The Springfield News-Leader from Springfield, Missouri • Page 9

3 Ozar BUSINESS: Web users: Be sure to surf safely Computer users must take steps to protect themselves against viruses, worms and other problems on the Internet. 6B News-Leader Monday May 26, 2003 OzarksNow.com is Orphan train riders retrace history Reunion of survivors and descendants will be held this weekend in Monett. Reunion details, and books and Web sites on the orphan train. 2B OzarksNow.com Online Poll Question: Do you look at Web sites or receive e-mail at work that you would not want your boss to know about? To vote yes or no, go online to OzarksNow.com. Vote by 8 p.m.

and see results in Tuesday's newspaper. SUNDAY RESULTS Due to a technical error, yesterday's poll results are not available. 1 bered her adoptive mother's reply to the curious: "We lost a little girl; she was so smart, and this one was a dummy." The Orphan Train Movement lasted from 1853 to 1929, with trains stopping in more than 45 states as well as Canada and Mexico. At least 40 children are thought to have been taken from the train stop at Pierce City, Witt says. A reunion of former riders and their descendants will take place beginning at 9 a.m.

Saturday in the By Sherrie Voss Matthews FOR THE NEWS-LEADER It was 1895, and they had just lost their only child, a little girl. When a train came to town, looking for homes for orphans from New York City, they chose another little girl, about 3 years old. But the couple, a milliner and a horse trader, never adopted little Louise "Originally, there was a definite stigma to being an orphan train rider," says Ida Mae Wilhoit of Oklahoma, co-host of this weekend's gathering. She also co-hosted last year's gathering with Witt. Wilhoit's mother rode the train with Witt's mother, and was in Pierce City.

"Their family never "She remembered sitting under the table while the mother made hats, people would come in and ask: 'Who's this little recalls Mildred Witt of Pierce City, whose mother was one of an estimated 250,000 orphan train riders who were brought to the Midwest and West by well-meaning orphanages and foundling homes. Witt's mother remem KANSAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY An orphan train makes a stop in Kansas. Senior Center in Monett. dants, but also for the fos- Orphan train riders ter care system that can leave a historical legacy trace its roots to children for not only their descen- riding the rails. See Train, Page 2B Springfield plays temporary host to Monett-based league i I i ill' Cite, doirrt jail, mMor offenders, steady says in if i 1'VUU': 5 5m IN 15 mm tm mm 1' Greene County urged to write formal pretrial policy to help with crowding.

5: 4 f. STEVE J.P. LIANG NEWS-LEADER Cedar County Grandview man dies in fiery wreck A Grandview man was killed early Sunday when his car ran off Cedar County CC eight miles west of Stockton. The Missouri Highway Patrol said Christopher Duvall, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene. The patrol said Duvall's car ran off the road, struck a bridge embankment, overturned and caught fire, the patrol said.

The vehicle landed below the bridge. The accident occurred about 3:45 a.m. Dallas County Buffalo teen killed when car, truck crash A head-on collision Saturday took the life of a Buffalo teenager and injured four other Buffalo residents, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. The patrol said Charo-lette McDonald, 17, died on Dallas County three miles south of Buffalo, when her car crossed the center line and collided head-on with a pickup truck driven by Dustin Henderson, 16. Two passengers in McDonald's car were taken to St.

John's Regional Health Center. Brian Leonard, age unavailable, was seriously injured, the patrol said. Carl Maddox, 13, suffered moderate injuries. Henderson and a passenger in his truck, Brandon Lynch, 16, were taken to St. John's with moderate injuries.

The accident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. Corrections Greene County prosecutors dismissed assault charges against former Greene County jailer Curtis A. Myers last year. A Friday article incorrectly stated he was acquitted. The date of a hazardous-waste cleanup in Polk County was incorrect in Saturday's editions.

The cleanup will be May 31. For information on requesting a correction, see Page 2B. Rowe Merritt Martin Oztiz (center) of team Deportivo San Luis adds another kick to score Sunday while goalie Goel Mesia Soto (right) watches during Deportivo San Luis' 13-to-1 victory over Piratas de Branson at Cooper Sports Complex. Soccer making big strides The primarily Hispanic area teams will get more and better fields in time for their fall schedule. Dulce Fernandez (left) and friend Kristin Lawson brave the unseasonably chilly weather to watch the soccer game between Deportivo San Luis and Piratas de Branson.

STEVE J.P LIANG NEWS-LEADER By Ryan Slight NEWS-LEADER Greene County sheriff's deputies and Springfield police have the discretion to write citations instead of making arrests with certain offenses. Now a California firm's new study on Greene County's criminal justice system wants it in writing. Developing a county-wide written discretionary citation release policy could help reduce crowding in a jail nearly exceeding capacity, the report says. The 230-page study released this month primarily blames Springfield police for filling the jail with many "lightweight" arrests, which local agencies deny. "It is clear that a major opportunity to lessen the booking workload through the use of field releases in lieu of arrest and transport of prisoners is being overlooked by the Greene County criminal justice system," said the report prepared by the Institute for Law and Policy Planning in Berkeley, Calif.

The sheriff's and police departments say they have been actively writing citations for years. They are receptive to the prospect of a written policy, which a criminal justice coordinating committee of Greene County officials will examine in coming months. "We should move carefully in a coordinated effort, and not create a worse problem on the other end," said Springfield Police Chief Lynn Rowe. Local law enforcement desires a policy that will continue to leave room for officer discretion. "On certain cases, you have to have the authority to do that," Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt said.

"You can't have a straight line on this offense they go to jail, and on this offense they don't." For example, if a person in a large group is inciting others in a disturbance, an officer must have the ability to detain the individual, Merritt said. Officials also want a policy that the community is comfortable with. "When a Commercial Street vendor complains that someone urinated on the sidewalk, I don't think they expect us to just give a ticket and walk away," Rowe said. The lack of a written citation release policy is one of multiple factors the See Greene County, Page 5B By Michael A. Brothers NEWS-LEADER Frank Soriano admits he's more of a baseball guy.

But when the Mexican-American operator of a Spanish-language radio station in Monett heard there was a need for a Hispanic soccer league in the area, he stepped up to the plate to organize one last year. Although the league isn't exclusively for Spanish-speakers, Soriano announced its formation via his radio station, La Grande (KQMO 97.7), which broadcasts from Monett on the weekends to a mostly Hispanic audience. Hispanic players from throughout the Ozarks responded in droves. The result is La Grande Soccer League, a 14-team league affiliated with the United State Soccer Federation. Most of the league's players are 18 to 25 years old.

They come from many backgrounds, but most of the teams are predominantly Hispanic. "(The players) like showing off and are probably going to stay here and it shows a lot in these efforts they are doing. By putting in this money, it's a great gesture to the Hispanic community." Where there is now just one worn and uneven field in Monett, there will be three by the time the league's fall schedule begins. All the fields will be level and their dimensions will meet those specified by FIFA, the game's world governing body. The remainder of the games will be played in Springfield, with the championship July 27.

That's convenient for Kelvin Ortiz and his team, Dep Novatos, one of six See Soccer, Page 5B their skills," Soriano said Sunday while watching two hard-fought games. "There's a lot of very, very professional players who wouldn't be able to show off to anyone other than their families in their back yards." On Sunday, the weekly league moved its games to Cooper Sports Complex in Springfield so repairs and upgrades can be made at the field in Monett, where the games are usually held. Soriano says he's thrilled that city leaders in Monett are willing to take on such repairs, estimated to cost about $50,000. "I am very, very amazed and surprised and appreciative of the city (of Monett)," Soriano said. "They recognized that Hispanics are here Miss Summers' third-grade class gleams with energy, creativity Shelby's journal admitted that when her mother died last December, she "kept things in new world of learning.

They speak French, create inventions, knit, play games and they write. They write journals and stories, poems and songs, commercials and parodies. I visited the class one recent morning, when each of the students proudly shared some of their writing and gave glowing reviews of their favorite teacher Summers. side. The journal allowed her to talk about that experience and more.

Janet Trotter helped Shelby with the journal. Trotter has been volunteering with the class for the past school year. "I had heard so much about her teaching," Trotter the students. "(Summers) focused on that a lot." He was quick to point out that the students also learned their basics. "But she would make it fun.

You would always do extra stuff." One project the class has done since before Branson was a third-grader is the Invention Convention. He invented a Hovercraft 2000 made from a wet-dry vac and an inner tube, which you guessed it hovered. Isbel's invention this year might just qualify for a patent. The "Pillowcaser" is a fabricated metal contraption that hugs a pillow so slipping over the pillowcase is a breeze. Her video commercial for the product won a blue ribbon at the language arts department competition this month.

In fact, Summers' class racked up more blue, red and white ribbons than any other class. I wish I could describe all the students' work, proof that everyone is creative with the right teacher. Julie said it best. "When we got in third grade, none of us knew how to write." Thank you, to all the Patsy Summerses who help us with that discovery. And thank you to John Harkcma, my own special teacher.

To contact Linda Leicht. call 836-1249 or e-mail HeichtcSsprinqfi.gannett.com. Branson, not only remembers her, but he picked her class for his A student volunteer project. "I picked Miss Summers because I remembered how much fun it was," he said. A junior at Parkview High School, Branson helps the students with a variety of subjects, but it is his singing they all praise.

With his guitar, Branson sings songs the students have written. "Miss Summers had a class. Eyi, Eyi, It was part of their lesson in parodies. "I always remember expressing creativity," he said after spending an afternoon with The students in Patsy Summers' third-grade class at Delaware Elementary School began their "sloppy copies" of a letter to complete their Benchmark tests last week. The letters were to be written to someone who has made a difference in their life.

Quintin was writing his letter to Summers. "She's part Jedi and part Pad-owan," the "Star Wars" fan explained. To the rest of us, that means she is part master, part student. Summers would agree. She is always learning usually from her students.

When third-graders enter Summers' class, they enter a Linda LEICHT said. "Whenever any kid has been in her class, she is undoubtedly the teacher they remember." One of those students, Ben "I love sports," wrote Kimberly. She also told me how Summers showed her how much she would love writing. 'J fci a I.