Oliver North to meet One on One with Citizens in Branson

Oliver North will be back in Branson for a Veterans Day fundraiser. The following unedited bullet points listed below were produced by Bob Nichols, whose company, Associated Artists is promoting the event.

1. Lt. Col. Oliver North will appear at a VIP Luncheon on Veterans day for the first 100 people to reserve tickets. The luncheon mixer will be held at the Chateau on the lake Resort on the 11th beginning at 12 Noon and lasting until 1 PM. For a, tax deductible, $125 donation to that Branson Veterans Task Force, you will be able to meet the Col one on one. You will receive a personally autographed copy of his new book and a photo opportunity with Col North. Call 417-337-8387 or 417-699-6199 for reservations.

2. Branson Veteran's Week will kick off on November 5th with "For the Vets", the official opening ceremonies for the entire week of events. This 2 hour production show is being held at the Mansion Theatre beginning at 2 PM. There is no admission charge and tickets will be available, the day of the show, at the Mansion Box office. Featured performers will include The Oak Ridge Boys, Cathy Rigby, Hughes Brothers, Barbara Fairchild and Roy Morris, Premiere Dance Academy, The Chinese Acrobats and many more, This years production will also feature several original dance numbers from a professional dance troupe provided by Midwest Dance Academy. Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley will also welcome the vets and their guests to Branson. Come early to assure the best seating. Doors open at 12:30 PM. come early to get your picture taken with a LIVE Bald Eagle in the lobby of the Mansion.

3. The first "Official" Closing Ceremonies for Branson Veteran's Week will be held at the Starlite Theatre on Veterans Day,November 11th beginning at 1 PM. Featuring appearances by Lt. Col. Oliver North, Moe Bandy, Clay Cooper, Jim Barber and many more. Mayor Raeanne Presley will also offer remarks. Admission is FREE but advance reservations are recommended by calling 417-337-9333. The College of the Ozarks Jazz Band will be performing in the atrium lobby for an hour prior to the ceremonies.

All three of these events are being produced by Associated Artists of Branson.

Bob Nichols
Associated Artists
"Raising the Level"
WCA, LLC Office
4514 North Gretna Road
Branson, Missouri 65616
417.336.0631 fax
417.593.3418 cell

Branson Chamber of Commerce to win huge powergrab

Last week I ventured into the Downtown Branson Main Street Association (DBMA) a psuedo-political government entity that was well funded through co-op programs until a move last week by the state stripping funds from both the DBMA and the Branson Veteran's Taskforce.
According to White River Valley Historical Society (WRVHS) Tax Lobbyist Donna Clevenger :

Taney and Stone county commissioners have until Nov. 1 to appoint a
destination marketing organization to administer tourism dollars if
they want the matching tourism funds from the state.

The change in the co-op program of the Missouri Division of Tourism
requires that the three organizations currently receiving state
tourism money cease operations and that those entities will no longer
be able to receive the matching reimbursement funds from the program.

According to the executive director of the Missouri Division of
Tourism, Blaine Leutkemeyer, the change will better use marketing
dollars from the state and eliminate the overlap of multiple groups
marketing spending money to market to the same advertising areas.

The total state funds available for the co-op program is $3,450,000
for the fiscal year of 2008.

The following year will have $3.8 million. Luetkemeyer said his office
is committed to help grow the program and he wanted to clarify at the
meeting that the program is not a grant. Whichever organization is
appointed by the county commissioners will use tax dollars generated
in Taney County, spend those dollars on promotions and advertisement,
then send documentation to the MDT for a 50 percent reimbursement.

Citizen reports confirm Ozark Mountain Newspaper Political Pundit and News Correspondent Gary Groman aka Ole Seagull attended the meeting. According to Clevenger the Branson Chamber of Commerce is the only entity that qualifies.

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Can someone tell me what happened here?