Agri-Transport moves to Nash Road property

Russ Mothershead of Benton, Mo., has purchased the former ABF trucking terminal property at 4014 Nash Road near the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport and has leased it to Agri-Transport.

"This property is ideally located near our river terminal and warehouse facilities," said Mike Riley, transportation manager for Agri-Trans. "It will accommodate the continued expansion of our Agri-Trans truck fleet and transportation operations as we continue to provide our customers with the most timely, dependable delivery of their products."

In addition, some of the facilities will be developed for use by additional tenants, he said. The 10-acre tract includes office space, truck bays, a loading dock and warehouse storage.

Agri-Trans is a regional bulk commodity carrier, specializing in the transportation of agricultural products including dry fertilizers, liquid fertilizers, grain and fuel. Founded in 1993, the fleet operates end-dump trailers, tankers, drop-decks, and van trailers throughout the Midwest, South and Eastern Seaboard.

* New counseling center opens: Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center Inc. has opened an office in Cape Girardeau. The agency is now at 1353 N. Mount Auburn Road, Suite C, said Tom Kelsey, commercial broker with Lorimont Place Ltd. who handled the lease transaction. Children between 18 months and 18 years old may receive treatment there for issues including behavioral problems, divorce, physical or sexual abuse, ADHD, oppositional behaviors, OCD, grieving and separation anxiety. While the center specializes in child therapy, it also treats adults, individuals, couples and families. Tender Hearts also offers assessment and counseling to adults who are struggling with interpersonal relationships, career problems, grieving issues, anger management, depression, and many other issues. Office hours at the new Cape Girardeau center are by appointment. The center also has offices in Dexter, Marble Hill and Chaffee.

* Saint Francis gets state's second CyberKnife: A CyberKnife sounds like something out of the Matrix movies, but it is a piece of medical equipment. Saint Francis Medical Center's Cancer Institute recently received approval from the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee to acquire the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System. This is the second system of its type in the state and will give patients with tumors a new treatment option. The CyberKnife system offers an alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and noncancerous tumors. The noninvasive system delivers beams of high dose radiation with great accuracy and is able to treat tumors anywhere in the body, including the prostate, lung, brain, spine, liver, pancreas and kidney. Patients will be able to receive fewer doses of radiation over a shorter period of time compared to conventional radiation therapy, according to Medical Center officials. The CyberKnife system will be in the new Heart Hospital and Cancer Institute, opening in July of this year.

* MERS receives software grant: MERS/Goodwill was awarded $775,224 worth of software last week, as part of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential program, which aims to provide tools, technology, training and resources to improve education, job training and community innovation initiatives. The grant will allow MERS/Goodwill to upgrade software used for vocational services provided in the 76 counties served throughout Missouri and Illinois. This includes the MERS/Goodwill career development centers in Cape Girardeau. It will assist staff and program members in getting up-to-date with the newest software technologies, said spokeswoman Kelly Trettin.

* Two business training classes offered in Bollinger County: "How To Start A New Business" will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 15 at Thousand Oaks Winery in Marble Hill, Mo. Russell Humphrey, Small Business and Technology Development Center director, will be the instructor for the one-night workshop. Those interested in attending should contact Glenna Ervin at 651-2929. The second program offered in Bollinger County is called Operation Jump-Start. This course for people interested in starting their own business allows graduates to compete for microenterprise grants up to $5,000 after completion of course requirements. East Missouri Action Agency of Park Hills, Mo., is partnering with the CIE to offer the seed capital for this entrepreneurial project. For more information, contact Connie Killian at 573-238-4220 at the Marble Hill EMAA office no later than Feb. 10 or Susan Sterling at the CIE at 651-2286.

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