Heard on the Street

ARTISTS HELPING ARTISTS

Once again, Scott Hepper voted "Best Local Artist" three years in a row in a media poll has taken lemons and made lemonade. His Springfield Coffee Company, which serves as a mini-gallery for his prolific and nationally known paintings, was deemed to be a one-man-show and not a "gallery," and wasn't allowed to be part of the First Friday Gallery Walk in the downtown area. In response, Hepper created "an extremely affordable venue for the hundreds of local talented artists of all media to be registered and seen with no hassles, and a first step ... to begin the already arduous task of marketing themselves," according to a news release from Valerie Rippey, at Blue Sky Services. Rippey designed the Web site spring fieldartists.com for the newly formed Springfield Artists Group. On the site, for a small fee, local artists can get a one-category listing with their contact information, plus a free picture link to their own Web sites.

DID YOU KNOW...?

Springfield has 34,596 students enrolled in colleges and universities in the 2001-2002 school year, according to statistics from the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. There are 12,071 children enrolled in public elementary schools, 5,774 in public middle schools and 7,199 in public high schools, along with 1,916 in private elementary and middle schools and 631 in private high schools. Thirty-seven percent of the public school faculty have master's degrees and the average public school teacher has 14 years' teaching experience.

DEFENDING YOUR LIFE

If the scary times make you nervous, maybe an introduction to martial arts is your ticket to confidence. A free event to promote personal safety and confidence for the entire family will be held three times in February sponsored by the Springfield Police Department and Martial Arts USA. Each session runs 12:30-1:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 16 and 23 at The Family Club, 4553 S. Campbell. Club owner and martial arts instructor, Jeff Cvitak, is taking reservations on a first-come first-serve basis. "Our goal ... is to help the people .... to become more confident in their ability to defend themselves and their loved ones, to know the signs of danger and be able to avoid conflicts before they occur," Cvitak said.

WOMANLY VIRTUE

An author of 22 books on mind-body-spirit issues who has appeared on "Oprah," CNN, "Good Morning America" and "Roseanne" Doreen Virtue, PhD will be featured speaker for the third annual Today's Woman Expo Feb. 9 at the University Plaza Convention Center. Virtue will speak at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on how to resolve inner conflicts and stop projecting fears into self-fulfilling (and defeating) prophecies. Her talks will include how to purify the diet, improve energy and outlook, let go of money worries and stay centered in joy by following one's intuition. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to the Family Violence Center.

MORE FUN FACTS

The American Chamber of Commerce Association said in the third quarter of 2001, Springfield registered 90.6 on the cost of living index in which the mean rate is 100. The index for other cities shows why businesses like to locate in Springfield: San Diego, Calif., 127.5; Philadelphia; 121.0, St. Louis, 99.4; Denver, Colo.; 107.9, Phoenix, Ariz.; 100.8, Tulsa, Okla., 95.4, and Charlotte, N.C., 98.3.

SLICE OF NICE

The folks at Metro Credit Union have started a fund to help a local family stricken by a rare inherited disease Currar-ino Syndrome. Kevin McBride, 1 1/2, was the first member struck by the complex disorder, according to his pediatrician, Karen Hearty, who wrote Metro asking for help for the family. Kevin had his first surgery a few hours after his birth. Sister Callie, 4, was diagnosed next, and now their mother, Alicia, faces surgery. Hearty said Mrs. McBride should be "Mother of the Year" for enduring months of separation from her husband, Marc, and single-parenting in St. Louis as the children recovered from surgery. "The family is tapped out," said Susan Kuhl, Metro's marketing director. The financial stress of deductibles, copayments, uncovered medical expenses and supplies, travel and living expenses have been huge. Donations may be sent to the McBride Family Fund, c/o Metro Credit Union, 447 S. Campbell, Springfield, MO 65806.