Southwest Missouri News

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Branson|ret||ret||tab|

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City holds meeting on center|ret||ret||tab|

The Branson Board of Aldermen and Taney County Commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. June 18 in council chambers at Branson City Hall for a presentation on a proposed waterfront development on Lake Taneycomo that includes a convention center.|ret||ret||tab|

The Jacobsen Group of Sydney, Australia, is proposing a convention and exhibition center, plus retail commercial development on the Taneycomo waterfront, according to a release from the city of Branson.|ret||ret||tab|

According to Branson City Administrator Terry Dody, the Jacobsen Group is one of several convention center developers that have approached him and Branson Regional Economic Development Association Director Mike Rankin in the last year regarding lakefront developments that might include convention facilities.|ret||ret||tab|

Dody added that neither the city nor the county has made any financial commitment or formal endorsement of the proposed project.|ret||ret||tab|

The Jacobsen Group is a 41-year-old Australian company that specializes in management and direction of venues and facilities, and presentation and promotion of live entertainment. The company is a shareholder in seven venues in Australia, including Sydney's Olympic Stadium. |ret||ret||tab|

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Compton Ridge wins award|ret||ret||tab|

Compton Ridge Campground and the Sims family were honored June 7 with the Small Business of the Year award of the Small Business Advisory Council of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.|ret||ret||tab|

"We are pleased to award Compton Ridge with the Small Business of the Year," said Randy Fiveash, president and chief executive officer of the chamber and CVB, in a press release. "Throughout the years, Compton Ridge has been a tremendous example of doing what it takes for a business to succeed in the marketplace."|ret||ret||tab|

Owned and operated by the Sims family since 1968, Compton Ridge Campground has grown and developed over the years. In addition to its highly requested 80-square-foot kitchen shelters, Compton Ridge this year added cabins and rental travel trailers in response to growing demand for lodging experiences beyond a motel room or condo. The business also added catering and carry-out service for customers in the Branson West area.|ret||ret||tab|

The June 7 awards banquet was the third such event to be held by the chamber. The program for the banquet, which was held at the Radisson Hotel Branson, was presented by Kenneth Johnson, president of the Automobile Club of Missouri.|ret||ret||tab|

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Tall Timber Lumberjack opens|ret||ret||tab|

The Tall Timber Lumberjack Show opened at 1 p.m. June 16 at 681 Long Lonesome Trail on Indian Point, 1 1/2 miles south of the entrance to Silver Dollar City.|ret||ret||tab|

The 70-minute show features lumberjack skills and competitions such as pole climbing, wood chopping, ax throwing and log rolling, according to a press release from Tall Timber. The 15-event show sets two lumberjack camps against each other in competition for the title of Bull of the Woods.|ret||ret||tab|

The Tall Timber staff includes world champion log roller Dan McDonough, traditional speed climbing champion Kasey Swenson and Southern Illinois 1998 Bull of the Woods Chris Slago. |ret||ret||tab|

The Tall Timber Lumberjack Show is presented at 1 and 6 p.m. daily, rain or shine. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for children age 5-12 and free for children under age 5.|ret||ret||tab|

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Carthage|ret||ret||tab|

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Leggett & Platt Q2 sales lower|ret||ret||tab|

Leggett & Platt has announced that second-quarter sales will be below management's earlier expectations because of additional weakening of market demand. |ret||ret||tab|

Through the first eight weeks of the quarter, same-location sales were down 12.2 percent versus the same period last year, and overall sales (including incremental sales from acquisitions) were down 4.5 percent. The company had previously expected same location sales to decline by 6 percent to 8 percent in the second quarter.|ret||ret||tab|

Second-quarter earnings are expected to be 23 to 27 cents per diluted share. This is within the company's prior guidance of 23 to 30 cents for the quarter. The change is solely due to reduced sales expectations as a result of weakness in the economy.|ret||ret||tab|

Leggett & Platt reported that weaker market demand has impacted all segments in which the company operates. Same-location sales declined for the first eight weeks of the second quarter: 10 percent in residential furnishings, 11 percent in commercial furnishings, 18 percent in aluminum products, 26 percent in industrial materials, and 10 percent in specialized products.|ret||ret||tab|

Though the economic downturn is significantly affecting earnings, the company said it is achieving incremental earnings improvement through implementation of its Tactical Plan, which was announced last September. |ret||ret||tab|

Since last fall, Leggett & Platt has sold, closed or consolidated 10 plants; it has reduced full-time-equivalent headcount by about 2,000 people; it has reorganized the management structure of the commercial fixtures group; it has removed $7 million in overhead from aluminum operations; it has reduced the acquisition pace to about 50 percent of the 1999 and 2000 levels; it has reduced capex spending to its lowest level in three years; and has repurchased about 3 million shares of stock (much of which was offset by issuance in employee plans). |ret||ret||tab|

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Joplin|ret||ret||tab|

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Edward Jones reps join Club|ret||ret||tab|

Three investment representatives with Edward Jones in Joplin have been named to the President's Club of the American Funds Group.|ret||ret||tab|

The representatives are Dan Stanley, Christy Herrin Hamilton and Donald Swanson.|ret||ret||tab|

Appointment to the President's Club is one of the organization's highest honors for stockbrokers and financial planners.|ret||ret||tab|

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Carpet One has new owner|ret||ret||tab|

Larry Knoblauch is the new owner of Cope's Carpet One. He purchased the store from Stan Cope on May 1.|ret||ret||tab|

Knoblauch started working for Cope's as a teenage delivery boy 36 years ago. He was named store manager in 1986.|ret||ret||tab|

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Lamar|ret||ret||tab|

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DED approves new zone|ret||ret||tab|

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has approved portions of the city of Lamar as an enterprise zone.|ret||ret||tab|

Eligible businesses that locate in an enterprise zone may earn tax credits for up to 10 years based on the number of new jobs and new investments.|ret||ret||tab|

A business could reduce its total Missouri income tax by up to 100 percent through this program. Lamar's enterprise zone also includes a sliding scale of local property tax breaks for up to a 25-year period.|ret||ret||tab|

The Barton County Chamber of Commerce, through its economic development affiliate, the Barton County Community Development Corp., has local responsibility for marketing the enterprise zone incentives to new and existing businesses.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition, the group will help the state and the Barton County assessor in determining if a prospective business is eligible for enterprise zone benefits.|ret||ret||tab|

The enterprise zone comprises an area covering approximately two thirds of the city, including most of the primary business district and all of the industrial park.|ret||ret||tab|

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