Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Realtor board members appointed

LaNora Kay of Stone Bridge Village Realty was named the new president of the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors at its annual banquet Dec. 2 at the Chateau on the Lake near Branson.

Kay has been a member of the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors since 1993, serving as president-elect in 2000, and also as a past chair of the education and public relations committees.

Kay, who also founded the board's International Committee, told banquet attendees that she is ready to move the local board into the forefront of international real estate and new technology.

"I want our organization to be ahead of the curve.' Home ownership is the great American dream," Kay said. "New Americans come to this country to pursue the dream. It's up to us as Realtors to respond to their needs."

Other officers of the board include Karen Anderson of Stone Bridge Village Realty as president-elect, Harriet Leenerts of Century 21 Gerken and Associates as secretary-treasurer, and Mark Weisz of Weisz Commercial Realty as immediate past president.

Networking event open to public

The first "Movers & Shakers" Christmas networking reception is scheduled 1-4 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Branson Regional Economic Development Association in downtown Branson. The event, sponsored by Yung Design Group and Cutting Edge Technologies, is open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, call 334-4149.

Event benefits Boys and Girls Club

The Downtown Branson Main Street Association will hold its Candlelight Christmas from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec.10. Santa will be at Kendall Co. Christmas & Toys both days, and a Christmas workshop for children is scheduled during the weekend at the DBMA office.

Downtown Branson shoppers can also contribute to the Giving Trees located at First Community Bank, IGA-Thriftway, Branson Daily News and the Downtown Branson Main Street office. Each Giving Tree has ornaments containing the name of a resident of a local nursing home or a member of the Lake Country Boys & Girls Clubs.

Contributors are asked to take home an ornament, purchase the suggested gift and return it to the Giving Tree. The gifts will be delivered to the recipients by Dec. 15 in time for their Christmas parties.

Hollister

Railroad hosts holiday event

Santa Claus will appear at 6 p.m. Dec. 17 in Hollister via the Missouri and Northern Railroad Santa Train. Children can tour the train and visit with Santa Claus. Each child will receive a bag of candy and an "Operation Lifesaver" coloring book.

Other activities, beginning earlier at 4:30 p.m. at the Hollister Railroad Depot, include watching Christmas videos, music by the Hollister Elementary Choir, the singing of Christmas carols and refreshments. The event is sponsored by the city of Hollister, Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce and area merchants.

Carthage

Leggett & Platt acquires new plant

Leggett & Platt Inc. filed Dec. 1 with regulators to sell up to $500 million in medium-term notes, the company said in a news release. The terms will be specified at a later date.

The company may use the net proceeds from the shelf offering for working capital, capital spending, stock redemption, debt repayment or acquisitions, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

In other Leggett & Platt news, the company has purchased the former Big Smith manufacturing plant in Carthage.

At a public auction Nov. 30, Leggett & Platt made the high bid of $185,000 for two buildings and a 140-space parking lot on Howard Street, just southeast of the Carthage square.

The buildings are to be used for research and development, storage and showroom space.

Leggett & Platt has 1,500 employees in about 10 buildings throughout Carthage.

Big Smith closed its Carthage plant in April.

Joplin

Wal-Mart aids local church

A day of shopping at Wal-Mart recently paid off for an area charity.

On Dec. 2, the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 15th and Rangeline was among the Wal-Mart stores nationwide to give a percentage of net sales on that day to nonprofit organizations.

The Joplin store gave its donation to Crossline Churches of Joplin.