Southwest Missouri News

Branson

First landscape administrator resigns

Branson's first landscape administrator, Cindy Garner, has resigned effective June 30 to accept a position with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Garner will be the urban forester for the southwest Missouri region beginning July 10. Garner was hired by the city of Branson's planning and development department in 1994 to work with developers, in understanding and complying with the city's landscape ordinance. She created the Volunteer Tree Keepers group which cares for newly planted trees on public property and has helped the city attain the recognition of Tree City USA for the past five years.

Spillway being built at Table Rock Dam

The Army Corps of Engineers announced June 14 the issuance of a $43.4 million contract to Granite Construction Co. of Watsonville, Calif., to construct an auxiliary spillway at Table Rock Dam. Work is expected to begin this summer and be completed by 2004. The new spillway, located near the Moonshine Beach day use area, will look almost like the existing spillway. It will have eight tainter gates as compared to 10 in the present spillway. Each gate will be about 45 feet wide, and the new spillway will be approximately 500 feet long. The Watsonville firm will construct the spillway, build a bridge over it, relocate the road and cut through the old embankment to construct the approach channel.

Branson hospital to expand services

The Skaggs Community Health Center board of directors gave approval June 13 to proceed with expanding cardiac services with the establishment of an open-heart surgery program. The Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee approved a certificate of need April 3 for the new Branson hospital unit.

The $4.5 million project includes the renovation and expansion of the existing surgery department and the construction of a surgical suite to be used exclusively for cardiovascular surgery. The renovation will cover about 4,400 square feet of existing space and will require specialized equipment valued at up to $1 million, according to Don Miller, chief operating officer at Skaggs.

Architectural drawing and design of the first phase is underway with RTKL Architects of Dallas, the same firm that designed Skaggs Outpatient Center, which will open in phases in June and July. Also underway is the recruitment of a cardiovascular surgeon.

Joplin

Business sells division for $33 million

Eagle-Picher Industries Inc, has sold its Rubber Molded Products unit for $33 million in cash.

Longwood Industries purchased the operation. Eagle-Picher said in a press release, that the sale is part of the company's effort to shed smaller business units so it can "focus on core divisions." Eagle-Picher makes a variety of products for automotive, space and defense industries.

Employees raise money for cancer research

Employees of Joplin Pro-Cuts helped raise money recently for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as part of a company-wide effort. Overall, Pro-Cuts raised $10,500 for the charity by selling NBA regulation basketballs. Part of the sale of each ball went to the cancer group.

Regents appointed to Missouri Southern

Jane Wyman was recently elected president of the Missouri Southern State College Board of Regents. Wyman, of Alba, is an assistant prosecuting attorney for Jasper County. She serves as city attorney for Alba, and is with the law firm of Spradling, Wyman & Carthage. Gov. Mel Carnahan first appointed her to Southern's board in 1996. Other new board officers are: Glenn Wilson, a Newton County commissioner, vice president and Loretta Wilcox of Joplin, president-elect.

The boad has extended the contract of Dr. Julio Leon, college president, and raised his salary to $132,925. The 3 percent increase is the same raise other college employees will receive in the 2000-01 fiscal year. Leon's salary is currently $129,053. Board members credit Leon, who started as college president in 1982, with helping to increase Southern's prestige across the state and around the country.

Seneca

New business owned by Cherokee nation

The Seneca City Council recently approved a business license for a water-bottling facility to be operated by the Cherokee nation. The facility, which will be named Cherokee Water Bottling, Inc., is expected to employ between 15 and 20 people. Tribe members will be employed as much as possible. Profit from the business is to be used to help tribe members be self-sufficient, both culturally and economically. The plant is expected to process approximately 1,500 gallons of water per hour.