Heard on the Street

AX THE U. Springfield's Axiom Partners has acquired Axium of Portland, Ore. Both are payroll processing companies. A release from Axiom Partners said the acquisition adds 100 customers and two employees. Axiom Partners also performs payroll tax preparation and provides human resources products and services. Axiom Partners has offices in St. Louis, San Diego and, now, Portland, to go along with its Springfield offices.

GENERATING NEWS. The Empire District Electric Company held a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 22 for an expansion of its State Line Power Plant between Joplin and Galena, Kan. Construction is expected to be complete by the middle of 2001. When complete, the plant will have a total generating capacity of 600 megawatts. A natural gas-fueled combustion turbine will be added, along with two heat-recovery steam generators and a steam turbine. Two combustion turbines are already operated at the plant. The expansion is the result of an agreement with Western Resources Inc. earlier this year to jointly own the plant. Empire District will operate the unit.

WONDERS OF GROUNDBREAKING. The Wonders of Wildlife Museum is set to break ground at a 10 a.m. Oct. 4 ceremony on the museum's future site at Sunshine and Campbell. In attendance for the event will be Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, Speaker of the House Steve Gaw, Speaker Pro Tem Jim Kreider, Mayor Lee Gannaway and members of the Wonders of Wildlife board of directors. Construction of the $50 million project is expected to begin in the middle of October. Representatives of the museum's supporting conservation organizations, as well as folks from Turner Construction and Cambridge Seven Associates the construction manager and architect, respectively will also be on hand.

AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE. Year-end job reviews coming up? Perhaps you're reviewing bids for the company's health care package. Have you got ongoing talks with an authoritarian entity that wishes to wrest away ownership of your home? Maybe there's a marriage proposal in the works (or the delicate discussions revolving around a prenuptial agreement after same is proffered and accepted). Whatever the case may be, Burrell Behavioral Health is offering a four-session series on The Art of Negotiation. For $39 entrants will be guided by Janice Burks, a licensed professional counselor, in a successful approach to negotiation, materials included. The program is 6:30-8 p.m. beginning Oct. 4 at Burrell Behavioral Health. For more information or to register, call 269-7254. The $39 fee seemed pretty firm in the release from Cox Health Systems, but perhaps you can finagle what kind of cookies will be served at the sessions.

GET ORGANIZED. Organization Etc. in Springfield had its Web site mentioned in Mode magazine's September issue. Organization Etc.'s Janet Susdorf said the notice in the national mag was especially gratifying because she designed and produced the site herself. "It was a huge undertaking, and still is, but it's finally paying off," she said. The Mode writer ordered a $10.99 clear hanging shoe shelf from the Organization Etc. Web site. Organization Etc. can be found on the Internet at

www.org-etc.com

and in Springfield at 4135 S. National.

HEALTHY ACQUISITION. Food For Health Company Inc. announced recently its acquisition of Akin's Natural Foods Market, the name under which Health Food Associates Inc. does business. Akin's has its headquarters in Tulsa and operates six retail stores, including one in Springfield at 1330 E. Battlefield. Food For Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMCON Distributing Company, a publicly held company that trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol DIST.

SLICE OF NICE. The second annual Pink Ribbon Luncheon will be held 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at Cox Medical Center South, Foster Auditorium, 3801 S. National. The program is to raise public awareness about breast cancer. The luncheon and program are sponsored by Cox Women's Center and the American Cancer Society and are free to the public. For more information or to reserve your seat, call 269-INFO.

TWICE OF NICE. Developmental Center of the Ozarks is holding a reception to celebrate its 45th anniversary. The reception will be 6-8 p.m. Oct. 4 at DCO, 1545 E. Pythian. There will be a drawing for a diamond-and-sapphire bracelet, and chances may be purchased at $5 each or three for $10. For more information, call Marci Bowling at 831-1546, ext. 238.

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