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FreePress
FEBRUARY 5 - 18, 2014
Community
The 24th Annual Lawn and Garden Show
attracts more than 10,000 people every year. Page 15
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QUICK TAKES
Upfront
Cursive out of the Core but not out of SPS
■
Partnership approved
A partnership between
the Springfield Police
Department and the
Missouri National Guard
received criticism from
some council members
............................................
p. 3
Business
Community input unanimous on keeping cursive in the classroom
By Dillan Conn
The Common Core
State Standards for education are making changes
in the classroom, but
many school districts—
including Springfield—
are taking a stand to keep
cursive handwriting on
the curriculum.
According to Gayna
Scott, chairwoman of the
Campaign for Cursive,
since the implementation
of No Child Left Behind,
cursive handwriting has
been falling by the wayside
in schools nationwide.
“The importance of test
scores forced schools to
look at what they could
cut back on,” she said.
“And
as
technology
became more involved
they started trading off
handwriting for keyboarding.”
Scott said research
shows how important it
is that young children
More downtown development
learn cursive.
Springfield
Public
School’s
Curriculum
Development
Council
and associate superintendent of educational
services, Marty Moore
see CURSIVE, 7
Last year’s income
tax proposal is back
The Vecino Group is currently renovating the McDaniel
building to provide housing
for a student-centered
apartment complex
p. 11
..........................................
Bill includes 50
percent business
income deduction
■
Health
Men in nursing workforce
Local chapter centered on
men in nursing looks to
gain new members
By Dillan Conn
p.18
............................................
A&E
Acting family
Local acting couple
involves the whole family
p.19
............................................
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INDEX
A&E ............................19
Business ....................11
Events ....................20
Health ........................18
Home & Garden ....14
Outdoors..................16
Upfront ......................2
Viewpoints ..............10
Look for our
next issue:
Wed. Feb. 19
Grant will put
local foods
into schools
Programs teach kids agricultural
science and responsibility
■
Photos courtesy of Stephanie Smith
By Dillan Conn
Springfield Public Schools recently
received a grant from the United States
Department of Agriculture that will help
the district put healthy locally grown foods
into schools.
SPS matched the $43,672 planning grant
with $28,000 more to research local food
suppliers and how those supply lines might
be built to better serve the district’s children.
While the fruits of the recent grant may
(Above left) Curtis Millsap of Millsap Farms
shows a group of students his crop of lettuce.
(Below right) A Local Sprouts volunteer washes
Millsap’s lettuce at the Food Hub to be packaged
and sent to local childcare programs. (Top) A
child enjoys fresh, locally grown lettuce.
be a couple years down the line, there are
already programs in the schools teaching
students the value of eating healthy foods
see FOOD PROGRAM, 7
Last year, Missouri
legislators passed a
bill that would have
cut state income
taxes, but Gov. Jay
Nixon gave it a veto,
citing that it would
result in education
funding cuts.
This legislative session, nearly identical
legislation—Senate
Bill 509—has already
made it through committee and will soon
be on its way to the
House.
Sen. Eric Schmitt of
Kansas City, who prefiled a version of the
bill, said the fact that
it has already made it
out of committee
shows how much of a
priority the tax cut is.
“People
realize
Missouri’s economy
isn’t growing as
quickly as other states
are,” he said.“The idea
that we can stand still
and keep our eyes
closed and think this
will change over time,
I don’t think is a good
strategy.”
SB 509 would phase
in an income tax cut
of 1 percent over a
period of years, cutting the highest rate
from 6 percent to 5
percent once fully
phased in. Tax payers
earning more than
$9,000 annually—the
vast
majority
of
Missourians—would
see a reduction in
rates. They currently
pay $315 plus 6 percent of income over
$9,000.
Missouri income
tax
rates
have
remained the same
since 1972.
Last year, the state
of Kansas completely
eliminated
their
see INCOME TAX, 6
Stricter laws make their way downtown
By Daniel Snyder
During the Jan. 27
City Council Meeting,
an unlikely alliance
was formed between
two council members who usually find
themselves at odds.
Council members
Cindy Rushefsky and
Doug Burlison questioned the Constitutionality of a proposed ordinance that
would extend the
current panhandling
ban to 20 feet from
any entrance, side-
walk café or ATM.
The duo also crafted an amendment to
remove a clause in the
ordinance that would
restrict “passive panhandling”—holding a
sign that requests
money or food.
“What exactly is the
rationale for eliminating passive appeals on
the shoulder of the
road? Rushefsky said.
“Why, specifically, are
we targeting panhandlers?”
City Manager Greg
Burris said the clause lenged Burris’ justificato restrict panhandling tion.
within 5 feet of the
“It seems to be a
roadway was added lot more directed to
with public safety in the discomfort factor
mind because panhan- of people seeing
dlers are often situated them than it is to the
near high traffic areas.
see
see CITY COUNCIL, 8
Rushefsky
chalSUR-
2 | February 5 - 18, 2014
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Upfront
LOCAL NEWS
City releases 2013
Uniform Crime Report
According to the
Springfield Police
Department’s Uniform
Crime Report, 2013 saw a
3 percent overall increase
in reported crime. In a city
news release, Police Chief
Paul Williams said, “This is
slightly above the 2.2 percent increase per year
average over the last
decade.” While crimes
against persons increased
by more than 18 percent,
the number of homicides
decreased by 25 percent—
from 16 to 12. According to
the release, 10 of the homicide cases were solved.
Robberies were up by 12
percent, with home invasion style robberies
increasing by 66 percent.
Of those cases, 45 percent
were cleared compared to
34 percent in 2012.
Incidents of aggravated
assault were most frequently situations of
domestic violence. A 99
percent increase in reported rapes can be explained
by the Department of
Justice’s change in definition that went into effect
Jan. 1, 2013. It expanded
what sexual assault cases
would be classified as rape
and because of it SPD
anticipated the increase
could be as high as 100
percent. “While the perception will be that rapes
increased significantly in
the last year, the reality is
the new definition has
given us a truer perspective on the number of sexual assaults that had actually been occurring in our
community,” Williams said
in the release. Property
crimes increased just over 1
percent; burglary was up 4
percent and auto theft was
up 9 percent. But, according to the release, clearance rates of those crimes
has also increased by 4
percent, 12 percent and 20
percent respectively.
“Despite the increases
shown in the report,
Springfield remains a safe
place to live, work, and
play,” Williams said in the
release. “By working
together, our department
and the community are
reducing the fear of crime
and the occurrence of
crime and improving the
quality of life in neighborhoods citywide.”
Homeless camp eviction
causes uproar
Local advocates and
one City Council member
were up in arms over
reports that on Jan. 28,
several homeless people
see LOCAL NEWS, 3
| Community Free Press
Local guy, local voice
Talk radio host wants you to think
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Challenges ahead for combating poverty
Local collaborative aims
to tackle tough problems
in Greene County
■
By Daniel Snyder
According
to
U.S.
Census Bureau data from
2008-2012, 17.9 percent
of people in Greene
County are living below
the poverty level—the
state average is 15 percent.
Combating poverty is a
growing concern for
many cities and even as
unemployment
rates
drop, people often still
find themselves working
paycheck-to-paycheck.
The Impacting Poverty
Commission aims to better address the growing
need in dire financial
times.
A partnership between
the City of Springfield and
the Community Partnership
of the Ozarks, the commission consists of a multitude
of community stakeholders
interested in finding ways
for local service organizations to better work together.
“(The
commission)
stepped back and said:
Well, what we would really like to have is some
general direction from
within the community for
how we as a community
should be addressing
poverty,”
said
City
Manager Greg Burris.
“Poverty is an issue that is
very, very complex and
the problems associated
with poverty intersect
with so many other issues
in our community.”
Homeless count
■
The Every One Counts campaign held its biannual
count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals in Greene, Christian and Webster counties. The
count is required to meet the mandates of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development,
which provides more than $1 million in funding to
homeless services in the Ozarks. Information
obtained during the campaign will assist the Missouri
Interagency Council to End Homelessness. According
to a news release, previous counts have shown that
more than 750 people are homeless at any given
time in Greene County.
■
In conjunction with the homeless count, the
Salvation Army hosted an event for unsheltered and
sheltered homeless people, providing breakfast,
lunch and survival items like hygiene products. Area
homeless service providers were on hand to assist
with housing, veterans’ services and other essential
needs. The campaign is a collaborative effort with
the Council of Churches, Community Partnership of
the Ozarks, Salvation Army, the Housing Authority of
Springfield, the Veterans Administration and other
local agencies.
Photo by Daniel Snyder
The Salvation Army hosted an event for unsheltered and sheltered homeless people, providing breakfast, lunch and survival items like hygiene products. Area organizations were also on
hand to provide information on various services throughout the area.
Burris said that some of
those issues are obvious,
like homelessness, but
others, like public health,
might be overlooked. He
said one of the ways to
combat poverty is to
address the biggest “pressure points” first and figure out a solution as a
community.
“Poverty is the hub of
all these other social challenges that we have as a
community,” Burris said.
“It’s real easy for a lot of
us to live in a bubble and
not really be aware of the
level of poverty in our
community and, to a large
extent, not have to interact with the poor at all.”
On Feb. 11, the
Impacting
Poverty
Commission’s
kick-off
event will feature Dr.
Ruby Payne, an educator
and author who has written specifically about
poverty in the United
States. Commission members, elected officials and
Greene county staff will
have an opportunity hear
Payne speak about poverty and ask her questions.
“It’s an opportunity to
help set the stage and put
everything that we’re
going to work on into context,” Burris said.“The needle is already moving on
poverty; unfortunately it is
moving in the wrong
direction. What I would
like this commission to do
is not only stop the needle
from moving in the wrong
direction, but to begin to
reverse the poverty trend
in our community. The
start of that is by commu-
More Information
■
Impacting Poverty
Commission’s first
meeting with Dr. Ruby
Payne
When: 10-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 11
Where: Springfield
Area Chamber of
Commerce, 202 S.
John Q. Hammons
Parkway
nity awareness.”
Part of the awareness
campaign will highlight
how poverty affects
everybody.
“One of the things that I
am most proud of is that
we’re not shying away
from the tough issues,”
Burris said. “I can’t think
of one tougher to deal
with than to minimize
and reduce poverty.”
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Community Free Press
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Upfront
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
3
Council approves SPD partnership with National Guard
By Daniel Snyder
Despite public concerns, City Council has
approved a partnership
between the Springfield
Police Department and
the Missouri National
Guard (MONG).
At the Jan. 27 meeting,
almost a dozen people
spoke out against the
agreement that would
allow for a MONG support intelligence analyst
to assist the SPD with narcotics investigations.
Although Mayor Bob
Stephens made an effort
to appease some concerns that were voiced at
the Jan. 13 meeting by
introducing an amendment to remove all mentions of “marijuana” and
“cannabis” from the bill,
Councilman
Doug
Burlison remained true to
his libertarian beliefs.
“I think history shows
us that this is not a good
idea for free people,”
Burlison said.“To me, this
proposal really pushed
the bounds of what is
Constitutional. I think the
War on Drugs is effectively over we just haven’t
realized it yet. Enabling
this proposal in front of
us will escalate the war
on drugs in Springfield
and our citizens … will
pay the price.”
Burlison urged his colleagues to vote down the
agreement, saying, “Folks
have serious concerns
when you mix law enforcement and military.”
Police Chief Paul Williams
said that MONG’s support
would be limited to an analyst at a desk and that it
would “not [be] deploying
military personnel—boots
on the ground in the field.”
MONG would also cover
the analyst’s salary.
Councilwoman Cindy
Rushefsky, who “hesitantly” supported the agreement, said she believes
that Burlison has a “legitimate point.”
Rushefsky said it is
“extremely dangerous to
LOCAL NEWS, from 2
were forced out of their camps and those camps were demolished before their eyes. It was reported that the people residing in an illegal camp near College Street and Main Avenue
were only given minutes to gather their belongings. Reports
also suggested that several other camps were similarly shut
down. When Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky caught wind of
the story, she was outraged that the homeless residents were
“rousted” just around the time that council would be passing
ordinances that would affect panhandlers in the city, while
another pending ordinance proposes to restrict foods distributed by charitable organizations. In an email communication
with other city officials, she asked for an explanation and said,
“I sincerely hope that this is not part of some implicit policy or
plan to rid the city of its troublesome homeless population.”
City Manager Greg Burris urged council to view a city video in
which Springfield Police Major Kirk Manlove explained what
actually happened. The people had been camping in the area
known as West Meadows since September and the camp had
been recently discovered; the area was riddled with trash and
human waste. Public works went in to assess the situation and
to clean up the littered area. The homeless men were issued
citations for trespassing in the fenced off area that was clearly
marked “No Trespassing” and “No Dumping.” They were given
a few hours to collect their belongings. A Public Works team
cleaned up the trash that was left behind. According to the
email communication, Burris said, “I can also state that there is
mix military and civilian
police” and the only reason
why she considered supporting the partnership
was because of the 30-day
opt-out clause for both
sides. She urged her colleagues to watch the partnership “extremely closely.”
During public comment, Seth Entwisle
argued that the mayor’s
amendment does little to
alleviate the public’s
fears.
“This change in wording, in my eyes, seems to
make it more publicly
palatable,” he said. “They
will still be able to do
what they want to do.”
Edward Mahoney said
the military “has no place
in law enforcement.”
Councilman Jeff Seifried
offered a staunchly different perspective.
“I think crime is out-ofcontrol in this city and
any time we can get a leg
up with other resources
and—the military has no
place in our city—but as
an analyst sitting at a computer to help us with
crime trends … I think
the more the merrier,”
Seifried said. “We can get
all the help we need at a
time
with
limited
resources in the city.”
Council voted 7-2 in favor
of the partnership, with
councilmen Mike Carroll
and Burlison opposed.
Although Carroll did not
comment during the meeting, he later said that he
shared Burlison’s concerns.
“I don’t think the military belongs in policing our
citizens,” he said.“There are
numerous instances where
increased militarization of
police departments has
contributed to numerous
violations of American civil
liberties. I don’t think that
will happen here; I know
they’re just talking about an
analyst in an office, but erosion happens over a long
period of time. While this
may not directly erode
those civil liberties, the
next one becomes easier to
no ‘implicit policy or plan to rid the city of its troublesome
homeless population’ … I would hope council would have
more faith in me and (Police) Chief Paul Williams than to think
we would be initiating this type of action.” After the public
reaction to the situation, Burris announced a change in city
protocol in a Feb. 3 statement. “It standardizes the amount of
time trespassers will be given to vacate property to at least 24
hours and creates a new system for communicating the needed action to those interested in helping those who are displaced,” Burris said in the statement.
County fielded 20,000 911 calls per month last year
Last year, the Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency
Communications Department averaged 20,000 911 calls per
month, according to a recent city news release. Operators
received 474,962 total phone calls, 241,494 of which were emergency 911 calls. According to the release, the numbers are almost
exactly the same as last year. The number of wireless calls was
above the national average at 77 percent. Wireless calls are a
challenge to telecommunicators because they must take more
time to process them. They must also determine if multiple calls
are being received about the same incident and be sure to dispatch the appropriate emergency personnel. According to the
release, Missouri is one of only two states that do not collect
money from wireless usage to help fund 911 dispatch centers.
see NEWS, 5
pass. Well, it’s just another
analyst or it’s someone out
in the field this time.”
Carroll said that while
he was glad to see the
mayor’s amendment, he
agreed with Springfield
resident Seth Entwisle
that it was “probably to
make [the partnership]
more publicly palatable.”
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Upfront
4 | February 5 - 18, 2014
Nick Reed
in brief:
15 MINUTES
WITH…
Focused on
freedom
and critical
thinking
By Dillan Conn
When he was 15 years
old, Nick Reed was walking the halls of Carthage
Senior High School and as
he passed the councilor’s
office, someone called his
name. Apparently, the
local radio station needed
someone to man a CD
player for a few hours
each Sunday for minimum
wage. Reed had just landed his first radio gig.
Reed loved radio and
excelled, but a focus on
schooling kept him from
pursuing it as a career.
After being “academically
uninvited” from Missouri
State University, Reed
joined up with a Joplin
radio station full time. In
2003, he was canned with
the rest of the staff, so he
took his skills as a talk
radio host across town,
but the station didn’t have
the money for another
show. Undeterred, Reed
offered his services for
free and was born into
the world of news and
political talk radio.
Now 36 years old, Reed
hosts his own show, offering his own brand of libertarian and conservative
ideals. It airs 6-9 a.m.
Monday through Friday
on 104.1 KSGF.
What shaped your
outlook on politics and
current events?
The fundamental belief
that human beings have
the exact same rights
because they are human
beings. I think a lot of people say that and don’t really
practice it. I’m big into government leaving people
alone, not because government is inherently good or
bad but because it’s none
of their business. My rights
come from my being a
human being that exists,
not because government
said I deserve those rights.
This country was founded
on your rights being inherent because the Creator
gave them to you whether
Photo by Dillan Conn
Nick Reed has hosted his
show on KSGF for nearly
four years.
you believe in Christianity
or whatever religion. They
don’t come from the government. The Constitution
laid out some rights so
inherent
they
aren’t
allowed to touch them, like
the right to assemble, the
right to bear arms, the freedom of speech. It’s a document warning the government. Many don’t like to
admit it, but we don’t live
in that country any more.
But we still have lots
of freedoms here in
America that other
countries don’t.
I believe something as
mundane as seatbelt laws
are still encroaching on our
right to make choices. I
always wear my seatbelt
because I think it’s smart.
But that should be my decision to make.Stupid people
should be able to make
decisions as readily as smart
people should be. Some
people think government
knows best. Screw that.
That is the opposite of
what we were founded
upon. If someone wants to
do something that’s bad, it
is their human right to do
so, whether that’s drink
whiskey, smoke cigarettes
or get tattoos;whatever it is.
What about abortion?
Abortion, I see as a violation of the human right.
For me, scientifically, it is a
human life. And because I
believe it is a human life
you cannot take another
person’s life. For that reason I’m opposed to abortion. If I didn’t believe it
was a human life, I would
believe in the right to have
an abortion. But from
where I come from, that
life is just as important as
yours or mine. It’s a choice
to rob a liquor store, but
that doesn’t mean it’s right.
Where do you stand
on gay marriage?
I’m opposed to the gov-
Hometown: Born in
Cape Girardeau; has
lived all around Missouri
Education: Studied
political science at MSU
but didn’t graduate
Family: Mom and stepdad living in Carthage,
dad and stepmom living in Cape Girardeau,
two brothers, three sisters and a girlfriend
Show: 6-9 a.m.
Monday-Friday on
104.1 and podcast is
available at KSGF.com
What makes him
interesting: He likes to
wear unique socks
ernment sanctioning gay
marriage. But I’m also
opposed to the government
sanctioning heterosexual
marriage. I don’t think they
should be involved in anybody’s marriage. Why
should I have to go down to
the county, have some government official—who I
have to pay—and sign some
piece of paper to tell me I
can get married? I do
believe that’s a liberty everyone has,the right to get married to anyone they want to
and it doesn’t matter when
or where.
What
about
the
smoking ban?
People say,“You’re taking
away my human right to
breath.”That’s not a human
right. You have a human
right to live in conditions
of your own to where I
can’t come and force mine
on you.Nobody forced anyone to go into a business
where smoking is allowed.
It is your choice to not go
there. It would be a violation for me to force you
inside. It is a violation for
the business owner to say
to them they no longer
have the right to allow people to smoke. We don’t
think about human rights
anymore.
So what has changed?
The biggest problem we
have in our country is we
don’t critically think anymore. Back in the days of
the founding fathers and
way before that, people
thought about stuff. They
wrote down their ideas
and critically thought.
Nowadays people hear a
30-second campaign ad
and whichever one sounds
the best, we chose. We
don’t look at what really
helps people. We go with
what feels good instead of
stopping to think about
what works.
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Controversy over signatures
eliminates school board hopefuls
By Dillan Conn
A once-potential candidate for the Springfield
Public Schools Board of
Education alleges that
the school administrators
judging his eligibility for
candidacy have treated
him unfairly.
Swayne Loftis, a local
contractor hoping to run
for one of two vacant
school board seats, has
been eliminated from the
running for failing to
meet the required 500
petition signatures.
Tasked with reviewing
all signature petitions to
ensure they are registered voters living within
the SPS district boundaries, board secretary
Kathy Looten originally
found Loftis only garnered 413 valid signatures.
Most of the other signatures were discredited
because addresses were
incomplete or the residents lived outside of the
district
boundaries,
according to SPS director
of
communications
Teresa Bledsoe.
Upon receiving the
news he would be eliminated from the running,
Loftis requested copies
of the signatures submitted on behalf of all
potential candidates.
Loftis said he reviewed
the petitions of current
board vice president
Denise Fredrick, local
architect Tim Rosenbury
and social worker Delilah
Jackson, who was also
eliminated from running.
“They weren’t expecting someone to comb
through all of those
names,” Loftis said. “After
being brutal to my own
signatures, I came out to
503.”
The controversy is in
the use of “special rules”
Loftis said were not previously explained to all
participants.
Petitions are judged by
rules created by the
office of the Missouri
Secretary of State, but
school districts may also
apply special rules to signatures if they are documented up front.
Bledsoe said all petition rules are listed in a
packet given to each person working to collect
signatures.
Loftis said the special
rules requiring complete
addresses, with a ZIP
code and city, are not in
writing and were first
brought to his attention
in the email notifying
him of his disqualification.
After applying the special rules to his signatures, he agreed the number dropped to 413 but,
under the same rules,
Frederick and Rosenbury
also dropped below the
500 mark.
“If they want to split
hairs, the other candidates are out of the running too,”
Loftis said.
“Since no
one legally
qualifies, I
think a reasonable
solution is
Loftis
we all start
over or the board puts
everyone who made a
noble effort to collect
signatures on the ballot
and let the people
decide.”
On Jan. 28, Loftis met
with
Looten,
Superintendent Norm
Ridder and SPS attorney
Ransom Ellis III.
Afterward, Loftis’ signatures were boosted to
481, a fact he said highlights inconsistencies in
the counting process.
“The fact that they
accepted 68 more of my
signatures on second
review illustrates that
there were a lot of arbitrary decisions taking
place to start with when
deciding what’s acceptable to them and what is
not,” Loftis wrote in a
news release on his website.
Bledsoe said the boost
in signatures is the result
of a process used “at least
once in the past” when a
petitioner has almost
made it to 500.The extra
step requires a trip to the
county clerk’s office to
compare petition signatures to physical voter
registration in order to
validate the addresses.
“It is important to note
this is the same process
that has been used in the
past,” Bledsoe
said.
“Everyone was treated
the same under these
rules.”
In Loftis’ news release,
he claims Looten said
there were no written
rules and she “made the
rules up on the fly.”
He also claims Ridder
said, “We changed the
rules to try to help you
qualify,” before retracting
the statement moments
later.
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Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Local VFW Post receives
national recognition
By Daniel Snyder
Headquartered
in
Kansas City, Mo., the
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Posts are a congressionally chartered war service
for veterans, consisting of
1.5 million members in
7,644 posts nationwide.
In Springfield the VFW
Post 3404 has recently
received
numerous
national awards—a first
for the post.
“This post has really
turned around in the last
two and a half years and it
really has been working
hard to attend to the needs
of veterans as well as they
can,” said post commander
of almost two years, Bill St.
Gemme. “The post has
earned for its tremendous
amount of work, state and
national awards and it is a
reflection on what they’ve
done.”
VFW national commander in chief, Bill Thien
appointed St. Gemme as a
national deputy chief of
staff for his outstanding
service to post 3404. St.
Gemme was also recognized as an All-American
post commander, one of
204 post commanders to
receive that recognition.
Additionally the post
has been recognized as an
All-American post and
awarded the Veterans of
Foreign Wars Outstanding
Community Service Post
Award—one of 68 VFW
Posts in the nation to be
awarded the honor.
“I was awarded the
national deputy chief of
staff designation, but the
bulk of the work has been
done by members of this
post and they’ve really
done a great effort,” St.
Gemme said. “It’s a good
Photo by Daniel Snyder
VFW Post 3404 Commander Bill St. Gemme stands in front of
the numerous awards won by the post.
way of thanking them for
their outstanding work.”
State Rep. Billy Long
recognized St. Gemme
during a speech on the
House floor Sept. 17. It
will be published in the
Congressional Record.
And with all that recognition, it’s hard for St. Gemme
to pick just one award that
he is most proud of.
“I can’t pick one; I guess
it’s the ones that have
never been received by the
post before,” he said.“When
you get national awards for
the first time ever,those are
the ones that are outstanding.They all add together to
make what we are.”
VFW Posts provide veterans with programs to aid
them when they hit a financial bump in the road or
need help finding a job or
filing disability with the
Veteran’s Affairs office.
“The primary program
of any post is the veteran’s service program,” St.
Gemme said. “That’s
NEWS, from 3
Two suspects arrested for armed
robbery of Mexican Villa
The Springfield Police Department arrested
Springfield residents, Donald B. Sethman, 26,
and Jacob Aguilar, 19, Jan. 29 for their
involvement in the Jan. 18 armed robbery of
Mexican Villa, 1408 S. National Ave. According
to a city news release, the suspects entered
the restaurant with their faces covered and
robbed the restaurant at gunpoint. Sethman
and Aguilar were both charged with firstdegree robbery and both have a bond set at
$100,000. The investigation continues and
police are expected to present information on
additional suspects. Police believe the
Mexican Villa robbery may also be connected
to another robbery in Springfield.
where we send any veteran that has been honorably discharged or less
than
honorably
discharged … They’re eligible to file a disability
claim with the VA.”
The post also gives back to
the community through community involvement, welcome home parties for overseas troops or helping veterans connect with each other.
This year, St. Gemme
hopes the hard work of
post members will be recognized again.
“We’re working again
just as hard this year to
obtain all-state recognition and All-American
recognition and whatever
else they decided to
award us here,” he said.
“This post is really moving in the right direction
and I hope it continues to
move in that direction for
the years after that.”
For more information
on VFW Post 3404, visit
vfwpost3404.org.
Ash Grove man convicted of sexually
abusing granddaughters
An Ash Grove man was convicted Jan. 9
for sexually abusing his granddaughters
between 2008 and 2011. According to a
news release from the office of Greene
County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson,
the jury recommended Brett Sanders, 54,
face a life sentence for each of three counts
of first-degree statutory sodomy, a 4-year
sentence for sexual misconduct involving a
child and two 10-year sentences for two
counts of first-degree child molestation.
Both victims were under age 12 when they
were victimized. They have since moved out
of state and it was only then that they
revealed that the abuse was going on,
according to the news release. An adult
niece of Sanders also testified that she was
sexually abused by him as a teenager.
Sanders is set to be sentenced March 14. He
is held without bond at Greene County Jail.
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
5
Upfront
6 | February 5 - 18, 2014
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Tax credit designed to spur on educational giving
By Dillan Conn
A ballot initiative currently
circulating
in
Missouri aims to create a
tax credit for those who
donate to educational
foundations.
If the petition garners
enough signatures it will be
sent to Missouri voters in the
Nov. 4 general election.
Approximately 220,000
signatures are needed,
allowing for an average
rate of error, according to
Mike Hoey, executive
director of the Missouri
Catholic Conference and
board
member
of
Missourians for Children’s
Education, a secular organization.
“This is a way for local
communities to take more
ownership of their schools
both public and non-public educational entities,”
Hoey said. “It is a way to
stimulate charitable giving
to schools and a way to
marry public and private
giving.”
The tax credit would
return 50 percent of a
monetary gift back to businesses or individuals that
donate to nonprofit educational foundations.
The credit would count
against any tax liability outstanding at the end of a fiscal year.
If passed, the initiative
would create a ConstituINCOME TAX, from 1
income tax and it has
seen
mixed
results.
Business license applications are up but budget
issues have been lingering.
“The distinction between Kansas and what
we’re proposing is we
aren’t doing it all in one
year,” Schmitt said. “We’re
being smart about it.”
When Schmitt says the
bill is “smart,” he’s referring to a safeguard that
was also included in last
year’s
version.
If
Missouri’s net general revenue does not increase by
$100 million over any one
of the last three years, no
cut will go into effect.
This safeguard also
holds true for another tax
cut included in SB 509.
Businesses, including S
corporations and partnerships, will gain a 50 percent tax deduction on
business income to be
phased in at 10 percent
each year the $100 mil-
tional Amendment to
implement a $90 million
fund cut, with the money
distributed to three segments of Missouri education.
According to the ballot
language, half of the $90
million would be earmarked for public schools,
while 40 percent would be
designated for private
schools.
Private schools would be
required to use the funds
for scholarships.
The remaining 10 percent would go to special
education.
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks and
the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools declined to comment on the
ballot initiative. Both foundations said they didn’t
want to take a political
stance on the issue.
Each year 501(c)3 taxexempt organizations will
apply for a portion of the
$90 million in a first-come
first-served basis. This
process will have to be
renewed every year, Hoey
said.
“It’s probably not the parent that donates to the
schools,” Hoey said. “It’s
going to be senior citizens
and businesses in the community. They’re the ones
who get the advantage of
the tax credit.”
”
People realize
Missouri’s
economy isn’t growing as quickly as
other states are. The
idea that we can
stand still and keep
our eyes closed and
think this will
change over time, I
don’t think is a good
strategy.
— Rep. Eric Schmitt
lion reserve is met.
“Letting people keep
more of their own money
is the way to move forward,” Schmitt said. “Our
state has a $400 million
surplus and I think we
need to send some of that
money back to the people
instead of to Jeff City.”
The bill also gives a
break to low-earning tax
payers.
Currently there is a personal
exemption
of
Source: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
He said parents get the
advantage of scholarships
to private schools and
money funneling back into
their public school.
“What this credit is
doing more than anything
is stimulating giving to
educational foundations,”
Hoey said. “We see it as a
very positive initiative.”
$2,100 for persons making less than $20,000
annually. SB 509 would
raise that exemption to
$3,100 and would not be
contingent on the revenue safeguard requirement.
While the bill is solely
designed to lower taxes
and give more money
back to those who earned
it, last year Nixon called
the measure a “fiscally
irresponsible
experiment.”
He held back millions
of dollars to ensure
school funding would not
be affected, but nothing in
last year’s bill or this
year’s version suggested
cutting educational funding.
“We had a $400 million
surplus and the governor
was holding money back
from education,” Schmitt
said.“He doesn’t have the
power to do that. If we’re
not in a deficit situation
it’s not his job to do that.”
SCHOOL NOTES
CFO awards early childhood
and education grants
The Community Foundation of the
Ozarks awarded $50,000 to support
early childhood services at seven area
nonprofit agencies, along with $18,457
for school-based projects in Springfield
and Greene County. CFO’s 2013-2014
grantmaking program is made possible
by the generosity of donors. The criteria for the early childhood grant focuses on programs that address the “red
flags” identified in the Community
Focus Report for Springfield-Greene
County, or innovative programming
with a demonstrated potential to
address those issues. Funds provide
backpacks, computer equipment,
resource books, learning technologies,
staff training kits, vision screenings and
other services and supplies. CFO also
awarded $14,721 to eight Springfield
Public Schools programs for technology and transportation costs.
OTC receives Technology Innovation Award
George Lamelza, college director of
web services at Ozark Technical
Community College, was recognized by
the Missouri Community College
Association for his innovative website
design at a ceremony held in St. Louis.
The Technology Innovation Award is presented annually to a Missouri community
college in recognition of a project that
makes exemplary use of technology.
OTC’s newly redesigned website is a radical departure from the average college
or university site. The design was based
off five years of analytical studies, usability testing and a student-centered strategy of making information easy to find,
use and disseminate. The new site has
garnered national attention and has
become a highly used tool by students,
faculty and community members.
A new survey shows students
opting out of buying textbooks
A survey released by MoPIRG
Foundation and the Student PIRGs
shows that 65 percent of student consumers have opted out of buying a college textbook, due to high prices, and
nearly half say that textbook costs can
dictate whether they take a course.
Over the past decade, college textbook
prices have increased by 82 percent, or
at three times the rate of inflation, making them one of the biggest out of
pocket expenses for students and families. In recent years, alternatives to new,
print textbooks have become widely
available through rental programs, used
book markets and e-textbooks. Prices
are still dictated by the price of a new
print edition. Another option to ease
the cost of textbooks is using open
textbooks, which are faculty-written
and peer-reviewed like traditional textbooks, but they are published under an
open license, meaning they are free to
download and affordable to print. Of
the students polled, 82 percent said
they would do significantly better in a
course if the textbook was free online
and a hardcopy was optional.
Gov. Nixon outlines “Good Schools,
Good Jobs” plan
Good schools are vital to Missouri’s
ability to compete and create jobs in
the global economy, Gov. Jay Nixon
said Jan. 30 during a visit to Cassville
High School in Barry County. The
“Good Schools, Good Jobs” plan was
outlined in his State of the State speech
and will provide resources to help
schools reduce class sizes and protect
access to early childhood education.
Nixon’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal includes an increase of $278 million for K-12 classrooms, putting the
state on a path to fully funding the
education formula in two years.
Missouri’s graduation rate is eighth
highest in the nation and, over the last
five years, Missouri has led the nation in
reducing tuition increases at its public
universities.
Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
CURSIVE, from 1
agree that handwriting is
important to student
development and education.
“In the elementary
grades, students need
handwriting instruction to
develop fine motor skills
and make them better
communicators,” Moore
said. “Students need to be
able to communicate
through spoken language,
reading and writing.”
For cursive proponents,
fine motor skill development is a paramount concern, but they say the benefits of cursive are much
farther reaching.
“It all has to do with
how a child sees what is
written on the paper coupled with using their fine
motor skills,” Scott said.
“When a letter is put to
another letter and linking
the others, children see
the word as a picture and
remember it better.”
Curriculum
Development
Council
member, Jody Grable has
taught elementary education in the district for 11
years and handwriting has
always been part of the
curriculum.
“Our decision to continue teaching cursive and
handwriting is based on
community support,” she
said. “Our community
would not support eliminating cursive from the
curriculum. From the
community level, university level and parent level, it
was a pretty unanimous
decision that we should
not be eliminating handwriting instruction from
our schools.”
According to Grable,
the district’s handwriting
curriculum
integrates
English language arts
skills like grammar, parts
of speech and basic writ-
ing formats like letters,
invitations and outlines.
“Cursive
definitely
brings in multiple modalities [of learning],” she
said. “Visual learners can
put that visual representation to their thought.
More tactile learners benefit from the forming of
letters and engraining that
pack of movement as
they’re doing it.”
In recent years, some
”
‘At a
minimum,
students need to
be able to write
their name with
pride. They need
to be able to read ...
grandma’s letters.’
— Gayna Scott,
Campaign for Cursive
SPS classrooms have
moved away from dryerase boards and back to
traditional chalkboards.
“The resistance helps
them because they can
feel how they’re correctly
making the marks on the
board,” Grable said. “For
students with challenges,
it is something that can
focus them better and
link the tactile to what
they’ve learned in the
auditory portion.”
Scott said MRI research
has shown that learning
cursive simultaneously
fires different parts of the
brain, linking the left and
right sides. Like learning
languages at a younger
age, she said this exercise
improves memory and
creating these connections helps learning in the
future.
“It’s like riding a bike,”
she said. “Once you have
those pathways you’re
already experiencing the
benefits.”
Cursive is a continuum
of learning, Grable said.
Motor skills start in
kindergarten and are
practiced in print handwriting through first
grade and second grade.
In second grade, cursive
is introduced and it is practiced through third grade.
By the fourth and fifth
grades, students are given
competency marks on
their cursive performance.
Scott, Grable and Moore
agree that, after elementary school, students
should be able to make
their
own
decision
whether to use cursive or
print manuscript and
most choose to print.
The College Board surveyed 6,498 essays written for the SAT college
entrance exam between
March 2005 and January
2006. They found 15 percent of essays were written in cursive.
Still, Really Good Stuff, a
school supplies company,
surveyed 612 teachers of
kindergarten
through
fifth-grade and found
nearly 70 percent said not
teaching cursive would
have long-term negative
consequences.
Private, charter and
home schools are still
teaching cursive at a high
rate, Scott said.
“Kids will be at a real disadvantage if kids around
them can do it and they
can’t,” she said. “Especially
competing globally.”
Scott said it is shortsighted to pull cursive out
of the curriculum.
“At a minimum, students need to be able to
write their name with
pride,” she said. “They
need to be able to read
source documents like
the
Declaration
of
Independence or just
read grandma’s letters.”
FOOD PROGRAM, from 1
and where that food
comes from.
Curtis Millsap, owner
of Millsap Farms, is one
of the original visionaries
involved in bringing
healthy
foods
into
Springfield schools.
In 2011, a small team
including Millsap, an SPS
principle and the executive
director of the Springfield
Urban Agriculture Coalition,
wrote a grant and began
hands-on education with
first and fifth-graders at
Pleasant View Elementary.
“When we set out, we
were pretty ambitious
with the project,”he said.
“We hope our gardens
would produce enough
food to get into the cafeteria. Since then we’ve
dropped the emphasis
on creating a certain
amount of food.”
Chelsey Simpson, communications associate for
the National Farm to
School Network, said
many communities struggle
with
supplying
enough food to satisfy an
institutions need.
Food delivery systems
are so sophisticated,
working local foods into
the formula is far more
complicated than it
seems, she said.
As coordinator of the
Local Sprouts project,
Stephanie Smith has
spent the last two years
on the simple yet challenging task of getting
good food in front of
Springfield’s children.
Local Sprouts is a Farm
to Childcare program
supported by the Ozarks
Regional YMCA and a
three-year grant from the
Missouri Foundation for
Health.
By working with SPS,
setting up “garden bars,”
tastings and providing
February 5 - 18, 2014
snacks, Local Sprouts
feeds 34 after school programs and five summer
day camps.
“Through our grant
dollars, we’ve been able
to learn along the way
what needs to be done
and we’ve been able to
share out experiences
with SPS and others in
the community wanting
to know how to start a
program like this,” Smith
said.
“We’re writing a tool kit
so those who want to start
a [farm to school] program
can start a little further
down the road than we
did and help make their
project more successful.”
The USDA grant will
pave the way for SPS to
lay out local supply lines
to fill students with fresh
sustainable produce. In
the meantime education
is the forefront.
Multiple
atteempts
were made to reach SPS’s
”
‘Our
research
shows kids think
milk comes from
the grocery store
and ketchup
comes from a
bottle. We’re literally having to
start from the
ground up.’
— Lorin Fahrmeier
director of nutrition to
talk about the grant.
Simpson said the planning grant would be used
to learn how to make the
program sustainable, outline goals and get the
right stakeholders on
board.
“We ask them, why
does this taste so good?
Because it was in the
|
7
ground five minutes ago.
It hasn’t been removed
from the plant five steps
and peeled and chlorinated.”
Educatoin and nutrition go hand in hand
Simpson said.
“That’s been proven
time and again, the education is essential for the
nutrition to be effective,”
she said.
A big chunk of the education—outside of the
science of gardening, lessons about the equinox
and solstice, plant parts,
functions and what their
purposes are—is done in
the kitchen.
“We get a chance to
teach them to take risks,”
Millsap said.“Try a leaf of
spinach and talk about it,
have them taste the nuttiness and the sweetness.
They get so excited
about eating things
they’ve grown and that
will send them down the
right path in the future.”
Lorin
Fahrmeier,
Missouri
Farm
to
Institution project coordinator for the last three
years, said the mission
isn’t just about getting
kids nutritious foods but
making sure they know
where food comes from.
“Our research shows
kids think milk comes
from the grocery store
and ketchup comes from
a bottle,” she said. “We’re
literally having to start
from the ground up.”
She said kids thinking
that food simply comes
from a box is a cycle that
needs to be broken and
that’s why education is a
big part of farm to school
programs.
“It’s a great chance for
producers to tell their
story,” Fahrmeier said.
“Agricultural knowledge
used to be so basic,and it’s
vital to a thriving culture.”
Upfront
8 | February 5 - 18, 2014
News
Digest
Governor sets date for special elections after delay, lawsuit
After what some state lawmakers would consider an
unjustifiably long delay, Gov. Jay Nixon has finally set
Aug. 5 as the date for special elections to fill four vacant
seats in the Missouri Legislature. One House seat has
been vacant for more than six months after former Rep.
Jason Smith won a special election to the U.S. Congress.
Ten residents of the vacant districts filed a lawsuit Jan. 2
to force the governor to call an election. According to the
Missouri Constitution, when there is a vacancy in the legislature, the governor “shall, without delay, issue a writ of
election.” Springfield Sen. Bob Dixon had also filed legislation to require the governor to set a date for a special
election for legislative vacancies within 30 days.
Attorney general investigates rising propane prices,
governor announces measures
Attorney General Chris Koster announced Jan. 27 that
his office is conducting an investigation into the cause of
the recent rise in propane gas prices. According to a news
release from Koster’s office, a report will be issued when
the inquiry is complete. The investigation is in response to
a recent request from Sen. Mike Parson. Forty consumers
have filed complaints with the Attorney General’s
Consumer Protection Division about the increased costs.
According to the release, consumers say that the price
has increased from approximately $1.94 in December to
approximately $5. “Missourians are justifiably concerned
about the dramatic increase in propane prices … We are
currently investigating all complaints, and working with
businesses and agencies in nine other states across the
Midwest to determine the cause of these price increases,”
Koster said in the release. During a multi-state conference
call with representatives of the propane gas industry, distributors and analysts cited a sharp increase in the export
of propane and substantially higher consumption this
winter, which may have caused a shortfall in the supply.
During a Feb. 3 Springfield visit, Gov. Jay Nixon
announced new measures to help Missourians affected by
rising propane prices. He announced an additional $14.9
million in federal funds through the Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance Program and a doubling of the amount
CITY COUNCIL, from 1
safety factor of those standing there,” she
said.“It’s not a question of what we like
or what we want or how comfortable
we feel with it. I hope no one in this
room is comfortable when they see
somebody saying they don’t have food
to eat.We should be uncomfortable seeing people beg for food, but that’s no
reason to prohibit people from trying to
stay alive.”
Although the amendment passed,so did
the proposed ordinance. Rushefsky and
Burlison gave the only opposing votes.
The ordinance outlaws panhandling
within 5 feet of a roadway, on medians,
shoulders or other dangerous areas or
within 20 feet of a doorway, sidewalk
cafés or ATMs. Non-aggressive panhandling would remain legal if those
requirements are met.
PARK CENTRAL SQUARE
With the approval of a new smoking
ordinance,all tobacco products will be prohibited on Park Central Square, including
the sidewalks.A city permit would exempt
sidewalk cafés and restaurant patios.
Councilman Craig Hosmer commented that the ban is long overdue. Citing a
city ordinance that bans smoking in all
parks, he said that although Park Central
Square is not technically a city park, it is
used in the same fashion.
“Park Central Square is used like a
park,” Hosmer said.“But, it’s to the point
where it is more like an ashtray than it is
a park.”
The ordinance passed 7-2, with councilmen Mike Carroll and Burlison as the
households can receive for propane assistance—from
$264-450 to $528-900 per year. According to a news
release from the governor’s office, approximately 10 percent of Missouri households rely on propane to heat their
homes.
DNR denies Gallatin horse slaughter permit
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has
turned down the permit request of Rains Natural Meats in
Gallatin, which was seeking to process horse meat for
commercial sale. According to media reports, the agency
cited federal budget restrictions that prevent the inspections of the slaughtering process. President Barack
Obama recently signed a budget measure that stops the
U.S. Department of Agriculture from spending money for
the inspections necessary for slaughterhouses to ship
horse meat interstate and export it. Three U.S. companies
had prepared for horse slaughter operations twice before
in less than six months and animal protection groups have
kept operations in limbo until November, when U.S.
District Judge Christine Armijo threw out the their lawsuit
against the USDA. But it was followed by an appeal to the
10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and an emergency
motion again blocking the plants from opening. Congress
banned horse slaughter in 2006. It lifted the ban in 2011
but no slaughterhouses were approved until the summer
of 2013.
Bolivar man accused of mass shooting plot found guilty
The 21-year-old Bolivar man accused of a 2012 plan to
shoot people at a Walmart and a theatre showing the
movie, “Twilight” has been found guilty of first degree
assault and armed criminal action. Blaec Lammers originally faced an additional charge of making terroristic
threats, but Polk County Circuit Judge William Roberts
dropped the charge. Lammers is being held without bond
in Polk County Jail. His sentencing is scheduled for March
20.
Measure nullifying federal gun laws passes Senate committee
The Senate General Laws Committee recently passed
legislation that would nullify some federal gun control
policies. A similar bill made it all the way to the governor’s desk last year, only to be vetoed. At the time, Nixon
said that portions of the bill were unconstitutional.
dissenting votes.
Skateboarding will now also be prohibited in the Park Central Square area,
including the arterial roads of the
square.
Burlison was the lone voice opposing
that ordinance, saying that sometimes
people use skateboards for exercise and
transportation.
Once the mayor signs the new ordinances, they will go into effect immediately.The city will issue warnings during
the month of February and enforcement
will begin March 1.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION
An ordinance requiring food distributors to obtain a free permit to hand out
food to the needy was tabled at the
request of Councilman Craig Fishel.
The ordinance would require that area
churches and organizations, which have
previously set up tables to make sandwiches for the homeless, schedule a specific time and location to distribute only
foods that have been pre-packaged.
Fishel moved to table the bill, for up to
a year to give the downtown task force
and area food distributors time to work
out a compromise.
“It gives the task force the opportunity to reach out,” Fishel said.
Councilman Jeff Seifried was initially
opposed to tabling the ordinance, citing
that many out-of-town charities are the
ones causing problems. He ultimately
agreed to the delay only if the measure
would not be forgotten.
Mayor Bob Stephens gave the only
vote against the delay.
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
According to media reports, bill sponsor Sen. Brian
Nieves, R-Washington, said he’s addressed the major
problems with the bill. The legislation would—among
other things—allow certain school personnel to carry concealed weapons. It would also lower the legal minimum
age to obtain a concealed carry permit to 19 from 21.
Another Mo. inmate executed, more criticism
and legal battles over compounding pharmacy
On Jan. 28, Gov. Jay Nixon issued a statement denying
clemency to death row prisoner Herbert Smulls. Smulls
was convicted of shooting and killing Stephen Honickman
and seriously wounding Florence Honickman during a
robbery of their jewelry business in Chesterfield. The U.S.
Supreme Court granted Smulls a temporary stay of execution, which his lawyer sought, citing Missouri’s refusal
to disclose which compounding pharmacy was providing
the lethal injection drug, pentobarbital. Despite several
efforts at appeals and delays past his original execution
time of 12:01 a.m. Jan. 29, Smulls was ultimately executed
and pronounced dead at 10:20 p.m. According to media
reports, Joseph Lubby, an attorney for Smulls, said he
received an email for the Supreme Court at 10:30 p.m.
denying the inmates stay application. Lawyers argue that
Missouri has executed inmates too quickly, before all
appeals have been exhausted. According to a report by
The Associated Press, in an emailed statement Missouri
Attorney General Chris Koster said, “The United States
Supreme Court has ruled that pending litigation is not
sufficient to stop an execution. The legal mechanism for a
federal court to stop an execution is a court-ordered
stay.” Efforts to delay the death penalty for Missouri
inmates have been hanging on Missouri’s refusal to reveal
its source of pentobarbital. Lawyers also argued that
there was no assurance that deaths were not cruel and
unusual punishment since compounding pharmacies are
not regulated the same as commercial pharmacies.
According to a report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
after a bit of a legal tug-o-war, the Eighth U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled that if lawyers can’t
come up with a more humane execution than lethal injection, they are not entitled to discover more about the
state’s drug source.
Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
9
Compromising photographs
Local photographers and park board reach an
agreement on a controversial city ordinance
■
By Daniel Snyder
Local photographers
and the SpringfieldGreene County Park
Board have reached an
agreement over a city
ordinance that requires
professional photographers to pay $25 per hour
to photograph in public
parks.
Back in June, some photographers had complained
of
being
approached by park
rangers and asked if they
had paid the fee while
they were taking photos
in city parks—it was usually the first time they had
ever heard about it and
they felt they were being
singled out.
The Springfield-Greene
County Park Board said
the fees help cover costs
for damages incurred during professional photo
shoots.
Park board members
and local photographers
have since reached an
agreement to cap the fee
at $150 annually or at $25
per day for all parks. The
park board also agreed to
do a better job of advertis-
ing, promoting and monitoring the permit process.
“Compromise is a good
word,” said Michelle
Cramer, owner of Eternal
Image
Photography.
“There are some photographers that feel like
there shouldn’t be a fee at
all because,
as a community,
we
already pay
taxes on the
parks.
My
business
takes money Cramer
by doing business in the
parks, so it makes a little
more sense for me. That
being said, I think $150 a
year is far more reasonable than $25 an hour.”
Jenny Fillmer Edwards,
Public
Information
Administrator for the
Springfield-Greene
County Park Board, said
that the discussion with
the photographers about
the fee wasn’t a “compromise,” but rather clarification to the policy.
“It would be a written
policy that not only staff
would have copies of, but
members of the photogra-
phy community who
came in to purchase a permit would be provided a
copy of the policy,”
Edwards said. “We’ve
talked to several people
and we’ve heard from several people, but the general consensus was that the
previous policy was hard
to understand and we
took a look at it and
agreed, we had some misunderstanding among our
own staff, so we’ve
endeavored to make it
clear and I think that we
have accomplished that.”
According to Edwards
the new fee would take
effect in March.
“[The park board] is
going to make sure that
everybody is aware of it
because nobody was,”
Cramer said, adding that a
badge or other identifying
indicator to show a photographer has paid is also
being discussed.
“The idea was to have
something on our bags or
on our person, that a park
ranger can see, so that
we’re not approached in
the middle of a session
because that from a business perspective it is a little embarrassing,” Cramer
said.“I don’t know if there
has been an actual deci-
sion on what that will
look like, but that’s something they are working
on.”
Edwards said that the
daily pass would be a onetime use type of pass,
while the annual pass
would be more durable
and possibly laminated.
Tag holders will be asked
to either wear or display
the pass while working in
the parks.
Despite their disagreements on the matter,
Cramer said that Belote
was very diplomatic
throughout the process.
“Bob seemed to be our
internal advocate for the
change because he was
really on our side and he
was disappointed that it
got to this point, but he
understood that it was
because no one knew
what was going on,”
Cramer said. “He’s always
been very responsive and
very helpful in the
process ever since (CFP)
ran the [original] story.”
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Road 136, where officers responded to a
911 call reporting a possible shooting.
Knight said that he and the victim, Jackie
E. Swearingin, had been drinking, smoking
marijuana and firing guns when a firearm
went off in Swearingin’s face. Knight was
already out on bond with charges of two
counts of second-degree vehicular assault
for a previous car crash. He is now
charged with involuntary manslaughter
and held at the Greene County Jail on a
bond of $100,000.
Jan. 24—A local man faces two counts
of felony resisting arrest, one count of
felony escaping from custody, one count
of felony first-degree tampering with a
motor vehicle and one count of felony
second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer following an eventful police
chase. Brandon Slavens, 30, is alleged to
have refused to comply at a traffic stop
before engaging police in a car chase and
crashing into a tree. Slavens fled on foot,
was apprehended and then kicked out the
window of the patrol car and jumped out,
only to be apprehended again. Slavens is
being held at Greene County Jail on a
$500,000 bond. Two years ago, Slavens
was charged with breaking into the home
of a Greene County couple, assaulting
them and locking them up.
Jan. 25—The Subway restaurant, 1120 S.
Glenstone Ave., was robbed at gunpoint.
The suspect got away with an undisclosed
amount of money and a cellphone.
Springfield police continue to investigate
the incident.
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home by two men armed with a hatchet.
The suspects allegedly made off with
items including a .22 caliber pistol and a
cellphone.
Jan. 26—Nine vehicles were vandalized
on a Missouri State University parking lot
located on Harrison Street.
Jan. 28—Police arrested a man suspected of stealing a vehicle in the 1400 block
of East Seminole. Police pursued the suspect, who later abandoned the vehicle and
was found hiding under another nearby
vehicle. A weapon was found in the stolen
car after the suspect was apprehended.
Feb. 1—A man was shot in the chest near
the Flagship Motel, 2209 N. Glenstone
Ave. and he was taken to hospital after he
sought help at a nearby McDonald’s
restaurant. Police cordoned off the area of
the motel and later apprehended a male
and a female.
Feb. 2—Police were led on a high-speed
car chase by a woman they suspected of
driving while intoxicated. The driver
crashed into a gas main near High Street
and Park Avenue before fleeing the scene.
Officers found the woman hiding in a
nearby van. She was hospitalized with
injuries.
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Upfront
10 | February 5 - 18, 2014
Viewpoints
THINK
About It!
www.cfpmidweek.com
“I’m come from a country that raises corn and cotton,
cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither
convinces nor satisfies me. I’m from Missouri, and you
have got to show me.”
Willard Duncan Vandiver, U.S. State Representative, 1899
FreePress
Local Voice
Community
Breck Langsford,
President/Publisher
Amanda Langsford,
Associate Publisher
Photos and interviews by Dillan Conn
What was one positive aspect and one
negative aspect of Gov. Jay Nixon’s State
of the State speech that stuck with you?
EDITORIAL
April Labine-Katko
Copy Editor, Reporter
Daniel Snyder,
Reporter, Photographer
Dillan Conn,
Reporter, Photographer
I appreciated his recognition of the needs of
our state’s mentally ill
citizens. The House was
already in discussions in
how we can address this
and I am glad the governor is on board.
Gov. Nixon flagrantly
ignored not only his own
economists’, but also the
University of Missouri’s
economists’ revenue estimates. He did this to
make political promises that he knows the
state and state’s taxpayers can’t afford.
-Rep. Kevin Austin
CONTRIBUTORS
Kelsey Garman
Phil Morrissey
Bob Mace
James Hanson
DESIGN
Amanda Langsford
ADVERTISING
Amanda Langsford
Greg Hansen
Illustration by Phil Morrissey
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Courier
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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
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Vol. 12 Issue 3
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| Community Free Press
Childish Things
I
E-mail Bob Mace: bmace@cfpmidweek.com.
t could be that The Edge bends the
With the notable exception of The
fabric of the space-time continuEdglett and her teenage friends,
um or it might just be random luck.
most of the females known to The
Whatever the causality, when someEdge are of similar advanced years.
one inquires if any of the observaAnd, more often than not, their key
tions documented in this column are
chains contain some stuffed animal
prevaricated, that is to say less than
memento of times when their kids
truthfully reported, the answer is no,
were much younger and selected
Springfield and the world provide
their personal favorite parental
volumes of events that span from
birthday or Christmas gift.
tender and touching to down right
During the Musial era a few bucks
Bob Mace
weird.
would put entire families in the field
THE EDGE
Notably near the midpoint on that
seats at Sportsman Park. The Edge
scale would be the fascination that mature never understands how the construction of
adults seem to have with animated characters. luxury boxes to which admission for a single
This epiphany dawns at the tee box as I game costs a few hundred bucks results in
observe buddies, all over the age of 50, with doubling or tripling the price of the cheap
their bags of golf weapons.Two who attended seats. At about the same time nobody but a
Mizzou keep their drivers protected in stuffed one-percenter could afford to bring kids to a
animal, Panthera tigris,Truman the Tiger head Cardinal game, in the tradition of San Diego’s
covers. According to Mizzou lore, there origi- Chicken, on to the field strutted Fredbird.
nally were both male and female tiger masGrownups like to add their animae themes
cots. In1984 the students voted to make to their vehicles. Truman tails hanging from
Truman the official athletic department talis- antennae and sadistic-looking hogs heads are
man.
popular on autumn Saturdays around
Another attended nearly every public and Springfield.
private university in the Midwest, including
The holiday season has become just cause
Mizzou, before deciding what he wanted to be for adults to add a wreath to the grillwork of
when he grew up. Kansas State must have the dented ’92 Chevy or a red velvet nose and
been the sentimental favorite as his driver a pair of reindeer antlers to the soccer mom
plush is none other than Willie the Wildcat.
van. And like that one house in every neighPaul the apostle wasn’t “one of the boys,” borhood, there are some who leave the decowhen he penned to the church at Corinth: rations in place until Springtime.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I
Such was the recent case observed by The
understood as a child, I thought as a child: but Edge on a commercial parking lot just off of
when I became a man, I put away childish Battlefield Road. The toll of time and recent
things.”The Edge, long after becoming a man, windy weather had resulted in the red nose
sported an uber-infantile stuffed Mickey thing remaining on the grill while but a single
Mouse standing guard over the big stick until antler adorned the roof of that vehicle. One
the purchase of a modern-era, bigger-than-a- must assume that the loss of the matching pasbread-box driver. Putting away that childish senger side antler was the justification used
thing was a case of outgrowing its design for putting that vehicle, right in front of the
capacity rather than a rite of passage to matu- store, in (you guessed it) the reserved for
rity.
handicapped parking spot.
While listening to Gov.
Nixon’s State of the
State Address, I tried to
be optimistic in hopes
that our governor would
take a change of heart
and start governing by
the conservative principles he campaigned on
during the last election
cycle. It quickly became
quite apparent that our governor will continue
to expand government and spend money our
state cannot afford. He denied Missourians a
well-deserved tax cut during last session and
now has proposed the largest budget in our
state’s history. Gov. Nixon also continued to
press the issue of Medicaid expansion while
promising hundreds of millions of additional taxpayer dollars to fund multiple state programs.
I was very disappointed in Gov. Nixon’s unrealistic budget proposal. I felt better after his
State of the State address knowing that we
have a Republican majority who will work
together to ensure Missouri has a balanced and
fiscally responsible budget.
-Rep. Sonya Anderson
I was pleased to see the
governor advocate for
increased funding in
early childhood education; $1 million added
to Parents as Teachers,
$8.5 million added to
the First Steps Program
and an additional $20
million for Missouri
Preschool Program will
help get the children of Missouri on the right
educational footing.
However, I find the funding disparity
between the four-year institutions and twoyear institutions concerning. The governor
has proposed a 5 percent funding increase
for four-year schools and only a 4 percent
increase to two-year schools. Many students
that decide to take additional coursework
after high school choose two-year programs
and I believe any additions to higher education funding should be equal to both fouryear schools as well as two-year schools.
-Rep. Lincoln Hough
In his State of the State
address, the governor
touched on a number of
points with which I
agree, including “strict
fiscal discipline.” I support fiscal responsibility,
which the General
Assembly has demonstrated repeatedly. In
contrast, the governor
rejected earlier, reasonable revenue estimates developed by his administration, legislators and economic experts and
presented a budget based on generous projections, creating unreasonable expectations.
The governor also discussed investments in
education, which I agree is a key component
to economic prosperity. What was not discussed were other investments—in transportation, infrastructure, public safety and
our justice system—required to keep Missouri
strong and competitive.
-Sen. Bob Dixon
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
February 5 - 18, 2014
Business
|
11
Meeting the demand
Local shop meeting Springfield’s
printing needs since ‘88. » Page 13
e-mail editor@cfpmidweek.com
FYI
Foster family program
merges with local nonprofit
Sammy’s Window—a
program designed to help
foster kids receive clothing—has merged with
Family Matters Resource,
which provides support,
advocacy, resource referrals and training to foster
families. Sammy’s
Window was started in
2008 by Mark Hay as a
tribute to his father, Sam.
It aims to ease the financial burden associated
with becoming a foster
parent by providing clothing, food, hygiene items,
school supplies and other
needs for foster families.
Hay has served 228 kids
since the last quarter of
2013 and has provided
food to over 250 individuals since then. Hay and
Melinda Nicholson, director of Family Matters
completed the merge to
provide the best possible
all-inclusive care for foster
families. Family Matters
Resource Center began in
2013. It is located at 1774
1/2 S. Grant Ave. Sammy’s
Window is located at 3757
N. Glenstone Ave. For
more information, visit
familymatterscares.org or
call 866-3672.
Former mayor named 2014
Springfieldian of the year
At the annual meeting of
the Springfield Area
Chamber of Commerce,
Springfield’s longest-serving mayor, Tom Carlson,
was named the 2014
Springfieldian of the year. A
Springfield native, Carlson
had a 25-year career in
public service, including
seven terms as mayor of
Springfield. He was elected
in 1987 and served until
1993 and then again from
2001-2007. Carlson was
instrumental in the creation
of Springfield’s Economic
Development Partnership
between the Chamber of
Commerce, the Springfield
Business Development
Corporation, City Utilities,
the City of Springfield and
Greene County. The annual award recognizes an
outstanding individual for
leadership and commitment to the community.
see FYI, 13
Big plans for the McDaniel Building
By Daniel Snyder
D
owntown
has
seen more than its
share of renovations, many of which are
in process or soon to
begin—and now among
them is the 103-year-old
McDaniel building.
The Vecino Group recently announced plans to renovate the building on top of
the company’s projects at
the Landmark and Woodruff
buildings, to be named The
Frisco and SKY eleven,
respectively, both of which
will include rental housing.
The former office building will be renamed The U
and renovations will
include adding 39 student
apartment suites, available
in one, two, three or four
bedroom units rented by
the bed—dormitory style.
Vecino Group president
Rick Manzardo said that the
price range for each tenant
would range between $550750, including utilities,
cable, Internet and washer/dryer units. Each bedroom will have its own
locks and private bathroom.
“The by-the-bed rentals
for students is basically
one check for parents and
it’s all inclusive,” Manzardo
said, adding that the build-
ing’s new name would
“ring true with students.”
The idea to transform
the building into student
housing came from conversations
with
the
Springfield Chamber of
Commerce and observing
market trends.
“We’re taking an entrepreneurial
angle with
the Chamber
of
Commerce,”
Manzardo
Manzardo
said.
“We
wanted to fight the “brain
drain” of students that go
to school here then leave,
so we’re trying to give
them reasons to stay here.”
Plans are to organize
internships with the
chamber, bring in local
business presenters and
hold “shark tank” competitions where the best business plan wins and
receives a discount on
rent for the month.
With the by-the-bed
rental format, each student signs an individual
lease. So, even if a roommate moves out or fails to
pay their rent, students
are only responsible for
their own share.
An artist
rendering
of ‘The U.’
The
Vecino
Group is
developing
the
McDaniel
building
into ‘The
U’ a student-centered
apartment
complex
that uses a
pay by the
bed leasing system.
Rendering courtesy
Vecino Group
“We really looked at the
market and the by-the-bed
rentals around campus
were all 100 percent leased
and there’s nothing around
the downtown campus like
this,” Manzardo said.“We’re
a lot closer to OTC and
Drury and the students really wanted something downtown.We combined the bythe-bed concept with the
downtown concept. We’ve
had great feedback thus far
and those will be open for
the school year.”
On the ground floor of
the building, 4,000 square
feet will be dedicated to
retail space and 2,000
square feet will allow for a
resident lounge. The U
will also have indoor bike
storage and an observation deck looking out
onto downtown.
“I think that downtown
needs it,” Manzardo said.
“We have a 100 percent
occupancy on everything
downtown. I think as
more people see what’s
going on downtown, it’s
going to be a rising tide
with full ships.”
With the Heer’s set to be
developed by the Kansas
City-based Dalmark Group,
Manzardo said that downtown really needs more
affordable living.
“We’re happy to have the
Heer’s open, get rid of that
eyesore downtown; it’s just
going to help the area out
and our apartments as
well,” Manzardo said.“We’re
excited about The U.”
Manzardo said that preleasing on the units has
already begun and the
group plans to complete
the project by Aug. 1.
Added mortgage pros seek to surpass $100 million in 2014 volume
Eight mortgage loan originators affiliated
ute to our projected total.”
ern Missouri. “As a competitor,
with Heartland Bank have joined the
Kitrel projects that the addiI’ve tracked the growth of USA
Springfield office of USA Mortgage/DAS
tion of the eight mortgage offiMortgage. It has been remarkAcquisition Co., LLC. bringing the total numcers will allow the branch to surable,” Kelso, a 23-year industry
ber of employees at the Springfield office to
pass $100 million in home loan
veteran said in the news release.
26. In 2013, USA Mortgage-Springfield closed
volume in 2014.“Just in the loan
“The opportunity to join forces
530 loans with a value of $66.3 million accord- Kitrel
production that they bring, that’s
with Steve Kitrel to form an
Kelso
ing to a release from the company.Steve Kitrel,
obviously going to help our numorganization that by the end of
who opened the office in Fall 2011 will be bers, but this addition is going to help our 2014 could very well be among Springfield’s
joined by Kent Kelso, the former head of entire office grow,” Kitrel said. “Every single top three home lenders was too attractive to
Heartland’s home loan operations in person that’s come over is quality.The acqui- pass up.” Doug Schukar, company president
Springfield, Joplin and Branson. Kelso will sition was certainly a win-win for everyone.” and CEO said that the company plans to
become the branch manager of the Springfield According to a news release, the St. Louis- extend their market success into west and
office along with Kitrel.“He (Kelso) certainly based company topped $1 billion in home southwestern Missouri. USA/DAS opened
helps,”Kitrel said.“His experience, his loan vol- loan volume for five consecutive years and is branch offices in Kansas City and St. Joseph
ume and his leadership ability certainly attrib- currently the largest mortgage lender in east- in Nov. 2013.
Business
12 | February 5 - 18, 2014
IN BUSINESS
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
By Daniel Snyder
Pizza on demand
417 Vapor
It takes an average
passenger airliner 90
seconds to take off and
at BYOPizza it takes 90
seconds to cook a hot
and ready-to-eat pizza.
Owning a pizza joint
was on Michael Felts’ list
of goals ever since he
graduated from Branson
High School.
“In 2006, no one was
doing it and I was going
to do it then but I was
so busy with music and
television,” Felts said. “I
put it on the back burner
and in November 2012, I
started telling people my
idea and they told me,
why don’t you do it?”
Felts and his partners
opened the first location
in Seminole, Texas, followed by one in
Photo by Daniel Snyder
Redondo Beach, Calif.
Owner Michael Felts stands in front of the state-of-the-art oven that cooks pizzas in 90
and the most recent in
seconds or less.
Springfield on Dec. 31.
BYOPizza utilizes a
state-of-the-art custom oven that uses infrared to cook pizzas at 1,600
degrees in 90 seconds or less. Customers can choose from a variety of topBYOPizza
pings like crab, hot dogs, meats and veggies, fruits and a ton of different
types of sauce.
Owners: Michael Felts, Daniel
Felts also partnered with locally owned Benissimo Gelato and all new
Loper and Jesse Middleton
BYOPizza locations across the country will feature the Italian dessert.
Opened: Dec. 31
“So far it’s done really, really well,” Felts said. “From 5:30-7:30 p.m. there
Grand Opening: Feb. 11
will be a line out the door. We wanted to do the Subway model for pizza.”
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Felts said he offers a 10 percent discount for public employees, police
Sunday-Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 2
officers, firefighters and teachers. He added that the first location in
a.m. Thursday-Saturday
Springfield won’t be the last.
Address: 431 S. Jefferson Ave.
He has plans for locations on Republic and Battlefield roads, as well as
Phone: 862-BYOP (2967)
one in Ozark and Hollister, two in Branson and a few in Joplin.
Online: byopizza.com
The grand opening and ribbon cutting for the Springfield location is Feb.
11 and all proceeds that day will go to the Care To Learn foundation.
Technology changes
everything, even the tradiLOCALLY
tional cigarette. Lately, eOWNED
cigarettes have been dominating the market and more
smokers have been ditching
■ As a locally owned
the Marlboros for what docand operated busitors are calling a safer alterness, we enjoy highnative. In November, Doug
lighting other compaCox opened 417 Vapor, 3213
nies who call the
S. Campbell Ave. because
Ozarks their home.
ever since he switched to
Help us with suggesthe e-cigarette, he has wanted to ensure that he was
tions of your favorite
getting the best product. “I
locally owned estabjust didn’t like what was
lishments by e-mailing:
available online, not knowing
for sure what you were geteditor@
ting as far as juice goes,”
cfpmidweek.com.
Cox said, adding that he has
been vaping (using an e-cigarette) for 10 months and he
doesn’t smoke anymore. “Business is good, really good,”
he said. “Every day we have people coming in commenting
that they haven’t had a cigarette in three days or five days
or a month.” Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday;
Phone: 890-2425; Online: 417vapor.com or find 417 Vapor
on Facebook.
An eclectic look
Grayson Home Décor, 404 W. Walnut St., offers customers
a unique take on furniture. The store, opened Aug. 2, carries
a mix of old, new, rustic and modern furniture and one of a
kind gifts and home décor for what they call a “classic and
eclectic look.” “We’re really like no other store in town and
we carry some antiques and it is just a mix,” said co-owner
Clive Gray. Gray owns the store along with Ryan Rosenquist.
Gray said that so far business has been steady. “It’s been
good; we would love to get more people in the door,” Gray
said. “The downtown people are all great and they work well
together.” Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Phone:
299-0227.
Financial freedom begins with spending less than you earn
“T
he wise man saves
for the future but
the foolish man spends
whatever
he
gets”
(Prov.20:21 TLB).
Financial freedom!
It has a happy sound
doesn’t it? Of course,
financial freedom means
different things to different people. But the basic
meaning is to be able to
live the lifestyle you want
without depending on
anyone else or being
under any financial pressure or stress.
It’s something almost
anyone can achieve with
some planning and the
discipline to carry out the
plan over a number of
years.
The hard part is disciplining yourself to spend
less than you earn. It’s
hard because our whole
economy is built on
spending rather than saving. Americans are even
urged to borrow money
to spend to help the economy.
For example, when the
economy started to slow a
few years ago, President
Bush urged Americans to
“go
shopping
first full-time
more,” and a
job. You need
Newsweek headall of it just to
line said, “Stop
pay your living
Saving Now.”
expenses. You
Savers
are
say you’ll start
penalized
and
saving when
spenders rewardyou get a job
ed. Government
earning
policy is to keep
$35,000 a year.
interest rates on Kelsey Garman Did you?
savings at near
No,
you
FINANCIAL INSIGHTS
zero to encourbought a new
age people to borrow and car and ate out more and
spend. Yet savers are went on expensive vacataxed on what little inter- tions. It was OK because
est they do earn. As a you were promised a proresult, Americans now motion and a raise soon
save only 2.5 percent of and you would start savtheir
incomes—down ing then.
from 8.7 percent in the
You got the promotion
early 1970s.
and the raise so you were
Most Americans want earning $45,000. You also
immediate gratification. got married and had a baby,
This “I want it now”gener- then two. That means you
ation has created explo- needed a house and the
sive growth in the credit house needed furniture. It’s
card industry over the last the story of most of us.We
40 years.
always believe we could
As a financial counselor save if we earned just a little
for more than 20 years, I more no matter how much
heard hundreds of people we are earning now.
say,“I’ll start saving when I
King Solomon was right
earn more.”That sounds rea- when he said, “The more
sonable but it doesn’t work. you have, the more you
Let’s say you earn spend, right up to the lim$25,000 a year on your its of your income…(Eccl.
5:11 TLB).
Another hindrance to
saving is that we are too
often unable to distinguish between our wants
and our needs.A powerful
advertising industry fills
our living rooms with
hundreds of TV commercials every day for things
we don’t need and can’t
afford.They are masters at
convincing us how much
happier we would be,
how much more people
would like us and how
much better life would be
if we would only buy…
I have helped many
people analyze their
spending habits. Most of
them were spending 20
percent of their incomes
for things they didn’t
need, and perhaps didn’t
even want.
Before beginning to
counsel others, my wife
and I analyzed our own
spending.We were no different from anybody else.
We were wasting 20 per-
cent of our income.
I’m not saying you
shouldn’t enjoy life, or
deprive yourself of good
things in life. I’m just saying that you can probably
reduce your spending by
20
percent
without
changing your lifestyle. It
is certain that unless you
can start spending less
than you earn you’ll never
have financial freedom.
Kelsey Garman is a
former financial consultant. E-mail him at
kgarman@live.com.
MISSOURI GOLD SILVER DIAMONDS
BUYING, SELLING
& E-BAYING
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Collectables, Watches, Coins, Pocket
Watches, Vintage Costume Jewelry
Bring in Treasure
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Take Your Treasure Home
Cash Paid in 10-14 Days • Bring in & We Ship
851 S. GLENSTONE 417-877-GOLD
Mon. - Fri 10 am-6 pm • missourigoldsilverdiamonds.com
Community Free Press
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Business
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
13
DAD’S HOME REPAIR
“Honey Do”
List Specialist
LOCALLY
OWNED
(417) 425-9161
Printing
company
expands
services
Rick Linville-Owner
Ofc (417) 877-0289 Exterior-Interior Remodels • Bath-Kitchens
“No Job Too Small” Licensed – Insured – 30yrs Experience
SPIC & SPAN
CLEANING SERVICES
Commercial • Residential
Christian Owned & Operated
Estimates call
By James Hanson
Nestled just east of
Mercy
Hospital
on
Sunshine Street is a familyowned and operated business that has been ready
to meet Springfield’s
printing and graphics
needs since 1988.
Beverly Harmon purchased The Copy Shoppe
from Earl Bowlin in 1988,
when it was simply a
copy shop.
But in time, she and her
children,Bryan and Michelle
Baltz,now co-owners,added
more services to the business, which has led to its
recent re-branding as The
Copy Shoppe Printing and
Graphics.
Beverly said they added
things like presswork, finishing and binding capabilities, posters, banners,
trade show materials and
a graphic design services
department.
The Copy Shoppe
Printing and Graphics
also offers services like
direct mail, shipping and
delivery, business cards,
brochures, posters, flyers,
multi-color or black and
white printing, personalized stationery and more.
Michelle said most of
their clients are businesses
but individuals often utilize many of their services.
messages answered
promptly
(417) 300-5821
Photo by James Hanson
Get all of your printing and graphics needs met at The Copy Shoppe, which has been a family affair since 1988. From L-R: Beverly Harmon, (Belle), Michelle Baltz and Bryan Baltz.
Bryan said technology
has been the most significant change in the 26
years they’ve been doing
business.
“And the biggest part of
that change I would say is
the Internet,” he said. “It
has made work a lot easier but also has made it
harder in the sense of
competing with several
online companies in the
marketplace. But the
things we are able to do
today because of technology means more we can
provide our customers
and has made it easier
overall.”
Bryan and Michelle
agree that meeting deadlines is always the greatest
challenge, but they promise “a reliable product with
a quick turn-around time.”
“Deadlines are something we deal with every
day,” Bryan said.
“Every job we do is
unique,” Michelle added.
“But it is all time driven
and that is just the nature
of the world anymore.”
The Copy Shoppe
Printing and Graphics
also has three full-time
employees and the owners still have their favorite
aspects of the business.
For Beverly, it is the
graphics.
“That is something that
always interested me and
still does today,” she said.
Bryan and Michelle said
they enjoy visiting with the
customers and hearing about
their concepts and needs.
“I love being able to take
that information they provide and help import that
into their business,”Michelle
said.“I think I enjoy the finishing process because that
is when the process is complete and becomes a part of
that business.”
And they continue to
learn something new
each day.
“And we are always
here and ready to work
every day,” Bryan said. “It
isn’t just about customer
service. It is about
responding quickly and
doing the best to make
things happen, especially
when so many variables
are involved for each job.”
Michelle said they have
FYI, from 11
Drury University to host
women’s symposium
Mo. awards tax credits
to Boys Ranch
Drury University will host
the sixth annual Women’s
Entrepreneurship Symposium
(WES) Feb. 8 at the O’Reilly
Family Event Center, 935 N.
Summit Ave. The symposium
is designed to provide women
the opportunity to learn about
the various aspects of owning
a business. The event will feature a wide range of exhibitors
including keynote speakers
Emily Church, founder and
owner of Everything Kitchens
and Sandy Edwards, deputy
director of the Crystal Bridges
Museum of American Art. The
cost of the event is $25, which
includes breakfast and lunch
and registration will be open
until the day of the event.
WES will award honors to the
area’s top female entrepreneurs in two categories:
Women Entrepreneur of the
Year and Woman-Owned
Start-Up of the Year. Online
registration is available at
drury.edu/ejc/wes. For more
information, call 873-7458.
The Missouri Department of
Economic Development awarded the Good Samaritan Boys
Ranch $341,320 in Missouri tax
credits for the assistance and
treatment of high-risk youth.
The Neighborhood Assistance
Program Tax Credits provide
taxpayers an alternative to paying taxes, offering the chance
to volunteer for nonprofit
organizations. The credits
would allow the ranch to construct new facilities, including a
new dormitory, an aquatics
center, indoor and outdoor riding arenas and a school. For
more information on the ranch,
visit ranchlife.org.
CARPENTRY • PLUMBING
ODD JOBS
Nonprofit names newest
member of regional chapter
Springfield SCORE, a nonprofit organization that provides council to small business owners and potential
owners, has announced
media and telecommunications expert Sean Clarke as
the chapter’s newest member. SCORE is a nationwide
organization supported by
the U.S. Small Business
Administration and dedicated to supporting successful
small businesses during the
The Copy
Shoppe Printing
and Graphics
Owners: Beverly
Harmon, Michelle
Baltz and Bryan Baltz
Purchased: 1988
Services: Printing, book
binding, collating, cutting, die cutting, digital
output of files, foil
stamping, folding, laminating, litigation support
services, numbering,
online printing, online
proofing, raised proofing,
perforation, scanning,
scoring and slitting,
shrink wrapping, stapling,
design and document
creation, logo creation,
shipping and delivery.
Address: 1446 E.
Sunshine St.
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m. Monday-Friday
Phone: 887-5999
Online: thecopyshoppe.com
been fortunate to have
repeat customers and
many people are familiar
with their brand, products
and services.
“We produce a really
good product and they
keep coming back,”
Beverly said.
start-up phase. For more
information on SCORE, visit
springfieldscore.org.
BBB warns of phone scams
The Better Business Bureau
is warning cell phone owners
to be wary of the “473 Scam”
or the “One Ring Scam.”
According to a news release,
a large number of people in
the United States have been
receiving phone calls from a
473 area code—located out
of Grenada in the Caribbean.
People are warned not to
call the number back
because it could cost $20 or
more. The BBB reminds
individuals never to return a
call to a number they do not
know. All reports should be
made to the Missouri
Attorney General at 800392-8222.
BOB’S GARAGE
417-866-5855
2600 W. DIVISION ST • Spfd.
SAME LOCATION FOR OVER 40 YEARS
SPECIALIZING
IN
N MOTOR
OVERHAULS
INSTALLED
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC
HEAD GASKETS •
TIMING • ETC
MON-FRI 8AM-5PM
Community Free Press is seeking a qualified graphic
artist/production specialist. Proficiency in Adobe
Creative Suite software; Quark required. Experience in
news design a plus. Part-time to Full-time available.
Send resume and history/qualifications to:
publisher@cfpmidweek.com
14 | February 5 - 18, 2014
www.cfpmidweek.com
Home & Garden
e-mail editor@cfpmidweek.com
Fast
Fact:
| Community Free Press
There are approximately
50 million acres of grass in
the United States.
Approximately 21 million
of those acres are in our
front and back yards.
Source: tractorsupply.com
Made in the shade
Local society maintains
gardens and educates the
public about hostas
■
By Daniel Snyder
The word “hosta” may not
mean much to those outside of
gardening communities, but it is
the world’s number one selling
perennial plant.
The Greater Ozarks Hosta
Society has around 160 members who help educate the public on incorporating the plant
into their home gardens.
“It’s probably
the biggest gardening society in the
Greene
County/Christian
County area and
it’s geared to people who enjoy Lakowske
either hostas or
being out in the garden, so we
have a lot of events throughout
the year,” said society president
Tom Lakowske. “We also give
presentations to the public to
increase their knowledge of
using hostas in their home gar-
dens or new landscaping.”
Hostas are a shade tolerant
leafy plant that are usually very
easy to care for.
“If you have a spot that’s
shady, the best plant to put
there is a hosta,” Lakowske said.
“In the spring around late
March-April, they’ll pop out of
the ground and look gorgeous
all the way through the end of
summer and towards fall they’ll
grow dormant again. They’ll
return year after year and
they’re real easy to care for and
they don’t have many problems
and people love them.”
In April, the society hosts a
Hosta Dividing seminar, when
members dig hostas out of the
garden that the society maintains at the Springfield
Botanical Gardens and teach
participants how to situate the
plants in their own gardens.
“The most important thing, in
my opinion, is the Greater
Ozarks Hosta Society maintains
the hosta garden at the
Springfield Botanical Gardens,”
Lakowske said.“In 2011, we renovated the gardens extensively
Mon-Sat
10-6
WE BUY
ELECTRONIC
SCRAP
and in 2013 we became an
American Hosta Society national display garden and there are
only 18 of those in the whole
country. It’s quite an honor
actually.”
A dedication ceremony will
be held in May and the society
also holds many plant sales
throughout the year.
Many members of the society
are also members of other local
gardening groups.
“A lot of the members of the
hosta society are master gardeners and/or members of Friends
of the Garden,” Lakowske said.
“We’re all one big family. That’s
why at the Lawn and Garden
show, the hosta society, the
Friends of the Gardens and the
master gardeners are all in that
one little corner because we all
know each other and we all do
work at the Springfield
Botanical Gardens.”
For more information on the
Greater Ozarks Hosta Society,
visit gohs.org.
eaning Serv
Cl
i
HOME & GARDEN NOTES
NAHB releases positive
numbers for 2013
The National Association of
Home Builders Remodeling
Market Index (RMI) held firm
at 57 for the fourth quarter of
2013—the highest reading
since the first quarter of
2004. According to a news
release, an RMI above 50 indicates that more remodelers
are reporting higher market
activity. The RMI averages ratings of current activity with
indicators of future activity.
Additionally, calls for bids
increased from 56 to 59, committed work for the next three
months rose from 52 to 54
and proposal appointments
rose from 55 to 59. The RMI
reading shows slow but
steady improvement in the
remodeling market for 2014.
Residential home sales up in
December compared to last year
According to a joint report
released by the U.S. Census
Bureau and the Department of
Housing and Urban
Development, sales of new single-family houses in December
Affordable
Quality
HOME
CLEANING
ces
ELECTRONICS
RECYCLING
Eli
te
COMPLETE
Photo by Sandra Letson
The Hosta Garden at the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Gardens is maintained by the Greater Ozarks Hosta Society.
LOCALLY OWNED
“Serving Springfield
FREE ESTIMATES
Since 1996”
Licensed • Insured • Bonded
$20 Off
HOUSE
CLEANING
SERVICES
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*Just mention this ad or Free Press
(one coupon per home-void with other offers)
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417-823-9112
2013 were 7 percent below the
November rate, but 4.5 percent above the December 2012
estimate. The median sales
price of new houses sold in
December 2013 was $270,200
and the average price was
$311,400.
Greene County Extension
releases results of election
Residents have elected eight
new members to the University
of Missouri Extension Council
for Greene County. Each new
member will serve a two year
term. The new members are:
Springfield residents Harold
Bender, Albert Niewald, Katie
Steinhoff, Kip Thompson and
Nancy Williams, Parrish Witt of
Bois D’Arc and Rogersville residents Jan Wooten and Tamara
von Foerster. Greene County
residents can participate in
extension programs and specialists with the MU Extension offer
educational programs available
to the public. More information
is available at extension.missouri.edu/greene or by calling
the extension office in Greene
County at 881-8909.
Community Free Press
Home & Garden
| www.cfpmidweek.com
CFP file photo
More than 100 vendors will showcase their wares at the 24th Annual Lawn and Garden Show.
Garden variety shopping
The 24th Annual Lawn and Garden Show highlights everything
homeowners need to get the yard ready for spring
■
By Daniel Snyder
More
than
100
exhibitors will be showing
off all the things homeowners need to get the
most out of their yard at
the upcoming 24th Annual
Lawn and Garden show.
The Lawn and Garden
show is the premier onestop shop for all varieties
of products as well as
services like landscape
design and installations,
tree and lawn care and a
whole lot more.
Fairgrounds agriculture
director, Brittany Gillig,
said that approximately
10,000 people attend the
show every year.
During the show, the
Master Gardeners of
Greene County will present classes on a variety of
topics, including composting, various styles of
gardens and growing your
own vegetables and fruits.
“Each presentation will
have anywhere from 10 to
60 people and it’s a good
way to educate the public
on gardening and landscaping topics,” said master gardener volunteer
coordinator
Tom
Lakowske.“Everybody has
their own little niche on
what they know, what
they’ve studied and their
experience and we build
PowerPoint presentations
and present them to Lawn
and Garden show attendees.”
Owner
of
Race
Brothers Farm Supply,
Roger DeForest said that
his business has had a
booth there since the
very beginning.
“It’s extremely important to our business,”
DeForest said.“We always
show our line of Cub
Cadet lawn power equipment, Stihl power equipment, Husqvarna power
equipment and if there
are any new models, we
will feature them.”
DeForest said the show
has changed over the
years, often according to
the state of the economy.
“It’s evolved in different
ways as the marketplace
changes and just as far as
how it was approached,”
he said. “The economic
times have made people
curb back from going
over the top and there has
just been a transition of
the types of equipment
sold.”
DeForest said that peo-
The 24th Annual
Lawn and Garden
Show
Address: Ozark
Empire Fairgrounds,
3001 N. Grant Ave.
When: 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. Feb. 14-15, 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Feb. 16
Admission: Advance
tickets can be purchased Feb. 1-13 at
Price Cutter locations
for $3; $5 at the door;
kids 12 and under get
in for free.
Information: ozarkempirefair.com; 833-2660
ple often attend the show
with specific purchases in
mind.
“The days of the bare
bones riding mower are
kind of disappearing and
people
are
getting
upscale mowers and
going to those zero-turn
mowers and of course
there is a lot of landscapers there and people with
hot tubs and the backyard
stuff,” he said. “You get to
capture people, that’s
what they’re out for. You
get a captive audiences
because they’re specifically there for that and you
can kind of compare yourself to the competition.”
Mercy doctors warn of potential Carbon Monoxide exposure
During colder weather, homeowners often turn to alternate sources of heat and Mercy
doctors are warning of potential carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be created from the use of space heaters, wood stoves and
fireplaces without proper ventilation. According to a news release from Mercy, they have
already had nine emergency room visits because of accidental carbon monoxide exposure. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 170 people in the U.S. die
each year from exposure to the gas. Mercy recommends that families inspect all equipment each year before using it in a home, ensure that carbon monoxide producing
equipment is in a well-ventilated area and install a carbon monoxide alarm in a central
location within the home and test the device monthly.
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
15
16 | February 5 - 18, 2014
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Outdoors & Recreation
Zoo program teaches kids
the importance of wildlife
By Daniel Snyder
A
s if going to the
zoo wasn’t fun
enough, Dickerson
Park Zoo’s Z.E.B.R.A program, which stands for
Zoo Education Broadens
the
Realization
of
Animals, also teaches children about the importance of the wildlife they
love to visit.
The year-round program has been educating
children from age 2 up to
seventh grade for more
than 20 years. Every
month, activities are centered on a theme and
February’s theme is ‘Our
Feathered Friends.’
“[The topics] focus on
helping
kids
understand—at an age appropriate level—endangered
species,
conservation,
why we should recycle,
and different topics like
that,” said Melinda Arnold,
the public relations director for the Friends of the
Zoo. “As the weather
allows, there is a little
walk in the zoo to see
some of the animals as
well as having time in the
classroom with our program animals from the
education department.”
Arnold said February’s
focus is birds and how
they are different from
mammals and reptiles.
Birds from the zoo’s education department will
visit the classroom.
According to Arnold,
the sessions fill up quickly, especially when school
is in. Parents can sign their
children up for a one-day
or three-day session.
“In the summertime,
because kids are out of
school, we have a much
larger class offering to
Eyes on the prize
Second largest bowling tournament in the nation
brings positive economic impact to Springfield
■
By Daniel Snyder
The second largest
bowling tournament in
the country is coming to
Springfield and thousands
of bowlers will compete
for the prize during the
56th Annual Greater
Ozarks Open.
Bowlers will have a
chance to compete in singles, doubles and team
brackets to win their
share of the prize money.
“We bring anywhere
between
8,000
and
10,000 bowlers into the
Springfield community
and most of them bring
their family members
with them,” said Chaz
Brewer, tournament director. “From a city’s standpoint we are bringing
upwards of 20,000-30,000
people into Springfield
throughout the months of
February to June.”
The tournament starts
Feb. 8-9 and runs every
weekend until June 7-8 at
Enterprise Park Lanes for
singles and doubles and at
Sunshine Lanes for team
bowling.
Brewer said that many
competitors come from
Missouri and the surrounding states, but the
best thing about the tournament is that it gives
bowlers a chance to
reconnect with old teammates.
“Missouri
State
University has a bowling
team and a lot of the people use this tournament as
a reunion for their old college teams,” Brewer said,
adding that an Oregon
resident
comes
to
Springfield to bowl with
his old college team. “His
whole team will come
back to Springfield and
bowl in our tournament.
It’s a guaranteed time that
they’ll get to see each
other
and
compete
together.”
Brewer expects this
year to be on pace with
last year with 1,550 fiveman teams and he anticipates the economic
impact on the city to stay
strong.
“We work with a bunch
allow for weekday classes
for school-aged children,”
Arnold said. “These are
programs that we have a
lot of kids that essentially
grow up through the program when they start out
as 2 and 3-year-old Zoo
Tots and they may go all
the way through our
upper elementary and
middle school programs.”
Other
upcoming
themes include ‘Ready,
Set, Spring!’ in March,
when kids learn about
animals that begin to
wake up from hibernation
and ‘Wildlife Wonders’ in
April, when they get to
interact with animals that
live at the zoo.
“The programs are very,
very popular,”Arnold said.
“Many of the classes fill
very quickly and all the
information about the
classes is available on our
Z.E.B.R.A.
Address:
3043 N. Fort St.
Cost for one-day session: $10 for Friends
of the Zoo members,
$15 for non-members
Cost for three-day
session: $30 for
Friends of the Zoo
members, $45 for
non-members
Phone: 833-1570
Online: dickersonparkzoo.org
website including the
classes that are opened,
closed or may have limited seating.”
Although kids will most
likely look forward to visiting the animals, the main
goal of the program is to
educate children about
the importance of wildlife
and the environment.
“Education
about
wildlife and conservation
is at the heart of the mission of the zoo and educating the next generation
of adults is very important
so that we protect the
environment for future
generations,” Arnold said.
The 56th Annual Greater Ozarks Open
Where: Enterprise Park Lanes, 1625 S. Enterprise
Ave. and Sunshine Lanes, 1500 W. Sunshine St.
When: Various times, every weekend from Feb. 8-9
to June 7-8
Phone: Chaz Brewer, 833-2054
Registration forms available at greaterozarksbowling.com
of places around town,”
he said. “For example, we
have hotels that we work
with and they offer competitors a better rate. Not
only are we bringing people into Springfield, we
are also helping out some
of the local businesses.”
Steve Wiemer, owner of
Enterprise Lanes—where
the singles and doubles
portion of the open have
been played for 23
years—said the tournament offers different levels of competition for all
bowlers.
“It’s the biggest handicap competitive event,
where a lower average
bowler can compete with
a higher average bowler,”
Wiemer said. “Some peo-
ple come for a weekend
away; some people come
because they just like to
get out and bowl; some
people come to see how
much money they can
win. We have to cater to
everybody.”
Last year, the event paid
out over $297,000 in
prize money for the various brackets and all of the
money is raised through
registration fees, but
Brewer said that there are
more opportunities for
bowlers to make their
money back.
In order for a tournament to run for 56 years,
something must be going
right and Brewer believes
that much of the success
comes from the personal
Courtesy of Friends of the Zoo
Children participating in Z.E.B.R.A classes pet a chinchilla.
The Z.E.B.R.A classes allow children to learn about animals at
the Dickerson Park Zoo.
“We get a lot of positive
feedback from the families that are involved in
the Z.E.B.R.A. classes and
we try to make the classes
very fun and of course
age-appropriate for the
children.”
Parents are asked to
only sign up for one session per month because
each session teaches the
same program.
attention
that
each
bowler gets.
“I think the reason that
the success of the tournament has done so well for
so long is how personable
the
tournament
is,”
Brewer said. “There’s no
automation between anything. All the communica-
tion is between the
bowlers and myself. We
listen and value what the
bowlers have to say about
how the competition
went year in and year out.
A lot of people appreciate
that because not everyone has a normal, regular
schedule.”
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Community Free Press
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Outdoors & Recreation
Committed to character
[of the sport].”
More than 1,500 gymnasts will compete in premier events, the Women’s
Invitational and the 33rd
Annual
Springfield
Gymnastic and Aquatic
Center Men’s Invitational,
Feb. 28-March 2.
Even past Olympians
have been known to pay a
visit to the Missouri
Winter Games. Some
familiar names include
gymnasts Nastia Liukin,
Jonathan Horton, Shawn
Johnson, Alicia Sacramore
and
Jordyn
Wieber;
wrestler Rulon Gardner;
U.S. soccer player Mia
Hamm and racquetball
players Cliff Swain, who
has the second most tournament wins in racquetball history and Sudsy
Monchik, considered to
be the greatest racquetball player.
“It’s a pretty impressive
list,” Collins said. “We’ve
had all of these people
here at the Missouri
Winter Games, which is a
Courtesy of the Missouri Winter Games
Olympic Gold Medalist Jordyn Wieber performs at the 2013
Missouri Winter Games. The gymnastics portion is the premier event of the games.
pretty big deal. These are
some of the best athletes
in the world coming to
our event.”
In addition to the
games, Collins also started
Champions Committed to
Character.
“[Young athletes] learn
what it means to have
honor and integrity,”
Collins said. “And out of
that started Champions
Committed to Kids.”
Champions Committed
to Kids is a charity for
youths fighting chronic illnesses and disabilities; it
places them with local
sports teams.
“They get adopted by
the team and they become
an official teammate for
two years,” Collins said.“We
had a young 14-year-old
boy from Marshfield with
Down syndrome; he joined
the Drury University Swim
Team, so he became an
official member of the
team and the athletes
spend time with them
throughout the week.”
A portion of the registration dues for the games
will be donated to
Champions Committed to
Kids.
And though athletes at
the games will play their
best in hopes of winning
gold, the main focus of
the games is to develop
good
sportsmanship
between athletes and
instill values that carry
over to the game of life.
“Our main slogan is that
the Missouri Winter
Games is all about producing champions and
champions that are committed to character,”
Collins said. “That’s what
we’re about.”
OUTDOORS NOTES
More teams can compete at the 2014 Rock ’n Ribs BBQ Festival
The Rotary Clubs of Springfield announced that the 15th
Annual Rock ’n Ribs BBQ Festival will be held May 9 and
10 at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave.
The new venue allows for more teams to compete in the
event. All event proceeds benefit Children’s Charities in
the Ozarks. Rock ’n Ribs has distributed $1.3 million to
children’s charities in the last 14 years. To register, email
adriennemccoy@gmail.com or to view a complete event
schedule, visit rocknribs.com
Turkey hunters can now apply for managed hunts
Turkey hunters have until Feb. 28 to apply for managed
hunts for the 2014 spring turkey season. Managed turkey
hunts and application guidelines are available at
mdc.mo.gov/7498. Managed hunts include hunting for
archers, youths and people with disabilities.
Extreme cold temperatures have little impact on insect pests
Rob Lawrence, a Missouri Department of Conservation forest entomologist, said that the extreme subzero temperatures
have had little impact on killing the emerald ash borer (EAB)
larvae in Missouri. The EAB threatens Missouri’s ash trees and,
according to Lawrence, when temperatures fall below minus
10 degrees, some EAB larvae can be killed, but most will likely
survive. The EAB was first detected in Missouri in 2008 in
Wayne County and has been found in eight other counties
throughout the state. Lawrence said that it is too early to
determine if the cold has affected other pest populations.
Springfield to host second annual obstacle race
The Springfield Urban-Warrior Challenge is back for a
second time. The S.U.C. will take runners through a 12.4K
timed obstacle race in the heart of the city around iconic
landmarks. The race is designed to test endurance, speed
and agility. The Missouri State University ROTC designs
the course and this year will boast a new challenging
course that will be kept top-secret until race day. A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit the MSU Army
ROTC Bear Battalion and the National Military Family
Association. Cost of the race ranges from $75-105 for
individuals and $275-350 for teams. April 4 is the last day
to register online. A course map and other information
can be found at embracethesuc.com
17
Feb. 22, volleyball; Feb. 28 to March 2, basketball,
gymnastics, wrestling and winter run; March 1, table
tennis; March 7-9 swimming, racquetball and trapshooting.
Location: Various venues including the Springfield
Expo Center, Hillcrest High School, Lake Country
Soccer, Baptist Bible College, Missouri State
University, Central Bible College, Battlefield Lanes,
Foster Natatorium, Ozark Shooters/Branson, Bass
Pro Shops and the Pat Jones Family YMCA.
Phone: 241-6753
Registration: Send form to Missouri Winter Games,
P.O. Box 4934 Springfield, MO, 65808. All athletes
must sign a waiver form. Registration forms are
available at mowintergames.org
The ninth Missouri Winter Games instills
positive attributes through sport
With football season
over and a month left
before March Madness
begins, the bitter cold can
keep even the most active
folks cooped up indoors.
But, at the ninth
Missouri Winter Games,
Feb. 22 to March 9, over
2,700 athletes will forgo
the fireplace and compete
in 10 different sporting
events over three weekends.
Athletes can compete
in gymnastics, volleyball,
basketball,
wrestling,
swimming, a winter run,
table tennis, racquetball,
bowling and trapshooting.
“Anybody can compete;
it’s basically a small,
national sports festival,”
said Jeff Collins, founder
and president of the
Missouri Winter Games.
“We have athletes that
come from all over the
Midwest. Every event is
sanctioned through the
national governing body
|
Schedule of events:
■
By Daniel Snyder
February 5 - 18, 2014
Andy Dalton
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18 | February 5 - 18, 2014
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Health & Wellness
Group offers support
for male nurses
By Daniel Snyder
A
lmost anyone who
has stayed in a hospital for an extended
period of time would say
that their nurses were
there for the good and the
bad and they always cared.
Many people still think of
nursing as a female profession, but according to the
U.S. Census Bureau, since
1970 the number of male
registered nurses (RNs) has
more than tripled from 2.7
percent to 9.6 percent.
At Mercy Hospital in
Springfield, male nurses
make up 12.8 percent of
the nursing workforce as
a whole and 7.9 percent
of RNs at CoxHealth are
male.
Since there are so few
male nurses in the field,
they often have a hard
time connecting with
each other outside of
work, but a newly formed
local chapter of the
American Association of
Men in Nursing (AAMN)
aims to help men experience that camaraderie.
The AAMN was founded
in 1974 and is the primary
association for male nurses in the United States.
Paul Pope is president
of the Greater Ozarks
Chapter of the AAMN and
an instructor at Mercy
College of Nursing and
Health Sciences. He said
that during his time in
nursing
school,
the
women would always
invite the men to a spa
day, but it wasn’t an
atmosphere most guys
wanted to participate in.
“AAMN has a desire to be
the ultimate men’s political
influencing group,”Pope said.
“My [chapter] tends to be a
little bit more socially structured.I want us to have a goto group of friends where we
can casually learn from each
other while
we are participating in more
social events
like going to a
ballgame or
shooting some
Pope
pool.I want us
to have an outlet away from
the hospital and still be men
and converse as nurses while
we do it.”
Pope, an RN for the past
30 years, saw the AAMN as
the perfect opportunity to
join an existing support
structure with political
influence.The local chapter
had its first meeting Jan. 31
and Pope said he hopes to
gain at least 50 members
within the first year.
Pope said that the
AAMN is important for
men because sometimes a
male can feel isolated in a
female-driven field.
“Well, nurses are social
creatures anyway, we
crave that human contact
and we thrive whenever
we have that,” Pope said.
“We are compelled to
care for other people, but
outside of the nursepatient relationship there
may not be that support.”
Ted Pellham, a clinical
supervisor at Mercy, has
been in nursing for 20
years, getting his start in a
nursing home.
“I believe that more
males can get involved,” he
said.“I think there is a stigma out there that males are
not needed in nursing and
I would like to say that
they are needed. We serve
a purpose in
the community at large
every
day
and it’s a very
fulfilling job
and it can be
a good job Pellham
for anyone.”
Pellham said that when
he was in nursing school,
out of 51 students there
11 were men.When Pope
attended school, there
were only two.
According to Pellham,
male nurses can perform
certain tasks that their
female counterparts may
have difficulty with.
“One of the biggest things
is the upper body strength;
we’re able to do a lot of lifting a little easier and more
often than our female counterparts,” Pellham said. “On
the other hand, unfortunately some find it easier to talk
to a male and we can use
that to our advantage to get
the person to work with us
better than a female can.”
Stephen Graff, an oncology nurse at CoxHealth,
started out as an accountant but after five years he
HEALTH NOTES
Dark chocolate is healthier this Valentine’s Day
According to Dr. Pam Duitsman, a nutrition and health
education specialist with the University of Missouri
Extension, giving dark chocolate this Valentine’s Day is a
healthier alternative to milk chocolate. Studies have shown
that dark chocolate improves blood flow and insulin resistance, lowers blood pressure and raises good HDL cholesterol. Additionally, studies have also shown that dark chocolate benefits human skin, allowing for better hydration. For
more information, visit extension.missouri.edu.
February is American Heart Month
Photos By Daniel Snyder
Dustin Brown, 28, an RN at Mercy for four years, checks the
breathing of one of his patients. At Mercy, males make up 12.8
percent of the nursing workforce.
decided he wanted to do
something a little more
people orientated. He has
been a nurse for 24 years.
“I’ve always enjoyed the
hands-on aspect of nursing;
we’re the ones who are really there and spending the
most time at the bedside
with the patients,” Graff
said. “We’re responsible for
what’s going on with those
patients moment-by-moment, especially when
they’re hospitalized. I think
that’s a very crucial and
rewarding role to be in.”
For most of Graff’s
career he has been the
sole male nurse in his
department. He said that
the gender divide isn’t as
clear as some might think.
“Most of my career, I’ve
worked with mostly female
nurses,”Graff said.“I’ve always
been one of the lone male
nurses that work in the oncology area.I’ve not been in environments where I’ve worked
around a lot of male nurses,
but I’ve always had a good
relationship with my coworkers. The male/female
divide in nursing is not real
perceptible. I think nursing
just draws people who really
have a desire and compassion
to care for other people and
that’s kind of gender-neutral.”
Even though the number
of males in nursing is on the
rise,they are still a minority.
But, Pellham said that for
those men interested in
nursing,the rewards far outweigh the perception associated with a male nurse.
“I would strongly encourage them to get out and talk
to youth groups, high
schools, academic counselors and tell them there is
a need for male nurses and
don’t let the stigma that
comes from it keep you out
of it,” Pellham said.“It’s not
easy but it is definitely
worth the work.”
For more information,
find the Greater Ozarks
Chapter of AAMN on
Facebook or visit aamn.org.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death
in the United States and the American Heart Association is
encouraging the public to use American Heart Month to
build healthier lives and make heart-healthy choices.
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular
disease affects one in three adults and kills 2,400 people
every day. The AMA has introduced an online resource,
heart.org/mylifecheck, to help individuals identify seven
steps to achieving ideal health. The seven steps are: get
active, eat better, manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, reduce blood sugar, lose weight and stop smoking. For
more information on American Heart Month, visit heart.org.
Mercy Hospital named 22nd healthiest workplace in U.S.
Healthiest Employers, a leader in employee health analytics has named Mercy to the list of 2014 Healthiest 100
Workplaces in America. Baylor Health Care System,
Vanderbilt University and Verizon Wireless are among
some of the other companies that made the list. The list
was generated by reviewing companies that have implemented practical and effective wellness strategies.
According to a news release, Mercy was named to the list
because of the Walk to Dublin program, which challenged
co-workers to walk 6,183 miles—the distance to Dublin,
Ireland—in one month. Collectively, Mercy employees
walked 123,000 miles. For the complete list of the 100
healthiest workplaces visit healthiest100.com/h100-full-list
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
February 5 - 18, 2014
A&E
PHS Theatre takes
on Arthur Miller
Valentine’s 1920’s
style at Pythian
Head to Pythian Castle,
1451 E. Pythian St., 7 p.m.
Feb. 8 to time travel back
to the 1920s nightclub
life. Attendees will be
treated to a vintage dinner show, featuring torch
singer and fan dancer
Annie Cherry and her
partner Artemus Vulgaris
as well as aerial performances by Kansas City’s
Voler Aerial Academy and
Performance Collective.
Tickets are $40. For
reservations, call 8651464. For more information, visit
pythiancastle.com
Math and madness at MSU
The Missouri State
University Theatre
Department’s production of “Proof” hits the
stage 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1314, 24-26 and 2:30 Feb.
16 in the Craig Hall
Balcony Theatre, 1147 E.
Grand St. David
Auburn’s drama was
written in 2000, winning the Pulitzer Prize
for Drama and the Tony
Award for best play the
following year. The play
tells the story of
see IN BRIEF, 22
19
Good mood, good food
Keep it cute, light-hearted this
Valentine’s Day. » Page 22
e-mail events@cfpmidweek.com
NOT YOUR USUAL FAMILY DRAMA
IN BRIEF
Parkview High School
Theatre takes on a dramatic classic with its production of Arthur Miller’s
“All My Sons,” 7 p.m. Feb.
6-8. Written in 1947 as a
final shot at commercial
success, “All My Sons” is
said to be based on a
true story and its critique
of the American Dream
helped lead to Miller
being summoned before
the House Un-American
Activities Committee
during the Red Scare. “All
My Sons” tells the story
of the Keller family after
the father is exonerated
from charges of shipping
faulty aircraft engine
parts from his company
during World War II,
leading to 21 fatal crashes
and the imprisonment of
his partner and neighbor.
With one son back from
war, another missing in
action, a fiancé and a
family in the grip of
denial, the truth must rise
to the surface before all
is right in the Keller family. Admission is $10 for
adults, $8 for seniors/students and $5 for PHS
students. To purchase
tickets, call 523-9300 or
visit phstheatre.org. PHS
is located at 516 W.
Meadowmere St.
|
Courtesy of the Springfield Little Theatre
Courtesy of the Springfield Little Theatre
Meg Rice (middle) performs with Sam Long and Aaron Hooten.
David Rice and Susan Oakley in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”
■
A Springfield theatre family in the middle of a Springfield theatre clan
By April Labine-Katko
I
f you’ve ever held a
local theatre playbill in
your hand, odds are
the name Rice was in
there somewhere. On the
off chance that it wasn’t,
the name was probably
on another playbill right
down the road.
From the very beginning, the Rices shared the
theatre. Meg, a high
school senior and David, a
college freshman, were
both cast in what they
call, “the world’s most
depressing play.”
Lanford Wilson’s “The
Rimers of Eldritch” was
decidedly melancholy, but
for the Rices it was a bonding experience nonetheless.
“When you’re in a
show, you get to know
your cast mates really
fast,” Meg said.“You’re seeing each other every night
for 6 to 8 weeks and
you’re sharing an experience and typically when
you’re in that community
you keep running into
each other and develop a
relationship and start seeing each other outside of
the theatre.”
So, when the Rices
moved to Springfield in
1990, they naturally fell in
with the local theatre
crowd—an extended family for a couple whose own
families were all back home
in Indiana. And like any
interesting family, the theatre brood has its quirks.
“I think that we are a
very high functioning dysfunctional group,” David
said. “I put that down to
the fact that by its nature
the theatre community is
one that is kind of on the
outside of the society anyway, so it almost pulls in
like-minded individuals.”
”
I think that
we are a
very high functioning dysfunctional group ... it
almost pulls in
like-minded individuals.
— David Rice
And when the Rices
started adding branches
to their family tree, they
would
take
turns
indulging in their theatrical urges so that someone
was always home with
the kids, Rebecca and
Elizabeth. But in 2001,
when Meg and David
both won roles in
Springfield Little Theatre’s
production of “Fiddler on
the Roof,” the director
suggested that the girls be
put to work.
“I played Yente the
matchmaker;
David
played Lazar the butcher
and we laughingly called
the girls, Jewish urchins
number seven and nine,”
Meg said, adding that it
was actually the last time
that she and David shared
the stage.
After that, the girls
caught the bug and with
it came a first-rate education from mom and dad
on every aspect of the
theatre onstage, backstage
and in front of house.
Now the girls have continued on their own theatrical paths; Rebecca, primarily in sound and lighting and Elizabeth, like her
mother, took up the
sewing
needle
and
embarked upon costume
design.
Still, there’s no playing
favorites. If one Rice is
producing or directing
something that another
Rice wants in on, there
are no free family passes.
“When I have to audition for (David), I know
that I have just as much a
chance of getting the part
as anyone else,” Meg said.
“I also have just as much a
chance of getting cut as
anyone else and he has
cut me once or twice in
favor of my best friend.
But, in the end I knew
that was the better
choice.”
And if Meg gets the
part, it isn’t all opening
night flowers and standing ovations. Plus, if somebody in the production is
driving the director nuts
and the director is your
husband—well,
something’s got to give.
“Directors should be
nurturing, trying to pull a
performance out of somebody to help guide them
and I can’t stand a director that yells and screams
and throws histrionic
fits,” David said. “But it
doesn’t mean that I can’t
get pissed off at somebody when we’re in
rehearsal. It’s just that I
don’t like to let it show
when we’re in rehearsal.”
And when it’s time to
go home, that carefully
controlled temper might
finally pop its cork, with
Meg in the role of captive
audience—and if she’s
involved in the production, there’s a chance she
might take it personally.
“It helps to take separate cars to and from
rehearsal,” Meg said.
“Because frankly there are
some nights where we
just don’t want to talk to
each other on the way
home. You’ve got that
space where you need to
be by yourself and we can
both respect the fact that
it’s been a rough night.”
Whatever they’re doing,
it must be working. Meg
and David will celebrate 26
years of marriage this year.
They said it helps not to
take your spouse too seriously and it’s always easier
if you actually like each
other. The trick is to
remember that during
those occasional moments
of temporary amnesia.
“Because, while we’ve
see RICES, 21
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A&E
20 | February 5 - 18, 2014
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR
Feb. 6-9: “All My Sons” at
Parkview High School, 516 W.
Meadowmere, 7 p.m. Feb. 6-8 and 2
p.m. Feb. 9. Tickets: $10 for adults
and $8 for students/seniors. Info:
523-9300 or phstheatre.org
Feb. 7: First Friday Art Walk, a
self-guided art gallery tour of downtown Springfield, 6-10 p.m. Free.
Info: 862-2787, ext. 25; ffaw.org
Feb. 7: “The Mystery Hour,” a
live taping with host Jeff Houghton
and special guests at the Gillioz
Theatre, 325 Park Central East, 7
p.m. Tickets: $5. Reservations: themysteryhour.com/see-the-show-live
Courtesy of Commerce Bank
The Commerce Bank group poses with Sen. Roy Blunt during the 2010 Sertoma Chili Cook-off.
The spice of life
By Daniel Snyder
It’s time to spice it up at the 33rd
Annual Sertoma Chili Cook-off. The
event is one of Sertoma’s biggest
fundraisers for the Boys and Girls Club,
with all proceeds benefiting the club.
More than 10 bands will be performing, including Lilly Bee and the
Pollinators, Papa Green Shoes and
Flywheel and participants can vote on
their favorite chili.
This year, CFP caught up with a few
longtime chili cook-off contestants.
Larry Burns has participated for 11
years with his Business to Business group.
“It’s great fun; we have a
good time doing it,” he
said. “We draw a lot of
people in and we raise a
lot of money for the Boys
and Girls Club. We’ve gotten trophies for chili in
our category and it should Burns
be another wonderful turnout.”
Gerry Koeneman has been a participant for 15 years with the Local 152
Firefighters Union.
“The firefighters in this
area have always been really generous and we like to
support the community,”
he said.“The Sertoma club
does an excellent job of
supporting the Boys and
Koeneman
Girls club. It’s fun to get
together and cook some food.We raise a
lot of money that day; it’s probably one
of the best fundraisers.We always try to
improve our booth and offer a lot of vari-
25¢
CLOTHES
EVERYDAY
ety.The thing about firefighters is we’re
very competitive; in our division we
have always raised the most money and
we try to improve on that each year.”
Mark Gambon and members of his
team have participated
since the beginning with
Nixon and Linstrom
Insurance.
“I believe we have some
members on our team
from the very first year,” he
said. “We’ve always sup- Gambon
ported Sertoma and this is a great community event. Like always, we always
look forward to it.”
April Lindley has participated for
seven years with Commerce Bank.
“We’re passionate about
the cause,” she said.“We’re
a pretty competitive team
and we try to beat last
year’s team in money
raised and since we started in 2007, we raised over
$20,000.You really see the Lindley
impact that it makes
every year. I think it’s exciting; we like
to try and change our booths and our
costumes every year. We like to give
them something a little different.
There’s a lot of energy that goes into
the Chili Cook-off.”
The 33rd Annual Sertoma Chili Cookoff is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22 at the
Springfield Expo Center, 635 E. St. Louis
St.Tickets are available at Blue Bull, HyVee and Casey’s General Stores for $12
in advance $15 at the door.
Feb. 7: Nikki Hill presented by
Blues Down Under Concert
Series at Cartoons Bar & Grill,
1614 S. Glenstone Ave. 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10; $13 door. Purchase
advance tickets at Cartoons or
Kaleidoscope. Info: bluesdownunderconcertseries.com, 849-1009
Feb. 7: Sweets for the Sweet! at
Brentwood Branch Library, 2214
Brentwood Blvd., 3-4 p.m. Make
Valentine’s Day crafts and treats.
Grades 6-12. Free; registration
required. Info: 883-1974; thelibrary.org
Feb. 7: Junior Engineers at the
Brentwood Branch Library, 2214
Brentwood Blvd. 11 a.m. Materials provided. Grades 3-6. Free; registration
required. Info: 883-1974; thelibrary.org
Feb. 7: First Friday African
American History Trivia at Q’Enoteca, 308 W. Commercial St. 7 p.m.
Featuring music, dancing and raffles.
Tickets: $5; proceeds benefit NAACP
youth scholarships. Info: Stephanie
Goss, graduate assistant, 836-5652
Feb. 7-9: Lake Life Expo at the
Springfield Exposition Center, 635 St
Louis St. Noon to 9 p.m. Feb. 7; 10
a.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 8; 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Feb. 9 Admission: $5; free for
ages 12 and younger. Info: 3382828; lakelifeexpo.com
Feb. 8: International
Competition of Collegiate A
Cappella Quarterfinal hosted by
Varsity Vocals and MSU’s A Cub Bella
at Plaster Student Union theater, 1110
E. Madison St. 7 p.m. Tickets: $10;
$15 for MSU students; $18 for other
students. Info: 816-878-5155; ticketalternative.com/Events/26127.aspx
Feb. 8: Conservation TEEN
Club: Map And Compass at the
Springfield Conservation Nature
Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way,
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ages 12-17. Free;
registration required. Info: 888-4237
Feb. 8: “The Three Little
Pigs,” presented by Springfield
Regional Opera, Park Central Branch
Library, 128 Park Central Square,
1:30 p.m. Grades K-6. Free. Info:
882-0714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 8: Valentine’s Cabaret at
the Pythian Castle, 1451 E.
Pythian St. 7 p.m. Tickets: $40. Info:
865-1464; pythiancastle.com
Feb. 8: MoChip Child ID program
presented by Masonic United Lodge No.
5, Pathways United Methodist Church,
1232 E. Dale St. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Consists of digital photographs, digital
fingerprints, vital child information and
emergency contacts, a dental bite
impression and two laminated ID cards.
The photographs, fingerprints and child
data are burned onto a mini-CD that is
compatible with the Amber Alert system.
Free. Info: 268-7839; mochip.org
Feb. 8: “Low And Clear” fly-fishing film at the Moxie Cinema, 305 S.
Campbell Ave. 2-3:15 p.m. Ages 18
and older. Free. Info: 888-4237
Feb. 8: Midwest Regional Beer,
Wine, Cheese and Chocolate
Festival at Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave.
Noon to 4 p.m. More than 100 vendors. Tickets: $25 through Feb. 7 at
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, Price
Cutter stores and PFI Western Store.
Admission at the door is $30; free
parking. For ages 21 and older. Info:
833-2660; ozarkempirefair.com
Feb. 8: Kids in the Kitchen at HyVee, 1720 W. Battlefield Road, 11 a.m.
to noon, Ages 5 and older. Cost: $5.
Registration and info: 881-1950
Feb. 8: Moxie Mornings at
Moxie Cinema, 305 S. Campbell
Ave. 10 a.m. Ages 2-6. Free. Info:
429-0800; moxiecinema.com
Feb. 8: Nook Talk at Barnes &
Noble, 3055 S. Glenstone Ave. 10
a.m. Free. Info: 885-0026
Feb. 8: The Ozarks Chapter of
American Christian Writers meeting at University Heights Baptist
Church, 1010 S. National Ave. 10 a.m.
to noon. Registration and coffee open
by 9:45 a.m. Info: OzarksACW.org,
OzarksACW@yahoo.com
Feb. 8: Starlight Debonaires
Couples Dance at the Elks Club,
2223 E. Bennett St. 7:30-10:30 p.m.
Cost: $20. Info: 861-7051
Feb. 8: Sushi Saturday at the
Taste Culinary Classroom, Price
Cutter, 2021 W. Republic Road, 3-5
p.m. Cost $10. Register: pricecutteronline.com; taste@pricecutteronline.com Info: 829-9260
Outdoor World, 1935 S. Campbell
Ave. 9-11 a.m. Free; pre-registration
is required. Info: 887-7334, ext. 4043
Feb. 8-9: Antique Festival of
the Ozarks at the Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave. 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 8; 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Feb. 9 Admission: $5; free for
ages 11 and younger; free parking.
Info: 833-2660; ozarkempirefair.com;
heritageeventcompany.com
Feb. 9: MSU Concert Chorale at
St. Agnes Cathedral, 533 S. Jefferson
Ave. 7 p.m. Free. Info: 836-5182
Feb. 9: Sunday Concert Series:
Sac River Bluegrass at the
Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell
Ave. 2 p.m. All ages. Free. Info: 8820714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 10: Racing to Read Tiny
Tots Storytime at the Brentwood
Branch Library, 2214 Brentwood Blvd.
9:30 a.m. Info: 883-1974; at the Library
Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway,
10 a.m. Info: 865-1340. Newborn to
age 3. Free. Info: thelibrary.org
Feb. 10: Taco Talk: Mexican
and Native American Tacos at
the Taste Culinary Classroom, Price
Cutter, 2021 W. Republic Road, 6-8
p.m. Cost: $10. Register: pricecutteronline.com. Info: taste@pricecutteronline.com; 829-9260
Feb. 10: Loveable Creations:
part two at the Library Station,
2535 N. Kansas Expressway, 6 p.m.
Adults. Free; registration required.
Info: 865-1340; thelibrary.org
Feb. 10: Monday Madness at the
Midtown Carnegie Branch Library, 397
E. Central St. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Grades 25. Free. Info: 862-0135; thelibrary.org
Feb. 11: Bluebird Basics at the
Springfield Conservation Nature
Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way,
6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn about the state
bird and assemble a bluebird house
to take home. Free. Ages 5 and older
with adult mentor. Free; registration
begins Feb. 1. Info: 888-4237
Feb. 11: For the Love of Fiction
at the Library Center, 4653 S.
Campbell Ave. 6 p.m. Grades 6-12.
Free. Info: 882-0714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 11: Foreign Film Festival:
“Western,” not rated; French with
English subtitles at the Brentwood
Branch Library, 2214 Brentwood
Blvd. 6:30 p.m. Adults. Free. Info:
883-1974; thelibrary.org
Feb. 11: Step Afrika at the Plaster
Student Union Theater, 1110 E.
Madison St. 7 p.m. Free. Info: 836-4626
Feb. 8, 22: Fly Casting
Workshops at Bass Pro Shops
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see EVENTS, 23
Community Free Press
A&E
| www.cfpmidweek.com
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
21
RICES, from 19
CHECK IT OUT
The Sixth Annual ARC of the Ozarks Hunt & Fish Outdoor Show
The Sixth Annual ARC of the Ozarks Hunt & Fish Outdoor Show is the premier outdoors equipment show in Springfield. The
show has attracted over
15,000 shoppers and vendors
with more than 140 booths for
its second year at the
Springfield Exposition Center,
635 St. Louis St. The event
takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Feb. 15 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Feb. 16. During the first five
years, the show has raised
over $75,000 to benefit the
Arc of the Ozarks. The show
features vendors with the
newest hunting, fishing and
other outdoors equipment
from throughout the Midwest.
Activities include an airgun
Courtesy of ARC of the Ozarks
range, a live trout pond from
Mountain Springs Trout Park, a The 6th Annual Hunt and Fish Outdoor Show will be at the
Springfield Expo Center for the second year.
miniature horse, Dickey’s BBQ
and 50 more vendors than
previous years. Seminars will also be presented about specific hunting and fishing topics. Tickets
are $3 in advance or $5 at the door. It is free for ages 12 and under. For more information, contact
Danielle McCallum at 864-7887 or visit thearcoftheozarks.org
Midwest Regional Beer, Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Festival
Wine and cheese go together like peas and carrots, but what about beer and chocolate?
Well now is your chance to taste some wine, cheese,
beer and chocolate from 100 different vendors at the
Second Annual Midwest Regional Beer, Wine, Cheese and
Chocolate Festival at Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, 3001 N.
Grant Ave. A VIP pairings dinner will be held 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 7. It will feature a four-course meal from Dining by
Design and Gigi’s Cupcakes. During the dinner, craft beer
and wine will be paired with each course. Tickets for the
dinner are $60 and include a ticket to the festival noon to
4 p.m. Feb. 8. Tickets for the festival are $25 in advance or
$30 at the door. The event is sponsored by the Missouri
Wine and Grape Board. A portion of the proceeds will
benefit the American Cancer Society. Seating is limited for
the dinner and tickets can be ordered by calling 833-2660 or by visiting ozarkempirefair.com.
Attendees must be 21 years of age or older.
K-5 students and parents get
to learn about engineering
The Missouri Society of Professional
Engineers Ozarks Chapter is bringing the
Discover Engineering Day to Springfield
Feb. 22. The day will be full of activities
to teach K-5 students and their parents
about the nuts and bolts of engineering.
The activity-based event will introduce
students to science process skills and
may peak their interest in an excellent career path. A recent study in the Journal of
Engineering Education found that only 6 percent of first through fifth-graders understood engineers to be the people who design things. Most students thought they drove
trains. The event aims to dispel this myth with interactive and informative learning tools.
The new venue is at The Plaster Center, 405 N. Jefferson Ave. To help out or for more
information, contact Matthew Pierson at 837-2320 or MatthewPierson@MissouriState.edu.
been married, I’ve
always loved my wife,”
David said.“But there are
times that I haven’t really liked her.”
Meg followed with a
swiftly uttered,“Ditto.”
And though the Rices
don’t have big plans for
Valentine’s Day, they
have recently started a
new project that pays
homage to the more
romantic era of the radio
drama. Meg got the idea
for Radio Heyday when
she was talking to an
actor friend who could
no longer commit the
time required for live theatre productions.
“I got to thinking that
it was such a shame,”
Meg said.“I know a lot of
actors who are like that,
who can’t necessarily
commit the time or
maybe aren’t physically
up to the role but are
still really talented and I
thought maybe I could
find something for them
to do.”
Now, there are 11
shows on the Radio
Heyday site, several in
the wings and 18 more
waiting backstage. The
plan is to produce three
a month and the scripts
are coming in from all
over the country. The
project uses the talents
of around 150 people
overall. Meg is thrilled
that the show is being
very well-received.
“I’m the first one to
tell everybody that
when I came up with
this idea, I didn’t know
what I was doing,” Meg
said.“My strengths are:
I may not know what
I’m doing but I know
someone who does.
Check out Radio
Heyday at radioheyday.com.
Spyglass
Seasoned Treasures Unusual Frippery and Finery
Gifts Florals’
Antiques Vintage Furniture
Handcrafted Jewelry Local Artists
SILVER CENTER 2014 S. Stewart Ave
(behind the Plaza Shopping Center)
Mon-Sat 10-5
Stuffcoop.com
(Mention FREE PRESS for 10% OFF non-sale items)
Antique
“Always On the Look-Out!”
EMPORIUM
Antiques & Uniques
We Buy Antiques • Unique & Unusual Treasures
417-315-8572
Tuesday thru Saturday 10 - 6
1950 S. Glenstone, Ste T. East of Half
Priced Books (Between Glenstone and Stewart)
Valentines Day Shrimp Dinner $11.99
A&E
22 | February 5 - 18, 2014
IN BRIEF, from 19
■
To submit ideas for a local
Delightful Dish, email
editor@cfpmidweek.com
Catherine, who in the wake
of her father’s death must
struggle with the idea that
she may have not only
inherited his mathematical
genius, but his mental illness too. She finds that she
must also struggle to prove
the authenticity and
authorship of a paradigmshifting proof about prime
numbers that is found on
her father’s desk after his
death. “Proof” is directed
by Dr. Carol J. Maples.
Admission is $14 for adults,
$12 for students/seniors
and $8 in advance with an
MSU ID. To purchase tickets, call 836-7678, visit missouristatetix.com or drop
by the box office 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
An unforgettable Valentine
Pappo’s Pizzeria
Dish: Margherita Pizza
Cost: Small $8, Medium $15, Large $18
Address: 221 E. Walnut Ave.
Hours: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Monday – Wednesday; 11 a.m. – 2
a.m. Thursday – Saturday; 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 866-1111
Online: PapposPizzeria.com
By Dillan Conn
Valentine’s Day is coming up and not everyone is
looking for the fanciest of dining choices on this
often romantic evening. Romance, after all is a subjective term. Some might enjoy a quiet night at
home with some Chinese take-out, others may make
a fine meal for that special person, but if your guy or
gal is a red-blooded American with a penchant for
cheese and beer, Pappo’s Pizzeria might just be a
cute date night.
CFP tried one of Pappo’s sexiest pies, the
Margherita pizza. Settled on homemade, hand
stretched dough, the Margherita pizza starts like all
of Pappo’s food, with the freshest ingredients. A thin
layer of red sauce is spread before plump, juicy
tomatoes are sliced and spaced across the top. A
soft mozzarella and swiss blend is then laid on and
around the pie surface before fresh chopped basil
and another cheese—feta—is added.
The pizza is now place into a classic stone oven,
allowing the pizza to edge closer to a crispy crust
while the toppings and cheeses melt together in luxurious harmony. The finishing move to this impressive
pizza is a swirl of homemade gourmet balsamic vinegar reduction sauce, bringing a sweet and salty finish
everyone can get behind.
Pappo’s is one of Springfield’s newest pizza joints and it
has quickly become a local favorite for artisan pizza lovers.
This youthful venture was started by a couple of 20-somethings and their passion for good food is coupled with a
passion for good wine and fine craft beers.
Make your sweetie feel
extra special with a Singing
Valentine by Ozark
Showcase, a chapter of
Sweet Adelines
International. One of their
quartets will deliver two
songs in four-part harmony.
The $35 price includes a
card, a rose and two boxed
cupcakes from Star
Cakes—so all of your bases
will be covered. To schedule a Valentine delivery, call
890-6212. For more information about Ozark
Showcase, visit ozarkshowcase.org. Radiate Quartet
will also be offering singing
Valentines Feb. 14. For
onsite delivery of two
songs and two cupcakes
within a four-hour window,
the cost is $35. For delivery within a specific 15minute window, the cost is
$40. To order in advance,
call 754-8305. To order on
Valentine’s Day, call 4593995. For more information, email radiatequartet@gmail.com or visit radiatequartet.com.
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Always a bridesmaid; never
a bride
Being a bridesmaid is hard
enough and wearing the
dress is only half of the trouble. Audiences are invited to
Craig Hall Balcony Theatre,
1147 E. Grand St. for the
Missouri State University
Theatre Department’s production of “Five Women
Wearing the Same Dress,”
7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-21 and 2728. At an over-the-top
Southern wedding reception,
five bridesmaids have no
desire to participate in the
party. Hiding out together,
the five very different
women share their perspectives on love, sex and relationships, only to discover
that they have more in common than the dresses
they’ve been forced to wear.
Dr. Telory Davies directs the
witty Alan Ball play.
Admission is $14 for adults,
$12 for students/seniors and
$8 in advance with an MSU
ID. To purchase tickets, call
836-7678, visit missouristatetix.com or drop by the
box office 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday-Friday.
TAYLOR’S
Fresh Ground Daily Since 1947
Cash
Only!
A Symphony Valentine
Lovers young and old
alike will enjoy Springfield
Symphony Orchestra’s
romantic Valentine’s concert inspired by the art and
beauty of Italy 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 15 at Juanita K.
Hammons Hall for the
Performing Arts, 525 S.
John Q. Hammons
Parkway. The evening will
begin with the suite from
Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, followed by Scarlatti’s first
Concerto Grosso and concluding with Mendelssohn’s
Italian Symphony.
Admission is $17-33. Tickets
can be purchased by calling 836-7678, visiting hammonshall.com or dropping
by the box office 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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The Food You Grew Up With
OPEN: 11am-10pm 7 Days a Week
Mexican Villa El Taco
1595 W. Jackson
Ozark | 582-0600
Mexican Villa El Taco
316 W. Kearney |
869-4340
Mexican Villa West
1110 W. Sunshine |
886-7292
Mexican Villa
1408 S. National
869-4459
Mexican Villa
Comida
434 S. Glenstone |
831-6196
Mexican Villa South
2755 S. Campbell |
883-1040
www.mexicanvilla.net
Mexican Villa East
1337 E Sunshine |
887-1010
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
EVENTS, from 20
Feb. 11: Sid the Science KidLive! presented by David B.
McQueary Family Theatre Series at
the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the
Performing Arts, 525 John Q.
Hammons Parkway, 7 p.m. Tickets:
$17. Info: hammonshall.com; 8367678; 888-476-7849
2-6; no organized groups. Free; no registration required. Info: 888-4237
Feb. 12-13: Tunnel of
Oppression at Wells House Grand
Lounge, 901 S. National Ave. 6 p.m.
An interactive campus-wide diversity
program in which actors put on scenarios for participants to experience.
Free. Info: 836-4390
Feb. 12: Heart-Healthy Store
Tour at Hy-Vee, 1720 W. Battlefield
Road, 10-11 a.m. Free. Registration
and info: 881-1950
Feb. 13: Behind the Baton at
Newk’s, 2639 S. Glenstone Ave. 5:30
p.m. Free. Info: 864-6683; springfieldmosymphony.org
Feb. 12: Racing to Read Tiny
Tots Storytime at the Library
Center, 4653 S. Campbell Ave. 10
a.m. Newborn to age 3. Free. Info:
882-0714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 13: Community Arts in
Action at the Park Central Branch
Library, 128 Park Central Square, 79 p.m. Learn about creative events
happening on Boonville Avenue.
Adults; free; registration required.
Info: 831-1342
Feb. 12: Tablescapes:
Valentine’s Day Dinner at the
Springfield Botanical Center, 2400 S.
Scenic Ave. 6 p.m. Receive ideas for
table settings, floral arrangements
and menu selection for a special dinner. Ages 15 and older. Fee: $10.
Registration and info: 891-1515
Feb. 12: Curious about
Curries? cooking class at the Taste
Culinary Classroom, Price Cutter,
2021 W. Republic Road, 6-8 p.m.
Cost: $10. Registration: pricecutteronline.com; Info: 829-9260,
taste@pricecutteronline.com
Feb. 12: Genealogy Workshop
at the Library Center, 4653 S.
Campbell Ave. 9:30 a.m. Adults.
Free. Info: 882-0714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 12: Craft Day at the Library at
the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library,
397 E. Central St. 3-4 p.m. Grades 612. Free. Info: 862-0135; thelibrary.org
Feb. 12: Story Time with Ms.
Ladybug at the Springfield
Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S.
Nature Center Way, 11-11:30 a.m. Ages
Feb. 13: Scotty McCreery at the
Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central
East, 8 p.m. Tickets: $35-$75 Info:
863-9491; gillioztheatre.com
Feb. 13: Cooking for the New You:
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth at Hy-Vee,
1720 W. Battlefield Road, 6-8 p.m. Cost:
$10. Register: Info: 881-1950
Feb. 13: Game It! at Midtown
Carnegie Branch Library, 397 E.
Central St. 3 p.m. Grades 6-12. Free.
Info: 862-0135; thelibrary.org
Feb. 13: Learn How to Check
Out Library E-books: App Class
at the Library Station, 2535 N.
Kansas Expressway. 2 p.m. Adults.
Free; registration required. Info: 8651340; thelibrary.org
Feb. 13-14, 16, 24-26:
“Proof,” presented by MSU department of theater and dance at the
Craig Hall Balcony Theatre, 1147 E.
Grand St. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13-14, 2426 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16. Tickets:
$14; $12 for students and seniors or
A&E
$8 in advance with a MSU Bear Pass
Card. Info: 836-4644. Tickets: missouristatetix.com
Feb. 14: The Avett Brothers at
the JQH Arena, 685 S. John Q.
Hammons Parkway, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$38.75. Info: 836-7678;
888-476-7849; missouristatetix.com
Feb. 14: “The 100-year-old Man
Who Climbed Out the Window
and Disappeared,” Northview Book
Club, Northview Center, 301 E.
Talmage St. 10:30 a.m. Senior adults.
Free. No registration is necessary. Info:
837-5808; thelibrary.org
Feb. 14: Culture Night at the
Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas
Expressway, 6-8 p.m. Grades 6-12.
Free. Info: 865-1340; thelibrary.org
Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Table for
Two at the Taste Culinary Classroom,
Price Cutter, 2021 W. Republic Road, 68 p.m. Prepare an elegant meal. Cost:
$10. Registration and info: pricecutteronline.com; taste@pricecutteronline.com; 829-9260
Feb. 14: Valentine’s Dinner and
Dance at the Pythian Castle, 1451
E. Pythian St. 7 p.m. Tickets: $40.
Info: 865-1464; pythiancastle.com
Feb. 14: Love is in the Air at the
Midtown Carnegie Branch Library,
397 E. Central St. 10-11 a.m. Craft
materials provided. All ages. Free.
Info: 862-0135; thelibrary.org
Feb. 14: “Un-Valentine’s Day”
Party at the Midtown Carnegie
Branch Library, 397 E. Central St. 34 p.m. Grades 6-12. Free. Info: 8620135; thelibrary.org
Feb. 14: ‘Tween Town: String
Art at the Library Station, 2535 N.
Kansas Expressway, 4-6 p.m. Grades
4-8. Free; material provided. Info:
865-1340; thelibrary.org
February 5 - 18, 2014
|
23
862-8681; springfieldcontra.org
Feb. 14-17: 17th Annual
National Great Backyard Bird
Count! with the Greater Ozarks
Audubon Society at the Springfield
Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S.
Nature Center Way, 9-11 a.m. Info:
birdsource.org/gbbc
Feb. 14-15, 16, 23 20-21, 28,
March 1-2: Ain’t Misbehavin,’
presented by Springfield
Contemporary Theatre, at the theater’s new location, Center Stage,
Wilhoit Plaza Building, 431 S.
Jefferson Ave., Suite 136, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 14-15, 20-21, 28-March 1; 2
p.m. Feb. 16, 23 and March 2.
Tickets: $22 ($20 for opening weekend); $10 student rush, cash only or
$12 charge. Info: 831-8001; springfieldcontemporarytheatre.org
Feb. 14-16: Lawn and Garden
Show at the Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave. 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 14-15; 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. Feb. 16. Admission: $4; free
for ages 12 and younger. Info: 8332660; ozarkempirefair.com
Feb. 14-15: Ultimate Indoor
Enduro at the Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave.
7:30-10:30 p.m. Tickets: $15; $8
child; $44 family pass. Info: 8636353; motorheadevents.com
Feb. 15: Discovery Table:
Backyard Birds And You at the
Springfield Conservation Nature
Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way,
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All ages. Free; no
registration required. Info: 888-4237
Feb. 15: Contra Dance presented
by Traditional Dance & Music
Society at the Northview Center, 301
E. Talmage St. 7 p.m. lessons, dancing 7:30-10:30 p.m. Admission: $6;
$4 for students and members. Info:
Feb. 15: Maker Workshop —
Stop Action Animation at the
Discovery Center, 438 St. Louis St.
10 a.m. to noon or 1-3 p.m. Ages 7
and older. Cost for members: $35 for
parent/child duo; $40 for non-members. Pre-registration and pre-payment required. Info: 862-9910; discoverycenter.org
Feb. 15: “Batman: Live On
Stage,” 8 p.m. and “Buffy the
Vampire Slayer: Staged Parodies,”
10 p.m. presented by A Class Act
Productions, Skinny Improv, 308
South Ave. Info: 766-3139; aclassact@georgecron.com
Feb. 15: Springfield Symphony:
An Evening in Italy at the Juanita
K. Hammons Hall for the Performing
Arts, 525 John Q. Hammons
Parkway, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $17-$33.
Info: 836-7678; 888-476-7849; missouristatetix.com. 864-6683; springfieldmosymphony.org
Feb. 15: SingleMomzRock
Valentine’s Banquet at the
Messiah Lutheran Church, 925 E.
Seminole St. 6-8 p.m. Free.
Registration: singlemomzrock.com
Feb. 15-16: The ARC of the
Ozarks Hunt & Fish Outdoor
Show at the Springfield Exposition
Center, 635 St. Louis St. 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Feb. 15; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb.
16. Admission: $3 advance; $5 door;
free for ages 12 and younger. Info:
864-7887
Feb. 16: Pins and Grins
Bowlathon for Greyhound Pets
of America at Enterprise Lanes,
1625 S. Enterprise Ave. 2-4 p.m.
Cost: $15. Info: 840-7820; agreyhound@mchsi.com
Feb. 16: SRO Lyric Theatre’s
Operazzi at the Creamery Arts
Center, 411 N. Sherman Ave. 5-7
p.m. Free opera, jazz and musical
theater open mic night. Info: 8631960; srolyrictheatre.org
Feb. 17: Film and Discussion:
“Eyes on the Prize, Episode 4, No
Easy Walk, 1962-1966,” at the BartleyDecatur Center, 918 W. Calhoun St. 35 p.m. Free. Info: Christy Hyman, MSU
History Instructor. Info: 836-4547
Feb. 17: Living with Diabetes at
Hy-Vee, 1720 W. Battlefield Road, 67 p.m. Free. Info: 881-1950
Feb. 15: President’s Day
Bonanza at the Library Center, 4653
S. Campbell Ave. 11:30 a.m. K-6.
Free. Info: 882-0714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 18: “Doctor Who” Crew at
the Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell
Ave. 6 p.m. Grades 6-12. Free. Info:
882-0714; thelibrary.org
Feb. 15-16: Open call auditions
for MSU’s 2014 summer productions for Tent Theatre, Craig Hall,
1147 E. Grand St. Productions
include: “Forever Plaid,” “You Can’t
Take It With You” and “Fiddler on the
Roof.” Audition times can be reserved
online at tenttheatre.com. Those
applying for a technical position
should download the online application and submit it by Feb. 14. Contact:
Mark Templeton, Info: 836-4644
Feb. 18: Badge Bonanza at the
Springfield Conservation Nature
Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way,
6:30-8 p.m. Ages 6 and older. Free;
registration required. Info: 888-4237
Feb. 18: Science Sprouts
Storytime with the Discovery
Center at the Park Central Branch
Library, 397 E. Central St. 10 a.m.
Newborn to age 6. Free. Info: 8311342; thelibrary.org
24 | February 5 - 18, 2014
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press