Amanda Lea & Chalmers Smith: Critter Story

Giant Salamander Home to the Ozarks Faces Extinction
An exotic animal known to the Ozarks area is drawing closer to extinction every year. The Ozark Hellbender is a known inhabitant to Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri, including Springfield areas. Many reasons, such as our growing economy, are causing the giant salamanders demise. Missouri State University and other organizations are working to find out why they are dying off and what we can do to stop it.
These interesting creatures are typically water-dwelling animals, and they can grow to be anywhere from one to two feet long. They live in steadily running streams with good water quality, and they are known to eat small fish. They hunt at night depending solely on smell and touch to find their food. Since they seek out anything that smells appetizing to them, they can potentially put themselves in danger. Not only do they depend on many different ways to scrounge for food, but they are also at a disadvantage. In contrast to fellow salamanders, the Hellbender can’t swim at all even though it dwells at the bottom of the river. Instead of swimming in the water, they crawl on the river’s bed camouflaged in the rock. Camouflage, however, is not the reason we aren’t seeing much of the Hellbenders today.

The decline was first noticed when fewer young Hellbenders were found in the streams. Professional opinion says the dropping population is due, in part, to human interference.
“Research has found that sperm counts are lower,” says Dr. Alicia Mathis, a professor at Missouri State University. “We believe this could be caused by pollutants in the water, although we’re not sure which ones.”
Not only pollutants, but logging, farming, construction, and waste are destroying their habitats. Furthermore, Mathis says that illegal collecting of the species during the 70s has made matters worse. Consequently, our growing city may be at fault.
In addition, natural causes are playing a role as well. Hellbenders do not become sexually mature until their sixth year, which allows for many to become eaten or uprooted before they can reproduce. Foreign fish such as the European Trout also play roles since they feed off the salamander. Normally, when a Hellbender senses danger they will freeze or hide, but since they do not have an instinctive trait telling them to hide from the trout, they stay put.
The decreasing population of these particular creatures may not seem important, but the loss can cause trouble in our stream’s ecosystem. For example, the salamanders eat small fish like Crayfish. Therefore, if there are not as many Hellbenders, then the Crayfish population will increase. This chain could cause other plant and animal populations to decrease as well.
So, what are we doing to help? According to Mathis, a lot is being done. For months, Missouri State University has been working on introducing a ‘threat scent’ to the species so they will recognize dangerous fish. Still, more research is needed.
“First we need to know what fish pose danger to the Hellbenders before anything can be done,” Mathis says.
This would allow Hellbenders to sense danger and give them a chance to hide. However, the Hellbenders in the wild would not have the acquired scent. Furthermore, attempts to breed Hellbenders in a controlled environment are going on now in the basement of MSU’s Temple Hall. Mathis says they are still collecting eggs, but they haven’t had much luck. To learn more go to hellbender.org or ozarkhellbender.com, and find out how you can get involved in the efforts to save these endangered species. With joint effort and more awareness, more of these endangered reptiles could possibly be saved.

Amanda Lea: Extra Credit

Drowning On Dry Land
Water, sun, and summertime fun is something that everyone can look forward to. Kids and adults everywhere flock to pools and water parks seeking cool relief from the heat. However, this particular summer activity can turn deadly. Local lifeguards say that cuts, scrapes, and sunburns could be the least of your worries. Every year children and adolescents drown from situations that could have been prevented.
“All summer long we see kids who can’t swim left alone in the pool with floaties and rings while their parents lay out,” says a lifeguard at one of Springfield’s city pools, “I’ve had to jump in twice because kids get overturned in those things and can’t get up.”
To make matters worse, lifeguards say that there is one big pool related threat that most people don’t even know about. The threat they are referring to is called a secondary-drowning, sometimes known as a “dry drowning.” This usually occurs after a near-drowning event, when a severe muscle spasm of the larynx, an area around the voice box, closes preventing aspiration of water and respiration.
“I think a dry drowning is important for people to know about because it’s not necessarily something a lifeguard can stop,” says Emilie Skarda, 22, a lifeguard at a local country club.
The reason guards can’t stop these drownings from occurring is because they usually happen long after the person has left the pool. Near-drowning happens at the pool when a person is submerged under water long enough that they require CPR after being pulled out. A person can literally drown from water left on their lungs up to 72 hours after being revived. Even though the victim may escape from drowning under water, they’re still at risk.
“The reason people cough after they nearly drown is because of fluid in their lungs,” says Skarda, “they can drown hours after they leave the pool because of the water they took in.”
Guards say that the reason people don’t notice this is because usually the person appears to be perfectly fine. However, both guards said that severe coughing, fever, cold skin, and pale appearance are all signs to looks for.
American Red Cross lifeguards are all trained to instruct someone call 911 for all drowning victims before they even enter the pool. They advise for all people who have near-drownings to be checked out by a doctor immediately, even if you appear to be ok.
“It is almost better to have a near-drowning when a lifeguard is present because we know what to do and we can warn victims of stuff that can happen after,” says Skarda, “I don’t think most people would ever know about it if it happened at a pool of their own.”

Alex Robichaud Extra Credit

Six trusting college men have been living in Springfield for three years now. These guys never lock the doors, and they welcome anyone to walk into their home without knocking. But their open-door policy may have to change due to a break-in and attempted theft that occurred last week.
“I was sitting in my room, which is right next to the only entrance into our house, and the next thing I knew a man ran down our stairs and slammed the door. I looked out my window to see him get into his old van and peel off,” said Ryan Beitler, Nixa, junior.

The man never said anything to the residents; he was not in the house for more than a few minutes.
“I never actually saw the guy. I don’t even know if he stole anything. There are a few DVDs missing, but we aren’t sure if we lost those before the break-in,” said Sam Bohling, Blue Springs, senior.
The residents have always been a trusting group, and they decided not to file a police report since they are not sure anything was stolen.
“It kind of sucks. We always had the house that any of our friends could just show up to and hang out, even if we weren’t there. Only a couple of us even had keys, let alone used them. We are probably going to have to start locking the door,” said Caleb Ebel, Blue Springs, senior.

The neighborhood around the house on National has not had any break-ins, but everyone has been given a description of the attempted burglar. A friend and neighbor, Savannah James, 29, remains on the look-out.

“Ryan came over and told me about the guy. I told all my roommates to be on the look-out for a 5’9” black man in a beat up, white Astro van, but we are hoping it was an isolated incident.”

J. Garretsons Extra Credit

Rogersville Wrapped Up in National Debate

When workers for Gulfstream Bioflex Energy, LLC, picked the location for one of their latest potential plants, they probably didn’t expect the public outcry they received. Dozens of people from Webster County communities have banded together to fight the plant for a host of reasons, and the battle is turning out to be a real David and Goliath match-up.

Normally, if a plant were being built, the business planning it would send a formal proposal to a county planning and zoning commission, where the blueprints and details would be reviewed and voted upon. That is, if a community has established planning and zoning regulations.

“According to our conversations with the county, they did not know about (GBE’s plans) until a week ago Monday,” Harry Coambes, of the Dutch Creek Neighborhood Association, told local news in August of last year. That’s because BGE wasn’t required to contact the county. The last two Planning and Zoning plans, one nearly a dozen years ago and one in 2005, have been rejected by Webster County residents.

The deal, then, is entirely private, between Gulfstream Bioflex and any landowner they choose to buy from.

Since this realization, local opposition has scrambled to piece together a new planning and zoning proposal. But, like so many legislative acts, results from the Webster County Temporary Planning and Zoning Commission – created in response to the failure of the 2005 zoning proposal – have come too slowly for some.

At least one group, calling themselves Citizens for Groundwater Protection, is doing their best to aid the official process. The group has filed post-trial motions, the first step in what they hope is an eventual journey to the Missouri Supreme Court. The motion is in response to a judges approval of the contested deal.

The main point of outrage for opponents is the plants potential use of groundwater resources. The plant could not only use over a million gallons of water a day – over 440 million annually – but there’s a potential it could pollute the surrounding areas.

Because of the nature of the areas water basin, its weak soil strength and tendency to stand water, “All of the Ozarks is considered at high risk for potential pollution,” said Bob Schultheis, a natural-resource engineering specialist at the Webster County Extension Center in Marshfield and chairman of the Webster County Groundwater Impact Committee, at an August 2006 town meeting on the subject.

But locals have other objections, as well. Ethanol plants have a distinct and unpleasant odor, for example. Any community living down wind of one can potentially see land value fall, which can eventually affect all of its citizens.

There are also many people opposed to ethanol in general. The potential negative impacts, say groups like the Energy Justice Network, could be wide and far ranging.

Mass ethanol use would probably raise the price of corn, a staple in most livestock feeds. This would inevitably lead to higher prices for meat and diary. Ethanol production also uses more fuel than it produces – to manufacture the fuel, plants usually use natural gas or coal, and requires 23% more energy than is produced.

Another potential drawback is, if an ethanol plant is established, it often seeks to sell some of its waste product, a mash of corn bits, to area farms as food for livestock. The feed has poor nutrition, so while this practice may offset any damage to feed prices, it may also attract more factory farming, and all the environmental problems that tag along, to the surrounding communities.

And so the questions swirl. Will the plant be built? Should it? How will either course of action affect the sleepy communities involved in this struggle?

The answers will only come in time.

__________

Cars for Students

Gabriel Rodriguez knows the pain of losing a friend. He says that for a year or two now, he’s watched Gladys slow down and wear out, and now he’s just waiting for the day she finally rests. But he doesn’t look forward to that day.

“It’s just getting a new one. I don’t want to go through any of that.”

Gladys is a green Chevy Malibu, and she’s pushing ten-years-old. She still works well enough, says Rodriguez, but he says he sometimes feels he’s on borrowed time.

He’s not alone in fearing the new car hunt. It can be daunting, boring, and even – or especially – expensive. A decision is made, often in the span of a day, that must be lived with for perhaps years to come. Naturally, it’s important to make the right choice.

“What’s the right car depends on the purchaser,” says Mark Stevenson, customer relations at Reliable Chevrolet.

Rodriguez says, as a student, his concerns are cost, fuel economy and safety – in that order. After a day of comparing local dealership prices, his favorite was the Honda Fit, one of the highest rated small cars of the year.

“It’s under twelve thousand,” says Rodriguez. “That’s my main concern.”

Mark Stevenson says that sticker price is only half the purchase, though. “Gas mileage is a significant cost, over the course of your vehicle’s lifetime.”

He says to pay close attention to the average miles per gallon when shopping for vehicles. But he stresses concern for gas consumption shouldn’t stop once the vehicle’s yours.

“Fuel economy depends so much more on the habits of drivers than construction (of the vehicle),” he says. Small habits – good or bad – can drastically alter fuel consumption.

For instance, he says, “All items draw power, from the air conditioning to the radio. And that power is… taken from fuel.” So, though it might not be an enjoyable solution, leaving some amenities powered off can save dollars and cents.

Driving habits can also have a major impact on gas mileage.

“Jack-rabbit starts, quick stops,” all bad, says Stevenson.

“Probably the biggest misconception here in the Ozarks,” he continues, “is using cruise control too much.” He says the hilly terrain, and the nature of cruise control, often means your vehicle uses too much fuel as it pushes you up a hill, and again uses too much fuel as you go back down.

A new car can be an exciting and even life-changing purchase, but it’s one that should be done carefully and responsibly. It seems generally agreed that when searching for a new or used vehicle, it’s important to make a list of the attributes that are most important and patiently search for the best, and most economical, solution. One shouldn’t be afraid to make phone calls, ask questions, and Google far into the night trying to find that perfect deal.

“Winning the lottery would help, too, though,” says Rodriguez.

The most recommended resource for general car, truck and SUV information was Consumer Reports, who publish an annual magazine and have an easily navigable and highly informative (though most decidedly not free) website, ConsumerReports.org.

__________

Back to School Thrift

It’s almost time for school, and as students buy books and supplies, arrange housing and transportation, or even shop for groceries, it becomes quite apparent just how quickly finances can dwindle.

“It’s crazy,” says Valerie Pikul, a Springfield resident. “Just textbooks alone costs us thousands a year. And gas is getting so expensive.”

Valerie works full time as a pharmacy technician, but her husband is a full time student. She says, to help make ends meet, she’s become somewhat of an authority on saving money to offset school costs.

“If I could offer any advice, it’s coupons,” she says. “I buy a couple papers every Sunday. Maybe five dollars (for the newspapers) and I save close to a hundred dollars.”

There are countless ways to pinch pennies, says Valerie, but the key is planning and comparing. Impulse buys can be momentarily satisfying, but they can very easily throw a budget off balance.

She admits impulse abstinence may be easier said than done, though.

“The hardest part is just buying what you need,” she says. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you need something or just want it really badly. And it really sucks having these deep, like, moral decisions in the middle of Wal-Mart.”

But she says the long term rewards can be worth the effort.

There are a couple steps to smart purchasing.

“First,” says Valerie, “the need/want decision. After that, lots of shopping around.”

It’s okay to look for exactly what you want, she says. But you can still shop smart, by deciding who might have the best deals and selection for the product you’re hunting for.

An example she gave was furniture for dorms or other student housing. Students often live nearly nomadic lives from one semester to the next, and are naturally hesitant to consider furniture that’s bulky or expensive. An often overlooked resource for suitable appointments are thrift stores like Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

“I’ve gotten most of my furniture from them over the years,” she says. “And it’s all been nice stuff.”

She stresses that “second hand” doesn’t mean “thrown out.”

“These are donations, not trash. That’s probably the biggest misconception.” She says she’s often amazed at the quality of many items donated.

If averse to thrift store shopping, there are still great ways to get good deals.

“If you just worry about cost, Wal-Mart almost always wins.” But the thrill of instant gratification can cause many young people to neglect two major outlets, both online.

“Ebay and Amazon usually beat Wal-Mart, if you buy from vendors, and especially if you by ‘used and new.’ If it’s electronics especially, you can sometimes shave off half the cost, and that’s including shipping!.”

But often, quality service can provide incentive to spend a little more.

Darren, a representative at Best Buy, says that’s what Best Buy strives for. “If you need help, just ask someone in a blue shirt,” he says. Some buyers may be willing to pay a little more per product just to talk to more knowledgeable, or even just more numerous, staff.

Even Valerie agrees it’s nice to enjoy some luxury, but warns against such splurges.

“That can be habit forming,” she says. “But I guess we all fall off the wagon from time to time.”

Dustin Pruett-Extra Credit

Bush Uses His Political Power to Commute Libby’s Sentence

Washington DC- President Bush commuted the prison sentence of former White House
aide I. Lewis ''Scooter'' Libby. It happened after a federal appeals board
decided that Libby would have to start serving his 2.5 year prison term now.

Libby was convicted in March for lying and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative.

The leak case has hung over the White House for years. After CIA operative Valerie Plame's name appeared in a 2003 syndicated newspaper column, Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald questioned top administration officials, including Bush and Cheney, about their possible roles.

Nobody was ever charged with the leak, including Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Karl Rowe provided the information for the orginal article.

Prosecutors said Libby obstructed the investigation by lying about how he learned about Plame and whom he told. Libby was their by obstructing justice from happening and also lying under oath.

Plame believes Libby and other White House officials conspired to leak her identity to reporters in 2003 as retribution against her husband, Joseph Wilson, who criticized what he said was the administration's misleading use of prewar intelligence on Iraq.

Libby was the former chief of staff for vice president Dick Cheney and was spared a federal prison sentence but his conviction still stands in federal court.

Bush said in a statement "The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged," Bush said. "His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant and private citizen will be long-lasting."

Libby still has to pay 250,000 and serve a two years of probation for his actions. Libby isn’t getting pardon for his actions.

The reaction from democrats was harsh. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York said "As Independence Day nears, we are reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under the law. This commutation completely tramples on that principle.

Attorney William Jeffress said he had spoken to Libby briefly by phone and "I'm happy at least that Scooter will be spared any prison time. ... The prison sentence was imminent but obviously the conviction itself is a heavy blow to Scooter."

It is still a big issue in the news if President Bush will pardon Scooter Libby after his term ends up in 2008. Critics believe that he will be pardon because of the longtime friendship between Libby and President Bush.

Tiffany Coppage: Extra Credit

The Highly Anticipated JQH Arena Boast Numerous Upgrades

In December of 2006, construction workers broke ground on what is soon to become the new basketball arena for Missouri State. Over the past 8 months workers have been working extremely hard and extremely fast to complete the state of the art building by its deadline of the 2008-2009 basketball season. What is now just a big hole in the ground with 4 concrete walls and support beams in the middle, will soon develop into a $67 million dollar first class facility. “I can’t wait to see the girls play on that new floor. New coaches, new players, and a new arena; next years going to be one never to forget”, says a Missouri state basketball fan.

Currently, Missouri State houses basketball, volleyball, swimming, concerts and other community events in the Hammons student center located directly west of the new arena site. It was built in the late 70’s and used for the first time in the 1976-1977 basketball season. No small raggedy piece of work, the Hammons student center was eye candy for athletes as well, with a seating capacity of 8,846 people. Players like Jacque Stiles ran the floors of this facility and made history. The court has seating on all four sides with the court sitting at the bottom of the bowl and also 4 practice gyms. Athletics and building administration offices, coaches’ offices, lounges, and varsity sized locker rooms also occupy the building, but now the university is ready to go bigger and better. The new arena will mainly be for basketball and community events since volleyball and other sports have chosen to stay in Hammons Student Center.

The JQH Arena is named after the main contributor to the facility and Springfield’s biggest hotel developer, John Q Hammons, who committed to give $30 million dollars. The new facility will top every aspect of the old one starting with its seating capacity. JQH Arena will seat more than 11,000 people, house a state of the art score board, have private suites, 100 lodge seats, 55 courtside seats, a hall of fame, souvenirs shop, ticket office, and a 4,500 square foot club. In addition to those things, the new arena will more than double the amount of restrooms, almost double concessions, triple point-of-sale locations, and triple the number of elevators. The design also leaves room for expansion in seating, locker rooms, offices, and training rooms.

Julie Wright, the administrative secretary for the athletics department says that they were trying to keep the cost as low as possible, so they put the new things in first, and will put things that can wait in later. The main thing that she was speaking of is the locker rooms. “As of now, the teams will still use the locker rooms in the Hammons Student Center, but we are still hoping a big contributor will donate what is needed in order to have it ready with the rest of the facility”, says Wright.

The dedicatory game is scheduled to be held on the 22nd of November against the Arkansas Razorbacks. In December of 1976, the Razorbacks defeated the Bears in a 72-71 victory, which was also the Bear’s first home game in the Hammons Student Center, so tradition carries on.

Fans are anxious to get into the new arena and they are showing it through ticket sales. Ticket sales for the 2008-2009season began in June of this year. Already, all 22 private suites have been leased and more than 1400 season tickets have been purchased. Prices in season seating vary but it ranges from as low as $50 dollar assessments up to $5000 dollar assessments. The opening of the new arena is highly anticipated and from the looks and sounds of it, it will truly be a sight to see.

Critter Story-Dustin Pruett and Brittany Forell

VanBurch Works His Magic Saving Endangered Species
509 words

Branson, MO- Best known as our local “Prince of Magic,” Kirby VanBurch is more than just a magician performing in Branson. VanBurch has been invited to appear throughout Europe and Asia, and after three royal command performances for the King of Thailand, VanBurch received a personal invitation from the Royal Palace. It was there that the princess of Thailand bestowed the Royal title “Prince of Magic” upon Kirby VanBurch. Since then, he has been entertaining his audience for years with his daily magic show in Branson.

When he’s not showing off his magic, VanBurch shows his compassionate side working with exotic animals in his show. His close work with animals ranging from lions and tigers to chickens and ducks led him to start his humanitarian foundation for animals.

The White Tiger Foundation is a local nonprofit organization created by Kirby VanBurch. The Foundation contributes positively to not only the local community, but reaches to help animals and people worldwide. His original concept was astronomical, and his goals equally idealistic.

First was his educational component developed to create animal awareness and conservation in the community and beyond. Second was to support charities such as the Lake Country Boys and Girls Club, the Tri-Lakes Humane Society, and the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, which Kirby explains are near and dear to him personally. He has helped establish Kirby's Young Explorers Club at the Boys and Girls Club. The Young Explorers Club is a project to actively engage children in the exploration of the role we each play in the balance of nature. One of the goals of this project is to educate children about endangered species.

The Foundation is dedicated to providing people from all backgrounds opportunities to improve their lives by helping them build skills, promote leadership skills, and nurture values. The Foundation contributes by raising funds for educational programs and charitable gifts through generous contributions from various companies and individuals.

In addition to helping local charities, Branson's White Tiger Foundation’s core purpose is to promote community and global awareness of the plight of endangered species. Through his efforts and support he has helped the Humane Society in Reeds Springs in incredible ways. VanBurch is the official spokesperson for the "Adopt a Pet" program, a project where a local newspaper publishes a story about an animal up for adoption with a picture of Kirby holding the pet.

VanBurch owns many White Bengal Cubs. During his show, Kirby shows a film of him taking care of his tiger cubs. The video shows Kirby’s compassion and dedication to saving the White Bengal Tiger, as he also introduces the imminent dangers facing natures most wild and beautiful creatures. Kirby hopes to begin a breeding program in Branson, Missouri for the White Bengal Tiger.

Kirby VanBurch continues to impact the Ozarks by providing this foundation which helps inform people about endangered species, and encourages them to join him in their preservation. Kirby’s organization consistently benefits the community, centering in the Ozarks, and continuously reaching out.

Critter Story

Carrie Boyd
Kyra Werdehausen

It was another late night of work for Casey Donovan, Missouri State University student, when he returned to his apartment around 11:30 p.m. last Wednesday. Looking forward to a relaxing evening, Donovan was annoyed when he had to battle his way to the front door. Copious amounts of cockroaches roamed the sidewalks outside his East Madison apartment complex. “Insects have never bothered me, but feeling as if I am a character in the movie ‘Mimic,’ a plot about infectious cockroaches, it is rather difficult to sleep,” says Donovan. He claims that the roaches seem to be coming out from under the apartments or at least reside close to the actual buildings.
Donovan is not the only one concerned about the nocturnal pests. Many residents have voiced their opinion and the building was recently sprayed. However, the cockroach problem still exists, leaving residents wondering if the chemicals even worked.
The apartment complex hired a local pest company to spray around the buildings with a common pesticide. Reporters were unable to get a response from the company but spoke with Gary from Orkin who described the process of eliminating pests, “Well, it really depends on the species. One female roach can live up to 8 months and have over 6000 babies. Generally, it is a 12 month process. An apartment building can be a little bit harder. What happens is there is nothing that can penetrate insect eggs so they just have to hatch out. When you wait in between the sprays you will end up trading the problem in between apartments. So this is difficult to fix.”
Besides the phobia that could result from these large insects, other issues concern local residents. One concern is the time of day the pesticide was sprayed. Cockroaches are nocturnal and are usually in protective hiding spots. Another worry is the building itself. Many of the apartments are in good condition but most of them are older models with tiny cracks located near the doors and windows. These cracks are just large enough for cockroaches to move-in.
Once a cockroach inhabits a place, they multiple quickly and leave chemical trails in their feces to guide other cockroaches to food and water. An adult cockroach can live in a crack the size of a quarter while a young cockroach can live in a fracture the size of a dime.
Not only are they small enough to hide but they are a potential health threat. Cockroaches are one of the most common allergy problems of indoor pests. Recent studies by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences indicate that cockroaches can increase the severity of asthma. The study suggests that the proteins in cockroach saliva can be highly allergenic while the body and droppings have less of these proteins.
As residents voice their opinion other residents are already making their first move. One resident in Donovan’s complex is done dealing with the pests, “I’m moving across the street to a better location in hopes of not running into the same problem.”
Another Springfield property management company told reporters that controlling roach problems is not that difficult, “We have maintenance always watching for problems and we spray the buildings quarterly. If there are any problems we immediately call a terminator to come out and spray.”
For now, Donovan and his neighbors will continue dealing with the pests, “Maybe the complex managers will finally realize the solution used to kill off the insects is not working and will step in to do something about it.”
If cockroaches are a problem in your home, here are some helpful tips. Keep your home clean. Roaches are more likely to live in dirty environments. Also, make sure all entrances are sealed properly. This will make your home less penetrable for cockroaches. The Food and Drug Administration advises residents to be actively aware of the pests for health related issues.

Critter VOB

Carrie Boyd
Kyra Werdehausen
Critter VOB
Anchor Intro:
Copious amounts of cockroaches roam the sidewalks outside an East Madison apartment complex concerning residents.
Take VO:
Missouri State student, Casey Donovan, returned to his apartment late last Wednesday and had to battle his way through a plethora of cockroaches.
Residents say the complex was recently sprayed but the problem still exists, leaving them to wonder if the chemicals even worked.
We contacted a local pest company to see how difficult it is to treat cockroach infestations.
“”#################’”
Take SOT:
Super: Orkin Representative

“Well, It really depends on the species. One female roach can live up to 8 months and have over 6000 babies. Generally, it is a 12 month process. An apartment building can be a little bit harder.”
“”##############””
Anchor Tag:
For now, Donovan will continue dealing with the pests although some residents have opted to relocate at neighboring complexes.
The Food and Drug Administration advises residents to be actively aware of the pests for health related issues as well.

News

Chalmers Smith
Jrn 270
Best Buy’s Computer Service Falls Short

For most people today, computers mean everything. They hold daily plans, calenders, and even bank statements. Now imagine your major lifeline falling victim to a trojan or virus. First instinct would be to take the computer to get repaired. According to the commercials, the Geek Squad within Best Buy is the best to call. The most vital information they forget to release is they specialize in computers from their store. The Geek Squad is unfamiliar with other brands of computers like Mac and Dell.
One customer brought in their Dell to Best Buy in hopes of getting their nonworking computer repaired, however, their hopes were soon shattered. Best Buy quickly accepted the offer, and began to repair something they had no clue about. The two weeks that was given went buy, and the customer’s computer was not fixed. Every attempt to retrieve the computer, Best Buy found a new excuse to hold the computer from the customer. “My computer was taken in with a faulty connector, and every time I went to pick it up they had a new excuse. Something went wrong or they had broken something else. By the time I finally got my computer back it was three months later.” Chalmers Smith, nineteen year old from St. Louis. The computer had accumulated other damages, and was not accepting the hard drive or software on the computer. The Geek Squad even charged Chalmers for the damages they caused. The total came to $700 or more. This was all because Best Buy caused more damage then they repaired.
In the end, everything was taken care of, and the problems were resolved. Chalmers had to pay the original charges towards the broken computer while the other charges were cleared from his transaction. The trust between client and customer were broken when other damages came forth and lies were told to the customer. “I don’t think I am going back to Best Buy for any computer related problems even if it is something minor.”
That is not the only instance this has happened. Another customer brought their computer into Best Buy in hopes of it being repaired. The hard drive was completely erased, and everything was at the owner’s expense. The client was upset with Best Buy and filed a report against them.

Jenny West Extra Credit

Jenny West
15 inches of news
Extra Credit
Missouri Governor Signs Sex Ed Bill

Gov. Blunt signed a bill into law earlier this month that adds new limitations to abortion clinics and bans groups that offer abortion services, such as Planned Parenthood, from participating in sex-education programs in public schools. The bill also makes Missouri's Alternatives to Abortion Program permanent, a program which provides state-funded grants to pregnancy centers that encourage women to give birth rather than encouraging them to have abortions.
In a signing ceremony in Jefferson City, Mo., Gov. Matt Blunt said that House Bill 1055 was "one of the strongest pieces of pro-life legislation in Missouri history."

"[The bill] gets abortion providers out of our public school classrooms as sex educators, adds safeguards for women's health by regulating all abortion clinics in the state, and codifies in statute the Alternatives to Abortion Services Programs that have been funded through the appropriations process for the last several years," says Rep. Therese Sander, R-Moberly, who sponsored the bill.

Effective on the 28th of next month, the bill bans school districts from "providing abortion services or allowing a person or entity who provides abortion services from offering, sponsoring or furnishing course materials related to human sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases." It also gives Missouri school districts the option of providing abstinence-only sex education.
Representatives from Planned Parenthood said their lawyers will need more time to examine the law before determining whether to dispute it‘s constitutionality in court. Planned Parenthood spokespeople argue that “Abstinence-only programs are one of the religious right's greatest challenges to the nation's sexual health. But it is only one tactic in a broader, more long-term strategy. Since the early 1980s, the "family values" movement has won the collaboration of governments and public institutions, from Congress to local school boards, in abridging students' constitutional rights.”

They also say that “schools now block student access to sexual health information in class, at the school library, and through the public library's Internet portals. They violate students' free speech rights by censoring student publications of articles referring to sexuality. Abstinence-only programs often promote alarmist misinformation about sexual health and force-feed students religious ideology that condemns homosexuality, masturbation, abortion, and contraception. In doing so, they endanger students' sexual health.”

Although the law has gained much publicity, pro-life groups said the best impact is making the Alternatives to Abortion Program permanent.

The program has been available since 1994 but is now a part of Missouri state law and offers both medical and mental-health services, housing, job training, clothing, food and other services to women during pregnancy and the year after the child's birth.

The now permanent program was allotted $570,000 when Blunt was elected to office in 2004, and is now allotted $1.7 million in the current budget.

Gov. Blunt gave a speech in 2005 to the Missouri Baptist Convention saying that he wanted to counter the "pro-death" message engendered by "Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and activist judges" and to also pass legislation allowing pharmacists to refuse to administer “the morning after pill.”

CLASS CANCELLED

Class is cancelled tonight, Monday, July 23, 2007. We will be having class tomorrow night. See you then!

Critter Story: Jessica Whitaker and Christie Davenport

Dickerson Park Zoo
607 Words

Scot McElvaine, a senior business major at Missouri State University, has spent a majority of his youth living in Springfield. When he was young, he remembers visiting the Dickerson Park Zoo and the thrill of seeing the animals.
“Everything just seemed so big then,” he said. “Especially the giraffes. I think I liked them the most.”
McElvaine has not stopped visiting the zoo since he has gotten older. In fact, he and a friend recently went to Dickerson Park Zoo on a random Saturday afternoon for a change of pace. Although McElvaine says that the two were the oldest people there without children, he still had a good time.
“Even being older, I still enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals,” he said. “So I know that the kids love it.”
Erin Sorenson, the events coordinator for the Dickerson Park Zoo, often relies on volunteers for help in caring for the facility’s animals. If you want to pitch in, you don’t have to donate your time – the zoo can also use your trash. Household items you may be tossing into the wastebasket could benefit the zoo animals, from the elephants to the monkeys.
The zoo has a wish list of items that it would like to see donated by volunteers and also members of the public.
The list includes 43 items ranging in variety, noting items ranging from nature CD’s to coffee cans.
“The list changes from time to time depending on our needs,” Sorenson said.
All of the items donated are used in some way. Some of the items are used as toys for the animals, and others are used for the park itself.
“The zoo uses quite a few recyclable materials for animal enrichment toys,” Sorenson said. “Our Education Department also uses many recyclable materials for classroom projects.”
Recyclables, such as cardboard boxes and plastic jugs, are welcomed as donations.
The zoo is a worthy cause to donate to, especially if it is simple things that you might be donating, McElvaine said.
“It’s not like it’s cash or anything like that,” he said. “As a college student, I don’t exactly enough in my account to give to charity.”
Food products can be donated as well, but they must be new and unopened. Acceptable donations include: spices, cereal, oatmeal, baby food, dried fruits, juices, Gatorade, condiment packets, honey, melons, and tea bags.
Items that you may not realize an animal might want to play with can also be donated. Buckets, carpet samples, plastic hangers, hairbrushes, sled saucers, new drinking straws, perfumes, bread trays, baby toys, road cones, nontoxic sidewalk chalk and finger paints are a few examples of their eclectic imagination.
The zoo does not only accept items on the wish list, either. Simple, basic items are sometimes a necessity as well.
Jansen Gibson, a junior at Missouri State University and also a Dickerson Park Zoo visitor, had no idea that she could be the cause of making sure these little critters have a good time.
“It’s nice having a way for people to do something with their non-recyclables,” she said. “It’s also a good thing that it is for a good cause. It’s hard to imagine being trapped inside of a cage all-day long, and all they want to do is maybe play with a milk jug,” Gibson said.
Basic items, such as newspapers, phone books, shredded paper, and peanut butter jars, according to Sorenson, aren’t always accepted.
“Typically we get overwhelmed with those items, so we don’t advertise for our volunteers to bring those items,” Sorenson said.
Those interested in donating time or items should contact the Dickerson Park Zoo via their website.

CLASS CANCELLED

Class is cancelled tonight, July 10, 2007. We will be having class tomorrow night (7/11). Pass along the word. See you all tomorrow!

Six Inches -- J. Garretson

Homework Causes Pollution

Karen Brophy, an Education student at Missouri State, says the environment is very important to her. But, like many students, she says she’s never considered how much she may harm the environment with one integral aspect of school life – homework.

“I use paper every day for class,” she says. “I had to print a twenty-page report for class just last week.”

Schoolwork generates tons of waste paper, often without a second thought from students and faculty. The perception, says Chilton McLaughlin, an environmental engineer with the US Environmental Protection Agency, is that paper is harmless to the environment because it’s biodegradable.

“Untreated paper isn’t white – it’s pressed wood pulp, brown and not very pretty,” says McLaughlin. “To get it white, they treat it with chlorine … They bleach it.”
Heavily treated paper – the thick, glossy kind most textbooks are printed on – is among the worst for the environment. And, according to the National Wildlife Foundation, textbooks consume 200,000 tons of paper annually. As old editions are discarded, says McLaughlin, there’s sure to be an impact on the environment.

Paper is essential to education, but there are still many things students and teachers can do to help protect the environment. Paper can be recycled over a dozen times, for example, so used paper need not be wasted paper.

Teachers can also chip in by assigning less homework, says McLaughlin. “Keep in mind that making new paper takes 50% more energy than recycling it.”
As for Karen Brophy, she says she’ll never think of homework the same.

“I had no idea,” she says. “It’s kind of scary.

According to the EPA website, only 42% of paper products were recycled in 2005. 34% of landfill waste was paper.

Christie Davenport - 6 Inches of News

A shooting spree on April 16, at the campus of Virginia Tech University killed 33 people including the gunman, and injured another 26. With the numbers as high as they are, this leaves this school as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history to date.
Just four days before the eighth anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings, a student shooter struck the campus of Virginia Tech not once, but two times.
Alicia Klein, a junior at Missouri State University can remember the day when a gunman killed 33 people at Virginia Tech. “Being a student on this campus, you feel so safe and like nothing can happen to you,” Klein said. “But when something like this happens, it makes everyone think and scares a lot of people,” she said.
“It was a complete shock to me,” Jeramie Romine, a sophomore at Missouri State University, said. “A school shooting hadn’t happened in such a long time. It made me not want to be on campus,” he said
With students concerned, one has to wonder if the security on the campus of Missouri State University, along with other universities across the country have taken proper precautions in order to protect the lives of its’ students.

Alex Robichaud - 6 inches of news

The Missouri State men’s basketball team will be short one player in off season work-outs this summer because he will be pursuing his life-long dream. Kyle Rausch, Blue Springs, Mo., senior, left Springfield shortly after the spring semester to reunite with his rock band, Abracadabras, in Kansas City.
Rausch, a 6’8” walk-on, officially announced he would not be returning to the basketball team. Rausch started at MSU as a wide receiver for the football team, and he turned to basketball when the team showed interest in him during intramurals. But Rausch has always wanted to be a musician, not an athlete.
“Music has always been my first love. I was raised in a musical family, and I have grown up being a musician,” he said.
Rausch is the drummer for Abracadabras, and his brother, Collin, is the bass player for the band.
“He has the lucky gift of being great at both music and sports,” Collin said. “He brings a lot to the band. He is an incredible musician and an awesome drummer, and he also draws a crowd by being the best looking member of the band.”
Kyle is thrilled to be in a rock band; he loves the entire process of being in a band.
“Songwriting is one of my favorite parts of being in the band. I like getting to use my creative side,” Rausch said. “But my favorite part is when we put that creativity to the public. I love playing in front of people and seeing what others get out of our music. The feedback from the audience is one of the most important parts to me.”
The Abracadabras have collected a following in Kansas City, and they are playing four Kansas City shows in July and one in Springfield on the 27th. “They are pretty innovative, despite being a throwback to the sixties. There aren’t any mainstream bands out right now that sound like (Abracadabras),” said Caleb Ebel, Blue Springs, senior and fan of the band.
And the band hopes to prove to everyone they are legitimate.
“A year from now, we should be on tour with an album under our belt,” Rausch said. “I think by then, we will be on the map nationally. We may not be the Beatles by then, but I think we’re moving forward.”

www.myspace.com/abracadabras

Living the Dream

Last week began the nationwide spread of the Dream Act bill in Washington D.C. People came from across the country in order to give their support or disagreement to the bill.
Manny Salas-Abarca, a student from Missouri State, ventured to Washington to share his views on the purposed bill. When asked why he supports the Dream Act, Manny replied, “It’s higher education for undocumented students, that’s the future. These are students who have been here most of their lives."
The new version of the Dream Act gives immigrants who are not citizens to have more rights in becoming a citizen. Immigrants who have graduated high school and have maintained a good moral standing would be allowed to obtain conditional lawful permanent resident. Under this condition the person would either have to go to college, join the military, or complete so many hours of community service. At the end of the condition, if one of the qualifications have been met the immigrant can rightfully become a U.S. citizen.

Jenny West 6 inches

Due to road repairs, half of one of the major intersections in Ozark is currently closed-off, as is access to the south side of 3rd St., causing some serious traffic problems during the rush hours this week. Many Ozark citizens are having to find alternative routes in order to avoid the traffic, particularly during from 7-9 am and 3:30-6 pm, but for many, it is unavoidable. Amy Hinot is finding it especially hard to cope with the current traffic problems. “My husband and I both work from 8 until 5,” Hinot says, “We have to take our boys to daycare just beyond the intersection that they’re fixing.” Instead of making a straight trip to the daycare center, Hinot says that she must drive another 30 minutes out of her way simply because traffic congestion has become such a problem.

Families on a tight schedule aren’t the only people being affected by the street repairs, though. Many local business owners are having to temporarily adjust their mindsets and expectations in order to deal with the blocked intersection. Carrie Sands, a local café owner, has seen a change in what used to be the usual flow of business. “People are coming in waves much later than we’re used to. We normally have about three rushes per day, but this past week has been very hit-and-miss,” Sands says.

Many business in Ozark are ready for things to return to business as usual, as are many members of the community. Dayton Payne, one of the men working on the renovation, is confident that the repairs will be finished sometime at the end of next week. “We’re on schedule so far. Hopefully we won’t run into any problems so we can get the job done on time,” Payne says.

The current repairs are just the beginning of many renovations within the next few years in attempt to make the city of Ozark better equipped for its quickly rising population.

Joe Daniel_Six Inches of News

Strapped for cash and in mucho debt, this reporter decided to take his chances and sell his body to science for a five day Bio-Kinetic study testing a new type-two diabetes pill simply referred to as “MP-513.” After day three of being cooped up inside, my mind began to wonder if people participate in these studies for similar reasons, and what their opinions of the study were.

Current Bio-Kinetic employee Jacob Brewer explains. “You really see all types of people in these studies. But mostly, there are the poor college students trying to pay for books, or people who are on welfare and are trying to earn some extra cash. It really is a pretty good deal.”

Although five days seems like a while to be cooped up, the study was actually pretty safe. Most medicines tested are within the last few stages before being released into the general public. And other than plotting what I am going to do with the extra cash I receive, I had no adverse side-effects.

In the opinions of many, Bio-Kinetic can serve as a great way to get a hold of some much needed cash, and fast. Even though spending a few days in lock up may not sound like the epitome of a fun summer, the nice little check you receive five business days after the last exam proposes a splendid incentive.

Owner Finds Peace after Losing Pet

The sign in the yard reads, “All stray animals stop here. We’re softies.” It is a code Springfield, MO., native, Dwayne Black lives by.

When his female wolf-hybrid, Sacondra, suddenly became ill and died, it was a traumatic experience for Black‘s family. Sacondra was like a family member, and Black wanted his beloved pet to have the same peace and dignity that a family member deserves.

He turned to his trusted vet Dr. Bacon for help. When Dr. Bacon told Black about the services of Friends of the Family Pet Memorial Gardens, Black said, “I didn’t even compare other options.” Black knew that with Friends of the Family, Sacondra would be treated with the dignity and compassion she deserved.

Friends of the Family took care of all the details, so the Black family could mourn the loss of their dear friend. However, one family member took the loss hardest of all. Black’s male wolf-hybrid, War, began to lose a dramatic amount of weight. War would not eat or drink. As the days passed without the return of his mate, War became more listless until finally he died, too. War mourned himself to death at the loss of Sacondra.

The Black family suffered yet another loss in a period of only weeks. Again, Black called on the services of Friends of the Family. “It was done in a very nice way.” he said. “They were very thoughtful of our feelings.”

Now War and Sacondra are together again. Their ashes set side by side on the Black’s mantle. Black said that his pets are an important part of his life. He wanted them to receive the same care in death as they did in life. Now when a friend looses a pet, Black doesn’t hesitate to tell them about Friends of the Family. Because Friends of the Family helped Black through his suffering, he knows they will help his friends through theirs.

Mediocre Mediacom

When asked if they typically treat their customers poorly and if they care whether or not customers are happy, a representative of Mediacom said that he was unable to comment. Mediacom, the only cable provider in Springfield, Mo., has been said to have poor customer service and high prices. Subscribers are unhappy about this, mainly due to the fact that there are no other options for cable.

Alli Miyake, Springfield, recently set up an appointment with Mediacom to have them install cable television and internet in her home, and canceled it soon after. She reported that their customer service was unacceptable at the time, and afterward as well, when they contacted her about why she canceled. “No one even apologized after I told them that I was treated very poorly,” said Miyake, 21.

John Sellars, Springfield, wrote in his blog that he had a similar experience. He decided to cancel his Mediacom services after they raised his rates. He received poor customer service as well. Sellars did research and found that in areas where there were more than one cable providers, Mediacom services were more reasonable. “It would seem that when Mediacom is forced to compete, as they are in Clear Lake, Iowa, they're nicer to their customers and their prices are lower,” he said.

Miyake and Sellars are not the only Springfield residents to have these feelings toward Mediacom. The Springfield City Council took a survey in 2006 that showed that the number of subscribers had declined over the past four years, along with their satisfaction with the company. Over half of those surveyed were unhappy with the prices all four years, and less than half were satisfied with the customer service they received.

Medicare steps up: Owners of Specialized Wound Management (SWM), St. Louis, Mo., discussed a Medicare reimbursement to nurse practitioners on June 9th, 2007.
SWM is a mobile wound care management company that provides on-site, expert wound care to patients who have difficulty healing. Steve and Rita Kelley, owners of SWM, hire nurse practitioners to develop a plan of care to fit each patient’s individual needs.
Recently SWM had been experiencing difficulty because Medicare denied a certain code that would cover the patients cost for treatment. Steve Kelley, CEO, contacted Medicare on June 9th to make sure that the billing for that month was processed correctly. Passionate about his work, Steve asked for the latest updates in Medicare benefits. Medicare informed Kelley of the latest benefit for both the patients and the nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners will be reimbursed for trimming patient toe nails at each visit.
Rita Kelly, President of SWM, discussed why trimming the toe nail is so important. “A majority of the patients we treat are diabetic. Blood flow in diabetic patients is a hundred times slower, making it difficult for wounds to heal in the legs and feet. If an infected nail were to dig into the skin, the foot could become infected, trun gangrene, and require amputation.”
Not only does this decrease the number of infected patients, it also increases the popularity of the field of nursing. “The job security for nurses is apparent. This benefit will only increase the number of those wanting to study the field of nursing,” states Kelley. Although the previous focus is on the benefit to nurses, SWM wants to reinforce that the main focus is always on the patient’s needs.

Unexpected Result May Help Prevent Cancer

Researchers at Creighton University, Omaha, NE, were shocked over results indicating that vitamin D lowers cancer risk in older woman by 60%. The Osteoporosis Research Center of Creighton University primarily designed the study to monitor the effects of calcium alone or calcium with 1000 international units of vitamin D3 on bone health. Cancer prevention was the minor goal.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin absorbed from UV rays of sunlight or from certain foods. It is needed to absorb calcium and maintain healthy bones. The recommended daily dosage is 200 to 600 international units per day depending on weight. Emerging research also suggests that vitamin D plays an important role in natural cell growth, something that goes wrong in cancer patients.
The results are deemed as a medical breakthrough by medical professionals who support higher daily amounts of Vitamin D. However, most believe it is too soon to recommend the use of vitamin D to prevent cancer.
The four year study included 1179 women above the age of 55. Each woman was randomly selected from nine counties near 41.4° latitude in rural Nebraska. They were divided into three undisclosed groups and given supplements: placebo or dummy pills were given to 288 women; 446 were given calcium alone; and 445 were given calcium plus vitamin D3. Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is a stronger version of vitamin D2 which is found in most multivitamins.
The results were surprising: those taking the calcium plus vitamin D supplements had a 60% lower risk thank those taking placebo. Twenty women, or 7%, taking placebo developed cancer while only thirteen, or 3%, of those taking calcium plus vitamin D developed cancer. Seventeen, or 4%, of the women taking calcium only developed cancer.

Jared Wilcox - Six inches of news

2nd Annual Spike It for Diabetes Volleyball Tournament

Tim Tialdo presents the 2nd annual Spike It for Diabetes charity volleyball tournament, Saturday August, 4th.

The Spike It for Diabetes volleyball tournament is back and again Tim Tialdo is handling organizing duties. For Tialdo, this is part of fulfilling a vow he made 20 years ago when his own father was diagnosed with diabetes. Since then he has contributed to many charities, but diabetes has always stayed close to his heart.

Spike It for Diabetes! was a success in its inaugural campaign. Last year, the event raised about $3500.This year, Spike It for Diabetes, which is Southwest Missouri’s largest amateur outdoor volleyball tournament, will be held at the Missouri State soccer fields, next to the Taco Bell at Cherry and National. Registration opens at 7:30 AM and play begins at 8:00. The entry fee is $20 per player.

Teams consist of 2 or 6 players, depending on your preference. The Open division is for experienced, competitive 2-player teams only. They can consist of men, women or both (Coed). The Recreational division is for 2-player teams just out to have some fun and support a good cause. This division also has men, women, and coed subdivisions. And lastly, there is only one division for 6-player teams. They must be coed and there must be 3 women on the court at all times.

There is a $300 grand prize for open division winners. One of last year’s winners, Erin O’Connor, has decided to become a part of Spike It this year. She is the Public Relations director for the event and provided all the information in this article. She also opined “Last year was a blast and this year is going to be even better.”

For more information, contact Tim Tialdo (417)894-8605 or Erin O’Connor (515)771-7415.

Tiffany Coppage- Six Inches of News

The Courts Pro-Am league starts without the Missouri State Lady Bears

Driving to The Courts last Wednesday afternoon you could feel a bit of excitement in having the chance to see your first glimpse of Springfield basketball. For a month now fans had been anticipating June 20, the start date of the annual Pro-Am league here in Springfield, and finally it had arrived. The gym held a nice crowd, some young, lots old but nonetheless it was a wonderful atmosphere. Players for the Lady Bears say they were greeted no less than five times before they made it to the last court and they received the same reaction from every fan that approached them. “It’s really to bad you all aren’t playing, we were really looking forward to seeing you”. The fans were referring to the Lady Bears not being able to participate in the league.

As of last week, June 20, The Courts located at 4136 E. Kearney Street will be occupying three different basketball courts with games from mid-afternoon to late night every Wednesday of the month through August. Players in these games will include college and high school teams from around the Springfield Area, former players, and even some former coaches. While all those participants are enjoying the summer play, members of the Lady Bears team are stuck in the stands due to an error with paper work.

Every year, applications must be submitted for division-one teams to participate in summer leagues. This year, a missed due date caused a lot of disappointment to Lady Bear Fans. Because the team was not certified, it won’t be able to compete in the league until late July when the three day tournament begins. All though this is a little spot of light in the darkness, it’s still not enough to satisfy players.

Sophomore guard Roxie Stiles, for the Lady Bears played in the courts last year and has watched the games there for a couple years now. “It’s really too bad that we can’t play because it’s nice to play and not just workout. I really enjoy it since we get to play other people and not just our teammates,” Stiles said. She is only one of more than 10 girls that have these disappointed feelings. “The courts are a really big deal for the fans because it’s a chance for them to see the fresh new talent and what next year’s team may hold,” states Ashley Lord, another member of the Lady Bears.

Generally the gym is packed shoulder to shoulder but because of the Lady Bears not being present, the number of fans has dropped. Players do expect to see their fan base present in tournament play but until then they are just reassuring everyone that next season won’t be one to miss.

Amanda Lea - Six Inches of News

Students Mad About Apartment Policies

“Three Strikes—you’re out!” The all too familiar baseball slogan is a common saying, but for students and residents living in Springfield’s TLC Properties, it holds much different meaning.
TLC owns a number of apartment complexes around Springfield, 14 to be exact, and for some reason students flock to them.

“All my friends live here and we have a pool,” says Brooke Tindall, 20, a tenant of TLC Properties. “It’s like a big party!”

The party, however, is where the problem lies. An estimated 80-percent of TLC residents are students, and in order to keep control, management follows the “three-strike rule.” An apartment gets a strike when another resident complains about them, usually concerning noise. After strike three, tenants are evicted.

“Usually people straighten up on strike two,” says Wes Butterfield, manager of Marion Park Apartments.

Many students feel this system is unfair. Kristin Ries, 20, is a junior at Missouri State University and has been living at a TLC site for two months. Already, she feels the system is flawed.

“I think it’s stupid,” says Ries, “If your neighbors don’t like you, all they have to do is complain three times and you’re gone.”

According to Butterfield, management disregards ‘he-said, she-said’ and strictly goes by security reports. If security sees the complaint invalid, no strike is filed. Still, some students feel they have been wrongly accused.

“I was getting out of the shower when I heard knocking. I answered the door in my towel to find a security guard telling me to turn my music down. It wasn’t even during quite hours,” says resident Ashley Johnson. “The next day, we had strike two.”

If evicted, tenants have 10 days to move out. If they decide to move into another TLC complex, they automatically start out with one strike. Even TLC management thinks that is harsh.

“I do think that part is a little extreme,” says Butterfield.

Johnson and other students have already looked for other places to live saying,
“It’s only a matter of time before all students are kicked out.”

Shelli Smee Six Inches of News

Alli, Friend or Foe


Misty Adams is a 20 year old who has been fighting obesity most of her life. She’s heard all the hype and seen all of the gimmicks when it comes to losing weight. When asked what she thought about the new diet aid, Alli, she said, “I was told it was a tapeworm in a pill and then three months later you took another pill to kill the worm.” Not a worm in a pill, Alli is the first FDA approved weight loss medication to be sold over the counter and is available at pharmacies nation-wide. The start up kit costs about 60 dollars then between 12 to 25 dollars per week.

Alli is the trade name for Orlistat, the medicine in the prescription drug Xenecal. In lower doses, 60 mgs taken three times a day, Alli prevents the absorption of 25 percent of dietary fat intake. “It is supposed to be used as an adjunct with a low fat diet and exercise,” said a local pharmacist who prefers to have his name withheld. “For every five pounds you lose through diet and exercise, using Alli can help you lose an additional two or three pounds,” he said.

Alli does have its drawbacks though. Since the medicine it uses is a fat-blocker, fat soluble vitamins D, E, K, and beta-carotenes, are also blocked. Side effects include: loose, oily stools and anal seepage. Serious side effects can occur with people who take the blood thinner Coumadin, or the immunosuppressant cyclosporine, used by organ transplant recipients.

When she found out how Alli really works, Adams, asked, “Does it have ‘bring extra pants’ printed on the side of the pill?” Shaking her head and rolling her eyes, she said, “I don’t think I’d use it.”

6-Inches of News --Jessica Whitaker

Katie Evans, a part-time nursing student at Ozarks Technical College, works more than 30 hours every week at a home-care facility in Springfield. She would not, by any means, be considered wealthy. In fact, working full-time and going to school part-time leaves her with little free time and even less cash. She lives alone in a one-bedroom apartment just a short drive from her school. Though her situation may seem difficult, some people might say she is lucky. That’s because Evans lives in Grandview Village, one of at least three low-income housing units in Springfield that does not accept full-time students, regardless of income.

Low-income housing facilities offer opportunities for people who don’t make enough money to afford living elsewhere, but full-time college students who wish to live alone are denied the opportunity to live in these complexes because of their academic status.

The requirements to live in Grandview Village, which has a swimming pool and relatively-large floor plans, include making less than $24,000 annually and being enrolled in less than 15 hours of college courses, said an employee of the apartment complex. A one bedroom apartment in Grandview Village costs between $369 and $399 per month.

Grandview Village Apartments, a low-income housing complex on North Kentwood, is one of three apartment complexes owned by the company on the same street.

“If you’re the only one living there, you can’t be a full-time student,” said an employee of Grandview Village.

If there is more than one person living in the apartment and not all of them are full-time students, it is possible to rent from Grandview Village, said the employee.
Evans said that she thinks some low-income housing facilities don’t allow full-time students because a student who takes more classes has more options to take out loans.

“That’s the only reason I can think of,” Evans said. “I don’t see any other reason why they wouldn’t.”

As far as the condition of her living quarters, Evans said she is satisfied with the service and the general appearance of her apartment.

“It’s low-income housing, but the apartment looks nice,” she said.
Evans, a young woman living alone in her apartment, said that she doesn’t usually worry about her safety.

“It is loud sometimes, but I feel pretty safe,” she said. “Overall I feel like it’s a good deal for me.”

Dustin Pruett-Six Inches of News

A Young Man’s Motivation To Ride For A Cure

Springfield, MO- Tyler rides not only for himself but for others. He said, “My grandma’s both battle with diabetes on a regular basis.” Tyler participated in Tour de Cure bike ride a few weeks ago.

The Tour de Cure is a fundraiser for the local chapter of the American Diabetes Association. Organizers raised money to help people who are affected by diabetes through research to find a cure. It was held on Saturday June 16th, 2007, at Island Greene Country Club in Republic. The Tour De cure is a nationwide event, and it is held in more than 80 cites around the country.

There are more than 65,000 people in southwest Missouri who are affected by type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Tyler got involved with the Tour de Cure because a girl at work talked him into it. The fundraiser ended up raising $66,000 for diabetes research, and all the money benefits people in the Ozarks.

Tyler’s motivation was to ride in the Tour de Cure, because he is training for the MS 150. He said, “I also wanted to see if I could do it.” Tyler is an avid bike rider and has been on many different trails in the Ozarks. There are three different distances for the bike ride. There was a 25K, 50K, and 100K race for the cure. Participants had to raise a minimum of $100 dollars to ride in the race.

Tyler had additional advice about the ride and diabetes research. He said “Donating money is important, it doesn’t matter how much you give, because it is going for a good cause, to find a cure for diabetes.”

Critter Stories

For Tuesday, you need to partner up and come up with a good critter idea. Here is something I learned from one of my former teachers at KU. Learn it. Use it.

Newswriting
By Rick Musser
KU teacher

Critter stories are everywhere.
There's something about an animal that appeals to both editors and readers.
The stories can be as serious and sad as clubbing baby seals or as goofy and funny as a dog that water skis.
Critter stories have three parts to be successful. The critter, the curve, and the cute stuff.
These are unabashed features. They need do nothing but entertain, touch the emotions. The one caveat is overwriting when critters get mixed up with animal rights or environmental groups. These groups are built around the almost inexplicable human trait that would save calves sent for slaughter or a rare snail while babies die from crack poisoning in the womb. It, of course, is the same trait that makes critter stories a genre.
Your assignment is to come up with a critter story based on the time tested formula of critter, curve and cuteness.
It must be no more than 15 inches and feature one of God's creatures as the main character.


The critter. Critters can be exotic or they can be everyday dogs and cats. The more exotic and the critter the more that part alone will carry the story. Exotic pets, exotic animal famrs, rare or scary animals all make good features. Alligator farmers, killer bees, and kids who keep 15-foot pythons all fall under the critter category.

The curve. Something about the critter you write about has to be odd or interesting. The curive is less important with exotic critters. When it comes to dogs or cats, they better do something outlandish--like paint modern art pictures.

The cute. The critter story is the one time when your teacher won't gag on cuteness. It's part of the genre. Ham it up. Have fun writing. Do something outrageous, if you must.