BusinessJune 28, 2023

APPROVALS Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center approved operation of two brick-and-mortar restaurants and five food trucks for operation in April. FOOD TRUCK LAUNCHED Mudcat Coffee House, 4056 Route E, Oak Ridge, in continuous operation since 2015, added a mobile food truck in May...

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APPROVALS

Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center approved operation of two brick-and-mortar restaurants and five food trucks for operation in April.

* Restaurants: Rosie's Bake Shoppe in Egypt Mills; Burger King in Jackson.

* Mobile units: Frozen Scoops & More; A La Carte Meal Prep; Mueller's Munchies; Lemonade House Grill; The Back 40 Mac Shack.

FOOD TRUCK LAUNCHED

Mudcat Coffee House, 4056 Route E, Oak Ridge, in continuous operation since 2015, added a mobile food truck in May.

"My family was at a flea market, and we saw a 12-foot metal catfish there. My oldest son looked at it and said, ‘If I ever opened a coffee shop, the name should be 'mudcat', after freshwater catfish, because it's a cool name," she recalled.

Moore said 90% of Mudcat Coffee House’s food served is made from scratch, generally farm to table. Friday is always catfish night.

OPEN HOUSE FOR TECH SCHOOL

Ranken Technical College, 1907 N. Perryville Blvd., Perryville, held a June 20 open house for its new 25,000-square-foot location at 1907 N. Perryville Blvd. in Perryville, Missouri.

Ranken has operated classes out of Perryville's TG Missouri building since 2017, offering programs including diesel technology, industrial engineering technology, information technology and fabrication and welding.

Beginning in fall 2023, a new heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) class will be added to Ranken's curriculum.

HOSPITAL SYSTEM RECEIVES GRANT

Saint Francis Foundation has been awarded a $25,000 transportation grant from American Cancer Society.

In a prepared release, the foundation said the money will underwrite gas cards and car service rides for eligible patients "who face transportation barriers for cancer-related appointments."

CO-WORKING SPACE ESTABLISHED

Amanda and Matt Huber have opened HubCo, a two-story, 8,400-square-foot business offering coworking spaces at 1427 Thomas Drive in Cape Girardeau.

NEW FAST-FOOD EATERY

IN JACKSON

Midamerica Hotels has opened a new Burger King restaurant at 2235 E. Jackson Blvd (U.S. 61) on the same site of one it razed in late October.

The new 3,315-square-foot eatery, with a double-lane drive-thru instead of its predecessor's single-lane access, was a more than $1 million project.

Midamerica said it operates three dozen Burger King franchises in four states: Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas.

NEW JACKSON BRIDGE BY

THE NUMBERS

Jackson's $1.6 million West Mary Street Bridge and Sidewalks project opened to the public in May, the second major infrastructure project completed in the city in recent years.

The bridge replaced a low-water crossing into City Park, which flooded regularly and left West Mary, a collector street, frequently impassible for motorists.

MISSOURI TAKES NO ACTION

ON CONTROVERSIAL APP

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A bill to remove TikTok from governmental information technology devices filed in Jefferson City by GOP Sen. Travis Fitzwater of Holts Summit, Missouri, expired with the close of the General Assembly session in mid-May.

Senate Bill 596 was assigned to the Senate's Emerging Issues Committee but never reached the floor for a vote.

Royal Café opens in downtown Poplar Bluff

Mimi’s Market officially opened its Royal Cafe to diners during the week of May 22. The retail shop and café are run by owner Leigh Morgan, daughter CoCo Raymer and mother Mimi Shelly Moore. The retail shop has been open since September, but the cafe portion, which serves sandwiches and salads, needed additional work before opening.

The location was purchased by the family in 2015, then gutted and renovated to include exposed brick and other historical details. The business is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday to Saturday at 305 S. Main in Poplar Bluff.

BREAK FOR AMEREN

CUSTOMERS

Ameren Missouri received permission from the state Public Service Commission to adjust its fuel adjustment charge (FAC) downward, which will allow the utility's 1.29 million electric customers to see a savings on bills.

According to a May 18, news release, a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month will see the FAC charge lowered by approximately $1.01 per month, from $6.27 to $5.26.

The change, PSC said, took effect June 1.

LOCALLY-BASED HOTEL CHAIN MARKS HALF A CENTURY

Drury Hotels, which opened its first hotel in 1973 in Sikeston, Missouri, marked 50 years in business in April. Drury Hotels owns and operates 150 hotels in 26 states.

JACKSON NAMES NEW

RETAIL DIRECTOR

Shelly Wessell Kaiser is the new retail and membership director for both the City of Jackson and Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce.

Kaiser, who succeeded Jen Berti in the role, left a 30-year career in banking to accept the post.

FORMER NFL STAR RAISES FUNDS FOR PERRYVILLE

MEMORIAL

Rocky Bleier, retired Super Bowl-winning running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, keynoted a fundraiser for Perryville’s Missouri National Veterans Memorial.

Bleier's appearance at the gala, held at Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel in Frontenac, Missouri, netted the memorial $250,000, according to the not-for-profit's executive director, Rae Lynn Munoz, herself a Marine Corps veteran.

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center receives award

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center’s Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center received the 2022 President’s Circle Award for achieving clinical and operational excellence.

This award was given by Healogics, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services, for their positive outcomes and quality of care, according to a press release from PBRMC. Out of 600 wound centers, 31 were awarded the President’s Circle.

Sikeston Chamber to renovate former post office building

The Sikeston Regional Chamber now owns the former post office building at 215 N. New Madrid Street. During the Sikeston City Council meeting Monday, Council approved a request for proposal from the Sikeston Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development Corporation to take over the building.

With the help of an ARPA Tourism Grant, the SRC will renovate the building and create a visitor’s center housing the Sikeston Regional Chamber, Economic Development Corporation, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Historic Downtown Sikeston and a rodeo museum.

Hearts with Hooves has ribbon cutting

The Sikeston Regional Chamber held a ribbon cutting for one of its newest members, Hearts with Hooves. Hearts with Hooves Inc. is a program for kids, at-risk kids, foster kids, kinship kids, guardianship and adopted kids. They work on six areas of life skills as well as earned riding and fun activities.

Hearts with Hooves always welcomes donations both monetary and in supplies to allow for field trips, proper footwear and more.

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