Overheard

With repeated phone calls to City Utilities unanswered or unable to get through, several customers drove to CU headquarters Jan. 15 to report power outages or to seek information only to discover this sign: “Offices closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day.” Just days earlier, Gov. Matt Blunt declared a state of emergency due to the ice storms that left more than 200,000 Missourians and 75,000 CU customers without power. CU spokesman Ern DeCamp said that the utility’s offices and normal administrative functions were closed in observance of the national holiday, though that did not affect the crews working in the streets and at substations around the clock during the weekend and into the week.

Chocolate Dream Delays

Delays tied to equipment fabrication, shipping and a last-minute packaging redesign have pushed back the grand opening of Askinosie Chocolate, 514 E. Commercial St. Owner Shawn Askinosie, a prominent Springfield criminal defense attorney, had originally hoped to have the small-batch chocolate factory open for the holidays. Earlier this month, Askinosie received the last of his customized equipment from South America, along with a third of his annual cacao bean supply. With some testing and refining of his top-secret recipe, Askinosie should be selling his premium dark chocolate sooner than later.

Shelton’s ‘Things Considered’

KSMU reporter Missy Shelton guest reported on NPR’s “All Things Considered” on Jan. 15. Shelton’s report, “Ice Storm Leaves 30 Dead in Lower Midwest,” covered damages in Oklahoma, Missouri Gov. Blunt’s response to the storm and the help offered by Springfield shelters. Shelton also interviewed City Utilities spokesman Ern DeCamp for the nationally aired piece. The story also appeared on NPR’s home page, www.npr.org.

OTC Survives $10,000 Ads

Open auditions for the CBS reality show “Survivor” cost Ozarks Technical Community College nearly $10,000, and school officials say it was money well spent. OTC bought an advertising package from KOLR 10 that included the right to hold the event, said OTC President Hal Higdon. Ads running since December promoted the auditions and the school in general. Higdon said the advertising associated with the auditions was the impetus. “This was a bargain for us,” he said. “You couldn’t watch a program (on CBS) without seeing that ‘Survivor’ was coming to OTC.” Funding came from money already budgeted for commercials to promote spring enrollment. The casting call drew about 200 people.

Chick-Fil-A for a Year

When Chick-Fil-A opens its first stand-alone restaurant Jan. 25 at 3700 S. Glenstone Ave., 100 patrons will receive a year’s supply of chicken. Before opening at 6:30 a.m., $26,000 worth of combo meals will be given to the first 100 adults in line – that’s 52 coupons for each person. Chick-Fil-A officials say the line can begin forming up to 24 hours prior to opening.[[In-content Ad]]