Center City Shuttle returns to First Fridays

Commercial Club of Springfield and Drury University’s Student Government Association and Student Union Board are proud to announce new sustainable partnership to offer free shuttle service on First Fridays in March, April and May.Visitors to Center City on First Fridays can now visit Drury’s Pool Art Center, Downtown and Commercial Street without the hassle of driving and parking between the numerous locations.  The shuttles will be running between 6p.m. and 10p.m. making four stops: Drury University’s Findley Student Center Circle, Boonville and Commercial Street, the northeast corner of Park Central Square in front of Riad, and the Pool Arts Center on Clay Street.  The shuttle will run every 30 minutes with the last route starting at 10p.  Many of the shops, galleries and businesses have extended hours to make it easy for you to see all that Center City has to offer.  For more information please contact Donnie Rodgers with the Urban Districts Alliance at 417-880-3435 or <a href="mailto:donnie@itsalldowntown.com">donnie@itsalldowntown.com</a>.

2010-03-03T12:27:10-08:00

272

2010-03-03T12:29:15-08:00

Shamrock sales begin February 17 through March 17 (St. Patrick's Day).  Green shamrocks sell for $1 and gold shamrocks sell for $5.  The purchasing patron writes their name on the shamrock and it's then displayed in the business for all to see.  It's a terrific way to celebrate this festive holiday while helping Jerry's Kids!  The 27 downtown participants are:<ul><li><div align="left">Riad Cuisine Downtown</div></li><li><div align="left">Trolley's</div></li><li><div align="left">Fedora Social House</div></li><li><div align="left">Big Whiskey's</div></li><li><div align="left">Tonic Ultralounge</div></li><li><div align="left">Rendezvous Coffee</div></li><li><div align="left">Millie's Cafe</div></li><li><div align="left">The Edge</div></li><li><div align="left">Bodhi Salon & Spa</div></li><li><div align="left">Lili's Diner</div></li><li><div align="left">Finnegan's Wake</div></li><li><div align="left">Ernie Bigg's</div></li><li><div align="left">Systematic Savings & Loan</div></li><li><div align="left">Mud House Coffee</div></li><li><div align="left">Maria's Mexican Restaurant</div></li><li><div align="left">Bruno's Ristorante</div></li><li><div align="left">Bijan's Sea & Grill</div></li><li><div align="left">Merle's Downtown</div></li><li><div align="left">Chicago Cheesesteak</div></li><li><div align="left">Gilardi's Ristorante</div></li><li><div align="left">Bugsy Malone's</div></li><li><div align="left">Amycakes Bakery</div></li><li><div align="left">Billiards of Springfield</div></li><li><div align="left">Global Fayre</div></li><li><div align="left">Kai After Dark</div></li><li><div align="left">Martha's Vineyard</div></li><li><div align="left">Tropical Liqueurs</div></li></ul><div dir="ltr" align="left">Shamrock sales begin February 17 through March 17 (St. Patrick's Day).  Green shamrocks sell for $1 and gold shamrocks sell for $5.  The purchasing patron writes their name on the shamrock and it's then displayed in the business for all to see.  It's a terrific way to celebrate this festive holiday while helping Jerry's Kids! </div><div dir="ltr" align="left"></div><div dir="ltr" align="left">Thank you so much for your support of the Shamrocks Against Dystrophy program!</div>

2010-02-17T16:01:04-08:00

271

3113

Downtown Springfield Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association partner to "Shamrocks Against Dystrophy"

2010-02-17T16:01:04-08:00

Creativity and self-expression come alive during Center City Saturday, an extravaganza of fashion and art in Springfield’s Downtown Arts District, 1 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 20.The centerpiece of the February event is the Chic Chick Fashion Show featuring live entertainment, door prizes, and clothing and accessories from downtown’s newest boutique.Join entertainer Lois Ann Marler, fashion show emcee, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Ernie Biggs, 312 South Avenue, as 20 models demonstrate Chic Chick’s versatility in the categories of Business and Office Wear, Funky Chic and Just for Fun.During the show, visitors can also view and purchase one-of-a-kind, hand-painted purses by Fresh Gallery Artist Mary L. Hamilton and original jewelry by Fresh Gallery jewelry Artist Karla Breeding Trammell. Other highlights of the Feb. 20 Center City Saturday include:<ul style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><li>Global fare at Global Fayre, 324 S. Campbell. Sample coffee from Kickapoo Coffee Company, winner of Roast Magazine's 2010 Micro Roaster of the Year; cookies from Soup of Success, an Indiana project for women working to gain skills for self-sufficiency; and chocolate from Divine, using the finest Fair Trade cocoa beans from Kuapa Kokoo, a cooperative of smallholder farmers in Ghana.  </li><li>Get hands-on with art at Fresh Gallery, located at the corner of Campbell and Walnut. Artist Carol Penprase will demonstrate Zentangles, and visitors can try their hand at this fun and relaxing activity. “Zentangles: art form or form of meditation?” Carol says. “Easy to make and relaxing, they require only a pencil, pen and paper. No erasers and no rulers – just fun.” While at Fresh, visitors can also enjoy the dual show by husband-and-wife artists Dale and Janice Brueggemann and original artwork by 20 other regional artists. </li><li>Visit Fitzwilly’s Gifts & Antiques, 308 South Ave., for outstanding works of art by award-winning artist Charli Stout, ranging from landscapes to modern design, plus 20 percent off any purchase of $5 or more. </li><li>See live demonstrations by master glass artists at Springfield Hot Glass Studio, 314 S. Campbell Ave. A working hot glass studio/gallery with facilities for furnace, torch and kiln work, Springfield Hot Glass offers beautiful and utilitarian glassware, objets d’art, glass beads and jewelry. </li><li>Visit Randy Bacon Studio and Gallery to enjoy The Art of Love: The Romance Collection, featuring 25 of Randy’s favorite images of couples he has photographed over the last decade, plus Valentine's Day themed ceramics by Figment artist Kelly Brinkman and refreshments for all. </li><li>Pick up a Gallery Guide Brochure to enjoy your own Mini Art Walk with family and friends. Ongoing shows for Center City Saturday include Sailors’ Valentines at Good Girl Art Gallery, 325 E. Walnut St.; New Work by Tim Breaux at Hawthorn Galleries Inc., 214 E. Walnut St.; Accidental Mysteries: Extraordinary Vernacular Photographs from the Collection of John and Teenuh Foster, at the Brick City Gallery, 215 W. Mill St.; and Paintings by Mary L. Hamilton at Obelisk Home at the Inspired Commerce Building, 214 W. Phelps.</li></ul>ABOUT CHIC CHICKKaren Jordan, entrepreneur and mother of nine, including five girls, is the force behind Chic Chick. The business was established in Rolla in 2008 after Katia, Jordan’s eldest daughter, decided to pursue fashion design at Missouri State University. The program required that she work in fashion retail, and her father, John Jordan, encouraged her to start her own business.The whole family pitched in, and Chic Chick opened in June 2008. The store – featuring colorful, stylish clothing, accessories, purses, shoes and more – was a success, and in October 2009, a second location was opened in Springfield at 400 E. Walnut St., No. 100, the corner of Walnut and Jefferson.The Jordan women’s love of colors, fragrances, beauty and everything to do with the “girlie-girl” taste is reflected in every nook and cranny of Chic Chick. Chic Chick encourages women to enjoy being creative. “We want girls and women to have fun,” Jordan explains. “Have fun living, loving, shopping and looking the best they can!” For more about Chic Chick, contact Karen Jordan at (573) 578-6931, visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.chichickstore.com/" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://www.chichickstore.com/">www.chichickstore.com</a> or check out Chic Chick on Facebook. ABOUT LOIS ANN MARLERA southern Missouri native, Lois Ann Marler is a high-energy entertainer whose musical repertoire ranges from Etta James to K.T. Tunstall, hitting all the notes of blues, jazz, country and rock ‘n’ roll in between. A partner in Good Time Dance Club in Rolla with DJ and dance instructor Cody Bahr, Lois Ann has performed in musicals at Rolla’s Ozarks Actors Theatre and appeared as a guest performer at Lebanon’s Ozark Hills Theatre, where she’s best known as “The Rocker Chick.”Lois Ann’s philosophy is “Music makes us all feel better,” and she takes that philosophy into her community, donating her time and talents to such charitable organizations as Relay For Life and Heart-2-Heart, as well as skilled nursing facilities and veterans homes.Lois Ann wears many hats, including that of freelance writer, editor and home educator. She and her husband of 23 years, Kevin, have two children, Rachel and Timothy. For more about Lois Ann, visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.loisannmarler.com/" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://www.loisannmarler.com/">www.loisannmarler.com</a>.ABOUT CENTER CITY SATURDAYSCenter City Saturday is a collaborative downtown happening presented from 1 to 5 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month by members of First Friday Art Walk and the Downtown Springfield Association.Designed as a casual, family-friendly daytime event, Center City Saturday strives to introduce visitors of all ages to the art, culture, entertainment, fashion, food and fun of the Downtown Arts District. Visitors are invited to enjoy live art demonstrations, hands-on activities, special events, shopping, dining, self-guided gallery tours and live performances in a variety of downtown venues.For more information on First Friday Art Walk Inc., visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ffaw.org/" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://www.ffaw.org/">www.ffaw.org</a> or check out Art Walk’s page on Facebook.

2010-02-15T12:04:46-08:00

270

Chic Chick Fashion Show Adds Class, Flash & Fun to Center City Saturday

2010-02-15T12:04:46-08:00

An Introduction to the 2010 Census Counting Everyone Once — and Only Once — and In the Right Place The foundation of our American democracy is dependent on fair and equitable representation in Congress. In order to achieve an accurate assessment of the number and location of the people living within the nation’s borders, the U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. The census population totals determine which states gain or lose representation in Congress. It also determines the amount of state and federal funding communities receive over the course of the decade. 2010 Census data will directly affect how more than $4 trillion is allocated to local, state and tribal governments over the next 10 years. In order for this funding allocation to be accomplished fairly and accurately, the goal of the decennial census is to count everybody, count them only once, and count them in the right place. The facts gathered in the census also help shape decisions for the rest of the decade about public health, neighborhood improvements, transportation, education, senior services and much more. Reaching an Increasingly Diverse Population The goal of the 2010 Census is to count all residents living in the United States on April 1, 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau does not ask about the legal status of respondents in any of its surveys and census programs. To help ensure the nation’s increasingly diverse population can answer the questionnaire accurately and completely, about 13 million bilingual Spanish/English forms will be mailed to housing units in neighborhoods identified as requiring high levels of Spanish assistance. Additionally, questionnaires in Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Vietnamese and Russian ⎯ as well as language guides in 59 languages ⎯ will be available on request. Recruiting Census Workers By 2010, there will be an estimated 310 million people residing in the United States. Counting each person is one of the largest operations the federal government undertakes. For example, the Census Bureau will recruit nearly 3.8 million applicants for 2010 Census field operations. Of these applicants, the Census Bureau will hire about 1.4 million temporary employees. Some of these employees will be using GPS-equipped hand-held computers to update maps and ensure there is an accurate address list for the mailing of the census questionnaires. 10 Questions, 10 Minutes to CompleteWith one of the shortest questionnaires in history, the 2010 Census asks for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and whether you own or rent your home. It takes only about 10 minutes for the average household to complete. Questions about how we live as a nation -- our diversity, education, housing, jobs and more -- are now covered in the American Community Survey, which is conducted every year throughout the decade and replaces the Census 2000 long-form questionnaire. Responses to the 2010 Census questionnaire are required by law. All responses are used for statistical purposes only, and all are strictly confidential. For more information, visit the 2010 Census Web site at <a href="http://www.census.gov/2010" title="2010 Census">www.census.gov/2010</a>.

2010-02-06T17:44:18-08:00

269

3110

It's In Our Hands - 2010 Census

2010-02-09T07:56:54-08:00

An exciting project is in the works for the Downtown area! The Kiwanis Club of Downtown Springfield is working to bring a universal playground structure designed for children with all abilities to our city-county parks system.   In partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, green space will be provided in Jenny Lincoln Park, 300 E. Harrison St., on the southern part of Downtown.   The area also will provide adequate parking and accessibility for individuals with special needs. The Park Board will continue to maintain the park.   Kiwanis is working to raise funds to purchase the playground and special surfacing at a cost of $100,000. The project will enhance an area of Springfield where families live, work, play, shop, and enjoy great food and entertainment, along with helping to provide accessible recreation to all. Please join us in making a difference. Mail your tax-deductible donation to Kiwanis Foundation of Downtown Springfield, PO Box 9791, Springfield, MO, 65801.   For more information, call 417-831-8630.

2010-01-28T14:09:50-08:00

268

Funds Raised will Benefit Accessible Playground in Downtown Springfield

2010-01-28T14:09:50-08:00