Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Travel conference draws hundreds

Nearly 400 retail travel agents, tour operators and group leaders from 28 states and Canada attended Destined For Branson 2000 July 13-16. The four-day conference was developed to showcase Branson area attractions, shows, restaurants, lodging establishments and receptive tour operators, the sponsors of the event. Funds were raised from national companies including Prevost Motor Car, Neoplan, Motor Coach Industries, Group Tour Magazine, escortnotes.com and Signature Hospitality.

"We know the best method to sell Branson is to let the trade industry buyers experience it themselves," said Ed Michel, chairman and founder of the event. Representatives from the Gateway Cities of Springfield Kansas City, St.Charles/St. Louis and Overland Park, Kan. greeted participants flying into the cities' airports.

Hospital opens new building

The grand opening celebration of Skaggs Outpatient Center in Branson will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Aug. 5. The public is invited to tour the five-story facility, enjoy refreshments, and sign up for prizes, including a Hawaiian vacation. The new 112,000-square-foot clinic opened this month on the campus of Skaggs Community Health Center.

Hospital hires two directors

Skaggs Community Health Center also announced the hiring of two key department directors. Bob Denton, RN, assumed the duties in May as the director of emergency services. Denton came to Skaggs from St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin where he served in various roles including manager of emergency/trauma/flight services and chief flight nurse.

Carrie Holloway, RN, was hired as director of women's services beginning in June. Holloway, who came to Skaggs from Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Ala., manages Skaggs Family Birthing Place and its 30 employees. She also will oversee the development of a comprehensive program that will group all of Skagg's health care services for women.

Joplin

Family takes back management

The Wilkinson family will resume management of Travetti's Restaurant, 3010 20th St., in August.

Jim and Darcy Wilkinson, owners of Jim Bob's Steak and Rib House, announced that Travetti's will be under the management and direction of Lee and Stephanie (Wilkinson) Hiendrickson.

Travetti's will be closed for remodeling July 31. Travetti's has been operated for the past five years by Jim Broyles. It was operated by the Wilkinson family from 1991 to 1995.

Site to offer used freight trucks

A division of Joplin's Hook Up Corp. has launched what it hopes will soon be the place to shop for a used big rig on the Internet .

Hookup.com went live July 11 with an auction site aimed at the nation's 400,000 commercial carriers. The site is in partnership with Taylor & Martin, a Fremont, Neb., company that specializes in "on-ground" auctions.

The site is similar to eBay in how it works. Owners of big rigs can put their vehicles up for sale either free or for $50 for a reserve auction. Potential buyers log in and go through a pre-screening check in order to bid.

The site also features a variety of services, including transportation of sold rigs to buyers, insurance and other programs.

Hook Up Corp. is a trucking industry firm based in Joplin that offers a variety of services, ranging from transporting rigs to training drivers.

The electronic division has 33 workers, doing everything from technical support to customer service.

Neosho

Square to be updated by October

Preliminary work has begun on a renovation project on the Neosho square.

The project, which was developed in 1997, involves the installation of new exterior and interior lights, handicap ramps, sidewalks, curbs and gutters. In addition, all electrical utilities will be moved underground. Construction work is expected to be completed by late October.

The estimated cost of the renovation project is $203,000, which has been raised through funding from city, county, business and community members.

Much of the funding comes from businesses and individuals that purchased bricks with their names imprinted on them to be placed in the sidewalks.

Approximately 1,200 bricks have already been sold.