The free program will include a review of 1999 and trends investors should watch for in the coming year.

Tuesday, December 21, 1999

The free program will include a review of 1999 and trends investors should watch for in the coming year. There also will be a discussion on how to navigate market downdrafts, stock upsets, etc. The program will include a live interview of Richard McGinn, CEO of Lucent Technologies. Lucent designs, develops and manufactures communications systems, software and products.

"The 1999 Individual Tax Return Workshop" will be broadcast on Thursday, Jan. 13, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The program is for area CPAs and attorneys.

"This program will provide tax professionals a good technical review for the upcoming tax season," said Mark Compston, the local Edward Jones investment representative.

Course topics include tax form changes for the 1999 tax-filing season, planning opportunities still available in 2000 to reduce 1999 tax and opportunities for 2000 and beyond.

Attendees will be eligible for two CPE hours for CPAs and accounts. CLE credit for attorneys is pending approval in all states with general education requirements.

Enrollment fee is $32, which admits one person and provides all course materials. Reservations are required.

To register for either program, call 533-2464.

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Firstar Corp. directors have increased the common stock dividend by 62.5 percent to 16.25 cents-per-share on a quarterly basis or 65 cents on an annualized basis.

The common stock dividend is payable Jan. 15, 2000, to shareholders of record on Dec. 31. Firstar’s current quarterly common stock dividend is 10 cents per share or 40 cents on an annualized basis.

The increase had been anticipated since the April announcement involving the Firstar-Mercantile Bancorporation merger.

In other Firstar news, the board recently approved a special, one-time employee stock option grant.

The special offering was developed to demonstrate appreciation for the exceptional contributions made by employees over the past several months and to promote continued momentum for superior performance. All eligible employees, as of Dec. 14, received the following stock options: 500 for exempt employees, 250 for full-time non-exempt and 125 for part-time non-exempt employees.

The option grant represents an employee’s right to purchase shares of Firstar’s common stock at a set price. Fifty percent of the options granted will vest after two years, 75 percent after three years and 100 percent after four years on Dec. 13, 2003.

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King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Ky., has been approved for 44 new patient care beds. Approval was granted recently by the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Human Services.

The additional beds will be phased in over two years as the new 117,000 sq. ft. Parkview Building opens next December and other space is reallocated in the existing facility.

The 44 new beds will bring the total to 385, placing KDMC among the top 10 largest hospitals in Kentucky. KDMC ranks sixth in Kentucky in terms of admissions.

In the past year, KDMC hired 442 new employees and added 30 physicians, said CEO Fred Jackson.

In other KDMC news, the facility’s auxiliary has announced support of more than $250,000 for various projects. The group raises funds through gift shop sales as well as bake sales, book sales and jewelry sales.

Among the largest donations were $35,000 to help fund the infant car seat program and $75,000 to construction a fountain for the new front entrance of the medical center.

Jennifer Allen is publisher of The Ironton Tribune.