Police Chief Chat

The Rolla Police Department handled 693 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 13 alarms, 33 hang up 911 calls, 17 check the well being requests, 32 traffic complaints, 98 traffic stops, 23 arrests, 6 property destruction calls, 13 stealing incidents, 6 escorts, 34 animal control issues, 5 burglary reports, 26 accidents, 24 assists of other agencies, 4 assaults, 4 fights and 2 runaway juveniles. This call total is down 19 calls from last week, yet another busy week!

This past week, the Rolla Police Department’s own “Behind the Badge” organization teamed with the Dave Weinbaum and McDonald’s of Rolla to host a fundraiser to benefit our annual Rolla Police Department Award’s Banquet Ceremonies. The awards ceremonies are held each year in recognition of the hard work and dedication provided by our police officers throughout the year to the community. On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weinbaum donated a percentage of proceeds generated between 4-8 p.m. at each of the three Rolla area McDonald’s restaurants. Our officers were on hand to greet the customers and briefly explain the event. The night was not only a lot of fun but also an opportunity to meet some great folks and have a delicious dinner. Thanks to Dave Weinbaum, Rolla McDonald’s Restaurants and Behind the Badge.

The Rolla Police Department would like to congratulate our own Communications Chief Paula Volkmer and her husband MSHP Sgt. Eric Volkmer, on the recent graduation of their son Paul Volkmer from the 91st Recruit Class of the Missouri State Highway Academy in Jefferson City, Missouri. Paul is the oldest of the 3 Volkmer siblings in that he has one brother who is a RHS 2009 graduate and - Army PFC, and one sister (upcoming junior at RHS). Paul is a 2007 Rolla High School graduate. In 2009 he earned an Associate Degree in Drafting and Design from East Central College. He also attended Drury University while waiting to enter the MSHP Academy in February 2010. Paul is a third generation trooper on both sides of the family, both grandfathers (retired now), his uncle and his father are Missouri State Highway Patrolmen. Paul was the youngest member of the 91st Recruit Class and was elected by his classmates as the Vice-Commander of the class. Though there has been at least one member of his family assigned to Troop I (Rolla) since 1966, Paul was happily assigned to start his career in Troop G (Willow Springs). Besides his very proud family, Paul has been blessed with many good friends in attendance to celebrate this milestone in his life. Congratulations Paul and we wish you a very successful law enforcement career!

We learned this past week from the Rolla Street Department that here will be extensive road surfacing completed over the next week on 10th Street between Cedar and Forum Drive. The lanes will be marked with orange cones and signage will direct motorists traveling through the construction area. The Rolla Police Department will provide patrol officers and VIPS volunteers to assist with traffic control. Please use extreme caution in these areas.

In closing, I would like to feature some information released by Anne McClay concerning the Veterans Memorial Park! She would like to remind everyone that they still have t-shirts available. They are $15 apiece (white with color logo or black with white logo). Cotton…preshrunk…accurate sizing….S, M, L, XL and XXL.

They are also selling memorial bricks. The first batch of bricks will be placed in the concrete walk surrounding the Armed Forces Pentagon (scheduled for completion on September 11th, 2010). The company doing the brickwork puts black paint in the letters so they stand out. Each 4”x8” brick can have up to 4 lines of text, max. 21 characters per line (the company recommends 18 so the letters are easier to read), each line center justified. The bricks do NOT have to be for someone who has passed away. If you have a group that would like to donate, or have a loved one currently serving in the military, or want to put your family’s name on the brick…all are perfectly okay (for instance, our department purchased a brick for Dave Brown who also happened to serve in the U.S. Army). NO profanity of any type will be allowed! The bricks are $50 apiece. We will be sending off the first order next week. After the first order, we will send in an order for every ten that we receive. I’ve attached an order form. And if you happen to know someone that may be interested or you belong to a group, we would appreciate your passing along the information! Any help you can give is GREATLY appreciated! They also have a facebook page and a website, so for those of you on facebook, please visit

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/South-Central-Regional-Veterans-Group/112804515431296?ref=sgm and give us a “like” or visit our website at www.scrvg.org

This is a very good cause dedicated to those who gave their all for us.

Have a great week!

Staff Sergeant Rick Williams

Rolla’s Wellness Program reduces absenteeism, lowers health costs

Rolla’s Wellness Program reduces absenteeism, lowers health costs

At a time when health care insurance costs are escalating nationwide, the City of Rolla’s formula for proactive health and wellness has paid big dividends to not only City employees, but the residents of Rolla as well.

Improving employee wellness, and saving dollars for taxpayers, however isn’t the only bright spot in this City’s approach to finding innovative ways to overcome escalating health care costs. The City’s wellness program, now in its third year, also is paying off in a reduction of absenteeism and lower health care costs, said City Finance Director Steffanie Rogers, who is a member of the City’s Health Insurance Committee. The City’s absenteeism for 2008, which was 12,339 hours, dropped significantly to 11,513 hours in 2009.

As a direct result of the new wellness program, Rolla city employees have not had a health insurance premium increase for three years, and health care costs actually went down in 2009. In 2008, the City spent $2.2 million on preventable disease treatment and that number dropped in 2009 to $1.9 million.

“The City’s health care costs have remained relatively stable in comparison to the national average, which experiences a 7 to 18 percent annual increase, said Rogers. “The City’s savings will more than pay for the newly implemented $50,000 employee wellness program recently approved by the Rolla City Council in May 2010. And better yet, the cost of the program will not be put on the backs of the residents of Rolla, but will be funded by a reserve account in the City’s self-insurance fund.”

While some City’s may be considering ways to increase employee premiums to address the rising cost of health care to their employees, the City of Rolla is offering monetary incentives ($5 per pay period) to employees to participate in annual health-risk assessments with additional incentives to improve their scores. There is also a new incentive offered for fitness center membership reimbursement (capped at $150), and weekly comp. time (up to 1 hr.) for documented physical activity.

Additional enhancements to the 2010 wellness program include a voluntary fitness assessment with a trained fitness instructor (timed running, push-ups, sit-ups and stretching), which will offer employees an opportunity to participate in the physical fitness weekly comp. time option. Other incentives include a monthly wellness newsletter, a stress management program with the local hospital (Phelps County Regional Medical Center) as a partner, which will include stress management workshops, and chair massages once a quarter at the luncheons, and an in-house Weight Watchers program. Since the City is self-insured, tracking participation, PT time earned, and the overall success of the program is easy.

The overall goals of the wellness program – reduction in absenteeism, a reduction in preventable disease health insurance claims, increased awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and support of employees making healthy lifestyle choices – are being met and are paying off, Rogers said.

To reinforce the City’s focus on health and fitness, the City’s Employee Advisory Council (EAC) is hosting the first annual Employee and Family SplashZone Night at the City’s outdoor water park where employees and family members are invited to spend the evening swimming, riding the water slides and enjoying a free bbq dinner provided by a local vendor in the community.

“Wellness is something the City is trying to emphasize as a way of life not only at the workplace, but also at home, and during leisure activities,” said City Administrator John Butz. “We would really like to establish the City’s wellness program as a model for other cities across Missouri and the nation who are seeking ways to reverse sky-rocketing health care premiums, absenteeism and overall employee wellness.”

Civilian Service Awards presented to Rolla area residents

Civilian Service Awards presented to Rolla area residents

Rolla Mayor Bill Jenks,III and Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse recognized the heroic efforts of four Rolla area residents who were presented with the Civilian Service Award on July 23, 2010 for assisting with the apprehension of two robbery suspects involved in the July 2, 2010 robbery at Hillcrest Pharmacy (located at 1100 S. Hwy. 63) in Rolla.

(Pictured: Rolla Mayor Bill Jenks, III, and Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse present Civilian Service Awards to four Rolla area residents who assisted the Rolla Police Department with the apprehension of two robbery suspects involved in the July 2, 2010 robbery at Hillcrest Pharmacy. Pictured (l to r) are: Mayor Bill Jenks; Brian Clifton, Hillcrest Pharmacy; George Moran, Rolla Manor Care; Larry Jackson, Rolla Manor Care; and Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse. Not pictured is Patti Hallum).

The four individuals who received the prestigious Civil Service Award included Larry Jackson, Certified Nursing Aid, Rolla Manor Care; George Moran, C.N.A., Rolla Manor Care; Brian Clifton and Patti Hallum, both employees of Hillcrest Pharmacy.

“The quick, courageous and selfless actions of these four individuals brought about the successful apprehension of both robbery suspects,” said Chief Kearse during the recognition ceremony held in the conference room at the Rolla Police Department. “If it were not for your quick thinking and fearless actions, the identity of the suspects may never have been discovered.”

Any civilian whose assistance to the Rolla Police Department, given without regard to personal welfare, having a positive bearing on the outcome of an incident, and contributing to the furtherance of law enforcement in the community, is deserving of special honor.

“The Rolla Police Department needs to have community support to be able to do our jobs to the fullest extend possible, said Chief Kearse. “And I wish to extend to all of you our sincere thanks for your assistance in helping restrain the suspects until officers arrived.”

Parks and Rec. to host ASA National Fast Pitch Softball Tournament (Aug. 4-8) at Ber Juan Sportsplex

Parks and Rec. to host ASA National Fast Pitch Softball Tournament (Aug. 4-8) at Ber Juan Sportsplex

The City of Rolla’s Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees the maintenance and operations of over 310 acres of park land, 33 parks, Ber Juan Sportsplex, Ber Juan Tennis Complex, Skate Park, and Rolla Cemetery, was instrumental in brining the prestigious ASA Boys 10U-18U and Mens 23U Fast Pitch Softball National Tournament to be held Aug. 4-8 at the Ber Juan Sportsplex in Rolla.

I think I speak for our Parks and Recreation Director Ken Kwantes, when I say it is a tremendous honor for our City to be hosting this National Championship Tournament, which will provide a rare opportunity for the residents of Rolla, Phelps County and the surrounding Meramec Valley Region a chance to be part of a very exciting National Championship Tournament. Hosting a tournament of this magnitude on a national level is a reflection on how well maintained and operated the Ber Juan Sportsplex has been over the years by the Parks and Recreation staff. And anyone who has participated in any number of softball leagues held throughout the year at the Ber Juan Sportsplex knows that the well manicured and maintained fields, expansive grandstand seating, batting cages and concession stands provide a very unique and welcoming experience for all who utilize the facility.

I encourage the entire community to attend the five-day ASA national tournament, which should provide some very exciting and entertaining fastpitch softball, and also provide a warm welcome to all of the players, coaches, and staff (and parents, grandparents, family and friends), who will travel hundreds of miles across the U.S. to participate in the tournament.

Rolla Historic Walking Tour Plaques

Rolla Historic Walking Tour Plaque

You can now download a PDF slideshow of all the blue  "Historic Walking Tour Plaques"  hung all over Rolla that highlight many of the historic locations around the city. 

The file is about 9 megabytes in size so on a slow connection it might take a few minutes.

To download Rolla Historic Walking Tour Plaques right click on the link below and select "Save as" or "Save Target As"

RIGHT CLICK HERE to download.

Parks and Rec. to host ASA National Fast Pitch Softball Tournament

The City of Rolla’s Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees the maintenance and operations of over 310 acres of park land, 33 parks, Ber Juan Sportsplex, Ber Juan Tennis Complex, Skate Park, and Rolla Cemetery, was instrumental in brining the prestigious ASA Boys 10U-18U and Mens 23U Fast Pitch Softball National Tournament to be held Aug. 4-8 at the Ber Juan Sportsplex in Rolla.

I think I speak for our Parks and Recreation Director Ken Kwantes, when I say it is a tremendous honor for our City to be hosting this National Championship Tournament, which will provide a rare opportunity for the residents of Rolla, Phelps County and the surrounding Meramec Valley Region a chance to be part of a very exciting National Championship Tournament. Hosting a tournament of this magnitude on a national level is a reflection on how well maintained and operated the Ber Juan Sportsplex has been over the years by the Parks and Recreation staff. And anyone who has participated in any number of softball leagues held throughout the year at the Ber Juan Sportsplex knows that the well manicured and maintained fields, expansive grandstand seating, batting cages and concession stands provide a very unique and welcoming experience for all who utilize the facility.

I encourage the entire community to attend the five-day ASA national tournament, which should provide some very exciting and entertaining fastpitch softball, and also provide a warm welcome to all of the players, coaches, and staff (and parents, grandparents, family and friends), who will travel hundreds of miles across the U.S. to participate in the tournament.

The national ASA softball tournament comes on the heels of the highly successful and well attended Licking Summer Camps (eight weekends of girls’ basketball and girls’ volleyball team camp competition) that have been held over the last few weekends at The Centre, Rolla’s Health and Recreation facility, located in Ber Juan Park. Hundreds of athletes, and their coaches, and families and friends partake in the Licking Camps. The Licking Summer Camps started in 1993 under the direction of David Almany, Camp Director, and former Athletic Director and Boy’s Basketball Coach at Licking High School. Coach Almany began the event in Licking, but over the years, other communities including Rolla, St. James & Houston also hosted camps. This year over 900 teams and 15,000 athletes are expected to participate in the Licking Summer Camps.

While the campers are in town competing they and family members and friends are typically staying at area hotels/motels, visiting restaurants, grocery stores, shops, retail outlets and purchasing fuel for their vehicles. The impact this has on Rolla and St. James and our local economy is quite significant. In addition to the use of SplashZone and The Centre, a lot of the teams will also come into town early on Thursday evenings or stay over on Sunday to take a float trip on one of the many popular floating streams in the area. For an up-to-date schedule and extensive camp information on the Licking Summer Camps, please visit www.lickingcamps.com. And if you happen to be planning a work-out or a swim at The Centre or SplashZone this weekend, I hope you’ll have an opportunity to stop by and watch some of the Licking Summer Camp basketball games at The Centre (located at 1200 North Holloway Street) this weekend and next weekend in Rolla.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that today is the final day of the four-day Phelps County Fair, which is being held at the Phelps County Fairgrounds located on Hwy. 63 South in Rolla. For a complete list of events, hours and activities at the Fair, please visit http://www.phelpscountyfair.com.

Bryant Drive Extension underway

Construction and renovation projects (including more new restaurants and businesses) of all shapes and sizes are popping up around Rolla. Most notably, is the impressive new building being constructed at Missouri S&T’s Innovation Park located on 10th Street, and the early phases of the new Bryant Drive Extension that will create a new traffic intersection at Bryant Drive and Kingshighway.

You may have noticed some of the heavy equipment and signs of early construction work next to the McDonald’s restaurant on Kingshighway, and next to the Webster University and Pizza Inn parking lots where the new Bryant Drive Extension begins. Development agreements among the City of Rolla, Fairgrounds Chevrolet and McDonald’s for the Bryant Drive Extension were approved by the Rolla City Council at the June 21, 2010 Council meeting, and the City received the green light to proceed with this significant project.

These development agreements culminate several months of planning and negotiations with these three entities as well as the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to provide a new transportation facility to serve not only these existing and new developments, but also provide an integral link in the development of the Rolla West Area. These three entities will be providing the rights of way and the City of Rolla will be constructing the road improvements. The road extension is estimated to be $580,000. This extension of Bryant Drive is scheduled for construction beginning in mid-August 2010 and will correspond with the construction of the new McDonald’s Restaurant.

The new Bryant Drive Extension will provide one of the gateway entrances to the new Missouri S&T Innovation Park, and improve traffic mobility on Kingshighway and Fairgrounds Road. Sometime this summer MoDOT will be relocating the traffic light now located at the intersection of Fairgrounds Road and Kingshighway to the new intersection that will be built at the intersection of Bryant Drive and Kingshighway just west of the McDonald’s restaurant. When the new Bryant Drive Extension, intersection and McDonald’s restaurant are complete, this area on Kingshighway will be significantly enhanced – bringing more attention to the progressive, welcoming image of our City.

What is most encouraging and exciting about the many developments occurring in Rolla, including the new Benton Square in Rolla’s new Arts and Entertainment District, the opening of the St. John’s Facility on Martin Springs Drive, the new Walgreens at Hwy. 72 and Ridgeview Road, and adjacent inline retail center, several new restaurants and businesses, is that there are multiple new projects and developments that are springing up all across Rolla. This sends a message to visitors, investors, and developers that Rolla is a City on the move, where things are happening, and where folks traveling on I-44 and Hwy. 63, and of course South Central Missouri, should stop by and spend an afternoon, a day or a weekend.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that the Phelps County Fair is just around the corner and runs from July 21 to July 24 at the Phelps County Fairgrounds located off Route 63 South. The next Rolla City Council meeting will be held Monday, July 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Rolla City Hall, 901 N. Elm Street. For more City events and news, visit the City’s Website at www.rollacity.org/events or join us on Facebook, Twitter, or the City’s BLOG.

Police Chief Chat

This past week, the Rolla Police Department handled 765 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 26 traffic complaints, 76 traffic stops, 34 arrests, 14 check the well being requests, 16 suspicious nature calls, 7 escorts, 39 animal control issues, 7 reports of recovered property, 2 soliciting complaints, 36 security checks, 104 disturbance calls–72 of those were firework complaints that were deemed necessary for an officer to act on. This call total is down 128 calls from last week.

Over the past couple years we have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of the small motorized scooters in and around the Rolla area. It appears as if the rising fuel costs have prompted motorists into purchasing and operating this type of vehicle. Basically these small vehicles can be categorized into 2 main groups. Scooters and Mopeds. Scooters are typically a small composite bodied two-wheeled motorized vehicle designed to carry the driver and sometimes will allow room for a passenger. These scooters are typically equipped with engines of a displacement of either 50 cubic centimeters or less and are very low powered and sometimes governed or limited to 30 miles per hour. To operate these vehicles, motorists must possess a valid driver’s license, but the license need not be endorsed for motorcycle operation. Drivers need not wear a helmet, register the vehicle annually with the Department of Revenue or maintain liability insurance. Interstate Highway operation is prohibited. In addition the vehicles must be equipped with a front facing white light (headlight) and a red colored taillight. Mopeds are more bicycle like machines that offer a gasoline engine in addition to the traditional pedal cranks that may be used without the engine’s support.

In our area we have received several traffic complaints on motorists on this type of vehicle and have investigated several accidents involving driver’s of these vehicles. Contributing factors in these accidents is that the vehicles are small and not readily seen by other motorists. They are low powered and drop to very low speeds on inclines. Many times the operator’s have had no training on their operation and very little experience. And in some cases, the operator’s unsafe operation leads to the crash. With this in mind we encourage scooter/moped operator’s to undergo training in the operation of their vehicle. To practice away from traffic until operating skills are up to par. And always be sure to wear bright colored clothing, eye protection and above all a DOT approved helmet.

Monday of this week was a designated monthly training day, which is a day set aside for an entire shift of patrol officers to receive pertinent training on job related subject matter. This month Sheriff Rick Lisenbe invited our agency to take advantage of the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department’s Firearm Training Simulator. Sgt. John Frey, Cpl. Adam Meyer, Spo. Chrissy Smith, Spo. Tommy Davis, Pto. Casey Chapman and Pto. Steven Gray took part in the extensive firearms training utilizing the multi-faceted simulator. Thanks Sheriff!

Last week, Pto. Steve Roukie left the Rolla Police Department after nearly 2 years of dedicated service to seek other opportunities. Steve is a fine officer and we wish him the best in his future endeavors. With Steve leaving, this does create a vacancy in our patrol division and we posted the job announcement this week. If you are a certified police officer, attending an accredited law enforcement academy or have successfully graduated from the same, you may be what we are looking for. Our officers must be community policing oriented and fit in with our Rolla Police Department family. We offer a competitive salary, family health and dental plans, life insurance, ten (10) paid holidays and one (1) personal holiday, two (2) weeks vacation and twelve (12) sick days a year. We also provide all equipment, uniforms, and the opportunity to qualify for a take home patrol car. If you would like to apply for this position you may do so by stopping by the Police Department and picking up an application or you may apply online at www.rollacity.org.

This past week we also lost a member of our Animal Control Division with the resignation of shelter associate Janet Ray. Janet has served with the Animal Control Division for a little over 1 ½ years and is leaving to seek other opportunities. We also wish Janet great success in her endeavors and will miss her as she was a great employee. The shelter associate position is a part-time position totaling approximately 22 hours per week. The position offers a competitive salary, a flexible schedule and provides an opportunity to work closely with animals housed in the shelter. The position would be perfect for someone with some extra time on their hands and who enjoys being around dogs, cats, ferret’s, and just about any type of animal that needs a good home. To apply, stop by the Rolla Police Department or apply online at www.rollacity.org. This position should be announced early next week.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Fun Show slated at Veterans Memorial Park

Summer in Rolla and the Meramec Valley Region continues to be fun-filled and action packed following Route 66 Summerfest and last weekend’s 75th Annual Lions Club Carnival, which, thanks to the great weather, and record-breaking crowds, was yet another huge success. A special thanks goes out to all the hard working members of the Rolla Lions Club, and all the organizations, businesses and individuals who donate their time, money and talent to make this one of the great festivals of the year in Rolla, and South Central Missouri.

While everyone is most likely still flying their U.S. flags, and in a patriotic spirit from the 4th of July weekend, the Fun Show was held Saturday, July 10 at Veterans Memorial Park. The event, hosted by the South Central Regional Veterans Group (SCRVG), was held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, located on Southview Drive (also appropriately named Veterans Memorial Parkway),  off Hwy. 72 behind Casey’s. Admission to the event was free, but a $15 registration fee was required for anyone who enters the Fun Show competition. Classic and vintage cars and modified trucks of all makes, models and sizes will be on display, while visitors check out the chrome and leather, and take in the music of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
The Fun Show is one of many events planned this year by the SCRVG as a way to raise awareness and funds for the new 11-acre Veterans Memorial Park. The SCRVG recently participated in the Route 66 Summerfest where members mingled with visitors, passed out literature and sold over $1,000 of new Veterans Memorial Park T-shirts (4-color and black and white versions available). The attractive, eye-catching T-shirts, which were designed by local artist, Bruce Wade, are on sale now for $15 and can be purchased at Rolla City Hall. Engraved memorial bricks, which will initially be placed around the Armed Forces Pentagon, will also be for sale at the Fun Show and through the SCRVG. For more information, please contact Anne McClay, Project Coordinator in the City’s Engineering Division in the Public Works Department located on the 4th Floor at Rolla City Hall (901 N. Elm Street). Anne can be reached at 426-6955.

In addition to the events listed above, $300 was also raised for Veterans Memorial Park during the Fire Truck Pull competition at Summerfest, which was coordinated by SSgt. Rick Williams with the Rolla Police Department. The winning team was Fairgrounds Chevrolet.

Proceeds from the Fire Truck Pull, the Fun Show today and the sale of Veterans Memorial Park T-shirt and engraved Veterans Memorial Park memorial bricks will go towards Phase II of Veterans Memorial Park, which will include the new Armed Forces Pentagon – a five-sided memorial that will feature three flags (U.S., Missouri State and P.OW./M.I.A.). The SCRVG is now finalizing the design and construction of the Armed Forces Pentagon, which, with the generous assistance of local businesses, volunteers and students at RTI, should be completed by Sept. 11 of this year! Another event being planned by this dynamic and energetic group of veterans and community leaders, is a BBQ, bluegrass, raffle and silent auction, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16 at the National Guard Armory in Rolla. We will keep you updated as more details on this fun event are finalized.

As an Army veteran, and big supporter of Phelps For the Fort, I am very excited about the progress, and level of energy that the SCRVG is displaying toward building awareness, recognition and bricks and mortar projects for what I believe will be one of the most outstanding Veterans Parks in the state of Missouri. Rolla has so much momentum going with the new Rolla Arts and Entertainment District, the Benton Square Development, the finalized development agreement for the Bryant Drive Extension (Rolla West Phase II), the first building being constructed at the Missouri S&T Innovation Park (on 10th Street), all the new restaurants that are being established or re-established, and the many exciting retail expansions, that the timing couldn’t be better to be continuing with Phase II of Veterans Memorial Park.

Let's keep the momentum going all through 2010! I hope to see you at the Fun Show today!


Mayor Bill Jenks, III

July 4th is time for celebration and gratitude

For residents in the Meramec Valley Region the legendary Lion Clubs Carnival – celebrating 75 years - is one of the central focuses of July 4th with carnival rides, delicious food, games of all kinds, fabulous fireworks (July 4 at 11 p.m.); fellowship, and of course the highlight of the carnival, the announcement of the winner of a shiny new red 2010 Chevy Camero at midnight on July 4th.

If you need a place to cool off, you may consider stopping by SplashZone, Rolla’s outdoor water park, located in Ber Juan Park next to The Centre on 14th Street. SplashZone is open Monday through Friday, 12-noon to 7 p.m., weekends from 12-noon to 6 p.m. The Centre, Rolla’s Health and Recreation complex, located at 1200 N. Holloways Street, is also a great place to get out of the heat, enjoy their 63,000-square-foot facility, and swim in the indoor pool, which features a three-story slide, Olympic-size pool, lazy river and vortex.

Looking beyond the Fourth, I would also encourage everyone to consider attending another patriotic event at the Veterans Memorial Park Fun Show next Saturday, July 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, (located off Hwy. 72 on Southview Drive). Admission to the event is free, but a $15 registration fee is required for anyone who enters the Fun Show competition. Classic and vintage cars and modified trucks of all makes, models and sizes will be participating and on display, while visitors check out the chrome and leather, and take in the music of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Food concessions will be provided by the Rolla Road Riders Motorcycle Club. The event is hosted by the South Central Veterans Memorial Park Committee. For more information, please contact Jerry Bumpus at 573-647-7601.

In closing, please keep in mind all the members of the U.S. Armed Services this weekend both in the U.S. and abroad, who over the years, have served our country. We need to always remember that if it wasn’t for the brave men and women in uniform throughout the years and today, we would not be experiencing the peace, joy and freedom that we do. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as you enjoy the freedoms and celebrations that they have made possible, and continue to make possible for all of us.