July business updates

Transportation

Amtrak ridership increases

Ridership on Amtrak trains continues to increase in Poplar Bluff and nationwide.

Passengers getting on and off the Texas Eagle in Poplar Bluff totaled 3,842 during fiscal year 2007. This is an increase of 622 or 19.3 percent over fiscal year 2006. The southbound train is scheduled to arrive at 11:42 p.m. and the northbound train at 2:39 a.m. every night.

Throughout the United States, Amtrak boarded a record 25.8 million passengers during fiscal year 2007, an increase of 1.5 million or 6.7 percent.

"With ridership growing to record levels, we continue to see a strong demand for rail travel as a link between growing communities," said Alex Kummant, president and chief executive officer of Amtrak.

An average of more than 70,000 passengers ride on up to 300 Amtrak trains per day.

"It was the fifth consecutive year of ridership increases for Amtrak, and the trend continues," Kummant said.

For the first quarter of fiscal year 2008, more than 7 million passengers traveled on Amtrak, an increase of 11 percent. Revenue was up 14.6 percent to more than $434 million.

"Increasingly, Americans are turning to rail to complement other modes of transportation," Kummant said. "With more than 500 stations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system, Amtrak is a relevant transportation option for many Americans whether they live in small towns or large metropolitan areas."

Seventy percent of the miles traveled by Amtrak trains are on tracks owned by other railroads. Amtrak paid these host railroads more than $92 million last year for more than 26 million train miles.

"Passenger and freight service is on the rise, and there's never been a better time to celebrate the railroad industry and passenger rail service in the United States," Kummant said.

Greyhound station has a new location

SIKESTON, Mo. — The Greyhound bus station has moved to 2107 East Malone in the rear. The building is located in Eakin Plaza. The new facility will provide better services for customers. More parcels and freight will also be shipped as a result of the move. Agents are Wilbur and Sheila Gillespie.

MoDOT plans new interchange near Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The accident-prone intersection at Highways 67, 158 and 160 nine miles south of Poplar Bluff will be replaced with an interchange during a four-laning project that is on the state's proposed five-year transportation improvement program, but Butler County officials would like to see quicker safety enhancements to reduce the number of deaths and injuries.

Lauren Capper, 17, of rural Poplar Bluff, who was a junior at Neelyville High School, died when her westbound car was struck by a southbound semi truck at 11 p.m. May 13.

Butler County Coroner Larry Cotrell said there also were two deaths following a crash in December 2006. He noted several years ago MoDOT installed caution lights and warning signs on a dangerous curve on U.S. 67 north of Poplar Bluff where a number of fatal accidents had occurred.

MoDOT estimates the cost of the project at $28 million. Initial plans include an interchange at Highway 158 east of the current intersection.

"We want to get this project done as fast as possible," MoDOT Planning Manager Bill Robison said. "We plan to have public meetings this fall and start right-of-way acquisition in the spring."

Restaurants

New BBQ restaurant opens

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Squeeeler's Barbecue in Portageville is open for business. Squeeeler's is a portable barbecue unit that will be located next to Stafford's furniture. Owners David and Jana Morris offer a wide range of barbecued items.

Coffee shop opens

The Mississippi Mud House will be opening at 813 Broadway this summer, hopefully in July, said Daniel Seabaugh, the 21-year-old son of the building's owners. The shop will offer the coffees and menu of the original Mississippi Mud House in St. Louis, along with musical offerings that were being presented in the Enchanted Forest in the same building. The Enchanted Forest was a alcohol-free venue where teens could see bands.

The Mississippi Mud House will feature the exotic coffees that are roasted in St. Louis by the parent company. The idea for the coffee house grew out of plans to add espresso and other coffee drinks to the Enchanted Forest's concessions, Seabaugh said.

Mazzio's owner cites rising costs, fuel prices for decision to close

Mazzio's Pizza in Jackson was killed by a combination of rising costs and consumer cutbacks as fuel prices pinch harder into paychecks, owner Dan Chandler said.

Chandler operated the Mazzio's for 11 years, and said the time had come to call it quits.

The placement of a Pizza Hut restaurant across Jackson Boulevard didn't seem to cost him a lot of customers, Chandler said. Mazzio's offered a daily pizza buffet at lunch that the Pizza Hut did not.

He said he tried different things, "but it wasn't enough. There are a lot of reasons, prices, fuel, and not just the cost of food. Traffic patterns are changing, with not as many people going out to eat."

The result was a slimmer and slimmer margin that squeezed the business, he said. "You can only raise prices a certain amount," he said.

The building at 2259 E. Jackson Blvd. is for sale. Chandler said he's not looking for a new location for the Mazzio's franchise and instead will concentrate on his other business, building and remodeling restaurants.

Legislative

Senate, House agree to form interim committee on Holcim, CEC issue

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. — The Missouri legislature has decided to take an active role this summer in trying to resolve what is a literal "power struggle" between Citizens Electric Corporation (CEC) and the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve Cement Plant.

At issue is Holcim's concern about the impact on plant production of what it claims are CEC's high power costs — a situation some who are close to the situation say may have been created, in part, by special legislation in 2003 that removed CEC from regulatory oversight by the Missouri Public Service Commission.

Under Missouri law, customers must purchase electric power from the utility that owns the service territory in which the customer is located. The Holcim cement plant site lies in CEC's certificated service territory. However, Holcim wants to buy its power from nearby AmerenUE (a portion of the 1,700 acre site lies in Ameren's territorial boundary) because the cement company says there would be very significant cost savings, since Ameren's rates are considerably lower.

CEC's position is that the electric cooperative has the exclusive right to sell power to customers in its certified service territory.

Holcim offered to buy out CEC's present investment and future interest in the contract for about $6.8 million and has been seeking legislative action that would free the firm to purchase its power from Ameren.

CEC refused the buyout offer and has been actively opposing Holcim's effort to get legislative relief. CEC says the contract signed by Holcim in 2002 binds the cement manufacturing firm, and that allowing Holcim to purchase power from someone else will jeopardize the utility and raise costs for other customers.

Both CEC and Holcim have aggressively lobbied senators and representatives in Jefferson City, and the effort intensified as the legislative session began to draw to a close last week.

Of special interest to both sides was a Missouri House floor debate on May 12 on an amendment proposed by Representative Tim Meadows (D-Jefferson County). The amendment would have provided "a one-time election by certain major industrial electric power consumers with contiguous property in more than one certificated service territory."

In other words, the amendment created an exception to the law that would have allowed Holcim to buy from Ameren and much of the debate centered on Holcim's electric supply needs and circumstances. The amendment did not pass, according to House Speaker Rod Jetton (R-Marble Hill), primarily because of concern about there being insufficient time left in the session to fully consider the "important economic development issues" associated with the proposal.

But the legislature isn't finished with the matter yet. In a May 14 letter to Holcim (US) Vice President Russel Wiles, Jetton stated the need to pursue the general issue, since the state could be impeded in attracting new businesses and industries unless those businesses and industries can be assured they will have access to "ample power for their future needs at reasonable prices."

Jetton wrote, "As energy costs rise and supplies become tighter nationally and internationally, the state that is in the best position to limit a prospective employer's energy costs will have an inside track in attracting that employer and the new jobs that will be created by that employer. The crucial question is whether Mis-souri's present utility regulatory structure helps or hinders our economic development efforts."

Jetton then advised Wiles of his intention to establish an interim committee to hold hearings on the Holcim proposal.

"It is my desire that such interim committee begins its work immediately upon establishment and conducts such hearings and investigations as are deemed necessary to fully advise the Missouri House of Representatives on this matter," Jetton wrote. "Moreover, I intend to encourage the President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate to establish a similar interim committee that may work in conjunction with the house committee."

Jetton concluded his letter by saying, "The State of Missouri is fortunate that Holcim (US) Inc. chose to develop its new plant in Ste. Genevieve. We appreciate your company's substantial investment in our state and look forward to working with you in the future."