Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Small Business of the Year sought

Nominations for the second annual Small Business of the Year Award are being sought from the Branson area business community by the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. CompuTech Mailing Services of Hollister won the first Small Business of the Year Award in 1999. Nomination forms can be obtained from Mandy Schwarz at the chamber of commerce office by calling 334-4084. The deadline for nominations is May 22. The award will be presented June 8.

Branson After Hours to be May 18

Branson After Hours, sponsored by Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce will be held 5:30-7 p.m. May 18 at McGuffey's Restaurant on Missouri Highway 248 in Branson. The networking event is sponsored by McGuffey's and KTTS radio station of Springfield.

The Duttons open remodeled theater

The Duttons opened their first evening show at 8 p.m., April 24, in the newly remodeled Dutton Family Theater, formerly the BoxCar Willie Theater in Branson. New stage and set designs were created by Rick Josephson, special effects director for the TV show "Touched By An Angel," and lighting was designed by John Moran.

"The front of the building also got a facelift," said Judith Dutton. She said refurbishment included new paneling and signage. The Duttons are scheduled to perform 244 shows.

Joplin

Chamber names outstanding citizen

Robert "Bo" Lee was recently presented with the Outstanding Citizen Award by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

The award, which was presented at the annual chamber banquet April 13, is the highest honor given by the chamber to a community leader.

Lee, an attorney with Warten, Fisher, Lee & Brown, has been active in a variety of civic organizations.

Also at the annual banquet, JCT Title Services was named the 2000 Small Business of the Year by the Joplin chamber. The company, which has been in business since 1903, provides title insurance, title information and escrow closing services for individuals and companies.

STS breaks ground on expansion

Officials with Standard Transportation Services recently broke ground for a $2.1 million expansion of its warehouse in the Joplin-Webb City Industrial Park.

The Joplin area freight company purchased the 105,000-square-foot building in May 1999. It stores products from six area companies, including Cliffstar Corp. and Tamko Roofing Products Inc. The expansion follows a recent $1.8 million renovation project at the existing building.

Standard, founded in 1984, operates nationwide and handles more than 10,000 freight loads each year. In addition to arranging transportation, the company is involved in the short haul of its own equipment and in storage trailer rental. The company employs 43 workers at its four sites in Joplin.

GetON4Free offers free Internet access

GetON4Free.com announced that it is bringing Internet access and e-mail service free of charge to residents in the Joplin area. Users can receive 80 hours of Internet time each month.

GetON4Free is an authorized dealer of the Freewweb network, located at 2401 Jackson Ave., and is now offering a free 56K connection to everyone in the local calling areas of Joplin, Springfield and Branson. Freewweb network is advertiser-supported.

New users can visit the Web site and register, and follow instructions for their type of computer and operating system. Another option is for the user to visit the office and pick up a registration disk for free. GetON4Free.com also offers in-home set-up through its representatives.

College Press wins at literacy benefit

College Press took top honors at the first Speedball, a recent benefit held to raise money for literacy.

The runner-up was Joplin Neighborhood Adult Literacy Action team.

College Press and Joplin NALA were among eight teams that tested spelling skills and raised money for literacy programs. The event was conducted like a baseball game, with a pitcher throwing words to the three-member teams.

Team members consulted one another on how to spell the words. Teams could buy up to five passes for $10 each.

Money also was raised through entry fees and donations.

Cable One, Pillsbury and Martin Luther School teams were eliminated in the first round. LaBarge Electronics, The Joplin Globe and Sam's Club teams were eliminated in the second round.

Neosho

KBTN FM, AM sold to Petracom Media

Neosho Radio stations KBTN FM and KBTN AM have been sold to Petracom Media of Florida.

According to Hank Ash, president of Petracom, no changes or staffing are planned.

The stations will continue to operate in Neosho and Petracom has leased the current KBTN studio facilities in Neosho.

"KBTN FM and AM have a long tradition of community involvement, quality service and professional management which we hope to build on," Ash said.

Dave Winegardner, president and general manager of KBTN, will continue to be involved in the management of the radio stations, Ash said.

Winegardner has been with KBTN since 1974 when he was employed as general manager.

He purchased controlling interest in KBTN Inc. in 1984.

KBTN went on the air in 1954 as a daytime-only radio station.

Full-time operating authority was authorized in 1979.

KBTN FM began operation in 1995 as a Class A local radio station and was upgraded to a 25,000-watt regional facility in 1998.

The stations have won numerous awards for local news, sports and weather coverage as well as community service projects such as the Food Brigade, which is conducted every December.

Sale of the stations is subject to the approval of the Federal Communications Commission, which is expected later this year.