Southwest Missouri News

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Branson|ret||ret||tab|

Economic Development moves office|ret||ret||tab|

The Branson Regional Economic Development Association (BREDA) moved Jan. 1 to its new location in the Yung Building at 110 W. Adams St., across from Branson City Hall. Michael Rankin, executive director of BREDA, said the move from the industrial park at Hollister to downtown Branson "was more for exposure than anything else."|ret||ret||tab|

A recent accomplishment for BREDA, Rankin said, was its participation in bringing the retail hardware store Lowe's to Hollister. |ret||ret||tab|

Rankin said Lowe's will be located at Southtowne Center on U.S. Highway 65 on the site of Sonic Drive-In. He said the restaurant will be relocated to a property southwest across the street. Construction of the 115,000-square-foot store will begin during the second quarter of this year and is expected to be complete during the first quarter of 2001. Rankin said Lowe's will employ about 200 people.|ret||ret||tab|

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|bold_on|$5.77 million in January construction|ret||ret||tab|

The value of new construction permits in January totaled $5.77 million, with commercial construction permits accounting for nearly $4.9 million of that total, according to figures from the city of Branson. Among the projects issued permits were a veterans memorial and museum, and a new restaurant called The French Quarter, both on West Highway 76, and two condominium developments a 20-unit condominium at Peppertree Condominiums and a 12-unit condominium at Palace View No. 3 in Branson.|ret||ret||tab|

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Tourism spending pegged at $1.6 billion|ret||ret||tab|

According to the Missouri Division of Tourism, the Ozark Mountain Region, which encompasses 13 southwest Missouri counties including Stone and Taney, ranked second in the state for direct domestic tourism and travel expenditures. Tourists in the Ozark Mountain Region spent $1.6 billion dollars last year while $1.9 billion was spent in St. Louis and $900 million was spent in Kansas City. |ret||ret||tab|

Statewide, direct tourism and travel expenditures accounted for $5.6 billion (up 6.2 percent from the year before), created 206,796 tourism industry-related jobs (up 3.8 percent) and generated $574.5 million in state tax revenues (an increase of 8.7 percent). About 70 percent of all U.S. tourists in Missouri come from other states.|ret||ret||tab|

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Carthage|bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|Walls Industries shuts its plant|ret||ret||tab|

The State Rapid Response Team has been activated to assist workers who will be laid off by the closing of Walls Industries. |ret||ret||tab|

The company, a garment manufacturer, has decided to close its Carthage plant March 6, laying off more than 100 employees.|ret||ret||tab|

The Rapid Response Team, composed of representatives from the Department of Economic Development's Division of Workforce Development, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Private Industry Council Inc., responds to the needs of workers who have lost their jobs by providing special training and employment services.|ret||ret||tab|

Joseph L. Driskill, director of the Department of Economic Development, has directed the Workforce Development Division to assist Walls Industries employees by offering Work Connections Career Center services.|ret||ret||tab|

The team and the local career center will provide services to workers who need assistance, including assessment and testing, career counseling and resume writing, interviewing skills, job-search methods, on-the-job training and tuition assistance for vocational training or education.|ret||ret||tab|

Representatives from the state and the Private Industry Council are working with the company to ensure that workers have access to these free services.|ret||ret||tab|

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Joplin|bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|Ferguson certified as rehab tech supplier|ret||ret||tab|

Jeremy Ferguson, with Health Essentials, has been awarded the title of certified rehabilitation technology supplier by the National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers. Ferguson passed an assistive technology supplier examination and met criteria in education, work experience, ethical conduct and knowledge. He also received recommendations from other clinicians.|ret||ret||tab|

Ferguson joined Health Essentials, Joplin Medical Enterprise, as a provider of medical equipment in July 1998. He has five years of experience in assistive technology and devices for daily living.|ret||ret||tab|

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Webb City|ret||ret||tab|

Zimmer plans to consolidate operations|ret||ret||tab|

Zimmer Radio Group plans to construct a $1.5 million studio and tower in Webb City. |ret||ret||tab|

The radio group will move its offices and two radio stations from Joplin to Webb City.|ret||ret||tab|

Zimmer Radio Group has two radio stations licensed in Joplin, KSYN 92.5 and KIXQ 102.5. The group has two stations licensed in Webb City, KJMK 93.9 and KXDG 97.9. The four stations will move into the proposed site at Range Line and Ten Pin Lane.|ret||ret||tab|

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