Business > Columnists > Carrie Rengers

Posted on Thu, Oct. 15, 2009

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Cox sues phone book firm over numbers

Cox Communications Kansas has filed a lawsuit against User-Friendly Phone Book in Sedgwick County District Court .

Cox spokeswoman Sarah Kauffman says the basis of the suit goes back to 2008 when User-Friendly published the addresses and phone numbers of customers who didn't want them listed.

"At the time, we made attempts asking User-Friendly... to take action to remedy the mistakes that they made," Kauffman says. "We did not get a response from them at that time."

She says many of the numbers and addresses — Kauffman isn't sure how many — were incorrectly published again this year.

In a letter dated July 22, 2009, Cox (through Foulston Siefkin attorney Jay Fowler ) told User-Friendly: "This conduct is inexcusable."

Cox demanded User-Friendly stop delivering its phone books, recall any distributed copies and fix the situation.

Kauffman says that hasn't happened.

"We're really hoping that they will correct the situation," she says.

That's the point of the lawsuit, Kauffman says.

Heather Burrer, general counsel for Woodlands, Texas-based User-Friendly, says, "Right now we do not comment on any pending litigation."

Title change

After almost three decades with First American Title (including about 20 years when it was Security Abstract and Title ), Craig Burns resigned earlier this month.

Burns had been the Kansas state manager for First American for about the past decade.

He's not talking about his next move yet, but it looks like Burns is forming his own company, tentatively called Infinity .

More news on his plans should be coming in a week or two.

Funny business

Intrust Bank Arena may not be touting all the acts it has booked yet, but it's clearly lining up a variety of them.

According to comedian Jeff Dunham's Web site, he'll perform at the arena March 12.

If you're not familiar with Dunham, he's apparently America's leading comedic ventriloquist. He has a self-titled show that debuts on Comedy Central next week.

Tickets for his Wichita show go on sale Nov. 14.

The arena so far has announced that Brad Paisley is its debut act Jan. 9. The Harlem Globetrotters are coming Jan. 22.

And, though the arena has yet to confirm it, it looks like Taylor Swift is coming April 1.

Frank eviction

After fewer than six months in business, Let's Be Frank is closing.

"We got an eviction notice today, and we are probably going to be closed," says partner Brad Standing .

The restaurant, which is at 2425 E. Douglas, will close Nov. 1.

Standing says there's been an ongoing dispute with his landlord over a sewage line problem.

It's the same problem that drove Savage Salon from the center.

Salon owner Chawalee Riggs reopened at 230 N. Mosley across from Whiskey Creek in Old Town .

Her new salon is called Salon Q , which she named for her 5-year-old, Quentin .

Standing would like to reopen somewhere else, but he's not sure if he will.

"This all happened just a few hours ago, so no definite plans yet," he says.

If Let's Be Frank reopens elsewhere, look for it to still be in the Douglas Design District , Old Town or possibly Delano .

LeJs Chisholm bound

The growing number of businesses at Chisholm Trail Center-Outlet & Retail Shops in Newton is attracting one more.

Jeffery Love is moving his LeJs Bar-B-Q from 1607 W. First St. in Newton to Chisholm Trail.

"The west side of Newton's been really good to me, but I just think Chisholm is a better location," he says.

Part of the reason is his lunch crowd dropped off when nearby Norcraft had layoffs.

Mostly, though, Love likes the number of businesses moving to Chisholm Trail.

For instance, Baker Furniture recently opened, and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame annex will open by Christmas.

"I just think the timing's right, basically," Love says.

He'll have about 35 seats at his new location compared with 20 now.

Love, who worked for Latour Management for 20 years, offers six kinds of meat that he smokes daily on site along with a number of freshly made side dishes.

There are still two spaces left to lease at Chisholm Trail.

"We're very excited that we're filling in, especially right before the holiday season," says Debra Mitchell , director of marketing.

She especially likes that the number of retail and entertainment options for men has grown.

"There's something for everyone," Mitchell says.

Love agrees.

"It's a no-brainer," he says of his move, which should be complete by sometime next week (he'll remain at his current location through the weekend).

"It's time to take LeJs to another level."

You don't say

"There are a lot of tweets by twits. But not all tweets are by twits."

—Visioneering chairman Jon Rolph's characterization of Twitter

Got a hot tip or quirky story? Call Carrie Rengers at 316-268-6340 or e-mail crengers@wichitaeagle.com.