On the Street

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Because officers are experiencing problems as they try to answer emergency calls, the Springfield Police Department is reminding all drivers that they need to pull to the right of the road and yield for emergency vehicles that are operating with flashing lights and sirens on. During Code 3 calls, officers are responding to distress calls in the community or to another officer in need of assistance, and minutes of delay can mean the difference between life and death. The Police Department notes that pulling to the right and yielding is the best way to help officers, and drivers should not speed up in an effort to find a better place to pull in, or stop or slow down in the driving lane.

A RUNNING EXHIBIT

The History Museum for Springfield-Greene County will March 4 open an exhibit, "25 Years of Running in the Ozarks." The museum is seeking loans or donations of photographs and/or memorabilia related to the sport. The exhibit will highlight the Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners, local events and C.C. Pyle's International Trans-Continental Foot Race otherwise known as the Bunion Derby and the history of the sport of running.

In conjunction with the exhibit, the museum will hold the Run Through History: 8K/2 Mile Fun Run on March 29. For more information, call 417-864-1976.

TAX HELP

Drury University students will operate an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site again this year, to provide free tax assistance for low-income and senior citizen taxpayers. The VITA site will be located in the second-floor computer lab at Drury's Breech School of Business, at the corner of Central Street and Drury Lane. Tax help will be offered 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 1, March 8, March 29, April 5 and April 12. Taxpayers should bring all W-2s, 1099s, Social Security cards of dependents and a copy of 2001 tax returns with them. for more information call 417-873-7508.

SLICE OF NICE

Nominations are being accepted until March 14 for the 12th Annual Gift of Time Awards, which recognize those who contribute their time to make the Ozarks a better place to live. Volunteers will be honored in each of 10 categories: education, arts/culture, environment, civic and community betterment, health/well-being, human services, support services, senior services, youth services and junior services. An honoree also will be chosen as Volunteer of the Year. Nomination forms can be obtained from Gift of Time sponsors: Council of Churches of the Ozarks, 627 N. Glenstone Ave.; the City of Springfield, Busch Building, 840 Boonville Ave.; Springfield News-Leader, 651 N. Boonville Ave.; Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway; or online at www.springfield mogov.org/egov/giftoftime.html.