A recently formed Community Pride Committee in Branson will plant flowers at the intersection of U.S. 65 and Missouri 76.

The flowers will be planted by volunteers on the intersection’s islands, which have been covered by gravel for several years. The flowers will be maintained by volunteers with assistance from the Branson Public Works Department.

According to a press release from the city, the unattractiveness of the intersections led local businesswoman Judy Hartley of Mountain Man Nut and Fruit Company to address the Board of Aldermen last summer about creating a committee to improve the intersection and others around the city to make them more attractive to visitors. The board appointed the Community Pride Committee with Hartley serving as chairwoman.

The committee is also working to install “Welcome to Branson” signs at the outskirts of the city.

The committee is working closely with the Missouri Department of Transportation on both projects.

The next meeting of the committee will be 1:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the public works offices in the Pacific Street Water Tower. The meeting is open to the public.

Skaggs Community Health Center has shed the “community” from its name.

The Branson hospital today announced it has changed its name to Skaggs Regional Medical Center. The new moniker “places a greater emphasis on the broad region we already serve,” the hospital said in a news release.

Skaggs serves the northern Arkansas and southwest Missouri regions, with most of its patients in Stone and Taney counties, according to Skaggs Media Relations Specialist Michelle Leroux. It operates 22 satellite clinics.

Skaggs was founded in 1959 as Skaggs Community Hospital and was later renamed Skaggs Community Health Center, Leroux said. Since opening, Skaggs has added specialized centers for outpatient care, cardiac care, women’s health, cancer care, orthopedic care, neurology and spinal care, as well as a health and fitness center, and urgent care and walk-in clinics, the release said.

The hospital also announced today it has been named a HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence for the fourth time. The designation means Skaggs is in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical quality and low mortality rates.

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Country music legend and internationally-acclaimed steel guitarist, Tom Brumley died Tuesday, February 3, 2009. He was 73 years old.

The “Celebration of Life” services for Tom Brumley will be held in Branson on Sunday, February 15 at 2 pm at the Baldknobbers Country Music Theater.

2009 in Branson, Missouri, dubbed “the live music show capital of the world”, promises to be a banner year packed with a variety of celebrations by shows, attractions, and others, marking historic anniversary dates. The biggest of which is 50 years of live music shows. And kicking that off on Monday, February 9, 2009, at 7:00 pm at the Jim Stafford Theatre is Branson’s 15th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show!

If you’re looking for a chance to escape the winter blues, and finding yourself cooped up with cabin fever, getaway to Branson for the 15th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show! This upcoming Monday the Jim Stafford Theatre will be rockin’ with entertainers and you’re invited to join the fun. Tickets for Branson’s 15th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling the Jim Stafford Theatre directly at 417-335-8080.

Audience members will enjoy a sample from a wide variety of Branson shows in this jam-packed, star-studded event. Featured shows this year include Jim Stafford, Legends in Concert, Roy Rogers, Jr. and The High Riders, Baldknobbers, Tony Roi’s Elvis Experience, Riders of the Circle B, Hamner Barber Variety Show, New’s Country, Grand Jubilee, Magnificent Variety Show, Comedy Jamboree, Cassandre’ The Voice Of An Angel, Keith “Red” Allen, 50’s At The Hop, and Red Hot & Blue. Emceeing The Big Show again this year will be Branson favorite and member of the Baldknobbers Jamboree Show, Bob Leftridge.

“From 1959 to today Branson shows have helped keep the heartbeat of tourism strong and vibrant for our visitors. With over 100 shows, we offer a wide variety of musical styles, performance art, and family fun that everyone can enjoy. The Hot Winter Fun Big Show is a perfect way to take a peek at the diversity of our shows. It is also a popular annual event for our community members as well as our visitors,” says Jeannie Horton, President of The League of Branson Theatre Owners & Show Producers and Operations Manager for Legends In Concert. “Another great thing about this show is that all of the money raised goes to help market the Branson area.”

All of the entertainers donate their performances while many volunteers and local businesses help produce and market the show. Some of those include producer Jeannie Horton, the staff of the Jim Stafford Theatre, the Springfield NewsLeader, the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber & CVB, Cindy Merry Marketing, and many other area businesses. The League of Branson Theatre Owners & Show Producers (The Branson Show League) sponsors the annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show.

For tickets to the 15th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show call 417-335-8080 today. Tickets are $30 plus tax and service charge for adults, $ 9.95 plus tax and service charge for children ages 7 through 12, and $ 3.37 plus tax and service charge for children 6 years old and under using a seat.

For more information about The Branson Show League visit ShowsInBranson.com. For more information about the season of Hot Winter Fun or the Branson/Lakes Area call 1-800-Branson.

Media Contacts:
Cindy Merry – 417-739-4925,
[email protected]

About The League of Branson Theatre Owners and Show Producers:
The Branson Show League works to increase the success and well-being of the theatrical industry in the “Live Music Show Capital of the World”, Branson, Missouri. With over 100 live shows featuring music, comedy, magic, dancing, acrobats, theatrical plays, and more, the diversity and variety of choices of live shows make Branson a unique and fun-filled family vacation destination. The League strives to increase interest in Branson shows and show attendance, increase profitability for the Branson show community, and to promote communications among the shows as well as throughout the Branson community.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1/26/09

BRANSON, MO. – Branson’s first and only Internet radio network, BRANSON WORLD RADIO, is pleased to announce the welcome addition of the Cromwell Radio Group to its growing list of air radio affiliates. With their main studios at WMCI(FM) in Mattoon, Illinois, Cromwell Radio is a group of 23 radio stations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and will be broadcasting “BWR Newsradio” to their listeners, as part of our national Branson vacation promotion.

“BWR Newsradio”, a locally produced News program, is a daily 5 minute feature on the events and happenings in Branson, and the Ozarks of S.W. Missouri AND N.W. Arkansas. The focus of “BWR Newsradio” is on the special shows, guest stars, area events and developments across the Ozarks. In addition to the hourly web casts on BRANSON WORLD RADIO, “BWR Newsradio” is broadcast on air radio stations in key market areas throughout the Midwest.

Rated as the #2 Hot Country Radio Station on the Internet, BRANSON WORLD RADIO is heard over the “Live365” Network. With thousands of stations and more than 4 million listeners a month, Live365 is the world’s largest Internet radio network. Live365 is a two-time winner of the Best Radio Website Award from the Web Marketing Association, a two-time winner of the People’s Voice award for Best Music Site at the Webby Awards (2001, 2002), a winner of the Webby’s People’s Voice Award for Best Radio Site (2004), and has received Best-of-Web designations from Forbes.com and the San Francisco Chronicle. Since 1999, BRANSON WORLD RADIO now serves air radio stations in more than 50 markets, and has established a loyal Internet fan base in 43 states and 33 countries around the world.

Find out more about this powerful marketing opportunity for the 2009 season by contacting us through the BWR website at www.bransonworldradio.com, Email at [email protected], or call us at (870) 743-1311.

Just as a reminder, we are beginning our monthly Partners in Education meetings this Wednesday, February 4th from 2:30 – 3:30 pm at the Taney County Airport. These meetings will be similar to the Partners in Progress, but we will be discussing upcoming education related issues.

Rob Dixon, Director, Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce, 417.334.3050

Saturday February 28th, 2009, is an annual public fishing tournament at Lilleys’ Landing Resort and Marina on Lake Taneycomo.

This cold water lake offers great rainbow and brown trout fishing. The rules of the tournament require artificial baits only and it is catch-and-release tournament as well.

The entry fee is $50 for each two-person team. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded to the top four teams. The teams wit the heaviest brown and rainbow trout are awarded Big Trout Cash Prizes.

For more information, please contact Lilleys’ Landing at:

Phone: 417-334-6380

Address: 367 River Lane Branson MO, 65616

Saturday January 31st, 2009, is an annual public fishing tournament at Lilleys’ Landing Resort and Marina on Lake Taneycomo.

This cold water lake offers great rainbow and brown trout fishing. The rules of the tournament require artificial baits only and it is catch-and-release tournament as well.

The entry fee is $50 for each two-person team. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded to the top four teams. The teams with the heaviest brown and rainbow trout are awarded Big Trout Cash Prizes.

For more information, please contact Lilleys’ Landing at:

Phone: 417-334-6380

Address: 367 River Lane Branson, MO 65616

The Central Pro-Am Tournament Association has been acquired by longtime competitive bass fisherman and local businessman Jim Thompson.

“Some of the best fishermen you see on TV got their start with the Central Pro-Am.” Thompson said. “We are a step below the big tournaments like B.A.S.S. and FLW; they are great circuits, as well.”

Central Pro-Am tournaments pair up professional bass fishermen with amateurs for a one-day tournament. They compete separately, making for a learning experience for the amateur.

“The amateur gets an opportunity to spend a whole day on a pro’s boat and gets to compete in his own division,” Thompson said. “It’s a great way to get a day’s education on bass fishing.”

On the second day, anglers compete in a team tournament.

Thompson said there will be three guaranteed $10,000 team tournaments sponsored by Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Motors. The $10,000 guaranteed first-place prize will be awarded regardless of the number of boats entered.

Central Pro-Am will hold a total of six tournaments this season in Missouri and Arkansas, with stops on Beaver, Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Truman and Stockton lakes.

“As the fishermen compete during the year, they are awarded points based on the place they finished out of 150 entries, if we have a full field,” Thompson said. “The top 40 pros with the highest number of points will compete in the Pro-Am championship along with the top 40 amateurs.”

Like other big-name bass tournaments, Thompson said Central Pro-Am will draw a big crowd to Branson.

“It’s a big deal for the fishing industry, for Branson and the Table Rock Lake area. A lot of people will show up for the tournament and bring their families and spend a lot of money,” he said.

Anyone interested in joining the Central Pro-Am Tournament Association may call (417) 335-5075 or visit centralpro-am.com.

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