Brenda Brinkley's Display at The Library Center
Brenda Brinkley's photographs of the Ozarks are on display at The Library Center in Springfield, Missouri, June 4, 2011.
Brenda is a member of Ozarks Romance Authors, a non-profit, multi-genre writers' group ounded in 1987. The group meets the first Saturday of each month in Springfield, Missouri. Guests are welcome! The first three visits are free. For more information, visit us online at
Question 5: The Heers Building and Springfield's Downtown | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 5 -- What's happening in downtown Springfield -- especially with the Heers Building? What's being done to accelerate growth? And what's being done to deal with blight?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Question 6: Springfield's Homeless | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 6: How is Springfield helping the homeless population here -- especially single adults in the community?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Introduction to the Letters to Springfield Panel
Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Presidential Libraries, Museums & More: The William J. Clinton Presidential Center
In this episode, we take you inside the Oval Office, in the deep South! We'll step inside the William J. Clinton Presidential Center. Plus, we catch up to the 42nd President himself who talks about food, the future & the tools you'll need to succeed.
Plus, what JFK is doing at Abe Lincoln's Library in Springfield, Illinois. A collection of presidents are gathered in Pacific, Missouri in an Opera House from the 1904 World's Fair. We hear from author and first daughter Chelsea Clinton who made a stop at the St. Louis Zoo. And where Chelsea can house her new books, we visit her Mom's public library making a difference in the Little Rock community.
Question 7: Trash, and Library Safety | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 7 addressed two unrelated issues:
-What is Springfield doing to deal with trash around downtown?
-What can Library patrons do if they feel unsafe within the facility?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Question 2 & 3: Traffic and Biking in Springfield | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 2: What is Springfield doing to improve its public transportation system, and what can it do to make the city more bike and pedestrian-friendly?
Question 3: How is Springfield addressing traffic concerns? And how much does excessive traffic in town affect the general population -- especially commuters, and children en route to school?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Discoveries America Missouri Preview
The full length version of this program is available on DVD and Digital download at Bennett-watt.com
Produced by Bennett-Watt HD Video Productions, Inc. HDVideoProduction.net
The town of Hannibal on the Mississippi River was home of one of Missouri’s favorite sons, Samuel Clemens…or Mark Twain. His characters come alive in Norman Rockwell’s paintings at Mark Twain Museum - his wit never tires during performances of “Mark Twain Himself” by actor Richard Garey. Downriver, city of St. Louis is home to America’s most visited National Monument, the Gateway Arch at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, and visit country’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch. Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in Independence, is dedicated to preserving the memory of America’s 33rd president, who presided over some of the 20th centuries most important political events and decisions. Kansas City famous for sculpture, fountains, jazz, good barbeque and more. The “City of Fountains” boasts more outdoor water features than any other, Rome excepted. Country Club Plaza is oldest outdoor shopping center in USA, it was modeled after Seville, Spain. Two museums in Kansas City highlight African American contributions to the community. At American Jazz Museum, music and artifacts of great jazz icons like Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald are on display. Next door, a different collection is dedicated to preserving rich history of African-American baseball at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Since 1910, Hallmark Cards has grown to become largest greeting card company in the world. They produce millions of cards for every occasion and emotion, each one starts with an idea from their creative writers. Deep in limestone bluffs of Missouri River…SubTropolis, largest underground business complex in the world. Over 5 million square feet of leasable space lies beneath ground in its growing network passages and rooms. Another subterranean attraction…Fantastic Caverns, the only drive-thru cave tour in North America. In Missouri Ozarks, a different phenomenon: Branson. The area has grown to one of the world’s great live music and entertainment destinations. The shows start at breakfast and go all day, acts like Buck Trent, Jim Stafford and Cirque at the Remington Theater. Big Cedar Lodge is 5 star lakeside resort with 10,000 acres of man made waterfalls, trout ponds and streams in Dogwood Canyon. The Bass Pro Shop in Springfield is state’s number one tourist attraction. Seven football fields of hunting, fishing and outdoor-recreation products, displays, artwork, memorabilia and live exhibits bring outdoors inside and show what “shoppertainment” is all about. In Sikeston,annual Redneck BBQ is a down home party with great food cooked slow and easy.
Question 4: Funding Springfield's Infrastructure and Institutions | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 4 -- The University of Missouri Extension Center in Greene County is worried about having to close its doors. What can be done to serve -- and fund -- some of these long-standing institutions?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Monday! Tuesday! TourDay!
Matt & Steph are on tour! There's only a hand full of shows left, so bear with us. Here's a cool video Steph shot in Houston, TX.
Come see us on tour before we're done!
Springfield-Greene County Library
July 26 7:30pm
The Library Center
4653 South Campbell
Springfield, Missouri 65810-1723
FREE
Lafayette United Methodist Church
July 27 7pm
2300 Lafayette Avenue
St. Louis MO 63104
$5
Cincinnati Public Library--Westwood Branch
July 28 7pm
3345 Epworth Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45211
FREE
Pittsburgh Carnegie Library Lawn!
July 29 2:30pm
Main Branch -- Front Lawn
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
FREE
Matt on Twitter:
Steph on Twitter:
Theme music by
Thyssenkrupp vandal resistant elevator parking garage Wheaton library and Rec center
Question 8: Getting Involved | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 8: How can citizens in Springfield get more involved in their city?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Ward Branch Institutional level STAR land listing 93 ac next to Sam's & Academy, 3% BBC, $10M US
Ward Branch is an Institutional quality STAR land listing with Mark Patrick and Wally Nattinger of Coldwell Banker Commercial Vanguard. Features 93+ acres, 2,896 est. frontage, 21% wooded, 38K+ avg. daily two-way traffic and 5 established access points.
It is the largest contiguous acreage offering in Springfield. Great location next to James River Commons anchored by Sam's and Academy and Outlet Center, and next to the Springfield Library Center.
It offers the best location, demographics and schools. It is a tremendous location on US HWY 160 just 0.4 mi. south of US HWY 60. It is zoned single-family residential, agriculture exempt with $155 annual taxes and is in the Springfield City Limits.
$10M US. 3% BBC.
Potential Uses
Preliminary highest and best use CCIM analysis suggests excellent location for:
(1) Single-family and multi-family
(2) Retail and professional
(3) Motel
(4) Mini-storage
(5) Power Center
Great Location
It is located directly on US HWY 160/S Campbell AVE/SR 13.
(6) Stunning neighbors: next to James River Commons anchored by Sam's Club and Academy Sports and to Library Center.
(7) Great access: 0.4 mi. S of James River FWY, 4 mi. US HWY 65, 5 mi. to downtown, 9 mi. to I44 and James River FWY, 9 mi. to I44 and Schoolcraft FWY.
(8) Easy airport access: 9.2 mi. to Springfield-Branson International Airport (KSGF) served by American, Allegiant, Delta and United
Superior Retail Opportunities
Within 0.5 mi., the area has attracted the following national chains and franchises: Sam's Club, Academy Sports, Quick Trip, Pizza Hut, Sleep Inn, Comfort Suites and Texas Roadhouse.
Still, at a 5-minute drive-time:
(9) Top 3 retail opportunities avg.: $6.0M+ in potential revenues; $647 per household; and $280 per person
(10) Top 5 avg.: $4.6M+ total; $492 per household; and $213 per person
(11) Top 10 avg.: $2.7M+ total; $287 per household; and $124 per person
(12) Top opportunities: Gas Station; Clothing and Accessories; Food and Beverage; Sports, Hobbies and Music; Jewelry, Luggage and Leather; Beer, Wine and Liquor; Building Materials and Supplies; and Shoes
Unmatched Immediate Area Demographics
The Census Tract compared to all Benchmarks*has:
(13) Lowest: Unemployment rate, leverage indicators such as % home values to mortgage; % vacant homes for rent; avg. age and % 65+ years old; lowest % married and separated.
(14) Highest: % population, family and household growth; avg. income, % $100K+ household incomes and % $250K household incomes; % single family detached homes; avg. net worth; education levels; % married and together; % residents in retail; % $300K-$750K home values; % under 18 years old.
(15) 2nd highest: Avg home values; % $500K+ household incomes, home values $1M+, avg. mortgage, $1M+ household net worth.
*Benchmarks: Census Tract, 1-mile radius, 5-min. drive-time, 65810 Zip Code, City of Springfield, Greene County, Springfield CBSA, Springfield DMA, Missouri and the US
Best Public Schools
3 of 4 schools attended have a 9 of 10 GreatSchools rating and one has a 10 of 10 GreatSchools rating. All 4 schools have Distinguished Greatschools ratings. All grades significantly outperformed State averages in MCAT and EOC scores across all skill sets. On average, the 4 schools attended outperformed State averages by 39%.
National Rankings
Nationally ranked by Bizjournals, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Milken Institute, National Geographic, World Health Organization in following categories:
(16) Safe Community
(17) Top 12 Metros for Recruitment and Attraction
(18) Top 20 Mid-Sized City for Entrepreneurs
(19) Top Place for Business and Careers
(20) Top 40 Best Quality of Life
(21) Top 50 Best Performing City
(22) 100 Best Community for Young People
(23) 5-Star Quality of Life
(24) Top 50 Adventure Towns
(25) Top 10 Hot City for Entrepreneurs
Local Financing and Incentive Programs
The following may be available depending on business plan details. Consult the Springfield Partnership for Economic Development for details.
(26) Potential financing programs
(a) Industrial Revenue Bonds
(b) Linked Deposit Program
(27) Potential Incentives
(a) Enhanced Enterprise Zone: Additional abatement for LEED-Silver.
(b) Missouri Quality Jobs
(c) Development Tax Credits
(d) BUILD Missouri
(e) Missouri Training Programs
La Plata, Missouri USA - Virtual Railfan LIVE
This is a live stream of La Plata, Missouri, USA, for people who enjoy watching trains.
Actual start date: May 19, 2017
The 360º camera is sponsored by Duane & Curt Lundgren in memory of their hometown Great Northern Railroad
Want to take a trip to La Plata? Stay at the Depot Inn & Suites:
Check out Bob & Amy Cox's business, Train Party:
Radio Feed:
Informational Map: (Courtesy of Curt Lundgren, thanks Curt!)
You are welcome to join our family friendly chat, but keep in mind that there’s a community with rules already established. Please check them out below.
La Plata East:
La Plata West:
La Plata 360:
Help us raise funds for the displays at the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation:
APRHF homepage:
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ABOUT THIS FEED:
La Plata, MO, in Northern Missouri, is located on BNSF Railway's Marceline Subdivision at milepost 312.7, part of their Southern Transcon, the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) mainline between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Amtrak’s Southwest Chief passenger train stops here twice a day; the eastbound train #4 in the morning and the westbound train #3 in the evening.
The typical BNSF freight train volume is between 50 and 70 trains per 24 hours. There are 2 cameras available.
There is an ATCS layout available, as well as a radio feed for the western part of the BNSF Marceline Sub, listening to AAR road channel 30, 160.560 (also includes Norfolk Southern's Kansas City District, on road channel 22, 160.440):
You will see lots of Amish and Mennonite folks at the station. Please be respectful of these communities in chat.
When’s the next train? Yeah, we get this a lot. You can figure out the next Amtrak passenger train with this handy link:
There’s no schedule for freight trains, but some of our more knowledgeable members will provide real-time information when it’s available. Please refrain from asking.
ABOUT VIRTUAL RAILFAN:
Virtual Railfan currently has 77 cams at 47 locations in 22 states and 4 countries. Visit our website for memberships, more free cams, and our own live chat. Thanks for stopping by, we’re glad you’re here!
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Know a good location for a camera? We’d love to hear! Please email us at sales@virtualrailfan.com. If you have any contacts in the area, please let us know.
Question 1: Participating in Springfield | The Letters to Springfield panel
Question 1: Some parts of Springfield are more isolated from the city due to socioeconomic factors. What can this city do to unite its entire population and get locals active in the growth of Springfield?
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Stry.us held the Letters to Springfield panel at the Library Center on July 17, 2012. We convened a panel of Springfield experts to help answer questions submitted directly by locals.
Our panel included:
-Fred Marty, deputy city manager of Springfield
-Dr. Michael Stout, sociologist at Missouri State
-Ann Marie Baker, president of the Southwest Missouri region at UMB Bank
-Becky Morgan, coordinator of community investment at United Way
-Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Libraries
The panel was moderated by Dan Oshinsky, founder of Stry.us.
Rt 66: Kenneth Estes, April 20, 2015
Transcript:
Interview with Kenneth Estes, Director of the Southwest Missouri Indian Center, by Tom Peters, Dean of Library Services at Missouri State University. Interview took place on April 20, 2015, at the Southwest Missouri Indian Center in Springfield, Missouri. Part of the Birthplace: Greater Springfield Route 66 Oral History Project.
Topics discussed include Route 66; Oklahoma to California migration; Greyhound buses; picking fruit in California; Native Americans; the Chickasaw Nation; Flagstaff, Arizona; Vallejo, California; Concord, California; Oakland, California; Springfield, Missouri; and Springfield area locations, such as the Southwest Missouri Indian Center, Red's Hamburg; and Fisher's High-Boy.
Transcript of this interview can be accessed here:
Sleep Inn Springfield in Springfield IL
Rates: . . . . . . . .. .. ... . .. .. .. Sleep Inn Springfield 3470 Freedom Drive Springfield IL 62704 The Sleep Inn hotel is located off Interstate 72, just one mile from the White Oaks Mall. This hotel is near the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, New Salem State Park, the University of Illinois at Springfield, the Prairie Capital Convention Center and Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site at the Oak Ridge Cemetery. Located in the heart of Springfield's premier shopping area, the hotel is close to Knight's Caribbean Water Adventure water park and a variety of restaurants, entertainment venues, movie theaters, a comedy club and sports bar. The hotel also offers easy access to downtown Springfield including the State Capitol building and the Illinois State Fairgrounds. This Springfield hotel features many amenities, including Free Morning Medley Hot Breakfast, free local calls, free weekday newspapers and free coffee. Pets are welcome with a stay fee. Business travelers will appreciate conveniences like free wireless high-speed Internet access and access to fax services. All rooms include coffee makers, hair dryers, irons, ironing boards, spacious work areas and oversized showers. Non-smoking rooms are available.
Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center - Springfield Hotels, Illinois
Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center 2 Stars Hotel in Springfield, Illinois Within US Travel Directory This hotel is 3.2 km from downtown Springfield, Illinois and Bunn Park Golf Course. It features a small museum of Route 66 memorabilia and offers spacious rooms with free Wi-Fi.
Yesterday’s Restaurant, located at the Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center, offers American cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Donnie B's Den, bar and comedy club, is offers food and drink each evening. Guests of the Route 66 Hotel can enjoy free access to the seasonal outdoor pool and a full-service business center.
Free parking is available on-site. A cable TV and coffee maker are standard in every room. All rooms are brightly decorated and include a seating area and a telephone with free local calls.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and the Illinois State
Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center - Springfield Hotels, Illinois
Location in : 625 East Saint Joseph Street, IL 62703, Springfield, Illinois - USA
Booking now :
Hotels list and More information visit U.S. Travel Directory
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The 10 Best Places To Live In Missouri - USA
Missouri’s geography is highly diverse, ranging from the Ozark Mountains to the Missouri River and the beginning of the Northern Plains.
Living in Missouri puts residents near the center of the United States.
This state has a natural beauty that would put most states to shame.
The best places to live in Missouri are Glendale, Town and Country, Creve Coeur, Ballwin,...
Beyond the natural appeal, a thriving economy and low cost of living are more reason to pack up and make a move to America’s Heartland.
Major industries in Missouri include food processing, aerospace, transportation equipment and beer making.
Missouri’s overall crime rate hovers just above the national average by just a few percentage points. But the major cities across the state are what pull the numbers higher.
Missouri’s cost of living is nine percent cheaper than the national average and housing is one of expenses where you’ll find the biggest savings.
There are plenty of great towns in Missouri that boast low crime rates and safe neighborhoods.
Here are the 10 best places to live in Missouri in 2019:
1. Columbia. (best place for overall)
2. Chesterfield. (best place to retire)
3. West Plains.
4. Wildwood. (best place to raise a family)
5. Kirkwood. (best place to retire)
6. Town and Country. (best place to retire)
7. Ballwin. (safest place)
8. Bonne Terre. (cheapest place)
9. Clayton. (best place to raise a family)
10. Ozark.
Thanks for watching this video. I hope it's useful for you.
(This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment)
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Rt. 66: Don Robinson, April 4, 2018
The “Trucking on Route 66” oral history project is a collaborative initiative of the Missouri State University Libraries and Ozarks Alive (OzarksAlive.com). This project is made possible in part by a grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program of the National Parks Service.
Interview with Don Robinson, former truck driver, by MSU Dean of Library Services Tom Peters. Interview took place at Mr. Robinson’s brother’s home in Lebanon, Missouri, on April 4, 2018.
Topics discussed include brief biographical sketch, how he got started in trucking in 1960, buying his first tractor trailer rig, moving from Minnesota to Belleview Missouri, working for Hays McClain in St. Louis hauling steel, flatbed hauling, step deck trailer, break downs and electrical problems, fatal head-on collision with drunk driver, driving someone else’s truck, periods of time away from trucking, what kept drawing him back to trucking, driving the same Peterbilt truck for 24 years, driving a considerations when driving a truck outside of the country, changes in trucks and trucking between the 1960s and 1980s, driving for Prime Inc. based in Springfield Missouri, changes in roadways over the years, driving on Route 66 in Illinois, Dixie truck stop in McLean Illinois, checking in with dispatcher in the early days, Missouri truck stops Thunderbird in Sullivan and Crescent in Rolla, parents running the Crescent truck stop in the early 1960s, gas and diesel fuel, how changes in the highway effected business, Missouri truck stops T&T in Doolittle and Midway in Sleeper and Garbage Can in Niangua and Seven Gables in Springfield, how expenses were paid in the early days, amenities of truck stops, sleeping in the truck, truck seats, hauling to the west and east coasts, hauling produce and refrigerated items in the 1980s and 90s, coordinating pick-ups on both end of a run, working with Transcontinental Leasing in St. Louis and Deaton and Malone in Birmingham Alabama, getting his own trucking authority, other drivers working for him driving his trucks, regulations, log books and tracking, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association study on time spent at docks, health considerations, truck stops out west, interstate highway system, narrow roadways and other dangerous road conditions, accidents, day and night driving, top icing, solo and team driving, independent and company driving, weather and grade considerations, Jake brakes, memories of parents running Crescent truck stop including a restaurant and service station, regulation and deregulation, trip leasing, International Fuel Tax Agreement, enthusiasm for travel, wintering in Texas, Texas road conditions, Pacific Northwest scenery, ordering trucks and assembling, story about truck climbing a steep hill, heavy and wide loads.