Southwest Missouri News

Hartley set to open building downtown

Dick Hartley is seeking a special kind of tenant for his new 5,000-square-foot retail building to be completed by the first of October. "It's a prime piece of corner," Hartley said of the site located at Main Street and U.S. Business Highway 65 in downtown Branson. He said the traffic count for two traffic lanes at that corner was 22,000 cars in four days during May.

"That will probably double in the fall," he said. "I want something of quality that will pull people downtown that will pull in traffic by itself."

Hartley has owned another business, Dick's Oldtime 5&10, an old-fashioned dime store popular with tourists and an anchor to downtown Branson, for 38 years. He said the new building will blend with the old downtown area using antique red brick and antique windows and doors. "It ties in with everything on Commercial Street," he said.

Hartley said he has owned the property, the site of a former gas station, for more than seven years. He said he had to wait for approval to build from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency until after the property was cleaned of petroleum contamination.

Main Street meeting Sept. 8 at Rocky's

The Downtown Branson Main Street Association monthly meeting will be Sept. 8. The general membership meeting will be held at 7:30 a.m. at Rocky's Restaurant.

SDC's craftsmanship fest begins Sept. 8

The world debut of "Women of Taste," from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, will be held during the National Celebration of American Craftsmanship Sept. 8-Oct. 30 at Silver Dollar City. "Women of Taste" pairs top female chefs, such as Julia Child, with women quilt artists to create culinary-themed quilts. On exhibit are specialty recipes along with 50 quilts with images ranging from a gnarled olive tree to the all-American look of the 1950s diner. Also new to the craftsmanship festival this year are craftsmen weaving Nantucket baskets, creating oil lamps and demonstrating clay caneworking. The Stihl Timbersports Series Championship Finals will also return to Silver Dollar City Oct. 2.

Survey set to determine CDBG eligibility

According to city of Hollister officials, the Hollister Volunteer Fire Department will conduct a survey during September and October to determine if the city is eligible to apply for a Missouri Community Development Block Grant. The grant would be used to assist with the planned expansion of the city's fire department facilities.

The CDBG Program funds must primarily benefit families with low and moderate incomes. All occupied residences in the city must complete a survey to determine the city's eligibility. Beginning Sept. 2, volunteers from the city fire department will be conducting door-to-door surveys of all residents. The Center for Resource Planning and Management at Southwest Missouri State University will assist the fire department in tallying the surveys.

Joplin's cost of living remains lowest

For the second quarter in a row, the Joplin metropolitan area has been ranked the least expensive metropolitan area in the nation to live, according to the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association.

New York City was ranked the most expensive place in the country to live.

The cost of living in Joplin was 85.1 percent of the national average in the first three months of this year. In the previous quarter, Joplin's cost-of-living index stood at 86.7 percent of the national average.

Figures are based on the price of 60 items in five categories, ranging from a pound of ground beef to electricity and housing.

$1.5 million donation boosts Y campaign

A $1.5 million anonymous donation has put the Freeman Southwest Family Y, Neosho, more than halfway toward its $5 million goal. This latest contribution brings total donations to $2.7 million.

Jim Cummins, chairman of the board of the Freeman Southwest Family Y, said that $3 million is needed before construction can begin. Freeman Health System and Freeman Neosho Hospital donated the first $1 million toward the facility. La-Z-Boy donated another $200,000.

The 40,000-square-foot YMCA will be built on 28 acres on the Crowder College campus and will serve residents of Newton and McDonald counties.

The anonymous donor attached four requirements to the gift: The Y must serve multiple communities and the underprivileged, provide year-round service for the entire family and complete fund-raising within a year.