The Springfield News-Leader from Springfield, Missouri • Page 7

Ozarks BUSINESS: Military spouse training in jeopardy Government officials do not plan to continue funding for a popular job training program for military spouses. 5B News-Leader Monday May 1, 2006 mj Section editor Rick Jackoway J.1 2 UtsSf 836-1240 'fit Showers fail to remedy rainfall deficit Downpours were the most significant in 15 months, meteorologist reports. flooding event we had in the Ozarks," Taggart said. The heaviest rain fell on southeast Kansas; Stockton Lake up to Truman received the least rainfall, he said. Strong winds knocked down trees in some areas, and there was minor flooding across the region.

There were numerous reports of downed trees and flooding at low water crossings in Camden County, said Jennifer Wilson, dispatch with the Camden County Sheriff's Department. "It started last night and we're still getting reports," Wilson said. In Douglas County, Route (four miles west of Route 5) and Douglas County FF (two miles north of Missouri 14) were closed Saturday for low- water bridges, according to Kody Johnson, dispatcher with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department. Minor river flooding occurred in the Osage and Marmaton rivers. There is a chance of thunderstorms today and into Tuesday, according to the weather service, but rain won't be as steady or prolonged, Taggart said.

Online Poll Question: Mas the Springfield School District been aggressive enough in responding to recent reports of child abuse at Rountree Elementary School? To vote yes or no, go online to Vote by 8 p.m. and see results in Tuesday's newspaper. SUNDAY RESULTS Will you root for Steppen-wolfer, who has ties to the Ozarks, to win the Kentucky Derby? YES: 63.7 percent NO: 36.3 percent TOTAL VOTES: 331 to 4 inches, said Jim Tag-gart, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Springfield. The deficit for the first four months of 2006 is 8 to 12 inches and as much as 15 inches in parts of southwest Missouri, Taggart said. Republic opens to family pushes bac charter plan Officials decide there is not enough time to prepare item for Aug.

22 election. By Juliana Goodwin Steady weekend showers drenched the Ozarks, but the region is still way behind normal for precipitation since the first of the year. Average rainfall in the Ozarks since Friday was 3 Home doors Rather than build from ground up, Habitat for Humanity retools. By Jenny Fillmer For years, 505 W. State St.

was a neighborhood eyesore a rotting house that had been carved into tiny apartments, burned, boarded up and abandoned. Today, it's the newly re-habbed home of the Pettus family, proud owners of the latest home built by Habitat for Humanity of Springfield. The house, dedicated in an open house Sunday afternoon, was an unusual project for the nonprofit group, which coordinates volunteers to build simple, affordable homes for qualifying applicants. On average, Habitat builds 10 houses a year in Springfield. Nearly all are built from scratch, taking a few weeks sometime just a few days to complete.

The century-old Pettus house was different. Interior walls had to be gutted. Fire damage had to be repaired. And the house had to retain its historic look required by the city of Springfield, which had donated the blighted property to Habitat for $1. The nature of the project is was what attracted the Missouri State University Habitat chapter to the project nearly two years ago.

"It was something we had not done before," said Brad Williams, project manager who is about to earn his degree in construction management at MSU. "And (we picked it) to go along with our centennial celebration." At the time, MSU was readying for its 100th anniversary. The house was built the same year the university was founded. The 19-month project y- "This will probably do some good, but it's going to take awhile before we can replenish the groundwater, which is deep moisture subsoils," Taggart said. Still, these were some of the most significant showers in 15 "You have to go back all the way to January 2005 (to find) anything this widespread and this prolonged.

That was the last IT 1 nf rv-v ing to run into," said Williams. Part of the house's foundation had caved in. Fire damage was more extensive than they had first realized. The roof needed repairs. ton, Richard Nixon, Warren Harding, James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson, including descendants of Jefferson and his slave Sal ly Hem-mings.

All of this was the brainchild of Nicholas W. Inman. Inman, Inman who enjoyed a stint as an intern in Washington, D.C., initially started planning the Cherry Blossom Festival in 2003 to honor his two favorite places: Marshfield percentage yield A SIEVE J.P LIANG NEWS-LEADER Springfield Mayor Pro Tern Ralph Manley (left) and others watch Tracy Pettus drive in the last nail to symbolize the completion of Pettus' newly remodeled home. "I love old houses, but the kids love the porch and the fact that we have an upstairs." Tracy Pettus, owner of the Habitat for Humanity house I "There was seven layers of asphalt shingles every color you can imagine," said Williams. More than 450 volunteers from 31 campus organizations spent thousands of weekend hours demolishing, then rebuilding the house.

But progress was slow. Neighbors began to doubt it would ever be finished. "I hate to say, I thought they would never get through," said Berdine Nickens, who lives down the block. A year past the original completion date, the house is ready for Tracy Pettus, who will soon move in with her daughter, Destiny, 14, and son, See Habitat, Page 2B and Washington, D.C. That same year, Mary Eisenhower sparked the second part of the plan, said lone Dines, an organizer.

"She's Eisenhower's granddaughter. She just said we didn't have a presidential museum in the Midwest. It got Nicholas thinking Marshfield would be the one," Dines said. Inman decide he wanted to found a museum that honors past presidents and their families. Since he chairs both the festival and museum committee, he decided to join the two.

Rain forced some activi Greene County Cab driver locked in trunk freed Greene County Sheriff's deputies were searching late Sunday for a man who reportedly held of a Yellow Cab driver and forced him into the trunk of his taxi. According to a statement fi'-n sheriff's Det. Frank Durell, a passenger told the cab driver to drive into Crighton Park, told him he didn't have enough money for the fare, and then pulled a gun on the driver and ordered him into the trunk. The driver resisted and was forced into the trunk, the statement said. The driver called a fellow cab driver on his cell phone, and several drivers responded to the scene and released the victim.

After searching his vehicle, the driver discovered about $120 had been stolen. The sheriff's department is asking anyone with information to call 868-4040. Region Today is last day for land sale comments Today is the deadline for submitting public comment on the sale of national forest land, including 21,672 acres in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, as proposed by President Bush in February. Send e-mail to SRS LandSalesfs.fed.us. For a list and maps of proposed parcels for sale, go to www.fs.fed.usland staftruralschools.shtml.

PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW May is Asian-American History Month. Each day we'll introduce you to a person who makes a difference. Arbindra Rimal, born in Nepal, is an agricultural economist at Missouri State University. He came to the United States in 1992 and later earned a Ph.D. degree from the university of Florida.

He came to Springfield in 2004. "Springfield needs a culture center with movies and costumes. tt is not to market some goods, but sincerely to promote cultural diversity in this town." Read all of this month's profiles by clicking tht American Heritage lii.k at By Ryan Slight REPUBLIC A citizen committee fashioning Republic's home-rule charter indicated it will likely take a year to produce a document. Republic Mayor Jim Collins had initially hoped to present a ftwneCft Charter SpringlieW for VOt- Republic erstoap- prove within six months. But he and other charter commission members were uncertain they could produce one by Aug.

22 the last day to place the item on the November ballot. "That's a little too ambitious, I think," commission member O.K. Armstrong said. And with the shorter schedule, "the folks may feel we're trying to push it down their throats," Collins added. The citizens group which includes the mayor and some aldermen had its first meeting last week to start developing a charter.

A charter would allow the city to fashion its own laws as long as they don't conflict with the state. Republic is currently a fourth-class city, and it must petition the legislature to change the law for all fourth-class cities if residents wanted a change. Voters approved forming a charter in a 399-275 decision this month. The group will attempt to meet twice a month at the Republic Community Center. It must present a charter within one year, and must be finished by Jan.

23 to place an item on the April 2007 ballot. Commission members chose Wes Cafourek as chairman and Kathleen Haralson as vice-chairwoman. The group's work will include comparing a ties inside, but mostly hurt booth operators on the square, he said. While Spear didn't have specific numbers, she said attendance was slightly less than expected because of "horrible weather." Inman was pleased with the turnout and said it was an event to remember. "It was really an interesting weekend for us," Inman said.

"The thing I got choked up about, I put them (the descendants) in chronological order, as we started to walk down the hallway Charter costs Republic officials estimate forming a charter may cost the city $15,000 to $20,000. Those expenses include: Printingmailing copies of the charter to each household Secretarial wages Postage, informational mailings $2,000 QuestionnairePostage $1,500 Legal fees $1,000 Legal notice expenses $500 Speaker's expense (mileagemeals) Miscellaneous model charter to the current city code to see what changes may be needed. Members will split into subcommittees to examine aspects of government: finance, administrative and personnel and legislative. There is also a transition subcommittee to handle a portion of the charter dealing with the change to home rule. In addition, the group will have a public relations campaign to inform residents about the charter.

"Divide and conquer is what' all the successful groups (forming charters) have done. It just makes sense," said Republic City Administrator Dean Thompson, who suggested the subcommittees. The city plans to hire a secretary to assist the group. It may also invite officials from other cities to speak about their experience in forming charters. Republic City Attorney Ron Dirickson advised commissioners to comply with the Sunshine Law, including keeping a public record of e-mails sent to all members.

Meetings are open to all. everyone started to clap I thought this is one of the most historic marches down a hallway." During the festival, six famous Missourians were honored with a star on the Missouri Walk of Fame at the Webster County Museum: The Unsinkable Molly Brown, President Harry Truman, author Laura Ingalls Wilder, astronomer Dr. Edwin P. Hubble, actress Betty Lynn Lou" of the "Andy Griffith and Mickey Carroll (surviving Munchkin from the 1939 film "The Wizard of STEVE J.P. LIANG NEWS-LEADER The century-old home at 505 State St.

is surrounded with people on the day of its re-dedication ceremony. Weather doesn't dampen festival enthusiasm Representatives of 26 presidential clans on hand for Cherry Blossom Festival. missed the centennial, but the MSU Habitat chapter learned some important lessons about working with historic property. "With a rehab, you never know what you're go Blossom committee. "I thought that was neat." Descendants from the families of all the former presidents of the United States were invited to launch this festival and to announce the founding of the National First Families Library and Museum, which is still to be developed in the Webster County seat Among those in attendance were relatives or descendants of Bill Clin By Juliana Goodwin Downpours affected some activities at Marsh-field's Cherry Blossom Festival, but the weekend weather didn't wash out organizers' spirits.

Committee members celebrated a historical first. "There were 26 presidential families represent ed, which was the most in history," said Sarah Spear, member of the Cherry CERTIFICATES of DEPOSIT i ii 6-month 9-month 12-month 18-month 24-month 4.85 4.85 5.00 5.06 5.11 APY APY APY APY APY BEHOLD THESE AGCU I NCUA Call 417.447.9223 apyannual.