Business Notebook: State hosting open houses on deer management

The Missouri Department of Conservation will hold open houses in June and July throughout the state to discuss white-tailed deer management with residents.

The meetings will be from 3 to 8 p.m. and will use an open-house format. People can visit booths that focus on the history of deer management in Missouri, the state's new deer management plan, possible regulation changes, hunter retention and recruitment, public comments received so far, and other issues related to deer management, according to a news release from the MDC.

Attendees also will be able to express opinions on particular interests, ask questions and discuss ideas with biologists and staff.

"We need people to tell us what they want Missouri's deer population to look like and what combination of hunting seasons, bag limits and hunting methods they want the Conservation Department to use to achieve their goals," said MDC deputy director Tom Draper in the release. "We will use what we hear this summer to help shape future deer regulation changes."

An open house will be at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 3305 North High St. in Jackson, on June 24.

USDA announces availability of energy efficiency funds

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking applications from rural small businesses and agricultural producers for funding for energy efficiency improvements or installation of renewable energy systems, agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack announced in a news release.

Up to $12.3 million in grants and $57.8 million in loan guarantees are available through the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program.

"This funding will help farmers, ranchers and rural small business owners incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology into their operations, create jobs and help America become more energy independent," Vilsack said in the release.

Forty REAP projects in Missouri were funded in fiscal year 2013, resulting in an investment of $1,383,632, according to the release. Among the projects funded were installations of solar panels, energy efficient grain dryers and heating systems, and insulation and energy efficient lighting in farm and ranch shop buildings.

Business roundup

* Mid America Rehab is celebrating its 20th anniversary of serving Southeast Missouri. Mid America Rehab was founded in 1994 and has locations in Cape Girardeau, Perryville, and St. Genevieve, Missouri. Services include industrial and extended care rehab, hand, physical, occupational and aquatics therapy, sports medicine and pediatric therapy.

* Arcpoint Labs in Jackson, a provider of drug, alcohol, paternity and wellness lab services, recently announced it entered a partnership with eScreen Inc., which provides workplace drug screening technology, paperless testing protocol and employee health services, to become a partner in the eScreen Occupational Health Network.

* The Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Missouri, announced it is ranked in the top 10 percent of 774 inpatient rehabilitation facilities that qualified to be ranked in the IRF database of Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation in 2013.

* D&M Clothing, at 1606 Independence St., No. 3A, in Cape Girardeau, filed a business license application with Cape Girardeau. The business will sell men's and women's clothing and shoes.

* Soo Vape 2, 703 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, filed a business license application with Cape Girardeau. The business will sell electronic cigarettes.

* Firehouse Subs, 3047 William St., Suite 108 in Cape Girardeau, will celebrate its opening with a ribbon-cutting at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

* There will be a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. Friday at the First State Community ATM at Rozier's Grocery in Perryville, Missouri.

Publicity strategies class offered

The University of Missouri: Cape Girardeau County Extension Small Business Technology Development Center is offering a class, Small Business Publicity Strategies, designed to help small businesses learn publicity and public relations techniques to support sales efforts.

The instructor, Richard Proffer, has more than 20 years of experience in small business marketing, according to a news release from the office. He has helped businesses with market presence through the tactics he will teach during the class.

The class will be at 6 p.m. May 22 at the Perry County MU Extension Office, 321 N. Main St. in Perryville, Missouri. It is open to the public. Requests for special accommodations will be considered if made two weeks in advance. To register, call the Cape Girardeau County extension office at 243-3581.

ashedd@semissourian.com

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