Overheard

Springfield-based Russell Cellular & Satellite opened its second Jonesboro, Ark., location May 19, boosting the company’s number of outlets to 44. The new location is a kiosk in the Northeast Arkansas Mall. Russell, an authorized agent for Alltel, Dish Network and DirecTV, has locations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Missouri. It has three Springfield stores.

Signature Gift

Visions of a $3.4 million cancer care center at St. John’s Hospital-Lebanon are much closer to reality after the hospital received a “signature gift” from Lebanon’s Curry family. The family, which owns Central Bank, has requested that foundation officials not disclose the specific amount donated, but hospital officials said the new center will carry the family’s name.

The Curry Cancer Center will provide comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and support to area cancer patients. A fund-raising campaign is under way for the 3,000-square-foot center and other hospital expansion. I.T. Curry and a group of shareholders organized Central Bank in 1917, calling it State Savings Bank. There are now six branches.

New-Look Food Bank

Ozarks Food Harvest is unveiling a new logo June 6, in conjunction with National Hunger Awareness Day. The logo is a red apple with a white heart in the center. Along with the logo, the charity has a new mission statement: Transforming Hunger into Hope. Springfield graphics artist Matt Graif designed the logo.

“I wanted to represent the generosity and compassion of Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission,” said Graif, who is also a board member, in a news release.

Food bank Executive Director Bart Brown said the logo appeals to the emotions and better symbolizes what the organization does. Ozarks Food Harvest, which acquires and distributes food to a network of charities, will hold a fund-raiser during Springfield Cardinals games June 10 and 11. American Family Insurance, event sponsor, will pass out 10,000 items in exchange for nonperishable food or monetary donations.

Petition failures

Two initiative petitions submitted for the November ballot failed to meet state requirements, causing Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to reject them. The petitions dealt with eminent domain (Article I amendment) and an annual spending limit on state government (Article XIV). The signature pages for both petitions were not submitted in order and numbered sequentially by county. Also, the eminent domain petition was found to have an insufficient ballot title affixed to the petition pages. The Associated Press reported that Missourians in Charge proposed both measures and spent $1.5 million collecting the signatures. The group can file a lawsuit to challenge Carnahan’s ruling.