On the Street

Sad stats

April is National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. With 2,841 cases of child abuse and neglect reported in Greene County in 2003, the abuse and neglect rate for the county is the highest per-capita in the state of Missouri and nearly twice as high as that of St. Louis County.

Missouri has the second-highest rate of child abuse/neglect hotline calls in the country, according to Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southwest Missouri.

Gee, Wally!

Tony Dow, the actor who played Wally in the late 1950s sitcom, "Leave It to Beaver," visited Branson in early April with his personal manager and some of the cast members from the show, who are interested in developing a stage production at a Branson theater.

Dow and Phillip Gittelman, his manager, were assisted by Mike Rankin, economic development manager with the city of Branson. They met with private backers, visited several places and events in the city, including Bransonfest at the Welk Theater.

Make-A-Wish

The annual dinner of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 30 at University Plaza Hotel Convention Center. Tickets are $30 each or $250 for a table of 10. More than 220 items will be up for bid during the silent and live auctions at the event.

The Make-A-Wish-Foundation of Missouri grants wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. For tickets or more information, call 417-873-9474.

Delectable downtown

Savor Downtown will be held 5:30-9 p.m. April 27 at participating downtown restaurants As Good As it Gets, Harpo's, Nonna's Italian American Caf, Patton Alley Pub, Rasta Grill, Riad's and Roly Poly Sandwiches. The restaurants will provide a sampling of food items during the event. Tickets are $20 each and are available at the participating restaurants and Urban Districts Alliance office at 304 W. McDaniel.

Slice of Nice

The Victim Center's ninth annual "Victims Are Our Business" breakfast will begin at 7:15 a.m. April 27 in the Grand Ballroom at University Plaza Hotel, 333 John Q. Hammons Parkway. Jack Stack, president and CEO of Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation, is guest host for the event, and the speaker will be Bobby Smith, a former Louisiana State Trooper. Smith was shot and blinded while on duty in 1986. Tickets to the breakfast are $40 and are available by calling the Victim Center at 417-863-7273. Proceeds from the event support free services for crime victims and prevention education for Springfield and surrounding communities.