Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Lights festival gets new contractor

After a lengthy research, bidding and interview process, the Branson Area Festival of Lights Advisory Committee has chosen Universal Concepts as the new vendor for the Festival of Lights Parkway. Universal Concepts builds lighting displays for several well-known attractions and destinations including Walt Disney World, the Centennial Olympic Park, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, Dollywood and Anheuser Busch.

The Festival of Lights Parkway, located off Bee Creek Road north of Branson, is a two-mile drive featuring more than 75,000 lights and animated displays. The annual illumination will run Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.

Chamber site ranked in top 250

Travel Agent magazine has named the Web site of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce among the top 250 travel Web sites and among the top 50 destination and attractions sites in its June 26 issue. The magazine listed the top 50 sites among airlines, car rentals, cruises, hotels, tour and trail operators, and destinations and attractions. This is the first Web site ranking published by the magazine. Its editors plan it to be an annual edition, according the chamber.

The www.bransonchamber.com site, still under development by Aristotle, Inc., of Little Rock, Ark., went online March 10.

Skaggs opens additional clinic

Skaggs Procedure Clinic opened in the Stoneridge Center on Highway 13 north of Kimberling City, providing area residents with service for minor surgical procedures. Procedures offered include vasectomies, colposcopies, flexible sigmoidoscopies, laryngoscopies and the removal of skin lesions. A service of Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson, Skaggs Procedure Clinic is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings for use by Skaggs' health care providers who are based at Branson West Medical Care and Skaggs Medical West.

Carthage

City gets Main Street award

Carthage was designated as a Certified Main Street Community, an award that recognizes the accomplishments of Main Street programs across the United States.

Carthage is one of 412 programs in the country to receive the national award, based on standards set by the Missouri Main Street Program and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Carthage program was evaluated by the state, which recommended honors in the national certification program that evaluates downtown programs based on public support, historic preservation, adequate funding and work by the board of directors.

Jasper County

State grants stormwater aid funds

The Department of Natural Resources awarded five Jasper County communities more than $265,000 for storm water control projects.

The funds are to be distributed as follows:

The city of Joplin will receive $109,162 to help finance a two-year drainage improvement project at 16th Street and Texas Avenue.

Webb City will get $70,791 to prepare a master storm water control plan and construct drainage at the intersection of Aylor and Webb streets.

Carthage will receive $65,354 to rehabilitate an existing drainage ditch from River Street to Pearl Street.

Carl Junction will get $12,000 to develop a comprehensive stormwater control plan.

Carterville is to receive $9,000 to develop a comprehensive stormwater control plan.

Each year, the DNR distributes $10 million in loans and another $10 million in grants to Missouri cities for stormwater improvements.

The grants resulted from a bond issue approved by Missouri voters in November 1996 for improvements to stormwater, wastewater and public drinking water systems.

The state usually distributes the money based on population counts, and a recommendation by a storm water coordinating committee consisting of community and county officials.

Neosho

Business to take over Tyson plant

Twin Rivers Food announced plans to move into the former Tyson Foods plant in Neosho and start up a new operation expected to employ approximately 500 people.

Tyson closed the Neosho plant in October 1999 after 25 years, leaving a vacant plant and 300 people without jobs. Twin Rivers, based out of Fayetteville, Ark., plans to be in operation by the middle of August. The plant will initially employ 200 and expand to full force within six months. Starting pay will be $7 per hour.

Twin Rivers has been in business for five years and owns three other plants in Fort Smith, Ark., employing 800 people. The Neosho operation will consist of "further processing" of fryer front halves.

Twin Rivers initially specialized in exports to China and Russia, and exports continue to make up about 25 percent of its business today.

The company provides products to various U.S. businesses including Applebee's and Brinker restaurants. It has sales offices in Atlanta, Ga., Jackson, Miss., and North Carolina, as well as at Fayetteville.

Stone, Taney Counties

Students plan for business week

Six Stone and Taney county high school students were selected to attend the 15th annual Missouri Business Week June 25-29 at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Sponsored by the Center for Education and Private Enterprise, the not-for-profit foundation of the Missouri Association of Realtors, the workshop simulated a real-world business experience.

Those participating from the two counties were Trevor Huels of Rising Star Academy, Katie Jett of Reeds Spring High School, April Blevins and Megan Ellison of Blue Eye High School, and Nikki Brooks and Mark Cass of Branson High School. Trevor Huels was the first recipient of the Adam Weisz Memorial Scholarship, given in memory of the son of Mark Weisz, president of the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors.