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FEBRUARY 11 - 24, 2015
FreePress
Community
Get green and grow!
The Lawn & Garden Show
celebrates 25th year this
month at the Fairgrounds.
Page 13
YOUR LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER OF THE SPRINGFIELD AREA | www.cfpmidweek.com
Kid
creations
Community garden plan
A New Leaf teaches
sustainability and the value
of nature and creativity
■
■
Photos by Jana Bounds
A New Leaf Creativity Center is located at the
corner of East Cherry St. and Union Ave. (Right)
8-year-old Erik Duff and Jennifer Grace discuss
big plans for a kid-grown community garden.
Learn more on page 6.
FEATURED THIS ISSUE
Locally Owned:
Bohannon Auto Services:
how plans for a lake house
became a business. Pg 10
Homeless Court another
step in right direction
A&E ............................13
Program geared to
reduce numbers of
homeless in jail
Business ..................10
By James Hanson
www.cfpmidweek.com
■
INDEX
Events ......................15
Home & Garden ....12
Upfront ......................2
Viewpoints ................9
Look for our
next issue:
Wed. February 25
While The Kitchen Inc.
continues its movement
into new housing models
that are more effective to
help end homelessness,
the organization is also
involved with the new
Homeless Court, which
began in January.
The new program was
created
by
the
Springfield Municipal
Court, the Springfield
Police Department, the
city prosecutor’s office,
Legal
Services
of
Southwest Missouri and
community
homeless
services agencies such as
Burrell
Behavioral
Health,The Kitchen Inc.,
and Clarity Recovery.
The program’s goal is
to remove an important
obstacle from the path
out of homelessness:
unresolved legal issues.
It is modeled after the
first homeless court program in the nation, created in San Diego in 1989,
and it came about as the
result of work done by
the Springfield Homeless
Task Force. Annie Busch
co-chaired that task
force.
“We were looking at
best practices on how to
help the homeless,” she
said. “One of those was
homeless court. It keeps
people out of jail and
provides some services
to stabilize their life and
keep from having troubles again.”
Busch said homeless
persons sometimes get
in trouble for minor
offenses like panhandling, urinating in public
and trespassing.
“They get a fine and
can’t pay it, so they had
to go to jail,” she said.
“That doesn’t help tax-
”
The assault and death of Hailey shook our
community. To think that if we had a more
responsive Amber Alert system, we might have
saved her life. That is something I don’t take lightly.
– Rep. Eric Burlison, R-133
Rep. Burlison
One Year Later: Community
marks the anniversary of
the Hailey Owens tragedy
■
Legislators work to improve Amber Alert System in wake of Owens’ death
By CFP Staff
One year ago, the Springfield community was shocked, grieved and outraged over the abduction and brutal
murder of 10-year-old Hailey Owens.
Residents continue to work toward a
safer future as the tragedy’s Feb. 18
anniversary approaches.
Thousands of motorcycle riders will
take to the streets for Hailey’s Heroes
Second Annual Benefit Ride, Feb. 22, to
keep Owens’ memory alive and to raise
money for children’s charities. The
American Legion Post 639, under the
leadership of Commander Mike
Goforth, will host the event, starting at
10 a.m.
“Our long-term goals are to keep
public awareness of this tragedy so it
doesn’t happen to any other children,”
Tanita Waggoner, an organizer for the
ride, said.
Raffles, auctions and concession
sales will raise money for the
Hailey’s Heroes Endowment
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2 | February 11-24, 2015
Upfront
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
Come together
Chris Albert on the Daredevils
and music in the ‘70s » Page 4
e-mail [email protected]
Outgoing Seifried hopes public discussion continues
laughing. “She is gifted
when it comes to her
By Jana Bounds
consider. She also said he communication style.”
It’s a bittersweet time is just the kind of person
Seifried said that what
for Councilman and needed to serve on coun- appears as argument
Mayor Pro Tem, Jeff cil, “somebody who is between councilmembers
Seifried, who officially willing to stick his neck is actually progress in
resigns from city council out.”
motion.
this Friday the 13th (a
According to Seifried,
“I know what it must
coincidence, he says), he and Rushefsky had look like to the general
three years to the day some difficulty getting public, because we go
from when he became along in the beginning.
back and forth and we
councilman for Zone 1.
“Cindy’s
comments argue or express different
He is to becomewill move were special for me, opinions often, which is
forward as the new presi- because she was not in what it’s supposed to be
dent and CEO of the favor of me coming on about,” he said. “But ultiBranson Convention and council. We had a rocky mately, we have a high
Visitors
Bureau
and start early on,” he said. “I level of respect for each
Chamber
of
other because we
Commerce and
all
understand
We’re a small city that has
will be leaving
we’re coming at
grown up and we now
his current posithis from differhave big city issues to deal with
tion as manager
ent angles and we
and we have to deal with them
of regional develhave a responsiopment for the
bility to move the
in the appropriate manner.
Springfield Area
ball forward. So
– Councilman Jeff Seifried
Chamber
of
you can’t get
Commerce.
caught up in
Seifried said
petty moments.”
that serving on council had assumptions about
He says Springfield is in
has been an honor that her. She had made a moment of transition –
was both challenging and assumptions about me. in every aspect.
rewarding. But, he warns, And frankly, I think what
“We’re a small city that
“You have to be thick we found out is those has grown up and we now
skinned. You have to assumptions were wrong have big city issues to deal
respect citizens’ opinions. and that, really, we were with and we have to deal
Otherwise, you shouldn’t on the same page as far as with them in the appropribe in politics.”
working together.”
ate manner,” he said.
He sees public involveThe
discussion
of
Whether with regard to
ment as a vital piece of Rushefsky’s small stature, public safety or social
the puzzle that makes but big impact on council issues, he encourages resigovernment work.
surfaced. He says he appre- dents to keep the discus“I really appreciate and ciates her willingness to sion going.
have always encouraged challenge the status quo.
“I think the point we
people to speak out and
“She means well and stop progressing as a comget involved on these she’s passionate – it’s the munity is when we are
issues that we deal with same thing for all the unwilling to discuss
on council. Otherwise, the council people, but she issues,” he said.
system is broken. It’s has a special skill when it
Seifried is proud of is
meant for input,” he said. comes to lighting a fire – the
community-driven
“And I think at which or speaking with a moti- Moon
City
Creative
time elected officials vating tone,” he said while District: the re-designating
decide not to accept or
welcome that input, is a
failure of the system.”
Cindy Rushefsky said
some words regarding his
announcement at the
Feb.ruary 9 council meeting. She began by poking
fun at their tendency to
quarrel. “I would just like
to add a few things and I
know that Jeff is getting
worried already,” she said
Catering
chuckling.
for
all your
She
complimented
Special Events
Seifried on his ability to
take issues to heart,
research them and “come
Mon - Thrs 11am-9pm; FRI 11am-10pm;
up with some very creSAT 7:30am-10pm; SUN 7:30am-9pm
ative and innovative
883-6767 2020 E Primrose Spfd,Mo
options” for council to
■
Councilman to resign after three years in office
”
and rezoning of a neighborhood to allow for
home-based business and,
“a way to look differently
at the economy is a huge
deal.” He is also proud of
the huge steps in the
downtown
redevelopment effort that began
before he was on council.
He believes in creating a
welcoming community
with a strong city center.
“It’s critical to long-term
success
economically
when we’re trying to
attract new talented workers to the area and when
we’re trying to attract companies,” he said.
In the beginning, three
years ago, nearly everyone
near and dear to him
warned him off public
office. But, he wanted to
contribute. Now, it is
someone else’s turn, and
he would like to see
someone with a purity of
purpose get his seat.
“There will be an
I will miss ribbing back and
forth. There
are many
times when I
probably held
my tongue
when I wanted
to say something, but it
was all in
good fun. –
Councilman
Jeff Seifried in
response to
Councilwoman
Cindy
Rushefsky
saying she
appreciates
his sense of
humor and
that he has
both given
and taken a
lot of ribbing
over the years.
Photo by Jana Bounds
appointment process. I
would encourage those
who are passionate about
serving the community –
not those who have a single agenda or a single
issue – this is your time to
step up and present your
case on why you should
be appointed to city
council to fulfill the
remainder of the term.”
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Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Scooter ordinance passes
Helmet, insurance,
license required for
operating a scooter
■
By Jana Bounds
Councilman
Doug
Burlison’s first attempt to
amend the scooter ordinance, to remove the burden of financial responsibility on behalf of scooter
drivers, was greeted with
applause from citizens in
council chambers and
silence from his peers at
the Feb. 9 council meeting. His motion was not
seconded.
He
then
motioned to table the
issue for further research.
Again, no one seconded.
The ordinance passed by
a vote of eight to one,
with Burlison in opposi-
”
I’m not a
believer that
mandates are the
best policy, especially when they
impede on a person’s natural right
to travel, add
another distraction
to law enforcement, and place an
unnecessary financial hurdle on
some of our more
economically fragile residents.
— Councilman
Doug Burlison
Coucil decision timely after fatality crash
involving a moped
On Jan. 31, the Springfield Police Department was
dispatched to an injury crash near Atlantic and
Boonville. A moped, driven by Jeffery D. Anderson,
53, of Springfield, was traveling westbound on
Atlantic in front of a Chevrolet Avalanche driven by
Allen K. Grisham, 45, of Springfield. The front of the
Chevrolet struck the rear of the moped, causing
injury to the female passenger of the moped, Brenda
Roy, 54, of Springfield. Roy was transported to
Mercy where she later died of her injuries. Anderson
and Grisham were not injured, but Anderson was
arrested at the scene for Driving While Intoxicated,
and the crash is under investigation.
tion. Some individuals
abruptly left chambers
after the decision was
made.
As a result of the decision, Springfield now has
an ordinance requiring
operators of scooters and
motorized bicycles to be
licensed, have proof of
insurance, wear protective head gear and no
longer carry passengers.
“I feel like this ordinance
is really going to place a hurdle for people needing to
conduct
transportation
within the city… some of
the poorest travelers on our
streets will be effected by
this bill,” Burlison said at the
meeting.“And I think if we
enact this, if it does pass, it
will place undue burden on
people trying to get to work
and support their families
that get there by scooter.”
Councilman Jeff Seifried
said, on the day following
the vote, that he has always
respected Burlison’s willingness to stand alone.
“The difficulty about
being on council is once
you really start digging into
any issue – I don’t care what
it is – there are sometimes
six ways to cut that issue
apart. The challenge is staying focused and true to yourself and your constituents
on the platform that you ran
on and the word that you
give to your constituents.
Councilman Burlison does
that time and time again,and
I give him credit.”
Burlison says that he
heard from many of his
constituents who were
opposed to the proposal,
and while citizen discontent affirmed his initial
stance, the outcome was
less than desirable.
“I’m not a believer that
mandates are the best policy, especially when they
impede on a person’s natural right to travel, add
another distraction to law
enforcement, and place
an unnecessary financial
hurdle on some of our
more economically fragile
residents,” he said.
Marijuana legalization could
be up for a vote in 2016
On Feb. 10, Missouri Secretary of State
Jason Kander announced that an initiative
petition related to legalizing marijuana met
state standards for circulation.The official
ballot title for the initiative petition 2016013 reads as follows:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
— legalize marijuana for personal, medical, and commercial purposes;
— release all persons who have non-violent, marijuana-related offenses from incarceration, probation, and parole, and
expunge the records of their offenses; and
— prohibit state funds and law enforcement from being used to enforce federal
marijuana laws?
State government expects annual operating costs starting at $900,000 and an
unknown increase in public health costs,
possibly offset by unknown savings in the
criminal justice system. Possible increased
sales tax revenue is unknown. The fiscal
impact to local governments is unknown.
Nicholas Raines, of Kansas City, submitted the petition, which would amend
Article IV of the Missouri Constitution.
Before any constitutional changes can be
brought before Missouri voters in the
November 2016 election,signatures must be
obtained from registered voters equal to
eight percent of the total votes cast in the
2012 governor’s election and from six of the
state’s eight congressional districts.
Signatures on behalf of all initiative petitions
for the 2016 ballot are due to the secretary of
state’s office by May 8,2016.
State law requires that groups must first
have the form of their petition approved
by the secretary of state and attorney general before circulation. The secretary of
state then prepares a summary statement,
and the state auditor prepares a fiscal
impact statement, both of which are subject to the approval of the attorney general. When both statements are approved,
they become the official ballot title.
February 11 - 24, 2015
|
3
Upfront
4 | February 11-24, 2015
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
15 MINUTES
WITH…
Life is musical
Chris Albert on the
evolution of Springfield’s
music scene
By Jana Bounds
Chris Albert was here for the
music revolution of Springfield
in the 1960s and ‘70s, a time
when barefoot college kids
packed every place that offered
live tunes. It was an era when
music was everything. It was
connection, expression, camaraderie and soul. He helped
organize the popular Finley River
Rock Festival. He played music
with members of the Ozark
Mountain Daredevils when they
were on the cusp of stardom. He
left the Ozarks in the late 1970s,
chasing Willie Nelson to Texas,
but returned in 1989.
What is music to you?
It’s my life. I’ve always loved
music. I was born with a voice,
been singing since I was five
years old . . . My folks bought me
a guitar when I was 14. I was
into folk music. I just love all
aspects of it. I’ve been a roadie,
a record producer, and a concert promoter, owned nightclubs, played in dozens of
bands. I’m a songwriter and a
music publisher. I have a record
label. It’s everything I always
wanted to do. But, I’ve always
been the bridesmaid and never
the bride. I’ve always been on
the cutting edge, but I’ve never
been a big star.
Tell us about the old days,
when the music scene was
booming.
We used to have concerts at
least once a month on Sunday
afternoons out at Lake
Springfield. The whole field
Courtesy Chris Albert
Stevie Richardson, Randy Chowning (founding member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils), Sherie Peters, John Mitchell (drummer) and Chris Albert perform at Lake
Springfield in 1972. Tommy Whitlock, who won a Grammy Award and Golden Globe for co-writing “Take My Breath Away” for the “Top Gun” soundtrack, is in the first
row (middle) and Jim Wunderle, a beloved local musician, who played a role in creating the annual “Imagine Concert” to benefit local nonprofits, is on the right.
would just be packed full of
people. Even at SMS when I
went there in 1968, every
Friday there would be a music
concert at the student union,
two or three bands would go in
there and they’d play, and the
student union paid for it . . .And
the campus was always vibrant
and all the musicians played in
the houses around there. There
was just this huge music scene.
”
It’s everything I
always wanted
to do. But, I’ve
always been the
bridesmaid and
never the bride. I’ve
always been on the
cutting edge, but
I’ve never been a
big star.
– Chris Albert, musician
and entrepreneur
What happened?
When piracy came into play –
downloads — then everything
just
changed
completely.
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Technology is wonderful, but it
has its faults and it’s done some
serious damage . . . You used to
have all these studios, now,
you’ve got samples. You don’t
need musicians; you can do it all
pretty much at home. It’s all digitized. It’s a lot easier.
You owned Fernando’s in
Reeds Spring, which was a
major music venue. Tell us
about it.
In four years I turned it from an
empty building into a national
club. I was getting calls from all
over the country — people passing through wanting to play
there.I had John Hartford there (a
Grammy Award winner who
played a role in the creation of the
“O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
soundtrack). Michael Brewer (of
the folk band Brewer and Shipley,
who also wrote songs recorded
by the Byrds, and the Nitty Gritty
Dirt Band) and a lot of the guys,
they liked it because it reminded
them a lot of the folk clubs of the
‘60s.They could get up there and
perform the way they wanted to .
. . I treated the musicians like
artists and that’s why they kept
coming back, because they got a
first-rate deal.
There is an intimacy to
live music and camaraderie
between music lovers. Why
are fewer people interested
in live music?
My generation still goes out. It
was a part of our culture. We
look at the social factor.We like
the social factor. But, the
younger generation, their social
factor is at home now, they have
parties at home, with the big
screen… If it’s older guys playing music, the kids kind of stick
their noses up and walk out,
because you’re old.What is that?
If it’s good and you like it, why
aren’t you enjoying it? . . .
There’s something about going
and seeing somebody live . . .
and really getting into what
they’re doing and seeing how
well they can grab the audience, without balloons and fireworks and all that stuff.
What do you think is one
of the major issues with the
music industry today?
Everything is fragmented . . .
When FM first came out . . . you
would hear Four Tops, a Beatles
cut, then you’d hear some other
British band, then you’d hear
the Beach Boys and some
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Albert in Brief
Name: Chris Albert
Professional experience: 45
years of experience as a musician, producer and songwriter.
Hometown: Born in
California and moved to the
Ozarks in 1966. Graduated
from Ozark High School.
Left Missouri in 1976 for
Dallas, but returned in 1989
to work in Branson.
Family: Daughter, Raquisha
What makes him interesting: I’m creative, persistent,
strong-willed, open-minded
and curious. Rumors make
rock and roll, what the hell?
Don’t judge me by your
actions. — Chris Albert
California rock band or something. You heard it all . . . The
Billboard 100 was all music
played on the radio stations.
Now, you go to Billboard and
you’ve got rap, hip-hop, they’ve
broken down rock, you’ve got
alternative renaissance and
Nuevo this and alternative rap,
heavy metal, . . . bluegrass etc.,
and after a while, you’ve created
these little groups. We’ve taken
40 years of trying to get everybody together and we’ve segregated our music now . . . and
that’s sad.
Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
County employees to
receive long-awaited pay
increase in 2015 budget
■
$9 million shortfall means many critical needs will remain unfunded
By James Hanson
Greene County is seeing some positive growth
in sales tax funding.
This was good news for
the
Greene
County
Commission,
which
approved its 2015 budget
in late January.
The commission’s top
priorities were to ensure
all county employees
received a 3-percent, costof-living raise and to institute a one-step increase in
the pay grade of all
employees who have continuously served for four
years or more.
The approved 2015 general revenue budget is
$37,780,114. This represents an increase of
$2,571,489 over the 2014
Greene County budget.
The increase reflects the
long-awaited funding of
several major shortages,
due to the extended recession and six years of budget frugality. The County’s
2015 all funds budget
totals $117,505,014.
In 2014, the Greene
County fund balance
reached $9,902,535, made
possible by conservative
budgeting measures instituted over the last six
years, along with an
improving economy.
Even with some positives in the 2015 budget,
more than $9 million of
critical needs were not
funded.
Presiding
Commissioner Bob Cirtin
said it was a very difficult
process.
“We created a very conservative budget,” said
Cirtin. “We are providing
many, but not all, the services our citizens have
come to expect.”
Last year the county did
see sales tax revenue
increase by 7.48 percent
over that of 2013. The
Commissioners budgeted
a conservative 1-percent
sales tax revenue increase
over 2014 into the 2015
budget.
Cirtin said continuing
sales tax improvements,
along with the economy, is
how the county will
increase budgets going forward, to ensure all needs
and services are met.
“You really only have two
choices when funding the
General Revenue Fund,” he
said.“Sales tax increases or
you raise taxes, which I’m
very much against.I believe
we all are.We want to work
to do our part in ensuring
economic growth, which
will in turn help us in future
budgets.”
Cirtin said the pay raise
for all county employees
was a top priority.
“We have to invest in
our employees because
we have been losing a lot
of good people all the
time,” he said.“It is hard to
attract people if you can’t
compete.We believed this
was the right thing to do.”
Cirtin also cited conservative budgeting for the
past six years when the
recession hit as putting
the county in a little better shape.
Besides
the
salary
improvements,there will be
an additional 15 patrol vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office,a
new X-ray machine for the
courthouse and a budget
increase for the Greene
County Prosecutor’s Office.
Needs that weren’t funded, but were identified by
department heads as “critical needs,” include a new
roof for the courthouse, a
new roof for the judicial
building and 15 more
patrol cars in addition to
the 15 already coming to
the Sheriff’s Office.
Cirtin said he realizes that
jail overcrowding remains a
concern and a priority.
“But we can’t just talk
about the overcrowding,”
he said. “It is the entire
criminal justice system
that we will have to look
at fixing. We realized
things need to be done to
improve and address all
areas of concern.A federal
judge could come in and
order the jail to be closed.
We don’t want that to
happen.There are a lot of
things to address and difficult choices still to make.”
$221,000 error revealed at SPS Board Meeting
By James Hanson
Springfield Public Schools stands to
gain $221,000 more in state funding tied
to attendance after the district’s internal
auditor, Wayland Mueller, discovered
some errors in the way the district
tracked student’s attendance.
Mueller said the purpose of his attendancetracking audit was to ensure hours were
recorded properly and met state requirements.Working with the district’s information
technology department to correct the reporting method,Mueller re-submitted the report,
saving the district the $221,000 it would have
lost if the error had not been detected.
The audit also addressed state requirements for tracking late arrivals and early
dismissals. Mueller said there were some
discrepancies on how those records
were kept from school to school and he
recommended moving to a standardized
method to meet state requirements.
Mueller presented his findings at a
recent meeting of the Springfield Board
of Education.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to save the district $2.8 million by
approving a bond resolution to refinance
the $29,280,000 Series 2005 Refunding
issue. The Series 2005 General Obligation
bond was issued in May 2005 to refund the
Series 2000 General Obligation bonds.The
original bonds were issued primarily to renovate and expand Central High School.The
district will close on the issue on Feb.26,and
the old bonds will be paid off on March 1.
SPS Chief Financial Officer Carol
Embree provided an update to the board
about the Kickapoo Phase-2 Auditorium
project. She said the district received
five bids for the project. DeWitt &
Associates is the apparent low bidder,
but a review of the details is in process.
Embree said the administration anticipates providing a recommendation for
approval at the Feb. 17 board meeting.
February 11 - 24, 2015
|
5
Upfront
6 | February 11-24, 2015
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
In a kid-grown garden, children learn about nature and giving back
By Jana Bounds
N
ot long ago, outdoor
play and creativity
occupied every minute
of free time for kids in this
country. Children came home
covered in grass stains and
mud. To them, trees spoke and
birds brought messages from
other worlds. But these days,
kids seem to prefer staying
indoors, trading in sun-filled
days of outdoor exploration for
game controllers and screen
time. The fantasy worlds of
video game developers distract
kids from the real world of
plants and animals, and parents
struggle to get kids out of the
house and into nature.
Jennifer Grace, founder of the
New Leaf Creative Center, at
3021 E. Cherry St., recognized
this struggle.
“With all of the technology,
when are children exposed to
nature and its magnificent, innovative design skills?” she asked.
In answer to that question,
she created the center as a
place for kids to fully immerse
themselves in a world of art,
dirt, bugs, plants and creativity.
Creativity and sustainability are
the words of the day, every day, for
kids who attend the center. On an
unseasonably warm day in January,
”
This is how we
live at my house.
We have gardens and
buy from local farmers. So, it’s not always
about the artwork so
much as the creative
process that they get
– that they are able to
have a space where
they can do whatever
(creatively).
– Jennifer Grace, founder of
New Leaf Creative Center
seven-year-old Reese Bailey, who
has attended every full-day class
since the center opened, reflected
on all she had learned, as she gestured toward a colorful collection
of graphs on the ground.
“We learned how we can grow
plants and how they grow in an
environment, so we drew a graph
to show how it’s going to look,”she
said.
Soon, the large empty lot next
door will be a community vegetable garden, created by the
children. The kids are designing
the garden beds, and their preliminary drawings show their
imaginative, and varied, plans for
which plants should go where.
New Leaf classes also cover
Goodwin-Bey charged with quadruple homicide
Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson
announced that Scott A. Goodwin-Bey, 47, of Springfield, has
been charged with four counts of murder in the first degree
and four counts of armed criminal action. These charges are
from events on November 15, 2014, at the Economy Inn, 2555
N. Glenstone Ave., where Trevor Fantroy, Danielle Keyes,
Lewis Green and Christopher Freeman were killed.
The defendant was arrested on Nov. 30, 2014, and has
been held in custody since that day for a federal firearms
violation. The Springfield Police Department has been
actively investigating this homicide since it occurred and
received lab results last week confirming that the gun
possessed by the defendant was the murder weapon.
After a review of the investigation, charges were filed
Feb. 9. Murder in the first degree is punishable by death
or life imprisonment in the Missouri Department of
Corrections without the possibility of probation or parole.
Armed Criminal Action is punishable by a mandatory minimum of three years in the Missouri Department of
Corrections and the maximum sentence is any number of
years the court chooses to impose.
Patterson cautions that the charges contained in the
felony complaint are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
MSU to host forum on Boko Haram
The College of Humanities and Public Affairs at Missouri
State University will host a forum on the terrorist organization,
Boko Haram, from 12:30-1:45 p.m. on Feb. 19 in Strong Hall,
Room 301.
“Boko Haram: Taming the Monster” will look at Dr. Bukola
Oyeniyi’s research on the terrorist organization and the motivations behind its attacks. Oyeniyi, a professor of history at Missouri
State, will lead the forum to examine the history and objectives
of Boko Haram. The forum is being held in response to the terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper office and
the following outrage. Twelve people were killed during the
attack, after the newspaper released a caricature of the Prophet
Muhammad. The presentation is a call-to-action to give global
attention to terrorism in Africa. This event is free and open to the
public. For more information, call 417-836-6259.
Motorcycle accident results in fatality
At 11:22 p.m. on Feb. 7, the Springfield Police Department was
dispatched to an injury crash near Chestnut Expressway and
Haseltine Road. A 2006 Kawasaki motorcycle, driven by Bradley
sustainability
issues
and
resilience for the community.
The kids will be digging in the
dirt, sowing the seeds and
watering the plants themselves
– and they’re excited about it.
“This will all be gardens that
will be open to the community,”
Grace said. “If anybody wants to
come by and take vegetables or
whatever we have, then they are
more than welcome to.”
Amanda Cowart, whose twoyear-old son,James,attended classes all winter said that Grace supports and fosters each child’s creativity and individuality and that
everything Grace does is filled
with passion, love and giving.
“She wants kids to learn, to
eat local food and to know
where their food comes from –
to be healthy, to eat healthy.The
community garden will be
amazing. Whatever she touches
is gold. I will support her however I can,” Cowart said. “Just
the other day my son said, ‘I
want to go see Miss Jennifer!’
He’s just a little guy, almost
three, and he hasn’t seen her for
three weeks. He loves it.”
Grace is well prepared for her
endeavor, with a master’s
degree in education for global
sustainability from Webster
University, and several years’
experience teaching art at the
Summit Preparatory School.
She grew up helping her
mother and grandmothers garden, and learning how to sew.
“We did all of the very traditional sorts of crafts and things,” she
said.“We were always outside.”
Her plans for the center resonate with her past.“We’ll do a
lot of planting and gardening
and food growing and then we
also have art classes and creative classes,” Grace said.
One such class, Parent Partner
Painting, will foster creativity in
both adults and their children.
“As people get older, we tend
to forget the (lack of) inhibition
of youth. We become concerned with what something
looks like, or if we are good at
it,” Grace said.“Kids don’t think
about that as they create.”
With Parent Partner Painting,
Grace hopes adults will be
inspired by their children and
remember how to be creative.
“It is also supposed to be a way
for parents to slow down and
spend time with their kids in a
fun and creative way,” she said.
Creativity and nature are
Grace’s passion.
“This is how we live at my house.
We have gardens and buy from local
farmers.So,it’s not always about the
N. Price, 31, of Republic, was traveling Eastbound on Chestnut
Expressway when it struck the median. Price was ejected from
the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The
investigation is ongoing. Next of kin has been notified.
2015 Storm Spotter Training Class open to public
The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency
Management, in partnership with the National Weather
Service, is offering a Storm Spotter Training Course to the
public. This course will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6:30
p.m. at the Assemblies of God National Leadership &
Resource Center Auditorium, 1445 N. Boonville Ave.
Saturday classes10:30 a.m.-noon, 3rd-5th grade,
Weaving Nature into Life
12:30-2:00 p.m., Pre-K – 3rd
grade, Tinker Time
2:30-4:00 p.m., 6th-8th
grade, Art Extravaganza
Wednesday classes6:00-7:30 p.m., all ages,
Parent Partner Painting
Monday night
6:30-8:00 p.m., adults, Yak
and Yarn
All-day classes are offered on
many school holidays, as well
as weeklong summer camps.
For more information, email
newleafcreativecenter@gmail.
com or visit www.newleafcreativecenter.com.
artwork so much as the creative
process that they get – that they are
able to have a space where they can
do whatever (creatively).”
New Leaf Creative Center is in
the process of obtaining its nonprofit status. Once that is
achieved,the center may apply for
grants and “do more things for the
community.”
It’s been a lifelong journey for
Grace.
“It’s one that I’ve always been
on, but it’s this next step for it so
that it can include other people…
I’m excited about its potential.”
Admittance is free and no registration is required.
The course will include an overview of the National Weather
Service and its functions, the weather-warning process and
the mission and role of storm spotters in the warning process.
Attendees will be instructed on how to effectively provide
Emergency Management and the National Weather Service
with real-time weather information from fixed or mobile locations. This information aids Emergency Management and the
National Weather Service in its assessment of weather events.
For more information, call 417-869-6040.
Community Free Press
Upfront
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Fund, set up with the Community
Foundation of the Ozarks.
“This annual event brings the community together as one to show our support and charitable hearts,” Waggoner
said. “I’m very proud to be part of the
biker community.”
In the days following the tragedy,
many residents questioned why it took
103 minutes after Owens’ abduction for
an Amber Alert to be issued. Springfield
Police Chief Paul Williams defended his
VIGIL FOR HAILEY, from 1
payers or them. It doesn’t
solve their problem
because they are still
homeless. They may have
addiction issues, mental
health issues, health
issues and no job. This is
to help break that cycle.”
Springfield’s Homeless
Court convenes on the first
Tuesday of each month in a
conference room at The
Kitchen, 1630 N. Jefferson.
Springfield Municpal
Court
Judge
Becky
Borthwick is the chief
judge for Homeless Court,
which accepted five
defendants into the program during its first two
sessions in January and
February. The program is
expected to add three
more defendants, and as
they progress through the
program, additional defendants will be accepted.
officers’ response time and the efforts of
the Missouri State Highway Patrol, stating it was a “time-consuming process.”
Craig Michael Wood was charged with
first-degree murder, kidnapping and
armed criminal action in the case.
The flaws in the Amber Alert system
drew the attention of Rep. Eric Burlison,
R-133, and set him on a path toward
reform.
“The assault and death of Hailey shook
our community.To think that if we had a
Busch has high praise
for Judge Borthwick.
“She has agreed to go
one night a month to
Commercial Street at The
Kitchen Meeting room to
hold court,” she said.“It is
different than a regular
court but it is done in a
collaborative way. It looks
at how those individuals
got to this point, what are
their problems and needs,
and then they are given
two or three things to do,
in order to improve their
Incredible Thrift hosts concert and silent auction Feb. 19
Incredible Thrift will present an inaugural concert and
silent auction to raise money for Jobs4Homeless on Feb. 19.
The evening will feature performances from Larry Bedell &
TCR, Ron Preston, and Patrick Mureithi. There will be a silent
auction, with food and non-alcoholic drinks available.
Jobs4Homeless provides real solutions (mentoring and
jobs) for homeless and at-risk youth through Incredible
Thrift. More than two-dozen individuals went through the
program last year, and most graduated to independence
with employment at one of Jobs4Homeless’ partners.
Funds raised will go toward moving Incredible Thrift into a
larger facility, creating further life-changing opportunities
for homeless individuals in southwest Missouri.
Past and present program participants will be at the
event. Simple attendance and moral support from the
community will help build their confidence.
The concert and auction will be Thursday, Feb. 19, from
6-9 p.m. at Incredible Thrift, 1636 South Glenstone Ave.
Tickets are $10 in advance at jobs4homeless.org, and $12
at the door. Tickets for youth ages 12-18 are $2, while
children under age 12 will have free admission.
Youngblood Chrysler Jeep, Modern Woodmen of American,
and Godfather’s Pizza are sponsoring the fundraiser.
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more responsive Amber Alert system, we
might have saved her life. That is something I don’t take lightly,” Burlison said.
“That is why, last year, we appropriated
the necessary funds to shorten the
response time in the Amber Alert system. I was subsequently very disappointed to discover that those funds have yet
to be used to fix this problem.”
Continued delays in improvements to
the system prompted drastic actions
from Burlison.
“This year, I filed ‘Hailey’s Law’ as
House Bill 635. It has been assigned to
the Public Safety and Emergency
Preparedness committee and we are
hopeful that it will be heard within the
next week or so.”
The bill requires the Amber Alert
System Oversight Committee to meet at
least annually to discuss potential
improvements to the system. It also
establishes Hailey’s Law, which will
require the Missouri uniform law
enforcement system to be integrated
into the Amber Alert System to expedite
the reporting of child abductions. The
bill could be heard in committee as early
as Monday, Feb. 16.
Burlison encourages residents to contact
lives. They come back
each month until they are
considered stabilized.”
Busch said court being
held at The Kitchen is
beneficial, because it provides access to other services. Legal professionals
|
7
their state repreSubmit Events:
sentatives and
events@
senator to let
cfpmidweek.com
them know what
their concerns
and priorities are regarding the bill.”
“However, before contacting their legislator, it’s important to be as informed
on a bill as you can,” he said.
The House of Representatives website
at www.house.mo.gov provides information about bills, and Burlison’s constituent
services
website,
at
www.ericburlison.net, gives details
about his 2015 legislation.
While Owens’ death has prompted
continued action and reform, residents
will have a quiet moment to reflect at a
candlelight vigil on Feb. 18, to be held at
“Hailey’s Playground,” located at
Westport K-8 School, where Owens was
a student. Last year, an estimated 10,000
people made their way to Commercial
Street and Campbell Avenue for the first
vigil following the tragedy.
For more information about the vigil,
visit facebook.com/HaileyOwensInfo;
for details on the motorcycle ride, search
“Hailey’s Heroes Second Annual Benefit
Ride” on facebook.com
and career center employees, as well as representatives
from
Burrell
Behavioral
Health’s
Clarity program are also
in attendance, to aid
defendants with addressing their needs.
“There is a team of people working together,”
Busch said. “All of the
agencies’ support for this
is tremendous.”
The next Homeless
Court session will convene March 2.
Upfront
8 | February 11-24, 2015
News
SCHOOL NOTES
Summer School enrollment now open
Last year, thousands of students enrolled in
Summer School at Springfield public schools.
This year, the district hopes to increase enrollment with the new hands-on activities and
personalized learning opportunities for every
student. SPS will provide transportation for eligible students, breakfast and lunch at all sites.
Innovative curriculum driven by students’ and
teachers’ passions, and before- and afterschool care will be offered. Online enrollment
is now open. Summer School runs June 1-26.
For more information, or to sign up, visit
http://hyperion.sps.k12.mo.us/summerschool.
Community partners donates $2,200 to
equip drug education program
The Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast
has raised more than $2,200 to provide a
classroom “Jeopardy!” system for every
SPS middle school. The interactive learning devices will be used year-round in
middle school health classrooms. In addition, the systems will be utilized during the
Rotary Club’s “Don’t Meth With Me” presentations, facilitated by the club’s Don’t
Meth with MO nonprofit.
Don’t Meth with MO presents to every SPS
student three times — once in the fifth grade,
again in the seventh grade and again in high
school. Previously, Don’t Meth with MO volunteers traveled with, and set up, one of three
classroom “Jeopardy!” game systems prior to
each presentation and returned them for the
next presentation. Instead of allowing the
learning devices go unused for several months
of the year, the Rotary Club decided to provide funds for the purchase of a classroom
“Jeopardy!” system at every middle school.
FAFSA Frenzy events help students prepare
financial aid forms for colleges
Ozarks Technical Community College will
host a free FAFSA Frenzy event on
Sunday, Feb. 22 from 1–4 p.m. at its
Springfield, Table Rock and Waynesville
locations. The event, sponsored by the
Missouri Department of Higher Education,
is designed to help prospective college
students file their FAFSA or Free
Application for Federal Student Aid.
The event is open to all students, regardless of
where they live, attend school or plan to attend
college. Financial Aid advisors and other volunteers from local colleges and area high schools
will be on hand to help future students and their
families fill out the necessary financial aid forms.
Participants in the FAFSA Frenzy event are
asked to bring copies of their 2014 tax forms,
federal W-2 forms and other essential IRS documents. Students can learn more and preregister
for the event at otc.edu/financialaid/fafsa.frenzy.php.
In addition to the one-on-one financial help
available at the event, students will have the
opportunity to enter a drawing for a $500
scholarship through the Missouri Department
of Higher Education. Drawing winners will
receive their scholarship when they enroll in a
Missouri college or university. Two SPS high
schools are also hosting FAFSA Frenzy
events: from 1- 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, at
Hillcrest High School and from 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, March 1, at Parkview High School.
Financial aid professionals will be on hand to
assist with completing the FAFSA.
Jarrod Griffin youngest recipien
of Solomon Civic Virtue Award
During the “We the People” state finals in
the capitol, the Missouri Bar Advisory
Committee on Citizenship Education awarded the 2015 Dr. Warren H. Solomon Civic
Virtue Award to Jarrod Griffin, a junior at
Nixa High School. Griffin is a unique choice
for the 2015 Solomon Award, because he is
the first student to win the honor. Prior winners included civic educators, college presidents, judges and political leaders.
Greg Kemper, a social studies teacher at
NHS and the faculty sponsor of the team,
said he is very proud of Griffin and his
teammates. Since 2001, the committee has
annually presented the award to individuals who exemplify civic virtue and who
have promoted civic virtue among
Missouri’s teachers and students.
The award was named for Dr. Warren H.
Solomon, a social studies curriculum specialist and 25-year veteran of the elementary and secondary education department,
who worked to promote law-related education among Missouri teachers. Solomon
was known for his civic ideals and leadership, and the advisory committee seeks
similar traits in award recipients.
The school winner of the 2015 “We the
People” statewide, simulated congressional hearings was Westminster Christian
Academy of St. Louis. The school will represent Missouri at the national “We the
People” competition to be held April 2528 in Washington, D.C.
www.cfpmidweek.com
Digest
Temple re-elected as MO. Democratic Party
Chair
On Feb. 7, the Missouri Democratic
State Committee re-elected Roy Temple
as chairman of the Missouri Democratic
Party at the Truman Hotel in Jefferson
City. He was first elected to the position
in 2013. Temple is a veteran political and
public affairs strategist based in Kansas
City. Highlights from his previous
Missouri political experience include
serving as chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Jean
Carnahan, chief of staff and campaign
manager for former Gov. Mel Carnahan
and executive director of the Missouri
Democratic Party. The Missouri
Democratic State Committee also reelected Darlene Green, Comptroller of
the City of St. Louis, as vice chairman.
MoDOT releases state freight plan
On Feb. 4, the Missouri Department of
Transportation released the Missouri State
Freight Plan, to provide a vision for maintaining its existing freight system and making the best and most strategic investments possible. The Missouri Highways and
Transportation Commission released the
plan at its Feb. 4 meeting.
Freight transported by trucks, barges,
planes and trains is essential to Missouri’s
economy, with the state’s freight system
supporting the movement of more than
one billion tons of freight, valued at more
than $1.2 trillion, each year. Hundreds of
key stakeholders collaborated to construct the Missouri State Freight Plan,
building upon Missouri’s Long Range
Transportation Plan. The freight plan
assesses the state’s existing freight system, establishes goals and strategies for
updating the system over the next 10
years, develops guidance for future
investments in transportation and prioritizes freight projects that will provide the
most economic benefits to the state.
To view the Missouri State Freight Plan,
visit MOFreightPlan.org.
2014-2015 Missouri Salary Schedule and
Benefits Report now available
The Missouri State Teachers
Association says Missouri teachers are
making gains in salaries, but still lag
behind teachers nationwide, according to
| Community Free Press
an annual report featuring data from 99
percent of the state’s school districts.
The 2014-2015 MSTA Salary Schedule
and Benefits Report offers a clear picture
of salaries for Missouri teachers, with 516
of 520 school districts responding to the
annual survey.
The MSTA asked participating districts
to complete salary questionnaires and
supply copies of their salary schedules.
Minimum salaries for Missouri teachers
with a bachelor’s degree increased by a
1.45 percent this year, down slightly from
1.46 percent last year. The 92-page
report offers statistics that break down
teacher salaries throughout Missouri,
with comparisons by region, county, district and size of district.
To view the salary book for 2014-2015
visit motea.ch/2015SalaryBook.
MoDOT Director Dave Nichols to retire May
1
This spring, the Missouri Department of
Transportation will see a change in leadership when MoDOT Director Dave Nichols
retires on May 1. Nichols announced his
plans for retirement on Feb. 5, and the
Missouri Highways and Transportation
Commission will now begin the process of
replacing him.
Nichols became director of MoDOT in April
2013, after having served as chief engineer
for two years. In his 30-year history at the
department, he held a variety of leadership
roles, including the department’s first director of program delivery, a position he held
for 11 years. He served as district engineer for
the department’s Northwest District, headquartered in St. Joseph, and he worked in
MoDOT’s Kansas City District.
Rep.Taylor named to House Majority Whip team
Rep. Jered Taylor, R-139, will play a key
role in helping the House Majority
Caucus achieve its legislative priorities
for the 2015 session. Taylor was named
this week to serve on the whip team by
majority whip, Rep. Delus Johnson, R-9.
Taylor will serve as one among an elite
few selected to serve in this capacity. As
part of the majority whip team, Taylor
will be responsible for assisting the
majority whip in securing votes on critical issues, communicating policy positions to other members, and overseeing
parliamentary rules of the House. Taylor
says the new post will allow him the
chance to become involved in a wide
variety of legislative matters.
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Viewpoints
Upfront
February 11 - 24, 2015
“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.”
About It!
– William Shakespeare
FreePress
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Amanda Langsford,
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Interviews by Jana Bounds
What do you think of city council’s decision to pass the ordinance requiring
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and to wear protective headgear?
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9
THINK
Community
Marylee York, Manager
Tim Rose, Courier
Jordan Woods, Courier
|
Illustration by Phil Morrissey
Air-Ogance or Err-ogance
N
E-mail Bob Mace: [email protected].
othing like the championships
sullen jackass who’s plotting to
of the U.S. football leagues to
install a peek hole camera in a tanbring a little conversation to what
ning booth. His moral compass
otherwise would be a silent and feaalways has pointed South.
tureless winter.
Consider ESPN, FoxSports, NFL
The Edge observes that civilization
Network, et. al. Each of these blog
is about equally split as to whether
sights dressed up to look like a TV
the worst thing that happened durnetwork spent a solid week dising February’s first week was the ISIS
cussing who’s to achieve Heaven
execution by fire of a Jordanian pilot
and who’s going straight to Hell.
Bob Mace
or Pete Carroll’s reprise of self-indulBoth of these coaches repeat offendgent play-call stupidity, aka erred on prior nefarious deeds and
THE EDGE
ogance. Observation suggests that
deserve to go straight to Hell or capdeclaring which is the bigger affront to God ture a life sentence as the assistant womens’
and America would depend on where one’s coach in Koshkonong, MO.
radio is tuned.
The network hosts seem okay with a little
In the lead up to the Super Bowl many of the cheating, pointing out on their all day sports
state’s entitled enjoyed the Mizzou football rants that even Microsoft founder Bill Gates
provided by the rest of us who pay taxes in the stole some ideas from Apple’s Steve Jobs.
state. Columbia alumni have been brain- Something akin to: if you liked MS Vista, then
washed into believing that each personally you’re going to love the NFL, Bellichick and
plays in the Cotton Bowl.The Edge observed a the Pats.
post-game celebration that took place among
The NFL’s wink and a nod approach to cheatsome Missouri players down on the field. ing reminds us all of their concerned approach
While often television coverage picks up a to cold-cocking one’s wife in an elevator: As
meeting of praying Christians giving thanks to long as she first made a football move (like marGod, Mizzou is different.
rying a maniac cave man) then she couldn’t be
Missouri’s scholarship-funded homies of considered defenseless and therefore that
Dorial Green-Beckham jumped in front of the whole Ray Rice incident was a legal hit.
camera to display some gangsta hand signs.
As TV hucksters love to say,“But wait, there’s
We’ve all come to expect college athletes to more!”
double in brass as members of –or pretenders
To take the heat off Bellichick the NFL calls on
to– drug gangs. What a perfect segue leading its perennial underachiever Rex Ryan now at the
to the NFL’s thuggish chicanery.
helm of the Buffalo Bills. Ryan’s first move is to
Carroll’s arrogance has now cost his teams a hire one of the dirtiest players in NFL history,
Rose Bowl and a Super Bowl title. Coaches Richie Incognito. In his final year as a Ram, he
who repeatedly need to draw attention by was fined $50,000 and penalized countless
making risky calls are like people who draw yards. In 2013 incognito went on to be the cenattention with loud obnoxious ring tones: they ter of the racially laced locker room bully scanlikely weren’t breast fed as infants.
dal in Miami.Rex Ryan thinks it’s just the kind of
Celebrating the thrill of victory was Pats “OFFENSIVE” lineman his team needs.
coach Bill Bellichick who, given the
It’s crunch time as these NFL coaches have
Deflategate kerfuffle, is best here described as only six months of off-season to scheme their
air-ogant. Bellichick is a winner (at any cost) scams and train 2015’s gridiron hooligans.
who dresses like a hobo and behaves like a
I think a lot of people
who ride scooters do
it for the right reasons, because they
can’t necessarily
afford a car and insurance.... But, I’ve been
in situations where
people will get, literally, on my bumper on
scooters. I wish they would wear helmets…
For their safety they need to wear helmets.
I’m not as focused on the insurance issue as
I am public safety in general.
Caylin Manary, Springfield
I understand that
people need to have
a scooter as a means
of transportation
because they can’t
afford insurance and
stuff like that. [But]
they don’t get up to
the speed limit on
certain roads that
they’re on and they cause a lot of burdens
with traffic. I almost had a guy rear end
me with one, it didn’t have plates on it, he
wasn’t wearing a helmet…
Brandon Felty, Springfield
I think it’s hard on
families that have
no other form of
transportation.
There are a lot of
people that live and
die on their scooter.
That’s how they get
to work. That’s how
they get their groceries. That’s how they get their kids
places. I think that it hurts a lot of people in Springfield at the end of the day.
Josh Mareschal, Springfield
To me, it’s financially driven to a certain extent. Some
people were for it,
some people were
against it. It was
pretty obvious at
that point, from the
people getting up
and walking out
after the vote.
Jim Dorris,
Springfield
I don’t know
enough about it to
really make an
informed comment.
Kim Snowbarger,
Springfield
I don’t think it’s
appropriate that
they have to ask
them to maintain
financial responsibility. Definitely on the
grassroots level of
things. There are too
many people in this
town that depend on their scooters and
their motorized bikes to get back and
forth to work.
Tina Mottl, Springfield
10 | February 11 - 24, 2015
www.cfpmidweek.com
| Community Free Press
All that glitters
Business
Diamonds shine as a smart
investment for your Valentine
in 2015. » Page 11
e-mail [email protected]
FYI
MSU student volunteers to run
VITA clinic Feb. 6-April 10
Students from the School of
Accountancy at Missouri State University,
who are IRS-certified, will provide free
assistance with tax preparation and electronic income tax filing. The program is
provided by the Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance clinic Feb. 6-April 10 in Glass
Hall, Room 434.
The VITA clinic will offer on-site assistance to clients with incomes of $40,000
or less. To be eligible to participate in the
VITA tax clinics, clients must have: Picture
ID, proof of social security number, wage
and earning statements such as W2s and
1099s, last year’s federal and state tax
returns, if available, and proof of bank
account routing numbers. Individuals can
use the clinic by either making an appointment or walking-in, but time is limited.
To schedule a VITA appointment at
Missouri State, call 417-720-2000.
Individuals who have incomes of $60,000
or less may use the MyFreeTaxes telephone
assistance service by calling 855-698-9435
or by going online to myfreetaxes.com.
Second Annual MSU Women’s
Leadership Conference March 23-24
The second annual Missouri State University
women’s leadership conference, “A Force of
Women,” will take place March 23-24 in Plaster
Student Union and will host influential women
in the arenas of business, health, sports and
education. This year’s conference will encourage
and educate the community on the achievements of women from around the world.
The keynote speaker, Cynthia Cooper, is CEO
of the CooperGroup LLC, a management-consulting firm that provides services in the areas
of internal audit, ethics and compliance, fraud
prevention and detection, board consultation
and education and enterprise risk management.
Standard registration for the conference is
$99. Missouri State student registration is $39,
with free admission for the first 50 students
who register. The conference runs from 2 p.m.-8
p.m. on Monday, March 23, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on
Tuesday, March 24.
For more information call 417-836-6471 or
visit publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/wlc/about.
Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP in new location
Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP was headquartered for 41 years in Plaza Towers. On Nov. 21,
the company moved to a new $3 million,
ecofriendly building in TerraGreen Office Park,
2305 S. Blackman Rd., Suite D.
The certified public accounting firm was
established in 1973 and specializes in tax and
audit service, including business valuations, tax
credits and forensic accounting.
TerraGreen Office Park is designed with natural light, sustainable materials and low-energy
products. It features almost 50 offices, three
conference rooms and a training room.
It also features rotating local artists’ work in
the office, open for public viewing 8 a.m.-5
p.m., Monday-Friday. Elliott, Robinson & Co.
also has an office in Nixa.
For more information, call 417-887-0585 or
visit ERCPA.com.
T-Mobile ready to hire 145 customer
service representatives by end of April
T-Mobile U.S. is hiring in Springfield for TMobile’s Call Center. The company plans to
hire as many as 145 full-time customer
service representatives by the end of April.
Job candidates who are customer service-oriented and technically savvy are
needed. T-Mobile offers benefit packages
see FYI, 11
LOCALLY
OWNED
Love, auto
repair and
community
By Jana Bounds
Darin and Kristi Bohannon,
owners of Bohannon Auto
Services,plan on placing a sign
that says, “Welcome to the
lake,” in their auto repair shop
located on Enterprise Lane.
Their lake-house savings
account — 32 years in the
making — was used as capital
to start the business three years
ago.
“It was always our dream to
open a shop,” Kristi said.“This
is our retirement.”
The lake house isn’t a priority anymore. “We’re too
busy,” she said. And she
seems okay with it.
The Bohannon’s grew up in
Oswego, Kansas, which currently has a population of
about 1,800. They brought
their small-town idea of neighbors helping neighbors to the
city, and their customers
remind them of the kind and
pleasant people back home.
Darin is the go-to guy for
many neighborhood residents with vehicle issues.
One older woman rarely
drives; therefore, the battery
on her vehicle frequently
dies. Every couple of weeks,
he goes to her house and
helps her start her car. But
that kind of time-consuming,
personalized customer service isn’t without its perks.
“All the little grandmas in
the neighborhood just love
Darin,” Kristi said.
Some of the ladies who frequent the business insist on hugging the owners and employees.
Darin admits that, while most
employees are just fine with
hugs, Derick DeRosier, office
assistant,is a bit shy and was once
caught off guard by an affectionate regular customer.
“She’s a hugger. And, of
course, me too. I gave her a
good hug,” Darin said. “And
then she turned toward
Derick… it was a pretty cool
sight in the parking lot, seeing this little old lady chasing
Derick, a big guy, trying to
get a hug.And he gave in. He
Photo by Jana Bounds
Technicians Mike Chamberlain, Nathan Williams and Justin Gilyon (L-R, front row) with owners, Darin
and Kristi Bohannon and office manager, Derrick DeRosier, (L-R, back row) take a short break from their
busy day to joke around and smile for the camera.
put the walker aside and
gave her a good hug.”
The neighborhood folks
take good care of the
Bohannan’s. In addition to
hugs, the guys get pies, pies,
and more pies: from unique
pies, like peanut butter, to
more traditional apple pies.
And once a year, they get
homemade apple fritters.
“You can’t do business
unless you get to know somebody. That’s what develops
trust, I think. Lack of trust
impedes the process of all
your business dealings,” Kristi
said. “In our business, trust is
huge. It’s the biggest thing.”
Janice Adams just moved to
the Ozarks from Georgia and
had taken her vehicle to two
mechanics before finding
Bohannon’s Auto Services.
“These guys are good and
honest. Take it from a single
woman. They are polite and
efficient,” she said.
According to Kristi,communication is important.
“Whatever it takes to get
people
to
understand
what’s going on with their
vehicle. Your automobile is
the second largest purchase
most people make, second
from their home,” she said.
“We know that it’s a huge
responsibility to take care
of that for them. So, we
want them to understand
what’s happening.”
Darin and Kristi were high
school sweethearts.At 15,Kristi
had to put some effort into
convincing him to date her,but
“not too much”she said.
Overhearing this part of
the conversation, Darin
quipped, “Do I need to start
defending myself?”
Shortly after they began dating, Darin started working in
Kristi’s father’s shop, learning
how to be a mechanic. They
married one week after her
eighteenth birthday, and Darin
continued to work and learn
from her father.They had three
girls, now adults living out-ofstate. When she wasn’t busy
being a mom,Kristi was a manager at Sonic Drive-In.
She was offered a position
she didn’t want to refuse in
1999 — supervising partner
and director of operations for
15 Sonic Drive-Ins in the
Ozarks.
Their plans had always been
for Kristi and Darin to stay in
Oswego and take over her
father’s business. But Darin,
seeing the job was important
to her and understanding she
had been supportive of him,
offered his support.
The family moved, and Darin
found himself without a job for
the first time in his life,but luck
was on their side.A brand-new
Goodyear tire and service shop
arrived in Nixa the same year.
“So, Darin opened that
store. And he worked there
until one day, I said, if we are
ever going to open a shop,
we should do it. So, three
years ago, we did it,” Kristi
said.
The franchisees she worked
for sold their restaurants, and
Kristi had the option of working for new owners, or to fully
invest in the family business.
She had already been running
the office at the shop, so she
stepped away from her corporate gig and fully into the world
of small business.
Kristi traveled often with
her previous job. She and
Bohannon’s Auto
Services
Owners: Kristi and Darin
Bohannon
Opened: 2012
Services: Auto repair and
maintenance
Address: 1462 S.
Enterprise Ave.
Hours: Office: 7:30 a.m.
to 6 p.m., Shop: 8 a.m. to
5 p.m.
Phone: 417-881-2240
Website: bohannonautoservices.com
Darin went from rarely seeing
each other, to being around
each other constantly. They
commute together, work
together and are living in a
small rental house together,
since their house sold more
quickly than they anticipated.
“We decided we want to be
a part of this community, and
we want to be part of this
neighborhood,” she said.They
are currently house-hunting.
Life is about adapting to
changing conditions, and
after
32
years,
the
Bohannon’s seem to have
mastered the art. They communicate. They sometimes
fight. And sometimes they
need a little space.
“We get along well. We
kind of grew up together, I
guess. But sometimes, there’s
such a thing as too much
togetherness,” Darin said.
“Don’t tell her I said that.”
Kristi had similar sentiments.
“We usually commute
together, but sometimes I
have to say,‘I’m driving home
by myself tonight’,” she said.
Darin said it’s been three
years of absolute bliss—and
they both chuckled.
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
Diamonds provide a hedge
against economic collapse
Business
IN BUSINESS
February 11 - 24, 2015
Kelsey Garman is a former financial consultant.
E-mail him at [email protected].
11
that include medical,
dental, vision, 401(k)
matching, generous paid
time off programs,
mobile phone service
discounts and tuition
reimbursement.
For more information,
visit tmobile.jobs.
by James Hanson
G
old and silver are the traditional hedges against economic disaster.Add diamonds and
you have even better protection
against the potential collapse of
the dollar and the stock market.
Gold and silver prices rise and
fall with changing economic
conditions. But historically diamond prices have held steady in
Kelsey Garman
all market scenarios.
However, for the last several
FINANCIAL INSIGHTS
years, diamond prices have been
rising at the average rate of 15 percent a year.This rise
is driven by the combination of increasing demand and
decreasing supply – a combination that always leads to
price increases. This diamond demand-supply gap is
projected to widen even more in the next 10 years.
The increased demand is being driven by the
expanding number of wealthy and middle class people
in China and India. Young American and European
women have expected diamond engagement rings for
generations. Now millions of young Chinese and Indian
women are demanding them too. Diamond jewelry is
also in demand by the elite in these countries as a way
to display their wealth.
Meanwhile, production of diamonds is expected to peak
and turn down by 2018.About 80 percent of the world’s diamond production comes from 30 mines. Most of them are
already cutting back on production and some will be closing over the next three to five years.
Bain Capital has produced an 80-page report on projected diamond production and demand over the next
10 years. You can download the report at
www.bain.com/publications.
Investing in diamonds doesn’t mean going out and buying them from a jewelry store or a dealer. There’s a big
markup on diamonds, and if you buy them at retail you’ll
pay twice what you need to pay for investment purposes.
Investing in diamonds is a little tricky.There are three
ways to do it. The first is to buy individual diamonds at
auction or diamond exchange networks. Each diamond is
different and to buy them,you need to be an expert.So it’s
not a suitable way for most of us.
The second way is to invest with experts who have the
knowledge and skill to select the best diamonds for investment and know when to sell them for the highest profit.
Several of the world’s diamond experts manage diamond
investment funds for investors in various places in the
world.The premier diamond fund in the U.S. is offered by
Sciens Investment Management LLC. For information, go to
www.sciensam.com and click on “Real Assets.” The fund is
open only to qualified investors (people who have had an
income of at least $200,000 per year for the last two years,
or have a net worth of $1 million or more).
The third way is to invest in diamond mining stock.You
won’t own any diamonds but you’ll own part of a mine
that has thousands of them.The best option for American
investors seems to be Dominion Diamond Corp. (DDC).
Dominion operates the only two diamond mines in North
America, located in Canada’s Northwest Territory, only
about 150 miles from the Arctic Circle.
Diamonds were first discovered on the site in the
mid-1990s and no significant new discoveries have
been made in the world since. Dominion has already
become the third largest diamond producer in the
world.While other mines are closing, Dominion’s operations are expanding. It may well become the world’s
leading producer within five years. For more information, go to www.ddcorp.ca.
The above information is for educational purposes
only and should not be taken as a recommendation to
invest in any security mentioned. Do your own homework before investing. The story of diamonds is captivating whether you invest in them or not.
|
Keller Williams’ Steven
Shelley markets local
homes globally
Submitted Photo
Newest eye care business deeply rooted in the Queen City
Dr. Agnes Tran graduated from Springfield Catholic High School, Missouri State
University, Drury University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis Optometry
School.
Since 2000, she practiced as a mobile optometrist with Doctors Onsite Eye Care,
providing exams and care for the geriatric community in and around Springfield, but
in late November of 2014, she opened Queen City Eye Care to reach even more
patients.
“I was raised here in Springfield and wanted to have a
name to go with Springfield’s history,” Tran said.
“Springfield is nicknamed the Queen City and I thought
it fit well.”
At Queen City Eye Care, patients can get comprehenLOCALLY
sive eye exams or routine exams. Contacts, color contacts and eyeglasses are all made in the office, with a
OWNED
prescription.
“Our lab is on site,” Tran said. “We want to be as avail■ As a locally owned
able and convenient to our customers as possible.”
Tran likes the location of the building, which she
and operated business,
believes has helped bring in many patients since openwe enjoy highlighting
ing.
other companies who
“It is a nice neighborhood and at a great spot,” she
call the Ozarks their
said. “It is very visible and we have seen a lot of people
home. Help us with
already.”
suggestions of your
Tran said they are planning a grand opening celebrafavorite locally owned
tion, which will take place later this month or sometime
establishments by
in February.
e-mailing:
Queen City Eye Care is located at 520 W. University
St., Suite C. They are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays
editor@
and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information,
cfpmidweek.com.
call 417-831-8222 or visit queencityeyecare.com.
Keller Williams Agent
Steven Shelley is now
marketing Springfield
area homes to potential
buyers around the world.
The agency says international buyers accounted for one in 12 transactions in the U.S. last
year, with 62 percent
paying cash, totaling
$92.2 billion in sales.
Shelley’s Global
Property Specialist
Designation through
Keller Williams allows
him to translate his listings into 19 languages,
reaching over 600,000
international agents. A
recent example of this
marketing strategy is a
cash buyer from Korea,
who purchased one of
Shelley’s listings sightunseen as an investment
property.
Shelley is also a
licensed Realtor in
Hawaii, where he first
learned about the benefits of marketing globally and recognized the
opportunity to bring this
service to his local
clients at no additional
charge. For more information call 417-2999575 or e-mail [email protected].
Submit Events:
events@
cfpmidweek.com
12 | February 11 - 24, 2015
www.cfpmidweek.com
Fast
Fact:
Home & Garden
e-mail [email protected]
| Community Free Press
Set pots of humidity-loving
houseplants in trays filled with
pebbles and a shallow layer of
water. Pots should sit on the
pebbles, not in the water.
-Friends of the Garden
Event presents springtime inspiration
25th Anniversary Lawn and Garden
Show encourages attendees to dream
■
By Jana Bounds
Over 100 exhibitors
will help homeowners
address lawn and garden
needs at the 25th
Anniversary Lawn and
Garden Show: “Where
Spring Takes Flight.”
Everything from seeds
and shrubs to fountains
and ponds will be showcased Feb. 27 through
March 1 at the Ozark
Empire
Fairgrounds
E*Plex.
Landscape design and
installation companies,
along with a wide array of
tree and lawn care
providers, will be present
to help inspire springtime
plans. Examples of power
equipment, like mowers
and tillers, will make gadget-friendly
gardeners
happy. And the list of
exhibitors goes on: pools
and
spas, fountains,
ponds, patio furniture and
grills, yard accessories,
fencing and more.
For the first time ever,
attendees will be able to
enjoy the Butterfly House
exhibit – where they can
interact with over 1,000
native butterflies. On the
main stage, Jeremy Rabe,
the “FYI Guy,” will demonstrate how to make craft
projects for outdoor
spaces. The first 100 kids
to arrive each day will
receive free Growums
Children’s Garden kits.
“We are excited to have
a show of this stature in
this area. It’s just wonder-
ful. There’s a lot of places
where you do not have
the opportunity to see
examples of the work of
so many people in the
landscaping
industry,”
Nikki Petitt, nursery manager of Wickman’s Garden
Village said. “Putting
together your landscape is
a lot like coming up with
a design for the inside of
your home – it needs to fit
your lifestyle, and have
colors that you like. Are
you wanting low maintenance or do you like ‘putting’ around? You can see
examples of all of that at
the lawn and garden
Putting together your landscape is a lot
like coming up with a design for
the inside of your home – it
needs to fit your lifestyle, and
have colors that you like. Are you wanting low maintenance or do you like ‘putting’ around? You can see examples of
all of that at the lawn and garden show
and speak with people who can help
you figure out what works for you.
Location:
Ozark Empire
Fairgrounds E*Plex
3001 North Grant
Springfield, MO 65803
When: Feb. 27, 28 and
March 1
Hours:
Fri-Sat 9 a.m.-6 p.m.,
Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission:
$5 per person. Kids 6
and under are free. $3
discount tickets are
available at participating Price Cutters Feb.
1-26. Parking is free of
charge.
For more information,
call 417-833-2660 or
visit www.ozarkempirefair.com.
”
– Nikki Petitt, nursery manager of Wickman’s
Garden Village
Glendale High School’s Green Squad
works to “Re-Green Springfield!”
By James Hanson
Seven years ago, the Green Squad was established at
Glendale High School to foster environmentally friendly practices in the community.
“We work to promote green ideas that increase sustainability for the planet as well as be an education and
service organization at Glendale and in our community,” Justine Lines, GHS biology teacher and Green Squad
sponsor, said.
The group will host an educational event for the
public called “Re-Green Springfield!” on the evening of
Feb. 19. Local churches, civic organizations and residents are invited to attend. Green Squad President
Allyson Smith says the group is looking for Springfield
leaders who want to plant trees in their communities.
The event will feature a variety of educational workshops to teach participants how to plant the right tree
in the right place and how to maintain it.
Local “green” experts will participate including:
Cindy Garner, urban forester with the Missouri
Department of Conservation; Ellen Litrell, urban
forester with the city of Springfield and
NeighborWoods program; Kevin Hill, owner of Arbor
Care of the Ozarks; and Blayne Radford, Springfield
Public Schools grounds management supervisor.
Café Cusco will provide a catered meal, but RSVPs
are required. Email Lines at [email protected] for more
details.
Photos courtesy Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Children and adults enjoy interacting with monarch butterflies at the Butterfly House exhibit.
show and speak with people who can help you figure out what works for
you.”
One unique landscape
display at the event will
come from veteran landscaper Ed Colby, on behalf
of Wickman’s Garden
Village.
“Ed has been in the
landscape business for a
Understanding the Plight of the Monarchs at Lawn & Garden Show
Friends of the Garden, the volunteer organization that sponsors the Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House in Nathanael
Greene/Close Memorial Park, will highlight the plight of
monarch butterflies at its booth during the Lawn & Garden
Show Feb. 27-March 1 at the Ozark Empire E*Plex. Monarch
butterfly populations have dipped from a peak of about 1 billion in the mid-1990s to 33 million today. Although there are
several reasons for the decline of the popular black-andorange winged insects, sometimes called “flying flowers,”
experts say the most catastrophic cause is the use of industrial-grade herbicides, which kill the milkweed plants that support the butterfly’s life cycle. Milkweed seed packets, while
supplies last, will be distributed to those who visit the Friends
of the Garden booth. Volunteers will educate the public about
the importance of monarchs to our eco-system and explain the
life cycle of eggs, larvae, chrysalises and adults, and host and
nectar plants.
The Butterfly House opens for the season on May 8. For
more information, visit friendsofthegarden.org.
C of O to host FFA workshop for area high school students
The College of the Ozarks Agricultural Department will host
an FFA workshop for area high school students on March 7, in
the Youngman Agricultural Center from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The
event will include workshops on livestock, dairy products,
entomology, meats, dairy cattle, nursery and landscaping,
agronomy, forestry, poultry, horses, floriculture, and soils. For
the first time, the workshop will feature creed speaking, as well
as prepared speaking and extemporaneous speaking.
In 2014, the event brought more than 2,500 students from
over 90 different schools in the southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas regions, making it one of Missouri’s largest agricultural events. Registration for area high school FFA students
and sponsors is available on the C of O website and must be
completed by Feb. 28. An additional $40 fee will be charged
for late registration. For more information call 417-690-3348 or
visit cofo.edu.
very long time and specializes in large water features, waterfalls and rock
formations and he is
working on the design for
the landscape portion of
our display,” Petitt said.
“It’s as much of a surprise
or a secret for us to know
what it’s going to be as it
is for the public – until
construction
actually
starts.”
Potting Shed University now underway
Volunteers with Master Gardeners of Greene
County are again offering a series of spring-time
classes for home gardeners. Potting Shed
University will be held at the Springfield Botanical
Gardens in Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial
Park, 2400 S. Scenic Ave. All classes will be presented in cooperation with University of Missouri
Extension of Greene County. Various members of
the Master Gardeners of Greene County will teach
12 diverse garden topics. Each class costs $5 per
person. Classes are from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the
dates listed below:
Feb. 16- Hay Bale Gardening (taught by Mark
Bernskoetter)
Feb. 23- Worm Composting (Kelly McGowan)
March 2- Perennials (Gail Wright)
March 9- Introduction to Home Winemaking
(Patrick Byers)
March 16- All About Tomatoes (Kelly McGowan)
March 23- Companion Planting (Mark
Bernskoetter)
March 30- Introduction to Herbs (Barb Emge)
April 6- Planting a Water Garden (Pat Ware)
April 13- Attracting Butterflies to your Garden
(Linda Bower)
April 20- Container Gardens (Dellene Nelson)
April 27- Vertical Gardens (Rebecca Nichols)
For more information, call 417-881-8909 or visit
mggreene.org.
Community Free Press
| www.cfpmidweek.com
February 11 - 24, 2015
|
13
Do something!
A&E
There’s much to see and do in the
Queen City. Stroll downtown with
your valentine for Second Saturday.
» Events Calendar
e-mail [email protected]
Rescued pets get in on the act for
Popovich Pet Comedy Theatre
Photo courtesy Ingrid Gerdes
Ingrid Gerdes will be performing here in her hometown at Lindberg’s for the first time in 15 years.
Ingrid Gerdes returns to her roots for one night only
Springfield native Ingrid Gerdes’ website gives credit for her inspirational talent to the natural beauty of the Ozarks and her hometown. While she does
return home often to visit her family and to “refuel her inspiration at its source,”
she has not performed for a Springfield audience in many years.
Her homecoming concert will be Feb. 21 at Lindberg’s, and the performance
will highlight her album, “High Priestess.”
“I am thrilled to announce my homecoming album release event,” she said.
“It’s been 15 years since I’ve played my hometown, and I can’t be more excited
to come home and celebrate the music of ‘High Priestess.’”
Gerdes looks forward to sharing her talents with the area that “helped inspire
the record.” The singer, who studied opera at the University of Kansas before
earning her degree at Berklee College of Music in
Boston, is known for her gospel-meets-R&B voice
Submit Events:
and her four-octave range. She now lives and
events@
works in Boston. Earlier on Feb. 21, she will speak
cfpmidweek.com
at the Self Employment in the Arts Conference at
Drury University
Contemporary theater seeks younger actors for
“Spring Awakening” auditions
Director Rick Dines, Music Director Alex Huff and Choreographer Josh Inmon
will hold auditions for the final production of the 2014-2015 Springfield
Contemporary Theater season, “Spring Awakening,” on Monday and Tuesday,
Feb. 23-24, at 6:30 p.m. “Spring Awakening,” the winner of eight Tony Awards
including Best Musical, is a rock musical adaptation of Frank Wedekind’s 1891
expressionist play about the trials, the tribulations and the exhilaration of the
teen years, with music by Duncan Shiek and book and lyrics by Steven Sater.
The production contains a cast of 13 actors, including 11 actors who play
teenagers. Due to the mature content of the show, the creative team will consider actors aged 16-26 for these roles. All must be strong singers, actors and
movers. In addition, two ‘adult’ roles are available, for one man and one woman
aged 40-65. These roles are primarily acting roles with light singing and movement. For full audition details, visit springfieldcontemporarytheater.org, call 417831-8001, or e-mail [email protected].
Gregory Popovich joined the Moscow Circus at
the age of 17. Since then, he and his pets, all
rescued from animal shelters, have performed in more than 20 countries and
have appeared as guests on “The Tonight
Show” with Jay Leno and “Late Night”
with David Letterman, and as finalists
on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”
Now, he and his team of jugglers, clowns, 15 house
cats, 10 dogs,
four geese, eight
white doves and
two parrots will
bring the
world-famous
Popovich
Comedy Pet
Theatre to
the Juanita K.
Hammons Hall for
the Performing Arts, 525 S.
John Q. Hammons Parkway. The
show is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 25. All
tickets are $15. For more information, call 417-8367678 or visit hammonshall.com.
Foley’s Flashback
Band
A live, family-friendly
music show, featuring
tunes from the ‘50s,
‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, will
be open just in time for
Valentine’s Day. Foley’s
Flashback Band is composed of seven ex-professional musicians
who are “tired of
the bar scene.”
They will be
playing every
Friday and
Saturday, except for the first weekend of each month. “The reason for
this is we old farts want to keep playing music, and we don’t want to
have to be in bars to do it,” Gary Foley, musician and organizer said. “It’s
a family atmosphere.” Where: The Springfield Firefighter’s Union Hall at
2350 N. Clifton Ave. All ages are welcome. Opening weekend: Feb. 13
and 14. Time: 7-11 p.m. Cost: $8 per person. Concessions available, but no
alcohol will be served. For more information, call 417-861-9006.
Mexican Villa
Submit Events:
events@
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Legendary Food Since 1951
7 Convenient Locations
# Carry-Out Available
Best Italian Food
Best Place For A
Date Night Dinner
on All Menu Items
# Home of the Burrito
Opening Soon: New South Location!
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11 -10 pm Mon-Sat. Sun 12 – 9 pm
# OPEN 7 DAYS
11am – 10pm
# Visit our website
Best Restaurant
www.mexicanvilla.net.
1141 E. Delmar
Springfield, MO
417.862.9999 BambinosCafe.com
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14 | February 11 - 24, 2015
Hip-hop crossover star Lecrae comes to O’Reilly
Photo courtesy Lecrae
“A Tribute to the African American
Pen… Then and Now”
“A Tribute to the African American Pen …
Then and Now” is the theme of two programs offered by the Springfield African
American Read-In, or Springfield AARI,
that will be held 7-9 p.m. on Feb. 20, at
the C-Street Event Center, 306 W.
Commercial St., and 7-8:30 p.m. on Feb.
26, at the Library Center, 4653 S.
Campbell Ave. Both programs are free and
open to the public.
Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown, associate professor with the Missouri State University
Libraries and
co-chairperson of the
Springfield
AARI, says
the 2015
read-in will
pay tribute
to wellknown
African
American
writers, such as the late Maya Angelou, as
well as current writers like Natasha
Trethewey and Kevin Young.
The read-in is an annual celebration, in its
sixth year in Springfield, and is part of a
national literacy initiative that promotes
African American authors. Dr. Jerrie Cobb
Scott founded the program twenty-six
years ago. Since then, it has garnered the
sponsorship of the National Council of
Teachers of English and an endorsement by
the International Foundation of Reading.
The Feb. 20 event will feature poetry and
dramatic readings by local community youth
and adult mentors. On Feb. 26, MSU’s student group “Untamed Tongues” will give
spoken-word presentations, and other individuals will give dramatic readings.
The Springfield AARI is a partnership of
five organizations: the Missouri State
University and MSU Libraries, the
Springfield-Greene County Library District,
Springfield Public Schools, Drury
University and the Springfield Chapter of
the NAACP. For more information, call Dr.
Brown at 417-836-4547.
Grammy-winning Christian rapper Lecrae will perform at the
O’Reilly Family Event Center at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 29. Andy
Mineo and DJ Promote will open. Lecrae’s latest album, “Anomaly,”
debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in September. His previous album, “Gravity,” and his “Church Clothes” mixtape, both from
2012, have been called landmark Christian hip-hop recordings by fans
and critics alike. “Gravity” won the 2013 Grammy for Best Gospel
Album, while “Church Clothes” was downloaded more than 100,000
times in its first 48 hours on the web. “Anomaly” is only the fifth
album to hit the top spot on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard
Christian Albums charts. In 2013, Lecrae was featured on the Rock
The Bells Tour alongside rap luminaries like Wu-Tang Clan, Kendrick
Lamar, Common and many more. Tickets start at $24 and go on sale
at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13 at drurytickets.com or by calling 417-8736389. Tickets may also be purchased at the OFEC box office 9 a.m.-5
p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays. For more information,
visit lecrae.com.
Meet the Cat in the Hat at Seuss Science Day
Oh, the places kids will go during the 4th Annual Ozarks Public
Television and Mercy Kids Seuss Science Day! The one-day event will
be full of Dr. Seuss-themed activities, including Dr. Seuss story times,
Seuss science activities, and episode screenings of “The Cat in the
Hat Knows A Lot About That!” Kids will have the chance to hear several stories: Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, Bartholomew and
the Ooblek, The Lorax, and The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.
Seuss Science Day will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the Discovery
Center of Springfield, located at 438 E. St. Louis St. On this special day,
guests can take advantage of reduced admission of $7 per person, while
kids age 2 and under and DCS members are free. The Discovery Center
will be open during normal business hours from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and the Pi
Beta Phi Alumnae Club will give away free children’s books to the first
500 kids (one per child) in attendance. For more information, contact
Hannah Wingo at 417-836-8894.
FOSAM to host Ozark artist William Newcomb on March 3
Artist William Newcomb will speak and
paint at the Springfield Brentwood Library
at an event sponsored by the Friends of
the Springfield Art Museum. Painting from
life, Newcomb seeks to interpret the emotional truths of the model before him.
“Viewing art is a form of learning, and
although going overseas may be difficult
for some, there are major world-class art
museums within three hours of
Springfield, and the Springfield Art
Museum has great examples of major
artists as well as emerging artists.”
Newcomb said.
Newcomb’s art talk agenda will include: Understanding Art and
Artists; What is Art? An Illusion of Reality or Something More; The
First Artists; A Brief History of Art and Artists; The Meaning of Modern
Art; The Meaning of Post-Modern Art; Becoming an Artist; and A
Quick Demonstration of Making a Work of Art: What, Why and How.
The talk begins at 6:30 p.m., March 3, and will include an acrylic painting demonstration. The event is free and open to the public.
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| Community Free Press
IN BRIEF
Springfield Art Museum launches online access
Earlier this month the Springfield Art Museum launched
online access to its art collection database as sgfmuseum.org. The database includes some of the museum’s
most iconic works, including pieces by Thomas Hart
Benton, Charles Burchfield, Andy Warhol and Asher B.
Durand, as well as work by local and regional artists,
including Sarah Perkins and Beverly Hopkins.
Museum Registrar Greta Russell and Museum Assistant
Rachel Johnson worked for two years to inventory and
catalog the museum’s permanent collection. Per Director
Nick Nelson, more than 10,000 objects have been photographed and logged into the museum’s digital database. Of these objects, 334 have a full catalog record,
which includes a report on the condition of the object,
where and how the object was acquired and any research
about the object and its artist.
Nelson says the goal is to embrace technology as the
museum expands its service to the public.
“This definitely brings us into the 21st century,” he said.
“We look forward to adding to this online database and
sharing more of our collection with the community.”
Art museum website visitors can also see if the artwork
is currently on display in the museum’s galleries and email links to their friends. For more information call 417837-5700.
Birthplace of Route 66 Festival details announced
Residents will want to head downtown Aug. 14-16 for the
fifth annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival. The car show
has been expanded to two days and a new parade, motorcycle show and cruise-in party have been added. The concert at the Gilloiz Theatre, drive-in movie, vendor village and
6.6-kilometer race will return this year. The festival’s 2015
sponsors are KY3 and Aaron Sachs & Associates. Various
groups have partnered with the City of Springfield to make
the festival possible, including Best Western Route 66 Rail
Haven, West Central Neighborhood Association and Urban
Districts Alliance. Some proceeds of the festival’s various
activities will benefit the City of Springfield’s Birthplace of
Route 66 Roadside Park Fund. For more information, call
417-864-1009 or visit route66festivalsgf.com.
Playin’ & Prayin’ for 1641 benefit concert Feb. 27
Tickets are now on sale for the Feb. 27 Playin’ & Prayin’
for 1641 benefit concert at the Gillioz Theatre to benefit
Officer Aaron Pearson and his family with their long-term
expenses. Officer Pearson was shot in the line of duty Jan.
27. While his medical expenses and salary are currently
covered by the city’s worker’s compensation plan, Officer
Pearson suffered career-ending injuries and has a long road
of rehabilitation ahead of him. The concert starts at 8 p.m.
and the lineup includes Dallas Jones and Molly Healey;
Steve Smith and the Sneakers; and The Hurricanes, featuring Jody Bilyeu, Barak Hill, Brandon Moore and Dallas
Jones. John Dillon, Steve Cash and other members of the
Ozark Mountain Daredevils will be sitting in for a few songs
throughout the evening to show their support for the
Pearson family. Seats may be reserved, at $20 each. Call
417-863-9491 or visit gillioz.org to buy tickets. Several other
fundraisers for the Pearson family will be taking place this
month. For a complete list, visit prayersforpearson.com.
Self-Employment in the Arts OzArts Conference Feb. 21
Aspiring artists, musicians, writers and actors should
check out the 8th Annual Self-Employment in the Arts
OzArts Conference Saturday, Feb. 21, at Drury University.
The conference will be held in the Trustee Science Center
on the university campus from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., with
Community Free Press
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COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR
Feb. 14: Second Saturday at various Springfield locations. Take your
Valentine downtown for lunch and an
afternoon stroll with Second Saturday,
First Friday Art Walk’s laid-back, daytime art event, noon-5 p.m. Feb. 14 in
18 participating venues. Info: ffaw.org.
Feb. 14: 7Cs Winery Vali Gras
Party at 7C’s Winery & Vineyard,
502 E 560th Rd., Walnut Grove.
Bring the family, a picnic and enjoy
the fun. No cover. Info: 417-7882263; 7cswinery.com.
Feb. 14: Do You Want to Build
a Snowman? at Mediacom Ice
Park, 635 E. Trafficway. Ideal for
ages 4-10. Visits from princesses,
ice skating, build a real snowman,
crafts and more. Proceeds benefit
water safety programs for Safe Kids
Springfield. Cost: $25/child and
$8.50/adult (if skating). 10 a.m.noon. Info: 417-820-6671;
safekidsspringfield.org.
Feb. 14: Ozark’s Chapter of
American Christian Writer’s
workshop at University Heights
Baptist Church, 1010 S. National Ave.
Mini-workshop, “Writers on Writing,”
part 4, is taken from “Bird by Bird:
Some Instructions on Writing & Life”
by Anne Lamott, and will provide tips
and inspiration to improves writing
skills and production. Keynote,
“There’s a Poet in You,” will be from
Jennifer DiCamillo, award-winning
writer, poet, playwright and speaker.
Time: 9:45 a.m.-noon Free. Info: 417832-8409; Info: ozarksacw.org.
Feb. 17: Missouri Jazz
Orchestra in the Big Room at
Cartoons Oyster Bar and Grill, 1614
S. Glenstone Ave., 7-9 p.m. No
cover. Info: 417-836-6739.
Feb. 19: Little Acorns: Skunk
Scurry at the Springfield
Conservation Nature Center. “Sniff
out” some amazing skunk facts,
learn a pre-spray skunk “dance” and
take home a craft that won’t “stink.”
Ages 3-6. Registration required.
Free. Info: 417-888-4237.
Feb. 19: Incredible Thrift
Fundraiser: Concert and Silent
Auction at Incredible Thrift, 1636 S.
Glenstone Ave., to raise money for
Jobs4Homeless. Performances by
Larry Bedell & TCR, Ron Preston,
and Patrick Mureithi. Silent auction,
food and non-alcoholic drinks will
be available. Time: 6-9 p.m. Tickets:
$10 advance; $12 at door; $2 for
youth 12-18; and free for under age
12. Info: 417-719-4516; incrediblethrift.com or jobs4homeless.org.
Feb. 19: Council of Federated
Garden Clubs: “Artistic Crafts”
A design class hosted by the
Springfield Floral Design Judge’s
Council at the Library Center, 4653
S. Campbell Ave. Time: 9 a.m.
Tickets: $5.00 fee for supplies. Info:
To register call Carol Stephenson at
417-889-2828 or 417-818-3771.
Feb. 20: Guest Faculty Recital at
Ellis Recital Hall. The Missouri State
University Voice Area welcomes baritone Patrick Howle and pianist Reena
Berger Natenberg from Pittsburg State
University for an exciting and diverse
program of music for voice and piano.
Free and open to the public. Time: 4
p.m. Info: 417-836-6011.
Feb. 21: Ingrid Gerdes
Homecoming Album Release
Show Lindbergs, 318 W.
Commercial St. This will be Gerdes’
first performance in her hometown in
15 years. She will be featuring music
from her album, “High Priestess.”
Time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $10, or limited
$20 VIP tickets, available through
brownpapertickets.com/event/11691
15. Info: ingridgerdes.com.
Feb. 21: Mahler’s 2nd
Symphony — Chorale with
Springfield Symphony
Orchestra at Juanita K. Hammons
Hall for the Performing Arts, 525
Hammons Parkway. Time: 7:30 p.m.
Free. Info: 417-836-5648.
Feb. 21: 4th Annual Ozark
Public Television and Mercy
Kids Seuss Science Day at the
Discovery Center. Events include Dr.
Seuss story times, Seuss science
activities, meet and greet with the
Cat in the Hat and episode screenings of “The Cat in the Hat Knows A
Lot About That!” Time: 4 p.m.
Tickets: $7; children 2 and under are
free. Info: 417-836-8894.
Feb. 21: Springfield Symphony
Orchestra Presents: The
Resurrection Symphony at
Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the
Performing Arts, 525 S. John Q.
Hammons Pkwy. Mahler’s
“Symphony No. 2” evokes beauty
and the afterlife and is the most pop-
IN BRIEF, from 14
breakfast and lunch provided. The
SEA OzArts Conference helps students and emerging artists gain
insightful information drawn from the
experience of other artists who have
been successful in their respective
fields.
This year’s conference will feature
speakers from nearly every field in
the art world, offering students a
unique opportunity to connect with
professional artists. Keynote speakers
are Doug Johnston and Jeremy Rabe.
Johnston graduated from Drury
with undergraduate degrees in
Architecture and Studio Art. He later
earned a Master of Architecture
degree from Cranbrook Academy of
Art. His work includes art, design,
architecture and music, using a variety of mediums and methods such as
installation, fiber art, sculpture, photography and collaborative performance. He currently works with his
wife, Tomoe Matsuoka, in their
Brooklyn studio.
Rabe is a design and craft expert
who can be seen on his own televi-
ular of his works. Tickets: $11-$33,
discounts available for students and
seniors. Info: 417-864-6683; springfieldsymphony.org.
Feb. 20-22 and Feb. 27-March
1: “The Tempest” at Springfield
Contemporary Theatre, 431 S.
Jefferson Avenue #136. Times: 7:30
p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; 2
p.m. on Sundays. Tickets: $10-$25
Info: 417-831-8001; springfieldcontemporarytheatre.org.
Feb. 21: NAMI First Annual
Charity Poker Event The National
Alliance on Mental Illness—
Southwest Missouri is hosting a
poker night at the Knights of
Columbus Hall, 2340 W. Grand Ave.
Donations of $40-$50 will purchase
initial buy-in chips and help NAMI
continue providing services for sufferers of debilitating brain disorders.
Time: Doors open at 5 p.m.
Feb. 23-28: The Recital of
Flesh: Transcending Time and
Transmutation at the Student
Exhibition Center, 833 E. Walnut St.
Free and open to the public. Info:
417-837-2346.
Feb. 25: Popovich Comedy Pet
Theater at the Juanita K. Hammons
Hall for the Performing Arts, 525
Hammons Parkway. Time: 7 p.m.
Tickets: $15. Info: 417-836-7678;
hammonshall.com.
Feb. 26: Conservation Kids’
Club—Missouri’s Lost Birds at
the Springfield Conservation Nature
Center. Discover stories behind the
loss of Missouri birds, now extinct.
Ages 7-12; no younger siblings,
please. Registration required. Free.
Info: 417-888-4237.
Feb. 27: Owl Prowl at the
Springfield Conservation Nature
Center. Dickerson Park Zoo will be
on hand to provide a close-up look
at live owls. Also a guided hike to try
calling wild owls. Bring a flashlight.
Registration required. All ages. Free.
Info: 417-888-4237.
Feb. 27. Playin’ & Prayin’ for
1641 Benefit at the Gillioz Theatre,
325 Park Central Square. A benefit
concert for Officer Aaron Pearson
and his family to help with long-term
expenses. Dallas Jones and Molly
Healey, Steve Smith and The
Sneakers, The Hurricanes and John
Dillon, Steve Cash and other mem-
sion show, “FYI Guy Live,” on The
Ozarks CW and has a nationally syndicated instructional craft/design feature series. His passion for the arts
has led him to a multifaceted career
as a singer, dancer, television host
and designer.
Other speakers include: Gayle
Harper, Brannon Wiles, Ron Tanski,
Cole Closser, Jennifer Murvin, Ingrid
Gerdes, Nathan Shelton, Robert
Westenberg and Kelley Still.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $25
on the day of the conference.
Admission is free to all students with
a valid student ID. For more information, call 417-873-6357 or visit
drury.edu/ejc/sea.
GROOVE welcomes all Volkswagen
lovers, donates to local charities
The General Registry Of Ozarks
Volkswagen Enthusiasts, or Groove, is
a Volkswagen car club based in
Springfield. The group welcomes persons interested in all Volkswagens: air
or water-cooled, old or new, running
or not. The club has been actively
preserving Volkswagens and the VW
February 11 - 24, 2015
Submit Events:
events@
cfpmidweek.com
bers of the Ozark Mountain
Daredevils will sit in for a few songs
throughout the night. Time: 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20, all seats reserved. Info:
417-863-9491; gillioz.org or
prayersforpearson.com.
Feb. 27: Mother’s Brewing and
Moxie Cinema present:
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” at the
Gillioz Theater, 325 Park Central
East. Tickets: $5 at door, $4 with two
nonperishable food items. Food
donations benefit the Ozark Food
Harvest. Info: 417-863-9491.
Feb. 27: Disney’s “My Son
Pinocchio Jr.” at the Landers
Theatre, 311 E. Walnut St. Come
watch the Springfield Little Theatre
perform Disney’s “My Son Pinocchio
Jr.,” a heartwarming retelling of the
Disney classic, this time from
Geppetto’s perspective. Tickets $12$15. Info: 417-869-3869, Ext. 12.
Feb. 28: 34th Annual Sertoma
Chili Cook-Off at the Springfield Expo
Center, 635 E. St. Louis St. Multiple
stages of talent and food galore, mixed
with a few cold beverages. Tickets: $12
in advance, $15 day of. Info: 417-8631231; sertomachilicookoff.com.
Feb. 28. Author Louise A.
Jackson at Heritage Cafeteria, 1364
E. Battlefield Road. Jackson will speak
to the Springfield Writers Guild. She
is an award-winning author of books,
short stories, and poems for children
and young adults. Free. Time: 11 a.m.
Info: springfieldwritersguild.org or
louiseajackson.net.
March 1: The Springfield
Community Jazz Ensemble performs at Wesley United Methodist
Church Sanctuary at Broadway Street
and Republic Road. The 20-member
big band will play music from the
‘40s through the 2000s, featuring
Branson stars Tamra Holden-Tinoco
and her daughter, Talya Tinoco.
Time: 4 p.m. Free and open to the
public. Info: 417-887-8734.
March 3: “Artist Talk” with
Artist William Newcomb, sponsored by Friends of the Springfield
Art Museum, at the Springfield
Brentwood Library. Newcomb, an
Ozark artist, will speak and give an
acrylic painting demonstration for
the public. Time: 6:30 p.m.
tradition in the Ozarks since 1993.
Groove sponsors an annual
Volkswagen show in the area, with
proceeds supporting local charities.
This year, one of the charities is the
Giggle Box Project, a local non-profit
whose mission is to spread the healing power of laughter to children in
hospitals.
Fundraisers are conducted throughout the year to support other charities. Most recently, Groove gave a
monetary donation to the Men’s
Sleep Shelter in Springfield. The
funds were used to buy cots and
other supplies needed to keep the
homeless shelter operating.
Anyone can join club. The group is
gearing up for the 21st Annual June
Bug Jamboree, to be held June 12-13
in the meadow of Springfield’s Route
66 KOA Campground, 5775 W. Farm
Rd. 140. For camping reservations
call 417-831-3645 or visit
route66koa.com. For more information on the club and how to become
a member, call Tina Solari, Groove
president, at 417-546-6620 or visit
groovevws.com.
|
15
16 | February 11 - 24, 2015
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| Community Free Press