Southwest Missouri News

Branson

New fire station dedicated June 28

Branson Fire Station No. 3 was dedicated June 28. The new city of Branson building was constructed on property donated to the city. The 5,700-square-foot facility is fully equipped with three bays, living quarters, a training room and a police satellite office.

Located on the west side of Branson, the new station will help reduce response times to the densely populated West Highway 76 and the recently annexed residential areas of southwest Branson, according to city fire officials.

Stone and Taney jobless rates reported

Branson Job Service reports the unemployment rate in April for Stone County was 6.6 percent and for Taney County it was 5.5 percent. The statewide unemployment rate in April for Missouri was 3.1 percent.

City reports more construction under way

The city of Branson reports the value of new construction inside the city limits continues ahead of last year's pace. From January through May, new construction totaled $17 million compared to $13 million for the same time in 1998.

Total visitor inquiries to the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce have also increased this year. Inquiries are up 20.12 percent from January 1 to June 3 as compared to the same period last year, according to the chamber of commerce.

Also, downtown parking enforcement officers with the city of Branson Police Department are using hand-held computers to print out parking tickets. These units store information on all tickets that are written and the information is downloaded to the computers in municipal court at the end of the day. According to the city of Branson, the new computers save time in the writing and court processing of parking tickets.

The July Business Before Hours, sponsored by the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held at 7:30 a.m. July 13 at Farris & Associates Law Office in Branson. Chris Brewer of Brewer and Associates will speak on "How to Excel in Small Business Success with Value Driven Leadership."

Small Business of the Year named

Fifteen nominees including the 1999 Small Business of the Year winner were recognized by the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce June 3 at Chef K's Gourmet Grille at the Grand Ramada in Branson. At the awards dinner, Computech Mailing Services of Hollister was named the recipient of the first Small Business of the Year Award on behalf of the chamber's Small Business Advisory Council. Robert and Elizabeth Cline, owners of Computech, started the business in their home in 1988.

According to Robert Cline, the business has grown to 48 employees and occupies 17,000 square feet in a 25,000-square-foot office building that he owns at the Hollister Industrial Park.

Cline said the company has about 200 ongoing customers, including 60 to 70 national clients, offering services in data entry and processing, mail processing and complete direct-mail campaign management.

Sandy Ensor of Computech estimated the company's volume of business for 1999 will total 4.5 million pieces of mail and 3 million pieces of data entry.

Other nominees recognized by the Small Business Advisory Council were Best Western Knights Inn, Branson Drug, Branson Lock & Key, Branson Realty, Elvis & the Superstars, John White Construction, Mail Boxes Etc., Naturegraphics, Ozark Prime Time Tours & Reservations Inc., Scoops Homemade Ice Cream & Sandwiches, Taney County Ambulance District, Thunder Road, Tribesman Resort and The Vacation Channel.

St. John's adds to medical staff

George Robie Jr. MD has joined the medical staff at St. John's Regional Medical Center. His practice is limited to obstetrics and gynecology.

Robie received his undergraduate degree from Southern Medical University in Dallas, and his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

He completed a pediatric internship and residency at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C. He developed and organized a Prenatal Diagnostic Clinic in Oklahoma City, which he managed and operated for eight years. In Joplin, he will be in practice with Dr. David Dugger.

Eichman to head United Way campaign

Bill Eichman has been named chairman for the next campaign for United Way of Southwest Missouri, which encompasses Joplin, Webb City and Carl Junction.

Eichman is manager of wholesale and industrial sales for Empire District Electric Co.

This year's goal is $830,000. The money will be distributed to 22 organizations and agencies that provide health and human-service programs. Last year's goal was $760,000.

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