Business Notebook:Old Town Cape annual dinner slated for Feb. 27

The Old Town Cape annual dinner will be Feb. 27 at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, 777 N. Main St., according to a newsletter from the not-for-profit downtown revitalization organization.

The dinner is sponsored by the casino and will celebrate downtown accomplishments of 2013, the newsletter said.

Awards presented will include Business Excellence and Volunteer of the Year, and the 2014 Old Town Cape board of directors will be introduced, according to the newsletter.

Social hour will begin at 6 p.m. with a cash bar, and the program and a buffet dinner will begin at 7 in the Event Center. Tickets are $30 each, and a table of eight is $240.

For more information or to RSVP, call 334-8085 or email info@oldtowncape.org.

Business Roundup

* Sugar Buzz Bakery no longer is operating at 1929 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau. The business announced on its Facebook page it has downsized and joined with Capes Cream and Crust at 26 N. Spanish St. in Cape Girardeau to offer ice cream and cakes. The bakery plans to be open by late January or early February, according to the page.

* A Simply Swirled plans to open at 2480 E. Main St. in Jackson in February. The frozen-yogurt chain has a location at 274 S. Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau.

* A business license application was filed for Firehouse Subs, 3047 William St., Suite 108, in Cape Girardeau. The fast-food restaurant will serve subs and salads.

* A business license application was filed for Renaissance Beauty Academy, 268 S. Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau. Students of the academy will be available to perform cosmetology services to the public.

* A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday to celebrate the opening of TNT Fitness in the City Centre, 2502 Tanner Drive in Cape Girardeau. TNT Fitness is a studio and in-home personal training service.

Cape businessman dies at 85

Ernest Beussink, a member of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce for more than 50 years, died Thursday at age 85.

Beussink was involved in several church and community organizations, including St. Mary Cathedral, Notre Dame Regional High School, St. Vincent's Council 111 of the Knights of Columbus, VFW Post 3838 and the board of the Cape County Bank of Cape Girardeau, which he helped form. The bank later was bought by Regions Bank. He also formed the Mid America Power Equipment Inc.

Beussink was instrumental in efforts to bring Dana Corp. and other businesses to the area.

Group releases cost of uncompensated care

Data recently released from the Missouri Hospital Association found hospitals provided more than $1.17 billion in uncompensated care in 2012, according to a news release from the MHA.

"This year's report demonstrates hospitals' ongoing commitment to delivering care to members of their communities who are unable to pay," Herb Kuhn, MHA president and CEO, said in the release. "However, it also underscores the need for expanded access to health insurance."

Total uncompensated care includes charity care and bad debt for the 133 hospitals that participated in the report, according to the release.

The MHA is a not-for-profit association that represents 154 hospitals in Missouri.

ashedd@semissourian.com

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