Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Gas Busters provides rebate cards

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced the Gas Busters promotion which offers visitors perks for paying up at the pump.

Visitors to the Branson/Lakes Area can present their driver's license and a gas receipt dated within two days of the date presented and receive $40 worth of rebates redeemable at Branson area shows, attractions, and lodging properties, according to a chamber press release.

Available only at the chamber's Welcome Center, visitors receive a punch card and listing of participating properties and can begin saving money immediately.

The rebates are available in $4 increments for lodging (5 spaces totaling $20) and $2 increments for shows and attractions (10 spaces totaling $20).

Redemption is restricted to two tickets per theater/attraction and one punch per room, per night. The offer is good May 15 through Sept.15. One punch card is allowed per vehicle, per Branson visit.

The promotion is designed to offer visitors the difference paid for gasoline to make the roundtrip drive. On average, Branson customers drive 600 miles roundtrip to reach the destination.

With more than 83 percent of Branson's 7 million customers arriving via automobile, Branson is one of the country's top drive-to destinations, the chamber stated.

Eye center joins area chamber

The Tri-Lakes Eye Center in Branson recently celebrated its membership in the Table Rock Lake/Kimberling City Area Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Dr. Tom Morrison, who specializes in cataract surgery, is the primary doctor at the Branson facility, which also offers refractive surgery.

Tri-Lakes Eye Center, in business since 1982, recently opened a satellite office in Branson West offering a full line of eye care and laser vision correction services.

Joplin

Catholic Health Initiatives honored

St. John's Regional Medical Center's parent organization, Catholic Health Initiatives, has won the 2001 National Quality Health Care Award.

"This award reflects the commitment to quality care that is the highest priority throughout Catholic Health Initiatives, including here at St. John's," said Gary Rowe, St. John's chief executive officer.

Patricia A. Cahill, president of Catholic Health Initiatives, accepted the annual award April 11 in Washington, D.C., cosponsored by the National Committee for Quality Health Care and Modern Health-care magazine.

Owens Corning reports on plan

Six months after Owens Corning declared bankruptcy due to asbestos litigation, the company reports that its financial reorganization is going well.

"Financial reorganization entails a comprehensive review of every aspect of our business," said Maura Abeln Smith, senior vice president, general counsel and chief restructuring officer for Owens Corning. "We are on track to complete this task and develop and obtain approval for a comprehensive plan of reorganization."

Owens Corning owns a plant in the Joplin-Webb City Industrial Park.

LaBarge reports earnings increase

LaBarge Inc. reported that earnings for its third quarter were up sharply, as were sales and earnings per share.

The company reported that during its third quarter, which ended April 1, earnings came to more than $1.2 million, or 8 cents per share. That compares with earnings of $129,000 and 1 cent per share for the third quarter of last year.

Joplin's LaBarge Plant, which employs approximately 200 people, is part of the manufacturing services group. LaBarge, which also has other Midwest plants, is based in St. Louis.

Earnings for the first nine months of the company's fiscal year came to $2.6 million, or 17 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $533,000, or 3 cents per share, for the same period in 2000.

Sales came to $32.4 million for the three-month period, up 46 percent when compared with sales of $22.1 million for the same period last year.

Sales for the nine months came to $83.6 million, up 55 percent when compared with last year's figure of $53.8 million.

"The excellent performance of our manufacturing services business, which represented 97 percent of revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2001, is driving ongoing success," Craig LaBarge, chief executive officer and president, said in a prepared statement. "Gains in sales and earnings are a direct result of the new business structure that LaBarge has implemented in the last two years to support sustainable growth."

LaBarge said that growth looks strong for the fourth quarter, and that sales and earnings during the next three months will be as strong as the third-quarter results.

"This translates to net sales of approximately $116 million and earnings per share of approximately 25 cents for the fiscal year that will end July 1, 2001," he said. "Additionally, we are very encouraged by our prospects for fiscal 2002, and expect full-year sales and earnings will exceed fiscal 2001 levels."

Heilig-Meyers to close its stores

Heilig-Meyers has announced plans to close all of its remaining stores, including its Joplin location.

The closing will result in the loss of 10 jobs. More than 3,200 Heilig-Meyers employees will be laid off nationwide as the retailer closes 375 stores. All of the stores are expected to close by late summer after a liquidation sale.

The chain closed its Neosho store in August 2000, when it filed for bankruptcy. At that time, more than 300 other Heilig-Meyers stores were closed around the country, and 4,400 jobs were lost.

Heilig-Meyers, which began in 1913, had 1,249 stores nationwide at its peak. The only part of the company that will survive the closeout and bankruptcy are the 70 to 80 locations that operate under the Roomstore division.

Company officials said the decision to liquidate the chain was made as the result of "significant losses," and the trend was expected to continue downward. Heilig-Meyers, based in Richmond, Va., said it lost $795 million in its most recent fiscal year, which ended Feb. 28. That compared with a loss of $58.6 million in the previous fiscal year.

Lamar

County chamber holds banquet

At the Barton County Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet, Mike Buchanan was elected president, replacing Kathy Jenkins.

Buchanan is president of First National Bank in Lamar.

Barton County Implement was named the Agribusiness of the Year, while Eastside Amoco was named Business of the Year. Shirley Curless, of Liberal, received the Volunteer Spirit Award for her work with Meals on Wheels and coordinating the Liberal Fall Festival.

Gerald Gilkey, Lamar's outgoing mayor, was honored with the Truman Award for his service to the city.