Business-to-business fair to be held Wednesday

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, the Jackson Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Area Magnet will host a Business to Business Vendor Fair from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The event will be held at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. The event will provide a format for area businesses to visit with some of the larger employers and learn more about how they might be able to do business with those organizations, said Tracey Glenn, vice president of organization and leadership development at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. Each exhibitor will have a booth that businesses can visit. Confirmed exhibitors include Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau School District, the city of Cape Girardeau, Isle of Capri, Saint Francis Medical Center, SoutheastHEALTH and Southeast Missouri State University. There is no cost to attend the event, which is open to the public.

* Saint Francis Healthcare System and Poplar Bluff Medical Partners opened Black River Medical Center, a community-owned not-for-profit hospital in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on June 18.

The three-bed hospital is in the Physicians Park campus near the intersection of Route PP and U.S. 67. In addition to three beds, the new hospital offers emergency services, laboratory services, respiratory care, dietary services, pharmacy and other associated medical services.

"Nationally, health care is evolving and Black River Medical Center is well positioned to be ready for those changes," said Steven C. Bjelich, Saint Francis Healthcare System president and chief executive officer in a news releaese.

The new hospital provides the people of Poplar Buff with alternatives for health care, he said.

A group of 39 physicians formed Poplar Bluff Medical Partners in 2001. Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau is a partner with the local physicians in Poplar Bluff Medical Partners.

Michael Burcham Sr. is serving as Black River Medical Center president and chief executive officer.

* Isle Casino Cape Girardeau will host three sessions for potential job applicants Tuesday and Thursday at the Show Me Center. The sessions are being held in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and Cape Girardeau Area Magnet.

Information about the types of positions available, the job requirements and the licensing process will be presented at the sessions, casino officials said. Three sessions will be held each day at the Show Me Center from 8 to 11 a.m., noon to 3 p.m., and 4 to 7 p.m. Job applications will not be accepted at the information sessions. Applications will be accepted electronically as specific job openings become available on Isle's website. Computers will be available to those without access after Friday at Isle's office in the Marquette Tower, 338 Broadway.

* SoutheastHEALTH has earned Silver Level achievement status in the Champions for Life campaign of the American Red Cross to increase blood donations. A total of 273 pints of blood were collected from five blood drives hosted by Southeast in 2011. Since each pint of blood has the potential to help three people, almost 820 patients may have benefited from these blood drives.

Southeast Missourian business editor Melissa Miller may be contacted at 388-3646 or mmiller@semissourian.com.