Business Notebook: Shared-Work bill approved, heads to governor's desk

The Missouri Senate on Friday unanimously approved Senate Bill 844, legislation that extends the federal Shared-Work Program, after the Missouri House approved the bill Thursday on a vote of 143-4.

In the event of temporary declines in business, the Shared-Work Program allows participating companies to reduce hours of their permanent employees, and those employees are able to collect partial unemployment payments to make up for lost wages.

The program has helped businesses avoid layoffs during temporary work slowdowns and allowed them to retain skilled workers, according to a previous news release from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is in favor of the bill.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Bob Dixon, a Republican from Springfield, Missouri, now heads to Gov. Jay Nixon's desk for signature.

An emergency clause in the bill allows it to immediately take effect upon the governor's signature, according to the previous release.

Unless the bill is passed and enacted by Aug. 22, the program will end in Missouri, according to state labor officials.

Up to $53 million available in Workforce Innovation Fund grants

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the availability of up to $53 million in grants through the Workforce Innovation Fund.

The fund is designed to strengthen public job training programs by "delivering employment and training services more efficiently and effectively, facilitating greater cooperation across workforce programs and funding streams, scaling best practices, and implementing rigorous evaluation techniques," according to a news release from department.

This is the second round of grants available under the fund. Approximately $171 million in grants already have been awarded, and many of those grantees are working with local and regional employers, industry groups and state commerce and development agencies on public-private partnerships, the release said.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity received a $11.9 million grant for its "Illinois Pathways Initiative" that will "scale up and sustain six to eight regional sector partnerships to address skilled worker shortages in manufacturing." This second round of funding will help expand similar efforts.

State workforce agencies, local workforce investment boards and institutions eligible to apply for Workforce Innovation Act Section 166 grants are eligible grantees, according to the release.

Applications are due by June 18 and grants will be awarded in September. For more information, visit innovation.workforce3one.org.

Business roundup

* Don Carlos Authentic Mexican Restaurant and Taqueria, inside West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau, is open.

* Mediterranean on Broadway recently reopened at its new location, 1027 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

* Pasta House, 2046 William St. in Cape Girardeau, was to close Sunday, according to an employee Friday.

* Pagoda Gardens, 329 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, will close May 31.

* Keepers Kloset, 2136 William St., Suite 196, in Cape Girardeau, will celebrate its opening with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. today. Keepers Kloset is a consignment boutique that carries women's, men's and baby clothing and accessories.

* Options for Women, 354 S. Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau, will celebrate its opening with a ribbon-cutting at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday. Options for Women is a interdenominational, not-for-profit organization that provides services, consultations and referrals to women and families making decisions about unplanned pregnancy.

* TalentForce, 2520 William St. in Cape Girardeau, celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting. Tuesday. TalentForce matches clients' staffing requirements with associates' skills, work history and career goals.

* Coad Toyota recently won a President's Award from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. The award is given annually to Toyota dealerships that have achieved high standards of performance in all facets of the automotive dealership.

Tri-State AMP to host Pixar art director

Tri-State Advertising and Marketing Professionals will host Megan Farer, technical art director for Pixar, at its meeting at 11:30 a.m. May 27 at Port Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau.

Farer's job consists of lighting, animating and digitally painting models for toy production and marketing campaigns. Her presentation, Marketing of Pixar Movies, will demonstrate strategies Pixar uses to market its movies to consumers.

The cost is $12 for Tri-State AMP members, $15 for nonmembers and $10 for students. Registration is required, and may be done online at tristateamp.eventbrite.com.

Course focuses on financial dealings

The University of Missouri Cape Girardeau County Extension Office will offer a 10-week series of courses that will focus on financial decisions a business owner should know and be able to make informed decisions about.

The course, Money Smart for Small Businesses, was developed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for trainings and is sponsored by Focus Bank, headquartered in Charleston, Missouri.

A different topic regarding financial decision making will be addressed each week, including proper record-keeping, banking services, tax planning, insurance and selling a business. The series will be taught by University of Missouri business development specialist Richard Proffer.

The sessions will begin at 6 p.m. June 4 at the Clinton Building, 501 Campanella Dr. in Sikeston, Missouri, and continue for 10 weeks.

The series is free and open to the public. For more information or to request consideration for special accommodations, call Proffer at 243-3581.

Hunters harvest more turkeys

Hunters checked more than 43,000 turkeys during Missouri's regular spring turkey season, bringing in the third spring harvest increase in a row and beating last year's total by more than 1,000 birds.

Favorable weather and improvements in turkey production this season helped turkey hunters, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Bollinger County harvested 621 turkeys, followed by Cape Girardeau County with 485 turkeys, Perry County with 481 and Scott County with 143, according to the MDC's website.

Seven firearm-related spring turkey hunting incidents were reported during the regular season, two of which were fatal, according to the release. Last year's spring turkey season was the safest season, with only one, nonfatal injury reported.

The upcoming Memorial weekend means the opening of squirrel and black bass seasons, which kick off Saturday, according to a MDC news release.

ashedd@semissourian.com

388-3632