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Making a Difference: Listen to experts share how climate, environment affect the Ozarks

The Watershed Center at Valley Water Mill Park "Is the home base of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, and the heart of our mission’s educational focus".
Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
The Watershed Center at Valley Water Mill Park "Is the home base of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, and the heart of our mission’s educational focus".

A panel of local experts weigh in on the latest Community Focus Report, looking at red flags and blue ribbons surrounding the environment.

This broadcast season, KSMU’s program "Making a Difference" is switching gears. Through a series of panel conversations airing monthly, we examine each chapter of The 2021 Community Focus Report for Springfield and Greene County. The CFR is a biennial report which evaluates the community’s assets, gaps, opportunities and challenges in eleven key areas, including today’s topic: The Natural Environment.

Our guests for today’s panel conversation are: Jonathan Groves, facilitator of the CFR; Gary Gibson, President & CEO at City Utilities of Springfield Mo.; Mike Kromrey, Executive Director of The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks and member of the CFR Natural environment Steering Committee: and Barbara Lucks, who topped off a 22 year career with the City Of Springfield as it’s Sustainability Officer, is chair of Missouri’s Solid Waste Advisory Board, and led the CFR Steering Committee studying the area’s Natural Environment. Barbara Lucks convened the group, and edited the committee’s White Paper report on the topic.

Production support for the Community Focus Report for Springfield and Greene County, comes from: The Community Foundation of the Ozarks,The Junior League of Springfield, The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, The Springfield-Greene County Library District, and The United Way of The Ozarks.

The Community Focus Report for Springfield and Greene County is available for viewing at www.springfieldcommunityfocus.org

Mike Smith's career at KSMU began in 1980 as a student announcer when the former Navy Submariner attended (then) SMSU with help from the GI Bill. In 1982 Smith became a full time member of the KSMU family as "Chief Announcer", responsible for the acquisition, training and scheduling of the student announcing staff. It was also in 1982 when Smith first produced "Seldom Heard Music" a broadcast of Bluegrass which is still heard on KSMU and ksmu.org every Saturday night at 7CT.