Holiday season celebrated in Rolla area

(l-r, Gary Drew, Brenda Drew, Kyle Pinkston, Jolene Carson)

By Mayor Bill Jenks, III
While other states across the nation enjoyed an early, if not premature snowfall in October, Rolla received its first dusting of snow this week, as the final strand of lights were placed on the City’s 20-foot-tall Christmas tree that glows next to the downtown bandshell.  

A special thanks goes to the dedicated employees in Public Works who meticulously assemble and decorate the tree, Frisco Caboose and Rolla City Hall for all of us to enjoy throughout the holiday season. Many folks have already used these backdrops as great photo opportunities with family and friends, and we encourage you to do so as well. A special thanks also goes to the Rolla Municipal Utilities’ and Fidelity Communications’ crews who put up the Christmas stars in the downtown area, and the City’s Traffic Engineers who put up the holiday snowflake banners that add so much to the spirit of the holidays.

I would also like to extend my thanks to the Street Division in the Public Works Department for quickly spreading a mixture of salt, sand and sawdust on the slick, icy roads during the first snowfall of the year on Tuesday. It may not have seemed like there was a lot of snow on the roads, but there was plenty of black ice and slush that created dangerous driving conditions.

In addition to the Public Works crews, who work diligently to remove snow and ice from the City’s 100-miles of streets, the Missouri Department of Transportation carefully monitors road conditions and are ready to plow and treat state routes as needed. During winter weather events, MoDOT, like the City’s Public Works Department, places the highest priority on roads with the highest traffic volumes. MoDOT will plow loose snow and treat the hills, curves and intersections of lower volume lettered or numbered routes as needed. And remember to give snow plows plenty of room, and that a salt spreader attached to the back of the truck is most likely distributing material as the truck moves along a route.

If you haven’t yet been to Lions Club Park (located on Hwy. 63 South across from G&D Steak House) to see the extensive display of Christmas lights, which is free (donations welcomed) and open to the public, you might want to grab a cup of coffee or stop by after an evening of shopping to enjoy the beautiful display of lights. It will be sure to get you into the holiday spirit – especially as you wave to Santa on your way out of the park. 

We are in the middle of the holiday season, and while this special time of year is about celebrating and spending quality time with family, friends and neighbors, and reflecting on the peace and joy of the season, there is no denying that many of us will be out shopping, buying gifts, and visiting our favorite restaurants. The holiday season is one of the most important seasons for our local businesses, retail establishments, restaurants and stores, so I urge everyone to try to ‘shop local’ and invest in your community. With so many dining and retail options available in the Rolla area, you are sure to be pleased with the choices that are available to you in our own backyard. 

In closing, I’d like to remind everyone to be sure to stop by The Centre (1200 N. Holloway St.) to see The Way We Worked Smithsonian Exhibit that is getting rave reviews. It is free and open to the public on Saturday and Sunday from 12-noon to 4 p.m. and Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. – noon and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A local history exhibit, consisting of 12 large banners, is also on display in the lobby. The last of several notable speakers featured during the exhibit include Dr. Donald James,  who will discuss the history of the Phelps County Regional Medical Center on Wednesday, Dec. 14 (7 p.m.). In addition, there will be free story time programs conducted by area elementary school librarians on Dec. 12 (6:30 pm.) at The Centre. For more details, please visit the City’s Website at www.rollacity.org, or contact Scott Caron, the City’s Recreation Director, at 573-341-2386 or Loretta Wallis, Corporate Relations Manager, Brewer  Science, at 573-364-0444, ext. 1357.

   Have a safe week and enjoy the holiday festivities around town!