Heard on the Street

MOVING ON UP. Steve Vaught, area manager for Southwestern Bell's Springfield office, has taken a position as regional director, meaning his territory will extend to include the south central and southwest Missouri regions. Vaught will divide his time between the Springfield and Joplin Southwestern Bell offices. Jeff Leeka, who had served as director of external affairs for Southwestern Bell in southwest Missouri, will move to San Antonio, Texas, where he has taken a job as corporate manager. Vaught has a 26-year career with Southwestern Bell.

MORE ABOUT BELL. In other Southwestern Bell news, the company released its 1999 annual report March 31, which includes details of its acquisition of Ameritech, a move that expanded its wireless footprint and produced a 12.5 increase in earnings to $7.4 billion. The company's revenue increase was 8 percent, to nearly $8 billion. Other notable events for the company during 1999 were the growth of its international portfolio, which is now valued at $30 billion, and the approval of its long distance plan by Texas regulators. The Texas filing is now under review by the Federal Communications Commission, which will make its recommendation as to whether to approve the application by April 10. Bell also listed an increase in wireless subscribers in 1999. There were 8,686 wireless subscribers in 1998 and 11,151 in 1999.

CONVENTION QUESTIONS. Rep. Mike Schilling, a Democrat from the 136th district (northwest Springfield) issued a letter this week to Springfield Mayor Lee Gannaway with a list of 16 questions regarding the proposed downtown civic center for minor league sports. Tony Sansone Jr., the St. Louis developer who has proposed the development, traveled to Jefferson City in late March to gain the southwest Missouri legislative delegation's support for such an arena. The mayor and other city officials also attended Sansone's meetings with legislators. While Schilling said he supported such an arena, he added that using public money for a private purpose, especially when no local public vote is scheduled on the issue, concerns him. Among Schilling's questions were whether the prevailing wage law would apply to the project's construction, and what the proposed life of the building would be. Other

questions pertained to the bid process for the building, the annual bond repayment amount and the projected state, city and county sales tax from the arena revenues. Schilling asked for answers to the questions so that legislators may proceed to determine whether state funding is applicable to the project.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. City Manager Tom Finnie had to take time out for a little fun April 4 when city staffers (i.e., the people he is usually the boss of), threw a surprise party in honor of his 10-year anniversary with the city. Finnie's actual anniversary for employment with the city of Springfield is April 9. During his tenure as city manager, the city has taken on such notable projects as Jordan Valley Park, the Vision 20/20 plan, and quarter-cent and eighth-cent sales taxes that have paid for capital and street improvements around town. Mr. Finnie has also made certain that pesky reporters have never had to wait long for a return phone call from any member of his staff, who are always well-informed and polite, as is Mr. Finnie himself. Happy anniversary from the peskiest reporters of them all those at SBJ.

THIN ICE. Business leaders are encouraged to attend a presentation, "On Thin Ice: Confronting Methamphetamine in the Ozarks," April 13 at University Plaza Convention Center. The event is sponsored by several civic groups and will address

methamphetamine abuse in the Ozarks, including a look at how the drug affects the brain and body, and how to prevent abuse of the drug. The keynote speaker, Timothy P. Condon, will begin his address at 9 a.m. Other research presentations, including information specific to the Ozarks, will follow, along with a panel discussion. Registration for the conference is $25. For more information, call 269-7254.

SLICE OF NICE. The Springfield Symphony Guild has a brand-new fund-raising project for spring 2000. The event is a night of solo and ensemble work from local musicians James and Judith Billings and Bill Hickman. It will take place 5-7 p.m. April 16 at Highland Springs. Tickets are available from guild members or at the symphony office for $30 per person. Seating will be limited to 150. The program is to replace the symphony's annual Designer Showcase project; there is no such project scheduled for this year. For more information, call the symphony office at

864-6683.