Business briefs

Appraisal Consultants

Kathy Schlosser, owner of Appraisal Consultants, a real estate appraisal company, celebrated 25 years in business in February. Schlosser's company was the first woman-operated appraisal company in the area.

Reliable Community Bancshares, Inc.

Bolivar Bancshares, Inc. merged with Reliable Community Bancshares, Inc. on Feb. 21. Reliable Community Bancshares is the parent company of The Bank of Missouri. Bolivar Bancshares is the holding company for Bank of Bolivar and includes six locations: two in Bolivar, Missouri, two in Springfield, Missouri, one in Marshfield, Missouri, and one in Fair Grove, Missouri. These banks will continue to operate as Bank of Bolivar until the third quarter of 2020, when they are expected to join The Bank of Missouri.

Sikeston Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Sikeston Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Board presented their inaugural Hospitality Award of Excellence to Lambert's CafÃ(C) and the Lambert family on March 13, in honor of their outstanding contribution to the tourism and hospitality industry in the Sikeston community. The Lambert family reports they have 16,000 visitors each week at their restaurant and throw 2 million rolls a year.

SoutheastHEALTH and Southeast Missouri State University

SoutheastHEALTH and Southeast Missouri State University College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics sponsored the 64th annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair on March 10 at the Show Me Center. A total of 426 projects were entered in the fair from 683 students. Forty-three area schools participated.

Saint Francis Healthcare System

The contract between Saint Francis Healthcare System and UnitedHealthcare expired March 5. As of that day, Saint Francis facilities are no longer in-network with United. Saint Francis physicians, primary care and urgent care locations remain in-network.

Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)

Private and for-hire motor carriers whose loads carry essential equipment and supplies to fight the coronavirus are getting a temporary reprieve from the State of Missouri. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has increased the weight allowance for tractor-trailers at least 53 feet in length from the usual 80,000-pound limit to 100,000 pounds through April 30. In a parallel move, Gov. Mike Parson is suspending the cap on the number of hours a trucker may spend behind the wheel through May 15.

Local Restaurants

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants have closed their dining rooms, but many are still offering drive-through, delivery and pick up options. The Cape Girardeau coffee shop STA permanently closed as a result of the outbreak.

Local businesses

Businesses throughout the area are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of ways. To name a few: Harbor Freight, a nationwide tool and contracting equipment retailer with a store in Cape Girardeau's Town Plaza Shopping Center, announced it is donating its entire supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 masks, face shields and gloves, "to front line hospitals with 24-hour emergency rooms" in communities where Harbor Freight stores are located. Schnuck Markets Inc. has announced it is donating $500,000 to the St. Louis COVID-19 Regional Response Fund to support those in the St. Louis region experiencing hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. Premier Physical Therapy has partnered with the Southeast Missouri Food Bank to provide grocery items to families in need in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The SoutheastHEALTH Foundation has created a Response to Recovery Fund (RRF), which is accepting donations to support first responders and health care workers affected by coronavirus. The foundation has provided $10,000 of "seed money" for the fund. In response to a nationwide blood shortage caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, Banterra Bank is hosting a series of blood drives in Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky and has expanded the hours of its Cape Girardeau blood drive. Cape Martial Arts, 766 S. Kingshighway, offers virtual video classes for people who are at home. In an effort to give people who are sheltering at home during the COVID-19 outbreak additional entertainment options, Charter Communications announced it is providing Showtime and Epix premium channels at no additional charge to Spectrum TV customers who do not currently receive those channels through April 19.

Information summarized from Southeast Missourian business articles and contributions from B Magazine readers. To contribute business briefs for the next issue of B Magazine, email mpohlman@rustmedia.com.