Heard On The Street

CORPORATION EDUCATION. Bass Pro Shops, Springfield ReManufacturing Corporation and First Card have formed a collaborative with Glendale High School, making theirs the third recognized enhanced-level Partners In Education relationship with a Springfield Public Schools high school. The partnership will concentrate on making available business-developed resources, such as employee orientations, in-service training opportunities and shadowing experiences, to Glendale students and faculty. The program is designed to help students gain career readiness skills and understand the applicability of academics in the workplace, with the aim of reducing the number of local high school grads whose career uniforms include a paper hat.

AT LEAST YOU'VE GOT YOUR HEALTH. The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Health Care Committee is accepting nominations for the 1998 Salute to Health Care awards, to be presented at an October dinner. These annual awards are presented to individuals or organizations who: have been a direct provider of health care; have demonstrated leadership in promoting issues or efforts designed

to improve the health of Springfield area residents; or have shown longevity in health care, pioneered a field or brought about significant change in the medical profession. (The person who discovered that, despite medical evidence, it is possible to survive on doughnuts, coffee and stress won the Nobel Prize earlier this year and is therefore ineligible.) To receive a nomination form, call Janet Pabst at the chamber, 862-5567. Forms must be returned to the chamber office by July 31.

HOME SWEET HOME. According to a release from Linda S. Montgomery, Greene County recorder, 1998 may be a record year in residential real estate. Low interest rates have boosted home sales in Greene County this year, the release stated, and warranty deed recordings are up 11.9 percent for the second quarter of 1998, compared to the same period in 1997. Development of subdivisions within the county is also continuing, with 33 plats being recorded in the second quarter of 1998, compared to 20 in 1997. The release also stated that 1998 real estate recordings are setting records, with 35,131 instruments filed through June 30 66 percent of the total recordings for 1997. The previous high for real estate recordings was in 1993, when 54,032 instruments were recorded. If the trend continues, 1998 will break this record, the release said.

40-LOVE. Springfield's World Team Tennis league team, the Springfield Lasers, kicked off the season July 9 against Kansas City and Jimmy Connors. At press time, we had no information on who won, or who got a racket thrown at them, or what sort of things were yelled at the linesmen. If you missed the first match, never fear other celebrities will be making the trek to Springfield to play the Lasers: July 17 Tara Snyder and Rick Leach; July 19 Lindsay Davenport and Ricky Reneberg; July 26 Patrick McEnroe and Gigi Fernandez; Sept. 15 Luke and Murphy Jensen and Lori McNell; Sept. 19 John-Laffnie de Jager and Patricia Tarabini; Sept. 20 Mary-Joe Fernandez and David Randall.

COLOR DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFUL. Urban Districts Alliance and the city of Springfield are sponsoring a Beautification Day July 18. The clean-up effort will focus on Park Central Square. Volunteers are needed for sweeping, trash pick-up and painting.

If you'd like to volunteer, please

plan to meet at Park Central Square

at 9 a.m. July 18 and bring cleaning supplies, such as brooms, trash bags and dustpans. To volunteer, please call Lance T. Brown at the UDA office, 831-6200.

SLICE OF NICE. Habitat for Humanity of Springfield has been awarded a $3,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. The grant will be used to construct a Habitat Oprah House in Springfield. Last October, Oprah Winfrey encouraged all communities in which her television show airs to help Habitat eliminate poverty housing. NationsBank, electrician Dale Burkehart, Harry Cooper Supply Co. and H&H Construction have each donated cash, services or materials in the amount of at least $1,000. The group still needs to raise $32,000. Other businesses and individuals wanting to help sponsor the Oprah House can call the Habitat office at 831-3841 for more information. Volunteer labor is also needed to help in the construction of the home.

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