New Community Free Press - October 8, issue

Okay, while I do not yet have a print copy of the new issue of the Community Free Press, myself, I know it's out there because I can read it online, and so can you.

On the election front, Brian Brown has presented articles on the following candidates:

> Jim Lee vs Steve Helms for Circuit Clerk
> Jim Arnott vs Mike Ramon for Greene County Sheriff
> Janet Adams vs Shane Schoeller for 139th district

The Council Notes column discussed the topics of Hammons deal with the city and Council's comments regarding City Utilities budget and gas rate increases.

There are also short informational pieces regarding Wylie and Rushefsky's Town Hall meeting; Park Central Square's Streetscape project and; the Pension Plan.

Available online only, in supplementals to the print edition, you can follow the money trail of the proceeds the city received from the Hammon's purchase of the former arena site and car park and there is a Council Notes "lunch special," along with other Council Notes related information.

Kelsey Garman explored the question: "Who are Evangelical Christians?" in "American’s View of Evangelical Christians," on page 10. Garman discovered, "About 55 percent of those who describe themselves as evangelicals believe they are misunderstood and unfairly described by the news media."

Managing Editor Mert Seaton, page 11, touted the retail and service related businesses operating out of the Battlefield Mall today in, "Doing it All...at Battlefield Mall."

...And, of the 6 people asked, "Should the government spend $700 billion to bail out struggling financial institutions?" Only one person said, yes.

There's lots, lots more. Pick up your copy today or read it online!

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.