The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 18

18 Sunday, January 26,1992 The Salina Journal coordinator. She has been with Bank IV for 16 years and has worked mostly in customer services. Manion Three receive Bank IV promotions Gracie Manion, Carolyn Berens and Gail Magathan have received promotions from Bank IV Salina. Manion has been named vice president of retail banking. Berens and Magathan were promoted to bank officers.

Manion has worked in banking for 22 years. She Magathan started as a proof operator and has held such positions as customer services, mall operations supervisor and human officer. Berens is the bank's marketing and business development officer. She has worked for financial institutions for 18 years and has been with Bank IV Salina since 1989. She has worked as a real estate loan officer and personal banker and is a licensed insurance agent.

Magathan was named customer services officer and Status Banking Bremerman Aguirre Ostmeyer Four promoted at United Parcel Scott D. Bremerman, Alex Aguirre, Geri Elam and Jeff ery L. Ostmeyer have received promotions from United Parcel Service in Salina. Bremerman and Ostmeyer, delivery drivers, have been promoted to driver supervisors. Bremerman has been with the company for four years.

Ostmeyer has worked for UPS for seven years, most recently as a delivery driver in the Beloit area. Elam and Aguirre, part-time operations supervisors, have been PERSONALS named full-time hub operations supervisors. Elam has been with UPS for years, and Aguirre has worked for the company for three years. Reh retires from SCS after 35 years John Reh, assistant state conservationist for water resources in the state off ice of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, has retired after 35 years of federal service.

Reh, originally from Bennington, started with the agency as a student trainee in 1956. He joined the service full time at the Salina office in 1958 as a hydraulic engineer. As assistant state conservationist, he worked in policy formulation and in a variety of projects. Family, friends and co-workers will recognize Reh and his wife, Judy, with a retirement dinner Feb. 8 at the Red Coach Inn.

Fox joins Prestige Coffee Marty Fox has joined Prestige Coffee Systems of Salina as an area sales representative. She handles new and existing coffee accounts in Salina, Osborne, Smith Center and elsewhere in north-central Kansas. She previously was in sales with Southwestern Bell Telephone Salina. Dang Gagnon Kennedy Coe adds 7 to staff Kennedy Coe Certified Public Accountants, Seventh and Iron, has hired three staff accountants, two accounting interns and a consultant. The staff accountants: Teresa M.

Sullivan received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Kansas State University in December 1991. She is from Oak, Neb. Mark A. Pettijohn received a bachelor's degree in accounting and business administration from the University of Kansas in December 1991. He attended the London School of Economics during the summer of 1991.

He graduated from Solomon High School in 1987. Ritu Dang received a bachelor's degree from Sriram College of Commerce, New Delhi, India, in 1990. She received a master's degree in accounting from the University of Kansas in December 1991. She is from Jabalpur, India. The interns are Eunice R.

Bjornstad, an accounting major at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and Anthony J. Shikany, a business major at Montana State University. Hired as a consultant is Anthony J. Gagnon, a 1983 graduate of Sacred Heart High School. He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1987 and a master's of business administration in December 1991 from Kansas State University.

He will be working for the firm's information systems group. Kennedy Coe, headquartered in Salina, has 17 offices in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Colorado. Fritzson named Stockade manager Alicia Fritzson has been promoted to manager of the Sirloin Stockade, 2315 S. Ninth. She joined the company in October 1990 and has worked at various jobs with the restaurant.

Pharmacies vary in meeting customers' needs FROM PAGE 17 tor of the Kansas Pharmacists Association, Topeka, said the largest concern with mail- order firms is the lack of personal interaction with the patient. "You don't know the name of the pharmacist; there's no one-on-one counseling," he said. And, because prescription laws differ from state to state, mail-order firms locate in states where the laws are more lax, which presents unfair competition for other pharmacists. If a patient is injured by a prescription from a mail-order firm, it may be difficult to take action against the firm, Williams said. State pharmaceutical boards are swamped by regulating their own pharmacies, without dealing with problems at out-of-state firms.

Another factor that creates unfair competition is multi-tiered pricing in which drug manufacturers sell to certain groups at lower prices, he said. It started decades ago, when drug companies sold to hospitals at lower prices, he said. Eventually, they started to include health maintenance organizations, mail-order firms and other groups. Many state organizations have joined to lobby for changes in the law to remove multi- tiered pricing, he said. Mail-order firm responds A spokesman for a Nebraska mail-order firm rejected the criticism and said the company fills prescriptions in the same way retail pharmacists do.

He spoke on condition the firm's name not be used. "If we're bad, you wouldn't hear pharmacists complaining about us, because people wouldn't be using us," he said. The only difference is that three pharmacists handle each prescription and can act as a check on each other, he said. One pharmacist plugs the prescription into a computer, the second pharmacist takes the drug off the shelf and the third one fills the prescription. "At the retail pharmacy, there's nobody there to catch them if they make a mistake," he said.

Orders are back in the customers' home within four to five days, he said. The firm doesn't take orders for emergency prescriptions, for example, antibiotics for children. Those prescriptions need to be filled by local pharmacists, he said. But the mail-order firm can handle prescriptions for diabetics or people with high blood pressure and others who can plan ahead. Retail pharmacists argue that they provide more personal service, the spokesman said.

But his people are available 12 hours a day on a toll-free number to answer questions. The firm keeps on computer records of drugs used by customers, and the firm checks with patients' doctors before filling orders. Patients fill out forms that tell the firm what other drugs they are taking. Like any pharmacist, retail or otherwise, the mail-order firm must rely on the patient for accurate information in this area, the spokesman said. He said he believes there's room for retailers and mail-order firms in the market.

They provide the same product, but different vices. Retail pharmacists can compete by' making the extra effort to walk around the counter, talk to the customer and answer questions. "They're not going to wish us away," he said. "Ten percent of all prescriptions now are filled through the mail." Growth of chains is concern Although the number of independent phar- macies has declined, the number of chain pharmacies has increased by a like amount, said Williams-of the Kansas Pharmacists Association. The concern with this change is that chain pharmacies might be more profit-oriented than focused on pharmaceutical care, he said.

Store managers might have different goals from the pharmacists who work for them, Williams said. He knew of one case at a large chain in Kansas in which a pharmacist refused to fill a prescription, and the store manager insisted he do so. "The pharmacist said, 'It's my and eventually prevailed, Williams said. "You do run into those kind of Cram said discount stores may use "loss leaders," or sell certain drugs at cost to give the impression all of their drugs are cheaper. A newer pharmacy, such as the Wal-Mart pharmacy in Salina, also may sell its products at lower prices to build up its clientele.

But, "not even chains are going to lose money on a long-term basis," Cram said. Williams said competition from the chains means independent pharmacists will have to provide care that goes "way beyond filling the prescription." They need to monitor their clients' drug therapy through follow-up calls and "make damn sure the person is taking the medication," he said. "It may even mean drawing blood" to ensure the drug is being taken. And, "pharmacists should be paid not only for dispensing a drug, but also for not dispensing a drug." A careful pharmacist can prevent patients from receiving drugs that could harm them. Taking the wrong medicine costs the nation billions when patients die, lose their jobs or have to be hospitalized unnecessarily, he said.

Meeting a community need But Bill Geyer believes it will take a commitment from consumers, particularly in small towns, for independent retailers to stay open. Whenever a business closes, the community loses sales taxes and property taxes that help keep schools open and services operating, he said. That's not to mention the volunteerism provided by local business people. "Every time you lose a business, that's another business that doesn't contribute to the community," he said. In the case of pharmacists, the community loses someone who's there in life-threatening situations, Geyer said.

"I don't know of a small-town pharmacist who won't go out of the way to get a prescription late at night," he said. "Where can you find a Wal-Mart or a Dillon pharmacist after hours?" Many independent pharmacists would be willing to match the discount stores' prices, especially for long-term prescriptions, he said. Another concern for small towns is that the lack of a pharmacist might discourage a doctor from practicing there, Geyer said. Ellis, for example, has no full-time doctor. A physician visits town 14 hours a week.

With no pharmacy there, Geyer wonders whether the doctors will continue the part-time work. Elderly residents of Ellis who don't travel now have to rely on younger people to go to Hays or WaKeeney and pick up prescriptions. In Stafford, which is farther from a city, Geyer believes the pharmacy will succeed. "People are really faithful to it," he said. "In our town (Ellis), the public support just wasn't there." Wall Street cautiously awaits word from Bush By The Associated Press NEW YORK Wall Street's stock and bond traders are treading very cautiously as they await economic proposals from President Bush in the next few days.

In his State Wall Street of the Union message Tuesday and budget proposal Wednesday, the president is expected to lay out a battle plan for stimulating the economy. Among the numerous possibilities viewed as likely elements of his strategy are some form of income- tax break to try to bolster confidence and spending among consumers. Bush also appears poised to call, as Dow Industrials 3275 3225 3175 20 21 22 23 24 The Dow Jones Two-week trend. he did unavailingly a year ago, for a reduction in taxes on long-term capi- tal gains. That last subject, in particular, is close to the hearts of many securities brokers and their customers.

But even with such a prospect to sweeten the pot, the stock and bond markets have both turned flat in recent days. Analysts say traders are on guard for any surprises. They also note that many Wall Streeters have mixed feelings at best about the benefits of fiscal stimulus to the economy. "The plan is likely to be fairly conventional, including a quick-fix, one-shot tax cut for the middle class," observed Edward Yardeni, chief economist at C.J. Lawrence Inc.

in New York. "Odds are that the president's plan will be accepted by Congress with some modification by April or May. The longer it takes Congress to pass the package, the worse off will be the economy in the near term. "Odds are that the final version will increase the federal deficit during the current fiscal year by $25 billion." "Odds are that the economy will respond positively during the second half of the year. "However, the tax cuts are likely to be spread fairly thinly over as many voters as possible.

Also, keep in mind that this year's tax cuts are offsetting tax increases that were imposed in 1990 by the federal gov- ernment and in 1991 by many state and local governments." Even if a program emerges that achieves dramatic results, many analysts aren't sure it would automatically be bullish for the markets. The net effect of such thoughts was a pullback in stock prices over the past week. The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials closed Friday at 3,232.78, down 32.20 points from the week before. Salinan buys Wilson lab; 12 lose their jobs Continental Analytical Services, 1804 Glendale, has purchased Wilson Laboratories, 525 N. Eighth.

The labs conduct analyses of soil, water, air and other elements. Janis Butler, president of Continental, said the acquisition will give her business expansion and more equipment. The acquisition brings to 60 the number of employees. About 24 people worked at Wilson Laboratories, and half will be out of a job as a result of the acquisition. "It's a very competitive and growing field," Butler said.

"It is driven by the environmental regulations and the intense interest in cleaning up our Butler was director of Wilson Laboratories for 12 years. She left there in 1983 and founded Continental, in 1987. Wilson Laboratories has been sale for six months and has been aj division of Wilson Company Engi-j neers Architects, 631E. since 1978. "We wanted to concentrate on err-I gineering and get out of the lab" business," said Wilson Co.

spokesman Bob Sykes. "It's capital intensive and we have other places to spend our money." Wilson Co. started the lab as part of its waste water and water treatment design work. FARM BRIEFS Farm program meetings planned Meetings on farm and disaster programs are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Feb. 6 and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Friendship Center, 746 Comanche. Chris Johnson, director of the Saline County office of the Agricul-C ture Stabilization and Conservation" Service will discuss target prices, deficiency payments, payment its, ARP requirements, flex acres, HS cross compliance, sign-up deadline's and other details.

The meetings are sponsored by ASCS and the Saline County sionService. Cattle producers to meet Monday Dickinson County Cattle Producers will meet- Monday at the Abilene Elks Lodge. 5 An eight-ounce sirloin steak dinner 5 will be served at 6:30 p.m. Cost is Joe Harner of Kansas State Uni- versity extension agriculture engi- neering will discuss Kansas De- partment of Health and EnvironmenC regulations that relate to cattle op- erations. He also will talk about cat- tie lot layout and design and handling facilities.

PERMITS These are the building permits is4; sued by the Salina Permits and spections Division. Commercial 737 N. BroadwqfW-' LeRoy Schmidt, addition, $250. Residential miscellaneous S. Ninth, Dennis Collier, repair, $4,700.

1221 E. Republic, Del Prophgtp interior alteration, $7,000. 650 Starlight, Roland Zier, alteration, $8,000. 252 N. Oakdale, Bill Wilson, age, $350.

721 University Place, Cleve der, repair garage, $500. 1307-1309 Glenshire, road Materials pitch roof, $2,000. Tile. Vebvet Sillina Jour -miL-ji-n-M- INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT SAVE ON TAXES AT SECURITY SAVINGS. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TAX DEFERRAL.

SEE US AT SECURITY SAVINGS FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT. Any qualified working individual may set aside up to $2,000 a year. Serving Salina Since 1898 Security Savings IRA certificates of deposit can be opened with a deposit. SECURITY SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION 317 S. Santa Fe 825-8241 1830 S.

Ohio 825-1306 The sooner you open your IRA the more tax deferred interest you'll earn. FDIC INSURED Early withdrawal penalties may apply under age Deferred income may be taxable when withdrawn U.S. GOVERNMENT GUARANTEED BONDS 7.67 FEDERAL INCOME TAX-FREE" MUNICIPAL BONDS 6.25% IRA AND KEOGH RETIREMENT PLANS 8.65% Interest may be subject to state and local taxes on A-rated Corporate Bonds Rates Expressed As Yield To Maturity Stop by or call for a prospectus Jack Schwartz 1 1 1 S. Fifth, 913-823-5133 1-800-748-7402 Gary Duff 11 14 Crawford, 913-826-9325 1-800-383-9325 Registered Representatives Jack Schwartz Edward D. Janes Co..