Business Notebook: Phase 2 of Show Me Strong Recovery begins this week; BBB accepting award applications

Missouri enters Phase 2 of its Show Me Strong Recovery plan this week, lifting the statewide restrictions on businesses and other economic activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During Phase 2, which goes into effect Tuesday, there will be no statewide health order. However, in announcing the start of the next phase last week, Gov. Mike Parson said local officials will still have authority to keep certain rules, regulations and ordinances in place to reduce the spread and overall impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center released a statement Friday reminding businesses and residents that although statewide restrictions are being lifted, the public health emergency in Cape Girardeau County, declared March 27, remains in effect.

COVID-19, the statement said, still has the potential of widespread community transmission and "does not have any proven treatment or vaccine to mitigate the morbidity or mortality of the disease."

As the state moves into Phase 2 of its economic recovery plan, the county health department is asking residents and businesses to:

• Follow social-distancing guidelines, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
• Continue personal protective measures, such as staying home when ill, washing hands frequently and wearing a mask when in public or at work.
• Avoid nonessential travel or travel to areas that have been affected by COVID-19.
• Avoid mass gatherings where social distancing cannot be maintained.

The county's public health emergency proclamation is posted at www.cgcohealthdept.com.

Statewide, another 19,820 Missourians filed initial claims for unemployment benefits during the week that ended June 6, the most recent week for which the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has reportable data. Since mid-March, when the coronavirus outbreak spread into Missouri causing many businesses to close, 631,462 Missouri workers have submitted unemployment benefit claims.

However, the number of claims being filed each week fell for the eighth consecutive week since the week of April 4 when 101,722 claims were filed.

It is unclear how many Missourians have been rehired as COVID-19 restrictions on businesses have begun to loosen as it typically takes the state several weeks to report labor statistics. The state's unemployment rate for April was 9.8%. The May rate should be released sometime next week.

BBB accepting Torch Award applications

The Better Business Bureau is accepting applications for its 2020 Torch Awards.

The Torch Awards program recognizes companies and charities that are committed to exceptional standards for ethical business practices and service to their customers, employees, suppliers and communities.

The deadline to apply for this year's Torch Awards program is July 24.

More information on the awards and the application process may be found on the Better Business Bureau's website, www.bbb.org,

Awards and recognitions

Maryann Reese

Saint Francis Healthcare System president and chief executive officer Maryann Reese has been named one of this year's "50 Most Influential Clinical Executives" by Modern Healthcare magazine, according to a news release issued Friday by Saint Francis.

Reese joined Saint Francis in 2015 as executive vice president and chief operating officer and has been in her current position since 2017. Before moving to Cape Girardeau, she served as chief executive officer at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, Illinois.

Modern Healthcare's recognition program acknowledges health care clinicians who are deemed by their peers and by an expert panel to be among the most influential in their fields in terms of demonstrating leadership and impact.

According to the summary of her accomplishments listed by Modern Healthcare, Reese led "impressive clinical and financial changes" at Saint Francis including a reduction in accounts receivables from 57.5 to 37.3 days. It was also noted that under her leadership Saint Francis improved its efforts in pay-for-performance programs and created a program coordinating rural obstetrics care throughout much of Southeast Missouri.

The complete "50 Most Influential Clinical Executives" list is featured in the June 15 issue of Modern Healthcare. Profiles of the honorees may be found online at www.ModernHealthcare.com/50MostInfluential.

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River Travel Magazine has recognized several downtown Cape Girardeau businesses among the publication's "Best of the River" winners for 2020.

Among the honorees, according to a list provided courtesy Old Town Cape, are:

Port Cape Girardeau, first place recognition for barbecue and third place for ribs

Burrito-Ville, ranked first for burritos

36 Restaurant & Bar LLC, ranked first for fine dining

Top of the Marq, ranked second for appetizers

Minglewood Brewery, ranked second among breweries

The Rude Dog Pub, ranked second among dive bars and overall bars

Shipyard Music Festival, ranked second among music festivals

Celebrations Restaurant, ranked second for cocktails and service

Ebb and Flow Fermentations, ranked second among beer gardens and third for ambiance

Katy O'Ferrell's Publick House, ranked second for its happy hour and third among Irish pubs

Trio Restaurant, ranked second among lunch spots and third among new restaurants

Eden Health Spa & Salon, ranked second among spas

Annie Laurie's, ranked second among antique stores

Bon Bon's of Cape Girardeau, ranked third among bakeries

Broussard's Cajun Cuisine, ranked third for Cajun cooking

Sugar Chic Creamery, ranked third for desserts

El Sol Mexican Restaurant, ranked third for margaritas

Pagliai's Pizza & Pasta, ranked third for family dining

Gabriel's Food + Wine, ranked third for Italian food

Bloom Studio & Gifts, ranked third among gift shops

Yoga East Healing Arts Studio, ranked third among yoga studios

Courtyard by Marriott Cape Girardeau Downtown, ranked third best hotel

Cape Girardeau itself was ranked third in the categories of "best downtown" and "best outdoor art" while the Cape Riverfront Market also received a third-place ranking in the "best farmers market" category.

Chamber notes

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours gathering will take place online from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday on the chamber's Facebook page.

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Cape Girardeau chamber members are welcome to attend the groundbreaking ceremony on the former Common Pleas Courthouse grounds for the new Cape Girardeau City Hall project at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

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The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce will host a its monthly business breakfast on its Facebook page starting at 8 a.m. Friday. Members are invited to log on for the latest chamber updates.

Commercial building permits

A commercial building permit has been issued to Brandon Williams Construction for interior remodeling of a building owned by Fonn Enterprises LLC at 1001 Broadway. The project has an estimated cost of $85,000, according to the permit.

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