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Friday, October 24, 2008

Herschend closes Celebration City, explores options - Springfield Business Journal

by Dee Dee Jacobs - Online Editor


Branson theme park Celebration City will close out its season on
Saturday and will not reopen in 2009, parent company Herschend Family
Entertainment Corp. said today.

Herschend is studying various opportunities for the 110 acres on
Highway 76's western edge, where Celebration City is located. Possible
developments for what officials hope will be an "anchor destination"
could include an aquarium, other family attractions, a re-themed
version of Celebration City or retail and dining, according to
spokeswoman Lisa Rau.

"(The park) did not meet our financial expectations," Rau said, adding
that current economic conditions did play in to the final decision,
although the company has been exploring new options for the park for
some time. Celebration City opened in 2003 with a $40 million price
tag, Springfield Business Journal reported at the time.

Rau said factors in the park's shortcomings included its scope -
Celebration City only occupied half of the 110 acres, leaving a lot of
unused land - and the way it operated, particularly the fact that it
did not open until 3 p.m. daily.

"We also need to make sure what we build and what we do in the future
meets priority goals of extending overnight visitation and bringing
more people to the market," Rau said. "What we do will have those two
priority goals in mind."

It's been a soft year for Branson tourism, and Herschend researcher
Jerry Henry has told SBJ that he expects Branson visitation will
finish 2008 about 5 percent below 2007 figures.

The company does not have a timeline in place for when it could make a
decision on the property, Rau said. The park and its rides will stay
intact in the meantime.

Celebration City's closure will eliminate 18 full-time positions, and
Herschend will find new roles for most of those employees, Rau said.
Another 250 seasonal employees will be given first opportunity to
interview for an anticipated 400 open positions in 2009 at nearby
Herschend attractions Silver Dollar City, White Water and Showboat
Branson Belle. Herschend properties employ more than 2,000 year-round
and seasonal workers.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman to visit Branson High School


State Treasurer Sarah Steelman will visit Branson High School at 1:30 Oct. 28, according to a statement from the school.

She will speak to students enrolled in a United States government class and members of the history/politics club.

The students will have an opportunity for questions following Steelman's comments about political participation, community involvement and the voting process.
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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Top 10 Web Tools for Election Season (Lifehack)



It's hard these days to imagine how elections happened before the web grew to popularity. With all the instant-access news, video, data, and social networking available in a few seconds' time, election season is a prime time to dig in and find out where the candidates are getting and spending money, what's being by and about them and which of it is true, and how to make sure you get your vote in on Nov. 4. Read on for a roundup of ten tools to get politically savvy this this election season and beyond. Photo by ldcross.

10. Compare the candidates.

Unless you're working on a campaign, chances are you don't know where each candidate stands on every issue. McCain's take on net neutrality? Barack's stance on school vouchers? SelectSmart's 2008 Presidential Candidate Selector gives you the skinny on the major-topic stances of every candidate, including most of the third-party contenders. Those are the five-minute takes; for a multitude of quotes straight from the candidates' mouths on the issues, try OnTheIssues.org.

9. Go poll-crazy at FiveThirtyEight.com.

Nate Silver is a total data geek, but he knows how to apply it to interesting topics. He proved that with Baseball Prospectus, which projects performance by players and teams, and he's striking out to do the same for election results. Silver's FiveThirtyEight grabs all the polls it can find, weighs them based on methodologies and past accuracy, projects data for regions where it can't find polls, then runs thousands of simulated elections to come up with a likely outcome. Silver's site currently has Obama walking away with it; if nothing else, it'll be interesting to see, come Election Day, how database projections fared with real people.

8. Get your video fix at YouTube's You Choose '08.

Sure, it's mostly campaign ads, he-said-she-said coverage, and other videos that are, depending on views, reassuring or infuriating. But YouTube's You Choose '08 section is a central source of all attacks, scandals, video evidence of gaffes and quotes, and occasionally, informative video. Bookmark it and feel better about fast-forwarding through the ads when they blanket your television in the coming weeks.

7. Follow the money.

Spending's become a much-debated issue, at least in this part of the race to the White House. Using some cool visualization tools, you can get all kinds of specific data on the wheres and whats of government spending. This Google Earth layer adds pinpoints wherever appropriated money is being sent, although it leans heavily toward military and homeland security bills. The graph-happy folks at Many Works have put together a ton of interactive (and usually Java-required) tools, including this earmarks visualization of per-capita earmark spending. Now you're not just mad, you're madly informed.

6. See what the candidates said about your hot-button topic.

Google Labs offers two neat search tools that let you get beyond the basic talking points and read or see the candidates speaking on any topic. In Quotes lets you type a term and see how Obama and McCain referenced it in speeches, interviews, and other places. GAudi, the YouTube-searching audio index tool, does basically the same thing, but points you to specific points in a video where they said it. Oddly enough, neither candidate has said anything so far about Google, Gmail, or YouTube, according to those tools.

5. Find out how and where to vote.

In all the never-ending debate and fervor of an election season, it can be easy to forget that it's all about, you know, actually showing up and casting your ballot. Google's Voter Info Map, run as a partnership with the League of Women Voters makes short work of finding out if you can still register (today is the last day in New York and others, for example), where you go to vote, where to grab an absentee ballot, and your local board of elections web site.

4. Vote early with a no-excuse absentee ballot.

You probably don't know exactly what your schedule will look like on Election Day, or how crowded your polling place will be. In 28 states, you can skip the early-morning/lunch break/after-work jam and vote with an absentee ballot, no excuse required. The Early Voting Information Center runs down the particulars of getting the jump on your right as a citizen.

3. Track developing stories on blogs and news sites.

Political veterans (or just jaded political wonks) always see an "October surprise" in an election year. See what stories and trends are gaining ground and staying there with two search tools: Microsoft's Political Streams, part of its Live Labs, follows news stories across blogs, portals, and other aggregators, tracking how often, and for how long, it's getting linked and written about. Google's revamped blog search is more specific to blog-generated articles and the buzz they generate. Both are worth checking when you're looking to see how stories are spun, refuted, and propagated across the web.

2 Track fund raising and donations by candidates (and your neighbors).

Want to see what interests, businesses, and individuals the candidates are helping line the candidates war chests? OpenSecrets.org has maps, graphs, and details that can keep you busy for days. But, honestly, it's more fun to see who in your neighborhood is giving to whom. Luckily, you can get just that specific at Fundrace 2008, a Google Map mashup run by the Huffington Post blog network (you'll see their left-leaning post links, but the data is straight-up). You can search donations by street, city, company, or occupation.

1. Get beyond the spin at FactCheck.org.

Run by the non-partisan, non-profit Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, FactCheck.org has been a go-to source for years whenever politicians claims that they, or their opponent, did or didn't so something that just seems a tad bit unbelievable. You can track the latest spins and truths by RSS or email alerts, but the site updates pretty quickly with blow-by-blows after debates, major news stories, and other events that cry out for a little objective double-checking.

How do you track the election, the topics at issue, and the galaxy of data available out there? Share your great election resources and links in the comments below.



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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Branson Airport puts finishing touches on runway

10/3/2008 11:51:00 AM 
Branson Airport puts finishing touches on runway
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by SBJ Staff
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Construction of the runway at Branson Airport is concluding this week, the airport announced.

All painting on the 7,140-foot-long, 150-foot-wide runway and parallel taxiway is finished, and the last of the runway lights, signage and navigational aids are being installed, according to a news release. The runway will accommodate aircraft ranging from private airplanes to commercial airliners the size of a Boeing 767.

The next focus for the $155 million airport is to finish the terminal, which has been under construction for about five months and should be finished next April, the release said. Springfield firm DeWitt & Associates is constructing the $9.8 million, 58,000-square-foot building.

Work on the control tower, meanwhile, is set to begin in early November and conclude by April.

The airport is located in the 8,000-acre Branson Creek development, just south of Branson, and it is slated to open next May. Officials are planning a celebration with air show performers for May 9-10, according to the release.


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Paul Link Interview with Springfield Business Journal

Five Questions: Paul Link
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by Jeremy Elwood - Reporter
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Paul Link joined the Branson office of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC on Sept. 24, after earlier in the month leaving the position of Branson's city attorney. Link had been with the city since 2005.

Q: Tell me about your professional history.

A: I graduated from law school at University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1996. Being a longtime Springfield resident, I wanted to get back here. I came back and went into private practice with several different firms, and I ended up with Lathrop & Gage in Springfield. They do a lot of work for the city of Branson, and when the city was looking for a new attorney, they looked to Lathrop & Gage. Lathrop wanted someone from Springfield to put in for the job, to keep that business relationship open, and I took the job in December 2005.

Q: What prompted you to return to private practice?

A: It was a mutual decision. There was a change in mayor - Lou Schaefer was defeated by Raeanne Presley - and five of the six aldermen that were there when I was hired are not there anymore. There's a different philosophy within the city as far as growth and development deals, and I think they wanted to go a different direction with staff that they hired. When you're in any job that is political in nature, when people change offices, there is change that goes with that.

Q: What was the biggest issue you dealt with as city attorney?

A: Growth. In my time with Branson, it was a time of tremendous growth in the city. I was there during the completion of the Branson Landing, the Branson Convention Center, finalized all the work with the Branson Hills project, and I worked on the agreements for the new airport opening in May 2009. It was a fun time to be with the city, and I got to be a part of very large deals.

Q: What's the biggest difference between public and private sector law?

A: As a municipal attorney, you are the lawyer for that entity - I'm there to answer any legal questions that may come up during the day, and I'm not keeping track of time. I would advise elected and appointed officials on all matters - everything from ordinance language and contracts to offering advice on various taxing districts available for developers. In private practice, I might represent 20 different clients on various matters throughout the day - sending a demand letter, appearing in court, representing a developer on a specific deal. That (variety) appealed to me.

Q: Tell me about your family and hobbies.

A: My wife, Katy, and I have been married for 16 years. Katy is the underwriting manager for Cox HealthPlans in Springfield. We have four kids - Andrew is 3, Lauren is 5, Elizabeth is 7, and Adam is 10 - and they keep us very busy. I coach Mighty Mites, soccer, basketball, baseball, and then the girls are in gymnastics and cheerleading - it seems like we're gone every night with a kids' function. As for hobbies, I enjoy playing golf, and I enjoy softball.

Interview by Jeremy Elwood.


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Missouri Casino Ballet Initiative Proposition A

2008 Initiative Petitions
Approved for Circulation in Missouri

Amendment to Various Chapters of the Revised Statutes of Missouri Relating to Casinos and Gambling, 2008-035

THE PROPOSED ACT

Be it enacted by the people of the state of Missouri as follows:

Section A.  Sections 160.534, 163.011, 313.805, 313.817 and 313.822, RSMo, are repealed and eight new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 1,2,3, 160.534, 163.011, 313.805, 313.817, and 313.822, to read as follows:
Section 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Funding Initiative."


Section 2.  There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Improvement Fund," which shall consist of taxes on excursion gambling boat proceeds, as provided in section 160.534.2, RSMo, to be used solely for the purpose of increasing funding for elementary and secondary education.  The schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund shall be state revenues collected from gaming activities for purposes of Article III, Section 39(d) of the Constitution.  Moneys in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund shall be kept separate from the general revenue fund as well as any other funds or accounts in the state treasury.  The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund and may approve disbursements from the fund in accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, RSMo.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund.  The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested.  Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund.


Section 3.  The Missouri Gaming Commission shall not authorize additional excursion gambling boat licenses after the effective date of this act that exceed the number of licenses which have been approved for excursion gambling boats already built and those under construction.  For purposes of this section, "under construction" means an excursion gambling boat that has a  license application approved by the Commission for priority investigation and is under construction at the approved site prior to the effective date of this act.  If one or more excursion gambling boat licenses issued under chapter 313 is forfeited, surrendered, revoked, not renewed, or expires then the Commission may issue a new license to replace the license that was forfeited, surrendered, revoked, not renewed, or expired.


160.534. 1.  For fiscal year 1996 and each subsequent fiscal year, any amount of the excursion gambling boat proceeds deposited in the gaming proceeds for education fund in excess of the amount transferred to the school district bond fund as provided in section 164.303, RSMo, shall be transferred to the classroom trust fund.  Such moneys shall be distributed in the manner provided in section 163.043, RSMo.


2.  Starting in fiscal year 2009, and for each subsequent fiscal year, all excursion gambling boat proceeds deposited in the gaming proceeds for education fund in excess of the amount transferred to the classroom trust fund for fiscal year 2008 plus the amount appropriated to the school district bond fund in accordance with section 164.303, RSMo, shall be deposited into the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund.


3.  The amounts deposited in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund pursuant to this section shall constitute new and additional funding for elementary and secondary education and shall not be used to replace existing funding provided for elementary and secondary education.


163.011.  As used in this chapter unless the context requires otherwise:


(1)  "Adjusted operating levy", the sum of tax rates for the current year for teachers' and incidental funds for a school district as reported to the proper officer of each county pursuant to section 164.011, RSMo;


(2)  "Average daily attendance", the quotient or the sum of the quotients obtained by dividing the total number of hours attended in a term by resident pupils between the ages of five and twenty-one by the actual number of hours school was in session in that term.  To the average daily attendance of the following school term shall be added the full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students.  "Full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students" shall be computed by dividing the total number of hours, except for physical education hours that do not count as credit toward graduation for students in grades nine, ten, eleven, and twelve, attended by all summer school pupils by the number of hours required in section 160.011, RSMo, in the school term.  For purposes of determining average daily attendance under this subdivision, the term "resident pupil" shall include all children between the ages of five and twenty-one who are residents of the school district and who are attending kindergarten through grade twelve in such district.  If a child is attending school in a district other than the district of residence and the child's parent is teaching in the school district or is a regular employee of the school district which the child is attending, then such child shall be considered a resident pupil of the school district which the child is attending for such period of time when the district of residence is not otherwise liable for tuition.  Average daily attendance for students below the age of five years for which a school district may receive state aid based on such attendance shall be computed as regular school term attendance unless otherwise provided by law;


(3)  "Current operating expenditures":


(a)  For the fiscal year 2007 calculation, "current operating expenditures" shall be calculated using data from fiscal year 2004 and shall be calculated as all expenditures for instruction and support services except capital outlay and debt service expenditures minus the revenue from federal categorical sources; food service; student activities; categorical payments for transportation costs pursuant to section 163.161; state reimbursements for early childhood special education; the career ladder entitlement for the district, as provided for in sections 168.500 to 168.515, RSMo; the vocational education entitlement for the district, as provided for in section 167.332, RSMo; and payments from other districts;


(b)  In every fiscal year subsequent to fiscal year 2007, current operating expenditures shall be the amount in paragraph (a) plus any increases in state funding pursuant to sections 163.031 and 163.043 subsequent to fiscal year 2005, not to exceed five percent, per recalculation, of the state revenue received by a district in the 2004-05 school year from the foundation formula, line 14, gifted, remedial reading, exceptional pupil aid, fair share, and free textbook payments for any district from the first preceding calculation of the state adequacy target;


(4)  "District's tax rate ceiling", the highest tax rate ceiling in effect subsequent to the 1980 tax year or any subsequent year. Such tax rate ceiling shall not contain any tax levy for debt service;


(5)  "Dollar-value modifier", an index of the relative purchasing power of a dollar, calculated as one plus fifteen percent of the difference of the regional wage ratio minus one, provided that the dollar value modifier shall not be applied at a rate less than 1.0:


(a)  "County wage per job", the total county wage and salary disbursements divided by the total county wage and salary employment for each county and the city of St. Louis as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce for the fourth year preceding the payment year;


(b)  "Regional wage per job":


a.  The total Missouri wage and salary disbursements of the metropolitan area as defined by the Office of Management and Budget divided by the total Missouri metropolitan wage and salary employment for the metropolitan area for the county signified in the school district number or the city of St. Louis, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce for the fourth year preceding the payment year and recalculated upon every decennial census to incorporate counties that are newly added to the description of metropolitan areas; or if no such metropolitan area is established, then:


b.  The total Missouri wage and salary disbursements of the micropolitan area as defined by the Office of Management and Budget divided by the total Missouri micropolitan wage and salary employment for the micropolitan area for the county signified in the school district number, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce for the fourth year preceding the payment year, if a micropolitan area for such county has been established and recalculated upon every decennial census to incorporate counties that are newly added to the description of micropolitan areas; or


c.  If a county is not part of a metropolitan or micropolitan area as established by the Office of Management and Budget, then the county wage per job, as defined in paragraph (a) of this subdivision, shall be used for the school district, as signified by the school district number;
(c)  "Regional wage ratio", the ratio of the regional wage per job divided by the state median wage per job;


(d)  "State median wage per job", the fifty-eighth highest county wage per job;


(6)  "Free and reduced lunch pupil count", the number of pupils eligible for free and reduced lunch on the last Wednesday in January for the preceding school year who were enrolled as students of the district, as approved by the department in accordance with applicable federal regulations;


(7)  "Free and reduced lunch threshold" shall be calculated by dividing the total free and reduced lunch pupil count of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts;


(8)  "Limited English proficiency pupil count", the number in the preceding school year of pupils aged three through twenty-one enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school who were not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English or are Native American or Alaskan native, or a native resident of the outlying areas, and come from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on such individuals' level of English language proficiency, or are migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who come from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and have difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language sufficient to deny such individuals the ability to meet the state's proficient level of achievement on state assessments described in Public Law 107-10, the ability to achieve successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English, or the opportunity to participate fully in society;


(9)  "Limited English proficiency threshold" shall be calculated by dividing the total limited English proficiency pupil count of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts;


(10)  "Local effort":


(a)  For the fiscal year 2007 calculation, "local effort" shall be computed as the equalized assessed valuation of the property of a school district in calendar year 2004 divided by one hundred and multiplied by the performance levy less the percentage retained by the county assessor and collector plus one hundred percent of the amount received in fiscal year 2005 for school purposes from intangible taxes, fines, escheats, payments in lieu of taxes and receipts from state-assessed railroad and utility tax, one hundred percent of the amount received for school purposes pursuant to the merchants' and manufacturers' taxes under sections 150.010 to 150.370, RSMo, one hundred percent of the amounts received for school purposes from federal properties under sections 12.070 and 12.080, RSMo, except when such amounts are used in the calculation of federal impact aid pursuant to P.L. 81-874, fifty percent of Proposition C revenues received for school purposes from the school district trust fund under section 163.087, and one hundred percent of any local earnings or income taxes received by the district for school purposes.  Under this paragraph, for a special district established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, a tax levy of zero shall be utilized in lieu of the performance levy for the special school district;


(b)  In every year subsequent to fiscal year 2007, "local effort" shall be the amount calculated under paragraph (a) of this subdivision plus any increase in the amount received for school purposes from fines.  If a district's assessed valuation has decreased subsequent to the calculation outlined in paragraph (a) of this subdivision, the district's local effort shall be calculated using the district's current assessed valuation in lieu of the assessed valuation utilized in calculation outlined in paragraph (a) of this subdivision;


(11)  "Membership" shall be the average of:


(a)  The number of resident full-time students and the full-time equivalent number of part-time students who were enrolled in the public schools of the district on the last Wednesday in September of the previous year and who were in attendance one day or more during the preceding ten school days; and


(b)  The number of resident full-time students and the full-time equivalent number of part-time students who were enrolled in the public schools of the district on the last Wednesday in January of the previous year and who were in attendance one day or more during the preceding ten school days, plus the full-time equivalent number of summer school pupils.  "Full-time equivalent number of part-time students" is determined by dividing the total number of hours for which all part-time students are enrolled by the number of hours in the school term.  "Full-time equivalent number of summer school pupils" is determined by dividing the total number of hours for which all summer school pupils were enrolled by the number of hours required pursuant to section 160.011, RSMo, in the school term.  Only students eligible to be counted for average daily attendance shall be counted for membership;


(12)  "Operating levy for school purposes", the sum of tax rates levied for teachers' and incidental funds plus the operating levy or sales tax equivalent pursuant to section 162.1100, RSMo, of any transitional school district containing the school district, in the payment year, not including any equalized operating levy for school purposes levied by a special school district in which the district is located;


(13)  "Performance district", any district that has met all performance standards and indicators as established by the department of elementary and secondary education for purposes of accreditation under section 161.092, RSMo, and as reported on the final annual performance report for that district each year;


(14)  "Performance levy", three dollars and forty-three cents;


(15)  "School purposes" pertains to teachers' and incidental funds;


(16)  "Special education pupil count", the number of public school students with a current individualized education program and receiving services from the resident district as of December first of the preceding school year, except for special education services provided through a school district established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, in which case the sum of the students in each district within the county exceeding the special education threshold of each respective district within the county shall be counted within the special district and not in the district of residence for purposes of distributing the state aid derived from the special education pupil count;


(17)  "Special education threshold" shall be calculated by dividing the total special education pupil count of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts;


(18)  "State adequacy target", the sum of the current operating expenditures of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, divided by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts plus the total amount of funds placed in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund in the preceding fiscal year divided by the total average daily attendance of all school districts for the preceding fiscal year.  The department of elementary and secondary education shall first calculate the state adequacy target for fiscal year 2007 and recalculate the state adequacy target every two years using the most current available data; provided that the state adequacy target shall be recalculated every year to reflect the per pupil amount of funds placed in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund in the preceding fiscal year.  The recalculation shall never result in a decrease from the previous state adequacy target amount.  Should a recalculation result in an increase in the state adequacy target amount, fifty percent of that increase shall be included in the state adequacy target amount in the year of recalculation, and fifty percent of that increase shall be included in the state adequacy target amount in the subsequent year.  The state adequacy target may be adjusted to accommodate available appropriations;


(19)  "Teacher", any teacher, teacher-secretary, substitute teacher, supervisor, principal, supervising principal, superintendent or assistant superintendent, school nurse, social worker, counselor or librarian who shall, regularly, teach or be employed for no higher than grade twelve more than one-half time in the public schools and who is certified under the laws governing the certification of teachers in Missouri;


(20)  "Weighted average daily attendance", the average daily attendance plus the product of twenty-five hundredths multiplied by the free and reduced lunch pupil count that exceeds the free and reduced lunch threshold, plus the product of seventy-five hundredths multiplied by the number of special education pupil count that exceeds the special education threshold, and plus the product of six-tenths multiplied by the number of limited English proficiency pupil count that exceeds the limited English proficiency threshold.  For special districts established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, weighted average daily attendance shall be the average daily attendance plus the product of twenty-five hundredths multiplied by the free and reduced lunch pupil count that exceeds the free and reduced lunch threshold, plus the product of seventy-five hundredths multiplied by the sum of the special education pupil count that exceeds the threshold for each county district, plus the product of six-tenths multiplied by the limited English proficiency pupil count that exceeds the limited English proficiency threshold.  None of the districts comprising a special district established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, shall use any special education pupil count in calculating their weighted average daily attendance.


313.805.  The commission shall have full jurisdiction over and shall supervise all gambling operations governed by sections 313.800 to 313.850.  The commission shall have the following powers and shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement sections 313.800 to 313.850:


(1)  To investigate applicants and determine the priority and eligibility of applicants for a license and to select among competing applicants for a license the applicant which best serves the interests of the citizens of Missouri;


(2)  To license the operators of excursion gambling boats and operators of gambling games within such boats, to identify occupations within the excursion gambling boat operations which require licensing, and adopt standards for licensing the occupations including establishing fees for the occupational licenses and to license suppliers;


(3)  To adopt standards under which all excursion gambling boat operations shall be held and standards for the facilities within which the gambling operations are to be held.  Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 311, RSMo, to the contrary, the commission may authorize the operation of gambling games on an excursion gambling boat which is also licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages, wine, or beer.  The commission shall regulate the wagering structure for gambling excursions [including providing a maximum loss of five hundred dollars per individual player per gambling excursion], provided that the commission shall not establish any regulations or policies that limit the amount of wagers, losses, or buy in amounts.


(4)  To enter the premises of excursion gambling boats, facilities, or other places of business of a licensee within this state to determine compliance with sections 313.800 to 313.850;


(5)  To investigate alleged violations of sections 313.800 to 313.850 or the commission rules, orders, or final decisions;


(6)  To assess any appropriate administrative penalty against a licensee, including, but not limited to, suspension, revocation, and penalties of an amount as determined by the commission up to three times the highest daily amount of gross receipts derived from wagering on the gambling games, whether unauthorized or authorized, conducted during the previous twelve months as well as confiscation and forfeiture of all gambling game equipment used in the conduct of unauthorized gambling games.  Forfeitures pursuant to this section shall be enforced as provided in sections 513.600 to 513.645, RSMo;


(7)  To require a licensee, an employee of a licensee or holder of an occupational license to remove a person violating a provision of sections 313.800 to 313.850 or the commission rules, orders, or final orders, or other person deemed to be undesirable from the excursion gambling boat or adjacent facilities;


(8)  To require the removal from the premises of a licensee, an employee of a licensee, or a holder of an occupational license for a violation of sections 313.800 to 313.850 or a commission rule or engaging in a fraudulent practice;


(9)  To require all licensees to file all financial reports required by rules and regulations of the commission;


(10)  To issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and subpoenas duces tecum for the production of books, records, and other pertinent documents, and to administer oaths and affirmations to the witnesses, when, in the judgment of the commission, it is necessary to enforce sections 313.800 to 313.850 or the commission rules;


(11)  To keep accurate and complete records of its proceedings and to certify the records as may be appropriate;


(12)  To ensure that the gambling games are conducted fairly. No gambling device shall be set to pay out less than eighty percent of all wagers;


(13)  To require all licensees of gambling game operations to use a cashless wagering system whereby all players' money is converted to physical or electronic tokens, electronic cards, or chips which only can be used for wagering on the excursion gambling boat;


(14)  To require excursion gambling boat licensees to develop a system, approved by the commission, that allows patrons the option to prohibit the excursion gambling boat licensee from using identifying information for marketing purposes.  The provisions of this subdivision shall apply only to patrons giving identifying information for the first time. Such system shall be submitted to the commission by October 1, 2000, and approved by the commission by January 1, 2001.  The excursion gambling boat licensee shall use identifying information obtained from patrons who have elected to have marketing blocked under the provisions of this section only for the purposes of enforcing the requirements contained in sections 313.800 to 313.850.  This section shall not prohibit the commission from accessing identifying information for the purposes of enforcing section 313.004 and sections 313.800 to 313.850;


(15)  To determine which of the authorized gambling games will be permitted on any licensed excursion gambling boat;


(16)  Excursion gambling boats shall cruise, unless the commission finds that the best interest of Missouri and the safety of the public indicate the need for continuous docking of the excursion gambling boat in any city or county authorized pursuant to subsection 10 of section 313.812.  The commission shall base its decision to allow continuously docked excursion gambling boats on any of the following criteria: the docking location or the excursion cruise could cause danger to the boat's passengers, violate federal law or the law of another state, or cause disruption of interstate commerce or possible interference with railway or barge transportation.  In addition, the commission shall consider economic feasibility or impact that would benefit land-based development and permanent job creation.  The commission shall not discriminate among applicants for continuous-docking excursion gambling that are similarly situated with respect to the criteria set forth in this section;


(17)  The commission shall render a finding concerning the possibility of continuous docking, as described in subdivision (15) of this section, within thirty days after a hearing on any request from an applicant or licensee.  Such hearing may be held prior to any final action on licensing to assist an applicant and any city or county in the finalizing of their economic development plan;


(18)  To require any applicant for a license or renewal of a license to operate an excursion gambling boat to provide an affirmative action plan which has as its goal the use of best efforts to achieve maximum employment of African-Americans and other minorities and maximum participation in the procurement of contractual purchases of goods and services.  This provision shall be administered in accordance with all federal and state employment laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991.  At license renewal, the licensee will report on the effectiveness of the plan.  The commission shall include the licensee's reported information in its annual report to the joint committee on gaming and wagering;


(19)  To take any other action as may be reasonable or appropriate to enforce sections 313.800 to 313.850 and the commission rules.
313.817.  1.  Except as permitted in this section, the licensee licensed to operate gambling games shall permit no form of wagering on gambling games.


2.  The licensee may receive wagers only from a person present on a licensed excursion gambling boat.


3.  Wagering shall not be conducted with money or other negotiable currency.  The licensee shall exchange the money of each wagerer for electronic or physical tokens, chips, or other forms of credit to be wagered on the gambling games.  The licensee shall exchange the tokens, chips, or other forms of wagering credit for money at the request of the wagerer.


4.  A person under twenty-one years of age shall not make a wager on an excursion gambling boat and shall not be allowed in the area of the excursion boat where gambling is being conducted; provided that employees of the licensed operator of the excursion gambling boat who have attained eighteen years of age shall be permitted in the area in which gambling is being conducted when performing employment-related duties, except that no one under twenty-one years of age may be employed as a dealer or accept a wager on an excursion gambling boat.  The governing body of a home dock city or county may restrict the age of entrance onto an excursion gambling boat by passage of a local ordinance.


5.  In order to help protect patrons from invasion of privacy and the possibility of identity theft, patrons shall not be required to provide fingerprints, retinal scans, biometric forms of identification, any type of patron tracking cards, or other types of identification prior to being permitted to enter the area where gambling is being conducted on an excursion gambling boat or to make a wager, except that, for purposes of establishing that a patron is at least twenty-one years of age as provided in subsection 4 above, a licensee operating an excursion gambling boat shall be authorized to request such patron to provide a valid state or federal photo identification or a valid passport.  This section shall not prohibit enforcement of identification requirements that are required by federal law.  This section shall not prohibit enforcement of any Missouri statute requiring identification of patrons for reasons other than being permitted to enter the area of an excursion gambling boat where gambling is being conducted or to make a wager.


6.  A licensee shall only allow wagering and conduct gambling games at the times allowed by the commission.


[6.]  7.  It shall be unlawful for a person to present false identification to a licensee or a gaming agent in order to gain entrance to an excursion gambling boat, cash a check or verify that such person is legally entitled to be present on the excursion gambling boat.  Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor for the first offense and a class A misdemeanor for second and subsequent offenses.


313.822.  A tax is imposed on the adjusted gross receipts received from gambling games authorized pursuant to sections 313.800 to 313.850 at the rate of [twenty] twenty-one percent.  The taxes imposed by this section shall be returned to the commission in accordance with the commission's rules and regulations who shall transfer such taxes to the director of revenue.  All checks and drafts remitted for payment of these taxes and fees shall be made payable to the director of revenue.  If the commission is not satisfied with the return or payment made by any licensee, it is hereby authorized and empowered to make an assessment of the amount due based upon any information within its possession or that shall come into its possession.  Any licensee against whom an assessment is made by the commission may petition for a reassessment.  The request for reassessment shall be made within twenty days from the date the assessment was mailed or delivered to the licensee, whichever is earlier.  Whereupon the commission shall give notice of a hearing for reassessment and fix the date upon which the hearing shall be held.  The assessment shall become final if a request for reassessment is not received by the commission within the twenty days.  Except as provided in this section, on and after April 29, 1993, all functions incident to the administration, collection, enforcement, and operation of the tax imposed by sections 144.010 to 144.525, RSMo, shall be applicable to the taxes and fees imposed by this section.


(1)  Each excursion gambling boat shall designate a city or county as its home dock.  The home dock city or county may enter into agreements with other cities or counties authorized pursuant to subsection 10 of section 313.812 to share revenue obtained pursuant to this section.  The home dock city or county shall receive ten percent of the adjusted gross receipts tax collections, as levied pursuant to this section, for use in providing services necessary for the safety of the public visiting an excursion gambling boat.  Such home dock city or county shall annually submit to the commission a shared revenue agreement with any other city or county.  All moneys owed the home dock city or county shall be deposited and distributed to such city or county in accordance with rules and regulations of the commission.  All revenues provided for in this section to be transferred to the governing body of any city not within a county and any city with a population of over three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants shall not be considered state funds and shall be deposited in such city's general revenue fund to be expended as provided for in this section.


(2)  The remaining amount of the adjusted gross receipts tax shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the "Gaming Proceeds for Education Fund" which is hereby created in the state treasury.  Moneys deposited in this fund shall be kept separate from the general revenue fund as well as any other funds or accounts in the state treasury, shall be used solely for education pursuant to the Missouri Constitution and shall be considered the proceeds of excursion boat gambling and state funds pursuant to article IV, section 15 of the Missouri Constitution.  All interest received on the gaming proceeds for education fund shall be credited to the gaming proceeds for education fund.  Appropriation of the moneys deposited into the gaming proceeds for education fund shall be pursuant to state law.


(3)  The state auditor shall perform an annual audit of the gaming proceeds for education fund and the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund, which shall include the evaluation of whether appropriations for elementary and secondary education have increased and are being used as intended by this act.  The state auditor shall make copies of each audit available to the public and to the general assembly.


EXPLANATION Matter enclosed in brackets [thus] in this law is not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law; new matter enacted and intended to be included in the law is shown underlined thus.



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Jennifer McCollough interviews Tommy Thayer in Branson

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Branson Realtor Kay Gerken wins Missouri Realtor of the Year

Kay Gerken, CRB, GRI, LTG, PMN, SRS, REALTOR® and co-owner of Gerken & Associates Realtors in Branson, Missouri was honored as the 2008 REALTOR® of the Year (ROTY) recently at the Missouri Association of REALTORS® (MAR) Business Conference.

Candidates for ROTY are evaluated on the basis of their REALTOR® Spirit; activity in Civic Affairs; activity in the REALTOR® Association at the Local, State and National levels; and business accomplishments. In her 29 years of real estate service, Gerken has been very active on all levels of the REALTOR® organization, serving on or chairing many committees during her tenure.

An active REALTOR® since 1979, Gerken has either chaired or been a member of nearly all her local board committees. She served as a local director for three years and as treasurer, president elect and president in 1991. Kay was awarded the Tri Lakes Board of REALTORS® REALTOR® of the Year Award in 1992. Currently she serves as an orientation instructor, chair of the local Leadership Academy Task Force, and a member of the Education and Legislative committees.

Active in the REALTOR® association on the state level as well, Gerken served as a State Director for four years, District Vice President for four years and as an elected member of MAR's Executive Committee for six years. She was elected treasurer in 2002, president elect in 2003 and served as state president in 2004. She currently serves on MAR's Economic Development Council.

Kay has enhanced her real estate education by achieving the professional designations of Graduate, REALTORS® Institute (GRI), Certified Real Estate Brokerage manager (CRB) and the LTG and PMN designations from the Women's Council of REALTORS®.

Kay is well known in the community as a political activist, working on several campaigns in both state and local races. She is also an active member of the College of the Ozarks Associates, the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and supports the Christian Action Ministries raising money for those in need in Taney County.

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Saturday, October 4, 2008

Herschend Family Entertainment Announces Management Promotions

ATLANTA----Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (HFE) CEO and President Joel Manby announced today three key promotions as the company continues to grow its portfolio and position itself for the future. Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation owns, operates or partners in 23 properties in 10 states.

"In recent years, we've been building upon our attractions strategy while creating a leadership team of some of the most respected people in our industry," said Manby. "Bringing talent and expertise together within the corporation, while ensuring each region has strong leadership on its own, is making us a better company all around," Manby said.

Jane Cooper Promoted to President, Herschend Family Entertainment Attractions

Jane Cooper, who joined the company in 2006, is promoted to President, Herschend Family Entertainment Attractions. Cooper will be responsible for all regions and properties except those within the Dollywood Company. Cooper is long respected in the industry for her strategic instincts and exemplary industry leadership. She served 25 years with Paramount Parks, as president for 8 of those years, and served as chairman (2005) of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Cooper holds an MBA in Finance from Xavier University and BA from the University of Cincinnati. She operates out of the HFE Atlanta headquarters.

Ken Bell Named President of The Dollywood Company

Dolly Parton joins HFE to announce this new position of President for the Dollywood Company, which is based in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Ken Bell, known for his keen insight, is a nearly four-decade veteran of Herschend Family Entertainment, having served in many disciplines in Tennessee and Missouri. As senior vice president for the past 18 years, Bell has overseen the operations and expansions for Dollywood theme park, and later, Dollywood's Splash Country water park. This promotion comes after both properties experienced years of substantial growth under Bell's leadership. He will continue to serve on the board of the Dixie Stampede properties (part of the Dollywood Company). Bell is a graduate of Missouri State University.

Brad Thomas Promoted to Senior Vice President of Silver Dollar City Attractions

Brad Thomas, named as Senior Vice President of Silver Dollar City Attractions, is in his 18th year with HFE, having served as the general manager of the Silver Dollar City theme park for the past 5 years. Thomas is known for quality-driven, innovative projects, most specifically in special events and park operations. He will now oversee the HFE/Silver Dollar City Attractions located in Branson, Missouri. Thomas has an MBA degree and a BS degree in Management & Marketing from Missouri State University. He is active in many community and outreach programs such as Leadership Missouri, International Festivals and Events, and multiple civic and Christian-based organizations.

"This business is all about people and with these moves, we are placing very strong leaders in the most senior operating positions in our company to assure we continue to provide outstanding, wholesome family entertainment in the future," Manby concluded.

HFE owns, operates or partners in 23 properties in 10 states

Properties include Branson, Missouri's Silver Dollar City theme park, Showboat Branson Belle lake attraction, White Water water park, Talking Rocks Cavern, The Wilderness at Silver Dollar City campground and Celebration City theme park. HFE is an operating partner with Dolly Parton in the Dollywood Company, which owns the Dollywood theme park and Dollywood's Splash Country water park, both in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Dollywood Company is also the largest shareholder in the Dixie Stampede dinner attractions located in Branson, Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In Georgia, HFE operates Atlanta's Stone Mountain Park in conjunction with the State of Georgia, and owns Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta. HFE owns and/or licenses Ride The Ducks amphibious tours in Branson, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Stone Mountain Park, Newport, Kentucky (at Newport Aquarium), Seattle, and San Francisco; also in San Francisco, HFE operates Classic Cable Car Sightseeing, the oldest land-based sightseeing company in the Bay Area. HFE also owns and operates two aquariums: Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, across the river from downtown Cincinnati, and Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, across the river from downtown Philadelphia. Since the company was founded in the early 1960s, the many properties have been internationally awarded numerous times for excellence in theme, presentation and operations, including the worldwide Applause Award for excellence and the THEA Award (Themed Entertainment Assoc.).

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Friday, October 3, 2008

Branson's 53 theaters shine with music, dance and drama

10:51 AM CDT on Thursday, June 19, 2008

By DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

BRANSON, Mo. – For those who have difficulty making a decision when all the choices seem good, Branson is becoming increasingly complicated.

But the mid-America entertainment hot spot is heaven for those who delight in having lots of options, including music, comedy, big production-style theater and a wholesome good time. With 53 theaters offering two or three shows a day, as well as more than a dozen museums, four theme parks, numerous outdoor activities, shopping and restaurants, making a choice could be a challenge.

About 100 shows play here on any given day. To help you decide which to see, here's a primer. We describe shows that will run throughout the summer and in major theaters, independent of theme parks or other venues. Adult ticket prices are quoted.

All shows are subject to change. Check before you arrive at www.explorebranson .com to be sure your choice is onstage. When you click on the Live Shows link, you may find additional shows running for a limited engagement that we may not have included.

What's new

Sight & Sound
Noah --The Musical plays Tuesday through Saturday until Christmas.
The 339,000-square-foot Sight & Sound Theatre, which opened May 23, is the biggest building in Branson. Sight & Sound Theatres, with headquarters in Strasbourg, Pa., has been dubbed the "Christian Broadway," because of the company's high-quality productions of biblical stories. Noah – The Musical, complete with more than 100 live animals and 200 animatronics, plays Tuesday through Saturday until Christmas. Aisle seats afford the best view of the animals as they board the ark. Tickets: $15 to $49. Contact: 1-800-377-1277; www.sight-sound.com.

Making his first appearance in Branson in September will be Grammy winner Joe Diffie, whose "John Deere Green" and "If the Devil Danced in Empty Pockets" were No. l hits. He'll be onstage at 8 p.m. at the Yakov Smirnoff Theatre. Mr. Diffie includes the comedy of Paul Harris in his show. Tickets: from $32. Contact: 1-800-728-4546; www.yakov.com.

New location

Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute in its third season, is at the Starlite Theatre.
Fifties at the Hop has been playing in Branson for 14 years but only now has landed its own theater by the same name. Located in the Shoppes at Branson Meadows on Gretna Road, the new setting includes an expanded refreshment area and lobby that's almost as entertaining as the show inside. Look for additional room to dance in the aisles and a surprise rebel without a cause. Tickets: from $29.50. Contact: 1-800-434-5412; www.50satthehop.com.

Liverpool Legends, a critically praised Beatles tribute in its third season, is in a new location, at the Starlite Theatre. Be in your seats 15 minutes before showtime to see news film from the Fab Four's U.S. tours. Louise Harrison, elder sister of George Harrison, is on hand to answer questions, and showgoers dance in the aisles. Tickets: from $30. Contact: 417-337-9333; www.liverpoollegends.com.

New acts

Welk Resort
Welk Resort
The Rankin Brothers, who are from Trophy Club, are playing at the Welk Resort Theatre.

The Rankin Brothers, who are from Trophy Club, have realized one of their career goals by landing a full-time gig in Branson at the Welk Resort Theatre. Their musical revue of everything from Neil Diamond to Buddy Holly to George Strait keeps hands clapping and toes tapping, just as when Matt and Mark Rankin played at the Garland Theatre. The suit Mark wears during the Elvis numbers was reputedly designed for the King himself. Tickets: $29.50. Contact: 1-800-505-9355; www.welkbranson.com.

The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Happy Trails Theater adds the duo's grandson to the lineup. Dustin Roy Rogers, who has served as general manager of the theater and museum since it opened five seasons ago, moves to the stage with his father and the High Riders. In addition to a couple of duets with his father and a solo of "Night Rider's Lament," Dustin shares memories of his grandparents. Tickets: show, $27; museum, $13; combo, $38. Contact: 1-866-769-7643; www.royrogers.com.

Ann-Margret is joining Andy Williams at the Moon River Theatre through July 26. She first visited Branson with Andy in 2004. This season's show returns the duo to a 1960 screen test for the movie State Fair. Tickets: from $37. Contact: 1-800-666-6094; www.andywilliams.com.

Plan lunch or dinner at the adjacent Moon River Grill, which opened in 2007. Andy eats a meal or two there each day, enjoying pot roast and rhubarb shortcake from his mother's recipes. He usually brings a celebrity guest or two to lunch with him. Contact: 417-337-9539.

Diana Lambdin Meyer is a freelance writer in Missouri.

SHOWS IN SIX GENRES

Branson shows, many of which have played for decades, can be divided roughly into six categories. Musical and entertainment styles may overlap. For a detailed list, go to Explorebranson.com or the Web site of each show.

POP

Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Six, at the Hughes American Family Theatre, stars six musical brothers.

Six at the Hughes American Family Theatre: These six musically inclined brothers were new to Branson in 2007. Contact: 1-877-321-6044; www.sixrealbrothers.com.

The Brett Family Morning Show at the Legends Family Theatre. Contact: 1-877-252-7388; www.brettfamily.com.

The Haygoods at Haygood Family Theatre at Music City Centre: A Branson staple for 16 years. Contact: 417-339-4663; www.thehaygoods.com.

The Duttons at the Dutton Family Theater: a talented family from Salt Lake City. Contact: 417-332-2772; www.theduttons.com.

Hughes Brothers at the Hughes American Family Theatre: 35 members of the same family onstage together. Contact: 1-800-422-0076; www.hughes-brothers.com.

Magnificent Seven Variety Show at the White House Theatre: Costumes all but steal the show in this high-energy production. Contact: 1-877-487-2386; www.bransonwhitehousetheatre.com.

COUNTRY

Ricky Boen and Texas Mud at the Hamner Barber Theater: Texas fiddles rule the show. Contact: 1-888-335-2080; www.texasmud.com.

Penny Gilley at the RFD TV Theatre: country music and amazing impressions. Contact: 417-332-2282; www.rfdtv.com.

Circle B Cowboy Supper at the Circle B Theatre: Stars of the show include barbecue sausage, peach cobbler and championship fiddling. Contact: 1-800-678-6179; www.circlebchuckwagon.com.

Clay Cooper's Music Express at the Clay Cooper Theatre: New in 2007, but a whole new cast of entertainment in Clay's own theater. Contact: 1-888-222-8910; www.claycooper.biz.

Gatlin Brothers at the Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater: Morning shows only this season. Contact: 1-800-985-3144; www.dickclarksabbranson.com.

Mickey Gilley at the Mickey Gilley Theatre: In his 19th year in Branson, Mickey remains one of the most popular shows on the strip. Contact: 1-800-334-1936; www.gilleys.com.

The Presleys' Country Jubilee at Presley Theatre: One of the originals, the Presley family still has what it takes. Contact: 417-334-4874; www.presleys.com.

ROCK 'N' ROLL

#1 Hits of the '60s at the Jim Stafford Theatre: If you think Branson is all about country, hitch a ride on this magic pink bus. Contact: 417-339-1960; www.1hitsofthe60s.com.

Red, Hot & Blue at the Music City Centre: From '40s jazz to '70s disco in this energetic show. Contact: 1-800-343-7469; www.hotbransonshows.com.

Tony Roi's Elvis Experience at the Music City Centre: He lives the Elvis experience on and off stage. You'll think you're watching the real thing. Contact: 1-866-343-7469; www.hotbransonshows.com.

Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley with Paul Revere and the Raiders at Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater. No impersonators on this stage, only the original hit makers. Contact: 1-800-985-3144; www.dickclarksabbranson.com.

COMEDY

Baldknobbers Jamboree Show at the Baldknobbers Country Music Theatre: The original show that started it all, now in its sixth decade. Contact: 1-800-998-8908; www.baldknobbers.com.

Bob Nelson at the Imaginary Theatre: 30 years of professional comedy at work in this show. Contact: 1-888-661-4386; www.bobnelson.com.

Jim Stafford at the Jim Stafford Theatre: In his 18th year in Branson, but something new and fresh every show. Contact: 417-335-8080 or www.jimstafford.com.

Yakov Smirnoff at the Yakov Smirnoff Theatre: The Cold War is over and the Iron Curtain long gone, but there's still plenty to laugh about with this Russian comedian. Contact: 1-866-559-2568; www.yakov.com.

Hamner Barber Variety Show at the Hamner Barber Theater: A little bit of magic and a lot of music make this a worthwhile show. Contact: 1-888-335-2080; www.hamnerbarber.com.

The 12 Irish Tenors are on stage at Branson Variety Theater for eight shows a week.

Joey Riley Comedy & Music Review at the Mickey Gilley Theatre: Featuring old country hits and Grand Ole Opry-style comedy. Contact: 1-800-334-1936; www.joeyriley.net.

Red at The Mansion theater: A tribute to Red Skelton by Tom Mullica. Contact: 417-239-1333; www.mansiontheatre.com.

BIG PRODUCTION

Acrobats of China/New Shanghai Circus at the New Shanghai Theatre: Total immersion in another culture. Shows every day through Dec. 20. Contact: 1-877-212-4462; www.acrobatsofchina.com.

The Twelve Irish Tenors at Branson Variety Theater: Eight shows throughout the week. Make time to enjoy this upscale performance. Contact: 1-888-462-7267; www.bransonvarietytheater.com.

Spirit of the Dance at Branson Variety Theater: An incomparable dance show for a decade in Branson. Contact: 1-888-462-7267; www.bransonvariety theater.com.

Broadway at the Branson Variety Theater: Excerpts from some of the best musicals to have originated in New York City. Contact: 1-888-462-7267; www.bransonvarietytheater.com.

Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Show

The Shoji Tabuchi Show at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre: This Japanese fiddle player gives one of the consistently most popular shows. The restroom decor is something to see. Contact: 417-334-7469; www.shoji.com.

Justin Flom Magic Show at the Imaginary Theatre: Teenagers in your family may enjoy this hip magician that does more than pull a rabbit out of a hat. Contact: 417-332-1911; www.justinflom.com.

Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show at the Dixie Stampede theater: In addition to fried chicken and corn on the cob, the show includes ostrich races and fireworks. Contact: 1-800-520-5544; www.dixiestampede.com.

Celebrate America at The Mansion theater: Walk through American history each afternoon through October, then mornings through December. Contact: 1-866-707-4100; www.themansiontheatre.com.

The Promise at The Mansion theater: This Broadway-style production of the life of Jesus runs evening through October, then afternoons through December. Contact: 1-866-707-4100; www.themansiontheatre.com.

HOLIDAY SHOWS

Each of the theaters and acts adds spectacular holiday performances and decorations that make Branson highly popular throughout November and December. In addition to those shows, other holiday programs scheduled are:

Bobby Vinton and the Glenn Miller Orchestra at The Mansion theater.

The Osmonds in the Spirit of Christmas at Branson Variety Theater.

The Wings of Christmas at Hamner Barber Theater.

Tony Orlando and the Lennon Sisters at the Welk Resorts Theatre.

NEW AND IMPROVED

•Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater, which opened in 2005, has added a five-acre outdoor events arena, called Area 57, ideal for car and motorcycle shows. Each weekend, Area 57 hosts drive-in movies from the 1950s. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to throw on the ground. Contact: 1-800-985-3144; www.ab57.com.

Titanic Museum, open since 2006, has remodeled the upstairs First Class dining room to incorporate memorabilia from the 1997 blockbuster movie, Titanic, by James Cameron. This includes wardrobe items from Kate Winslet and Kathy Baker, as well as a real diamond and sapphire necklace similar to the "Heart of the Ocean" that appeared in the movie. Tickets: $18. Contact: 1-800-381-7670; www.titanicbranson.com.



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