Stream Team cleans up Fishing River Dozens of volunteers pulled an astonishing amount of tires, trash and scrap metal from the East Fork and Dry Fork of the Fishing River Saturday. The clean-up day was conducted by the city and the Missouri Department of Conservation. (Submitted photo) By ERIC COPELAND Managing Editor A week before Excelsior Springs celebrated Waterfest, more than four dozen volunteers were helping to clean out the waterway that serves as the backbone for downtown Excelsior Springs. More than 50 volunteers turned out Saturday, June 21, for a stream clean-up project conducted by the city of Excelsior Springs with help from the Missouri Department of Conservation. During this first clean-up of the East Fork and Dry Fork of the Fishing River, the workers dragged an astounding amount of junk from the river over a five-hour period from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. The crew collected 4,380 pounds of scrap steel from the river bed and banks, along with 1,440 pounds of other trash. A total of 32 tires were also removed and disposed of properly. Volunteers for the effort included Boy Scout Troop 309, students from The Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center, employees of the city of Excelsior Springs along with inmates from the Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Excelsior Springs Rotary Club, and other local residents who saw the need to help promote water quality in local creeks and rivers. "The city of Excelsior Springs would like to thank everyone who participated and let them know how much we appreciate their help in keeping our city clean," said Public Works Director Chad Birdsong. Elms 120th includes wine fest By ERIC COPELAND Managing Editor The Elms Resort & Spa is celebrating its 120th anniversary starting this weekend, and in addition to games, proclamations, a visit by actors portraying Harry and Bess Truman and fireworks on Friday, the Elms will welcome wine fans Saturday for the Missouri Wine Festival. The event will take place from noon-9 p.m. on the back lawn of the hotel, located at 401 Regent Ave., and will feature music, art and, of course, Missouri wine. Wineries that will be represented at the festival include Baltimore Bend, Jowler Creek, Indian Creek, Mount Pleasant, Pirtle, Riverwood, Rogller and Terre Beau. Wine may be sampled throughout the day and purchased by the glass, bottle or case, and the hotel will provide other food and drink for sale. A number of area artists, artisans and crafters will showcase their work, while four musical acts provide a backdrop of country, bluegrass, rockabilly and old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. This Friday, July 4, marks the Elms' 120th anniversary, and with it a year-long celebration begins. Musicians featured during the festival include David Knopf, a faux country player who mixes a little rock in with the twang; the Cowtown Playboys, whose repertoire touches on all the musical styles listed above; the Great White Possum String Company, with 25 years of rockabilly under their belts; and Li1' Rachel, the "little girl with the big voice." All the musicians will be playing under the wooden gazebo on the Elms' back lawn, while the artisans and crafters and the wine will be nearby. "Our back lawn will be filled with Missouri wineries, artists and great music," said Elms Marketing Director Keith Winge. "It is the perfect setting for an event of this type." This year's Missouri Wine Festival is hosted in collaboration with the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, an organization devoted to raising awareness for the Hall of Waters Historic District and other locations in Excelsior Springs, especially downtown. The not-for-profit group is seeking to increase tourism not just to downtown Excelsior Springs, but to the area in general. Tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 at the event itself. For more information about the Missouri Wine Festival or order a ticket, call Daphne Bowman at Willow Spring Mercantile, 630-7467, or visit www.eswinefestivals.com. Tickets are also available at several downtown businesses. For additional information about the Elms' 120th anniversary, visit www.elmsresort.com. The Standard also printed a front-page article about the celebration in its Tuesday edition; the story is in our web site's archives. Return to top