Overheard

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has sent Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski Missouri-branded beef, Missouri wines and a basket of AgriMissouri goodies after the Oregon State Beavers defeated the University of Missouri Tigers in the Dec. 29 Sun Bowl. The two governors made a gentlemen’s wager on the game, which Missouri lost 39-38; Kulongoski, a Mizzou graduate, put up Oregon craft microbrews, three wheels of Rogue Creamery bleu cheese and fresh Oregon seafood.

“I am excited to showcase Missouri’s fine products to Governor Ted Kulongoski and the state of Oregon,” Blunt said. The taste-of-Missouri basket of AgriMissouri products contained Show Me BBQ, Fitz’s Root Beer, Persimmon Hill Gourmet Foods blueberry amaretto syrup and Bekemeier’s Fruit Butters apple butter.

Awards Stacking Up

Springfield businessman Jack Stack can add another trophy to his repertoire. In April, the SRC Holdings Corp. president and CEO will receive Ozarks Technical Community College’s 2007 Excellence in Business Award. A seminar entitled “A Conversation With Jack Stack” is slated for 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 13 at OTC’s multipurpose hall. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased by calling (417) 447-8888. The event is in partnership with OTC Students in Free Enterprise and is sponsored by OnMedia/Mediacom, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Springfield Business Journal. Stack also has received SBJ’s Lifetime Achievement in Business Award and the chamber’s Springfieldian award.

Storm Smarts

KOLR-10 and Ozarks Fox Chief Meteorologist Ted Keller is teaching a weather class this spring at Ozarks Technical Community College. Beginning Jan. 29, the class will cover the atmospheric changes that produce thunderstorms and tornados. It meets 7-8:15 p.m. Monday through March 26. According to OTC’s continuing education catalog, Ozarks tornadoes in the past two years will be reviewed and analyzed. The cost for the course is $52. For more information, call (417) 447-8888.

Slice of Nice

Live and silent auctions during the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture raised more than $10,000 for the Missouri 4-H Foundation, the FFA Leadership Fund, Agriculture Future of America and Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow. The auctions were held during the Dec. 10 Taste of AgriMissouri dinner during the agricultural conference at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach. More than 620 producers, farmers and agricultural industry leaders attended the two-day event. The highest-priced item was the Missouri State Fair Grand Champion cured ham donated by Murphy Enterprises Inc. and purchased for $1,800 by Orscheln’s in Moberly.

Twice of Nice

The Junior League of Springfield’s March 17 Pitter Pat 5K Run/Walk will benefit Isabel’s House, the Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks. Registration begins at 7 a.m., and the run/walk starts at 8 a.m. at the corner of Scenic Avenue and Bennett Street. The entry fee is $15 for pre-registered adults and $20 the day of the event; children 14 and under are $10 at pre-registration and $15 the day of event. Pre-registration is available at www.jlspringfield.org. For more information, e-mail pitterpat@jlspringfield.org or call (417) 891-9858.