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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Cape Girardeau's history is an important asset (05/14/13)
I had the distinct honor and privilege during this last month in participating in three very important historical events in our city of Cape Girardeau. These events reinforced my belief that our great city is rich in history. It also highlighted to me the fact that we, as citizens, can do much more in the future to further develop our knowledge of local history...
Annual event will help clean up Cape Girardeau (04/09/13)
Editor's note: The following column has been edited to reflect the correct phone number to register for the Friends of the Parks Day & the Great Cape Cleanup. It certainly has been a very long winter with snow, wind and cold temperatures for many months. However, spring has now arrived and citizens are finally getting outside to begin preparing for the next six months of our always beautiful spring and summer...
Destination Cape: Local events benefit our economy (03/12/13)
Cape Girardeau and our immediate surrounding area is the regional hub between St. Louis and Memphis. A large part of my election platform stated the need to nurture and expand that regional status. I feel we continue to accomplish that goal. The most obvious large economic drivers that fuel this status are retail, medical, educational and industrial. ...
Business park offers more economic development opportunities (01/09/13)
The city of Cape Girardeau reached final agreement in December to purchase 247 acres of land along both sides of LaSalle Avenue. This land was purchased for $6 million from the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation. An initial down payment will be made to the foundation and the balance will be paid through 12 equal annual payments. ...
2012 year in review for Cape Girardeau (12/11/12)
We have had a very exciting and productive year in the Cape Girardeau area. I will devote this space to a review of 2012 on economic development, infrastructure progress and internal governmental issues. There has been a lot of action in business and economic development this year, highlighted by the completion and opening of the Isle Casino on Oct. ...
Trolley a potential option for downtown Cape (11/13/12)
Isle Casino Cape Girardeau is now open. The opening ceremony and ribbon cutting was Oct. 30. That important day followed more than two years of negotiations, planning, construction and the hiring of more than 700 employees. We have a new Broadway corridor and streetscape, an improved and relocated main street, and a completed Transportation Trust Fund project on Big Bend Road...
The case for regional economic development (10/09/12)
I have long been an advocate of regional economic development. I believe that when it comes to economic development, the whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. We, in Southeast Missouri, have several inherent roadblocks when we compete with other states for opportunities in economic development. Free land, large extra incentives, right to work and other factors create fierce competition for that job-producing company looking to expand its organization...
John S. Cobb School dedication an inspiring event (09/11/12)
I have attended and participated in many events during this term as mayor of Cape Girardeau. These have included groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings, dedications, unveilings and other official events. The event of Saturday afternoon, Sept. 1, was one of the most inspiring and emotional events that I have attended in more than two years...
Live united: Give, advocate, volunteer (08/14/12)
This headline represents the theme of the 2012 United Way Campaign. I have long been an advocate and financial supporter of United Way. I served on the United Way board for 19 years in the '80s and '90s and was campaign chairman for three separate years...
Observations from Cape's parks and recreation facilities (07/10/12)
July is National Parks and Recreation Month. I presented a proclamation at our July 2 city council meeting declaring all of July as Parks and Recreation month in Cape Girardeau. I was joined that evening by director Julia Thompson, several members of her terrific staff, and a large number of children and youths who participate and enjoy many of the programs and events offered through the department...
Downtown Cape Girardeau is a vibrant community (06/13/12)
Old Town Cape is alive and well. Our downtown area seems to be busy with many events every week. The good news is that citizens and visitors are responding by increasingly attending these events. I give credit to Old Town Cape, Marla Mills, the board of directors, the merchants and the residents in our Old Town Cape area...
Join the beautification effort in Cape Girardeau (05/08/12)
We live in a beautiful city, punctuated by the Mississippi River, trees, rolling hills, and a temperate climate with beautiful spring and fall seasons. We have a unique asset with the many thousands of trees throughout our community. I have, as mayor, been remiss in not keeping our city beautification programs identified and promoted on a continuing basis. ...
Celebrating our schools and Barbara Blanchard (04/10/12)
I recently had the privilege of attending the 13th birthday party at Blanchard Elementary School for Barbara Blanchard. It was, as always, a joyous occasion. There were many of Barbara's friends and former co-workers in attendance including her second-grade teacher. ...
Transportation Trust Fund update (03/13/12)
Our council was provided a semiannual summary of the Transportation Trust Funds (TTF-1 through TTF-4) at our regular meeting Feb. 21. The official ribbon cutting will be during March on two recently completed projects, which are Big Bend Road and the next phase of Bloomfield Road. ...
Rooting for the Redhawks basketball team (02/14/12)
We have long been fans of the Southeast Missouri State University athletics program. We have personally supported a number of Redhawk teams over the years and witnessed many peaks and valleys. Seldom have I been as proud of a Redhawk team as I was recently while watching the basketball team battle the then-undefeated Murray State Racers at Murray, Ky., on a national ESPN telecast...
Customer service in Cape Girardeau's city government (01/10/12)
How important is customer service? How do you measure customer service? Who should measure customer service of an entity? What other entities do you compare the gathered data of customer service? How do you use survey data to improve your customer service?...
Improving Broadway (12/13/11)
Broadway is the "gateway" to our Cape Girardeau downtown area and the mighty Mississippi River. There are many successful businesses along the Broadway stretch from Pacific Street to Water Street. However, over a period of time, there are also several businesses and storefronts that have suffered, failed and fallen into disrepair for one reason or another. This fact has made this important corridor less than inviting to our residents and our visitors...
Ribbons and shovels in Cape (11/08/11)
We are very fortunate to live in a thriving and growing community and area. It has been a great privilege and honor to participate in the many events this year that signify growth and expansion in our city. Ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings are the real "fun" part of my position as mayor of the city of Cape Girardeau. These events are very capably planned and handled by our city staff and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce...
Economic impact of local sporting events (10/11/11)
I have learned much since becoming mayor and have been exposed to many great events and promotions. I have become particularly interested in the many regional and state sporting events and competitions held here in Cape Girardeau. As I reflect back over the last 18 months and look to the near future, I am pleased and excited about how these events impact our Cape Girardeau economy...
Welcome back to Southeast (08/16/11)
I would like to welcome back, on behalf of our entire city of Cape Girardeau, our Southeast Missouri State University students. This is also the time to welcome the incoming freshman class of more than 1,900 students to our fine university. I would also like to give a special welcome to our international students. We will have about 600 returning and 800 total international students on campus this year...
From ages 3 to 103 (07/12/11)
We are anxiously awaiting, as I write this article, the arrival of our 3-year-old grandson Cameron from Dallas. Our daughter Michelle and Cameron will be spending a week with us in Cape Girardeau as his dad goes on to a class reunion in Illinois. Our first thoughts were of what we could do to keep an active and very knowledgeable 3-year-old from cosmopolitan Dallas busy and satisfied for a complete week in Cape Girardeau. ...
Beautification process ongoing in Cape (06/14/11)
We live in a beautiful city, punctuated by the Mississippi River, trees, rolling hills, temperate climate with beautiful spring and fall seasons. We have a unique asset with the many thousands of trees throughout our community. Our council and staff have had a very busy year with gaming, waste water, several citizen voting issues, revising zoning and development codes, commercial and industrial development issues, etc., etc...
Voting record of improving Cape Girardeau (05/10/11)
I am so proud of our Cape Girardeau voting citizens. I find, as I reflect back over voting history, that our citizens have voted positive on numerous issues that have meant so much to the future of our growing city. This history review was prompted by the overwhelming 80 percent positive vote to approve the funding methods to build our much-needed wastewater treatment plant...
Year in review (04/12/11)
This past year has been filled with many opportunities and challenges. It has also been a very important year for our city and its future. First I would like to state that many of the accomplishments of this past year were the result of the hard work and efforts of our city staff, past mayor Jay Knudtson and our previous city council. ...
Harry Rediger
Mayor's Corner: Harry Rediger
Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger is one of three local mayors writing weekly columns for the Southeast Missourian.