not cook one day or
the entire weekend.
Another
popular
choice, for the history
alone, is the Watkins
Woolen Mill State Park, in
Lawson, outside of Kansas
City.
This park remains the
home to a large woolen
mill used on the Bethany
Plantation in the 1870s.
“It is also a state historic
site,” Holst said. “It is a
great place to camp
because it features a nice
lake, with a bicycle trail
around the lake and many
historic buildings. The
mill remains intact today
and so do some of the outbuildings, like the schoolhouse, a church and the
home, where the owner,
Waltus Watkins lived with
his family.”
Holst said this park is
popular because it has a
little bit of everything, all
on one site.
“It also features heirloom gardens, which
means the plants found
there are the same kind of
plants that would have
grown in the 1800s.”
She said Stockton State
Park, right on Stockton
Lake, is also a nice campground that appeals to
people for the large
amount of water recreation available.
“It features a large lake,
a nice marina and is also
known as one of the best
sailing lakes in the
nation,” Holst said.
“There is a very
dependable breeze there.
They also have a well-recognized sailing school for
those wanting to learn
how to sail.”
Holst said Table Rock
State Park is also an ideal
location for campers
because of the water
activity and trails.
She said a new mountain biking and hiking
trail is currently scheduled to open there this
summer.
“There aren’t a lot of
mountain biking trails in
that area of the state, so
that is something mountain bikers are looking
forward to,” Holst said.
“There are so many
things for our visitors to
do at the state parks. I
think people can should
utilize our website as a
resource, so they can see
what we have to offer
ahead of time. Once they
find what they are looking for then they head
out and try it for themselves. We just want people to come out and try
it.”
Holst said most of the
state parks are open yearround, although some
facilities may not be open
all year.
For more information,
visit mostateparks.com
Community Free Press
Outdoors & Recreation
| www.cfpmidweek.com
July 13 - 26, 2011
|
19
Legislators’ trip targets elk restoration, black bear study
State Rep. Eric Burlison, (R136), was among a group of legislators which made a trip to
Peck Ranch Conservation Area
to see Missouri’s newest residents in their natural habitat.
“From a distance through the
woods we were able to see a
herd of elk, Missouri elk. If they
didn’t have GPS collars on you
would have thought they had
been here for years,” said
Burlison.
The Missouri Sportsmen’s
Elk were reintroduced into Missouri
earlier this summer. The Missouri
Sportsmen’s Caucus was among the
first to view the elk in their natural
habitat in late June.
Caucus was among the first to
view the elk in their natural
habitat last week at Peck Ranch
Conservation Area in Carter and
Shannon counties. As chairman
of the caucus, Burlison played
an important role in the reintroduction of elk into Missouri
after a 150-year absence. The
restoration project recently
released 34 elk in a designated
restoration zone in southern
Missouri, with five calves since
being born.
Burlison’s primary role, along
with his fellow caucus members, was to keep the lines of
communication open between
the Missouri Legislature and the
Missouri
Department
of
Conservation. Burlison stressed
to
the
Department
of
Conservation the importance of
quickly establishing a hunting
season and providing farmers
and landowners outside of Peck
Ranch an opportunity to harvest elk.
“I’ve received a great deal of
input because I go to many
hunting events in the area and
people that I talk to are thrilled.
Hunting organizations and
enthusiasts are very excited to
have elk come to Missouri,”
Burlison said.
Burlison sees citizen interest
in the elk restoration and the
potential elk tourism as an
exciting development for
Springfield as the headquarters
for Bass Pro.
“Hunting and fishing are
some of Springfield’s best economic generators. Not only is it
a good opportunity to return a
species that once roamed
Missouri, but it’s a good opportunity to improve our hunting
economy,” said Burlison.
Another animal making a
comeback in Missouri is the
State
Rep. Eric
Burlison (R136), poses
for a photo
with a black
bear during
his recent
visit to Peck
Ranch
Conservation
Area in
Carter and
Shannon
counties.
Photos courtesy
Eric Burlison
black bear. While visiting Peck
Ranch Conservation Area,
Burlison was able to see the
black bear study in action.
Using several dozen donated
glazed donuts, the Department
of Conservation trapped a 388pound male black bear.
Department agents are gathering and recording scientific
data necessary to manage
black
bear
populations.
Conservation agents applied a
GPS collar to track the bear
before returning him to
Douglas County, where he was
caught.
Contributed by Jacy Tilton,
intern at Representative Eric
Burlison’s (136) office.
OUTDOOR HAPPENINGS
nearby. Advance registration is
required one week in advance. All
ages. 7:30 a.m.; Saturday-6:30 p.m.,
Sunday. Capital Nature Adventures
(MO State Capital and Museum,
Runge Nature Center). Fees: $40/person, $70/family of 3, $25/each additional person. 833-8647.
Photo courtesy Springfield-Greene County Park Board
July 15 and Aug. 5-Fun Family
Fishing Nights at Rutledge-Wilson
Farm Park, 3825 W. Farm Road 146.
6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Win prizes and relax
by the bonfire. Cost: $5; free for kids
younger than 4. Registration is
required. 837-5949
July 16, Aug. 6, Aug. 20 and
Sep. 17-Kayaking and Paddle
Boarding at Lake Springfield’s James
River Water Trail-Southwood Access.
Learn beginner skills or brush up your
skills as you try the new and exciting
sport of paddle boarding; includes
basic kayaking skills and water safety.
Advance registration required by the
Tuesday prior to each date. 1 p.m. to 4
p.m. All ages (12 years and under with
an adult). Fees: $30/canoe (1-4);
$25/kayak (1); $25/Paddle board (1);
or $8/person with own boat. 833-8647.
July 19-21—Children’s Horse
S.H.O.E. Camp at Valley Water Mill
Park Equestrian Center, 1730 E. Valley
Water Mill Road. Attention horse
lovers! In this camp, children will
learn grooming, safety and horsemanship through classroom and riding
time. The camp combines the Horse
S.H.O.E. Levels I and II. Children are
encouraged to bring a light snack and
beverage each day. Camps are three
hours a day, three days a weeks, 9
a.m.-Noon. Space is limited to 10
kids each camp. Fee: $90. 833-3291.
July 23-24-Camp Adventure
Family – Group Trip Camps, all
trips depart from the Park Board
Office at 1923 N. Weller Avenue.
Provided: 4 meals, guide(s), local
parks’ remote camping, tents, transportation, lush toilets and showers
July 25-29-“Once Upon A
Farm” Summer Camp at
Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park, 3825 W.
Farm Road 146. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Do
you know who lives on a farm? Join the
park as they take a peek inside the barn
and learn about the animals found
inside, their care, adaptations and products they provide to people. For ages 67. Fee: $65 per person. 837-5949.
July 26-28-Camp Challenge
Youth-Teen Trip Camps, all trip
departs from the Tom Watkins
Center, 2100 W. High Street.
Provided: program equipment, 6meals, snacks, tents, transportation
and 3-staff. Advance registration is
required by the prior Tuesday. Ages
9-15. 7:30 a.m.; Tuesday-5:30 p.m.;
Thursday. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State
Park: Canyon Gorge, Creek Wading
and Shut-Ins Water Chutes, Elephant
Rocks State Park, Fort Davidson
Civil War Historical Site and Taum
Sauk Mountain (highest point in
MO). Fees: $75. 833-8647.
Aug. 8-12-“Best In Show”
Summer Camp at Rutledge-Wilson
Farm Park, 3825 W. Farm Road 146.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the summer,
many farmers enjoy displaying their
animals at summer fairs. Campers
will discover firsthand how to prepare and train animals for a fair, as
well as learn what part farms play in
our everyday lives. For ages 10-12.
Fee: $65 per person. 837-5949
Aug. 9-11-Camp Challenge
Youth-Teen Trip Camps, trip
departs from the Tom Watkins
Center, 2100 W. High Street.
Provided: program equipment, 6meals, snacks, tents, transportation
and 3-staff. Advance registration is
required by the prior Tuesday. Ages
9-15. 7:30 a.m.; Tuesday-5:30 p.m.;
Thursday. Arkansas’s Boston
Mountains: Boxley Elk Valley, Buffalo
National River, Creek Wading, Ponca
Elk Education Center and Pruitt
Landing. Fees: $75/trip. 833-8647.
Aug. 20-Adult Horse S.H.O.E.
Program at Valley Water Mill Park
Equestrian Center, 1730 E. Valley
Water Mill Road. This class is
designed specifically for the adult who
has always wanted a horse or just
wants to get back into something they
did in their youth. This program will
teach the basics of all-round horsemanship including safety, grooming,
handling, tacking, and riding techniques. Each student is provided their
own horse. 8 a.m. to Noon. Class limited to six students. Ages 18 years
and up. Fee: $40. 833-3291.
Sep. 30-Oct. 1- Camp Ritter
Family-Group Camping at Ritter
Springs Park, 3683 W. Farm Road
92. Camp out in Ritter Springs Park
in your own camper, trailer or tent.
Fees include opportunities for:
Kayaking or Canoeing, Catch ‘N
Release Fishing, Caving, Dutch Oven
Clinic/Lunch, GPS—Geocaching,
Camping, Acclimatization Night HikeBat Flight and more. Advance registration is required by the prior
Tuesday. All ages. 5 p.m.-6 p.m.;
Friday-4 p.m. Saturday. Fees: $25/13, $5 each additional person, free/6
years and under. 833-8647.
20 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
Accidental education
A&E
IN BRIEF
WWE Smackdown World
Tour arrives in August
Kmart presents the
WWE Smackdown World
Tour at 5 p.m. Sunday,
Aug. 28 at John Q
Hammons Arena, 685 S.
John Q. Hammons Pkwy.
The event offers fans a
choice of street fight or
no hold’s barred fighting
between “The Viper”
Randy Orton Vs. Christain.
Other WWE superstars
also compete. Tickets
($15-$60) are now on sale
and can be purchased at
missouristatetix.com
Call for Japanese Festival
vendors and artisans
The Springfield Sister
Cities Association is
accepting applications for
vendors and artisans for
the Japanese Fall Festival
on Sept. 9. The festival is a
celebration of
Springfield’s sister city of
Isesaki, Japan. The SSCA
Isesaki Committee will
review vendor and artisan
applications for authenticity of culture and gardening practices. The deadline for booth assignment
is Aug. 5. To download
the vendor booth application, visit peacethroughpeople.org and submit to
SSCA at 1923 N. Weller,
Springfield, 65803. For
details, call 864-1341.
Call for ‘Prints U.S.A.’
Art Museum exhibit
Original printmaking
media, including monoprints and monotypes, will
be reviewed through Aug.
30 for consideration in
the Springfield Art
Museum’s exhibition
“Prints U.S.A.” The exhibition is open to artists 18
years or older residing in
the United States. Original
works must be executed
since Jan. 1, 2010. The
exhibit hangs from Nov. 19
to Jan. 8, 2012. For details,
call 837-5700 or visit
springfieldmo.gov/arts
‘Educating Rita’ plays at the
Vandivort through July 23.
» Page 22
e-mail [email protected]
Have an ice cream and
play old-fashioned games
The History Museum for
Springfield-Greene County
fundraiser is July 21
■
By Janice Mason
Bring the kids to the Beyond
Toy Soldiers and Dolls: Children’s
Games and Toys of the 19th
Century Ice Cream Social July 21
and, for just one night, leave the
computer games at home.
The Springfield-Greene County
History Museum presents the
event offering games from the
pioneer, Civil War and turn of the
20th century eras.
“We were talking about something fun for kids,” said interim
Executive Director David Eslick.
“If the kids aren’t connected to
the museum then they are going
to forget about the history of
Springfield and Greene County.”
Games include a three-legged
race, jump rope, hop scotch, marbles, jacks, dominos, Annie
Over—“kids’ games that I used to
play when I was a youngster or
during the Civil War time period,”
said Eslick.
HISTORY
Photo courtesy History Museum
Interim Executive Director David Eslick and curator Joan Hampton-Porter,
dressed in 19th-century costumes, play dominos at the History Museum for
Springfield-Greene County.
EDUCATION
Eslick and museum curator
Joan Hampton-Porter present a
traveling trunk program at
Springfield schools with clothing
and games the kids can pass
around.
“Surprisingly, there are a lot of
kids that pay attention and when
it’s over the teachers give a little
quiz,” said Eslick.“They do learn.
“There is nothing in the curriculum in Springfield schools [on
local history], and I have been
Leading a dance
organization
thinking about that for years. I
have taken a slide show and given
that in school libraries.”
DOWNTOWN
MUSEUM PROGRESS
The date for completion and
opening of the new History
Center downtown was originally
set for this month. Eslick says the
economy delayed the project but
since the center of the Square is
under construction, the delay has
By Janice Mason
Caitlin Kissee’s new job is a perfect mix of her
best talents. She became the business affairs manager at Springfield Ballet in April.
“I grew up dancing for the ballet in St. Louis so I
knew I wanted to be in a not-for-profit, and the
arts was the perfect fit—combined passions for
me. So, this is really a dream job for me.”
Kissee earned a marketing and management
degree from Drury in 2009. She worked for the
Springfield Ballet while in college and has a background in fundraising and marketing.
Q. What is the Children Underserved in
Springfield Program?
A. CUSP was created to help our performances,
our productions, classical dance reach audiences,
particularly children in Springfield that might not
otherwise have access to it. So the Ballet gives
away close to 500 tickets per season to various
groups that serve underprivileged children in
Springfield and their caregivers.
Photo by Janice Mason
Caitlin Kissee, business affairs manager at
Springfield Ballet, landed her “dream job”
in April.
Ice Cream Social
Beyond Toy Soldiers
and Dolls: Children’s
Games and Toys of the
19th century
When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July
21
Where: Smith Park Pavilion,
1536 E. Division St.
Fee: Games and admission
are free; $1 each for ice cream
and bottled water
Host: The History Museum for
Springfield-Greene County
Phone: 864-1976
Web: springfieldhistorymuseum.org
not been an inconvenience.
“We’re getting ready to start a
capital campaign. There’s a new
sign going up on the front of the
building,” said Eslick. “It says, ‘A
Campaign for History.’ We
planned on starting a campaign
when the recession hit. It’s just,
the economy—being what it is.
We are going to be in the Barth’s
building.”
The History Museum, a nonprofit organization, owns the
building and began construction
in 2008. The date of completion
and amount of donations needed for continued construction
are undetermined.
For more information, call the
History Museum at 864-1976 or
visit
springfieldhistorymuseum.org
Caitlin Kissee is on pointe as Springfield Ballet business affairs manager
Q. Do you still dance?
A. I danced for 15 years. I did ballet, point, tap,
jazz. I also did musical theater and was a vocal
music non-major at Drury. I sing. I don’t dance. I
teach Zumba, but that’s a little bit of a stretch.
‘Improv Sportz’ gets 8
p.m. spotlight
You decide who’s the
funniest improv team at
“Improv Sportz 2011,” the
Skinny Improv’s comic
competition where the
audience is the judge.
“Improv Sportz 2011” is
featured during the 8 p.m.
Mainstage Show on July
23 and July 30. “Improv
Sportz 2011” is a regular
feature at 10 p.m. on the
fourth Saturday of each
month. Performances are
at the Skinny Improv
Theatre, 301 Park Central
East. For details, call 8315233 or visit theskinny
improv.com
| Community Free Press
Q. What kinds of scholarships do you offer at
the Springfield Ballet?
A. We award close to $6,000 in scholarships per
semester and those are primarily need-based. We
do award a small amount of merit-based scholar-
ships but we find that even our merit-based scholarship recipients also have a need.
Q. How many classes do you have, for what
ages and when?
A. We serve about 140 students in the fall and
spring semesters. The summer is a little bit smaller.
We offer about 50 classes, ages three to adult. We
offer classes in creative movement, ballet, point,
tap, jazz, Pilates, and a Mommy and Me class for
two- and three-year-olds. Springfield Ballet is
unique because 100 percent of the class time is
spent on technique and instruction. The productions, we hold open auditions open to anyone in
the community whether they are Springfield Ballet
students or not. Rehearsals are held differently
from class time.
Q. Do you ever plan on having more than two
performances per year?
A. “The Nutcracker” is pretty much tradition. For
us, it seems short to prepare for a full ballet in
between “The Nutcracker” and the middle of
March. We do perform at community events. We
perform at Cider Days every year and Arts Fest.
We do the lunchtime series in Founders Park in the
summer. So, we have a pretty full performance
schedule.
The Springfield Ballet presents “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 16-18 and “The Sleeping Beauty, Act III” in
March. For details, call 862-1343 or visit springfieldballet.org
Community Free Press
A&E
| www.cfpmidweek.com
CHECK IT OUT
COMMUNITY EVENTS
July 13-17 – MSU Tent Theatre
presents “Oklahoma!” 8:15 p.m.
at MSU’s Craig Hall Plaza. Tickets:
$10-$22. 836-7678, tenttheatre.missouristate.edu
Kid’athon,
a triathlon
for kids, is
Aug. 6.
July 13 – Go-Gettin’ Out presents Butterflies, 6:30 p.m. in the
Butterfly House at the Botanical
Center, 400 S. Scenic Ave. 8641049, parkboard.org
Photos courtesy
Springfield-Greene
County Park Board
July 13 – Wednesday Noon in
Founders Park presents
Springfield Regional Opera Lyric
Theatre, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at
Founders Park, 330 E. Water St.
831-6200,
springfieldmo.gov/founders
Kids can test athleticism at Aquathon and Kid’athon
The Springfield-Greene County Park Board presents two events for kids, Aquathon and
Kid’athlon.
Aquathon is a series of swim-run races for ages 5-14. The course features a 1.25-mile run
and a 350-yard swim. The top three participants in each age group will be recognized.
Aquathons are at 7 p.m. July 19 and 26 at Doling Park, 301 E. Talmage Road. The cost is
$10 per person, per race and participants receive a free t-shirt.
The 8th Annual Kid’athlon, a triathlon for ages 5-14, begins at 8 a.m. Aug. 6 at Meador
Park, 2500 S. Fremont Ave.
Kid’athlon involves a swimming, running and biking triathlon involving a 50- to 100-yard
swim, 0.5- to 1.5-mile run and a 0.5- to three-mile bike ride, depending upon age group.
Check-in is from 6:30 to 7:30
a.m. with the first heat at 8
a.m. The cost is $25 per
child, $15 for the second
child from same household.
Mandatory packet pickup is
from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 5
at Doling Family Center, 301
E. Talmage Road. Pre-registration is required by July 29.
For details and to register,
call 837-5900 or visit parkboard.org
Aquathon, a series of swim-run races for kids, is July 19 and 26.
July 13 - 26, 2011
Submit Events:
events@
cfpmidweek.com
Summer sizzles with Concerts in the Park
The Midtown Neighborhood Association and the Springfield Greene-County Parks
Department present Concerts in the Park from 6 to 8 p.m. July 24 and Aug. 21 in
Washington Park, 1600 N. Summit Ave.
Eddie Gumucio and the Electrics perform on July 24. Singer/songwriter Edward
Gumucio offers an eclectic mix of indie pop with collaborators Tim Datema, Josh Nimmo
and Ben Carroll.
Glen McKenzie and the Road Kings perform Aug. 21. Glen McKenzie and the Road
Kings play roots-rock songs about life, love, cars, bars, motorcyles, girls, politics and guitars.
Concerts in the Park are free; bring a lawn chair or blanket. Sacred Heart Church will
cook and serve hot dogs. Lemonade and water will also be available. For details, call
865-4774 or visit midtown-springfield-mo.com
July 13 – Hiking Club, 8:30 a.m.noon. Meet at the Springfield
Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S.
Nature Center Way, to carpool to
Busiek State Forest and Wildlife
Area. Ages 18-adult. Registration
required. 888-4237
July 14 –Discovery Center’s
Science Café, 6-8 p.m. at Trolley’s
Bar and Grill Level 2, 107 Park
Central Square. Brenda Burrell presents “Endeavour Goes Social with
the STS-134 Launch,” regarding her
visit to NASA. 862-9910, discoverycenter.org
July 14-17 and 21-23 –
Springfield Contemporary
Theatre presents “Educating
Rita,” 7:30 p.m. ThursdaysSaturdays and at 2 p.m. Sunday, July
17 at the Vandivort Center, 305 E.
Walnut, fourth floor. Tickets: $10$22. Half-price on Thursdays with
military or faculty I.D. 831-8001,
springfieldcontemporarytheatre.org
July 14 and 16 – Babes In The
Woods Celebrates Spiders, 11
a.m.-noon at the Nature Center, 4601
S. Nature Center Way; for ages 0-2
with adult caregiver. Registration
required. 888-4237
July 15 – Little Acorns:
Butterfly Magic, 11-11:45 a.m. or
1:30-2:15 p.m. at the Nature Center,
4601 S. Nature Center Way; for ages
3-6. Registration required. 888-4237
July 15, 16 – Hunter Education,
6-9 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday at the Nature Center, 4601
S. Nature Center Way; for ages
11–adult. Register online at
MissouriConservation.org. 888-4237
July 15 – Murder Mystery
Dinner, 7 p.m. at Pythian Castle,
1451 E. Pythian St. Admission: $45
per person, includes dinner and
show. Reservations required. 8651464, pythiancastle.com
July 15-17 – Civil War Expo at
the Battlefield Mall, 2825 S.
Glenstone Ave. Expo includes reenactors, period musicians, storytellers, demonstrations and vendors
displaying period art, military
artillery and Civil War artifacts. 8834111
July 15 – An Evening with
Sheryl Crow, 8 p.m. at the O’Reilly
Family Event Center, Drury University,
900 N. Benton Ave. Tickets: $45, $55
and $75. 873-6389, drurytickets.universitytickets.com
July 15, 16, 22, 23 – Free
Movies in Founders Park, 330 E.
Water St. showing “Nanny McPhee
Returns” July 15, “Burlesque” July
16, “Letters to Juliet” July 22, and
|
21
July 13 - 26, 2011
“August Light: Wilson’s Creek and the
Battle for Missouri” July 23. Free
admission with advanced tickets at
Chesterfield and Doling Family
Centers, Mediacom Ice Park, the Busch
Municipal Building and Mediacom
offices; $5 at the gate; free for children
younger than 5. 831-6200, springfieldmo.gov/founders/movies.html
July16 – Girls Just Wanna Run
5K Run/Walk, 7:30 a.m. at Phelps
Grove Park. Packet pick-up 2-7 p.m.
July 15 at the Meyer Center, 3545 S.
National Ave. Packet-pick up
includes Fun before the Run expo
with food, free chair massages,
product samples, door prizes and a
Zumba demo. Entry fees: $20 for
pre-registration, $25 on race day and
$45 for families; benefits CoxHealth
Fitness Center’s scholarship program. 269-3282,
coxhealth.com/GJWR
July 16 – Chonda Pierce, the
“Queen of Clean Comedy,” 7
p.m. at Evangel University Chapel,
1111 N. Glenstone Ave. Tickets: $17.
866-440-7880, chonda.org
July 16 – Zoobilee, 10 a.m.-2
p.m. at the Dickerson Park Zoo,
1401 W. Norton Road. Event features
music, entertainment and activities
throughout the zoo. 833-1570, dickersonparkzoo.org
July 16 – “The Adventurous
Adventures of the Three Little
Pigs,” 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the
Skinny Improv, 301 Park Central
East. Tickets: $5, includes free popcorn. 831-5233,
theskinnyimprov.com
see EVENTS, 22
A&E
22 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Who’s educating whom? That’s the question
Explore the past at Nathan Boone Homestead
Springfield Contemporary Theatre presents “Educating Rita,” a comedy about a
burnt-out alcoholic English professor and a non-traditional tutorial student, at 7:30
p.m. July 14-16 and 21-23, and 2 p.m. July 17 at the Vandivort Center, 305 E. Walnut,
fourth floor. The production features
Whitney Ice as Rita and Noah Karrasch
as Frank.
Seats are available on a “pay what
you can” basis on July 14, with generaladmission seating for this performance
only. Tickets for other performances are
$22 for adults, $18 for students and
senior citizens age 55 and older.
Student rush tickets are $10, when
available, 30 minutes before each performance. Tickets are half-price with
military or faculty identification on
Thursdays. Reservations can be made
Photo courtesy Springfield Contemporary Theatre/Richard Dines
at the Vandivort Center Theatre Box
Whitney Ice as Rita and Noah Karrasch as
0ffice, 305 E. Walnut St., or by calling
Frank perform in the Springfield
831-8001. For additional information,
Contemporary Theatre production of
“Educating Rita.”
visit springfieldcontemporarytheatre.org
Learn about local history and archaeological investigations at History and Archaeology
Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 16, at the Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site
near Ash Grove. The event features presentations by historic site staff and guest speakers.
Admission is free.
Frontiersman Nathan Boone moved to Greene County with his family in 1837. Presenters
will speak on aspects of Boone’s life, the history of the farm and the Boone family’s legacy
in Missouri. Recent archaeological work conducted by Missouri State University students at
the nearby William H. Berry farm will be highlighted. Berry’s wife, Caroline, and her mother
began their lives as slaves of the Boone family, and later settled west of Ash Grove.
Nathan Boone
The
Homestead State Historic
Nathan
Site is located 1.5 miles
Boone
north of Ash Grove on
Homestead
State Highway V. For a
State
schedule of speakers and
Historic
times for History and
Site is
located
Archaeology Day, call 751near Ash
3266. For additional
Grove.
information, visit
Photo by
mostateparks.com
EVENTS, from 21
July 16, 17 – Butterfly Festival,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 16; 11 a.m. to
4 p.m. July 17 at Nathanael
Greene/Close Memorial Park, 2400
S. Scenic Ave. Bluegrass and
Blossoms concert, 1-5 p.m. July 16.
891-1515, friendsofthegarden.org
2031 S. Waverly Ave. 882-3445,
waverlyhouse.com, optv.org
July 16-23 –PBS KIDS GO!
Writer’s Contest winning stories
and illustrations on display at
Waverly House Gifts and Gallery,
July 16 – Woof ‘N Wash Dog
Wash, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Camp Bow
Wow, 1900 W. Sunset St. Dogs of all
sizes welcome. All dogs must be upto-date on shots, bring a copy of vet
records or email to
[email protected].
Admission: $10 donation. 8270160, projectpuppy.org
CR O SSWO R D
■
■
ACROSS
1 Compass
direction
4 Caviar
7 To be
announced
(abbr.)
10 Other (Sp.)
11 Yale student
12 Heat
14 Charged
lepton
15 Apt
17 Aid to
Dependent
Children (abbr.)
18 Flexible
wood
19 Nounforming (suf.)
20 Ironwood
22 Nose (pref.)
24 Fort
27 19th century rifle
bullet
31 Blue (Fr.)
32 Stool pigeon
34 Estrade
35 Showy flower
37 Therm
39 Crab-eating
macaque
41 Wool (Lat.)
42 Dead on arrival
(abbr.)
45 Aloe derivative
47 Possesses
50 Slub (2 words)
52 False friend
53 Half a ticket
54 Indo-Chin. language
■
■
■
■
■
■
July 17 – Gavin DeGraw in concert, 7:30 p.m. at the Gillioz Theatre,
325 Park Central East. Tickets:
$24.50-$29.50. 863-9491,
gillioz.org
July 19 – Discover Nature
Families: Catfishing Fun, 7-9
p.m at the Bois D’Arc Conservation
Area fishing pond in Ash Grove.
Registration required. 888-4237.
July 20 – Wednesday Noon in
Founders Park presents the
Retrognomes, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at
Founders Park, 330 E. Water St.
831-6200,
springfieldmo.gov/founders
55
56
57
58
Trolley
This one (Lat.)
Finesse
Trouble
Corp. (abbr.)
25 Bantu language
26 Shellac
28 4th incarnation of
Vishnu
DOWN
29 3 (Rom. numeral)
1 Detachable button
30 Compass direction
2 Upholstery fabric
33 Palm
3 Eternity
36 Russ. inland sea
4 Roe (2 words)
38 Swed. county
5 Strong-scented
40 Bastard wing
6 Iron (Ger.)
42 Abnormal (pref.)
7 Brace
43 Pledge
8 Low
44 Aoudad
9 Son of Zeus
46 Mosque in
10 Tumor (suf.)
Jerusalem
13 Physicians, for short 48 Bedouin headband
16 Carriage
cord
18 Old times
49 Benedictine title
21 Seal with oakum
51 Television channel
23 Ancient Syrian port 52 Thus (Lat.)
24 Can. Broadcasting
Here’s How It Works:
To solve a sudoku, the numbers
1 through 9 must fill each row,
column and box. Each number
can appear only once in each
row, column and box. You can
figure out the order in which the
numbers will appear by using
the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more
numbers you name, the easier it
gets to solve the puzzle!
See puzzle
answers on
page 23
July 21 – Growing Knowledge
at the Farm, 6-7 p.m. at RutledgeWilson Farm Community Park, 3825
W. Farm Road 146. Plan now for a
fall harvest. Admission: $5.
Registration required. 837-5949,
parkboard.org
July 21 – Springfield-Greene
County History Museum’s Ice
Cream Social, 6-8 p.m. at Smith
Park Pavilion, 1536 E. Division.
Features Beyond Toy Soldiers and
Dolls: Children’s Games and Toys of
the 19th Century. Free, $1 donation
for ice cream and bottled water. 8641976, springfieldhistorymuseum.org
July 22 – Beer and Brats, 7:30
Janice Mason
p.m. at Mother’s Brewing Company,
215 S. Grant Ave. Features music by
Dallas Jones and Barak Hill, menu
by Farmers Gastropub. Admission:
$20 per person; benefits Slow Food
Southwest Missouri. 862-0423,
brownpapertickets.com, search for
Beer + Brats in Missouri
July 22 – Malibu Beach Bash, 6
p.m. at Hickory Hills Country Club,
3909 E. Farm Road 136. Tickets:
$75; benefits Developmental Center
of the Ozarks. 829-0804,
dcoonline.com
Submit Events:
events@
cfpmidweek.com
July 22 – Cabaret Dinner
Theater, 7 p.m. at Pythian Castle,
1451 E. Pythian St. Admission: $45
per person, includes dinner and
show; show only, $20. Reservations
required. 865-1464,
pythiancastle.com
July 22-23 – “Once On This
Island Junior,” 10:30 a.m., 12:30
and 2:30 p.m. July 22; 12:30 and
2:30 p.m. July 23 at the Landers
Theatre, 311 E. Walnut Ave.
Admission: $5. 869-1334, springfieldlittletheatre.org
July 23 – Discover Nature
Women: Trout Fishing, 9 a.m.-2
p.m. at Roaring River State Park. For
women and girls ages 12-17. For
details and to register, 888-4237.
July 23-24 – Capital Nature
Adventures, 7:30 a.m. July 23 to
6:30 p.m. July 24 at Missouri State
Capital and Museum, Runge Nature
Center. Trip departs from the
Springfield-Greene County Park
Board office, 1923 N. Weller.
Provided: four-meals, guide(s),
remote camping, tents, transportation, flush toilets and showers nearby. For families or groups. Fee:
$40/individual, $70/family-group of
three with each additional/$25.
Registration required by July 16.
833-8647, 833-8923, parkboard.org
July 24 – Summer Hummers, 56:30 p.m. at the Nature Center, 4601
S. Nature Center Way. Registration
required. 888-4237
July 24 – Concert in the Park
featuring Eddie Gumucio and the
Electrics, 6-8 p.m. at Washington
Park, 1600 N. Summit Ave. Bring a
lawn chair or blanket. 873-7149, midtown-springfield-mo.com
July 25-29 – Big Apple
Adventure Vacation Bible
School 6-9 p.m. at Galloway Full
Gospel Church, West Bypass and
Sunshine. 863-7053
July 26 – Bat Chat, 7:30-8:30
p.m. at the Nature Center, 4601 S.
Nature Center Way; for ages 6-adult.
Registration required. 888-4237
July 27 – Little Acorns: Water
Bugs, 11-11:45 a.m. or 1:30-2:15
p.m. at the Nature Center, 4601 S.
Nature Center Way; for ages 3-6.
Registration required. 888-4237
July 27 – Wednesday Noon in
Founders Park presents Missouri
State String Fling, string chamber
music, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at
Founders Park, 330 E. Water St.
831-6200,
springfieldmo.gov/founders
July 28 – Big Brothers Big
Sisters’ Taste of the Ozarks, 6
p.m. at the University Plaza
Convention Center, 333 John Q.
Hammons Pkwy. Features food from
some of Springfield’s fine dining
establishments, live and silent auctions, a $20,000 raffle, wine pull,
music by Pearl. Tickets: $100. 8899136, bigbro.com/tasteoftheozarks
July 28 – Conservation Kids’
Club: Crustacean Sensation, 78:15 p.m. at the Nature Center, 4601
S. Nature Center Way. Bring a prewashed piece of clothing or any
cloth material to paint with crayfish
stamps. For ages 7-12. Registration
required. 888-4237
July 29 – Exploring Galloway
Creek, 10 a.m.-noon. Meet at the
Nature Center, 4601 S. Nature Center
Way. For ages 7-adult. Registration
required. 888-4237
July 29-Aug. 7 – Ozark Empire
Fair-75th Anniversary, 11 a.m.11 p.m. at the Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant.
Admission: $6; kids $2. Parking free
before 3 p.m.; $4 to park after 3 p.m.
ozarkempirefair.com
July 30 – Hiking Club, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Hope
Conservation Area. Meet at the
Nature Center, 4601 S. Nature Center
Way. For ages 18-adult. Registration
required. 888-4237
Your Community Free Press
To place an ad
Marketplace
417.447.2130
MOBILE HOMES
FOR SALE
417.447.2130
2011 Mobile Home
Stimulus Package
Cash for Clunkers
$25,000 Trade In
Land Owners Discount
417-414-8695
25%
EMPLOYMENT
ADVERTISING
SALES
Community Free Press
needs individuals with sales
experience to develop and
serve a diverse client base.
Salary base plus
aggressive commission.
Sales and creative
experience a plus.
HAULING
8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Mon - Sat
Donation Pickup Service
Donations tax deductible.
1445 W. Kearney
Purchase of $3.00 or more
(Not valid with any other offer.) COUPON GOOD AT 1445 W. KEARNEY ONLY.
Expires 08/31/11 Open to the public!
Baby of Mine
In My Home Infant Care
SERVICES
SEEKING EMPLOYMENT
JOY
Y PAINTING
Custom
m Interiorr Paintingg • Fauxx Finishing
Colorr Selectionn Servicess • Freee Estimates
Calll Joyce,, Artisann Forr Yourr Walls,
(417)) 569-3720
I’m looking for a second job - to work a few
nights a week and daytime hours on
Saturdays and Sundays. I’m dependable, a
quick learner, motivated, determined and a
self-starter. I have experience in several different fields. Resume available upon request.
I’m interested in all opportunities and positions. Call 209-9282 and ask for James.
PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
Ages 0-3
Weekly rate $110
SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
(Daily and Hourly rates w/ approval)
Monday–Friday
6:30 am – 5:30 pm
4 children maximum means lots of love and attention!
Clean, safe, non-smoking, Christian Home
Mother of 3 with 22 yrs. childcare experience
I will love your child like my own when
you cannot be with them…
Location: East of 65, South of Cherry Street
Caregiver: Suzzanne Nimmo
Telphone: 417-766-6835
cfpmidweek.com
417-773-4776
THRIFT STORE
831-1488
Limit 1 coupon per person per visit. Personal checks accepted.
almost
anything
Ask for Pat
NEW IMAGE
23
$1.00 OFF
I-Haul
Sofas, garage
clean-outs, large
metal items
hauled free.
Reasonable
rates, prompt
and friendly
service.
Missouri Council of the Blind
Senior Citizen
Discount
EVERY TUESDAY!
INSIDE/OUTSIDE
Send resume to: Breck
Langsford, Publisher
PO Box 2418
Springfield, MO. 65801
E-mail to:
[email protected]
July 13 - 26, 2011, 2011 |
Community Free Press | www.cfpmidweek.com
24 | July 13 - 26, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press