Heard On The Street

PART OF THE PLAN. John Q. Hammons Hotels' Chateau on the Lake is shut down for the winter season, but it's nothing that wasn't anticipated. The hotel and convention center closed Jan. 1 and will reopen March 6. The upscale property overlooking Table Rock Lake had its grand opening in May 1997. Randy Roelofsz, general manager of the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, said it was part of the Chateau's strategy to take the winter months off this year. "It's not in the business plan to do that again," Roelofsz said. The Chateau has an acting general manager, but no one in the post at the moment. Roelofsz' hotel and convention center are also Hammons properties.

GROWING EMPIRE. Empire District Electric Co. has received state regulatory approval to provide telephone service. Missouri's Public Service Commission Jan. 29 announced Empire's authorization to provide intrastate interexchange and local- exchange telecommunications services. The Joplin-based utility had previous authority to provide dedicated, nonswitched local-exchange private-line services. A spokeswoman for Empire said the company's 150-mile network of fiber-optic lines has capacity beyond the company's in-house needs, and this regulatory approval will allow the lease of the extra capacity. Amy Bass said that, in addition to Forsyth's National Enzyme Co. and the Joplin public school district (Empire was already providing fiber-optic network services to them), the utility has signed contracts leasing network space to a Joplin hospital and cellular phone service provider. "We've got a bunch of capacity, and if you need any, just give us a call," Bass said. The sound you just heard was CU's Robert Roundtree yelling "I told you so."

ACQUISITIVE. Springfield's All States Collection Service has been acquired by MedSource Inc. The purchase was announced Jan. 30 by the New Jersey- and Tennessee-based MedSource, a holding company for patient-accounting and health care bill-collection services providers. John Willis, owner and president of All States, will remain as general manager of the 1722 S. Glenstone office. Willis founded the company, which will retain its name, in 1980. Chip Hellmann Jr., president, chief operating officer and director of MedSource, said in a release that the acquisition will bring MedSource's annual revenues to more than $27 million. "In addition, it enables our company to provide services to an expanded geographic region," Hellmann said. Willis added that the company "will be able to provide many additional services to our health care customers that we were previously unable to provide."

WEALTHY RIDER. The well-heeled members of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association will two-wheel into Springburg atop their expensive machines June 30-July 3, 1999. The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau announced Feb. 2 that the group's Wing Ding, with more than 11,000 folks renting more than 5,300 hotel rooms, will be held right here in the wholesome Sturgis of the Ozarks. The city was able to attract the event despite the prejudiced disparagement of upstanding citizens appearing in this space in January. For the record: Motorcyclists are people, too, and sometimes professionals with plenty of disposable income. Look in the news pages of next week's SBJ for an in-depth look at this upcoming event and how the Ozark Empire Fair's E-Plex helped snag the Wing Ding.

O'PARADE. After we get this Valentine's Day stuff done with, preparation for a real holiday can begin. Entries are now being accepted for the 18th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, to be held March 14 in downtown Springfield. Paraders must pre-register, for free, to walk, ride, crawl or drive in the celebration. Prizes will be awarded for best float ($500), best costume, best Irish pet and best out-of-town entries, among many others. Call Pat Flanigan at 865-6651 for more information.

SLICE OF NICE. You can still share a heart to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks at area McDonald's restaurants. With a $1 donation, given at an area McDonald's, you can autograph a paper heart that will be displayed at that restaurant through Feb. 14. Every heart comes with an official entry form for the May 2 drawing for a Ranger Sport R73 dual console boat and RangerTrail trailer, donated by Sport Boats USA Ltd. and Ranger Boats. The 1998 Share a Heart Campaign is expected to provide more than 20 percent of the funds necessary to operate the Ronald McDonald House in 1998. This year is also the 10th anniversary of the Ozarks Ronald McDonald House, which is a home away from home for many families whose children are being treated at nearby hospitals. The house has assisted more than 3,300 families.

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