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Look for our next issue to come out February 3rd.
Ribbon Cuttings
Apex Communic
Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce 2015 Board of Directors: Kecia Berry * Kelly Burns * Chad Graham Eddie Melton* Dewey Patton Bruce Sikes Tony Wilson
Bill Brockett* Royce Gattis Kevie Haberer Steve Outlaw Andrew Post Teresa Williams* *newly elected Board member
Presents the 68th Annual Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet “Together For Tomorrow” Saturday, February 7, 2015 St. Mary’s Lawrence Hall Altus, AR Awards Ceremony & Dinner Festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. with Social Hour
Please assist in sponsoring this important event! Platinum Level $1000 Sponsors name in promotional advertising, banquet programs, signage at various areas throughout event facility, recognition at event and recipients of 8 complimentary tickets.
Gold Level $500 Sponsors name on program, signage at various areas of the event facility, recognition and 4 complimentary tickets.
Silver Level $250 Sponsors name on program and recipients of 2 complimentary tickets. Name of Business_______________________________________ Contact Person_________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ Email_____________________________Phone_______________ Authorized by ___________________________________________________ Fax back to 479-667-5750 Mail Payment to: Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce 300 W. Commercial Ozark, AR 72949
Presents the 68th Annual Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet Nomination
“Together For Tomorrow” Saturday, February 7th , 2015 Saint Mary’s Lawrence Hall Please fill out the following award nominees and return this form to Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce Office located at 300 West Commercial Street, Ozark, no later than 5 p.m. on January 27th 2015. In 200 words or less, nominate the businesses or individuals that have contributed to our community in a positive manner in the past year. You do not have to submit a nomination for each category but we do ask that you provide specific reasons why you nominate a certain business/organization or individuals. Nominations without supporting explanations will not be accepted. Nominations that are mailed must be received before the deadline on January 27th, no matter what the post-mark is.
NOMINATION CATEGORIES AWARDS SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR. Criteria: Membership in the Chamber, less than 25 employees, a for-profit enterprise, overall success of the business and evidence of contributions made to the community should be considered as well. LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Criteria: Membership in the Chamber, more than 25 employees, a for-profit enterprise, overall success of the business and evidence of contributions made to the community should be considered as well. VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Criteria: An individual that has made a significant contribution to the Ozark Area Community and the Chamber of Commerce through community outreach, support of social programs or volunteer efforts that impact the Ozark Area in a positive manner PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR Criteria: An individual that is a member of Police, EMT, Fire, First Responder, Public Service Facilities or Political Office
YOUTH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Criteria: A student who has given of their time and talents for the Ozark Area through public service while volunteering. EVENT OF THE YEAR Criteria: An event in Franklin County that you have attended and the event had a positive impact to the Ozark Area through the attendance or marketing or economic impact of the event could be considered for nomination such as (County Fair, Festivals, Parades ect‌.) LIFTETIME ACHIEVEMENT Criteria: An individual that has made a significant contribution to the Ozark Area Community and the Chamber of Commerce over many years of personal investment through community outreach, support of social programs or volunteer efforts that impact the Ozark Area in a positive manner.
Tony’s Tips from AVECC Water heating is the second biggest consumer of electricity in an average home behind heating & cooling. Here are some water heating energy efficiency tips: Limit shower length to 5-7 minutes. Install low-flow shower heads. Fix dripping faucets. Don't let water run while shaving or brushing your teeth.
From Tony Wilson, Member Services/Key Accounts
From The GrapeVine
Make your reservations now to celebrate Valentine's Day with that special someone. Just call 479-468-3551 or 1-800-622-WINE for reservations and more information.
The opening of the 2015 grant cycle was announced last week by Main Street Arkansas. Grant funds are again available for the removal of slip covers from downtown buildings to restore them as closely Make your reservations now to Valentine's with that special someone. call as possible to their original look. Wecelebrate plan to resubmit oneDay grant request from 2014 for slipJust cover 479-468-3551 or 1-800-622-WINE forapply reservations and moretoinformation. removal and if there are others who would like to we will be happy assist. The grants will be a 75%/25% match and competitive statewide. The property owner will pay 25% of the total cost of the rehab and half of that (12.5% of the total project cost) can be in-kind. If you are a downtown business and are interested in this opportunity please contact the Main Street office right away. The state gives priority to historic districts but will consider buildings in close proximity to the district depending on the total number of grant applications received. Main Street Ozark is still offering $200 paint up/fix up mini-grants for the downtown historic district. We only had time to issue three mini-grants last fall before the cold weather hit. Hopefully we will have an early spring and can get back to work on helping our businesses spruce up their buildings. Please contact Main Street at 667-5337 if you are interested in some assistance with exterior design. The money can be used for painting, signs, windows, awnings or anything that will improve building facades and help promote your business.
If you haven't seen the new mural on the east side of the Apex AT&T office at 105 West Commercial you need take look. Linda Millsap had local artist, Scott Gage paint a riverboat scene welcoming visitors to Ozark and it is absolutely beautiful. Scott is such a talented guy and we are fortunate to have his Six Six Seven Studios as part of our "Downtown Courthouse Square Historic District". We appreciate Linda's dedication to the promotion of Ozark and showing she is always willing to go that extra mile to do it!
Arts Society of Ozark Happy New Year! The Arts Society of Ozark is looking forward to an exciting 2015! Please join us on January 13th for our next general meeting, 6:00pm upstairs in the Chamber Building, to see what the ASO has in store for Ozark. Art walks, children's activities, performances, and more events are just a few of the items on the 2015 agenda. Everyone is welcome! We finished out 2014 with a bang! The "Art, Wine, & Dine" was a huge success and a fabulous time. Thank you to everyone who attended and to our sponsors: Dennis & Sharla Wiederkehr - Post Familie Winery - Chef Terese Post at the Trellis Room Arkansas Valley Electric - Bank of the Ozarks - Contran - Crave Bake Shop - CV’s Family Foods - Mulberry Mountain - OG&E - Ozark Ford - Ozark Rotary - The Hurt Family - Walmart of Ozark - Special thank you to the American Legion If you would like to be involved or would like to be added to our email list please contact: Amber Patton artssocietyofozark@gmail.com artssocietyofozark.com (479) 644-9903
We apologize for the delay of the January issue of ‘72949 Online’. Look for our next publication to come out February 3rd, 2015.
The Library is now OPEN! Hours of Operation: Monday -12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday thru Friday – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. We have a new data base located on the www.arvrls.com site. The data base is NewsBank it can be accessed with your library card outside the library. For information on events and the data base call the library at 479-667-2724.
http://turnerbend.com/
http://www.byrdsadventurecenter.com/
http://www.mulberrymountainlodge.com/
Mulberry area winter activities include ‘birding’ Outdoor activities in the Mulberry River area get quieter during late fall and winter. Music festivals are over, motorcycles and boats are put away and the loudest sounds become the gun shots of hunters or the occasional whir of ATV motors. In the cities, holiday lights displays become the main attraction. This quiet season is also the best time for “birding” in the Mulberry River area. According to Ornithologist Dan Scheiman, bird conservation director with Audubon Arkansas, bird watching is the second most popular outdoor hobby after gardening. “More people watch birds in the U.S. than hunters and anglers combined,” said Scheiman. Eagle watching is especially popular during in late fall and winter because the birds are easier to spot once the leaves are gone, Scheiman explained. He said when the breeding season ends the eagles are no longer territorial and are more likely to roost together near water. See the full article here (from ‘The City Wire’ submitted by Connie Las Schneider, 2011)
e-mail: mmorris@atu.edu Phone: 479-667-2117 Fax: 479-667-1422 Megan D. Morris Public Information Specialist
News Release (12/19/14)
Students Earn 100 Percent Pass Rate on MOS Exam OZARK – Fifteen business technology students at Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus have passed the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exam, for the first time giving the program a 100 percent pass rate. Students tested on Microsoft Word 2013 and are now certified in the program. The exam requires students to demonstrate a varied skillset including creating and managing documents, formatting text and paragraphs, inserting references, and formatting tables and objects. Angela Medlock, business technology instructor, said the certification is something that can help students in the workforce. “The certification indicates this applicant possesses the knowledge and skills to maneuver the program,” she said. “This can make a student more marketable when searching for employment or when seeking to advance from their current position.” Students take two semesters of word processing to prepare for the exam. “The second semester covers more advanced features of Word 2013 and allows students to review and study for the MOS,” she said. “The campus also purchases a practice exam, which the students seem to think is quite valuable for preparation.”
Students can also increase their practice time by downloading the practice program to their home computers. Arkansas Tech-Ozark offers technical certificates and Associate of Applied Science degrees in business technology. Students can choose from four concentrations: business technology, business technology-banking, supply chain management and human resources. For more information on enrolling in the business technology program, contact the Office of Student Services at (479) 667-2117 or visit atu.edu/ozark.
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News Release (12/23/14)
New Certifications Available Through Adult Ed OZARK – Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus Adult Education centers have been approved to offer classes for students seeking Arkansas certification in six content areas: employability, customer service I and II, office technology, bank teller and industrial. The certifications are offered through the Arkansas’ Workforce Alliance through Growth in the Economy (WAGE) program through the Arkansas Department of Career Education, Adult Education Division. WAGE training is free to business and industry partners, incumbent workers and those seeking employment. Each certification consists of a program of study including resume writing, “soft” employment skills, customer service, computer skills and other specialized training. Regina Olson, director of Arkansas Tech-Ozark Adult and Continuing Education, said students participating in the WAGE program at their local adult education center will find an opportunity to obtain or improve employment. “We are excited to offer this new program. WAGE is an excellent program for both the employer and the employee and is currently successful in many areas around the state,” she said. “Our centers intend to work closely with the community to develop specific curriculum to meet the needs of our local businesses and industries, while offering free training to students to build their resumes and ensure they have the skills necessary to be excellent employees at those businesses.” Along with the WAGE program, the centers also teach General Education Development (GED) classes and English-as-a-second-language (ESL), as well as basic skills review for those in need of upgrading skills to enter higher education, the military or workforce. All classes are free. Students can enroll at any time by contacting their local center. Arkansas Tech-Ozark has Adult Education centers in Booneville, Charleston, Clarksville, Ozark and Paris. To learn more about services offered or to enroll in the WAGE program, contact Arkansas Tech-Ozark Adult Education at (479) 667-3520.
We are now just days away from the start of the Regular Session of 2015. All members will be sworn into office on January 12 at noon, but our work has already begun. Arkansas is one of 37 states which allows for bill pre-filing. The pre-filing process allows bills to be prepared and introduced before the Regular Session convenes. It increases the efficiency of the legislative process in several ways. Legislative staff has more time to draft legislation. In addition, the paperwork that is necessary for a bill’s official introduction such as sponsor signatures can be completed early. Pre-filing began on November 17. As of this week, 14 bills have been filed in the House and 6 bills have been filed in the Senate. Members-elect as well as returning members are allowed to pre-file. The Speaker will assign the pre-filed bills to a committee on the first day of session. From there bills will be assigned soon after they are filed. Orientation for new members was held earlier this month. This year the House will welcome 40 freshman. The 90th General Assembly will bring a wealth of practical knowledge to the House. Of the 100 representatives, 14 have served in the armed forces. Many of the members are small business owners and 6 member including myself are educators or retired educators. Arkansas’s largest industry is also well represented. 17 of our members are farmers or retired farmers. And this year, 3 of our members are pastors. Our incoming Speaker, Rep. Jeremy Gillam, has stated publicly that economic development will be the focus of this session. This will involve taking a look at our tax structure, infrastructure and our education system in order to grow an environment conducive for job creation. Prison overcrowding will also be an issue this General Assembly will have to address. I invite you to watch the swearing in ceremony on the 12th at www.arkansashouse.org. The following day, the Governor and our Constitutional Officers will be sworn in. From that point forward, the House will convene every day at 1:30. I will update you on the bills moving through the Capitol over the next few months. I wish you and your family the very best this new year. We will do our very best to make it a prosperous and positive one for Arkansas.
-Bill
Tourism Attracts Retirees Tourism is also an important aspect of community economic development. Unfortunately, the economic potential of travel by the public often is not taken seriously. Public decision makers fail to realize the true extent and complexity of tourism, although every U.S. community has a tourism industry of some kind. Almost every business providing goods or services at retail is a part of the industry. Tourism produces profits, jobs, taxes, and rents, similar to most other economic activities. Furthermore, it is compatible with most other economic activities, and almost everyone is a tourist at one time or another. Travel Trends Travel is now an important segment of American life styles, and the rate of growth in travel grows annually. Several trends may have an impact upon tourism related to the mature Americans market. The mature citizen market segment of most interest to communities desiring to attract retirees is the 45 to 64 age group. Those 65 and older are most likely to be currently retired and settled in the community in which they wish to enjoy their retirement years. The mature adults group of interest can best be examined by dividing them into two segments: those beginning to make tentative retirement plans, but who are still examining many possibilities (the 45 to 54 age group), and those very near retirement and likely to make final retirement plans relatively quickly (the 55 to 64 age group). The 45 to 54 age group. The greatest population growth will be in the 45 to 54 age group. It should experience a 63 percent increase. Most should remain in good health for the next decade. Currently, more than 60 percent of this group indicate that their health is good or excellent. This particular group took 15 percent of all trips. They are active business travelers and frequent users of air travel, rental cars, and hotels. On the average they are more likely than other groups to take day trips, travel by camper or recreational vehicles, and travel outside the United States The 55 to 64 age group. Householders aged 55 to 64 have the highest median net worth of any age group. The value of their assets is 21 percent greater than the average. Most members of this group are in good health and physically able to engage in a variety of leisure activities. Fourteen percent of all trips taken were made by persons of age 55 to 64. They are less likely to spend discretionary income on purchases of material possessions than on items that offer social
(Traveler’s Journal, cont.) reinforcement and enjoyable experiences, such as leisure activities and travel. This group is more value-sensitive than price-sensitive. If they believe a product or service is worth the cost, price becomes less important and only a matter of what they can afford. Tourism Is Compatible With Attracting Retirees Among the economic goals of local communities should be the development of a balanced economic base and the identification of the comparative advantages of the community from its resource and economic base. To achieve this end, many communities have identified both tourism and retiree attraction as one means of achieving economic development goals. Many individuals who have retired in a community first visited as tourists. Even though tourism and retiree attraction are often identified as economic development strategies for a community, few seem to recognize the important link between the two. The community is not going to be able to attract retirees unless they are first able to attract them as tourists. Recognizing that individuals approaching retirement are likely to embark on travel in an attempt to find the most desirable retirement location opens new and affluent tourism markets to the community.
Royce Gattis- Tourism Committee Chairman For more information, please see our website http://www.ozarkchamberofcommerce.com/news_events
Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce Photo Contest Membership Plaque The contest will feature the winning photo on the yearly membership plaque. Each Chamber of Commerce Member receives a display for their business, designating them as a Chamber member. Contest st November 25th Through dates:January 31 2015 The winning photographer will be awarded recognition on the winning photo and will receive membership in Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce for one year as an individual member. For more information contact: Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce 30 West Commercial 0 Street Ozark , Arkansas 479 667 - -2949 Click her e For contest rules http://www.ozarkchamberofcommerce.com
The deadline has been EXTENDED for the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce Photo Contest!
Subway inside Loves #271: The featured product is the Grilled Chicken Strips – Chicken & Bacon Ranch Melt, Monterey Chicken Melt, and Sweet Onion Teriyaki. The Simple $6 Menu – the best six inch sandwiches, chips & 21 oz. fountain drink Hillbilly Hideout at The I-40 Travel Center: The Hillbilly Hideout offers daily lunch specials, and a deli both open 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week. You can call in your order for pick up at (479)-667-0711. KFC/Taco Bell: KFC- Festive Feast available in 10, 12 or 16 piece with sides, biscuits and cake. Taco Bell- Country Grilled Breakfast Burrito, $1 Crunchwrap Sliders, also a $1 Cravings menu. $1 Happier Hour from 2-5 pm. The Coffee Break: All sandwiches and Panini’s are $6.00 each and are served with a pickle spear and your choice of regular or BBQ chips. During the colder months, you can get soup instead of chips. They also have iced and hot coffees and cappuccino. 667-3552 Rivertowne BBQ: BBQ ribs, sandwiches, salad, bean ‘slop’, burgers and more. Choose from beef, chicken, or pork. Carryout and catering available. (479)-667-1808. Hours: Open 7 days a week, Sun-Thurs 11am-8pm and Fri-Sat 11am8:30pm. Wiederkehr Weinkeller Restaurant: The Weinkeller's menu offers delicacies from the German, French, and Italian regions of Switzerland, as well as specialties from central Europe and America. Open every day except major holidays. Hours: Mon-Saturday, Lunch 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Sunday 11:00 am- 9 pm. Reservations are recommended for dinner (479)-468-3551 or 1-800-622-WINE PJ’s Fina & Pizza Pro: Pizza, wings, breadsticks, cinnamon sticks. Specialty pizzas. Get the 2 nd pizza for only $5.00 (12 in.) or $7.00 (14 in.) equal or lesser toppings, carry out only. 667-5805 Subway on Commercial: The featured product is the Big Hot Pastrami Melt for the month of December. Also there is the Simple $6 Menu – the best six inch sandwiches, chips & 21 oz. fountain drink. Also the 6 in. meatball marinara and cold cut combo are just $2! Call 667-0159 to order ahead or for pickup. Southern Grill: Serving breakfast 6-11 a.m. then lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Daily specials and carry out orders. Call 667-0704. Altus Handy Mart: All Day Every Day! Buy any 1 Topping 14 in. Pizza for $8.99 and get a 14 in. Cheese Pizza for only $6.99 or get a 16 in. Cheese Pizza for $10.99. Offering breakfast and lunch. There are lunch specials every day. Lunch combos come with fries and a drink including chicken strips, hot ham and Swiss, burgers, etc. Salads as well as individual foods like crispitos, corndogs, eggrolls, etc.
The Judge’s Jot I know how much you all look forward to getting an update of what's been going on in the Judge's office each month but I decided to share something different today. Since this will be my last time to address you as Franklin County Judge, I wanted to focus on the past, the present, and the future. The Past: It has been my pleasure and privilege to serve Franklin County over the past 22 months, I admit that I'm going to miss it ...but not as much as my husband Joe Powell. Aside from family man and farmer, being Franklin County Judge is all he's known for the past 38 years of his life. Someone could write a book about all the ways Franklin County has improved and list all of his accomplishments over the years but if you ask him he would say "I'm just humbled and proud that I got to spend the better part of my life serving Franklin County and the citizens, and I feel very blessed to call it home". The Present: We are happy to report the county is in great shape. The budget is balanced and additional unappropriated funds are available for projects moving forward. Employees are going to enjoy a healthy 5% raise, and for the first time in a long time the clock tower is singing again. The Future: As 2014 comes to an end, bittersweet is the word that comes to mind for Joe and me. We will enjoy retirement but we will miss the office, the employees, the elected officials, the citizens, the phone calls about damaged roads and blocked roads and all the FEMA declared disasters, even Quorum Court meetings... ok so we won't miss EVERYTHING. We may be waving goodbye to the judge's office but we will always call Franklin County home and do our part to support and contribute to making it the greatest place to live in Arkansas. Thank you for allowing us to serve as your County Judge and we hope that you show the same commitment and support as the future County Judge takes the reins and continues to move Franklin County forward in 2015. Thanks for reading about Franklin County and as always if you have any questions or comments please contact my office anytime. 479-667-4726
Thanks,
- Janet Powell, Franklin Co. Judge