Heard on the Street

THE BOOL. Ameriduct Inc. has announced the expansion of its manufacturing facilities to the John Ayer Industrial Park, located in the Cabool Enterprise Zone midway between the cities of Cabool and Mountain Grove. Doug Jungers, president of Ameriduct, said the company plans to employ aboutnew workers at the plant, which will be housed in an existing structure in the industrial park. Jungers said that building will be expanded to accommodate a 24-hour operation extruding polyethylene duct pipe. He said thehas another extrusion plant east of Fordland on60.

Jungers said Ameriduct considered building in other southwest Missouri locations, including Springfield. "For logistics, and what (Cabool and Mountain Grove) offered us, the hospitality we received from everyone ... the labor force, and an existing building. There were just a lot of positives," he said. Jungers said operations at the new plant are expected to begin April 1.

CHAMPION. William E. Fingland Jr., managing partner for Baird, Kurtz & Dobson CPAs, is the featured speaker at the upcoming Breakfast with Champions. The event, presented by the College of Business Administration at Southwest Missouri State University, is 7:30 a.m. Feb. 10 at University Plaza. Fingland's address is entitled "Responding to Evolutionary Opportunities ... the BKD Story." The breakfast costs $15. Call the SMSU Management Development Institute at 836-5667, for more information or to register.

FAIR NEWS. The Ozark Empire Fair Board of Directors has elected new board members. Bill Hanks, owner of Hanks Real Estate in Ozark, has been named president. John Whittington, owner of Whittington & Associates, will serve as the board's vice president. Debi Murray, of Murney Associates, has been elected treasurer.

Ozark Empire Fair Executive Director Marla Calico said she and her staff are already busy putting together this year's fair, which will open July 28 and run through Aug. 6. Calico said the theme for the 2000 Ozark Empire Fair has not yet been chosen, but she said it could be poultry-related.

BEDSIDE READING. Springfield Attorney Richard L. Schnake has written a book recently published as one of a four-volume set about Missouri practice areas. "The book is a comprehensive treatment of Missouri's civil procedure special action rules in the areas of prejudgment attachments, condemnation, declaratory judgments, and child support and mediation," according to information from the Neale & Newman law firm, where Schnake is a partner. The interpretation and application of rules and underlying statutes by Missouri courts is explained.

NOW BOARDING. Lorene A. Van Dam of Springfield has been appointed by Gov. Mel Carnahan to serve on the state Board of Podiatric Medicine. Van Dam is a doctor of podiatric medicine. The Missouri State Board of Podiatric Medicine licenses podiatrists and regulates the profession. It is also responsible for enforcing standards by implementing legislation and administrative rules.

Carnahan also appointed Clifford I. Whipple, PhD, to serve on the state's Health and Educational Facilities Authority. Whipple is a clinical psychologist in private practice and a clinical professor at the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology. The authority is empowered to make tax-exempt and taxable loans to eligible health and educational institutions, and to refund obligations, mortgages and advances issued for equipment.

NEVER GIVE UP. Missouri is not among the states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, passed by Congress in the 1970s but still three states short of the required number to make it the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, the Missouri legislature has before it a bill to ratify the nearly 30-year-old ERA, sponsored by state Rep. Deleta Williams. The Missouri Commission on Human Rights has passed a resolution in support of Williams' legislation. Springfieldian Elise Crain, a member of the human rights commission, said the bill will be debated and voted on this session. "This is a no-brainer to me absolutely a no-brainer" that Missouri should ratify, Crain said. You've almost come a long way, baby.

SLICE OF NICE. Springfield Little Theatre will present a Valentine's dinner theater event, Love Sings Eternal, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Feb. 13 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at Three-Nineteen, 319 W. Walnut. Local singers and actors will present songs and scenes of romance, and dinner will be provided by Clary's American Grill. The evening also includes a complimentary rose from Hazel's Flowers and a Valentine photo from Mignard's. The cost is $80 per couple and there will be a cash bar. For more information, or to register, call 869-1334, ext. 17.