Southwest Missouri News

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Branson|ret||ret||tab|

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Aldermen set legislative agenda|ret||ret||tab|

The Branson Board of Aldermen passed a resolution approving its 2002 legislative agenda for the Missouri Gen-eral Assembly session that runs from January to May, according to a press release from the city of Branson.|ret||ret||tab|

Each year city officials define their position on various bills and such issues are discussed with state legislators during monthly visits by city officials to Jefferson City.|ret||ret||tab|

Positions stated on the legislative agenda historically have been supported by Branson, including positions identified by the Missouri Municipal League, recommendations from the city's lobbyist, Rodney Gray, and issues generated by city staff.|ret||ret||tab|

Some of the items Branson supports:|ret||ret||tab|

Initiatives to improve Missouri's transportation system.|ret||ret||tab|

Initiatives to increase funding for tourism promotion to attract more visitors to the state.|ret||ret||tab|

Missouri's current meet-and-confer law for public employees.|ret||ret||tab|

The use of urban core tax increment finance legislation to allow the use of new state sales tax revenues for city de-velopment projects when the funds are used to help provide public facilities and needed public infrastructure.|ret||ret||tab|

Legislative revisions of Chapter 610 R.S.Mo. to allow economic development projects to be negotiated in closed sessions similar to the exemption that exists for the purchase or sale of real estate.|ret||ret||tab|

Efforts to balance the region's heal-thy economy with protection of natural resources and legislation that mandates maximum levels of phosphorus and ni-trates for Missouri lakes, rivers and streams.|ret||ret||tab|

Legislation addressing state regulation of timeshare sales.|ret||ret||tab|

Legislation that will enable affordable health care plans for small businesses.|ret||ret||tab|

A funding initiative for homeland security to provide money and equipment for first responders.|ret||ret||tab|

Some of the items Branson opposes:|ret||ret||tab|

Any legislation that allows the expansion of legalized gambling in southwest Missouri.|ret||ret||tab|

Legislation that would interfere with municipal authority to determine personnel or merit system rules and regulations.|ret||ret||tab|

Legislation that would exempt any government entity from being subject to the contribution requirements of the tax increment allocation fund, and opposition to any attempt to change the purposes or types of development permitted un-der the TIF law.|ret||ret||tab|

Any reduction of local regulatory au-thority over developers.|ret||ret||tab|

Any attempt to legislate a mandatory collective bargaining law for public em-ployees.|ret||ret||tab|

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Carthage|ret||ret||tab|

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Ott Food Products to merge|ret||ret||tab|

Carthage-based Ott Food Products has announced plans to merge with Albert's Foods of Omaha, Neb.|ret||ret||tab|

The combined companies will operate as Ott Food Products, with the Omaha operation to shut down later this month and production to move to Carthage.|ret||ret||tab|

Company officials said that Ott recently upgraded its packaging line equipment and has additional production capacity. |ret||ret||tab|

The merger will allow the company to produce more of its food products. The company will be adding more production jobs, but the number is not yet known.|ret||ret||tab|

Ott employs 13 to 14 production workers making salad dressing, barbecue sauce and white sauces for many of the largest grocery store companies in the country, including Wal-Mart.|ret||ret||tab|

Albert's Fine Foods is a privately held company that has been in business for 62 years, posting between $3.5 million and $4 million in sales a year.|ret||ret||tab|

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Joplin|ret||ret||tab|

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Freeman adds PET imaging|ret||ret||tab|

Freeman Health System in Joplin now provides positron emission tomography imaging, a service that aids in the diagnosis of cancer, heart disease and neurological disorders, according to a Free-man press release. |ret||ret||tab|

Patients who once had to travel to Springfield, Kansas City or Tulsa, Okla., for PET imaging can now access the mo-bile PET equipment stationed at Free-man East in Joplin every Saturday.|ret||ret||tab|

PET is advanced imaging technology that produces images of the body's biological functions, including organs at work, and unlike other technologies that show body structure, PET images provide functional or metabolic information about the organs.|ret||ret||tab|

PET can reveal information about disease processes before a physical change has occurred, and it can detect some problems earlier.|ret||ret||tab|

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J.P. Morgan to buy SST Inc.|ret||ret||tab|

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. has signed an agreement to purchase Systems and Services Technology Inc., which em-ploys 150 people in Joplin.|ret||ret||tab|

SST employs about 650 people in St. Joseph, where it began in 1997. It handles more than 250,000 loans and leases in the automobile sector. SST opened a loan-servicing center in Joplin in 2001.|ret||ret||tab|

Under the deal, SST will operate as a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan within the firm's Institutional Trust Services. No sales price was disclosed.|ret||ret||tab|

J.P. Morgan is one of the country's leading financial services firms, with as-sets of more than $700 billion.|ret||ret||tab|

In 2001, the company reported more than $60 billion in revenue and ranked 12th on the list of Fortune 500 companies.|ret||ret||tab|

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Mount Vernon|ret||ret||tab|

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Chamber plans newcomer packet|ret||ret||tab|

Members of the retail committee of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce are working on a "Welcome to Mount Vernon" packet.|ret||ret||tab|

The idea is to welcome newcomers and acquaint them with businesses in town that are members of the chamber. The group hopes to get the program started this winter.|ret||ret||tab|

Officials are asking Mount Vernon area businesses to provide items such as discount coupons for the packets.|ret||ret||tab|

Each newcomer to the Mount Vernon School District will receive a voucher to take to the chamber office to pick up a "Welcome to Mount Vernon" packet. |ret||ret||tab|

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Neosho|ret||ret||tab|

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Chamber honors teachers|ret||ret||tab|

The Neosho Area Chamber of Com-merce's Education Committee recently honored teachers with a special luncheon.|ret||ret||tab|

More than 300 teachers and support staff attended the annual pizza luncheon sponsored by La-Z-Boy Midwest, Caf Santa Fe, Pick & Save Variety, Shoney's and Southwest Support Services.[[In-content Ad]]