Business

Kathy Swan has occupied many roles in her life — small-business owner, nurse, Cape Girardeau city councilwoman, member of the state House of Representatives and church musician, among others. As of Wednesday, Jan. 18, the Cape Girardeau resident added another title — commissioner — after having been confirmed by the Missouri Senate to a six-year term as the employer representative on the state Labor and Industrial Relations Commission (LIRC)...

Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. will open its first Missouri location Friday, Jan. 27, with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting at 440 S. Mount Auburn Road, Suite 108, in Cape Girardeau. Giveaways, door prizes and fun for kids will be held until 6 p.m. that day, according to local franchisee Marnie Ward of Jackson...

Another week, another fluctuation in pump prices — this time, upward. Auto club federation AAA said late last week, "robust gas demand bucks seasonal trend [and is] pushing prices higher." The average national price for regular gasoline increased to $3.40 per gallon Saturday, Jan. 21...

Old Town Cape has a new shed for its 2023 seasonal Cape Riverfront Market, which launches Saturday, May 6, at its traditional location, 35 S. Spanish St. in downtown Cape Girardeau. Cape Riverfront Market this year will run 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday beginning May 6 and running through Oct. 28...

Brady Barke, director of athletics at Southeast Missouri State University since 2015, touted the athletic successes of SEMO student athletes during remarks Friday, Jan. 20, before attendees of Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce's Business Breakfast at Jackson Civic Center...

Vivek Malek, an immigration attorney who most recently served on the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors, took the oath of office Wednesday, Jan. 18, and became Missouri's 48th state treasurer. Malek succeeds Scott Fitzpatrick, who was elected in November as state auditor...

Kim Voelker has joined Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry as director of investor relations, effective Dec. 27. Voelker is former vice president of Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. In her new role, Voelker will focus on membership development in the eastern side of the Show Me State...

Charlie Besher of Bollinger County has been appointed by National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) as chairman of its Property Rights and Environmental Management (PREM) Committee. Besher, a cow-calf producer in Southeast Missouri, is a 10-year member of NCBA...

Bulletin for Atomic Scientists, as it has every January since 1947, will reveal its 2023 "Doomsday Clock" prediction at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24. The purpose, say organizers, is to warn the public about how close — or how far — humanity is to the brink of worldwide destruction...

Four ribbon-cuttings are scheduled during the coming week: n 12:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at Daily Flowers, 8 S. Jackson St. in Perryville, Missouri. n 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Southeast Missouri State University Bookstore, 388 N. Henderson Ave. in Cape Girardeau...

The City of Cape Girardeau Community Development Department has received six business license applications: n Latoya L. Parker of Cape Girardeau for Bubble & Barks, 429 Optimist Drive, a pet day care spa and boarding business. n Kevin Walker of Auburn, Alabama, for Auto Trim Acquisition, d/b/a ATD Midwest, 606 S. Kingshighway, specializing in aftermarket auto parts and accessories...

“Business opportunities are like buses; there’s always another one coming.” ...

Minnesota native Breanna Vanstrom became CEO of Missouri REALTORS in May, representing 26,000 Show Me State Realtors, after seven years as CEO of Boise, Idaho, Regional Realtors. She has 19 years of experience in the industry. Vanstrom was in Cape Girardeau on Jan. 5 to install the officers of this year's Southeast Missouri REALTORS association. She answered five real estate questions last week put to her by the Southeast Missourian...

EBO MD, a direct primary care membership medicine company based in Cape Girardeau, has opened a new clinic location in Jackson at 1334 Indian Parkway, next door to Jackson Elks, in a space formerly occupied by retired attorney Thomas Ludwig. Company co-founder/CEO Tony Thompson opened the first EBO clinic in Cape Girardeau in April 2016, and the company also operates clinics in Fredericktown and Poplar Bluff, Missouri...

Go Wild! has announced via Facebook post plans to open an indoor playground and arcade in March at West Park Mall, 3049 William St. in Cape Girardeau. Nathan Lemons of Scott City is listed with the Missouri Secretary of State's Office as registered agent for the business, which is now under construction...

Cape Safari Park, formerly known as Lazy L Safari Park, will soon be under new management, effective March 1. According to www.capesafaripark.com, "the next generation of our exotic animal family will be taking over a family business and bringing new ideas to life."...

U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday, Jan. 12, the biggest monthly decline in consumer prices since April 2020, in the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic — leading some economic analysts to suggest the Federal Reserve should pause any contemplated new increases in interest rates...

Year-to-year comparisons of four Cape Girardeau County tax fund accounts show a mixed bag of results for the first month of 2023. According to state Department of Revenue figures, Cape Girardeau County saw double-digit increases in general revenue, Proposition One and Law Enforcement/Public Safety funds, while a double-digit decline was witnessed compared to January 2022 in use-tax receipts...

Pump price increases seen recently are beginning to “stall,” according to auto club federation AAA. “As we head toward February, pump prices will likely dip, barring any jolt in the global oil market,” reported AAA spokesman Andrew Gross. “It is likely, though, the national average prices we saw heading into Christmas may have been the lows of the winter.”...

Tesla, arguably the most recognized name in the electronic vehicle market, announced Thursday, Jan. 12, it will slash the price of its cars between 6% to nearly 20%, amid falling sales and recessionary fears. The news service Reuters said Tesla's basic Model Y now costs $52,990, a sharp 19.7% decline from its previous price tag of $65,990...

John Voss of Cape Girardeau, a freshman lawmaker who took his seat Jan. 4 in the Missouri General Assembly, has won a place on the powerful House Budget Committee, plus he has been named to two slots on appropriations subcommittees overseeing funding for state departments of health, mental health, social services and education...

Janet Sanders, City of Jackson Building and Planning manager for the past 21 years, will succeed the retiring Kent Peetz as the city's Public Works director later this month. "I'd like to thank Kent for his years of service to the citizens of Jackson," Mayor Dwain Hahs said. "Janet's years of experience with the city will make the transition to Public Works seamless and without any interruption of service."...

Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a business advocacy coffee at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at the Show Me Center, 1333 N. Sprigg St. in Cape Girardeau. Scheduled to be present for a state legislative panel are Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder of Scott City, Rep. John Voss of Cape Girardeau, Rep. Barry Hovis of Whitewater and Rep. Jamie Burger of Benton, Missouri...

"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." -- attributed to British hairstylist, businessman and philanthropist Vidal Sassoon (1928-2012).

Floridians go to the beaches. Coloradans hit the slopes. Folks in Perry County, Missouri? They go caving. This makes sense since about 10% of Missouri caves are located in or around Perryville. Among them are the longest in the state — Crevice Cave, more than 30 miles long — and Berome Moore Cave, more than 25 miles long...

The seesaw ride of gasoline prices is swinging motorists upward in the early days of 2023 with extremely cold weather in recent weeks hampering refinery production, said analysts for auto club federation AAA. "I see no logical reason why gas prices are this high and why they're going up," said Fred Pullen of Cape Girardeau, who stopped Friday, Jan. 6, at Kidd's North Kingshighway location in Cape Girardeau to fill up...

Fairfield Inn & Suites is being built in Cape Girardeau not far from Exit 96 of Interstate 55 and nearby to the former Zaxby's Restaurant. Heritage Hospitality Management LLC, owned by the Rhodes and Maurer families, will operate the mid-tier limited service 103-room, four-story hotel, with an expected opening date in late 2023 or early 2024...

The Green Lady's Hermitage, at 111 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau, is the new name of Elyssa Glaus' shop, formerly known as Humble Origins Botanical Curiosities and Apothecary. Glaus, a Scott City native, was forced to change the name of her business, first established in 2018, because of receipt of a Dec. 16 letter from the state Board of Pharmacy, objecting to her use of the word "apothecary"...

Shakers Bar, 2 N. Main St. in downtown Cape Girardeau, closed Monday, Jan. 2. The 4,108-square-foot building at the corner of Main and Independence streets is listed for sale.

U.S. unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point in December to 3.5%, with Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting 223,000 non-farm jobs were added in the last month of 2022. Wage growth slowed last month and stocks rallied Friday, Jan. 6, on the news since analysts say the slower gain in wages may aid the fight against inflation...

The Gallup Organization released a poll last week showing 79% of Americans surveyed think 2023 will be full of economic difficulty, 66% expect the overall cost of goods and services will rise at a high rate, with 81% anticipating tax increases over the next 12 months...

Serving Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Perry and northern Scott counties, United Way of Southeast Missouri said it is supporting 34 programs by 30 partners in the organization's 2022-2025 funding cycle. Other details in the organization's 2021-2022 "Impact Report" include the following data points:...

Schnucks announced Monday, Jan. 2, it will expand its "Flexforce" employment option to 31 of its stores, including the Cape Girardeau grocery store at 19 S. Kingshighway. The St. Louis-based family-owned company explained the opportunity for its workforce...

Southeast Missouri Realtors inaugurated its 2023 president Keasha Drury, and Liz Lockhart was named Realtor of the Year during ceremonies Thursday, Jan. 5. The Realtor organization, formed 70 years ago, is headquartered at 78 S. Plaza Way in Cape Girardeau and is led by association executive Terry Baker...

Life expectancy in Missouri fell to 74.6 years in 2021, down from pre-pandemic 77.4 years, according to statewide statistics released by the state Department of Health and Senior Services. COVID-19 deaths were the third leading cause of mortality in the Show Me State after heart disease and cancer in 2020...

Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Banquet at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at Jackson Civic Center. The Jackson Chamber will hold its Business After Hours event at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, at American Legion Upper Hall, 319 N. High St...

Cape Girardeau Community Relations Department has received four applications for business licenses. n Tara Michelle Kelley of Anna, Illinois, for Leo's Sensory Gym, 827 Broadway, "geared toward individuals with sensory issues such as autism, ADD, ADHD, and more [and] created for individuals who may not enjoy a regular playground."...

It has been a “year of change” for the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, as chair Jeff Glenn stated in his Dec. 2 First Friday address. Overall, Glenn said they have been hyper-focused on growth for their organization, the Cape community and overall Southeast Missouri region...

Local finance professionals speak strategy, investment and growth for 2023 The past year has been characterized by an unpredictable financial market. From stock market swings to record inflation, individuals may find it difficult to stay optimistic about their investment plan. Despite uncertainties, local finance professionals preach a similar message, “Stay calm and stick to a plan.” Here, they share their advice and insight for creating a healthy financial plan going into the new year.

This article draws directly from remarks made and presentation slides shown to the Dec. 19 study session of Jackson Board of Aldermen. Presenter: James Stapleton, co-founder of Cape Girardeau’s Codefi and the new chairman of the SE MO Redi (Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development; formerly Cape Area Magnet) Board of Directors...

Two banking leaders in Southeast Missouri predict continued economic volatility in the new year when asked for their thoughts about the effectiveness of interest rate hikes imposed in 2022 by the Federal Reserve Board. The most recent half-point increase, or 50 basis points, was announced Dec. 14 and was the seventh hike instituted last year in the Fed's aggressive campaign to bring down the nation's highest inflation since the early 1980s...

Dollar General, Five Below and Family Dollar, stores with Cape Girardeau County footprints, are among the off-price and discount outlets poised — given the current inflationary spiral — for the most planned U.S. openings in 2023, New York-based Coresight Research said...

Tempe, Arizona-based online used car retailer Carvana -- which has an outlet at 700 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson — is facing an uncertain 2023 and bankruptcy rumors after a stock free fall last year, a weakening market for pre-owned vehicles and concerns about the company's long-term future, according to CNBC...

IRS has increased the standard business mileage deduction rate for 2023 from 62.5 cents to 65.5 cents per mile in the wake of continued inflation. This figure represents an additional 3 cents per mile since mid-2022 and is a 7-cent increase from January 2022...

First class postage stamps are slated to rise again in price Sunday, Jan. 22, because of what the governmental agency calls increasing operating expenses and a corresponding lack of revenue. On that date, the cost will increase from 60 to 63 cents...

Stitch It International, a store specializing in embroidery machine sales, has expanded to a Jackson location at 507 E. Jackson Blvd. Headquartered in Patton, Missouri, family owned Stitch It was founded in 1991. "It's next generation embroidery and quilting, all of it," said Jessica Braeuner, an Oak Ridge native who manages the Jackson store...

Freedom Fit Zone has relocated to its new location, a standalone site, at 2336 Old Orchard Road in Jackson. Following a soft open for members last week, the club opened formally Monday, Jan. 2. Owners Nathan and Heather Brown and Bill and Sheila King, moved the gym from 2432 E. Main St. to its more spacious quarters with additional fitness equipment, locker rooms for men and women, plus pickleball and tennis courts...

Laughing Gas Comedy Club, 2160 William St., Suite 400, in Cape Girardeau -- which announced a hiatus in August because of staffing issues and slow sales, has now closed for good, according to owner Jeff Johnson. "Things just didn't work out for me. On behalf of Lylah and myself, thank you. It was our honor to bring you the best stand up comedy," wrote Johnson in a Wednesday, Dec. 28, Facebook post...

Southeast Missouri Food Bank announced Thursday, Dec. 29, it has awarded a total of $10,000 in grants to five of its partner agencies across the organization's 16-county service area. The money will allow the agencies to increase and improve their distribution process, according to a news release...

WalletHub, the personal finance website, reports 31% of respondents to its end-of-year survey said they wish to save more money in 2023. Top answers from others who responded to the survey included the following: n Repay 20% of your credit card debt...