According to a story on KY3 News, gas prices are at an all time high for this time of year.  The story goes on to say that Iran could cut off the oil supply to European countries which would increase prices in America even more. If you go to gasbuddy.com, you can see that the US average per gallon is up by over 35 cents from this time last year.  That’s significantly higher and it can only get worse.

So how can you save money on gas?

Well first off, a bike is always a good investment.  If you don’t have more than a few miles to go to work, get to campus, or just go downtown, then a bike could definitely be worth your while.  If you think about it, a decent bike will put you down any where from a $100-$400.  That is a lot, but the average person will probably spend that much on gas in four or five months.  You can also take the bus, walk more, or try to spend more of your free time at home with friends or family as opposed to going out to eat or be social.

You can also try to find the cheaper gas stations in your area.  I’ve put a map of some Springfield gas stations that are a few cents lower than the area average on February 22, 2012.  While Sam’s Club gas is obviously lower, some gas stations are also notoriously lower for whatever reason.  If you want to find a list of gas prices in your area just go to gasbuddy.com again and search for your city.

View

Cheap Springfield Gas Stations in a larger map

It’s important to keep yourself happy, especially during this time of year. So, take some time to think about activities that improve your mood. Personally, if I keep everything around me clean and organized, I feel more comfortable with staying inside as much as I do.

Boredom very often leads to eating when you’re not hungry. I keep busy with school and work and when I have downtime, I play my favorite video games. It’s all about keeping yourself entertained with what you enjoy.

Also, exercising can better your mood. Instead of plopping down on the couch and grabbing the remote, do some basic workout methods. Take the stairs at work or school.

Since winter usually comes with a lot of downtime, take the chance to experiment with some new, healthy recipes. Who  knows, you might even find a new favorite.

Winter has even lead me to take the time to get more creative. I’ve never been much of a photographer, so I decided to go out and take some pictures after some ice and snow covered the farm. Winter can be a beautiful time. Go out and play in the snow with your family. Pretty much do anything besides sitting inside, bored and thinking about what to eat next.

Here you can find some more ideas about how to avoid winter weight gain.

Although it has been a mild winter here in Missouri, sickness is still on the prowl, creeping in to anybody that it can find. But, thanks to Jordan Valley Community Health Center, even those who can’t afford health care have no reason to fear sickness. Jordan Valley makes it their primary mission to “make being healthier more affordable and more accessible to more types of people.”

Jordan Valley offers many different programs for families in need to have access to affordable health care. Their programs include Women, Infants and Children (WIC), mobile health services and Our Healthy Start. In regards to WIC, pregnant women, new mothers, and their
 children up to five years of age that qualify for the WIC program have access to free health care through Jordan Valley. On top of WIC, Jordan Valley Community Health Center provides mobile dental health care to schools and nursing homes in the Springfield area. Lastly, Jordan Valley offers a program called Our Healthy Start. This is a program for expecting mothers and aids them in gaining prenatal care to ensure a healthy pregnancy process and a healthy baby. 

To gain more information about Jordan Valley Community Health Center, to find out if you are eligible to be a patient or to find a center near you, contact them at 417-831-0150.

From bench warmer to high scorer in a mere 14 days? How could it be? Many New York Knicks fans have been wondering the same thing since Jeremy Lin began his reign two weeks ago.

So where did this prodigy come from, and why has he just now been recognized? It all started with a faith-led attempt by Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni to save his team. This led him to Jeremy Lin, a point guard standing 6’3 and weighing in at 200 pounds. He had an economics degree and, as it turns out, a mighty set of tricks up his sleeve.

The real kicker in this overnight sensation of a story is that Lin had been cut from the Golden State Warriors AND the Houston Rockets. Both instances seemed to have centered around the same issues: stylistically, Lin’s offense didn’t match up, and there were too many point guards already. But with talent such as his, one wonders why he wasn’t given the chance to show off his skills.

This is where race issues enter in.

Sports critics and fans alike typically don’t see an Asian American of his size and think, “He’s got what it takes.” He is, in fact, the first Asian American in the history of the NBA to play. The stereotypes surrounding this story are running rampant, but he is breaking the mold and bringing hope to many in his culture.

According to the NBA, from Feb. 4 to Feb. 12, Lin had the top-selling jersey at NBAstore.com, shipping to 22 countries. According to Forbes, Lin is set to be on the cover of Time, a spot that has only been filled by one other NBA player: Michael Jordan.

As his fame rises and his fan-base multiplies, Lin maintains a humble outlook, stating, “I want to be the same person before and after. That’s where I want to be. I don’t want to let anything affect me our our team.” Critics and fans are amazed and impressed by how much Lin speaks of his teammates in post-game interviews. He praises them first and foremost, and then loosely refers to himself when asked directly. It is a beautiful thing to see his humble outlook and appreciation for where he is and who is in the game with him.

“Linsanity” has hit the game hard, and I’ve got a feeling that it won’t be letting up anytime soon.

Check out this game-winning clip from the Knicks v. Raptors game on Feb. 14, 2012…IMPRESSIVE is an understatement.

Clay Goddard, Assistant Health Director of Springfield-Greene County Health Department

2012 Greene County budget

For all those moms looking to spend some quality time with your daughters, you have clicked the correct link! Below is a delightful way to spend some quality shopping time with your tween without breaking the bank!

Thrifting, shopping at thrift stores, vintage stores, flea markets, or other similar stores, has grown in popularity over the past few years. In today’s economy, thrifting is an excellent alternative to pricey retail shopping.

It has become so popular that even the internet’s top fashion bloggers and YouTube beauty gurus have hopped on the thrifting band wagon. Seventeen magazine‘s Style Council member, Ellie, of citybrewed.com confessed to the magazine that some of her favorite places to shop are her local thrift and vintage shops.YouTube beauty gugu, Dulce Tejeda, is a huge fan of thrift store shopping, as well, loving the fact that no one else will have that particular piece.

When thrifting, it is important to remember, however, that there is more than clothing for sale. While my mother and I are all about what trendy pieces we can find, my sister immediately hits the bookshelves or toy isles looking for any and all Lion King related memorabilia- a modern day treasure hunt!

Springfield boasts an impressive selection of thrift stores. Click here to view a list and map of local thrift stores.

Here is a quick “How To” video for all you new to thrifting individuals!

Technorati Tags: DulceCandy87, fashion, thrift store, vintage, YouTube

Now, students, faculty and staff must wait until the new completion date of Spring/Summer 2012 to use the facility.

According to Missouri State University and the office of Planning, Design and Construction website, the project has a budget of $29,694,933 and amasses a total 100,000 square feet toward the west side of campus across the street from the nearly 4 year-old JQH Arena.

Ground was broken on the project in the spring semester of 2010, and the estimated completion date was said to be fall 2011.  Numerous set backs have led to the pushing back of this proposed date.

According to the recreation center website, students that will have graduated prior to the opening of the facility will have the opportunity to receive one four-month membership for each full semester credit.

A live feed of the construction webcam can be seen here.

Below are pictures taken on Feb. 16, 2011 of the progress being made during construction:

Photo by: Ben Loewnau/ ONJ

Photo by: Ben Loewnau/ONJ

Technorati Tags: Missouri State, Recreation, Recreation center

Before you pick up your phone and order some “freaky-fast” delivery from Jimmy Johns, be aware that their clover sprouts have been linked to three individual cases of E. coli poisoning in Greene County.

Jimmy John’s is a national sandwich chain known for their delicious deli treats on French bread and witty wall décor within each location.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 12 reported cases of E. coli poisoning linked to the sprouts across five states. Of the reported cases, only two victims were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

The CDC has been investigating the outbreak in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and public health safety officials.

Although sprouts are seen as a health food, they need warm and humid conditions to grow, providing the perfect conditions for bacteria growth. Therefore, sprouts of any kind should be cooked before consumption, and they should not be consumed by anyone with a compromised immune system.

Unfortunately for Jimmy John’s restaurants, this is not the first outbreak of foodborne illness. According to the FDA, the restaurants were responsible for a salmonella outbreak from alfalfa sprouts in 2011 and 2009, and an E. coli outbreak in 2008. Why they continue to use sprouts on their sandwiches leaves me scratching my head.

The illnesses occurred between Dec. 25 and Jan. 15, 2012 in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Wisconsin. All three Jimmy John’s locations in Springfield have removed sprouts from their restaurants and do not know if or when they will have them back in stock.

I took the liberty to call all three locations in Springfield in search of more information, and each restaurant refused to comment and directed me to their corporate website, which currently does not cite the outbreak. This will certainly make me think twice before I bite into my signature sandwich at Jimmy John’s: the #12 Beach Club as an “unwich,” hold the mayo… and the sprouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUrhXy5MWqI

There’s obviously a lot more, and to see a full list, keep scrolling down.  Personally, I have never been to Bonnarroo, but I’m thinking about going this year with this lineup.  If you want to find out more about prices and the festival itself click here.

Springfield also has several music venues downtown.  One of the main ones is The Outland on South Avenue across the street from the Mudhouse.  However, there’s bands playing just about every where downtown and you just have to walk around to see who’s playing.

Here’s the full Bonnaroo lineup:

Radiohead

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Phish

The Beach Boys Featuring Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David

Marks

Bon Iver

The Avett Brothers

The Shins

Foster the People

Skrillex

Aziz Ansari

Dispatch

Feist

The Roots

Alice Cooper

SuperJam

Black Star

The Word featuring John Medeski, Robert Randolph, and North Mississippi Allstars

Ludacris

Ben Folds Five

Flogging Molly

Spectrum Road featuring Cindy Blackman Santana, Jack Bruce, John Medeski, and Vernon Reid

Mac Miller

Childish Gambino

Major Lazer

tUnE-yArDs

Afrocubism

Flying Lotus

Umphrey’s McGee

Little Dragon

St. Vincent

City and Colour

The Civil Wars

Young the Giant

Two Door Cinema Club

Punch Brothers

NEEDTOBREATHE

Fitz & the Tantrums

Bad Brains

Yelawolf

Dawes

Battles

Danny Brown

The Black Lips

SBTRKT

Phantogram

Kendrick Lamar

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires

The Kooks

The Joy Formidable

The Antlers

Kathleen Edwards

Mimosa

Kurt Vile & the Violators

Alabama Shakes

Das Racist

Delta Spirit

Gary Clark Jr.

Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk

Laura Marling

Trampled by Turtles

Mogwai

The War on Drugs

Ben Howard

Grouplove

Blind Pilot

ALO

The Devil Makes Three

White Denim

EMA

Here We Go Magic

K-Flay

The Lonely Forest

Mariachi El Bronx

Big Freedia

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

The Soul Rebels

Kvelertak

SOJA

Steven Bernstein’s MTO Allstars Plays Sly

Big Gigantic

Sarah Jarosz

Orgone

Darondo

Fruit Bats

Moon Taxi

There are two routes you can go down when attempting to buy Valentine’s Day gifts for that special person. One is going cheap, the other option is going more expensive. Both routes can be argued as being the better of the two.

Some little things that can be done include: flower, which can be found at any grocery store whether it is Dillon’s or Linda Flowers.

Flowers are a nice gesture to tell your loved one, just how much you care.  The good thing about Valentine’s Day is there are no rules, it’s how little or how much you put into it. This is a day based on thought. So stuffed animals or little things aren’t out of the question.  Another idea would be edible arrangements, these are great for any occasion and Valentine’s day is no exception.

Other ideas to consider could any of the following:

• Movies
• Dinner (home cooked , and or going out)
• Breakfast in bed
• Lunch

With all these ideas there is no chance of you going wrong… Just remember that Valentine’s Day is all about following your heart!

Plastic bottles are responsible for much of the United State's recycling matter.

Although recycling is rapidly becoming more prevalent through environmental awareness, sustainability programs and recycling programs in cities, some educational institutions, cities and states are looking to ban plastic water bottles all together. Not all plastic bottles, just plastic water bottles. Seems a bit ironic after looking at this picture, doesn’t it? The reason for this, many say, is because bottled water has shown the largest growth in comparison to other bottled beverages.

According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, per capita consumption has more than doubled over the last decade, from 10.5 gallons in 1993 to 22.6 in 2003.

The Associated Press reported on Feb. 7 that the Grand Canyon would be banning plastic water bottle sales, as the bottles make up about 20 percent of the park’s waste. No one wants to see plastic eyesores in an area of nature that has been successfully preserved for a number of years, so I can see this as understandable. Despite the ban inside the park, workers will not be able to regulate visitors bringing in plastic water bottles from areas outside of the park.

The blog titled “Ban the Bottle” has been largely responsible for this move toward eco-friendliness. The website uses statistical information to offer an argument against plastic water bottles.

Upon entering the blog, an info graphic reads: “The recommended eight glasses of water a day, at U.S. tap rates equals about $.49 per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400.” It’s quite surprising how those that buy bottles of water on a regular basis do not realize how much money they are actually spending in the grand scheme of things.

At the same time, many individuals rely heavily on plastic water bottles as their water sources are contaminated with disease-causing particulates. Others simply prefer the taste or perceived “safeness” of the water and don’t plan on changing their habits.

When looking around Missouri State’s campus, it seems that the prevalence of plastic water bottles has dramatically decreased. Instead, students tend to carry around refillable water bottles that can be found in the campus bookstore, at almost any grocery store or superstore. I prefer to use a Nalgene water bottle, as you can easily keep track of how much water you actually consume each day and I can refill it free of charge all across campus.

Opponents of the water bottle ban insist that taking away one’s ability to purchase water in a plastic bottle takes away a basic human right and point out that bottled water has the lowest carbon footprint of any packaged drink. To find out more about this stance on the issue, check out the video below.

If you are interested in hearing more about the possibility of banning water bottles, head to Ban the Bottle‘s website.

Technorati Tags: Associated Press, Ban the Bottle, Grand Canyon, Nalgene, Recycle, water bottles

I finally got the chance to see the much anticipated and highly talked about movie, The Vow. The Vow is a romantic love story about husband and wife; Leo and Paige. Leo and Paige were in a tragic car accident which results in Paige losing her memory…leaving her with no recollection that Leo is her husband. Based on true events, Leo takes the time, patience, and his promise of unconditional love to help his wife remember who he is, and more importantly, who she is.

So even though this movie is filled with romance and sappy scenes of “coupley” love, this movie will leave any viewer, single or not, with not only tears rolling down their cheeks and goosebumps all over their body, but with a desire for more friendship, more family, and more love.

Loooking for a cheap alternative to your brand spanking new Hy-Vee, over-priced natural food markets, and run of the mill grocery stores whose employees can’t even point you in the direction of the liquor aisle? Then Greene County Damaged Freight is an option.

Located in a small shopping center at the intersection of Kearney and Fulbright, Damaged Freight offers discounted grocery items that have “expired” from regular grocery shelves. While dairy products tend to spoil soon after their expiration date, items like cereal, frozen fruit, peanut butter, canned tuna, granola bars and tortillas retain their integrity long after the manufacturer says they are no good.

The trick at Damaged Freight is to sift through the junk and find the treasures. A seasoned foodie vet such as myself can tell you that no, the crushed and torn bags of Cheetos are not a good buy. But the Mrs. Renfro salsa for $2.50 ($3.50 to $4 anywhere else)? Score. Kashi cereal, two for $4 (regularly $4 apiece)? Deal. Naturally More peanut butter for $1.79 (usually around $4 when I look for it elsewhere)? Snag it.

Bags of frozen fruit are half price. Olive oil, when available, is half price. Cascadian Farms organic granola bars are only $1.79 (who only knows what the hipster natural food markets are dealing it at). Pounds of pasta are $1. So are jars of red sauce. Bread, chicken breasts, pork roasts, deli meats, and herbal tea… All at reduced prices, all still safe to consume past the “expiration” date.

Damaged Freight sells more than food, too. Hygiene products, school supplies, pressure cookers, potholders, dog toys and treats, picture frames… It’s all there, all discounted.

It should be noted that their shipments change on a weekly basis; obviously, their supplies is determined by what the chain grocers are selling and what they aren’t. But one can be sure that they will be stocked with something you’ll find tasty.

Last not but not least? It’s just east on Kearney of the Frisco Highline trailhead. Perfect for bike riders looking to pick up snacks for the trip.

not a bad score for 10 bucks, eh?

Word to the wise: best times to go are during the middle to end of the week, always during mornings. That way y0u get the best selection, and avoid most of the sketchy riff-raff that wander on in from time to time.

Breakfast is always a point of interest mainly because people are too busy to eat a proper breakfast in the morning or they skip it completely. It’s easy to grab a granola bar on the way out and eat it in transit, but you’re also taking in things like sodium bicarbonate, glycerin, sorbitol, or BHT. If you’re wondering what those ingredients exactly are, you’re not alone. Jim Nail, manager of Mama Jean’s on Campbell Street, hit the nail on the head when he said, “if you don’t know what it is, don’t put it in your body.” A pound of oatmeal from Mama Jean’s costs $1.29. If you set aside some time in the morning to eat a half cup of oats, not only will you get 15 percent of your daily fiber, but it will cost you around 11 cents. If you prefer something with a little more flavor, toss in some fresh fruit and you can’t go wrong.

Another easy way to cut out mystery ingredients like monosodium glutamate, sodium diacetate, or disodium inosinate is to snack on veggie chips, dried fruit, or even chips with all natural ingredients. Mama Jean’s carries chips containing all natural ingredients for about $4. Bags of dried veggies or fruit run anywhere from $2-5 depending on the size of the bag.

If you’re unwilling to budge on certain foods, there are healthier alternative. Frozen pizza is something that every college kid is intimately familiar with and I honestly don’t know if I could do without it. If you’re willing to spend a little more, there is a vast selection of frozen pizzas that are gluten free and are made with all natural ingredients. Red Fork makes a thin crust chicken and smoked gouda cheese pizza for $7.65. That’s a little more expensive than what you could find at Wal-Mart, but with all the money you’re saving by eating oatmeal for breakfast, you may be willing to indulge.

Mama Jean’s carries a lot of specialty or organic items that you won’t find at larger grocery store chains, but also carries healthier alternatives to soda or sweet snacks. Nail said that the ingredients in products found at Mama Jean’s will be similar to those at Wal-mart, but instead of using high-fructose corn syrup, they contain sugar. So even if you are looking to only cut back a little on the amont of unhealthy food you are taking in, minor differences between ingredients can help. Items like the oatmeal as well as some of the sweeter snacks made with natural sugar can be bought in bulk at Mama Jean’s and save you money in the long run.

Variety of oats at Mama Jean's

Veggie Chips available at Mama Jean's

Wide range of snacks offered at Mama Jean's

View Larger Map

Obviously, her death is going to get a lot of coverage. The more dramatic the event, the more attention it’s going to get, and the more people that are going to want to listen to her music, even if they didn’t before. Soon, they’ll be releasing never-before-heard tracks and making crappy documentaries just to profit even more from the tragic event. Crazy rumors will soon be flying and the subject will eventually start to drive everyone insane. It’ll be a somewhat milder version of Michael Jackson’s death.

http://youtu.be/y1YF7dmz8gw

Whitney Houston will always be considered one of the greatest voices of this generation. Her death is a tragedy and I think it’s a shame that the media will try to spin the story of her death in so many ways to try to make a profit. Celebrities are just as real as everyone else and they struggle with the same things that every day people do. Unfortunately, their lives and every mistake they make will be broadcasted and picked apart just to make a “good” news story.

This week Springfield voters approved the E-Verify issue by only 51-49 percent.

This means that any business hiring new employees must use the E-Verify to insure their new workers are legal and allowed to work in the United States legally.

However, E-Verify is not the only immigration issue affecting Missouri.

Missouri State Senator Will Kraus seems to be taking things to a new level when he introduced bill SB 590, which seem to be attacking illegal immigrants through their children.

Bill SB 590 says all public schools in Missouri enrolling new students need to determine whether new students were born outside of the United States or are children of an illegal immigrant at the time of enrollment by checking birth certificates.

This bill will also allow police to question citizenship status during traffic stops, which will make it a misdemeanor not to carry proper citizenship documentation.

Missouri is not the first state to pass a bill like this; SB 590 is almost the exact duplicate as laws tried to pass by Arizona and Alabama. The Supreme Courts shut down both states in their attempt to pass this law, and both states had to redraft their laws.

• “For us to make a cut like this now that is almost  107 million dollars across the state for just the four year institutions. That is going to have a drastic impact four and five years down the road,” state senator Bob Dixon said.
• Tuition could be raised across the state leading to less people being able to attend a higher education institution.
• Schools are working on finding ways to keep tuition affordable while keeping the quality of education.

___________________________________________________________________________

When Governor Jay Nixon announced a $107 million cut to higher education in January, schools across the state were taken by surprise. That’s because these public community colleges and universities were originally expecting a much smaller cut.  Last fall, schools were preparing for a 5 percent decrease in state funding, but Nixon’s proposal would translate into a 12.5 percent cut.

Jeff Meyer

This means that schools are now trying to find ways to make new revenue to offset the possible decrease in state funding.  In Springfield, Missouri State University and Ozarks Technical Community College are two schools that receive money from the state.

Jeff Meyer, professor of Communication at OTC, says students could immediately feel the impact of the statewide cut.

“A tuition increase is inevitable, but will not be a welcomed additional burden for our students,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he’s not too worried about enrollment numbers decreasing because of a tuition increase.  MSU is also not too concerned about losing many perspective students, but the school will feel the effects of the cut.  This past year, MSU received around 77 million dollars from the state. The proposed 12.5 percent cut would translate into 10 million dollars lost for next year.

Interim President Cliff Smart said, “It’s not just that we have a 10 million dollar shortfall from the state. We also have about 5 million dollars in added expenses for next year, so we’re looking to fill a 15 million dollar hole.”

Smart says that departments are already running as efficiently as possible because of past cuts from the state.  He said the two main ways to make more money are to raise tuition and increase class sizes.  To find out which one would be best for students, university officials are trying to work with student leaders on campus.

Right now, the State House of Representatives is working on a counter-proposal to Nixon’s budget plan.  When this step is complete, the budget will go back and forth between the House and the Senate until they can reach an agreement.  Finally, Nixon will either approve or modify the proposal.  A final budget has to be approved before the 2013 fiscal year starts on July 1.

Recently, the state received 40 million dollars from a mortgage settlement that officials didn’t believe they would get for quite some time.  If all of that money goes to reduce the higher education cut, the decrease would be around 7.5 percent as opposed to the original 12.5 percent.  However, that’s still a 66 million dollar decrease in funds for state schools.

If it stays at 12.5 percent, “We will be at 1997 funding levels. That is astronomically unacceptable,” Dixon said.

State Senator Bob Dixon

Faculty salaries could also be a concern for MSU. In January, the faculty received their only raise in a period of four years.

“Our faculties have only risen about two percent. That’s worrisome.  Ultimately people leave if their salaries can’t keep up with inflation,” Smart said.

Student Body President Scott Turk is in the process of meeting with the Executive Budget Committee of MSU.The committee is meeting to try and keep the tuition rates constant. If the budget cuts to higher education were to pass, the committee may increase the tuition prices up to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to 3.2 percent.

With the formation of this committee, the discussion of marketing scholarships and how they will be distributed to future applicants is under advisement. While no decisions can be made final until a final budget is approved, scholarships will be handed out on a need basis instead of the typical merit based distribution.

SGA President Scott Turk

“The university is trying to get as much student input as possible when it comes to raising class sizes and prices,” Turk said.

As debates on the future budget continues, students and citizens of Missouri are encouraged more than ever to get involved with the process. But are students even aware of the issue at hand?

“I am aware that the government is trying to cut the military budget to higher education,” MSU junior Brian Tyner said, who is attending school because of the GI Bill. “However, I had no idea the cut as a whole was going to be this drastic.”

Brian Tyner

On an opposite spectrum, MSU freshman Cody Miller was stunned when he was told about how the cuts could affect him in future years. When asked about his thoughts on the cuts he said, “We are having budget cuts?”

Ed Jenkins, a graduate student at MSU, was the most informed about what was going on in the government and the budget cuts. Jenkins could go into extreme detail and break down what was going to happen to not only the schools, but the staff and faculty of the state wide universities.

With budget cuts growing, the question as to whether or not higher education will be able to stay affordable for future applicants is starting to press on everybody’s minds. While the 40 million dollars gained through the settlement recently will help, schools will still be receiving less money next fall.

Contributions List:

Adam Hammons: writing, video, audio, interviewing

Wendy Wray: writing, interview, editing

Matt Francis: writing, images, editing, interviewing

Erin O’Keefe: writing, interviewing, images, editing

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Cuts Will Not Affect the City of Springfield, Only the Incorporated Area of Greene County

As of January 1^st, Greene County legislatures have enacted a limited animal control law. Because of a budget cut of nearly $76,000, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office will no longer respond to calls of loose animals in the incorporated area of Greene County outside Springfield city limits. They will, however, continue to answer calls involving animal bites or viciousness.

Clay Goddard is the Assistant Health Director with the Springfield -Greene County Health Department. He says the decrease in animal control funding poses a risk to both residents and animals. 

“An animal running loose, they don’t pay attention to stop signs, and a lot times to oncoming traffic. We’ll end up with injured animals who get hit by vehicles, or otherwise injured when they’re running at large. So that’s a big concern,” Goddard said.

In 2011 alone, there were over 1000 service calls about roaming and/or vicious animals in the urban services area of Greene County.

To see the incorporated area of Greene County, Missouri, click here to view a map.

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Contributions: Video by Chris Collins, Photos by Arantxa Rodriguez, Interview by Sam Crowe and writing by Morgan Franke

Here is a list of sources used in this article: Source List