Heard on the Street

HIGHWAY PATROL CARES

Since the Fourth of July falls smack in the middle of the week, the Missouri State Highway Patrol plans several enforcement programs on the weekends before and after, as well as the actual holiday observed July 3 and 4, according to Sgt. Terry Moore of the Highway Patrol. Operation CARE Combined Accident Reduc-tion Effort includes DWI checkpoint saturation efforts, Moore said. On the weekend beginning June 29, the Patrol was set to conduct a DWI checkpoint in Christian County. On the weekend beginning July 6, the Patrol will conduct another DWI checkpoint in McDonald County. All troopers will work during the actual holiday to provide additional visibility and to respond to calls for service. During last year's holiday period, 16 people lost their lives and 915 were injured in 1,853 crashes.

REPUBLIC'S ROCKET WARS

Not all the residents of Republic are happy with the annual bottle rocket wars that take place in neighborhoods all over the city on the Fourth of July, according to one resident, Melissa Pamperien, who has lived there a year and a half. Last year, she "was astonished at their complete lack of concern or welfare of someone getting hurt or losing their personal property" as she drove through neighborhoods being pelted with bottle rockets. City Administrator Dean Thompson says it ain't so. He said he has lived in the city for seven years and has only heard of about four complaints from citizens who want to ban fireworks in the city on the Fourth. But Pamperien said her experience is that "Individuals (adult men and boys especially) with bottle rockets and other fireworks ... shoot them at one another. They hide behind shrubs and have little war games going on." Pamperien took her concerns to the Deputy Fire Chief Bob Curts who told her there was nothing he could do. A vacant house was hit by the fireworks about 10 years ago and burned, she was told, but an ordinance to prohibit the activity back then failed. "From the people I've talked to ... the individuals, particularly in the government ... feel this is the way it's always been and this is a small town and this is the way they want to keep it, and anyone who wants to change it will have a hard time. They don't see the city has grown." Thompson said that she is welcome to attend the Board of Aldermen meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. and bring the issue before them. But for this year, Pamperien plans to stay home for the holiday to keep an eye on her house. "Think about it. It's fireworks. It's a life-threatening, dangerous situation. Someone could lose their home."

SHOW US THE MONEY

Investors of the bankrupt Stevens Financial Group are probably wondering what happened to $50 million in assets of the company. They learned at a stockholders meeting held here last week that the company's assets went from $80 million before filing for bankruptcy protection March 19 to $30 million. Where did it go? We'll keep you posted as the audit ordered by Secretary of State Matt Blunt is completed.

GOLF TAKES OFF BIG TIME IN JULY

This month several Ozark area communities will play host to events of the Buy.Com Ozarks Open which raises money for 13 charities. The tournament runs July 22-29 at Highland Springs Country Club and is broadcast for the second year in a row on The Golf Channel, which reaches more than 40 million homes in the United States and Canada. This year the event has expanded to six off-site pro-am tournaments, according to a news release.

SLICE OF NICE

Golfers can't be beat when it comes to raising money for charity. July 9 at Millwood Golf and Racquet Club, the 23rd annual Pottenger McNay Golf Classic will raise money to benefit the Springfield Family YMCA's scholarship fund. The four-person scramble costs $500 per team. For more information call 417-862-7456. Five days later, the Ledgestone Country Club at StoneBridge Village in Branson plays host to the eighth annual State Farm and Red Cross Disaster Ser-vices Open. Participants have the chance to win more than $20,000 in prizes. Registration for the three-person scramble includes green fees, cart, lunch, beverages, dinner and a tournament shirt. The fee is $200 per player. To register call 417-832-9500. Proceeds help the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the Red Cross provide disaster relief for victims of fires, floods tornadoes and other natural disasters in 14 southwest Missouri counties.