Southwest Missouri News

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Branson|ret||ret||tab|

Skaggs gets state nod for CCU growth|ret||ret||tab|

Skaggs Community Health Center has received state approval to nearly double the size of its critical care unit, expanding it from eight beds to 14 and bringing the total number of licensed hospital beds to 105. |ret||ret||tab|

According to Don Miller, Skaggs' chief operating officer, the hospital has experienced major growth in the number of patients being admitted for treatment. He stated in a news release, "With the opening of (the) second critical care area, we hope to relieve this congestion while continuing to meet our patients' needs." |ret||ret||tab|

Miller said he anticipates that the new six-bed CCU expansion will be ready to accept patients beginning in April. |ret||ret||tab|

The health center has also been approved for the addition of a fixed-site magnetic resonance imaging machine to be placed in the new out patient services center expected to open early this summer. Miller said the MRI, costing $1 million, features many functions far surpassing the capabilities of other MRI units used locally. |ret||ret||tab|

The health center has also applied for state approval for an open-heart surgery program, a second catheterization lab, the expansion and renovation of the emergency room and surgery area, and further renovation of the critical care unit. |ret||ret||tab|

According to Miller, there will also be renovations to ancillary areas, such as pathology, laboratory, recovery and registration. The $21 million project will include about 21,500 square feet of new construction and 18,000 square feet of renovation. |ret||ret||tab|

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Business Before Hours set for March 14|ret||ret||tab|

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce's Business Before Hours will be at 7:30 a.m. March 14 in Board Room A at the chamber. The meeting includes a continental breakfast and an update on the Missouri Business Development Center. The chamber will hold its new networking lunch and meeting at 11:30 a.m. March 16 at McFarlain's Restaurant in the IMAX Entertainment Complex. The meeting is sponsored by|ret||ret||tab|

Findasignnow.com. |ret||ret||tab|

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Gift of Green provides free trees|ret||ret||tab|

The 2000 Gift of Green is offering businesses in the Tri-Lakes area the opportunity to request free trees. Businesses can request five- to six-foot white pines and eight- to 10-foot sugar maples. A business can request trees by faxing its name, address, phone number and the number of trees it wants to 334-0214. The deadline for requests is March 15. The Gift of Green is sponsored by Bass Pro, Empire District Electric Co., Ozark Mountain Bank and Silver Dollar City with the goal to plant a million trees in the Ozarks.|ret||ret||tab|

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Hollister|ret||ret||tab|

Chamber installs officers, directors|ret||ret||tab|

The Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce installed its new officers and board of directors Jan. 18. The officers are Jennifer Maupin, a la Celebration, president; Vonnie Mathiesen, city of Hollister, vice president; and Katria Stacy, V&K Associates, treasurer. |ret||ret||tab|

The board of directors comprises Mike Hawkins, Sir Jed's Banjos; Steve Hughes, Bank of Kimberling City; Virginia Kenyon, Ozark Mountain Bank; Mike Mitchell, Nowell's Food; Monte Schisler, Branson Creek Golf Club; Bob Taylor, Cutting Edge Technologies; Debra Wright, Country Mart Pharmacy; and Rick Ziegenfuss, Creative Printing & Design. |ret||ret||tab|

Also, the Hollister chamber Jan. 31 hired Tina Solari as its first full-time administrator. Solari previously worked at TPA Hobby Center in Hollister and owns Auto Plus in Hollister with her husband, Mark. The chamber has set its third annual Grape & Fall Festival for Sept. 8-9 on Historic Downing Street in Hollister. |ret||ret||tab|

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Joplin |ret||ret||tab|

Joplin chamber names Industry of the Year |ret||ret||tab|

Standard Transportation Services Inc., and Pillsbury Bakeries and Foodservice Co. have received Industry of the Year honors from the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. |ret||ret||tab|

Pillsbury has been a long-time Joplin industry, but the company closed its plant in 1989 as part of a consolidation. It reopened a new product line several months later. Since then, the local Pillsbury operation has grown to more than 400 employees. According to the chamber, Pillsbury has invested more than $70 million in a new plant and equipment and nearly doubled its sales. The plant has also achieved nearly 2.5 million work hours without an accident. |ret||ret||tab|

Standard Transportation Services began in 1984 as one of the first third-party transportation providers in the area. In 1996, the company had 71,000 square feet of warehouse space for its customers. Since then, it has expanded the warehouse to more than 300,000 square feet. It also has entered into a contract with a local manufacturer to staff and handle 90,000 square feet of warehouse space. |ret||ret||tab|

In the past five years, Standard's revenue increased 62 percent, and employment has nearly doubled. [[In-content Ad]]