Business Notebook: Old Town Cape to host award celebration party, show video

Cape Girardeau's downtown revitalization organization Old Town Cape plans to hold a party Thursday to celebrate receiving the Great American Street Award from the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Old Town Cape was one of three organizations nationwide to receive the award, which recognizes the best example of commercial district revitalization, this year during a conference in Atlanta.

A video about progress in downtown Cape Girardeau and the award also recently debuted. It can be viewed online by visiting vimeo.com and searching "GAMSA."

The party, set for 5 p.m. Thursday at Port Cape Girardeau, is open to the public.

Ameren seeks to lower gas rates

A proposal sent Thursday from Ameren Missouri to the Missouri Public Service Commission would cut the rate customers are paying for natural gas, the company said last week. A revised Purchased Gas Adjustment, or PGA, rate would equal an approximately $74 annual decrease for residential customers in several cities, including Cape Girardeau and Marble Hill, according to a news release from Ameren. The rate, if approved, would be reduced from $0.66 per one hundred cubic-feet of natural gas to $0.54. The rate, if approved by the commission, would become effective May 1.

Ameren's gas supply director said in the release that an abundant supply of natural gas prompted the proposed rate reduction.

SoutheastHEALTH earns accreditation

The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for accreditation has been earned by Southeast Hospital, Home Health and Hospice, the SoutheastHEALTH system announced last week. The approval is a national accreditation that represents high quality patient care, according to a news release.

Operations are reviewed by commission surveryors, and throughout SoutheastHEALTH's review, the surveyors found the organization meets "rigorous performance standards in delivering quality, safe care," said SoutheastHEALTH CEO Kenneth Bateman in the release. "Our reaccreditation is proof of an organizationalwide commitment to meeting these standards."

The reaccreditation extends for three years.

Jewelry business pitches to venture capital firms

Sloan + Themis, a Cape Girardeau jewelry business owned by Claire Bruce, was a participant in the recent New Orleans Entrepreneur Week as a member of the Delta Regional Authority's Delta Entrepreneurship Network.

Sloan + Themis "pitched its idea of handcrafted, luxurious jewelry inspired by the traditions of the South directly to investors from across the region and country as part of New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, with the hopes of obtaining seed capital and future funding," according to a news release from the Delta Regional Authority.

To participate in the network, Bruce won a local pitch competition, which was held in February.

Charter opens new Sikeston store

Charter Communications has opened a newly constructed retail store at 249 N. Main St. in Sikeston, Missouri, which features hands-on demonstrations of the company's product suite.

The store model, which offers interactive displays and has representatives on hand to help customers navigate the technology Charter offers, has proved successful in other markets, according to a news release, and is the first of its kind in Missouri.

At the store, customers may sign up for new services, ask questions, pay their bills and pick up and drop off equipment, according to the release.

"The new store was designed with the customer in mind," Pattie Eliason, vice president of Charter stores and retail partners, said in the release. "People that come in will not wait in a traditional line. Rather, customers can browse and interact with an assortment of products."

Shiela Tuschhoff is the local store superviser.

Charter has also expanded hours of operation with the new store. The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on Saturdays.

Business licenses

• Maurices, 3049 William St., Suite 255, Cape Girardeau, is a retail clothing store for women, owned by Maurices Inc. The managing officer is Rebecca Bucher and an anticipated opening date is listed as May 22.
• Style Madness, 2112 William St., Cape Girardeau, offers salon services. Nancy Heffner is the owner; Danielle Cotner is the managing officer. An anticipated opening date is listed as May 15.
• Radiant Reflections Photography, 837 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, is a camera and prints store and photography studio. Cosandra Reed is the owner. The business was previously West Side Camera.
• Kali Cates, 125 S. Broadview St., Cape Girardeau, is a salon. Kali Cates is the owner. An anticipated opening date was listed as April 1.
• Homestar Financial Corp., 1427 Thomas Drive, Suite 700, Cape Girardeau, offers mortgage lending. Wesley T. Hunt is the managing officer.
• Plaza Pet Care, 316 Plaza Way, Cape Girardeau, offers pet grooming and boarding. David Reinagel is the owner. An anticipated opening date was listed as April 15.
• Five Below, 157 Siemers Drive, Cape Girardeau, is a retail store. Five Below Inc. is the owner. An anticipated opening date was listed as April 17.
• Fair Claims Contracting Inc., 2128 William St., Cape Girardeau, is a contracting business. Damian McGrath is the owner. An anticipated opening date was listed as April 5.

eragan@semissourian.com

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