Development news

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. — Visitors to Ste. Genevieve, Mo., will now be welcomed with colorful banners located along Center Drive and Fourth Street, thanks to a cooperative project involving the Ste. Genevieve Chamber of Commerce, the operators of the local license office, and Eric Scott Leathers.

The banners feature the words, "Welcome to Ste. Genevieve" and attractive photos of the Bolduc House, Southern Hotel, and a demonstration of French folk dancing on the lawn of the Felix Valle House.

Since June of 2007 the local license office has donated $8,900 to the Chamber for community betterment Projects.

Grant applications available for outdoor recreation

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for the federally funded Land and Water Conservation Fund to assist in financing outdoor recreation projects. All local governments and public school districts are eligible for the funds, which are made available through the National Park Service. Projects can be for the development or renovation of outdoor recreational facilities or for acquisition of park land. A 55 percent match is required.

Applications must be postmarked by Dec. 15. Funding for this grant cycle has not yet been appropriated by Congress. Should it be appropriated, an estimated $500,000 is expected to be awarded in the fiscal year 2009 cycle.

In Missouri, the Department of Natural Resources administers the grant program. Electronic versions of the application are available on the department's Web page at www.mostateparks.com/grantinfo.htm. Applications can also be requested by writing to the Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, Grants Management Section, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102; by phone at (800) 334-6946; or by e-mailing marilyn.lehman@dnr.mo.gov.

River Bend Ag LLC increases its storage

NEW MADRID, Mo. — River Bend Ag LLC recently announced it will increase its storage of dry fertilizer. The company has signed a contract that will effectively increase storage capacity by approximately 35 percent. General manager is Eddie Barnhill.

River Bend Ag LLC is a wholesale fertilizer distributor located on the Mississippi River in New Madrid. It is a joint venture between Mosaic Crop Nutrition and Delta Growers Association.

Farm Credit breaks ground for new building

SIKESTON, Mo. — The Board of Directors of Progressive Farm Credit recently broke ground at the site of their new corporate office building at 1114 N. Main in Sikeston. The 10,540 square-foot project is expected to be completed in June 2009 and will replace the current 47-year-old office near downtown Sikeston. The new building will better accomodate current and future needs, which have been prompted by a growth of more than 50 percent in the organization over the past five years. Association Chief Credit Officer Bob Smith and President Ron Milbach were present.

Dexter accepts bid for airport rebuilding

DEXTER, Mo. — The Dexter Board of Aldermen has officially accepted a bid for the airport repair project. The repairs are a result of the January wind storm that destroyed numerous buildings at the airport.

The bid, from C. A. Walker Construction of Dexter, was for a total of $437,000. The company will build a nine-unit T-hangar that will replace the old one damaged in the storm.

The funding will come mainly through a grant from MoDOT Aviation that will pay for 95 percent of the project with finds collected through a tax on aviation fuel. The city will be responsible for only five percent of the total cost.

Stoddard County Sheltered Workshop receives $41,660 grant

DEXTER, Mo. — The Stoddard County Sheltered Workshop is now a recipient of a $41,660 grant from the Bootheel Solid Waste Management District for the current fiscal year.

According to Willard Adams, regional planner for the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission, the funds will be used to purchase new security bins and aid in the ongoing operations of the workshop.

Stoddard County Associate Commissioner Frank Sifford along with Adams both expressed their gratitude to the workshop management team and to the employees for their continued positive results in recycling.

The workshop currently employs around 55 people. The workshop recycles most types of paper, plastic and aluminum/steel cans. There are 18 trailers owned by the workshop placed throughout the county for residents to dump their recyclables in and in general they empty around 20 trailers per week.

Small business seminar offered

PARK HILLS, Mo. — Registration is under way for a Small Business seminar to be hosted at Mineral Area College by the Southeast Missouri State University Small Business Development Center on Nov. 18. The instructor will be Russell Humphrey, a business consultant with the Small Business Development Center.

The class will be from 6-9 p.m., in Room 233 of the Fine Arts Building and will cover such topics as basics of business ownership and planning; forms of business and legal issues; marketing basics; financing basics; and resources for Missouri business owners.

Because of grant funding, the class and materials are offered at no charge, but pre-registration is required by calling 573-986-6084.

Delta Regional Authority grants to benefit Southern Missouri

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) and U.S. Senator Kit Bond announced several grants from the Delta Regional Authority to Southern Missouri municipalities for infrastructure improvements and public projects.

The Delta Regional Authority will partner in the following projects in Missouri's Eighth Congressional District: $235,000 to the City of Potosi for municipal water storage and distribution system improvements; $135,500 to the New Madrid Port Authority for new railroad track to service United Agri-Products; $8,800 to the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission for earthquake preparedness software; $100,000 to the City of Dexter for infrastructure improvements to accommodate the expansion of Emcon Technologies; $200,000 to the City of East Prairie for storm sewer culvert system replacement; and $60,000 to Perry County for road improvements at the Beelman River Terminal.

Progress made for Cape children's museum

The Southeast Missouri Children's Museum is pleased to report that great progress is being made toward the provision of a children's museum, The Discovery Playhouse, for families in the southeast Missouri region. The former Walthers Building at 502 Broadway, in the heart of downtown Cape Girardeau, is being renovated to provide a facility for The Discovery Playhouse, a children's museum.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has awarded $250,000 in 50 percent state tax credits to assist in the renovation and acquisition of the 18,000 square foot building. Over $140,000 has already been raised toward the goal of $500,000. Many volunteer laborers are assisting with the renovation work.

So far, a new roof has been installed and much of the interior ceilings have been removed so that a sprinkler system and new electrical wiring can be installed. Cost saving moves, such as acquiring almost-new equipment including a heating/cooling unit and bathroom fixtures from the former K's Merchandise building, are helping to lower renovation costs.

For information on purchasing tax credits or assisting in the renovation, contact Martha Brown, president of the Board of Directors, at (573) 587-6555.

SBA disaster loans available

SIKESTON, Mo. — Small, non-farm businesses in 96 Missouri counties may now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

"These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by excessive moisture and flooding that began on March 1, 2008," said Alfred E. Judd, director of the SBA's Disaster Field Operations Center-West.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance.

Information and application forms are available from the SBA's Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, sending e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or going to the SBA Web site, www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.... deadline to apply is May 5.

Fisk recieves $500,000 grant for community development

FISK, Mo. — Gov. Matt Blunt has announced that the city of Fisk, Mo., has been approved for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.The grant will be utilized for wastewater system improvements.

The project will consist of repair and modification of Fisk's existing wastewater treatment facility so that it will be capable of treating the designed wastewater loads with the proposed limits as determined by the Department of Natural Resources.

The CDBG program, administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development, provides grants and loan funds to cities with a population under 50,000 and counties under 200,000 to assist in public works and economic development projects.

Briggs and Stratton breaks ground

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Ground was broken Oct. 21 for a 125,000-square foot warehouse for the Briggs & Stratton Corporation as workers continued to prepare the site for construction. Construction of the 2.9-acre warehouse is expected to begin at the end of the year and be finished by mid-summer.

New signs placed in Dexter

DEXTER, Mo. — City workers put up new direction signs for Downtown Historic Dexter Oct. 22 at several intersections throughout the city. The project was funded by the Historic Downtown Dexter Association.

The new signs reflect the school colors of red and black. The signs will be placed at six locations: Highway 25 and Stoddard Street intersection; the corner of Stoddard and Catalpa; Business 60 and Walnut; Business 60 and W. Oak; on One Mile Road south of Burger King; and on W. Business 60 at the car wash.

New BBL office under construction

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — BBL Buildings & Components, Ltd., a 100 percent employee-owned company, recently broke ground for construction of its new office building. The new building will be adjacent to the state-of-the-art Truss Plant, which was constructed in 2004.

BBL is known throughout the area as an industry leader in constructing quality post-frame buildings, roof trusses and custom built homes. The company has been at its present location since 1979. Officials plan to move into their new building in the spring of 2009.

ULT continues title education

Seven associates of United Land Title, LLC attended the Missouri Land Title Association Zone 6 Education Conference held in Cape Girardeau Oct. 2.

Topics included the discussion of changes to Missouri Senate Bill 66, which provides safeguards for customers including disclosures of charges and fees as well as better protection for funds held in escrow accounts. Bankruptcy and marital rights were also on the forefront.

Those attending the conference were owner and manager of United Land Title, LLC, Bill King, and Mary Holweg, Tracy Porzelt, April Marvin, Jessica Lohmann, Terri Keith and Annabel Englen.

United Land Title, LLC, has five locations and 20 employees to better serve the title needs of Southeast Missouri.