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INSIDE:
• Around Town.... 12B • Churches............ 8C • Classifieds........... 9C • Entertainment ��� 2B • Opinion.............. 6A • Fun & Games.... 10C • Weather........... 11A
October 20, 2023 • Volume 4, Issue #42
Jim Stafford honored with special proclamation
PLUS:
Elevate Branson opens new playground SEE PAGE 4A.
James Brown at C of O SEE PAGE 1B.
TERRYS DISCOUNT TICKETS
BOGO TICKETS
(available on many shows)
HUGHES BROTHERS SHOW $22 EACH FAMILY PASS - $50
NO TIMESHARES, NO GIMMICKS, NO FEES!
Elite General Contracting cleans up after storms SEE PAGE 1C
WEEKEND WEATHER: DEEElightful this weekend! Highs in the mid- to upper-70s, and overnight lows in the upper 40s. Get outside and enjoy fall at its finest!
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Jim with the proclamation declaring Jim Stafford Day (Photo by K.D. Michaels)
BY K.D. MICHAELS, Staff Writer With many in attendance, Branson honored a true music legend and Branson icon on Tuesday. Jim Stafford was celebrated Tuesday evening, when October 17 was proclaimed Jim Stafford Day in Branson. Mayor Larry Milton presented with a proclamation, celebrating his years in the music industry, which said, in part, “Whereas, it is recognized that around the turn of the decade, in the 1990s, Jim began performing to thousands in his very own theater, alongside his family, and became a staple among the Branson entertainment scene; and, whereas the memories Jim provided this community are timeless; memories of him sliding across the stage, a duck taped guitar; and the brilliant marquee that lit up the night sky, marking the very heart of Branson that none of us will ever forget.” The evening celebration
was staged in front of the giant guitar neck that once graced the front of the Jim Stafford Theater on Branson’s 76 Country Boulevard. The historic piece has found a new home at the Song of Hope Museum, founded by Branson’s Marshall Howden. Howden explained, “The Song of Hope is our movement. We believe that live music shows and theaters should continue to be the number one driver to our tourist market.” Howden introduced a member of the Song of Hope Board and a former intern of Jim Stafford, Matt Bailey. Bailey, who along with Howden, secured the sign in an auction, spoke on the impact Stafford had on his life, as well as the experience of securing the sign. “For three decades, the guitar neck stood atop the Jim Stafford Theater, the official neon welcome to millions of guests as they SEE STAFFORD, PAGE 4A
Branson City Administrator reflects on first year in office BY GARY J. GROMAN, Independent Journalist In early October 2022, Cathy Stepp took office as Branson City Administrator. A little over a year after assuming the position, she shares her thoughts on her first year in the office during an interview with the Branson Globe. It’s in a Q&A format with the questioning by the Branson Globe (BG) and answers by Cathy Stepp (CS): BG: What were your initial expectations of the job? CS: Based upon my interactions with some staff while serving on the planning and zoning commission, I had every expectation of encountering hard-working public servants looking for direction, support and positivity. BG: How did they compare to the reality of the role? CS: I was not disappointed. In fact, the spirit and energy they wanted to take on their jobs surpassed what I expected. Their philosophies of running their departments as if they were running their own businesses were and remain admirable. My job became integrating the departments so they could run the city as an enterprise, with each department harmonizing with the other. BG: What has been your most
Cathy Stepp (FILE) significant accomplishment during your first year in office, and how do you believe it has positively affected the city and its residents? CS: There have been key personnel changes during my first year that have resulted in demonstrating support for our staff and listening to their concerns. With new leadership in key areas of city government, there has been a noticeable “lightness” in the building and the work product our team is putting out. I’m most proud of identifying people’s gifts and putting them in places where they illuminate the city. BG: Looking ahead to the next year, what are your top three goals and priorities for the city’s development and improvement? CS: Continuing to impleSEE STEPP, PAGE 7A
Kathy Strong holds one of the pavers she has sponsored in memory of Spec. 5 James Moreland. (Photo courtesy Kathy Strong)
California woman plans Missouri visit to honor Vietnam soldier BY CYNTHIA J. THOMAS, Staff Writer When Kathy Strong received a POW bracelet in 1972 engraved with the name of a missing American soldier in Vietnam, she resolved to wear it until he came home. She had no idea she would wear that bracelet for the next 38 years. Strong, of Walnut Creek, California, was 12 years old when she received the bracelet as a Christmas gift. All she knew from the information on the bracelet was that Spec. 5 James Moreland had been missing since February 7, 1968. “I always believed he
would come home,” said Strong. She kept wearing the bracelet—to her high school prom, job interviews, and special life events. When she needed surgery on her wrist, she searched for—and found—a doctor who would do the procedure without removing the bracelet. For the first few years, she envisioned finally greeting a returning soldier at some point and showing him the bracelet. In 1975, she finally received a biography of Moreland when her mother reached out to VIVA, the Voices in Vital America student group. From
it, she learned that James Leslie Moreland served as a Green Beret medic and paratrooper in Lang Vei, but she still had no idea of his fate, although he was declared dead by the government in 1978. In February 1988, just over 20 years since Moreland had been reported missing, Strong gave a newspaper interview, hoping his family would see the story. In 2008, the story began showing up on the internet and was seen by Moreland’s sister, Linda. The women met for lunch, and Strong stayed in regular contact with the family SEE SOLDIER, PAGE 8A
