Overheard

Springfield-based Harry Cooper Supply Co. is undergoing a roughly $200,000, 4,000-square-foot showroom addition in Branson. Professional plumbers and electricians have shopped at the Branson store at 209 Rosewood Drive for 11 years, but Jan Stahle, the store’s general manager, said the addition is meant to lure do-it-yourselfers away from the “orange box” and the “blue box,” aka The Home Depot and Lowe’s. The Home Depot opened in March at Branson’s new $33 million Branson Hills Plaza, and there’s a Lowe’s in Hollister. Branson-based WCI Inc. is general contractor of Harry Cooper Supply’s project, which has an estimated completion date of July 5. An open house is scheduled for July 27.

Legislative Aid

Missouri State University handed its legislative consultant, Jerry Burch, a 3 percent pay increase, bringing his annual contract to $72,900. The increase is consistent with the pool provided for MSU employees. Additionally, Burch gets reimbursed for expenses, is paid mileage and receives an $8,400-a-year stipend for “training and supervising” MSU’s legislative interns. Burch has served as MSU’s legislative consultant for 16 years.

1,000,000 Hours

SCI Engineering Inc. executives say its employees have worked more than 1 million hours combined without a lost-time accident. The milestone follows another reached in May 2005, when the company passed 1,000 days without a lost-time accident.

Busted

Archive footage of a Southwest Missouri State University Bears football game appeared on a June 22 airing of Discovery Channel’s “MythBusters.” “Myth” guys Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman were testing the differences in footballs filled with helium versus regular air. At least three times, very short clips showed kickoffs and field goal attempts at Plaster Field, with an “SMS” sign easily visible. So how’d that happen? The credits noted MSU’s athletic department provided the footage. TV.com says the episode, No. 58 and in season three, first aired Feb. 1. By the way, the myth was busted – helium-filled footballs do not fly farther.

Slice of Nice

At least one area charity says it was financially devastated last year due to the help provided to Gulf Coast hurricane victims. Springfield-based A Sporting Chance Director Dick Jones says small local charities were overlooked as people made donations throughout the year. His group is facing a $10,000 funding gap after receiving $34,500 less than normal last year. “We were actually told that donations normally made to us had been redirected to the hurricane relief,” Jones wrote in a letter, one of 400 sent, seeking help. The group is asking for a $25 tax-deductible donation to sponsor a child; 100 percent of the money raised will go to program costs, the letter said. A Sporting Chance provides sports and recreation programs for persons with disabilities or who are disadvantaged, abused or neglected in a 26-county area. Last year, 2,354 individuals were served.