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D u r i n g the summer and early fall, many Missourians take to the rivers and streams to float. As one of the state’s most popular pastimes, floating is an affordable and fun option for a group getaway for all ages.

“Floating is a time to sit back and relax and let the boat lazily take you down the river,” said Gene Maggard, president of the Missouri Canoe & Floaters Association. “It is a time to visit with friends and family and to enjoy Mother Nature.”

“Excitement and leisure” was the tagline that Maggard’s father, Buck, used to promote float trips at his canoe outfitter in 1954. The Akers Ferry Canoe Rental was one of the first of its kind in the country, and today it is oper-ated by Gene and his son Marcus.

“This business is one that will last a long time,” Maggard said. “People continue to rediscover the fun of floating. There are people who get back into floating after not doing it for years.”

One of the reasons why people keep com-ing back to floating is variety of waterways available in Missouri. Some of the most popu-lar destinations for paddlers include Meramec, Big Piney River, Current River and Jacks Fork.

Each river has its own set of unique charac-teristics and attractions.

For example, the gentle Meramec invites visitors to explore its caves, springs and lime-stone bluffs.

Big Piney River is well-known as an excellent fishing spot, while the Current River’s spring-fed waters, which are colder than most others, are attractive to those who want to cool down

on a scorch-ing hot day.

Jacks Fork is considered to be one of the wildest and most scenic rivers in the Missouri Ozark region.

Sam A. Baker, Bennett Spring, Meramec and Washington are the four state parks that offer boat rentals for float trips. The Missouri State Parks will host several Learn2 Paddle seminars this summer to teach people how to safely kayak. The sold-out semi-nars are free and include kayaks, paddles, life jackets and instructors.

“We are trying to encourage people to get out and enjoy the state parks in a safe way,” said Renee Bungart, communications direc-tor at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources

There are a few things to consider when choosing the best body of water to float. The water level, the length of the river and how long it takes to float, and the type of activities that

can b e incorpo-rated along the way will all have an impact on the trip. Float trips can range from one-day adven-tures that last a few hours to mul-tiple day journeys that span 20-plus

miles. Guided trips are also offered on some rivers.

“Most families are looking for a somewhat gentle river that they can float

comfortably,” Maggard said. “They are looking for a stream that has good swimming holes and opportunities to do things like fishing, exploring, building sand castles and having picnics.”

Floaters also get a choice in their mode of transportation. Canoes, kayaks, inflatable tubes and rafts are all ways to get around on a river or stream.

Canoes are difficult to maneuver upstream and tip easily so they are not recommended for young children or those who cannot swim.

Kayaks require more physical exertion than

canoes b e c a u s e they are built for one person, but they are easy to paddle both up and down stream.

Inflatable tubes are a good fit with those who want to be in the water and move slowly, but they aren’t suitable for small children who might fall through them.

Rafts provide a leisurely ride, rarely tip over and are roomy enough for up to eight people. Young children, seniors and those with physi-cal disabilities can all enjoy a raft trip.

Ozark Outdoors is a riverfront resort and

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River respiteRiver respiteMissouri’s waterways offer cool escape from hot summer daysBy Porcshe Moran

Please see Respite, p. 3

Photos courtesy Missouri Division of Tourism

Thick black, green or red knitwear embellished with snowflakes, Santa Claus, reindeer or candy canes is the embodiment of the typical

Christmas sweater. These wardrobe staples, which date back to the

1970s and ’80s, provide many with festive humor each year. From smallscale get-togethers to large, ticketed events, ugly Christmas sweater parties have become a holiday tradition.

The trend of ugly Christmas sweater parties is said to have started 10 years ago in Vancouver, B.C. Accord-ing to christmassweaterparty.com, the event started as a house party with a small group of friends who wanted “the cheesiest feel-good Christmas party ever” and continued to grow each year. More than 1,100 people are expected to attend the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party this year.

Missouri has bragging rights for one of the largest ugly Christmas sweater parties in the country. The annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party in Kansas City is now in its seventh year. It functions as a holiday fundraiser for Operation Breakthrough, a charity that provides services for children in poverty.

Ramsey Mohsen, one of the party’s founders, said about 350 people attended the party last year, and the event usually sells out online before the doors open. In November 2011, the party was featured in the book “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On.”

The event’s official website, kcsweaterparty.com, lists eBay, Craigslist or “your parents’ closet” as places to find the perfect ugly Christmas sweater. There is also a Rent-A-Sweater program that allows attendees to rent a sweater online or at the door for $20.

Mohsen said the ugliest Christmas sweater he has ever seen featured a 3-D holiday scene with a fireplace, furry carpet, a cat and real LED lights.

“Everyone can relate to the fact that they would never wear these sweaters in public normally, but it’s for a cause that we really value and treasure,” Mohsen said. “It is fun and people have a good time.”

Martha Kramer, owner of K’s Consignment in Jeffer-son City, said she had about a half-dozen ugly Christ-mas sweaters in her inventory by the end of November. She even had to buy one from her own stock for her daughter, who is attending an ugly Christmas sweater party in St. Louis.

She said one of her customers purchased a red, knit

Sweater celebrations gaining popularityStory by Porcshe Moran Photos courtesy kcsweaterparty.com

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Ugly Christmas sweaters Ugly Christmas sweaters Shock

ing! Fashionable!Fashionable! Super cool!Super cool!

can be ...can be ...

Courtesy/Allison Redel

Amanda Lueckenhoff, Aaron Garms and Allison Redel attended the 2010 Ugly Sweater-themed meeting for Region 9 Missouri Jaycees. Please see Sweaters, p. 3

Tell us about your event! You can submit items for News Tribune calendars online at www.newstribune.com. If you prefer to submit items via hand delivery, e-mail, fax or snail mail, you still have those options. If you have questions or need further assistance, call Mary Fischer at 761-0240.

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OCTOBER 27, 2011

by Lydia Meyer

If you’re looking for family fun this Halloween, stay in Jefferson City (see last week’s Escape). If you’re looking

for true terror, go to Columbia. This pair of professional Mid-Missouri haunted houses promise to put a strain on

your heart and your wallet, but it’s all in the name of good times:

FearfestFearfest offers three different attractions: Sarah’s Legend, SlashMasters Asylum and Zombie Safari Paintball. A ticket

to either the paintball attraction or both haunted houses is $18. For $23, you get entry to all three.Owner and designer Christina Allen estimated the total atten-

dance at Fearfest to be around 15,000 to 20,000.While the first two offer a more “traditional” scare, Zombie Safari

Paintball is designed as a more relaxed experience for attendees of

See Creepy, Page 2

MUSICJEFFERSON CITYAcoustic Jam, today, 8 p.m., and Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24, The Spot, 222 E. High St.Dana, Ryan and Ted, today, 8:30 p.m., The Mission. Rick Stokes’ Roadhouse Band, Friday, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Prison Brews. Five Turn Knot, Saturday, 9 p.m., The Mission. Surge, Saturday, 6-9 p.m., Our Savior Lutheran Church.Gospel Music, Saturday, 7 p.m., Capital City Christian Church, proceeds to Ronald McDonald House in Columbia. Gary Libbert and Countryfied, Nov. 4, 8:30-11:30 a.m., American Legion.Osage Drifters, Nov. 11, 8:30-11:30 p.m., American Legion. Music by M’Liss, Nov. 11, Jefferson City VFW, 8 p.m. Marshall Morgan and Musicians, Nov. 13, 1:30 p.m., Jefferson City VFW.Sonny and Partly Cloudy, Nov. 15, 1-3:30 p.m., Capital Mall. Rick Stokes’ Roadhouse Band, Nov. 18, 8:30-11:30 p.m., American Legion. Easy Rhythm Band, Nov. 19, 8-11 p.m., Eagles. John Music and Musicians, Nov. 20, 2 p.m., Jefferson City VFW.Larry Groves, Nov. 25, 8 p.m., Jefferson City VFW.Sonny and Partly Cloudy, Nov. 25, 8:30-11:30 p.m., American Legion. John Wright, Nov. 27, 1:30 p.m., Jefferson City VFW.

COLUMBIAThe Ben Miller Band, today, 8:30 p.m., Mojo’s. Liberty Highway Bluegrass, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Hazel Kinder’s Lighthouse Theater, 573-474-4040.John Scofield Jazz Quartet, Nov. 6, 7 p.m., The Blue Note. Easy Rhythm Band, Nov. 12, 7-10 p.m., Columbia Senior Center.Jarrod Turner, Nov. 26, 8:30 p.m., The Blue Note.

AREA TOWNSOsage Drifters, Saturday, Eldon VFW.Osage Drifters, Nov. 5, 8-11 p.m., Linn VFW.John Cecilia and His Country Ordaras, Nov. 5, 7-10 p.m., California Nutrition Center.Easy Rhythm Band, Nov. 5, 7-10 p.m., Callaway Senior Center. Sonny and Partly Cloudy, Nov. 9, 5-7 p.m., Denise’s Diner, Holts Summit.Osage Drifters, Nov. 12, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Eldon VFW.

ST. LOUISFrankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Saturday, 8 p.m., Fox Theater, 314-534-1111. Paul Simon with Punch Brothers, Nov. 15, 8 p.m., Fox Theater. 314-534-1111. Tony Bennett, Nov. 16, 8 p.m., Fox Theater, 314-534-1111.

THEATERJEFFERSON CITY“Family Camp,” today through Nov. 5, Stained Glass Theatre, 634-5313., Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. “Bombshells,” today through-Saturday, Scene One Theatre, 681-9199.“Frankenstein,” Oct. 27-28, Pauley Theater Martin Luther King Building, LU campus, 8 p.m.

COLUMBIA“The House of Blue Leaves,” Friday through Sunday and Nov. 4-5, See CALENDAR, Page 2

Photo illustration by Anne E. Kettenbrink/News Tribune

After babysitting her younger sister for a summer, 13-year-old Monica Whitson was ready for more responsibility.

She asked her mother, Alicia Whitson, to help her line up some work. And soon, she had her first job as a baby sitter for two boys, ages 7 and 11.

“She wanted to be able to have money for the things that she wanted to do and to prepare for bigger jobs later,” said Alicia. “I was proud that

she was even considering it because it meant giving up sleep-ing in and staying up all night with her friends.”

Monica is like many other young people who enter the workforce in the summer as a means to earn their own money for the first time.

The Missouri Department of Labor says youths younger than 14 are permitted to work in the enter-tainment industry (work permit needed) or in casual jobs such as babysitting, newspaper delivery, coach-ing, refereeing and occasional yard work with paren-tal consent (no work certificate needed).

Steve Henness, state 4-H youth specialist, devel-ops programs for 4-H youth to investigate entrepre-

neurship opportunities. Henness said the children he works with are as young as 10, and they are able to turn

their 4-H projects into business ventures. They sell arts and crafts such as homemade candles, goat-milk soap and

jewelry. One young man in 4-H even sold his own mushroom-growing kits.“Young people value the autonomy of starting something themselves or with a group of

friends,” said Henness. “They have original ideas or ideas for how to do something better. They are also driven to create their own part-time work because of the economic trends. The jobs that teens and young people might normally do are being occupied by unem-ployed or underemployed adults.”

At age 14 to 15, children are allowed to work in offices and retail stores if they have a work certificate that is issued by the superintendent, chief executive officer or principal of the school that they attend. Children who are home-schooled can get a work certificate issued by their parent.

Asiah Rydman, 14, was approved for a work certificate just days after her 14th birthday. She works at Edge Wise Skate and Dance in Jefferson City. Her duties include working the cash register, answering the phones and

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RESTOREDA young couple restores the unique architecture in a Jefferson City cottage.

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Get a jobGet a jobYouth’s first job can teach valuable life skillsYouth’s first job can teach valuable life skills

ABOVE: Asiah Ryd-man straightens clothing at Edge Wise. The high-schooler is working at the store during the summer. LEFT: Crafts and agriculture-relat-ed products are popular items at the Show-Me 4-H Wares booth. Stu-dents are encour-aged to turn their project or hobby into a way to earn money.

Story by Porcshe Moran

pmoran@

newstribune.com

Please see Job, p. 2

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NEW YORK (AP) — Though Facebook bans children under 13, millions of them have pro-files on the site by lying about their age.

The company is now testing ways to allow those kids to participate without needing to lie. This would likely be under parental supervi-sion, such as by connecting children’s accounts to their parents’ accounts.

Like many other online services, Facebook prohibits kids younger than 13 because federal law requires companies to obtain parental con-sent if they want to collect information about those children.

Such information collection is central to Facebook. Every photo or status update a kid

posts on Facebook could count as informa-tion collection. Many companies consider the parental-consent requirement too burden-some, so they simply ban all children under 13 instead.

But that ban is difficult to enforce. In many cases, parents themselves help children skirt it by setting up profiles for them and lying about their ages. There are an estimated 7.5 million kids younger than 13 on Facebook, out of more than 900 million users worldwide.

In a statement, Facebook noted many recent reports have highlighted “just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet, especially when parents want their children to

access online content and services.”“We are in continuous dialogue with stake-

holders, regulators and other policymakers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment,” the company said.

Few details are available on the nature of Facebook’s tests, which The Wall Street Journal reported on in Monday’s editions. Relaxing the ban on younger children could be a long way off, or never get implemented, as happens with many features that Facebook tests.

The report comes just two weeks after Face-book began trading stock as a public company. Its stock price has fallen in part because of

concerns about its ability to keep increasing revenue and make money from its growing mobile audience.

To James Steyer, the CEO of the nonprof-it Common Sense Media, Facebook’s discus-sions on permitting young kids to join is about expanding its audience — and profits.

“With the growing concerns and pressure around Facebook’s business model, the com-pany appears to be doing whatever it takes to identify new revenue streams and short-term corporate profits to impress spooked share-holders,” Steyer said in a statement.

Kids could someday get on Facebook, without lying

Please see Facebook, p. 2