Heard on the Street

BEER FOR THE MIND

Researchers speaking at a recent National Beer Wholesalers Association meeting say that moderate beer consumption just might boost the mind, bolster the heart and offer other health benefits.

Red wine has long been lauded as the healthiest type of alcoholic beverages, but studies show that beer may offer just as good or even better health protection against heart attack, stroke, hypertension and dementia. New evidence also suggests that alcohol may help increase bone density. Among the potential biological mechanisms that might make beer good for you are B vitamins, which may help keep homocysteine levels in check. Abnormal levels of homocysteine in the blood increase risk of heart disease.

The researchers did note that the definition of "moderate" varies by individual, but they said that generally, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as a drink a day for women and as many as two drinks per day for men. One drink is considered 12 ounces of regular or light beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

CELEBRATION OF THE NATION

Everybody loves a parade, but perhaps no one more than the folks in the Midtown Neighborhood Association. For the 12th year, the organization is presenting Springfield's Old Fashion Fourth of July Parade and Celebration. The event, which will be held rain or shine, is slated for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. July 4. The parade route begins at Jefferson and Division in the parking lot of Cox Medical Center North. The parade will move out the east side of the parking lot, then go south on Benton to Calhoun, east on Calhoun, north on Washington, east on Locust and around Washington Park, dispersing at Pacific and Summit. The theme of this year's parade is "Out of Many-One." In an effort to honor the heroes of Sept. 11, grand marshals are Police Chief Lynn Rowe, Fire Chief Dan Whisler and Postmaster Bill Brayman. Following the parade, festivities, including music and dance performances, a petting zoo and food vendors, will continue at Washington Park.

CITY COUNCIL ACCESS

Springfield City Council's June 17 meeting marked the first time closed-captioning was used in the live broadcast of a council meeting on TV23, the government access channel available to Mediacom subscribers. Springfield City Council meetings are rebroadcast at 2 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and 7 p.m. Sundays.

Game, set, match

While John McEnroe's July 23 appearance might draw most of the buzz surrounding the Springfield Lasers upcoming tennis season, home matches actually begin July 12 against the St. Louis Aces. Springfield's team, which finished second in the World TeamTennis league last year, features a tennis gem of quieter sorts: rising star Anastasia Myskina, a Russian-born 20-year-old who is ranked No. 19 of all women singles tennis players in the world. Myskina will tune up for the Lasers season at Wimbledon (June 24-July 7), where she earned a No. 18 seed. Other Lasers members are David Wheaton, Katie Schlukebir and David Macpherson. McEnroe is a member of the New York Hamptons, which is owned by his brother Patrick McEnroe. Other well-known players the Lasers will face are Andre Agassi in Sacramento and Andy Roddick in St. Louis. Tickets for the Lasers' home season, which runs July 12-July 28, are available through the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. Seven home matches are scheduled. They will begin at 7:05 p.m. at Cooper Tennis Complex.