gardener - Community Free Press

FreePress
APRIL 6-19, 2011
Community
Your guide to gardening
in the Ozarks
Pages 9-16
Upfront
Mid-session review
Local State
Representatives Lincoln
Hough, Thomas Long and
Melissa Leach, were sent
to Jefferson City by voters last November. The
three weigh-in on the
budget and discuss their
experiences so far.
............................................
The fifth annual MidWinter Bluegrass Festival
brings nine bands to the
Central High School
Commons stage April 23.
............................................ p.9
Faith
Easter services and events
o n l i n e a t w w w. c f p m i d w e e k . c o m
Celebrate Easter in
Springfield with Easter
egg hunting, Good Friday
events, religious services
and concerts. There are
several unique opportunities for worship and
reflection offered
throughout the area.
............................................ p.8
SUBSCRIBE » 417-447-2130
ener
Your
Guide
F
W. Sch
umer
eel
”
By James Hanson
Bluegrass Festival benefit
INDEX
A&E ............................20
Photo by Janice Mason
Marketplace............23
By Kim
Katie Steinhoff, Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center coordinator held the
red bud tree straight while Girl Scout Jasmine Padron, 11, helped plant the tree for
Arbor Day at Portland Elementary School April 1. The Ever Green Garden Club
coordinated the event. Part of the educational mission of the club is to raise
awareness of the benefits of gardening to all ages. For more information on
planting and gardening, see CFP’s special edition of the Ozarks Gardener, page 9.
Scrap yards will have
to implement a new
electronic database to
report purchases, barter, sales and exchanges of all metals
after City Council adopted a resolution
amending Articles I
and II of Chapter 90,
Secondhand Goods
ordinance during its
March 21 meeting.
The new ordinance
requires scrap yards
and recycling centers
to report all such transactions,utilizing a computer program run by
Springfield
Police
Department. On transactions that net the seller of scrap and other
metals more than $50,
scrap yards and recycling centers must document the seller’s identification,
vehicle
description and list the
CFP FILE
PHOTO
said. “The steps SPD
and the City have
taken have the intent
to make it drastically
harder for criminals to
profit from this theft.”
Scrap yards and recycling centers would
have to pay for their
own computer equipment and Internet service; Williams said six
scrap yards he visited
already have their own
computers.
All costs involved
with implementing
programming will be
absorbed by SPD. To
track those transactions, SPD will add a
component for scrap
yards and recycling
centers to “Leads
Online,” which tracks
property sold or
pawned at local
pawnshops.
SPD pays $16,546
annually for that program.Adding the new
component would
SPD to absorb costs of adding
electronic database to current program
A&E
Faith ............................8
DIY Pro
ject…
page
■
p.2
Events ......................21
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YOUR LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER OF THE SPRINGFIELD AREA | www.cfpmidweek.com
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SPD Chief Paul
Williams proposed the
amendments as a way
to crack down on theft
of metals that can be
sold and melted down
for a profit. Williams
said the SPD saw spikes
in reports of stolen
metals,
particularly
from January through
September 2010.
Williams estimates
losses at $50,000 to
$55,000 a month for
both business and private property owners.
Corp. Matt Brown,
public information officer for SPD, said those
numbers prompted
SPD to act.
“It is certainly a rising issue in the city
and
with
the
increased profits from
scrap metal, it was an
environment thieves
couldn’t resist,” he
see LOSSES, 4
Ozarks Gardener ....9
Upfront ......................2
Springfield steps up for Japan relief
Viewpoints ................7
■
Puzzles ....................21
Organizations hold fundraisers, direct actions to aid disaster victims
By Janice Mason
Look for our
next issue:
Wed. April 20
While the world news
cycle shifts, a number of
organizations in Springfield
are keeping the focus on
Japan relief.
On March 11, an earthquake
and
tsunami
destroyed and washed
away cities in northern
Japan.The outcome of the
destruction at nuclear
plants and the fallout from
its effects is still unfolding.
“My mother lives south
of Tokyo, far away (from
the destruction), about
100 miles,” said Mika
Logan, Springfield Sister
Cities Association board
member.“Water, the food,
vegetable and the milk,
they are scared about the
contamination.”
SISTER CITIES,
LOCAL
CONNECTIONS
Relationships
made
through Springfield’s Sister
City, Isesaki, Japan, brought
the reality of the disaster
home.
“Sometimes you wonder if people are getting
Sister Cities and what it’s
about, and then something
like this happens and then
you realize that you are
touching lives because this
disaster had a face,” said
Cindy Jobe, Sister Cities
coordinator.“I got tons and
tons of phone calls and emails asking if our friends
from Isesaki were okay. It
becomes more personal.”
Jobe said that by sheer
coincidence the organiza-
tion held its annual membership meeting on
March 11.
“We had that meeting
scheduled for several
months,” she said. “That
night, obviously, was the
kick-off for what we wanted to do. That night we
kicked off the fundraising
efforts by just passing
around the hat to members that were there and
things just snowballed
after that.We were able to
raise right at $1,500 that
night.”
Jobe said the Community
Want to help?
■
Community
Foundation of the
Ozarks: Bring or mail
donations to 425 E.
Trafficway, Springfield,
65806, or make an
online donation at
Cfozarks.org.
Designate donation to
“Sister Cities Japan
Relief Fund.”
Springfield Sister
Cities Association:
Peacethroughpeople.org
Convoy of Hope: To
donate to Convoy of
Hope’s disaster relief
efforts text 50555 to
pledge $5 or visit
Convoyofhope.org.
Foundation of the Ozarks
see JAPAN, 4
2 | April 6-19, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
Upfront
History Museum
director resigns
CU offers Mother’s Day
bus promotion
City Utilities’ Transit
Services is offering a CU
Mother’s Day bus
throughout May. CU is
offering space to place
the name of a special
lady on the bus at a
cost of $40. The price
covers production costs;
the offer is available
through April 15, or until
all spots are sold. If you
would like to submit a
name to be placed on
the bus, send your
request and a check
payable to City Utilities
to the
Marketing/Communications Department, 301
Central, Springfield,
65802. For more information call 831-8630 or
visit cityutilities.net.
Integrating community
e-mail [email protected]
Grupo Latinoamericano president
discusses group’s history and
mission. » Page 5
Hough, Long and Leach up and running
LOCAL NEWS
The Executive Director
of the History Museum
John Sellars announced
his resignation effective
March 31. Sellars was
director since 2005 and
is leaving to become
executive director of the
Fremont, retirement
community. The board
of directors plans to
begin a search for an
interim director until
staffing decisions can
be finalized for the
museum’s new location
downtown.
| Community Free Press
■
Halfway through session, freshmen representatives provide update
By James Hanson
Missouri legislators had
a reprieve from Jefferson
City during the third
week in March.The spring
break marked the halfway
point of the current legislative session, slated to
end May 13.
In November’s General
Election, Springfield voters sent three new faces
to the Capitol to serve in
the Missouri House of
Representatives: District
140 Rep. Lincoln Hough,
District 134 Rep. Thomas
Long and District 137
Rep. Melissa Leach.
The three Republicans
discussed
with
the
Community Free Press
their experiences and
how they think the first
half of the session went.
DISTRICT 140
LINCOLN HOUGH
Hough acknowledged
the budget is a concern
and one of the most difficult issues he and his colleagues in the House and
Senate have to finalize.
“This week, we will be
taking up the budget bills
on the House floor,” he
said. “From
everything
that I have
read
and
been told by
the appropriation chairs, Hough
we are still
looking at cuts somewhere
around $350 million for the
next fiscal year.”
Hough said he worries
about the budget more
than any other piece of
legislation.
He said the budget is
broken into 13 bills and
sets the appropriation levels for all state agencies.
“Anytime we talk about
cutting the budget, I wonder if the program we are
talking about affects my
district,”he said.“I wonder
if there is a parent that
may go without a service
because the state is tightening its belt.The conservative Republican in me
believes we need to rein
in spending but I also
know that we have to do
it in a responsible way.”
Hough said that after the
first half of the session, he
believes he has a good
understanding of the pro-
cedural portion of what
goes on in the House.
“I truly believe you
have to do things with
your district in mind and
always remember whom
you work for,” he said.
DISTRICT 134
THOMAS LONG
Long also said he has
concerns about the state
budget.
“It depends on where
you look,” he said. “For
instance, K-12 funding is
going to be fairly flat while
higher education gets a
seven-percent cut. I think
the important thing to mention in the budget process
is that across all appropriations committees and into
the budget committee,both
parties worked diligently to
use what we had at hand
and no more, and that we
have not raised taxes.
Hopefully there will be a
day in the not-too-far-distant future in which we
can see growth take hold,
businesses hire and again
seek to increase our
investments in Missouri.”
Like Hough, Long said he
feels more comfortable with
the process but “the pace is
very fast and you have to
really strive to keep up.”
“The relationships are
developing that will help
me to be more effective in
representing my district
and the state as a whole,”
he said. “We have a lot of
talent up here on both
sides of the aisle and it is
very interesting to reach
out to them and hear their
different viewpoints.”
DISTRICT 137
MELISSA LEACH
Leach said everyone
she has spoken with and
worked with on the
Appropriations-Education
Committee has been gracious when discussing
what Missourians are facing.
“Being able to discuss
the realities about the difficulties is, I believe, our
first step in the people’s
journey into a renewed
understanding of what
government should and
shouldn’t do in the lives
of the people,” she said.
She said lawmakers
should never be “comfortable,”even if they are making a good law, because
“oftentimes that means
someone, somewhere is
losing a liberty.
“Even though I’ve occasionally been frustrated in
waiting on the fundamental principles of the
checks-and-balances system to properly function, I
have a much greater
appreciation for what our
founding fathers envisioned and conceived of
on our behalf, 235 years
ago,” she said.
She said all of her life
experiences,
good
and
bad,have prepared
her
and
have
proven beneficial.
“Re-learn- Leach
ing to read legalese after
20 years has probably
been the toughest, but
most helpful, skill I’ve
retrieved so far,” she said.
“That, and my inquisitive
nature to ask a lot of questions.”
More information
To read more from
Reps. Lincoln Hough,
Thomas Long and
Melissa Leach, visit
cfpmidweek.com.
Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
April 6-19, 2011
|
3
Drury swimmers dive in and win big holding top spot
Athletes set multiple national records at
NCAA-II swimming and diving championship
■
By Ashley Jones
The Drury University
women’s and men’s swimming and diving teams won
a three-year sweep at the
2011 NCAA-II swimming
and diving championship
March 9-12 in San Antonio,
Texas. This is the seventh
NCAA-II win for the men’s
team and the third for the
women’s team.
Brian Reynolds, head
swimming coach, said
they’ve always had a successful program.
“Success breeds success. Kids are attracted to
programs where kids
swim fast,” he said.
Students want to go to
schools where they have
the opportunity to better
themselves, he said.
“The reputation of
Drury has been one of
excellence,”
Reynolds
said. “So the combination
of training and what we
offer educationally is a
”
‘I think we
want it the
most and we put
in the effort. We
swim for our
team and not for
ourselves’
— Kelsey Ward,
Drury swimmer
perfect match for a lot of
kids who are looking to
become athletes.”
Drury
set
several
records in this year’s
national competition.
The team set four
national records in the
400 free relays for both
the men’s and women’s
teams. Two records were
set, one by Li Tao who
broke the 100 fly national
record and Jun Han Kim
who broke the 200 fly
national record.
Senior Kelsey Ward has
been swimming for Drury
for four years; her events
include the 50 free, 100
free, 200 free and four
relays.
“Winning this year’s
championship was the perfect ending to my swimming career,” she said.
Ward said the teams’
success is a combination
of the people the team
recruits, having some of
the best coaching in the
nation and the attitudes of
teammates and coaches.
“I think we want it the
most and we put in the
Photo courtesy Drury University
Drury men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams sweep NCAA-II championship.
effort,” Ward said. “We
swim for our team and
not for ourselves.”
The
team
trains
extremely hard the whole
year leading up to nationals,Ward said.
“The month leading up,
we get really focused and
stand behind each other,”
she said.
Ward said the team
knows they are physically
ready once they reach
nationals and then it’s just a
matter of mentally preparing themselves to swim fast.
“It’s like fire,” she said.
“Once one person swims
really fast,it spreads throughout the entire team.”
Hickory Hills Marketplace asks to be city’s newest CID
■
Tax would help repay $6.5 million in infrastructure improvements
By James Hanson
As expected, local developer Paul Larino, owner of
Larino Properties LLC.,
approached the City of
Springfield about forming
the
Hickory
Hills
Marketplace Community
Improvement District during City Council’s March
21 meeting. Council was
expected to approve the
request at its April 4 meeting.
Larino purchased the
former Hickory Hills
School building and land
from Springfield Public
Schools in early 2010.The
sale was finalized in
December.
Larino plans to develop
the 45-acre site into a
retail development with
restaurants and retail
stores surrounding a large
anchor tenant.
In the Jan. 26 issue of
the Community Free
Press, Larino said he
would seek some kind of
economic tool, most likely
a CID, to help with infrastructure needs to ensure
the project is a success.
If approved, the CID
would allow a sales tax
of up to one cent to be
levied on purchases
within the district.
Money raised would be
used to pay back the
cost of about $6.5 million for site grading and
infrastructure improvements. The CID would
expire once the sum is
paid back, or in 35
years, whichever happens first.
Larino said the project
would be difficult or nearly impossible to do without such a tax in place.
He also reiterated his
position on the possibility
of obtaining federal
Brownfields
credits
through the City to help
pay for environmental
cleanup.
About $8.9 million in
infrastructure improvements, including two
diverging diamonds on
Chestnut
Expressway
beneath the U.S. 65 bridge
and the shifting of
Eastgate Avenue approximately 600 feet to allow
access to the shopping
center, would be paid for
through a partnership.
The Missouri Department of Transportation
(MoDOT) would pay $3.7
million, the City of
Springfield would spend
$2.7 million, Greene
County would pay $1 million and Larino would pay
$1.5 million for those
improvements.
Some setbacks, such as
weather and changes to
the site plans, have
pushed back the start of
the project, which was
expected to begin in
February.
Larino remains confident pieces of the development can be open by
2012.
He wasn’t able to
announce the details about
who the anchor tenant will
be, though the tenant is
under
contract. That
announcement could come
in the next few weeks.
Larino said there has
been a lot of interest from
restaurants.
He said there could be
everything from fine
dining to pizzerias. Once
work gets under way,
hundreds of construction workers will be
hired to work on the
development; once it is
complete, Larino expects up to 200 permanent jobs to be created
at the various stores and
restaurants.
Upfront
4 | April 6-19, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
Japan: Relief efforts extend to the entire country
continued from 1
contacted Sister Cities and
offered assistance with the
fundraising efforts.
“We are not a relief organization at all,” said Jobe.“Our
mission is very simple.It is to
connect people of this community with people in other
parts of the world so that
they can develop an understanding of each other.”
She said due to the disaster, fundraising efforts were
the immediate response.
Sister Cities collected donations at the Cherry
Blossom Kite Festival
March 27 and a successful
fundraiser took place at
Nakato Japanese restaurant
March 28, where approximately $34,000 was raised
at the event.
Sister Cities sent a first
installment of $40,000 to
Isesaki last week with
more donations to follow.
Jobe said, people remember the help Isesaki gave to
Springfield for national and
local disasters.
“Everybody in our organization said,‘It’s time to pay
it forward;it’s time to repay
the kindness they have
shown us,’” Jobe said.
“Following 9/11 and
Hurricane Katrina, our
Sister City of Japan raised
money and sent it to us.
Following our ice storm,
we received the funds
direct. It wasn’t how much
they sent, but how quickly
they sent the funds.Within
about two and a half weeks
following the ice storm, we
received about $17,000.”
TIME
TO GIVE BACK
A partnership between
Springfield Sister Cities
Association
and
the
Community Foundation of
the Ozarks (CFO) was formed
to help funnel funds directly
to Isesaki. CFO matched the
first $1,500 raised by Sister
Cities’members and are coordinating donations made to
the organization.
Isesaki
experienced
minor damage from the
earthquake,not the tsunami,
but are experiencing gasoline, food and water shortages, and daily rolling blackouts. However, Jobe said
Isesaki would most likely
use the funds to help their
friends and neighbors suffering from more devastation.
“Even with what they’ve
been through, they consider themselves very fortunate,” she said. “We trust
them and wherever they
choose to send it, but they
are so close to the situation.
Losses: One company reported
$80,000 lost due to theft
continued from 1
increase that cost by
$2,756, for a total of
$19,304 a year.
Williams said he met
with scrap yard owners and
operators three separate
times to seek their input
before introducing the bill.
However, some Springfield residents and business owners disagree, and
cited concerns over the
$50 threshold.
Clifford VanNatta, owner
of Abernathy Engineering
Company in Springfield,
said he submitted a questionnaire to council by email between March 7 and
March 21, but didn’t hear
from a single council member until after the issue was
approved, when Councilman Nick Ibarra responded
to his questions.
VanNatta said his company lost about $80,000 in
five scrap thefts last year;
in one, $20,000 worth of
skate dollies was stolen.
He said most prices on
metals taken in at scrap yards
are pre-determined based on
weight, typically $.10 per
pound,meaning 500 pounds
of stolen metals or less
would still go through the
system undetected.
VanNatta said the dollies came up to $5,000 to
$6,000 each, and once
sold to scrap yard,
brought in only $44,
which means the $50
threshold in the ordinance as written wouldn’t
do him any good.
“That door should be
closed,” he said. “You are
proposing to put a lock on
a door and then you are
opening a giant window.”
Springfield
resident
Jeremy Dunn suggested the
City add a requirement that
materials brought in be
held for two weeks before
being melted, crushed,
stockpiled or hauled away,
to allow public viewing to
ensure items aren’t stolen.
He also suggested that
professional scrappers
obtain a business license
from the city, which they
would then be required to
present each trip.
Brown said the department felt the $50 limit was
reasonable, as it deals with
a large volume of items
and because of issues with
SPD’s manpower.
He added that Chief
Williams hasn’t expressed
any concerns over the $50
limit.
Council also heard business owners’ and citizens’
concerns, and suggested
the city provide an update
on how the new electronic database is working
after six months, to see if
any changes needed to be
made at that time.
Mayor
Jim
O’Neal
acknowledged VanNatta’s
and Dunn’s concerns but
said the bill was “a good first
step in addressing the issue.”
To view the ordinance
in its entirety, visit springfieldmo.gov/clerk/ordinances/ORD5922.pdf.
They are going to know
where it’s needed most.”
CONVOY
OF
HOPE
Convoy of Hope is an
international, nonprofit
relief organization based
out of Springfield.The faithbased organization immediately sent money, supplies
and a team of responders
to Japan from its base in
the Philippines.
Jeff Nene,senior director
of public relations for
Convoy of Hope, said this
is the first time the organization has had to deal with
the threat of radiation from
the nuclear plant destruction.Therefore, relief teams
are armed with radiation
detection devices and a
medical advisor.
“We wouldn’t send them
in until we knew we could
keep them safe,” he said.
Convoy of Hope arranged
to ship more than 500,000
meals provided by its
resource partner, Feed My
Starving Children, in the
coming weeks. Along with
food,the organization sends
monetary donations and
supplies, such as gloves,
masks and diapers.
“Initially, food and water
| Community Free Press
are the big items,” Nene
said.“But we are also focusing long term on some of
the other products they
will needs, cleaning supplies, simple hand tools
and things like that.”
Convoy of Hope has bases
all over the world to help
countries experiencing devastation from disaster.
“One of the things we do
well is we partner with
other organizations,” he
said.“We help them accomplish their mission and
they help us accomplish
our mission and together
we are much stronger than
we would be separately.”
Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
lenge is to fight misinformation. I sometimes take
the role of an advocate.
There is so much misinformation about immigration, about Hispanics and
so many things. There is
so much misinformation
and ignorance. Ignorance,
not in the negative connotation, ignorance in the
fact that people just don’t
know. Some people have
strong opinions about
things they don’t know
about.
15 Minutes
With…
Lorge leads
the way
for others
By James Hanson
Yolanda Lorge is no
stranger to community
involvement.
She is active in the
Springfield Arts Council
and the Community
Foundation of the Ozarks,
and volunteers for other
groups and agencies locally and at the state level.
But what she is best
known for is her involvement
with
Grupo
Latinoamericano.
Lorge co-founded Grupo
Latinoamericano in 1987
and has served as president for the past 10 years.
Grupo Latinoamericano
has an 11-member board
and holds programs, seminars and other events to
assist Hispanic and Latin
Americans living in the
region with a variety of
direct services, to help
them integrate into the
community. All services
are free.
Lorge said it is the only
group of its kind in southwest Missouri.
Q: How did you get
involved in forming
Grupo Latinoamericano?
A: At the beginning, it
was just a group of
Hispanics and Latinos,
most of them professionals that just wanted to get
together. We just wanted
to get together socially
and make a club to discuss different issues.
Then we started noticing
newcomers to the area
asking questions about
Lorge in Brief
Name: Yolanda Lorge
Family: Husband
Michael Lorge, a
daughter and a son
Hometown: Mexico
City, Mexico
Profession/Experience:
President of Grupo
Latinoamericano
Why she’s interesting:
Yolanda said she is
interesting because she
is different from the
average “Ozarkian” and
because of her involvement in the community. “I’m interesting
because I’m interested
in the community.”
Photo by James Hanson
Yolanda Lorge, president and
a founder of Grupo
Latinoamericano, said she
thinks there is too much “misinformation” about Hispanics
and Latin Americans.
where things were located and had difficulty
speaking English. Newcomers had very little
knowledge about the
community, the system
and the English language.
We thought, ‘Why don’t
we just start a service
organization?’ We have
the knowledge…we saw
a growing need for volunteer services.
Q: What does the
group do?
A: We have a radio program on the Latin radio station on Saturday mornings.
The main focus of this
program is to provide
information. The program reaches a large area
so people get to learn
about us. Then they call
us for information, for
orientation and direct
services. We serve thousands of people. We have
had
workshops
on
understanding the laws,
understanding the driver’s manual, health
issues and first aid. We
have covered the gamut
with our workshops. Our
main mission is to help
people to get integrated
into this society.We don’t
want them to feel like
they are a separate
group. It is good to retain
your identity psychologically but you should also
be an integral part of the
community where you
live. Our most important
program is for English
classes because from the
language flows everything else. If you came
here to prosper and better yourself, but don’t
speak the language, then
it is going to be difficult.
If you are an adult, you
don’t learn a foreign language in just one year.
Q: What would you
say have been some
challenges for the
group?
A: The greatest chal-
Q: What is rewarding
about being involved with
Grupo Latinoamericano?
A: When you have
helped
people.
For
instance, when they say if
it wasn’t for the information I received, I would
have gone to jail or I
wouldn’t have gotten my
driver’s license or my
child would still have that
problem at school. The
greatest challenge is you
are serving a community
that has the greatest need,
those who are immigrants. It happens that the
majority of the immigrants that come to
America and here in the
Ozarks, they come from
Mexico and the majority
of those Mexicans are
unskilled laborers, meaning they have very little
academic
education.
When you help them
along, getting to school
and learning, it is rewarding when you see them
years later and they own
their own business and
their children are going to
college.
Q: Do you think forming
Grupo Latinoamericano
has proven beneficial?
A: Yes. Of course, it has
been challenging. Some
people have called me
criminal because I help
criminals. But some people don’t know that it is
not a crime to come into
this country undocumented, it is a civil
offense, it is a misde-
April 6-19, 2011
meanor, like a traffic violation. If you run a red light
or forget to use your signal then you broke the
law, but you are not a
criminal.This is why integration is important. We
don’t bring them nor do
we employ them. But we
are there to help them
with important informa-
|
5
tion. Once they are here,
it is up to us to figure out
what we can do to help
them so they won’t be a
problem to our society…
We don’t want to waste
our time with anyone
who isn’t ready to make
the effort.
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Upfront
6 | April 6-19, 2011
POLITICAL NOTES
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Groundbreaking marks beginning of Builders’ Circle project
Schoeller appointed to Missouri Tourism Commission
Speaker Pro Tem Shane Schoeller (R-District 139) has
been appointed to serve on the Missouri Tourism
Commission. Schoeller, a native of Willard, was appointed
by Speaker Steven Tilley to take former Rep. Maynard
Wallace’s seat on the commission. The commission is
made up of 10 members, including the Lt. governor, two
senators, two representatives and five governor
appointees. Created in 1967, the commission determines
the best policy and administrative aspects of promoting
tourism in the state. Schoeller is charged with finding
ways to generate additional tax revenue, jobs and overall
economic development for the state through the promotion of tourism. To learn more, visit shaneschoeller.org or
visitmo.com.
President Obama grants Nixon’s request
Gov. Jay Nixon made a request for a major disaster declaration for areas across Missouri hit by the winter storm and
blizzard that began on Jan 31. On March 23, President
Barack Obama granted the request for 59 Missouri counties. The declaration allows eligible counties, local governments and the state to seek millions of dollars in federal
funds for disaster-related emergency response, snow
removal and recovery expenses. The federal government
will reimburse state and local governments for 75 percent
of their eligible emergency response expenses associated
with the severe winter storm.
Bi-partisan apportionment commissions set new boundaries
On March 18, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed the members of
the bi-partisan apportionment commissions that will set
new boundaries for the 34 districts in the Missouri Senate
and the 163 districts in the state House of Representatives.
The Missouri Constitution requires the governor to appoint
the two commissions to reapportion the state’s legislative
district after the national census that occurs every 10
years. The state committees of the two major political parties each submitted 10 names for Nixon to consider for
appointment to the Senate apportionment commission.
Nixon chose five members from each of the lists for the
commission. The congressional district committees from
the two parties in each of Missouri’s nine congressional
districts each submitted two nominees for appointment to
the House apportionment commission. The governor
selected one member from each of the committee’s lists,
for a total of 18 members. Three individuals from
Springfield were appointed to the Senate apportionment
commission. They are Democrat Doug Harpool and
Republicans Joe Passanise and Miles Ross. Under the
Missouri Constitution, the commissions held their first
meeting in Jefferson City on April 5.
Jackson Day 2011 at the Clarion
The Greene County Democratic Central Committee presents the 2011 Jackson Day on April 8 and 9 at the Clarion
Hotel, 3333 S. Glenstone Ave. Registration begins at 5 p.m.
Friday, April 8 and from 7:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday,
April 9. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill will present this year’s
keynote address during the closing banquet. McCaskill and
other statewide Democratic office holders will be at a Mix
and Mingle luncheon and cocktail reception at the Twin
Oaks Country Club on April 9. There will be a silent and live
auction Friday night; the annual breakfast is Saturday. Also
Saturday, participants can take part in a health care forum,
a green building forum and a ballot initiatives orientation
seminar. Donations for Ozarks Food Harvest will be accepted all weekend. For more information, call Matthew
Patterson at 886-8980 or visit gcmodemocrats.org.
Breathing Practice Into Life
CLASSES / TRAINING / SERVICE
A 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization
TEACH to Inspire
YO G A E D U C AT I O N C E N T E R , I N C .
1666 E. Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65804
1 block west of Sunshine & Glenstone in Sunshine Center
NOTICE OF
NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY
It is the policy of Teach to Inspire Yoga Education Center, Inc. to
provide services to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability. No
person shall be excluded from participation in, or be denied the
benefits of, any service; or be subjected to discrimination because
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age,
or disability.
www.teachtoinspire.org
417. 860.1820
By Janice Mason
Despite the thunderstorm on the morning of March 26,
around 50 people attended the Habitat for Humanity of
Springfield groundbreaking for Builders’ Circle.
“I was shocked at how many people showed up,” said
Matthew Stewart, Marketing & Communications Coordinator,
Habitat for Humanity of Springfield. “Our Habitat partners
were out there, several of our board members, the HBA and
representatives from Metropolitan National Bank and
BancorpSouth. We had three families out there, future
Habitat homeowners.”
Six green-certified homes will be built on the cul-de-sac
located at 3126 W. Chestnut. The Builders’ Circle program is
an initiative developed by Habitat Springfield to enlist the
help of construction professionals in the area, including the
Home Builders Association (HBA).
“They have taken this on as their major project of the year,”
Stewart said of HBA.
HBA members have agreed to provide a donation of skilled
labor to construct the first two green-certified homes during
2011 in the cul-de-sac, donated by Metropolitan National
Bank in 2009. BancorpSouth provided financial support for
two homes. Lowe’s is sponsoring the third home.
“We are seeking partners for the other three homes,”
said Stewart. “This partnership at the Builders’ Circle is
open to everybody, not specifically HBA members. We
are definitely open to anybody in the construction industry partnering with us in the program.
“Obviously, we are very thankful to the HBA and all of the
sponsors and volunteers and just everybody that’s part of
this program. I know the families are thankful as well and
they are all looking forward to their new homes.”
After Habitat families are selected, they perform 300 to
350 hours of sweat equity toward either the construction of
their home or working in the Habitat ReStore. They then
purchase the home through a no-interest mortgage.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Springfield
and the Builders’ Circle program, how to qualify for the purchase
of a Habitat home, the Habitat ReStore, or to donate to Habitat
Springfield, call 829-4001 or visit habitatspringfieldmo.org.
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
April 6-19, 2011
Viewpoints
THINK
|
7
“Never spend your money before you have earned it.”
About It!
– Thomas Jefferson
FreePress
Community
Local Voice
Breck Langsford,
President/Publisher
Amanda Langsford,
Associate Publisher
Photos and interviews by Janice Mason
All proceeds from dinner sales at Nakato Japanese
Steakhouse March 28, went to Springfield’s Sister
City of Isesaki, Japan. CFP asked diners, “What
compelled you to come out tonight and help out
with the Japan relief effort?”
EDITORIAL
Janice Mason,
Editor
James Hanson,
Reporter
Kim W. Schumer,
Copy Editor
Ashley Jones,
Intern
“You see all the
news of what’s
going on and you
kind of want to do
something and this
is just a good thing
to do.”
Nathan Moots,
diner and
contributor
CONTRIBUTORS
Kelsey Garman
Bob Mace
Phil Morrissey
DESIGN
Amanda Langsford
Lonnie Bolding,
Art Tech
Illustration by Phil Morrissey
ADVERTISING
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 7
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]
Letters
What you think is important
E-mail: [email protected].
Bus station location
concerns
I am writing to express serious
concerns about the proposed
location of a new city bus station or terminal at Kimbrough
and Elm. If the new bus station
is located there, it will be the
first time that I have ever seen
a station such as this located
so near to where people live. In
the cities where I have previously lived, these stations are
always built in industrial type
locations and additional security
is assigned to that area.
I live in an apartment building
that is directly behind the proposed site. Our back yard,
parking lot and dumpster back
up to that property. There is an
old insecure wooden fence
around our property but there
is an opening in that fence
directly behind our dumpster
that would allow direct access
to the bus station property. In
addition, we have two picnic
tables in our yard. I fear that
these would become loitering
areas for those from the bus
station area. Unlike the present site near Park Central
Square, I am assuming there
will be no security assigned to
protect us living in these nearby apartment buildings.
I recognize that most people
who ride the buses would cause
no problems but from experience, I know that some who frequent these areas are the mentally ill who are not under treatment or supervision. There are
others who have drug and alcohol problems and criminal
records. Even if these people
are not dangerous, they frequently engage in behaviors that
are inappropriate in the public
domain.
At age fifty years, I was abducted, robbed and raped by a man
loitering around a similar bus
station in another city. I am now
72 years old and feel even
more vulnerable. If the station
is located at the proposed site,
it will be too emotionally traumatic for me to continue to live
here so I will have to try to
come up with the money to
move. However, these apartments are rented to low-income
people even though the rent is
now comparable to other rentals
in the city after four rent
increases in the last three
years. Further, we do not
receive a rent rebate as many
poor elderly and handicapped
do since our landlord does not
have to pay taxes. If we did, we
could use our rebate checks to
move. Many of us are barely
financially surviving now so I
cannot afford the fees and
other moving expenses to move
elsewhere.
Lee Sitzes
Springfield
Red light camera cons
Off and on I have read about
the red light cameras in
Springfield. There are pros and
cons, but it is obvious that the
cons far outweigh the pros on
this issue. Much time, energy
and monies were spent in planning, plus the costs for multiple signage on the streets.
I’m assuming that arrangement
were made with the vendor to
forego installation charges
(which might sound great), but
the bottom line, from reading
the paper a few weeks ago is
that not only was the city’s
method of enforcement in conflict with state laws, but worse
than that, is the lease agreement made with the vendor
(which could continue in the
future if the red light cameras
are placed back in operation),
which amounts to thousands
and thousands of dollars.
Reading the reports in the
newspapers, it says the company was owed a whopping
$54,000 for just one month’s
lease of the cameras. And now,
because of a lawsuit, the city
is expected to pay for two
months of a lease ($108,000)
when the cameras weren’t
even in use. And the city has
agreed to pay that huge
amount.
Now I see the red light camera
issue coming up again to possibly reinstate them. What I see
is that if the cameras are put
back in operation, it will still
cost the city $54,000 every
month to keep them running.
How will that money be
recouped? Will there need to be
5,400 fines issued (at $100
each) every month? There
would also be administrative
fees involved in issuing tickets,
receiving the monies, and handling court matters. If that many
fines have to be issued every
month just to break even, pretty
soon everyone in Springfield
would have received at least
one ticket, or else helped to pay
these costs through tax money.
None of this makes any
sense. This seems to be a
total waste of taxpayer money
for maybe a tiny bit of safety
(and even that is very questionable). Surely $54,000 each
month could be spent more
wisely by our city.
Glenn Gohr
Springfield
Missing
Just a note from a reader of
each and every issue. Your most
recent issue was about one-half
of what I expected without an
article by Bob Mace. I hope you
can do better, next time. Thanks
for your consideration.
Doyle Jones
Springfield
“I haven’t had very
many opportunities to help and I
know a lot of people donate to the
Red Cross and
things like that.
But it’s kind of
cool to do something local that
you can contribute
to something in
another country
and the devastation that they are going
through right now.”
Shannon Moots, diner and contributor
“My aunt lives in
Japan and she has a
daughter and a
son—they have real
small children—so
they are afraid of
what might happen
if the radiation gets
worse. They try to
do what they can to
help but they are
told to stay away
and they are afraid
that the water and the food might get contaminated. And so, I like to do what I can but I am
here and they are there, and she said, ‘Just pray.’”
Dee Dee Anderson, (maiden name, Takato),
diner and contributor
“We actually have
a boy turning 18
this week and we
were going to celebrate his birthday
anyway. When we
heard about this,
we decided this
would be the best
place to celebrate.”
Brandy McShane,
diner and contributor
“I was invited by
my father-in-law
because they frequent the restaurant and wanted to
support the effort
to provide assistance to Japan.”
David McEntire, diner
and contributor
“I’ve known Steve,
Yutuka Oshita
(owner), for a long
time. My wife had
brain cancer about
10 years ago and
they cooked dinner
for her once a week
when she was going
through treatments.
It was something
she would eat, and
Steve took good
care of her, so anything to help him.”
Lynn Lewis, diner and contributor
8 | April 6-19, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Faith
Celebrate
SPIRITUAL
HAPPENINGS
In Touch Ministries’ pastor
Charles Stanley in Branson
Easter
■
Area churches and organizations present a variety of events
any services and events
occur in Springfield on
Easter Sunday, April 24
and the days leading up to the
holiday. A sampling of churches
and organizations present the following events.
M
CENTRAL ASSEMBLY
OF GOD
Address: 1301 N. Boonville Ave.
Phone: 866-5013
Web: centralassembly.org
Easter Egg Hunt: Central
Assembly of God hosts its annual
Easter Egg Hunt April 16 at Grant
Beach Park, North Grant Ave. and
Lynn Street. Registration is from
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for ages one
to 12 years. Hunt for more than
20,000 eggs. Prizes, face painting,
balloon animals, inflatables and
more.
Good Friday Service at 7 p.m.
April 22. Good Friday evening will
be a time of worship and reflection. The service will include
anthems of the cross from the
Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra.
Easter Service at 9 and 10:30
a.m. April 24, with Handel’s
“Hallelujah Chorus,” “Were You
There” and more. Senior Pastor Jeff
Peterson will deliver a message of
hope.
“We are excited to invite the community to come to these special
events celebrating Jesus Christ’s
resurrection, the cornerstone of
Christianity,” said Patterson in a
press release. “The power of God
which was demonstrated by his
raising Jesus from the dead
reminds us that only Almighty God
has the power to give life and
transform lives.”
GRACE UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH
Address: 600 S. Jefferson Ave.
Phone: 869-0765
Web: yourgraceplace.org
Community Children’s Party
2 p.m. Saturday, April 16: Multiple
activities including inflatables, an
Easter Egg hunt with prizes on the
east parking lot.
Holy Week begins with Palm
Sunday April 17: Beginning with a
palm procession by children and
choir waving palm branches, celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into
Jerusalem to the cries of
“Hosanna to the King!”The service features a cantata of music and
readings.
Maundy Thursday, April 21:
Celebrate the Passion of our Lord.
This service remembers Jesus’ last
night on Earth, when he ate the
Last Supper with his disciples in
the Upper Room.Tenebrae (shadows) service includes Holy
Communion.
Good Friday, April 22:
Ecumenical service at South
Street Christian Church, 500
South Ave., at noon. The service
honors the suffering and death of
Jesus.
Easter Sunday, April 24:
Festival of the Resurrection, with
music and readings. The altar will
be decorated with lilies, given in
honor and memory of loved
ones. Bring flowers if you wish
and join in adorning the cross
before the service begins.
Photo courtesy Jane Powell
Children and adults enjoy one of the past Central Assembly Easter Egg Hunts.
GREATER SPRINGFIELD EASTER
SUNRISE CELEBRATION
The
sixth-annual
Greater
Springfield
Easter
Sunrise
Celebration is Sunday, April 24 at
Hammons
Field,
955
E.
Trafficway. The field is transformed into a place of worship
for all denominations. Gates open
at 5:45 a.m. with the celebration
beginning at 6:05 a.m.
Volunteers from area churches
and the staff of Hammons Field
offer this community-wide event
that includes music by the
Triumphant Trumpeters, testimonials, prayer and worship. In case
of rain, the service will be held
indoors at the Springfield
Cardinals training facility at
Hammons Field.
LIVING HOPE FELLOWSHIP
THROUGH THE ROOF
Address: 1624 E. Blaine St.
Phone: 496-9756
Web: ttrspringfield.org
Living
Hope
Fellowship
Easter service is held at 10 a.m.
Sunday, April 24. The monthly
Through the Roof service will
celebrate the Easter Miracle at 6
p.m., Friday,April 29.
SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH
Address: 3111 E Battlefield Road
Phone: 887-3111
Web: secondbaptist.org
Easter at Second Baptist will
consist of identical services at 8
and 9:30 a.m. featuring music
from the choir and orchestra, and
an Easter message from pastor,
Dr. John Marshall. A contemporary service is offered, consisting
of a praise band and Easter message at 11 a.m.
ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH
Address: 1115 N. Campbell Ave.
Phone: 865-1112
Web: stjosephspmo.org
Way of the Cross: Catholics
unite to celebrate the Way of the
Cross at noon Good Friday, April
22, Commercial Street at
Jefferson Avenue. The Way of the
Cross is a prayer remembering
Jesus Christ’s journey with his
cross and death. People from area
social service agencies who daily
help others carry their life’s
crosses read messages of suffering and hope at the ceremony.
Mass on Holy Thursday, 6
p.m.,April 21
Good Friday Service, 7 p.m.,
April 22
Easter Vigil, 8:30 p.m.,April 23
Easter Sunday Mass, 8 and
10:30 a.m.,April 24
Dr. Charles F. Stanley, pastor of the First Baptist
Church of Atlanta and
founder of In Touch
Ministries, visits Branson
April 13 as part of the
Jubilee conference.
In Touch Ministries is the
teaching and broadcast outreach of Stanley, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in
Atlanta. “In Touch with Dr.
Charles Stanley” is broadcast around the world on TV
and radio in more than 50
languages. Stanley is also a
New York Times best-selling
author who has written
more than 35 books, including “How to Reach Your Full
Potential for God,” “Finding
Peace,” “How to Listen to
God,” “Landmines in the
Path of the Believer,” and “In
Step with God.” Register at
800-616-8863 or jubileeconferences.com.
Bishop Kenneth Robinson
and Chosen perform May 1
Washington Avenue
Baptist Church presents
gospel recording artist
Bishop Kenneth Robinson
and Chosen at 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 1, at the church,
1722 N. National Ave. The
Washington Avenue host
choir, Sundays Best D.D.
Jones and the Missouri State
University Choir perform.
For details, call 866-2750.
Council of Churches
announces new members
The Council of Churches
of the Ozarks announced
five new board members for
2011. New board members
are: Kim Erdel, Christian
Publishers Outlet; Neil
Guion, Lathrop & Gage, LLP;
Byron Klaus, Assemblies of
God Theological Seminary;
Francine Pratt, Isabel’s
House; and Tom Reidy, Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton Church.
Ozarks
gardener
Presented by Springfield’s
FreePress
Community
Your Guide to Gardening in the Ozarks
Warm weather pulls
us outside like crocuses
out of the ground.
I’ts time to garden
■
By Kim W. Schumer
DIY Project… page 11
eel it? It’s been a
long time coming.
The warmth. The
sunshine.
Greenery. After a long,
brutal winter, spring has
returned to the Ozarks.
The desire to feel the
sun’s warmth bathing our
vitamin D-craving bodies
and seeping into the very
F
”
See you at market… page 14
“Getting
started in
gardening starts
with gathering
information,
learning what it’s
like to garden in
the Ozarks,”
— Patrick Byers,
University of Missouri
extension
Local profile… page 15
Tip: As a general rule, bulbs
should be planted three times
their length; i.e., a two-inch-long
bulb should be planted around six
inches deep, a three-inch bulb,
around nine inches deep.
■
Source: flower-and-garden-tips.com
■ Tip: Food and garden waste
can make excellent compost for
gardens, but harmful to pets.
Coffee, moldy food and certain
fruits and vegetables are toxic to
dogs and cats so keep compost
out of Rover’s reach.
Source: ASPCA.org
marrow of our bones
pulls us outside, where
we turn our happy faces
skyward like obedient
sunflowers.
As the sun awakens
slumbering nature, it
awakens in us a desire to
manipulate our environ-
ment. As soon as we can
shed our winter coats, we
want to roll up our
sleeves and start working
outside.
“We humans are genetically motivated to dig in
the dirt,” said Oscar Cross,
owner of Hilltop Gardens
in Ash Grove. “Times are
tight, we might not vacation or buy new cars, but
we are still going to work
in our yards, hang a few
baskets on the deck, put
out a few tomato plants.”
Whether economic or
intrinsic, the motivation to
work in the soil compels
many in the Ozarks to
landscape their lawns and
cultivate ornamental and
vegetable gardens. Indeed,
according to the Missouri
University
Extension’s
2005 annual report,
Springfield is ranked third
in the nation in per capital
spending on gardening.
Gardening
in
the
Ozarks can be challenging, to put it politely. From
rocky soil to wacky
weather, through hot, dry
summers and cold, soggy
winters, Ozarks gardeners
have to contend with a
myriad of outdoor issues.
But gardeners in the
Ozarks are also “very
blessed,” said Patrick
Byers, the regional horticulture specialist for the
Let’s get growing
It sounds simple enough,
this gardening hobby.
Pick out a few plants, ornamentals, edibles or both.
Dig holes, drop in the
plants. Backfill. Water. Then
sit back, let nature do its
thing, and soon you’ll be
harvesting baskets full of
fresh produce to feed your
family and armfuls of fragrant cut flowers to decorate your home. Nothing
to it, right?
Then why do you, and your
garden, struggle to make a
go of growing year after
year?
Stop struggling. Accept
that growing a garden in
the Ozarks is challenging.
And get help.
There are as many gardening classes available as there
are types of tomato plants
in a greenhouse. Here are a
few for you to consider:
MOGardens Seminar Series
presented by Master
Gardeners of Greene
County
6-9 p.m. Mondays through
May 2 at St. John’s MidAmerica Cancer Center,
second floor auditorium
2055 S. Fremont Ave.
Fee: $20 per session,
includes both sessions for
each evening.
CFP FILE PHOTO
University of Missouri
Extension.
“We are far enough
south we can grow plants
that are on the tender
side, like crepe myrtle, or
northern plants that
require cool seasons, like
apples,” he said. “We have
the best of both worlds.
We also have hot, dry
summers, cold winters
and rocky soil, but overall
southwest Missouri is a
great place to garden.”
There are as many ways
to approach gardening as
there are plant choices for
your garden. Growing a
healthy, productive garden involves a lot more
than just picking out a
sunny spot in your yard,
digging holes and plopping in some plants.
“Getting started in gardening starts with gathering information, learning
what it’s like to garden in
the Ozarks,” Byers said.
With the bounty of gardening classes and clubs
in the area, “it’s easy to
gain basic knowledge,” he
said.
The Ozarks Gardener
contains information from
local gardening experts on
what plants do well in this
area, when to plant them
and how to take care of
your garden throughout
the year. Here, you’ll find
resources and organizations that can help you
gain the basic knowledge
needed to successfully garden in the Ozarks.
Register and information at
881-8909 or
extension.missouri.edu
Schedule:
April 11: Create an Inspired
Kitchen Garden and Grow
Your Own Fruit
April 18: Enjoy Flowers
Year Round and Movable
Gardens
April 25: Tips for a
Beautiful Lawn and
Preserve Your Harvest
May 2: Common Garden
Insects and Plant Diseases,
What Can You Do? and
Rose Gardens Made Simple
6-7 p.m. Thursdays through
July 21
Rutledge-Wilson Farm
Community Park
3825 W. Farm Road 146
Fee: $5-$15
Registration and information at 837-5949
Schedule:
April 28: Grow Terrific
Tomatoes
May 19: Meet the Three
Sisters: Corn, Beans and
Squash
June 16: Manage Insects
and Diseases in Your
Garden
July 21: Plan Now for a Fall
Harvest
2400 S. Scenic Ave.
Fee: $10 per session
Register and information at
891-1515
Schedule:
May 7: Spring Into
Gardening
Oct. 8: Fall Into Gardening
Jan. 21, 2012: Getting
Beyond the Garden
Springfield-Greene
County / University of
Missouri Extension Master
Gardeners
-Growing Knowledge at the
Farm gardening series
-Into the Garden series
9-11 a.m. Saturdays
Springfield-Greene County
Botanical Center
Friends of the Garden /
Master Gardeners of
Greene County
Register and information at
891-1515 or
swmogardens.com/
fogcalendar.
-The Dirt on Gardening:
Planning and Planting a
Garden
6:30-8 p.m. April 11 at the
see CLASSES, 16
10 | April 6-19, 2011
Ozarks Gardener
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Community Free Press
Ozarks Gardener
| www.cfpmidweek.com
April 6-19, 2011
|
11
DIY: Raised garden beds
By Kim W. Schumer
Building a raised bed for
vegetables, flowers and
herbs is an easy DIY project for backyard gardeners,
and, given the rocky clay
soil common in the Ozarks,
it’s actually recommended,
according
to
Master
Gardener Christine Chiu.
Chiu and other experts
say the materials used for
the sides of the bed can
vary from untreated lumber, cinder blocks, even
recycled plastic lumber
which is popular for its
longevity, Chiu says. She
recommends
avoiding
using treated lumber if
you are going to plant vegetables in your raised bed.
“The benefit is you start
off with an instant garden
with the ideal growing
medium and no weeds,”
Chiu says. She recommends
building a raised bed that is
at least six inches high, but
says to build the bed as high
as your to waist to eliminate
bending, which makes the
bed accessible to someone
who is physically challenged.
Four feet wide is the
maximum width recommended by Chiu and
other gardeners.“That way
you can reach the center
from either side. There is
never any need to till or
step into the bed,” Chiu
says. As far as the length,
make the bed as long as
you like, as long as it’s easy
for you to move around.
RAISED-BED INSTRUCTIONS
1. Determine where
you want the bed before
beginning construction.
The bed frames can be difficult to maneuver once
built. If you are growing
vegetables or other sunloving plants, make sure
you place the raised bed
in an area that gets at least
six hours of sun per day.
Also remember to locate
the raised bed so it’s
handy to get water to.
2. Place a weed-barrier
on the ground where the
bed will be placed, and
secure the fabric to the
ground with fabric pins.A
woven weed fabric is recommended over a sheet of
plastic; the mesh allows
for drainage.
3. Cut your lumber or
other material to the determined bed dimensions. For
an 8 foot by 4 foot bed,you
can purchase boards or
timbers that are 8 feet
long, then you can just cut
those in half to use as the
end pieces. You can also
stack two 2 x 6-inch
boards to create a one-foottall wall.Use cedar or other
weather-resistant wood.
4. Attach the sides and
ends. You can purchase
pre-made garden bed
brackets, many come with
a post that is driven into
the ground to serve as an
anchor. Galvanized end
brackets are also available,
or simply screw the lumber together with galvanized screws.You can use
galvanized spiral nails or
galvanized screws; the
screws will last longer and
be more secure but also
cost more than the nails.
You will need about 40
nails or screws for this
project. Brackets for plastic lumber are available
We’ve got the
GOOD stuff!
from the manufacturer.
5. Position the bed
frame over the weed barrier. Anchor the bed frame
into the ground with
stakes placed around the
outside of the frame.
6. Use longer stakes to add
protective fencing around
the bed to keep out deer,
bunnies and other furry
pests. To deter burrowing
pests like moles,place a layer
of chicken wire in the bottom of the bed before adding
your planting medium.
7. Prepare a planting
medium to fill the bed.
Chiu suggests a mix of 1/3
compost, 1/3 peat moss
and 1/3 horticulture vermiculite. She advises to
mix the medium well, on a
tarp or in a wheel barrow,
before filling the bed. Fill
the bed half way, water it
lightly to “set”the soil,then
finish filling the bed with
the planting medium.
8. Fill the bed with your
chosen plants, but Chiu
advises to not over plant.
“How much lettuce do
you purchase at a grocery
store for yourself?” she
Photo courtesy SoMo Farm and Ranch Supply
asks. “One square foot of
four lettuce plants is sufficient for most people.”
9. As old plants are
pulled, refill the space
with compost.
10. Create pathways
between your raised beds.A
grass pathway can be kept
mowed as long as they are
wide enough to accommodate a mower. Or, cover the
pathways with a weed fabric.Staple the weed fabric to
the sides of the beds, about
one inch above the ground.
Cover the fabric with four
to six inches of mulch.
Sources: Christine Chiu, ehow.com,
popularmechanics.com, eartheasy.com
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Ozarks Gardener
12 | April 6-19, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
What to plant, when to plant,
and how to take care of it
By Kim W. Schumer
G
rowing a garden
can be a pleasurable pursuit, with
the reward of baskets full
of vegetables and armloads of flowers. It’s a long
way from April to October,
though, with many steps
to follow throughout the
growing season. Local
experts shared tips on
what you can expect as an
Ozarks gardener.
WHAT
WORKS
The choice of plants
should be a combination
of personal preference
and what works in this
area in general, and your
garden in particular.
“On the vegetable side,
start with planting what
you like to eat,”said Patrick
Byers, regional horticultural specialist for the
University of Missouri
Extension. “It may sound
■ Tip: A partially filled jar or
bowl of beer will attract slugs. A
stick in the jar will provide a way
out for other insects that fall in.
Source: University of Missouri Extension,
www.extension.missouri.edu
■ Tip: Cut up to three banana
peels into small pieces and bury
them around rose bushes. Bananas
are high in potassium and potash,
which are great fertilizers for roses.
Source: University of Missouri Extension,
www.extension.missouri.edu
trite, but why put time and
energy into something you
don’t want to eat?”
He said with flowers
“it’s important to consider
hardiness. Crepe myrtles
are gorgeous, but our cold
winters can hurt them.
Make sure the plant you
are planting is adapted to
this area. All areas have
micro-climates, find plants
that meet the characteristics of your planting area.”
So, keeping your particular planting area in mind,
here are some vegetables
and flowers that experts
said are suited to our
Ozarks climate.
“Vegetables that give
maximum production in
small garden spaces are
very much in demand,” said
Nikki Petitt, nursery manager for Wickman’s Garden
Village. She listed broccoli,
leaf lettuce, cucumbers,
peppers and green beans
as popular garden crops.
Master
Gardener
Christine
Chiu
said
“Traditional vegetable gardeners in this area seem to
like green beans, tomatoes,
zucchini, cucumbers and
peppers. It’s a very traditional summer mix.” She
said some of the top-rated
newer vegetable varieties
include Zephyr squash,
Italian large leaf basil and
cayenne long peppers.
When it comes to which
vegetable wins the popularity contest with Ozarks
gardeners, “Tomatoes are
definitely king of the
heap,” said Oscar Cross,
owner of Hilltop Gardens
in Ash Grove. He said
Hilltop grows 35 different
varieties of tomatoes and
has access to 500 varieties
of seeds. He said his customers like beefsteak,
cherry, yellow and heirloom tomatoes.
At Wickman’s,Alicia Neil
said a popular new tomato
is the tomaccio. “Its high
sugar content and small
size make it the perfect
tomato for drying.”
Annual flowers with
“lots of color”are a hit with
Wickman’s customers, said
Becky Nicholas; while Neil
said a “new cool plant is
the Black Velvet petunia.”
Perennial flowers recommended by Mike
Schaffitzel at Shaffitzel’s
Greenhouse include day
lilies, peonies, summer
phlox and Shasta daisies.
CARE
AND MAINTENANCE
It’s not uncommon for
daytime temperatures to
soar into the 70s as early as
March,or sooner.When the
days get warmer, it’s hard
to resist the urge to start in
on this year’s garden.
Don’t do it.
Trust the experts. And
know once the garden is in,
you’re going to have plenty
to do for the next several
months. If you have an
established garden, experts
recommend staying out of
it if the soil is still moist
enough to form a compact
ball when squeezed.
If you’re putting out
your first garden, find a
flat, level area that gets at
least six hours of sunlight
each day.Remove the grass
and cover the exposed dirt
with a layer of newspaper
covered with mulch or
| Community Free Press
Late March
to late April
Asparagus, beets, broc
mint, spinach, o
build raised garden beds in
the sunny spot.
“If your space is limited,
start with containers or
small raised beds,” Byers
said. “You can overcome
some problems, like poor
soil, in containers or raised
beds. A container can be
installed anywhere, even
in an apartment balcony.”
Another advantage to
container gardening:“You
can manage the size that
way and not get in over
your head,” Byer said.
“Start small,” agreed
Cross.“Keep it small, keep
it manageable and keep it
fun. It’s easy in the spring
to get into a frenzy and buy
too much. Keep it under
control and that way in
July and August, the garden
is still a source of pleasure,
not a source of work.”
Master Gardener Barbara
St. Clair said the next step
is a soil test.
“Get it done through
the Extension office at the
Botanical Center,” she suggested. “They have pamphlets with clear instructions on how to take a soil
test. They will do the lab
work and give you a sheet
that tells you what you
have and what you need.”
Accept that whether
you opt to garden in containers, raised beds or in
the ground,you’re going to
have to work on the soil
before you plant anything.
“All gardeners rue their
soil,” St.Clair said.“Too much
clay, not enough sand, whatever.I truly just consider soil
as something you make.
Gardening is all about the
soil, you have to build it up
Mid-May to
early June
Beans, cantaloup
sweet
Late July to
mid-August
(for fall
crop)
Beans, beets, bro
Growing a productive garden relies not only on the proper mix of soil, su
warm outside, savvy gardeners knows to resist the urge to start planting an
The University of Missouri Extension divides Missouri into three growing reg
Plateau region is included in the “north” planting dates. This timetable inclu
with a lot of compost and
organic matter.”
When your soil is ready
for planting, remember
one key element to retain
water and ward off weeds:
“Mulch, mulch, mulch,
mulch!”St. Clair said.
“Using natural mulches
is critical in this area” said
Chiu.“It reduces the need
for irrigation, maintains
soil temperature, worms
live closer to the soil surface and it adds organic
matter back to the soil.”
Experts typically agree it’s
best to not be stingy with
the mulch; a minimum
depth of four to six inches
around plants is suggested.
WATER,
WEEDS AND BUGS
Even with a lot of mulch,
the Ozarks hot, often dry
summers guarantee that
“You will have to water,”
Byers said, “So plant close
to your water source.”
Weeds are as inevitable
as heat in August; the best
time to pull them is after a
rain or watering. The
water loosens the soil,
making weeds easier to
pull.
Insect pests and plant
disease are also issues
Ozarks gardeners will
have to deal with sooner
or later. Byers said ample
spacing between plants
ensures enough air movement to cut down on the
spread of disease; an
application of fungicide
can also be helpful.
“Be aware of pests,not all
need spraying,” he said. He
suggested hand-picking
crawling insects,nylon nets
to ward off flying pests and
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Ozarks Gardener
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Tip: Hang a bar of soap from a
tree limb, or sprinkle human hair
around the perimeter of your
garden to deter deer.
■
Source: University of Missouri Extension,
www.extension.missouri.edu
ccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuces, peas,
onion bulbs, potatoes, radish, rhubarb, Swiss chard, turnips.
e, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, pumpkins, sweet corn,
t potatoes (plants), squash, tomatoes, watermelon.
occoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuces,
radishes, sweet corn, turnips.
un and plant sustenance, it’s also a matter of timing. Regardless of how early in the growing season it gets
ny but the most cold-tolerant varieties until, typically, around May 10.
gions: north, central and south. Because of its elevation and subsequent cooler temperatures, the Ozarks
udes information on some of the more popular vegetable varieties in this area. Source: extension.missouri.edu
selectively spraying individual plants if necessary.
“Avoid synthetic fertilizers and amendments which
often force you to continue
spend money to keep
adding more,” Chiu advised.
“They will be detrimental
to your soil in the long run
by sterilizing your soil.”
Byers reminded that
gardeners are encouraged
to call the Extension office
with questions and for
help diagnosing problems.
Eastland Farmers Market
1831 E. St. Louis St.
* Indoor & Outdoor Vendor Spaces *
“First Come First Serve”
NOW OPEN: 8 a.m.- 6 p.m.Wed-Sat.
WILD ROOT GROCERY LLC
214 N. Steward At Eastland’s
OPENING APRIL • CONSIGNMENTS WELCOME
Call 862-1024 or 224-5691
or email at [email protected]
“Connecting local producers of fresh foods & more to the Springfield Community”
Weeding, watering, spreading mulch, picking bugs and
harvesting produce should
keep you happily puttering in
your garden from April to
October. When the growing
season is over,annuals should
be pulled and added to the
compost heap and another
layer of mulch should go on
the garden and up around the
perennials to keep them snug
through an Ozarks winter.
While you wait for next
spring,you may find yourself
thumbing through seed catalogs and dreaming of gardens
yet to be planted.That’s what
it means to be a gardener.
“Gardening is great release,
a great hobby,” Byers said.
“Ask why they garden,
people say they feel good
when they garden.”
April 6-19, 2011
|
13
Ozarks Gardener
14 | April 6-19, 2011
nixachamber.com
Ozark Square Farmers’ Market
Ozark Square, near the gazebo
5 p.m.-sellout Thursdays, April-October
839-5668
ozarkmainstreet.org
Republic Farmers’ Market
Along Main Street
5:30 p.m.-dusk Thursdays, April 28-October
732-2700
republicmo.com
CFP FILE PHOTO
Area Farmers’ markets
Wilson’s Creek Farmers’ Market
First Baptist Church of Battlefield
5010 S. Missouri FF, corner FF highway and
Weaver Road
4:30 p.m.-sellout Fridays, May-October
881-4138
Fair Grove Farmers’ Market
Wommack Mill pavilion
Old Mill Road (Highway 125) and Main Street
3:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays, April 20-Oct. 5
459-9734
fairgrovefarmersmarket.com
Nixa Farmers’ Market
Nixa First Assembly of God
113 W. Mt. Vernon St., corner of Mt. Vernon and
Main streets
7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays and
Thursdays, April – November
840-0400
Grow with your community
By Kim W. Schumer
Have a hankering to dig in the dirt
this season,but no access to a garden
spot? Don’t despair, apartmentdwellers, renters and folks with small
or shady lawns.There are opportunities almost right in your own back
yard to grow your own vegetables
and other plants this season,by securing space in a community garden.
Community gardens allow you
access to a garden plot in a communal setting, in your own neighborhood or at a public facility like the
Rutledge-Wilson Farm Community
Park. The Farm Park’s Adopt-AnUrban-Garden project was started in
2010 to give Springfield residents the
opportunity to grow a garden, learn
about gardening through classes and
individual guidance, and to connect
with other like-minded folk.
Amy Dooley is the Farm Park’s coordinator. She recently told the
Community Free Press that in 2010,85
percent of the Farm Park’s plots were
filled.The cost to “rent”an eight-foot by
16-foot plot is $25 per season; it’s $40
per season for a 16-foot by 16-foot plot.
The season is from March 1 to Nov.30.
The only thing it will cost to participate in the Grant Beach Community
Garden is time and effort.Volunteers
who help tend the vegetable and
fruit garden next to Hovey House on
West Hovey Street will be able to take
produce home.
Master Gardener and Grant
Beach neighborhood resident
Shelley Vaugine is heading the project, in its first year.
“Anybody from anywhere in the
city can volunteer to work in the
garden,”Vaugine said.
The garden spot will be planted
with mostly vegetables, she said, and
also fruit including grapes,blueberries,
native apple trees, “even a paw-paw
tree,” she said. “Isn’t that cool?”
Groundbreaking on the new community garden is expected to happen in
May,with the first season’s crops going
in the ground by the first of June.
The garden will also serve as an
outdoor classroom for area children.
In conjunction with the Grant Beach
Community Garden, Vaugine said
urban 4-H clubs are planned for students at Weaver Elementary, Pipkin
Middle School, Central High School
and St. Joseph Catholic School.
In front of the Kitchen’s clinic,
about a block south of the Jefferson
Avenue Footbridge, you’ll find the
Kitchen’s community garden and
greenhouse.Aubree Taylor,director of
the 1000 Gardens Project, said everyone is welcome to volunteer their
time in the greenhouse and garden
and take home produce in exchange
OPEN EVERY WEDNESDAY
3:30 - 7:00p.m.
3rd week in April till the
1st week in Oct.
We Accept Debit & EBT
Eat Fresh, Buy Local,
Stay Healthy!
Springfield:
C-Street Market
Jefferson Avenue footbridge, 321 E. Commercial
Street (at Jefferson)
4-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays,
April-October
880-3435
itsalldowntown.com/cstreet
Eastland Farmers Market
1835 St. Louis St., one block east of Glenstone Ave.
7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays
224-5691
Greater Springfield Farmers Market
8:30 a.m.-sellout Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays,
April-October
Battlefield Mall parking lot north of Macy’s
678-3647
springfieldfarmersmarket.com
What: Adopt-an-Urban Garden
program at Rutledge-Wilson
Farm Community Park
Where: 3825 W. Farm Road 146
When: March 1-Nov. 30
Cost: $25 per season for an
eight-feet by 16-feet plot; $40
for 16-feet by 16-feet plot
Contact: 837-5949;
parkboard.org
What: Grant Beach Community
Garden
Where: 800 W. Hovey, next to
Hovey House
When: Early June through midOctober
Cost: No charge to volunteer,
volunteers can have food from
the garden
Contact: Shelley Vaugine, 429-8574
What: The Kitchen Community
Greenhouse and Garden
Where: 1630 N. Jefferson Ave.
When: March though mid-October
Cost: No charge to volunteer, volunteers can have garden produce
Contact: Aubree Taylor, 655-8146
for labor. Folks who want to grow
their own gardens can work in the
greenhouse for seedlings to plant.
“We also have community volunteers who have their own gardens
or don’t need the produce and just
want to help grow fresh food for
people in need,” she said.“We want
this garden to have a true community feel.”
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Share your bounty
By Kim W. Schumer
It’s one time when being over-zealous is actually an
admirable trait.
Some eager gardeners have a tendency to over-plant
their gardens. Sixteen tomato plants might sound like a
great idea in May, but could leave you hip-deep in tomatoes by the end of July. That grand scheme to pickle those
cucumbers might have seemed do-able back when you
planted 12 cucumber plants.
Don’t worry, that extra proHow to donate:
duce doesn’t have to go to
waste. There are a number of
■ The Kitchen Annex
local charitable agencies that
Food Warehouse:
can use your garden largesse
421 E. Blaine Street
to feed your Ozarks neigh837-1511; thekitchenbors who are in need.
inc.org
Valerie Lorensen is the
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
manager of the Kitchen
■ Ozarks Food
Annex Food Warehouse.
Harvest
The food warehouse
2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave.
accepts donations of fresh
865-3411; ozarksfoodproduce, which is then
harvest.org
given free of charge to
Hours:
people who need food
■ Harvest on Wheels
assistance. “It’s good to
at Greater Springfield
give people fresh food to
Farmers Market,
choose from,” she said.
Battlefield Mall
“They can take what they
also drop-off stations
want to use then or freeze
throughout Springfield
or can for later.”
Information: Linda Bossi,
Lorensen said donations
president, 890-1079,
can be made at the wareozarksfoodharvest.org
house during business
hours; after hours or on
weekends, she said donations can be taken to the
Kitchen’s back door and given to a staff member to
secure in the warehouse. Donations will be weighed and
donors given a tax receipt, she said.
“We get quite a bit,” she said. “One gentleman has donated
over a ton of produce from his personal garden.” The Kitchen
accepts produce donations of any size, but Lorensen suggests you call ahead if you’re “coming in with quantity.”
The Ozarks Food Harvest food bank works with more than
300 nonprofit hunger-relief organizations in 28 Ozarks counties. Jennifer Sickinger is the OFH resource recruitment coordinator. She said “fresh produce is really a treat” for the families and individuals who turn to OFH for food assistance.
“When we can get fresh produce from your back yard
or a farmer’s field, that is one of the most-valued donations for our agencies,” she said.
Sickenger said donations can be dropped off at the food
bank on North Cedarbrook Avenue between 8:30 and 4 p.m.
Monday through Friday. Saturday donations can be made at
the Harvest on Wheels booth at the Greater Springfield
Farmers Market, located in the Battlefield Mall’s north parking
lot. The volunteer group Harvest on Wheels also has donation sites throughout Springfield, where produce can be
dropped off for HOW volunteers to take to the food bank.
“We received 28,000 pounds of fresh produce through Harvest
on Wheels last year along,” Sickinger said. “It was fabulous.”
Many local gardeners choose to deliberately plant more than
they can use themselves, for the purpose of donating the extra
food to people in need, an effort that is appreciated deeply by
the organizations who care for our neighbors in need.
“We have one farmer who brings us 5,000 pounds of produce each summer,” Sickenger said. “Whether you donate
5,000 pounds or just a bag of tomatoes, it all adds up.”
Valerie Lorensen agrees. “We encourage people to plant
more than they can use, so that we, in turn, can bless others in
the community with fresh food.”
LIBERTY
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7am-7pm Saturdays • April – November
3pm-7pm Tues.&Thurs. • April – November
Early Fresh Produce Call 840-0400 or 881-1300
Community Free Press
Ozarks Gardener
| www.cfpmidweek.com
April 6-19, 2011
|
15
NJ transplants set roots in the Ozarks
By Kim W. Schumer
A
bout 30 years ago,
Oscar and Amy
Cross started a family.To take care of the family,they both quit their jobs.
That was in the early
1980s, when the New
Jersey transplants bought
a farmstead outside of Ash
Grove. Amy was working
at a local hospital, Oscar
at a local greenhouse.
“We moved here because
we thought it was a great
area,” Oscar said. “We
bought the farm in 1981,63
acres and a house. We
thought we could make a
go of it here, and we have.”
Oscar described the
house as the “original money
pit.” Built in the 1920s, the
house had only four electrical fuses for the entire multistory structure,and a “lake of
disgusting stuff” in the basement. Oscar said the couple
originally planned to live in
the house only until a new
home was constructed.
“But the house had
good bones,” he said, “so
we made a list of things to
fix that summer. It took us
25 years to get them done.
Now it’s a nice house.”
FARMERS’ MARKET
START
When the couple’s first
child was born in 1982,Amy
left her job to be a stay-athome mom and, with
Oscar’s education and experience with plants and growing things,they started growing and selling produce at
local farmers’markets to sup-
plement Oscar’s income.
Two years later, when
their second child was
born,Oscar left his job and
Hilltop Farms got its second full-time employee.
“We had a lot of really
tight years,” Oscar said.
“There was not a lot of
money. But we wanted to
be with our kids. I didn’t
spend much time with my
dad. He went to work all
day and mom raised us,the
typical Ozzie and Harriet
thing. I wanted to be more
active with my kids.”
Hilltop Farm started with
a small greenhouse where
”
‘We are
growers. The
plants here don’t
magically appear.’
— Oscar Cross
the Crosses grew tomatoes,
cabbage and other produce
to sell at market.“But everybody and his brother has
tomatoes for sale,” Oscar
said. “We started seeing a
bigger demand for plants
than for produce.”
So the next year, they
offered more plants, fewer
vegetables. And quickly
became one of the biggest
plant suppliers at the farmers market. From those
first offering of tomato
plants instead of the actual
tomatoes, Hilltop Farm has
grown from a single,
unheated greenhouse to 10
greenhouses, with heat.
TWO
DECADES
AND GROWING
“We have been growing
and selling perennials for
26 years,” Oscar said.
“From there, we slowly
branched out. We’d say
‘Let’s try this, it sounds
cool.’ If it sold, we’d do it
again. If not, we’d drop it
and try something else.”
Oscar says Hilltops sells a
“huge amount” of bedding
plants, perennials and highperformance annuals. The
farm also offers a wide variety of exotic plants, herbs
and vegetable plants, including heirlooms.There are also
several shade and display gardens for visitors to explore.
“This is not a nursery. I
don’t have a gift shop, we
sell minimal supplies,don’t
carry feed. We sell plants.
Period.That’s what we sell.
That’s what I want to do,
sell the best plants that are
going to work in this area.”
Oscar says Hilltops’ customers range from beginner
gardeners to people who
“knew us way back when,
who knew us when our son
Pete was still in a playpen at
the market.”And the Hilltop
staff is prepared to offer
expert advice to all of them.
“We want them to be successful,” he said. “Our competition isn’t the big-box
stores. It’s people who say ‘I
tried gardening but wasn’t
successful, so I’m going to
buy a rod and take up fishing.’ We want them to be
successful, to stay involved
in horticulture and succeed,
whether it’s a new homeowner who just wants a few
yellow marigolds in the
front yard, to people who
have been gardening since
before I was born.”
STRICTLY
HOMEGROWN
Oscar said everything
Hilltop sells is grown at the
farm.The retail side of the
farm is open from the last
weekend in March until
the last Saturday in June,
“then we go back to working only 80 hours a week,”
he said. “Hostas take two
years to get to the size we
want to sell. Ferns are started in the summer for sale
the following year. We are
growers. The plants here
don’t magically appear.”
The drive to Ash Grove
might deter some folks,
but Oscar said the drive is
scenic and worth the time.
“You don’t buy plants
where it’s convenient, you
buy plants were you can
get service and help with
the plants. My plants cost a
little more, but they will be
the plants for you.We spend
time working with you so
you get the right plant.”
Oscar said the hours are
long and the lifestyle is
modest, but “I do what I
like. I don’t have a boss
yanking my chain, I walk
across my driveway to get
to work each morning.We
are happy and healthy
and don’t measure success by how much money
is the bank. I have a wonderful quality of life.”
Photo by Janice Mason
Oscar and Amy Cross started Hilltop Farms 30 years ago.
■
Hilltop Farm
3307 N. State Highway F, Ash Grove
672-2259, hilltop-gardens.com
Directions from Springfield:
1. West on U.S. Highway 160 (West Bypass) through
Willard to Ash Grove. Turn south (left) at the fourway flashing light on 160 in Ash Grove, onto Missouri
Highway F. Follow F highway for four miles; Hilltop
Farm is located on the west (right) side of Highway
F, at the top of a hill, before a sharp turn.
2. You can also take James River Freeway west to
where it ends at I-44. Go west, toward Joplin. Take
the first exit, Exit 67, north (right) on T highway.
Follow T highway approximately six miles, through
Bois D’Arc. Continue west on T highway approximately five miles, the road will become Highway F.
Follow F around a sharp turn to the right and up a
steep hill. Hilltop Farm is at the top of this hill.
Hours:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturday, through June 25. By appointment only
July-February.
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Ozarks Gardener
16 | April 6-19, 2011
CLASSES, from 9
Library Station, Santa Fe
room, 2535 N. Kansas
Expressway.
Free
-13th Annual Master
Gardeners Plant Sale
7:30 a.m. April 30 at
Nathanael Greene/Close
Memorial Park, 2400 S.
Scenic Ave.
Free admission
Information: 864-1049
-The Dirt on Gardening:
Terrific Tomatoes
6:30-8 p.m. May 9 at the
Library Station, 2535 N.
Kansas Expwy.
Free
-Young Sprouts in the
Garden
9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 21, rain or
shine, at the Springfield-
Greene County Botanical
Center and Gardens, 2400
S. Scenic Ave.
Free
Information: 881-8909
Garden Adventures
Nursery
1900 W. Mt. Vernon St.,
Nixa
Registration and information at 725-3223, gardenadventuresnixa.com
10 a.m. on selected
Saturdays
Free ($10 fee for “Mud
Pies” supplies)
Schedule:
April 30: Growing Azaleas
in the Ozarks – part of
annual Azalea Festival,
class repeats at 1 p.m.
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
May 7: Container
Gardening
June 4: Summer
Flowering Shrubs and Trees
June 18: New Perennial
Varieties
July 16: Crepe Myrtle
Aug. 13: Tree and Shrub
Pruning
Aug. 27: Mud Pies for Big
Kids, sculpting waterproof
containers, $10 fee for supplies
Sept. 17: Succulents
Oct. 1: Ornamental Grasses
Oct. 15: Gardening for Fall
Color – part of annual
Harvest Festival
Nov. 12: Winterizing Trees
and Shrubs
Dec. 10: Wreath-making:
Rustic or Radiant
■ Tip: Get tomato plants in the
ground on Mother’s Day for fruit
by the Fourth of July.
Ozark Folklore
Tip: Keep out of the garden
when the soil is wet to avoid
compacting the soil.
■
Source: tomatogardeningguru.com
Tip: Plant beans and peas in rows
that run north to south so they
receive maximum light from the
sun, which moves from east to west.
■
Source: Plantingseedsblog.com
■ Tip: Thin strips of cloth make
great ties for tomato plants. Begin
attaching plants to stakes when
the stem is about a foot tall.
Source: tomatogardeningguru.com
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2850 W. Kearney St.
Springfield, MO 65801
20% off Cedar Furniture, SoMo Farm & Ranch
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
April 6-19, 2011
Business
|
17
Feelin’ hungry?
Go across town to Crosstown
Barbecue » Page 18
e-mail [email protected]
FYI
SIFE 2nd annual
women’s event April 9
Ozarks Technical
Community College
Students in Free
Enterprise presents The
Road to Prosperity: A
Women’s Financial
Empowerment Event
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 9 at Skyline Baptist
Church-Branson on
Highway 165. Registration
begins at 8 a.m. Rachel
Cruze is the keynote
speaker. Lunch is served
and local companies
offer services; free childcare by reservation only.
The event is for women
ages 17 and older.
Admission is $10 in
advance, $15 at the door
with one non-perishable
food item. For details,
visit womenseventbranson.com.
Nixon announces $27
million for small business
During a visit to a hightech business center in
St. Louis on March 22,
Gov. Jay Nixon provided
details of a $27 million
investment in small-business growth and job creation in Missouri. The U.S.
Department of Treasury
and Gov. Nixon
announced the approval
of Missouri’s application
for $27 million in funding
through the State Small
Business Credit Initiative
(SSBCI). Missouri’s
planned use of the SSBCI
funds will help create
jobs and spur more than
$269 million in additional
small-business lending in
the state. The SSBCI program, which supports
state-level, small-business
lending programs, is an
important component of
the Small Business Jobs
Act that President
Obama signed into law
last fall.
Harter House fundraiser, a $77,000 success
Funds help Kitchen provide
services to those in need
■
By James Hanson
More than 80 businesses and
friends, both locally and nationally,
partnered with area Harter House
locations for the 14th annual Jerry
Bettlach/Jim Trimble Memorial to
benefit the Kitchen Inc.
Barbara Bettlach, owner of
Harter House at 1500 E. Republic
Road, started the fundraiser in
1998 to honor her husband, Jerry,
and her brother Jim Trimble, who
both played a role in the success
of the store.
What began as a one-day
fundraiser at the East Republic
Road store,with 25 percent of the
day’s profits donated to the
Kitchen, has grown into a weeklong event, with all six Harter
House stores donating 5 percent
of the week’s sales.
This year’s event took place
March 2-8 and raised $77,351.50.
An additional $4,000 in in-kind
donations were made by media
sponsors PennyPower and KTXR
radioA total of $380,351.50 has
been raised for the Kitchen in
event’s 14 years.
Bettlach has served on the
board of directors for the Kitchen
Inc. She said she knows all too
well the need of many individuals
in the community.
Each year, she sends letters to
businesses, vendors and others to
announce the event’s time and
how people can get involved. All
participants have their names displayed in a “Thank You” section of
the store’s advertising flyer,
which is distributed to approximately 69,000 homes, as well on
posters inside the stores.
Bettlach said hosting the
fundraiser has been “a pleasure.”
“We have tried to improve each
year,” she said.“I am very proud of
the tribute to my husband and
brother and the efforts of family
and employees at all of the stores.
I make notes for ideas that come
during the event and how we can
make it better each year.”
Rorie Orgeron, executive director of the Kitchen Inc., said Jerry
Bettlach was a dedicated supporter of the Kitchen and that Barbara
is continuing that tradition.
He said the fundraiser brought
in $13,000 to $14,000 in each of
BUSINESS BRIEFS
TeleTech growth adding 171
jobs to Springfield
TeleTech Holdings, Inc.
announced that its
Springfield location will
expand its workforce by 171
full-time customer service
associates. These positions
will provide inbound customer support. The company is not hiring for telemarketing or sales-related services at this location.
Prospective candidates are
invited to apply online at
HirePoint.com and attend
the job fair from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. Wednesday, April 6
and Thursday, April 7 at
TeleTech’s Springfield office
located at 1720 E. Primrose
Street. TeleTech is seeking
candidates who have at
least 12 months of experience in customer service,
strong computer skills and
the ability to multi-task in a
fast-paced environment.
Bank ofAsh Grove
The
Oldest
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Bank in
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Grove
– 672-2572
INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE LOANS
• Apartments • Rental Houses
417-672-2572
Strength and Longevity
Since 1883
Photo courtesy Harter House
Representatives from both Springfield Harter House locations met with representatives from The Kitchen Inc. last week, to present a $77,000 check to
The Kitchen. The money was raised during the 14th Annual Jerry Bettlach/Jim
Trimble Memorial Benefit fundraiser, held the first week of March. From left to
right: Rorie Orgeron, chief executive officer of the Kitchen, Kathy Richards,
(wife of Randy Richards and owner of Harter House Eastgate location), Sister
Lorraine, Michelle Kauffman, (assistant manager at the Harter House Republic
Road) and Barbara Bettlach, owner of Harter House Republic Road location.
its first couple of years; that
amount has risen to $75,000 and
more in the past two or three
years.
“That is huge because this
money goes into our general
fund,” he said.“It is not restricted
for anything in particular. We can
pay a salary if we need to, we can
pay a utility bill, buy a piece of
equipment or medication for the
clinic, whatever we may need.”
The Kitchen Inc. provides
TeleTech has been in
Springfield since 2007. The
company offers a comprehensive benefits package for
full-time employees that
includes medical and dental,
paid vacation, 401(k) and
opportunities for advancement. To learn more, visit
TeleTech.com.
Go Green! Win Green!
contest under way
Cartridge World is sponsoring a $10,000 cash giveaway sweepstakes, “Go
Green! Win Green!” The con-
social services and assistance to
individuals and families in need in
southwest Missouri, both directly
and through networking with
food pantries, shelters and clinics
throughout Missouri.
To learn more about the
Kitchen, visit thekitcheninc.org.
For more about Harter House’s
annual fundraiser, call Barbara
Bettlach at 827-6250 or Dale
Dothage at 886-4410.
test asks consumers to
share their story about
things they have done to
“green” their home or office.
In an effort to increase environmental awareness,
Cartridge World will share
the top 10 greenest ideas
submitted on its Facebook
fan page. The winner of the
$10,000 will be announced on
or around May 5, 2011.
Josh Trader, owner of
Cartridge World-Springfield,
provides a green solution for
local businesses that want
to save money. Reusing
printer cartridges helps
reduce waste in landfills
while it also saves money.
With Earth Day on April 22,
Trader wants to remind businesses that printer cartridges can be refilled or
remanufactured, which can
also be more affordable
then buying new cartridges.
To enter the contest, visit cartridgeworld.com/green. The
contest concludes on April 30.
For more information, Josh
Trader at 886-1234 or e-mail
[email protected].
Business
18 | April 6-19, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
LOCALLY
OWNED
Crosstown
legacy
continues
By James Hanson
While chain restaurants
and eateries often “test the
waters”in Springfield,some
locally owned establishments have found a niche
that promotes business and
caters to the customer.
One such place is
Crosstown Barbecue at
1331 E. Division started by
Jesse Edward Williams in
1970.
His sons Fred, Jesse Jr.
and Steven Williams all
played a role in continuing the business in 1984,
with Steven taking over
the business full-time at
the age of 20.
Steven ran the business
while obtaining his master’s degree in education
from Drury University.
He said Crosstown Barbecue has “a good personality and a good product.
“Having both of those
helps,”he said.“Our reputation of being in some people’s minds as the best in
Springfield, has also played
a role in our success.There
are just so many people
that have heard of us
through the years. It is
amazing. And we have customers that have been
coming for 20 to 30 years
as well as new people that
are just now coming
through our doors.”
Steven said that is a
trend he would like to see
continue, although he
acknowledges there are
Photo by James Hanson
Steven Williams, owner of Crosstown Barbecue, checks on some smoked meats.
some challenges.
“Springfield has always
been a test market for
chain restaurants,” he said.
“They have kind of branded themselves here. The
local restaurants have
kind of faded away. Most
of them are no longer
open. They are gone. It
takes a conscious effort to
keep our name out there.”
He said being consistent
is also vital to the business.
“I would say our consistency has helped us be
successful,” he said. “You
form a lot of relationships
with people.When you do
that and are able to put
out the best product for
such a long period of time
that is very rewarding.
Those relationships last a
very long time.”
Steven takes an active
role in the business and
can often be found on the
line making meals, checking the meats in the
smoker, ringing-up customers or chatting with
his guests in the dining
room.
“Sometimes people are
disappointed when I’m
not here,” he said.“My staff
does a great job,though,of
providing great service.”
Crosstown Barbecue
has a small staff. Besides
Steven, two full-time and
one part-time employee s
work together to provide
diners with a positive
experience and a menu
that has remained consistent since 1970.
Steven said some new
things have been added
over the years, such as
chili and wings, but the
traditional menu remains
the same.
And what is on the
menu?
Traditional
smoked meats such as
pulled pork, hot links,
beef brisket, chicken,
ham, turkey and ribs. Side
items include cole slaw,
home-style potato salad,
BBQ-Pit
beans
and
Crosstown fries. Diners
can enjoy Jesse’s Smoked
Chef Salad, a Jazzy Loaded
Baked Potato or a variety
of dinners, including
popular choices the Big
Papa, the Nana and a variety of signature sandwiches, like the K.C.
Meltdown
or
the
Memphis Beale Street.
Steven said business has
been a little rough since
Crosstown
Barbecue
Owner: Steven
Williams
Location: 1331 E.
Division Street
Opened: 1970
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9
p.m. Monday through
Saturday
Phone: 862-4646
(catering available)
Web: crosstownbarbecue.com
the recession began.
Crosstown recently rolled
out a buy-one lunch or
dinner, get the second
half-off on Mondays and
Tuesdays.
“We know that the
economy is kind of
tough,” he said. “We are
trying to do our part to
help out in that situation.
People have been faithful
to us for a long time. It is a
way to give back when
times are tough.”
He added,“What we do,
we do very well.
“We are consistent.
People tell us it is ‘As good
as always.’ That is what
we like to hear. I think
that is why we have been
here for over 40 years.”
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| Community Free Press
Community Free Press
IN BUSINESS
Business
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Holistic healing is becoming commonplace in the Springfield region.
With the opening of Abba Anderson Acupuncture, licensed acupuncturist Abba Anderson
brings one more option to clients who want to heal illnesses and restore balance in their lives.
Anderson, a Branson native, received her MS in Oriental Medicine from Acupuncture &
Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, Calif. She has worked in medical clinics for seniors, community clinics, drug rehab programs and private practice. Anderson specializes in
helping people with depression and anxiety, chronic pain, and women’s health issues
including menopausal symptoms, infertility and PMS.
“Many people who haven’t tried acupuncture are put off by the idea of needles, but
acupuncture needles are tiny and you mostly don’t even feel them,” said Anderson.
“When people do try acupuncture, they are surprised to find that it doesn’t hurt, and
that it’s actually deeply relaxing.”
Anderson said acupuncture excels at treating problems that conventional medicine
doesn’t always alleviate, and “it can really change peoples’ lives.”
The World Health Organization has identified a list of conditions for which acupuncture is proven effective, including back, shoulder, knee and neck pain, depression, hay
fever, rheumatoid arthritis, labor induction, morning sickness and tennis elbow.
“So I always tell people, you don’t have to live with it, you can try acupuncture,” Anderson said.
The way of Samurai Sam’s
hat which has been is that which
will be, and that which has been
done is that which will be done,” said
King Solomon 3,000 years ago.
Nothing is as powerful as the cycles of
history.
In the mid-1990s, William Strauss and
Neil Howe wrote a book entitled The
Fourth Turning, which detailed the
cycles of American history. The authors
show how 20-year generational cycles
interact economically, socially, morally,
culturally and politically with each
other. Every fourth cycle, which appears
approximately every 80 years, is a devastating cycle which they call the “unraveling.” It is so devastating that it brings the
country to a major turning point.
The first of these cycles surrounded the
Revolutionary War. The second occurred
at the time of the Civil War, and the third
during the Great Depression and World
War II. We are now entering the fourth.
Notice that the crash of 2008 came 79
years after the crash of 1929, which was
our entry into the Great Depression and
WWII.
Despite what the government would
like us to believe, the crisis is not over. Not
one of the problems that brought us the
crash of 2008 has been resolved. Our
nation continues to be plagued with a fiscally irresponsible government, a corrupt
culture and a godless society. These problems will not be resolved with government
bailouts or new government programs.
The three previous unraveling cycles
brought about massive structural
changes in American society. The first
changed the U.S. from 13 colonies to an
independent nation. The second
changed the entire social and economic
structure of the nation. The third
launched the U.S. as the world’s superpower–a position it has held until today.
The Great Depression and Second
World War bankrupted Great Britain and
forced it to dismantle its worldwide
empire. The U.S. assumed the role but
has now found that policing and oversight of the world plus providing everexpanding welfare for its 330 million citizens is about to destroy it too, as we tax
“T
Abba Anderson Acupuncture helps clients find balance
■ Owner: Abba Anderson
Opened: March 2010
Location: 1536 E. Primrose
St., inside Acacia Spa
Hours: By appointment
Services: Acupuncture and
hypnotherapy.
Phone: 353-8868
Website: abbaanderson.com
|
19
The irresistible power of Super Cycles
By James Hanson
Abba Acupuncture
April 6-19, 2011
Abba
Anderson,
owner of
Abba
Anderson
Acupuncture, works
with client,
Mitzi Ivy.
Photo by James
Hanson
Samurai Sam’s
■ Owner: Clay McGee
Clay McGee, a Springfield native, attended college in Tempe,
Opened: Dec. 15, 2010
Ariz. Upon moving back, he began 1-800-GOT-JUNK, a franLocation: 1440 W.
chised business. And though that business has proven sucRepublic Road
cessful, McGee had another venture in the back of his mind.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
While attending college, McGee said he ate two to
Phone: 883-9200
three times a week at a Japanese franchise restaurant
(catering available)
based out of Scottsdale, Ariz., called Samurai Sam’s.
Web: samurisams.net
“It is very clean, and uses fresh, whole ingredients,” he said.
“It is also very affordable. I fell in love with the restaurant.”
McGee opened Samurai Sam’s at 1440 W. Republic
Road Dec. 15, 2010.
He said the food features whole grain noodles, brown rice, fresh shrimp, steaks,
salmon, chicken and fresh, chopped vegetables, prepared daily.
Samurai Sam’s also features “their famous teriyaki sauce,” he said.
McGee said he has teamed up with several local workout facilities to promote the new business.
He said people have been receptive to the restaurant.
“It has gone really, really well,” he said. “It is healthy food without being health
food. I am from Springfield and I love Springfield-style cashew chicken, but this is a
great, healthy alternative.”
and spend ourselves
into bankruptcy.
One of the things
likely to emerge
from the present
cycle is that our role
in the world will
shrink and our leadership will be passed
to China, the megaemerging economy
of Asia. That doesn’t Kelsey Garman
mean that the U.S.
FINANCIAL INSIGHTS
will disappear. It just
means that we will lose our dominance
in the world much like the British did
after WWII.
As I’ve said, the crash of 2008 has not
brought the fundamental changes needed to restore the U.S. to its former glory.
We will not recover until these changes
are made, and we can expect conditions
to get worse until they are. Bailing out a
failed system and adding new government programs won’t do it.What doesn’t
work needs to be allowed to collapse
and be remade into something new.That
will require some tough political decisions that no one is now willing to make.
Like all great powers before it, the
United States has gone through a cycle
of building up its military, political and
economic power, then over extending
itself and going into decline.That doesn’t
mean we will become a third-world
country. However, I believe we will see
our prosperity decline relative to countries like China, India, Brazil and other
smaller emerging nations in Asia.
Sixty years ago the U.S. was the
world’s greatest creditor nation and
power shifted to us. Now we are the
world’s greatest debtor nation and
power is shifting to China, our largest
creditor. It has come about as wise King
Solomon said, “The rich rule over the
poor and the borrower is servant to the
lender.” (Prov.22:7).
Kelsey Garman is a former financial
consultant who writes a column for
the Community Free Press. E-mail him
at [email protected].
20 | April 6-19, 2011
www.cfpmidweek.com
Art for thought
A&E
IN BRIEF
Earth Day Events
Earth Day at the
Discovery Center
Celebrate Earth Day at
the Discovery Center
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
April 16 at 438 St. Louis
St. Free activities
include children’s handson science museum,
light bulb exchange and
interactive, educational
displays. For more information, call the
Discovery Center at
882-9910 or visit discoverycenter.org.
Party for the Planet
at the Zoo
The Party for the
Planet and Enrichment
EGGstravaganza is 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. April 23 at
the Dickerson Park Zoo,
3043 N. Fort.
Celebrate Earth Day
with “green” activities
and see the animals
“hunt” for Easter eggs.
For more information,
call 833-1570 or visit
dickersonparkzoo.org.
JRBP Earth Day
River Cleanup
The James River
Basin Partnership
(JRBP) presents the
Earth Day River
Cleanup from 1 to 5
p.m. April 22,
Southwood AccessLake Springfield.
For directions or to
sign up or reserve a
canoe, contact Melissa
Bettes at 836-4847 or
[email protected] before
April 19. Personal
canoes and kayaks are
encouraged.
Submit Events:
events@
cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
See the graphic works of Philip
Pearlstein at the Art Museum.
» Page 22
e-mail [email protected]
Red Bridge,
consists of
Larry and
Mary Mayfield
and Mark
Noah.
Music for a cause
Fifth annual Mid-Winter
Bluegrass Festival raises
funds for Convoy of Hope
■
By Janice Mason
H
elp raise funds for Convoy
of Hope and listen to nine
bands at the fifth annual
Mid-Winter Bluegrass Festival
April 23. The event features an
entire afternoon and evening of
entertainment designed to assist
Convoy of Hope with its international relief efforts.
Mark Withers coordinates the
event with Gene Reasoner and
David Dean.
Don’t Miss
■ Mid-Winter Bluegrass
Festival for Convoy of Hope
When: 3 to 9:15 p.m.,
Saturday, April 23
Where: Central High School
Commons Area, 423 E. Central St.
Concessions: Provided by the
Central High drama class
Tickets: $10 at the door
“My dad is a volunteer driver
for Convoy of Hope and they are
such a great organization and
they work off of donations,” said
Withers.
“David Evans, the speaker, is
over all of transportation for
Convoy of Hope. Over the last
few years, they have earmarked
the money to purchase a unit for
the semis that allows the driver to
shut the truck off at night and still
have air conditioning and heat.
“What that has done, it continues to save them thousands of
dollars on fuel for their trucks.”
The bluegrass musicians volunteer, traveling from all over
Missouri to perform at the concert.
“They really turn out to help us
on this,” said Withers.
Convoy of Hope, founded in
1994 and based out of Springfield,
serves more than 41 million people throughout the world through
international children’s feeding
initiatives, community outreaches,
disaster response and partners
with other organizations.
Photo courtesy Larry
Mayfield
Schedule
“We’re basically a faith-based
organization and by that, what
that means to us is, it’s our faith
that compels us to do what we
do. It has nothing to do with who
we serve,” said Jeff Nene, senior
director of public relations for
Convoy of Hope. “We’ve gone
into totally Muslim countries
before and served just because
they needed help.
“The two main ways that we
work in the United States is
through community outreach
events and disaster response.The
community outreach events are
like a one-day carnival with free
food for inner-city communities… the audience is the work-
3 - 3:35 p.m. – Dean Family
3:35 - 4:10 p.m. – Red Bridge
4:10 - 4:45 p.m. – Craft Family
4:45 - 5:20 p.m. – Lost Hill
5:20 - 5:55 p.m. – Withers Family
5:55 - 6:15 p.m. – Convoy speaker
6:15 - 7 p.m. – Southern Raised
7 - 7:45 p.m. – Cedar Hill
7:45 - 8:30 p.m. – Midnight Flight
8:30 - 9:15 p.m. – Lonesome Road
ing poor, the unemployed.”
Larry Mayfield of the band Red
Bridge said his band wanted to
get involved with the annual
bluegrass festival to support
Convoy of Hope.
“This organization is out there
before anything happens,” said
Mayfield.“ We just really wanted to
support it and raise the awareness.”
Celebrate Earth Day at the Green Building Fair
By Janice Mason
Ozarks Green Building
Coalition (OGBC) sponsors
an Earth Day Green Building
This green
home in
Springfield is
rated Platinum
LEED status,
the highest
level of certification. It is the
first in the
country built
by a Habitat
for Humanity
affiliate.
Photo courtesy
ozarksgreenbuilding.org
Fair featuring exhibits and
five presentations by people
in the know April 16.
Exhibits cover the basics
of green building, including a home energy audit,
which is the first step in
improving home energy
efficiency. Exhibits also
include alternative energy
options, ideas for green
developments and information about buying and
selling green homes.
Specialists offer explanations of programs that help
people pay for green home
renovations, and the latest
on green building materials and services offered in
the Springfield area.
“Our intent is to help
people find ways they can
integrate green building
practices and efficiency
into their homes,” said Jeff
Barber, housing and environmental design specialist at University Missouri
Extension. “Whether it’s
remodeling or new construction, there’s something for everyone.”
Matt O’Reilly, creator of
the Green Circle Shopping Center on Republic
Road, is one of the presenters at the fair. He recently
built a green home and
will share his experience
navigating the maze of
building
regulations,
green building opportunities and certification
options.
“What Matt O’Reilly was
able to do… I made him
aware of a program called
Indoor airPlus, which is
basically a little add-on,”
said Barber. “If you get
Energy Star certification,
the same person that does
that goes through a checksee GREEN, 21
Community Free Press
A&E
| www.cfpmidweek.com
April 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Through April 17 – Springfield
Little Theatre presents
“Chicago” at the Landers Theatre,
311 E. Walnut St. Tells the story of
Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who murders her unfaithful lover but manages
to avoid prison with the help of her
razzle-dazzle lawyer. Tickets: $15-25.
CR O SSWO R D
■
ACROSS
1 Greek letter
4 Eastern
bishop’s title
8 Indian music
12 Handle
13 City on the
Rhine
14 Stench
15 Camel hair
cloth
16 Trave
18 Olive color
20 Ger. dive
bomber
21 Witless
chatter
23 Boys’
author
27 Elide (2 words)
32 Killer whale
33 Buddhist column
34 Nape
36 Atl. Coast
Conference (abbr.)
37 Anatomy (abbr.)
39 Channel islands
41 Bless: Yidd.
43 Central nervous
system (abbr.)
44 Enamel (Fr.)
48 Abstract being
51 Lamia (2 words)
55 Brown
56 Card
57 Norse epic
58 Vanity
59 Circular motion
60 Thoroughfare
61 Cut
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
869-1334. springfieldlittletheatre.org.
April 7-10 – MSU theatre and
dance department presents “The
Beaux Stratagem” 7:30 p.m. April
7-9 and 2:30 p.m. April 10 in Craig
Hall Coger Theatre. The play tells the
story of two young men who, having
spent all their money by living too
well, leave London and roam from
town to town in search of love and fortune. Tickets are $8, $12 and $14;
836-7678. missouristatetix.com.
April 8, 9 – Little Acorns: Eggsquisite Eggs 11-11:45 a.m. or
1:30-2:15 p.m. at the Nature Center,
4601 S. Nature Center Way. Learn
how and why animals begin their
lives in eggs. Ages 3-6. Registration
required. 888-4237.
DOWN
1 Interpret
2 Jap. pit viper
3 Monkey
4 Amer. Kennel Club
(abbr.)
5 Round Table knight
6 Stigma
7 Korean apricot
8 Tropical fish
9 “Fables in Slang”
author
10 Port. colony in
India
11 Limb
17 Jamaican dance
music
19 Lug
22 Kidney bean
24 Culm (2 words)
25 Lo (Lat.)
26 Blue
SUDOKU
See puzzle answers on page 23
April 6-19, 2011
27 Thick slice
28 Bowling alley
29 Geode
30 Medieval shield
31 Fluidity unit
35 Amer. Red Cross
(abbr.)
38 Sleeping sickness
fly
40 Compass direction
42 Her Majesty’s Ship
(abbr.)
45 Mime
46 Iodine (pref.)
47 Wife of Tyndareus
49 Farinaceous food
50 Enough (Scot.)
51 Cask
52 Noun-forming
(suf.)
53 Aura
54 Angry
April 9 –17th annual Beaux Arts
Ball and Charity Art Auction 7 p.m.,
live auction 8:30 p.m. at the Creamery
Arts Center, 411 Sherman Pkwy. This
semiformal event, hosted by the Drury
University chapter of the American
Institute of Architecture Students
(AIAS), includes a live and silent art
S.T.A.N.D., an organization committed to raising awareness and providing resources to those dealing with
abuse. Pre-registration: omrr.org.
887-2348.
April 9 – Community Autism
Awareness Fair 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at
Burrell Behavioral Health, 1300
Bradford Pkwy. Featuring inflatables
and activities for kids and information on community resources for
parents and caregivers. 761-5333.
burrellautismcenter.com.
April 9 – Springfield Symphony
presents “A Night at the
Opera” 7:30 p.m. at Hammons
Hall, 525 S. John Q. Hammons
Pkwy. Tickets: 864-6683. springfieldmosymphony.org.
April 9 – 33rd Annual Ozarks
Model Railroad Swap Meet and
Train Show 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at
Springfield Catholic High School, 2340
S. Eastgate Ave. Swap tables available
for $20 each. Vendors contact Gary Mills
725-1433 Admission: $10 family, $6
adults, children younger than 12 enter
free. 883-5350. omra.homestead.com.
April 9 – Fit for 5 8-11 a.m. at
Anytime Fitness, 2767 W. Republic
Road. A 5k Pace Race for runners
and walkers of all ages and levels of
experience. Proceeds benefit
Apr 9, 23 and May 7 – Giboney
Cave Tours 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at
Doling Park, 301 E. Talmage St.
Explore Springfield’s historical
Giboney Cave learning its myths,
facts and history. All tours subject to
bats and weather. Ages 6-adult. One
youth admitted free with each paid
adult. Registration on-site. 8338647. parkboard.org.
April 9 – Acclimatization Hikes
and Walks 5 p.m. Get into nature,
get into acclimatization, LNT (Leave
No Trace), and outdoor safety with
see EVENTS, 22
Green: Several presentations offered
Continued from 20
list and checks to see if
your home qualifies for
Indoor airPlus certification. It was important to
him because he has a newborn that was going into
that house. He wanted to
have a healthy home, so it
was one way he could
Don’t miss
■
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!
auction, music, hors d’oeuvres and a
cash bar. Admission: $10/students and
$15/adults. Proceeds from auction benefit Freedom by Design, the AIAS community service program. 388-0494.
Earth Day Green
Building Fair
When: 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., Saturday, April 16
Where: The Library Center,
4653 S. Campbell Ave.
Schedule
12 p.m. – Building a
Green Home: A
Homeowner’s
Perspective
1 p.m. – How Green is
Your Home?
2 p.m. – What’s New
in Alternative Energy
for the Home?
3 p.m. – Making Green
Homes Affordable:
Great Ways to Save.
4 p.m. – Beyond Rain
Barrels.
take a positive step
towards some verifiable
healthy home.”
George Van Hoesen, president of OGBC, exhibits
information on low-impact
development and green
building at the fair.
“There
are
certain
aspects of building construction design that you
can get a green benefit
from for absolutely free,” he
said. “People tend to overlook those in favor of, ‘I
want to build it fast and
now.’ So they miss the
things that are free like
(original design) orientation, the access to the
house, the solar gain and
solar loss. Those things
need to be designed in and
those are the free parts.”
OGBC meetings are held
at 4 p.m. on the fourth
Wednesday of every
month at the SpringfieldGreene County Botanical
Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave.
For more information,visit
ozarksgreenbuilding.org.
Please join us for a very special event with
Marie Scarpa, jewelry artist from Petaluma, CA. on
Thursday, April 14th 10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Friday, April 15th 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
(Artist’s reception 5-7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, April 16th 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
2031 S. Waverly 882-3445
www.waverlyhouse.com
Marie
will be present
for a trunk showing
of her jewelry and
to design custom work for you.
|
21
A&E
22 | April 6-19, 2011
CHECK IT OUT
Black Oak Amphitheater
ready to rock
Play “Free Bird!” Tickets are now
on sale for the May 27 Lynyrd
Skynyrd and ZZ Top concert at
Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater.
“These legendary bands are touring
together for a very limited time this
Photo courtesy Black Oak Amphitheater
summer,” said Deb Hansen, Black
Oak CEO in a press release. “We were Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top play May 27.
especially pleased when Black Oak
was selected as one of the few venues to host them. This Show will be unforgettable.”
Black Oak also has Larry the Cable Guy booked for Aug. 20. Larry is known for his
catchphrase “Git-R-Done,” and has three gold certified comedy albums and nine movies.
Black Oak Amphitheater is located at 728 State Highway H in Lampe. Purchase tickets
($19.95-$175) online at blkoakamp.com or call the box office at 417-779-1222.
Avalanche Tour rolls into Springfield
By James Hanson
It may be spring outside but on April 22 there will be another kind of storm taking place at
the Shrine Mosque, as the Avalanche Tour rolls into
town.
The tour features Stone Sour as the headlining act.
Supporting acts include Roadrunner Records label
mates Theory of A Deadman, the Christian rock
group Skillet, Halestorm and Art of Dying.
Roy Mayorga, the drummer for Stone Sour, said
every band will be “bringing it” every night of the
tour, although for them, performing in the Midwest
is always a good time.
“We always have really good shows in the
Midwest,” he said. “We are from the Midwest. Rock
Photo courtesy of Roadrunner Records
and roll is alive and well in the Midwest, there is no
Stone Sour, rockers from Des
doubt about that.”
Moines, Iowa, are headlining the
Doors are at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 5:30
Avalanche Tour, April 22.
p.m. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at
metrotix.com.
Graphic works of Pearlstein at the Art Museum
The Springfield Art Museum presents a preview reception for “The
Graphic Works of Philip Pearlstein, 1995-2011” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday,
April 15, hosted by the Southwest Missouri Museum Associates. The exhibit
is on display from April 16 to June 5 at the Art Museum, 1111 E. Brookside Dr.
The exhibition continues a series which began at the Museum in
1978 to exhibit the catalogue raisonné of Pearlstein’s graphic work.
The exhibition begins with works created in 1995 through to the
most recent prints published in January 2011.
A major figure in the sharp-focus realist movement, Pearlstein was a
leader in the revival of figure painting in America in the early 1960s. His
work concentrates on the realistic depiction of the nude figure and is
characterized by unexpected postures, a non-traditional informality
and unusual perspectives, including the radical cropping of figures.
The exhibit showcases Pearlstein’s continued focus on the figure
and a number of landscapes pulled from drawings made during the
artist’s travels.
For more information, call 837-5700 or visit springfieldmo.gov/art.
EVENTS, from 21
these easy to moderate hikes and
walks in Springfield/Greene County
Parks, nature zones and endangered
species areas. Register on-site: Lost
Hills Park, 4705 N. Farm Road 151;
Ritter Springs Park, Farm Road 92
and 129; Valley Water Mill Park, 2300
E. Valley Water Mill Road (park
entrance east of address). Ages 7adult. 833-8647 or 833-8923.
April 10 – Greater Ozarks
Audubon Society bird-watching
trip 7 a.m.-3 p.m. at Taberville,
Schell-Osage and Wah-Kon-Ta
Prairie. Waterfowl, hawks, sparrows.
Meet on the northeast side of the
north Lowe’s parking lot, Highway 13
and Norton Road. Bring lunch,
drinks and snacks. 889-2565.
April 11 – Star Trek Live 7 p.m.
at Hammons Hall, 525 S. John Q.
Hammons Pkwy. Special effects,
audience interaction and on-screen
appearances from Captain Kirk and
Spock. All ages. Admission: $17,
$11. 836-7678. hammonshall.com.
April 12 – MSU music department presents a Jazz Bands
Concert 7:30 p.m. at Hammons
Hall, 525 S. John Q. Hammons
Pkwy. Free. 836-5454.
April 14-16 – Round Bobbin
Quilting & Sewing Expo 10 a.m.5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.4 p.m. Saturday at the Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave.
Admission: $8 per day, kids under
age 16 enter free. 800-367-5651.
roundbobbin.com.
April 14 –MSU music department presents Traditional
Instrumental Music of China
7:30-8:30 p.m. in Ellis Hall, Room
217b. Missouri State music students
who have learned to play traditional
Chinese instruments join with performers from Qingdao University to
present this concert of traditional
music. 836-5748.
April 15 – Warrior Wives
Military Appreciation Night 6-8
p.m. at Pat Jones YMCA, 1901 E.
Republic Rd. The event is open to
military families from every branch
of service. There will be free food,
inflatables and a wives resource
room with free chair massages.
Many military and family resources
Photo courtesy Philip Pearlstein
Artist Philip Pearlstein
created “Alligator” on
silkscreen in 2006.
are available and the first 25 to register at: usawarriorwives.org/wordpress receive a free Warrior Wives
bag. Julie Martin 773-9563 or
[email protected].
April 15-16 – Rotary Clubs’ 12th
Annual Rock’n Ribs BBQ Festival
at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World,
1935 S. Campbell Ave. BBQ cooking
teams, live entertainment, children’s
activities and more. Call for times and
prices, 887-7334. rocknribs.com.
April 15 – Eat, Drink and Think
Local event 12 to 3 p.m. at MaMa
Jean’s Natural Market, 1110 E.
Republic Rd. The event features grilled
hamburgers, coffee and free samples.
Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek
Heirloom Seed Co., appears from 1 to
3 p.m. speaking on food security,
local food sourcing and legislation
affecting small farmers. 881-5326.
»
cfpmidweek.com
More Online
To see more community
events, visit our website.
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Your Community Free Press
Marketplace
DONATIONS NEEDED
WEDDING
Animal Abuse Council
Two Hearts
Wedding Service
Two Hearts, One Love
We believe that Loving
Marriages come from the
Heart. We perform
ceremonies for
people from all walks of
life and beliefs. We will
work to customize your
ceremony, or work within
traditional ceremonies.
2011 Bride's Choice
Awards Winners.
Call Sue Branson-Henry
O.C. Wedding Officiant to
reserve your date.
(417) 766-1204
The following list of items
is needed by the Animal
Abuse Council as we prepare homes for rescued
dogs in the Ozarks:
• Chain link panels
• River rock
• T-posts
• Kilz paint
• A garden gate
• Used kitchen cabinets &
formica top
• 2 breakfast chairs
Sue Estes
Animal Abuse Council
865-4284
HAULING
Corn seed $89 Bag,
RR corn seed $145
Bag. Alfalfa seed from
$1.95/lb. Many grass
seeds, we deliver
I-Haul almost
anything
“WHY WOULD
YOU PAY MORE”
RAY ODERMOTT
800-910-4101
208-465-5280
Sofas, garage cleanouts, large metal items
hauled free. Reasonable
rates, prompt and
friendly service.
Ask for Pat
417-773-4776
HELP WANTED
ATTENTION:
23 PEOPLE NEEDED
TO LOSE 5-100 POUNDS!
DR. RECOMMENDED!
GUARANTEED!
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1-855-706-8472
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items for sale in
Community Free
Press.
Call 447-2130
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417.447.2130
April 6-19, 2011 |
Community Free Press | www.cfpmidweek.com
Missouri Council of the Blind
NEW IMAGE
THRIFT STORE
Open to the public!
1445 W. Kearney
25%
Senior Citizen
Discount EVERY
TUESDAY!
831-1488
8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Mon - Sat
$1
of $3.00
or more
Limit 1 coupon per person per visit.
Personal checks accepted.
(Not valid with any other offer.)
COUPON GOOD AT
1445 W. KEARNEY ONLY.
Donation Pickup Service
Donations tax deductible.
SERVICES
Expires
04/30/11
EMPLOYMENT WANTED
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
SUDOKU
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OFF
purchase
CROSSWORD
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