Southeast Missouri facts

Agriculture

The region is one of the most productive in the state. Major crops are corn, soybean, rice. Missouri ranks second in the nation in number of farms (2003 Missouri Farm Facts). Average farm size 291 acres. Missouri's total crop value was nearly $3 billion in 2003. Cape Girardeau County's total agriculture cash receipts were more than $46 million in 2003.

Airlines

American Connection, affiliated with American Airlines, serves Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The airline provides passenger, mail and air cargo service from the airport with three flights per day, Monday through Friday, and two flights on Saturday and Sunday. Flights are to and from St. Louis. The number is 335-9381.

More services at the airport are offered by Cape Air Charter, which provides private and commercial pilot training, air freight and passenger charters, and aircraft sales. Cape Air Charter also helps arrange ground transportation, and hotel and dinner reservations for out-of-town guests.

Airport

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport is located five miles southwest of the city off I-55. It is owned and operated by the city. The airport has a flight control tower and is the only all-weather airport along the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Memphis. There are two runways -- 6,500 feet and 4,000 feet. There is an instrument landing system, fire fighting equipment, airport security system, restaurant and lounge. Cape Aviation is the fixed-based operator at the airport and provides maintenance and fuel sales. Car rental and taxi services are available. The phone number is 334-6230. Also, there are airports in Sikeston and Perryville.

Airport Shuttle

In Cape: Bootheel Area Rapid Transportation (BART) by van to/from St. Louis International Airport with area pick-ups or door-to-door service.

Arts

Monthly exhibits at Gallery 100 and the Lorimier Gallery at 119 Independence in Cape include works from national and local artists. It is home office for the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, a not-for-profit community organization supporting the arts in this area. Also, University Museum, Cape River Heritage Museum, Ballet Academy, Municipal Band, Community Concert, University Theatre, Broadway Players Community Theatre, River City Players, River City Yacht Club. Arts also well established in other area cities and towns.

Average Household Income

Salaries in Cape Girardeau County are very similar to the state averages. The average family income is $45,518, while the statewide figure is $46,044.

Barge Transportation

Cape is home of Missouri Barge Line & Dry Dock Co.-- barge building and tow boat docking. Major distribution point for petroleum and grain shipments. Also, a port in Scott City with many businesses located there.

Business and Industry

More than 1,950 business firms operate in Cape, about 90 of which are manufacturing facilities. The region has more than 75 businesses employing at least 100 workers each. See "Top 50" in this publication for more detailed information. Total labor force within 40 miles of Cape: 221,800. That takes in 11 Southeast Missouri counties and seven Southern Illinois counties.

Bus Service

Several charter bus lines provide passenger service in all directions. Greyhound has an office in Jackson. One taxicab company in Cape.

Chambers of Commerce

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is the fourth largest in the state with almost 1,200 members. Visit the Chamber at 1267 N. Mount Auburn in Cape, or call 335-3312. Chambers also in Jackson, Perryville, Scott City, Sikeston and other communities.

Churches

More than 100 area churches and temples representing all major faiths and denominations.

Climate

Region: Annual degree average is 56.3. Winter degree average is 33.3 (January), and summer degree average is 79.5 (July). Average annual rainfall is 44.6 inches and snowfall annual average is 11.4 inches.

Clubs

More than 350 area civic, social, patriotic, religious and business clubs.

Convention Facilities

In Cape: A.C. Brase Arena Building, a multi-purpose auditorium seats 1,700. The Osage Centre can seat 1,800. Drury Lodge's Mississippi Center Banquet Room has capacity for 600. The Plaza Conference Center, formerly the Holiday Inn Convention Center, seats 1,200. Southeast University's Houck Field House seats 2,500 under roof and 9,000 open air. The University Center has dining facilities for 750 and up to 1,000 for other functions. Also, the Bavarian Haus in Fruitland. (See Show Me Center)

Education

Many area high schools, seventh-grade centers and elementary schools -- public and parochial. In Cape is the new Central High School and the new Cape Girardeau Area Career and Technology Center. Also available are the Parkview State School for Severely Handicapped, a pre-school for the handicapped, University of Missouri Extension, Metro Business College and Southeast Missouri State University.

Employment

About 33,800 in Cape County. Unemployment rate hovers around 3.6 percent. Total labor force within 40-mile radius is 221,900 as of September 2004.

Entertainment

Many restaurants and night spots with live entertainment throughout the area. In Cape, Community Concert Association schedules musical performances and Southeast University Theatre performs seasonally. River City Players Community Theatre group. Museums. Two movie theater complexes in Cape offering 19 screens. Lots of annual community festivals and fairs.

Finance

In Cape: 15 banks and 32 branches with assets exceeding $1.8 billion. Four offices of stock and bond brokers, NYSE.

Fire Protection

In Cape: 56 full-time firefighters operating from four stations.

Government

In Cape: council-manager form of city government operating under a Home Rule Charter.

Health

In Cape: two hospitals, Southeast Missouri Hospital and Saint Francis Medical Center with 24-hour emergency services available at both hospitals. Doctors' Park, a 51-acre medical complex, is available with many specialists and professionals. More than 175 medical doctors are located in the city. The Community Counseling Center offers 20 years experience in providing professional counseling services to Southeast Missouri communities. Major medical facilities in Sikeston and Perryville.

Highways

Interstate 55 through Cape Girardeau, U.S. 61, Missouri highways 74/34 and 177, and Illinois highways 146 and 3. Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau connects Missouri highways 74/34 to Illinois 146 and 3.

Industrial Sites

There is a 300-acre, fully-developed industrial site with 14 businesses located on Nash Road near Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The site has rail, sewer, gas and water available. The 250-acre SixThirty Industrial Park is located along Southern Expressway. It is home to 17 businesses and more are expected. There are also thriving industrial parks in Scott City, Perryville, Sikeston and other communities. .

Libraries

In Cape: City-owned with 101,000 volumes, 232 periodicals, 3,643 audio-visual materials, 1,640 micro films, 75 puppets and education toys, 20 newspaper subscriptions, 20 software and 58 art prints; Kent Library on the campus of SEMO has 260,000 volumes and is regional depository for more than 200,000 government documents, has 60,000 volumes on microfilm and 2,500 periodical subscriptions. The Riverside Regional Library system has library branches throughout the area

Location of Cape

110 miles south of St. Louis and 160 miles north of Memphis on the Mississippi River. Cape Girardeau is approximately 110 miles southeast of the population center of the U.S. (Steelville, Mo.)

Magazines

In Cape: Business Today, a monthly regional business journal. TBY: The Best Years, a monthly publication geared toward baby boomers and seniors. Tipoff, a monthly publication listing a regional calendar of events and other items of general interest. OFF!, a monthly magazine geared toward college students. SHE, a quarterly publication for women. Special publications devoted to a variety of subjects are routinely inserted into the Southeast Missourian newspaper.

Media:

Radio stations in Cape area-

KWKZ 106.1, KEZS-FM 103, KCGO-AM 1220, KZIM-AM 960, KRCU-FM 90.9, KGMO-FM 100.7/KAPE-AM 1550, KYRX-FM (MIX 104.7), KCGQ-AM 12.20 and KUGT-AM 1170.

One daily newspaper- The Southeast Missourian, seven days a week, 17,500 circulation weekdays, 20,000 circulation Sunday, (special PLUS edition on Wednesday with 28,500 total market coverage circulation.) Published mornings.

Many county weekly newspapers and a daily in Sikeston.

Television - area residents can receive ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, UPN, WDKA on broadcast TV. There are cable TV providers and satellite systems.

Motels

In Cape: 15 motels with more than 950 class A rooms available. Holiday Inn Express opened on William Street near I-55 in spring 2005. Drury Inn & Suites has announced plans to build on the southeast corner of I-55 and Highway 74. Many more accomodations throughout the region.

Parks

In Cape: 23 city parks; Trail of Tears State Park about 12 miles north of Cape Girardeau with 3,300 acres of scenic bluffs, lake for fishing and swimming, hiking and scenic trails, and campgrounds. Many parks in surrounding communities.

Police Protection

In Cape: 68 full-time police officers and two school resource officers.

Population

City of Cape: 35,675; County: 68,200 (2000 Census estimate).

Railroads

Burlington-Northern serves Cape area; Missouri Pacific Cotton Belt Railroad crosses the Mississippi River just below Cape; Union Pacific and Southern Pacific serve SEMO Regional Port in Scott City.

Recreation

In Cape: golf, miniature golf, softball, baseball, soccer, swimming, tennis, roller skating, go carts and bowling are available. There is a long walking/biking trail. Also featured: a complete city recreation department, fishing lakes, camping grounds, hunting acres nearby, a shooting range and two indoor racquet clubs. Southeast University has extensive recreational facilities. Cape Girardeau also has a 50-meter enclosed swimming pool that is used in cooperation between the city and the public school system.

Lake Wappapello is located about 45 minutes to the west in Wappapello. Clearwater Lake is about an hour's drive to the west near Piedmont. A closer option: Trail of Tears State Park about 12 miles north of Cape Girardeau has Lake Boutin. Only minutes from migratory water fowl refuges in Southern Illinois.

Retail Sales

Large chain retailers include: Famous-Barr, JCPenney, Old Navy, Wal-Mart, Sears, Big K's (formerly K-Mart), Lowe's, Target, K's Merchandise, Goody's, Staples Office Supply, Best Buy, Petco. Kohl's and Sears Grand will open by Christmas 2005.

Sales tax

In Cape: 6.975 percent total.

Show Me Center

A major multi-use, $13.5 million facility in Cape, facing east toward Sprigg Street. Building includes a 7,800-seat arena, meeting rooms, a concourse, rest rooms, offices and a catering kitchen. Site for Southeast University basketball, music concerts, home and garden shows, car and truck shows, conventions and more.

Tourism

Area attraction information is available from Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau downtown at 100 Broadway, 335-1631. There is also a visitors bureau in Sikeston. Area chambers of commerce also have information.

Utilities

Area gas and electricity are furnished by AmerenUE. Area telephone is served by digital and fiber optic cable technology along with coaxial and microwave through Big River Telephone, Southwestern Bell. Cellular phone service provided by several businesses.

Wholesale and Distribution

Several hundred warehouses and distribution centers are located in the area.