Heard on the Street

KUDOS TO THE POSTAL SERVICE

During an April 24 ceremony, Kenny Labb, a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Ser-vice and a member of the USPS Pro Cycling Team along with cyclist Lance Armstrong, was in Springfield to honor local Postal Service employees with the presentation of the Order of the Yellow Jersey. Named for the yellow jersey worn by the leading cyclist in the Tour de France (most recently, Armstrong) the award recognizes the Mid-American District (which includes Springfield), for its high marks from postal patrons for service received. According to Springfield Postmaster Bill Brayman, the local postal service has received a customer satisfaction rating of 96.06 percent so far this year. That figure is significant, as the survey is done externally and is based entirely on customer surveys, with no internal ratings or numbers used. The Order of the Yellow Jersey award was placed on the flagpole outside the Main Post Office on Chestnut Expressway, for all to see.

MOTORCOACH TO ARKANSAS

Members of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce this summer will board a motorcoach and head to Little Rock, Ark., June 27-29 for a Community Leadership Visit. It will be the chamber's ninth annual leadership visit, and as with previous travels, the goal is to learn from the experiences of the community that's being visited. In Little Rock, the agenda will focus on regional economic development and center-city revitalization, both areas in which the city of Little Rock has made significant recent progress.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

Artsfest on Walnut Street, celebrating the visual and performing arts, will be held 10 a.m-6 p.m. May 4 and 5 on Walnut Street from National Avenue to west of John Q. Hammons Pkwy. Managed by Urban Districts Alliance, Artsfest is now in its 22nd year. The event is sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council and Price Cutter Plus. More than 150 artists from 15 states will display and sell artwork and compete for cash awards. Artwork on display will include paintings, sculpture, pottery and jewelry. Several stages at the event will feature performing artists who will present ballet, theater, folk music, dance, choral and instrumental music.

ARTHRITIS WALK

One in every six Americans has some form of arthritis, which is the nation's No. 1 cause of disability. As the disease approaches epic proportions, the Arthritis Foundation is fighting back with the Arthritis Walk, a nationwide team-walk event to raise awareness and funds to combat the disease. The team-walk event will kick off National Arthritis Month May 3-5 in nearly 50 cities across the nation. In Springfield, an Arthritis Walk will be held at 10 a.m. May 4 starting at the Chesterfield Park Pavilion. The Arthritis Walk is a fully accessible 5K walk, with shorter alternatives available. Complimentary massages, health information and light snack foods will be available at the event. For more information or to register, call the local Arthritis Foundation office or visit www.arthritis.org online.

SLICE OF NICE

The 17th annual Buddy Bass Tournament to benefit the Ron-ald McDonald House of the Ozarks in Springfield will be held May 4 on Table Rock Lake, starting at the What's Up Dock in Kimberling City. Pre-sented by McDonald's of the Ozarks, Sport Boats USA and Ranger Boats, the Buddy Bass Tournament features a $15,000 guaranteed cash purse and in-cluding a $1,000 Big Bass prize. The entry fee for the event is $100 per boat for a two-person team. Registrations by mail are available by calling the Ronald McDonald House. In-person registration will be held 4 p.m.-7 p.m. May 3 at the Kimberling Inn Resort & Con-ference Center, and from 5 a.m.-7 a.m. the day of the tournament at the Highway 13 Campground Pavilion. During the event, a drawing will be held for a Ranger 175DVS bass boat and RangerTrail trailer. The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks, helps families of seriously ill children who must tra-vel from home for medical care.