BUSINESS MEMO:

The Southeast Missourian has been honored by the United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development for working closes with the Jackson Local Office of USDA-Rural Development to provide time information to the residents of Cape Girardeau and surrounding counties.

Rural Development provides a variety of services to rural residents, including housing loans, repair loans, community facility loans, business and industry loans as well as technical assistance to individuals, schools business an other groups;.The Southeast Missouri has been exceptional in their efforts to alert communities of updates of these programs to benefit local residents, said Randel D. Friend, community development manager.

B. Ray Owen, business editor with the Southeast Missourian, accepted the plaque for the newspaper.