Summer fun, Summerfest and SplashZone make Rolla the place to be

To many the end of the school year, warmer temperatures, and summer vacation is a reminder that SplashZone, Rolla’s outdoor water park, located in beautiful Ber Juan Park, is opening. SplashZone opened on Saturday, May 29 from 12-noon to 6 p.m. and will remain open throughout the summer months Monday through Friday (noon-7) and Saturday and Sunday (noon-6 p.m.). SplashZone is one of the great vacation bargains at $4.50 per person, for folks in the Meramec Valley Region and one of the local summer favorites in Rolla and Phelps County. Closing day at SplashZone will be on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6 (noon-5 p.m.). For more information for special events, private rentals, swimming lessons and other information, please visit call SplashZone at 364-8222 or 341-2FUN.

The summer hours at The Centre, Rolla’s 63,000-square-foot health and recreation complex, (also located in Ber Juan Park at 1200 N. Holloway Street), have gone into effect. Hours at The Centre are now Monday through Friday (5:30 a.m.–9 p.m.); Saturday (8 a.m.–5 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.-5 p.m.).

One of Rolla’s most popular and widely attended events is just a week away as well. The 16th Annual “Route 66 Summerfest” kicks off Thursday, June 3 at 6 p.m. with the Miss “Route 66” Pageant at Rolla Middle School. On Friday, June 5 at 4 p.m. classic cars, custom cars and motorcycles will gather at the St. James Visitor Center before “cruising” along old Route 66 from St. James to Rolla’s Downtown Festival Park at 7 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. Friday evening the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) BBQ Picnic will be held in the downtown festival area at the corner of 9th and Elm streets. Anyone interested in obtaining tickets ($8 ea.) for the picnic, which includes fried chicken, cole slaw and baked beans, can contact Rick Morris at (573) 578-8567.

Also on Friday at 7 p.m. bring your lawn chair for the Miss Route 66 crowning ceremony and plan to stay for Movie Under the Stars Double Feature and all the free popcorn you can eat.  The movie Racing Stripes begins at 8:30 p.m., followed by Twilight at 10:15 p.m. Admission to both movies is free. Also, the skateboard track will be open for skateboarders young and old.

Summerfest festivities continue on Saturday morning, June 5 with the arts and crafts festival on 9th Street, the classic car show on Pine Street and the motorcycle show on 8th Street. Sporting events include the “Friends of Tennis” Tennis Tournament at 8 a.m. at the Ber Juan Tennis Complex, Sand Volleyball Tournament and Tour-de-Phelps leisurely ride to St. James and back, which begins at 9 a.m. There’s face painting, inflatable games, horseback rides, and the giant sandbox for the young kids and skateboarding for the older ones. For a complete list of Summerfest activities and events, including the FREE outdoor concert at 8 p.m., please visit www.route66summerfest.com. For a complete listing of more events and festivities planned in the Rolla and Phelps County area, please visit www.rollacity.org/events.
  See you at Summerfest!

City takes steps to save giant Cottonwood

If you love trees, and especially giant-size trees, you will be encouraged to know that the City of Rolla Public Works Department recently took steps to ensure the protection and preservation of what may be the city’s largest Cottonwood.

Standing at over 80-feet-tall, 5 ½ feet in diameter and 16 feet, 1 ½  in circumference, the giant Cottonwood, between 90 and 100 years-old, is living a healthy, undisturbed life on 11th Street between Spring and Poole Avenues, across from the Lutheran School. The Cottonwood is one of the oldest native trees in Missouri, and grows in large numbers in various areas throughout the state – especially in low-lying ones where water is plentiful.

The large roots of the Cottonwood were discovered encroaching on a city sidewalk over five years ago while the City’s Right-of-Way Inspector, Bill Doyle was conducting an inspection of the City’s 80 miles of sidewalks. As part of the City’s annual sidewalk inspection program, Bill came across the Cottonwood and took steps to save it by ramping the sidewalk over the roots, and maintaining a healthy growing space. If the sidewalk had been constructed on a level plain with the rest of the street’s sidewalk, it would have been necessary to cut into the roots, which would have eventually killed the tree. Fortunately the tree, which grows about ¾ inch annually, is thriving, but continues to encroach on the sidewalk. Bill’s persistent vigilance while maintaining the sidewalk inspection program has ensured the tree’s longevity. Last week Bill, together with the help of the City’s Concrete Crew members, Jeff Grisham and Chris Palmer, who recently saw-cut the sidewalk next to the tree, took steps to ensure the roots of the tree would not be damaged by the sidewalk, nor the sidewalk damaged by the roots of the tree. This fine balance between nature and man, is a delicate one, but a very important part of the City’s sidewalk protection program that is intended to identify safety/trip hazards that will impede pedestrian traffic, and possibly jeopardize safety for disabled or handicapped individuals. By saw-cutting the sidewalk, individuals can still safely travel on the sidewalk next to the giant Cottonwood. Fortunately, Bill says the City has another eight inches of room left before the roots begin to threaten the 3-foot sidewalk requirement (established by the ADA). Since the tree grows about ½ to ¾ of an inch per year, it could be another 10 years or so before the roots of the tree seriously jeopardize pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. When and if this occurs, the City, with the permission of the land-owner, could reroute the sidewalk safely around the tree’s roots.

While the giant Cottonwood is certainly a treasure the City is glad to have saved, and will continue to keep a close eye on, you can be assured that all of the City’s sidewalks are being inspected annually by Bill Doyle for trip and safety hazards such as over-grown brush, roots and tree limbs that are being addressed and rectified. Like the City’s 100 miles of streets, our sidewalks also need to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis.

I would like to extend my thanks to Bill Doyle and the members of the Concrete Crew for their diligence and efforts to ensure that Rolla has not lost one of its natural treasures. I would also like to extend my thanks to Mike Fleischhauer, a Resource Forester with the Missouri Department of Conservation, who generously inspected the giant Cottonwood and provided the City with an overview of its estimated health, size and age.
Rolla’s tree canopy, and the surrounding 1.3-million-acre Mark Twain National Forest, are part of the unique setting that makes the quality of life so outstanding in the Rolla area.

Police Chief Chat

This week, the Rolla Police Department handled 699 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 29 accidents, 45 9-1-1 hang up calls, 33 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 34 traffic complaints, 87 traffic stops, 27 arrests, 15 suspicious nature calls, 23 stealing calls, 15 suspicious nature calls and 9 escorts. Yet, another busy week.

On Friday, Spo. Chrissy Smith successfully completed the Advanced Crash Investigation course offered by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy in Jefferson City, Missouri. This school is an intense two-week course which focuses on the development of the officer’s skills in gathering evidence at the scene of a crash and the fundamentals of vehicle dynamics. The concepts of time, distance and the conservation of momentum are discovered in detail. Advanced Crash Investigation provides the officer with investigative techniques in technical areas including obtaining drag factors, proper use of the Northwestern Traffic Template, photographing the crash scene, and working with formulas to determine speed estimates from skids, scuffs, falls, and vaults. The officers will also learn how to prepare scale diagrams and develop field survey techniques for determining intersection angles, slopes, grades, and curve radii. Spo. Smith serves in our Traffic Division. Congratulations Chrissy!

Also on Friday of this week, our Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) bicycle patrol unit hit the road! Volunteers Larry Seest and Steve Volz joined VIPS Director Dennis Noel and VIPS Coordinator Vince Giacolone to form the special bicycle patrol unit comprised of VIPS volunteers. After some expert instruction and basic training by Dennis Noel who is not only an avid cyclist but an accomplished tri-athlete with several years of riding experience under his belt, the group were up and running and began patrolling the city parks, bike and pedestrian trails and other parts of the community. The patrol unit will promote bicycle safety and also be on the lookout for dangerous or emergency situations they come upon in these areas. Each of the VIPS patrol cars is equipped with a bicycle rack which will allow volunteers to drive to different neighborhoods, park the patrol car and begin patrolling the area. The bicycle provides a more approachable atmosphere where volunteers and citizens may personally interact for a true feeling of being on the streets. Be sure to say hello as you see our volunteers biking through your neighborhoods. Great job guys!

Next Tuesday, the Rolla Police Department will be joined by members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol at Troop I, personnel from the South Central Corrections Facility at Licking, and special guests Mayor Bill Jenks, Communications PIO Scott Grahl and his son Owen to participate in the 25th Anniversary of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics is the movement's largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle, raising US$34 million for Special Olympics Programs around the world in 2008. At its most basic level, the Torch Run is an actual running event in which officers and athletes run the "Flame of Hope" to the Opening Ceremonies of local Special Olympics competitions all over the world. Here in Rolla, the combined torch runners begin the journey at the Wal-Mart Supercenter where they carry the ceremonial torch along Bishop Avenue, to Kingshighway, west on Kingshighway to I-44 then on to the Phelps/Pulaski County line for a distance of approximately 18 miles. Runners are escorted by patrol cars from the various participating agencies along the route. They are also accompanied by the Rolla Fire and Rescue Homeland Security support vehicle which transports refreshments, first aid supplies and also provide an area for runners to re-group. Thanks to our sponsors Wal-Mart Supercenter, Pepsi-Cola of Rolla and Rolla Fire and Rescue. Thank you for helping us, help the athletes!

In closing, I would like to remind you of several upcoming events to include the Rolla Police Department annual bicycle and equipment auction that will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. in the Rolla Police Department parking lot. We will be selling unclaimed and recovered bicycles at a fraction of the cost of new, equipment and many of them are in excellent shape. If you are needing a bicycle for the summer months, be sure to stop by.

I would also like to remind you of the 3rd Annual Fire Truck Pull to be held in conjunction with Rolla’s Rt. 66 Summerfest on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. The Fire Truck Pull is an annual fundraiser hosted by the Rolla Police Department and Rolla Fire and Rescue where teams of up to 10 members, either male or female attempt to pull a fully loaded Rolla Fire and Rescue fire truck a known distance in the best elapsed time. Costs to enter a team is $100 and all proceeds will be dedicated to the Veteran’s Memorial Park located on Southview Drive in Rolla. For more information contact: S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213.

And finally, I would like to remind you of the 1st of 3 Neighborhood Watch Zone meetings that will be held in the City of Rolla. The meetings will offer information on the Neighborhood Watch Program, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) formation and the services provided by the American Red Cross. We encourage everyone to try to attend at least one of these important meetings to keep our programs in force and to be prepared in the event of a disastrous situation. The first meeting will be held on Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the Eugene E. Northern Community Hall located at 400 W. 4th St. in Rolla.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Rolla Police Department Promotes Neighborhood Watch

(Full sized map)
In keeping up with our continued effort to ensure that the entire City of Rolla is covered under the Neighborhood Watch “security blanket”. We are preparing to launch our newest campaign to invoke awareness, recognition and participation in citizens of our community to become involved in taking back your community or preserving the good life as you know it. As you already know, especially if you follow our Rolla Police Department Facebook site, crime is prevalent in Rolla. Each day our officers respond to calls of property destruction, vehicle tampering, residential and business burglaries and theft. Many times these crimes occur right under the nose of potential witnesses who, because of a lack of training or unintentional complacency, allow these criminals to continue to prey on our community. As you may realize by our weekly stats, our officers cannot be on every corner or in every neighborhood at any given time. Most of the time or officers travel from call to call without a lot of time to dedicate to each case.

This is where you come in! We need to re-establish our existing Neighborhood Watch program and instill new programs in areas that have not yet been established. In an effort to bolster this program and to promote awareness, we have divided the City of Rolla into 3 Neighborhood Watch Zones, simply labeled “A”, “B” and “C”. Our awareness campaign will begin by hosting Neighborhood Watch meetings in each of these zones that will be open to the public and in a central location to that particular zone. These meetings will provide information on how to start a NW program or to enhance a program already established. In addition we will use this opportunity to introduce the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept where a core group of citizens are trained to respond to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency service personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by training in this program to save lives and protect property.

We will also have a representative from the American Red Cross, who will provide information on how that organization operates and what type of programs they offer. They will also offer recruitment information to those who may desire to become a Red Cross volunteer. As you can see, we are showcasing volunteer programs within our community where the citizens of the community unite, receive valuable basic training and become an asset to community betterment and preservation. Our first Neighborhood Watch Zone meeting for area “C” will be held Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eugene E. Northern Community Hall at 400 E. 4th Street in Rolla. Everyone, regardless of where you live is encouraged to attend. If you have any questions about any of these programs, contact S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213. The remaining zone meetings will be held in the following weeks and the dates and locations will be announced.

Downtown Farmer’s Market season starts Tuesday, May 18

The Rolla Downtown Farmer’s Market will open from 7 a.m. until 12-noon on Tuesdays, beginning May 18 in the downtown festival lot next to City Hall at the corner of 9th and Oak Streets. 

Vendors will be set up in the lower festival lot at City Hall.

For additional information, please contact the Parks & Recreation Department at (573) 341-2386.

Area business and citizens give generously to Rolla Animal Shelter

The Rolla Police Department and Rolla Animal Control would like to thank the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in St. James for their generous donation of 1,440 pounds of dog food to the Rolla Animal Shelter located at 1915 Sharp Road.

“This substantial donation of dog food is very much appreciated,” said Inge Wilson, Animal Control Manager at the Rolla Animal Shelter. “Having the additional 1,440 pounds of dog food will help sustain our animals for moths to come.”

The donation couldn’t have come at a better time, as the staff at Rolla Animal Control recently acquired a new dog food storage shed where the donated dog food is being stored. The storage shed was purchased through generous donations from citizens who wanted to make a contribution to the Rolla Animal Shelter in memory of the late Don Sands and the late Margo Brown. The shed was maneuvered into place by members of the City’s Street Department.

The Rolla Animal Control staff also recently invested their time and talent to make interior improvements to the offices and public spaces at the Shelter that will improve customer service, work flow, and overall efficiency.

“In addition to expressing our appreciation to the Street Department, we would also like to thank Triad’s Office City for their generous donation of office partitions, and Hunter Trucking Company of Rolla for their generous donation of paint for all the offices,” said Inge Wilson.

As part of the shelters educational outreach programs, Roy Taylor, Animal Control Officer, conducted a Dog Bite Prevention Program on May 12 for approximately 150 children at St. James Elementary School.

Storm Drain Stenciling Project to help protect City’s water quality

Did you know the water that flows down our streets and driveways and into storm drains isn’t treated, cleaned or filtered before flowing into our local waterways? If you didn’t know this, you’re not alone; realizing this critical stormwater connection is the first step towards improving and protecting water quality.

On Saturday, May 8 members of Venture Crew 84, a co-ed group ranging in age from 14-20 with Boys Scouts of America, helped to spread the word by labeling numerous storm drains in the downtown business district with the message “Dump No Waste, Drains To Stream.” The project was co-sponsored by the Missouri Stream Team Program, the City of Rolla Public Works Department, and Healthy Yards for Clear Streams.

You may see this message, “Dump No Waste, Drains to Stream” on storm drains around your neighborhood as well in the weeks and months to come. The message will serve as a reminder of the connection we have to our local rivers and streams and that storm drains should never be used to dispose of wastes.

Materials such as motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides and litter that make their way into our streams are called “nonpoint source pollutants.” These wastes can seriously damage our community’s water quality and our environment. To make things worse, some people intentionally dispose of waste, including yard waste, by pouring or sweeping it into nearby storm drains. Improper disposal is coupled with the fact that each time it rains, water runoff carries litter, yard debris, pet wastes and other pollutants into storm drains and this can mean problems for our waterways. In many areas, the same waters receiving runoff are supplies for drinking water.

Storm drain stenciling is an activity of the Missouri Stream Team Program. For more information or to get involved, please visit www.mostreamteam.org, or call 800-781-1989.

Police Chief Chat

This week, the Rolla Police Department handled 989 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 28 accidents, 64 9-1-1 hang up calls, 36 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 29 traffic complaints, 24 assists of other agencies, 239 traffic stops, 41 arrests, 12 suspicious nature calls, 17 stealing calls, 20 check the well being calls, 16 alarm calls, and 11 escorts. In addition to these calls, officers completed arrest paperwork, wrote reports, conducted investigations, attended training, appeared in court, patrolled businesses and neighborhoods, participated in public relations programs and attended shift briefings. Now that is a busy week!

This past week of May 9 – 15, 2010 has been proclaimed National Police Week when the nation remembers and pays tribute to the men and women of law enforcement who have given the supreme sacrifice in the performance of their duties. Each year, between 140 and 160 law enforcement officers are killed in the line of duty. During National Police Week, law enforcement officials, police survivors and members of the community attend candlelight vigils, police officer memorial dedications and many other services to pay their respect to those who gave all! Here in Rolla, our officers will display a black band across their duty badges in remembrance of their fallen comrades. Well will also display (C.O.P.S.) blue ribbons on our patrol cars during the week as a tribute to the cause. The ribbons are provided to each law enforcement agency by the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) organization. The C.O.P.S. organization, in it’s 26th year, is a non-profit organization that provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.

On Wednesday of this week the Rolla Police Department held a barbecue/luncheon in honor of our Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) volunteers and their spouses. The event was held at the police department where burgers, brats and steaks were carefully prepared by our grill master Cpt. Jason Smith. All of our staff officers provided the side dishes, desserts, and drinks to complete the tasty meal. We wanted to recognize the volunteers for all their hard work and dedication and for the service they provide to our department and to our community. The VIPS volunteers complete a variety of tasks such as school, park and neighborhood patrol, criminal investigation, funeral escort, crime data mapping, crime victim advocacy, patrol support and public relations programs, all of which would have been handled by a uniformed police officer. Their partnership and community spirit entitle our officers to do more of what they are trained to do, which is fighting crime and keeping our community safe. We are very proud of our VIPS program and our volunteers and are looking forward entertaining the endless possibilities this program can provide. Thank you VIPS for all you do! If you would like more information on the VIPS program or if you think you may be interested in becoming a VIPS volunteer, contact: Dennis Noel or Vince Giacologne at 308-1213. We are looking for honest, community minded individuals who have some extra time and a desire to serve both the Rolla Police Department and our community!

The Rolla Police Department and the Animal Control Division would like to take this opportunity to thank the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in St. James, for their recent donation of over 1400 lbs. of dog food to be used in our animal shelter. Animal Control would also like to thank and acknowledge a recent donation in memory of the late Don Sands and the late Margo Brown. This donation allowed Animal Control to purchase a much needed storage shed to be used as a storage facility for the stockpile of pet foods. The previous shed was aged and in disrepair and could not be used in the intended capacity. Thank you to both Wal-Mart Distribution and the Wal-Mart Supercenter who over the years have proven to be a great valued partner to the Rolla Police Department and to our community. Thank you Wal-Mart!

Speaking of Animal Control, ACO Roy Taylor conducted a Bite Prevention Program for over 150 elementary students attending the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade in the St. James Schools. The program is designed to teach young people what to do if confronted by an aggressive or dangerous animal. The philosophy of “stand like a tree” or “lay like a log” is discussed to avoid elevating the animals fear or aggression. The program also offers tips on how to avoid behavior that could cause what is normally a friendly animal to become dangerous. In addition the program offers hints on pet care and safety and how to make sure your pet is community friendly. This program was provided to the elementary students in Rolla earlier this year. Great job Roy!

In keeping up with our continued effort to ensure that the entire City of Rolla is covered under the Neighborhood Watch “security blanket”. We are preparing to launch our newest campaign to invoke awareness, recognition and participation in citizens of our community to become involved in taking back your community or preserving the good life as you know it. As you already know, especially if you follow this column or our Rolla Police Department Facebook site, crime is prevalent in Rolla. Each day our officers respond to calls of property destruction, vehicle tampering, residential and business burglaries and theft. Many times these crimes occur right under the nose of potential witnesses who, because of a lack of training or unintentional complacency, allow these criminals to continue to prey on our community. As you may realize by our weekly stats, our officers cannot be on every corner or in every neighborhood at any given time. Most of the time or officers travel from call to call without a lot of time to dedicate to each case.

This is where you come in! We need to re-establish our existing Neighborhood Watch program and instill new programs in areas that have not yet been established. In an effort to bolster this program and to promote awareness, we have divided the City of Rolla into 3 Neighborhood Watch Zones, simply labeled “A”, “B” and “C”. Our awareness campaign will begin by hosting Neighborhood Watch meetings in each of these zones that will be open to the public and in a central location to that particular zone. These meetings will provide information on how to start a NW program or to enhance a program already established. In addition we will use this opportunity to introduce the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept where a core group of citizens are trained to respond to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency service personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by training in this program to save lives and protect property.

We will also have a representative from the American Red Cross, who will provide information on how that organization operates and what type of programs they offer. They will also offer recruitment information to those who may desire to become a Red Cross volunteer. As you can see, we are showcasing volunteer programs within our community where the citizens of the community unite, receive valuable basic training and become an asset to community betterment and preservation. Our first Neighborhood Watch Zone meeting for area “C” will be held Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eugene E. Northern Community Hall at 400 E. 4th Street in Rolla. Everyone, regardless of where you live is encouraged to attend. If you have any questions about any of these programs, contact S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213. The remaining zone meetings will be held in the following weeks and the dates and locations will be announced.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

Ber Juan Park huge asset to Rolla community

Thousands of residents and visitors alike have discovered the appeal, beauty and boundless recreational opportunities that are all part of Rolla’s 85-acre Ber Juan Park.

From both a recreational and aesthetic perspective, Ber Juan Park includes a tremendous range of activities and facilities that include the 63,-000-square-foot Health and Recreation complex (The Centre), an outdoor water park (SplashZone), state-of-the-art tennis facility (Ber Juan Tennis Complex), Ber Juan Sportsplex, 9-hole disc golf course, miles of walking/biking trails, exercise trails, skateboard park, Ber Juan Lake, a playground, pavilions, picnic areas, and plenty of room for other outdoor leisure activities.

If you are new to the area, or a life-long resident, I encourage you to take advantage of the many facilities and activities that are available throughout the week at Ber Juan Park, which is located off 10th Street just a couple of blocks from downtown Rolla. The easiest way to find Ber Juan Park is either from 10th Street, Holloway Street, 14th or 18th Streets where the vast boarders of the park are located.

I would like to extend a special thanks to the City’s Parks and Recreation Department for coordinating and hosting both the 6th Annual Youth Fishing Fair and U.S.T.A. Tennis Block Party on Saturday. These are very popular and well attended events, and I extend a special thanks to all of the other agencies, clubs, businesses and individuals who have worked together to help provide these unique activities for our community.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone who has not yet filled out your 2010 U.S. Census form, to please take a few minutes to fill them out and drop them in the mail at your earliest convenience. Every year, the federal government can allocate more than $300 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data and Census data determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.

What’s also at stake for our community is the loss of $1,300 per year for every person not counted for the next 10 years. This means we could lose out on vital resources for our friends, neighbors and our family. This time around the census form is shorter, just 10 short questions, and your private information is kept just that – private for 72 years. Our community has a lot riding on this and it’s up to each of us to do our part. We are counting on you, so please be counted. Should you have any questions about the U.S. Census, please visit www.2010census.gov.

Police Chief Chat

Another busy week in that we handled 664 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 20 accidents, 45 9-1-1 hang up calls, 28 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 32 traffic complaints, 25 assists of other agencies, 99 traffic stops, 15 arrests, 9 fingerprints, 16 suspicious nature calls, 3 benevolent funds, 1 runaway juvenile, 4 escorts, and 14 alarm calls.

Proudly, the Rolla Police Department had the opportunity to take part in the Relay for a Cause – Rt. 66 campaign where a 27 year veteran Evansville Police Officer Randy Rolley and his friend and business partner Bryan Zellar plan o walk from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California utilizing as much of the original historic Rt. 66 as is available. Rolley’s campaign which began May 1st is dedicated to bringing awareness and funding to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The NLEOMF operates various programs designed to raise awareness of law enforcement service and sacrifice, promote officer safety, and reduce injuries and fatalities. Rolley and Zellar came up with the idea 3 years ago in an effort to do something notable in their lives before they turned 50. The plan came together this month which is also the time we recognize National Police Week, May 9 thur May 15 each year.

Rolley began his campaign by plotting his route along historic Rt. 66, then calculating where he would end up each day if he and Zellar walked 20 miles, then relied on area law enforcement agencies to transport them 60 miles for a total of 80 miles a day. Rolley then contacted 26 law enforcement agencies along the route and asked for their assistance by securing a place for them to stay for the night they travel thru the host city, and then to provide transportation to the next rendezvous point. Rolley says that not one of the initial 26 agencies contacted turned him down. The Rolla Police Department was one of the 26 agencies contacted and we felt honored to participate. With the assistance of the Rolla Chamber of Commerce and the Hampton Inn, were able to secure a room for the traveler’s for their night’s stay, then transport them to their next contact near Lebanon.

Rolley and Zellar were very personable individuals who were quick to thank anyone who helped them along the way and were also ready to share their sentiment for the nearly 19,000 law enforcement officers nationwide, who gave their all in preserving safety in their communities. There is a Relay for a Cause – Rt. 66 website you can visit at: http://relayroute66.wordpress.com/ to follow the progress of the walk and to contribute to the cause. As I said earlier, these are two fine individuals who are dedicating their time and effort to a very worthy cause. Randy and Bryan, the Rolla Police Department salutes you and wishes you a safe and successful journey.

Also this week, the Rolla Optimist Club held their annual Respect for Law Banquet where each year, area law enforcement agencies are invited to a meal in their honor in appreciation for doing what we do to keep the community safe. Traditionally, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri S&T Police Department, Rolla Police Department, Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Phelps County Circuit Court and other elected officials are invited. The highlight of the evening is the announcement of the winner of the coveted Bramlett-Light Award, named after two progressive Rolla Police Chiefs. This year there were 2 recipients of this award and both were members of area law enforcement. Deputy Carmello Crivello was named for his tireless efforts in removing illegal drugs from our highways and also for his expertise in locating and securing large sums of drug money from drug dealers. The second nominee was our own Detective Sergeant Ken Nakanishi for his diligence and leadership in the successful prosecution of serious crimes investigated by Ken and our Division of Criminal Investigations. Great job to Carmello and Ken!

In closing, I would like to remind you of the upcoming bicycle auction to be held Saturday, June 5, 2010, beginning at 8:30 am at the Rolla Police Department. We will be auctioning several recovered/abandoned bicycles that we have accumulated throughout the year. Many of the bicycles are in excellent shape and typically sell for a fraction of the cost of new bikes. If you are looking for a good buy on a bicycle, be sure to keep our auction in mind.

I would also like to remind you of our 3rd Annual “Fire Truck Pull” hosted by the Rolla Police Department and Rolla Fire and Rescue that will be held during the Rt. 66 Summerfest celebration on Saturday June 5, 2010 beginning at 4:00 pm. The Fire Truck Pull is a competition fundraiser where teams of up to 10 members, either male or female, compete to pull a fully loaded fire truck a known distance in the best time. All proceeds from the pull will benefit the Veteran’s Memorial Park located on Southview Drive in Rolla. If you would like to put a team together, contact: S/Sgt. Rick Williams at 308-1213. The cost per team is $100.00.

Chief Mark Kearse

Police Chief Chat

This week, the Rolla Police Department handled 738 calls for service. Of these calls there were: 30 accidents, 48 9-1-1 hang up calls, 36 disturbance calls (domestic or other), 21 traffic complaints, 32 assists of other agencies, 116 traffic stops, 32 arrests, 7 fingerprints, 15 suspicious nature calls, 88 information requests and 13 stealing reports.

On Thursday at 10:47 a.m., the First Community Bank at Cuba reported an armed robbery by a male individual that matched the description of the robber who has committed 5 similar robberies of banks in Central Missouri over the past year. The male suspect left the scene in a white mini-van which is what was also reported as the suspect vehicle in the other crimes. Immediately, officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Crawford County Sheriff’s Dept., Cuba Police Department, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Rolla Police Department and other surrounding agencies began a massive search for this elusive criminal by setting up at key locations along major and secondary thoroughfares. Most agencies already had photos of this suspect and were familiar with the white Dodge mini-van used at each robbery, because of the frequency with which he struck.

Banks in Moberly, Sedalia, Rolla, Chillicothe, and Eldorado Springs were robbed by a middle aged, heavy set, white male who wore a ball cap, sunglasses and displayed a small handgun before demanding cash. In each case, a white Dodge Grand Caravan was seen in the area of the robberies and in some cases, complete or partial license plate numbers were obtained and investigated. The robbers lack of concern over being identified and the radius in which he struck, naturally led investigators to believe that he did not live in any of the towns where the banks were robbed but probably lived within a 50-60 mile radius of the planned robberies. Up until the Cuba robbery, law enforcement had been unsuccessful in apprehending this dangerous culprit but seemed to know that it would only be a matter of time before he was caught.

On Thursday, after area officers had been in position approximately one hour, a Missouri State Highway Patrolman assigned to Dent County, had been patrolling an area south of St. James in hope of spotting the robber attempting to flee the area. As the Highway Patrolman passed through the intersection of Hwy 68 and 8, he spotted a white Dodge Grand Caravan, traveling north on Hwy 68, with a lone male driver who matched the description of the Cuba bank robbery suspect. The trooper called in the sighting and his location then remained behind the vehicle until back up officers arrived. The driver of the van was stopped south of St. James and the subsequent investigation led to the discovery of a loaded handgun, stolen currency from the First Community Bank in Cuba and the arrest of the alleged perpetrator. The van and contents were seized and towed to the Missouri State Highway Patrol headquarters at Troop I in Rolla. The suspect was also transported to Troop I, where investigators from several agencies continued the investigation. This is great news for not only the citizens of Cuba but to all the victim communities and potential victims in Central Missouri. This guy needed to be caught. Great work to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and all other law enforcement agencies dedicated to this apprehension!

Last week, Lt. Doug James attended the Cooper Institute Law Enforcement Fitness Center in Dallas, Texas to become a certified Fitness Specialist. Lt. James underwent 40 hours of training on Fitness and Wellness, Coronary Risk Factors, Medical Screening, Exercise and Safety, Anatomy and Kinesiology, Physical Fitness Training in Law Enforcement and Physical Fitness Standards in Law Enforcement. Lt. James coordinates and administers our annual physical fitness training (pt test) and will also be creating a physical fitness standard to be used in our hiring process in the very near future.

After receiving several inquiries, I decided to announce our annual bicycle auction will be held Saturday, June 5, 2010 beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Rolla Police Headquarter’s parking lot. We will be auctioning unclaimed or abandoned bicycles we have recovered within the past year. Typically there is in excess of 50 bicycles in various stages of functionality, and many times all they need is minor maintenance or repairs. With Spring upon us, this would be a great time to get a good bike for a great price and get out and get some fresh air and exercise.

We are gearing up for our annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit Special Olympics. On Tuesday, May 25, 2010 area law enforcement officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the South Central Correctional Center at Licking, the 92 MP Brigade at Ft. Leonard Wood and the Rolla Police Department gather at the Walmart Supercenter and carry the ceremonial torch along a designated route leading to the annual Summer Games held in Springfield, Missouri. At its most basic level, the Torch Run is an actual running event in which officers and athletes run the "Flame of Hope" to the Opening Ceremonies of local Special Olympics competitions, state/provincial Games, and National Summer or Winter Games. Every two years, law enforcement officers from around the world gather to carry the "Flame of Hope" in a Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg in honor of the Special Olympics World Summer or World Winter Games. The Rolla Police Department has participated in the Torch Run since 1988 and also hosts other events each year in support of our Special Olympic Athletes, such as our t-shirt sales and our annual Torch Run Trivia Night held in October. This year we would like to also thank our sponsors, Rolla Fire and Rescue, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Pepsi Bottling Company of Rolla and of course our Special Olympic athletes!

In closing, I would like to thank the newly appointed 9-1-1 Board for their attendance that April Communications Meeting held at the Rolla Police Department this past week. The se quarterly meetings are held to provide an opportunity for all associated agencies to meet and discuss the ever changing needs, philosophies and challenges that face an Emergency 9-1-1 Center. 6 of the 7 newly appointed 9-1-1 Board Members were present and had the opportunity to meet with Department Heads from most area law enforcement, fire and rescue and emergency medical services agencies. Also present were members of the Phelps County Commission and municipal leaders.

Have a great week!

Chief Mark Kearse

D.R.E.A.M. Kick-Off meeting provides compass for future

With all of the private investment (over $5 million) and revitalization of some of the key buildings and businesses in Rolla’s downtown business district and the development of Benton Square in the new Arts and Entertainment District (over $3 million invested), it’s hard not to notice the significant strides that are being made in Rolla, Missouri.

Not coincidentally, that perception was made as well by Russell Volmert, Associate Director with Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. (PGAV), who is the Project Manager for the DREAM (Downtown Revitalization Economic Assistance Missouri) Initiative program for the state of Missouri. Russell and his team were doing some field work in the downtown business district and Arts and Entertainment District while they were in Rolla last week to facilitate the DREAM. Kick-off meeting held at City Hall on April 22.

The DREAM Kick-off meeting follows the initial Scope of Services meeting held for the City of Rolla, on Jan. 29, 2010 at the Office of the Missouri Development Finance Board in Jefferson City. During the Kick-off meeting, which was attended by numerous downtown business owners, developers, investors, and officials from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and various city, county and state officials, Mr. Volmert and his team provided an overview of the DREAM Initiative tasks for Rolla they are working on. Some of the initiatives include: Organizational Structure Review, Project Administration, Community/Consumer Surveys, Land Use, Building, and Infrastructure Survey, Retail Market Analysis, Housing Market Analysis and Financial Assistance Evaluation. Other long-term activities included the Marketing Plan, Downtown Strategic Plan, and Communications Plan. As part of the Organizational Structure Review, the team is conducting a comprehensive analysis of the entities involved in Rolla’s downtown, including the City of Rolla, Missouri S&T, Rolla Downtown Business Association, Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce and Meramec Regional Planning Commission. Russell stated that successful revitalization requires planning and strategic implementation by many organizations.

The community surveys that will be conducted during the upcoming Route 66 Summerfest and other community events will be used to identify and validate issues regarding downtown, and help establish the framework for future direction of the DREAM Initiative.

Russell explained that the DREAM Initiative is a project that allows Missouri communities to access technical and financial assistance for downtown revitalization, and at the same time provides the expertise and assistance for smaller Missouri communities to have their downtowns function on a more sophisticated and competitive level. He further elaborated on the goals of the DREAM Initiative, which are to re-establish the properties in the downtown core, increase property values and sales tax opportunities, re-establish a sense of place and cultural heritage in the heart of the community, and attract new private investment and jobs. Russell also provided an overview of the sponsoring State of Missouri agencies for the DREAM Initiative, which includes the Missouri Development Finance Board, Missouri Department of Economic Development, and Missouri Housing Development Commission.

Looking further along the 3-year project, which very likely could be condensed and shortened because of all the preliminary planning, research, and field work that has been done over by the City’s Community Development Department and Rolla Downtown Business Association, Russell explained the purpose of creating a Marketing Plan for the downtown business district. The marketing plan will include a strategy to promote downtown as a viable, commercial, business, civic and entertainment center for the city, and create an image of downtown to attract customers, investors and new businesses. The Downtown Strategic Plan will provide a 5-10 year vision for creative and positive change for downtown Rolla.

In closing, I would like to extend a special thanks to the City’s Community Development Department, and Russ Volmert and his team for helping to host the DREAM Initiative Kick-off Meeting, and to Alex’s Pizza (located at 8th and Pine), for providing pizza for the meeting. For more information about the DREAM Initiative, please visit www.dream.mo.gov, or contact John Petersen, the City’s Director of Community Development at 426-6970 or at jpetersen@rollacity.org.