Ozarks School Districts See Swine Flu Cases

By KSPR News Story Created: Sep 4, 2009 at 7:50 AM CDT Story Updated: Sep 4, 2009 at 7:50 AM CDT Two Ozarks school districts have students with confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus. Cassville School District in Barry County sent a letter home to parents Thursday telling them the district had two confirmed cases of swine flu. The two students were siblings. They went home from school sick on Wednesday, and a local hospital test confirmed the two did have swine flu. The district says the two students will not be back in school until the symptoms have been gone for at least 24 hours. Forsyth School District in Taney County has also had one confirmed swine flu case of a elementary student. http://MissouriNetizen.com http://www.bransonedge.com http://bransonmissouri.missourinetizen.com

Branson Christian News Banned From Corporate establishments in city limits

What do, Panera Bread,Cracker Barrel and Krispee Kreme have in common? BCN News desk editor These great food chains are enjoyed by the masses but noneof them would exist without the support of their customers that hold to a Christian World View. Under the guise of a blanket policy prohibiting religious material to be displayed at their locations, we have been eveicted from all three establishments. This is despite the fact that our publication is not a prostelizing organization and you actually have to pay for it if youwant it. In all three instances,the local managers did not stand up for us as an exception to such a broad blanket policy. Hypocritically, Cracker Barrel enjoys the sale of Christian based themes in their gift shops but will not allow any Christian material in a vending machine next to the secular newspapers that are much more political and opinionated about social issues than the Ozarks or Branson Christian News ever would dare publish! Panera Bread's CEO supported President Obama's bid for office with a $100,000.00 donation. I made an appeal to him to reconsider their policy but was rejected. Was it because his perception is that conservative Christians were not in favor of Mr. Obama's ideoligies? And Krispee Kreme Branson is foolish to think that they can alienate believers. Not to be indelicate but since so many Christians feel like there is a social and moral prohibition to smoke or drink (and even a little dancing) as vices that should be avoided, Krispee Kreme donuts have become our only outlet for comfort and guilty pleasures. God's kids usually are not bullied very long and as time goes on I wouldn't besurprised if their stock starts a slow side into oblivion. Sorry for the sour grapes but I just got a craving for a jelly filled, chicken breast in between two slices of that warm home made bread. I just refuse to eat at those establishments that would prohibit Christian newspapers to be nextto other community papers because of what we believe.

Branson Landing wins state economic development award

The Branson Landing development in downtown Branson has been selected for the 2009 Director's Redevelopment Award at the Missouri Governor's Conference on Economic Development. The award will be presented during the Conference September 9-11 in St. Louis and representatives from HCW, the developer of Branson Landing, and the city of Branson will be in attendance to accept it. The annual award is given by the state to recognize the best example of a redevelopment project that had a significant impact on the neighborhood or community. Situated on 95 acres along Lake Taneycomo, Branson Landing is a mixed-used, master planned development featuring more than 450,000 square feet of national retail shops, unique restaurants, luxury condominiums, a four-star hotel and entertainment. A night-time water feature that integrates light, fire, water and music has proven to be the most popular attraction at the Landing. Enhancing the retail development is an attractive 2.5 acre Town Square in the middle of the development with a capacity of more than 2,000 people to accommodate a variety of live concerts and performances. The development of Branson Landing achieved four major successes: (1) Urban revitalization (2) Environmental improvements (3) Creation of civic space and (4) Economic productivity. In 2008, Branson Landing won a first place award by the International Society of Shopping Centers as Mixed-Use Retail Project Innovative Design and Construction of a New Project. Branson Landing was a public-private joint venture between the city of Branson and HCW Development Company, LLC. http://MissouriNetizen.com http://www.bransonedge.com http://bransonmissouri.missourinetizen.com

Keeler v. Taney County et al

Plaintiff: James Keeler Defendant: Taney County, Jimmy Russell, Jailer, Taney County, Kyle Essery, Taney County Jail and Terry Schade   Case Number: 6:2009cv03327 Filed: September 2, 2009   Court: Missouri Western District Court Office: Springfield Office [ Court Info ] County: Taney Presiding Judge: Magistrate Judge James C. England   Nature of Suit: P. Petitions - Civil Rights Cause: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act Jurisdiction: Federal Question Jury Demanded By: Defendant http://MissouriNetizen.com http://www.bransonedge.com http://bransonmissouri.missourinetizen.com

Local tourism is THAT bad (Steve Vaughan Virginia Gazette

Local tourism is THAT bad By Steve Vaughan Published: Saturday, August 29, 2009 2:20 AM EDT http://vagazette.com/articles/2009/08/31/news//doc4a98653566dc5039476487.txt The Historic Triangle is lagging behind most of the nation in hotel occupancy, according to a special report from Smith Travel Research requested by the Williamsburg Hotel-Motel Association.Among 617 destinations that Smith Travel monitors nationwide, the Williamsburg area ranks 613th at 36.9%. The good news is that we're not Branson, Mo. The only notable tourism hotspot that ranks below Williamsburg is Branson at 33.7% because the country-western theaters have lost their charm. Norfolk ranks 187th at 56.7% occupancy and Virginia Beach is 217th at 55.6%. Hotel-Motel Association president Chris Canavos said his group asked Smith Travel for the report to get a sense of how the last two down years have Williamsburg situated compared to other markets. Canavos said that although the economy has slowed tourism nearly everywhere, Williamsburg has suffered more than competing destinations. "If you have somewhere like Orlando, where they'd been growing 5 percent a year for 20 years and you have two down  years, that's different," he said. Orlando ranks 224th at 55.3% occupancy. The Hotel Association leadership contends that we suffer a systemic tourism problem that is not addressed by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance or the Williamsburg Area Destination Marketing Committee. That led 30 hotels and restaurants to withdraw from the Alliance last month. The hoteliers believe that the Alliance and WADMC have not paid enough attention to the hotel occupancy rate as a measure of the health of our tourism industry and have not done enough to help increase the number of "heads in beds." No one was available Friday at the Alliance to respond except the hired spokesman. Linda Stanier said, "The Alliance shares the concern of our area's lodging properties concerning Historic Triangle occupancy levels, which are a function of both demand and supply, the latter of which has continued to expand here while demand has not." She added, "We are working with our many travel partners, including major marketing drivers for our area such as Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and WADMC, to promote our destination to individuals and families.  The Alliance has been the largest private investor in WADMC each year of the committee's existence." Because Great Wolf Lodge, Colonial Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Hospitality House don't report their numbers to Smith Travel, the company extrapolates their occupancy. WADMC numbers are typically 4-7 percentage points better than the extrapolation, but that would barely get Williamsburg out of Smith Travel's bottom 20 nationwide. http://MissouriNetizen.com http://www.bransonedge.com http://bransonmissouri.missourinetizen.com