Heard on the Street

POSTAL FOOD. The National Association of Letter Carriers will hold its annual food drive May 13. The local branch, No. 203, asks patrons to leave nonperishable food items in or near their mailboxes for their letter carriers to pick up. Donated items will be distributed to the Salvation Army, The Kitchen, Grand Oak Mission and the Victory Mission. This is the seventh year for the local chapter to hold a food drive; last year, the association collected more than 96,000 pounds of food in the Ozarks area.

LATHROP & LARGER. Lathrop & Gage, which acquired Springfield's Miller & Sanford last year, is once again expanding its territory. The Kansas City-based firm announced that the Sullivan Law Group joined Lathrop & Gage effective April 3. The Sullivan Law Group is a patent litigation and prosecution firm based in Phoenix, Ariz. The merger adds five attorneys to Lathrop & Gage's intellectual property practice. Lathrop & Gage has offices in Springfield, Kansas City, Overland Park, Kan., Jefferson City and Washington, D.C.

REVVIN' IT UP. The National Street Rod Association is coming to the Ozarks. The association will hold its annual Mid America Street Rod Nationals May 26, 27 and 28 at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. More than 2,000 vintage pre-1949 street rods from all over the United States are expected to converge on the area for the three-day event. The event will also include more than 80 commercial exhibitors and is the largest display of this type ever assembled in the area. A street rod is an automobile manufactured prior to 1949 that has been modified for travel on today's highways. They are not racing cars but are designed and built for reliable street and highway transportation. The event will be open to the public. Tickets are $10 for adults; $3 for children ages 6-12.

PRODUCER'S CHOICE. The Missouri House of Representatives has given first-round approval to a bill to promote Missouri-made agricultural products. The program outlined in the bill will place a marketing logo, similar to those used by Florida citrus growers and the Wisconsin Dairy Council, on Missouri agricultural products. Called Producer's Choice, the program aims to denote agriculture products grown in Missouri with the logo, and to therefore help market products that come from Missouri's small family-owned farms. The bill proposes just more than $3 million to be spent over five years for the program. The bill, House Bill 1762, was approved on a voice vote. It now faces a third reading and roll call vote before moving on to the Senate.

EXORCISM OF EXCISE. Congressman Roy Blunt, the Republican U.S. representative for the 7th District, has introduced the Phone Tax Repeal Act legislation to end a 102-year-old 3 percent tax on telephone time. The tax was originally levied to fund the Spanish-American War, which ended in 1898. At that time, the tax was considered a luxury tax because the wealthy were the predominate owners and users of telephones. Blunt argued in a release from his office that phones are no longer a luxury but an essential service for all Americans.

WORKING WONDERS. Water Works Wonders is the theme for National Drinking Water Week, May 7-13. City Utilities officials will recognize the national event by giving away bottles of True Tap water in its customer lobby and at several charity events. CU has supplied drinking water since 1957, when the city of Springfield purchased the Springfield City Water Company. In 1996, CU tapped Stockton Lake for an additional water supply to the original supply, which includes Fulbright Spring, the James River and McDaniel and Fellows Lakes, plus five wells.

BIG IMPACT. SBJ named the judges for its Economic Impact Awards: Jane Hood, of the Missouri Department of Economic Development; Greg Williams, of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Charles Pettijohn, of the SMSU marketing department; Jane Peterson, of the Small Business Development Center; and Ann Peck, of the city of Springfield. Awards will be given in the categories of real estate, retail, information technology, telecommunications and financial services, and lifetime achievement. To nominate a business, call Keri Franklin or Dianne Elizabeth at 831-3238 by May 10.

SLICE OF NICE. Sertoma Club of Springfield is seeking four-person golf teams for a fund raiser to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs. The May 12 golf tournament will be at the Island Green Golf Club in Republic. Prizes will be awarded for holes-in-one and other golfing accomplishments. The entry fee for a team of four is $300. Companies can sponsor a hole for $250. For more information, call 881-6623 or 581-2842.