Oops, forgot to remind you......

...The new issue of the Community Free Press came out on Wednesday and I didn't get a chance to tell you!

Managing Editor Mert Seaton took the above the fold cover article with his introduction to Springfield's new city manager, Greg Burris. According to the article, Burris' dream job is to be a professional golfer by day and a musician in the evenings. Seaton wrote:

"Burris played music in Springfield for 10 years with some of the best local musicians. He also is an alternative rock fan who owns every dada CD including the bootleg."

As usual, different candidates have different ideas about the best way to run a campaign. I noted in Brian Brown's article "Candidate Questions Opponent's Motive," that most of Public administrator candidate Laura Fabro's time was spent in dissing the qualifications of her opponent, David Yancey. Yancey spoke about his own experience, failing to even mention Fabro.

...and Brian Brown was a busy writer this issue. He also covered the campaigns of Ronald D. Day and Representative Charlie Norr as they battle it out to represent Springfield's 137th district; the 138th district candidates, Michael Goodart (a knowledgeable and avid supporter of the FairTax) and Sara Lampe, Lampe talked about her past record as a legislator. There's more of Brian Brown's work in the current issue...geesh, he's a productive kinda guy!

The City Council Notes column offered some information on the topics of CU's budget rate increases, the new city manager's compensation as compared to former city manager Bob Cumley and further information about Drury University's contractual agreement with the City to compensate two police officers for working full time at Drury campus and managing a police substation there.

Big surprise to me, "Fat Jack" of Fat Jack's Erratic Rants blog had a "blog speak" column in the current issue.

Cutting edge Bob Mace's column "The Edge" is now accompanied by an occasional shorter piece written by Mace called "Straight Edge," less wordy but every bit as entertaining and thought provoking as his original, longer column.

In the "Faith in the Ozarks" section, Kelsey Garman contributed some interesting statistics on why young adults leave church, read it on page 9. In the "Maturity Matters" section, Garman tugged at my heart strings in a short piece titled, "When Bad Things Happen to Old People."

That's only a taste, there is a lot more to read in the Community Free Press. Read more about the articles I touched on and then, be sure and catch the Business section, the Arts & Entertainment section, and Mert's infamous Sports column.

There is also additional information at the CFP Web site, click on supplementals to the print edition, you'll find the link right under the cover shot of this issue. To read the paper online, click on the cover shot.

New Community Free Press is Available!

Yep, the new issue (August 27-September 7) of Community Free Press is available for reading at the Web site or pick up at a location near you. For a list of vendors you can also visit the Web site.

Featured articles include "Ozarks Death Row Inmates," in which, CFP contributor Jennifer Hollis reported on how increasing euthanasia numbers are bringing animal issues to the forefront, and Brian Brown reported on the history of the Battle of Springfield, which, Brown noted, took place in January 1863, in and around the downtown Springfield area. Brown's front page article is titled, "Markers Tell of Forgotten Local Battle."

The Council Notes column includes previously unreported information concerning Assistant City Manager Collin Quigley's research on metal detectors, prepared at the request of Mayor Carlson and a quote from Councilman Doug Burlison regarding why he voted in opposition to the recent Council approved administrative delay on the controversial container ordinance the city and local container suppliers and users have been considering for some time.

Bob Mace touched close to my home in his regular column, "The Edge," when he wrote about an experience he had when he dropped the baton in a relay race years ago. My husband had a similar experience and had discussed it with me after watching both the men and women USA Olympic teams drop their batons in the Olympics.

Mace assumed bragging rights of his physical prowess, as he wrote about a friend of his who has told the story of him dropping the baton to, what seemed like, in the reading, anyone and everyone who would listen for years. "A Dish Served Cold," was a fun read, but then Mace's columns are always fun reading, even when discussing controversial or serious issues.

In "Letters to the Editor," Tim Kitta of Springfield asked questions of the new city manager and, in the "Local Voices" segment, Brown asked 6 different, unrelated people the question: " Would you be in favor of City Council approving a City Utilities natural gas rate increase of 7 percent spread over two years?"

Read their answers along with Mert Seaton's regular sports column, in which he covered the Olympics with a bit of opinion. "Celebration is all part of the sport. It is the right athletes and fans have," Seaton reminded party poopers who, apparently, don't like athlete *braggarts.*

There's much, much more here.