Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Museum honors military history

The 12,000-square-foot Veterans Memorial Museum/Branson opened Oct. 16 on W. 76 Country Music Blvd. in Branson. The opening was marked by the 25-foot raising and setting in place of a restored P-51 Mustang fighter plane at the front of the museum. Co-owner of the museum, Glenn Witzenburg, said the museum contains more than 2,000 exhibits honoring all branches of military service and reviewing the wars of the 20th century including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam and Persian Gulf conflicts.

Witzenburg said a special feature of the museum will be the world's longest bronze sculpture, measuring more than 70 feet and created by Fred Hoppe, nationally known sculptor, and creator and co-owner of the museum. The sculpture will feature 50 life-size soldiers storming the shores of Normandy. The figures were each modeled after a veteran from each state in the union.

The museum's architect was Tom Treat of Treat Associates Architects and the builder was Larry Snyder & Co., both of Branson. Witzenburg estimated the cost of construction along with the estimated appraised value of the bronze sculptures to be "approaching $7 million."

The museum is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. An official grand opening is set for 2 p.m. on Nov. 10.

SDC shifts personnel, expands

Silver Dollar City Corporation CEO and President Mel Bilbo has made changes in his upper management team. Bilbo has named Rick Todd, who has more the 30 years of experience with the company, as corporate vice president of strategic planning. Rick Baker, who has 25-plus years with the company, will fill Todd's role of corporate vice president of product development.

Silver Dollar City Corporation also reported that it has approval in Stone Mountain, Ga., to move forward with a 15-year development plan in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., a new water park with partner Dolly Parton is under construction for a 2001 opening and, in Branson, construction is underway for a five-inversion coaster called Wildfire at the Silver Dollar City theme park.

Hollister

Board meeting goes mobile

Hollister Mayor David Tate, the city's four members of the Board of Aldermen and Hollister City Administrator John Lewis have scheduled two citywide tours to view the city's rapid growth in commercial, retail and housing development. The officials will also have an opportunity to review planned improvements for the city, the Hollister Industrial Park, South Towne Center and Highway 65.

City officials toured Ward I Oct. 17 with a final stop at Nowell's Foods in the South Towne Center. At 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, city officials will tour Ward II with a final stop at Wade In-Wade Out Convenience Store on BB Highway.

In a press release, Tate said, "Since it is not always convenient for folks to come to a city council meeting, I will take the city council to the citizens of Hollister."

Residential building healthy

According to the City of Hollister, permits have been issued with estimated construction values totaling $8 million dollars from January through mid-September. An additional $1.5 million in construction permits is expected to be issued by the end of the year. Of the total, $1.6 million in estimated construction values are attributed to 23 single-family dwelling permits. Mayor David Tate said future residential development is possible without annexation because the city still has 240 acres of undeveloped property zoned for residential use.

Chamber aids Lowe's hiring

Applications for employment at the new Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse are available at the Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce. According to the company's area human resources manager Rodney Lee, Lowe's has a projected opening date in late January or early February of next year. The store is under construction next to the South Towne Center in south Hollister. Gary Demster, new store manager for Lowe's in Hollister, met with Hollister city officials earlier this month.

Jasper County

Local farmers eligible for aid

Jasper County was among the southwest Missouri counties that were included in a state request for federal disaster assistance from the Department of Agriculture. Help is being sought for farmers affected by drought during the growing season.

In addition to Jasper County, other southwest Missouri counties include Barry, Barton, Newton and McDonald.

If the aid is approved, farmers would be eligible for low interest loans to be used to restore or replace property, cover all or part of production costs this year, pay essential family living expenses, reorganize farm operations and refinance debt.

Joplin

Average home sale price dips

The average price of a home sold in Joplin during September was $74,323, according to figures provided by the Joplin Board of Realtors.

In August, the average price was $88,073 for the Joplin area. The price in September 1999 was $77,979.

According to the board, 130 homes were sold in the Joplin area during September, and 991 homes were actively on the market.

The average number of days a home that sold in September spent on the market was 104.

St. John's gets accreditation

St. John's Regional Medical Center has once again achieved accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation on Healthcare Organizations as a result of its demonstrated compliance with the Joint Commission's health care standards.

Formed in 1951, the Joint Commission is dedicated to improving the quality of the nation's health care through voluntary accreditation. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's predominant accrediting body in health care.

"Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization wide improvement in an organization's performance and the outcomes of care," said Russell P. Massaro, executive vice president, division of accreditation operations, Joint Commission, in a prepared statement. "The community should be proud that St. John's is focusing on the most challenging goal to continuously raise quality to higher levels."

The Joint Commission's standards set forth performance expectations for activities that affect the quality of patient care. The standards address an organization's level of performance in key functional areas, such as patients' rights, and the standards focus not simply on what the organization has, but what it actually does.

The Joint Commission's on-site survey occurred in late July.

Gary Rowe, president and CEO of St. John's, called the accreditation, "proof of an organization wide commitment to provide quality care on an ongoing basis."

College enrollment rises again

Enrollment has increased this fall at Missouri Southern State College, for the fourth consecutive year, making the total number of students the highest since 1992.

The number of students enrolled is 5,785, an increase of almost 2.5 percent from the same period in 1999.

"We feel the figures represent an increased awareness of the outstanding educational value we offer," said Dr. Julio Leon, MSSC president, in a press release.

Students crossing state lines to take classes at Missouri Southern totaled 733 this fall, compared with 707 in the fall of 1999.

The college also experienced an 8 percent increase in part-time students. This spike is being credited, in part, to Missouri Southern's Distance Learning program, as well as to students taking light loads on the main campus.