It’s a current trend in roofing: because of Americans’ growing awareness of and concern for climate change, people are jumping on the band wagon to install white reflective roof systems, known as Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). However, one roofing system does not fit all; for some building needs and geographic locations, ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) may be the better solution...

“It’s a niche market,” says Micky McQuade, owner and CEO of Vintage Software in Jackson, Missouri, “so it took awhile to take off.” But for a company that started as a hobby, turned into a side gig and has grown into a full time business with over forty employees, it is not hard to see that this niche market is now soaring, and it’s flying straight out of Southeast Missouri...

Cape Girardeau deputy city manager Molly Mehner describes public-private partnerships as integral to city services and targeted economic development in the future: “Cities have to look at different ways of doing things. Resources are more limited. We have less revenue to work with, but we have to provide the same level of service or more. So how do we accomplish that? I think you’re going to start to see not just Cape Girardeau but other cities looking more and more towards the private sector.”...

Southeast Missouri State University unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) major Brigham Haase is mapping the wetlands of Missouri using drone technology. He calls this a “one-of-a-kind undergraduate research project” that began in Scott City, Missouri, with additional locations to follow. Haase and his fellow UAS students are paving the way for a future in the unmanned aircraft systems industry and mechatronics, where they say the sky’s the limit...

Cape Girardeau has its first hackathon happening July 19-21, 2019. At it, coders, nurses, designers — anyone with an interest in improving health care for our community — will be available to come together to create innovative, technology-based health care solutions for the chance to win $50,000 in cash prizes. It’s an event that’s part of a civ tech movement happening across the country...

We can do this. Cape and small communities are reaching out to bridge the gap between the demand for tech workers, attracting higher paying jobs and the opportunity for Missourians to train up. Those who embrace change know: the first leg of the journey is uphill. While the numbers are not pretty, the problem to solve is clear...

What’s next in automation as Missouri minimum wage increases? Missouri’s minimum wage will increase to $8.60 per hour in January, thanks to the voter-approved Proposition B that appeared on the November ballot. The increase is part of a four-year escalator that will raise the minimum wage to $12/hour in 2023 for non-exempt employees...

Many read “Tech” and feel excluded. Today, technology seems synonymous with coder languages, apps, AI and smart gadgets. Some would-be entrepreneurs wonder if the world of innovation left them behind long ago. But you know, I bet every generation feels this way. ...

Too often we link the words “innovation” and “technology” as if you can’t have one without the other. But there are plenty of examples where innovation is taking place and technology has little or no impact. Consider the Request for Proposal Process (RFP) that the City of Cape Girardeau has used for various projects. ...

Mike Marshall, Sikeston Area Regional Chamber of Commerce and Area Economic Development Corporation president and CEO, spoke Oct. 31 to the Delta Grassroots Caucus (DGC) in the Arkansas State Capitol Rotunda on the future designation of Highways 60 and 67 to Interstate 57 from Little Rock, Arkansas, to Sikeston, Missouri. ...

In 2016 when the Castor River flooded, the Cape Girardeau Fire Department provided a safer solution to search and rescue efforts: drones. It was the first use of drones by the department, proposed by Fire Chief Rick Ennis. Using a drone, the department was able to create a safe travel route to rescue a victim; with it, they could see how the water was moving, the extent of the damage and potential hazards...

In 1962, the future was Jane Jetson, feeding her cartoon family with her automatic — albeit, gargantuan — dinner-making machine. She tapped a few buttons and in short order, the meal appeared, hot and ready. That future, as it turns out, was not so far off. Tap a few buttons today on a smartphone, and you can have a meal or the ingredients for one brought directly to you. Delivery and pickup services are changing the way people eat — and fast...

Who would have thought that Cape Girardeau would become a hotbed for startup companies? This curmudgeon never saw it coming, that's for sure. Tech companies are now lining the Broadway corridor hoping to grab a little of that sweet, sweet startup funding...

Think Dirty Think Dirty is the easiest way to learn about the potentially toxic ingredients in your cosmetics and personal care products. Just scan the product barcode, and Think Dirty will give you easy-to-understand info on the product, track dirty ingredients and shop for cleaner options...

It’s true: for thousands of years, trees have grown naturally. Without synthetic fertilizer. Without the meddling of people. Without chemicals. Instead, this is how we’ve gotten forests: leaves fall off trees. Microbes in soil break the leaves down. They turn into organic matter, which turns into phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and other nutrients needed for plants to grow. The soil is healthy and does what it’s supposed to do: nurture life...

More than 20 years ago, a school invited Steve Hamra in for lunch, to observe the children eating the produce he grew. It was the first time Hamra, president and founder of Amanzi Farms in Sikeston, Missouri, realized the impact nutritious produce can make...

No matter if you have just started saving for your future or you are preparing for retirement, market volatility is an issue that can make investors fearful. The important thing to remember, however, is that it is often a normal part of the stock market cycle...

Enter to learn, leave to serve. It’s the mission at Notre Dame Regional High School, where students are viewed as whole people, and education is for the mind, body and soul. It’s this holistic approach to teaching that allows students to fulfill the school’s mission — and their own — in impressive ways...

It’s been a while (Christmas, at least,) since the whole family was in one room together, and you’re starting to miss your uncle’s quirky jokes and the way your grandma’s eyes crinkle up at the sides when she tells a story. With the summer months fast approaching, call them up and let them know it’s time to break out the old home videos, crock pots and matching t-shirts for a mid-year reunion. ...

Networking is the number one unwritten rule of success in business. While some people are naturals at it, others understandably struggle. The Cape Chamber recognizes the importance of offering networking opportunities for our members to establish and strengthen relationships. Every month we have two foundational eventsthat are both free to our membership and recognized as tremendous networking gatherings...

Turn on the television, search the web, talk to a co-worker, the message seems the same. Just in time for Christmas, we may be in a “Scrooge Market”. People are fearful right now, and the markets show it. With the Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq selling off the highs of earlier this year, we are seeing investor anxiety at levels not seen in some time...

Are you tired of earning low or no interest on the money in your checking account? Are you looking for a checking account with high interest rates that will actually work for you? Look no further than Montgomery Bank’s eGold Checking Account, which rewards you with 3.01% APY on balances up through $15,000 when you satisfy the monthly qualifications and have a real estate or commercial loan with Montgomery Bank...

CENTURY 21 Ashland Realty opened a new office at 3125 E. Jackson Blvd in Jackson, Missouri, Sept. 5. CENTURY 21 Ashland Realty is an independently owned and operated franchise affiliate of CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC, which is comprised of approximately 8,000 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 80 countries and territories worldwide...

By Maryann Reese, RN, DHA, MHA, FACHE President and Chief Executive Officer, Saint Francis Healthcare System What does a Leapfrog ‘A’ score mean to our community? An ‘A’ is hard to achieve and is only given out to the best hospitals in the nation for safety and quality. ...

Hojung Kim and Alex Tavares share their thoughts at Codefi’s November Meet the Member event A physical device that teaches children with vision impairments how to read independently. A meal-sharing app that connects people within a city, inviting them into each other’s homes and to each other’s tables...

Area Development Magazine, a national site selection publication, listed talent attraction and retention as the third most important factor in the site selection process for new businesses. Availability of skilled workers trailed only highway accessibility and labor costs as the most important factors in locating a new business facility. ...

Make Your Money Work For You: Montgomery Cash Back Checking Account You know: you work hard for your money, and it’s important to keep your money working hard for you after you earn it. While checking accounts are usually not the most lucrative investment tool, they are a necessity for the money you use in your daily transactions, and it’s important to ensure you have one that is making the most of your money...

What are intrapreneurs, and how are they good for your organization? In the last several years, the term “intrapreneurs” has become more widely known. Intrapreneurs are employees within an organization who are not likely to start their own enterprise, but who apply the essential principles of entrepreneurship to their positions in the business...

The Midwest is often referred to as “God’s Country,” and as those who live here can attest, it’s for good reasons. Whether it is the friendly people, beautiful scenery or pace of life, there is a higher power present in this area of the country. Midwesterners value family, friendship and hard work. ...

Did you know more than 11 percent of the private sector workforce in Cape Girardeau County is employed in the field of manufacturing? Almost 4,000 people work in more than 180 manufacturing facilities in our county. In 2017, the average weekly wage for these jobs was a little more than $1,000, accounting for more than 203 million dollars in payroll. That’s a lot of buying power and a significant piece of our local economy...

The holidays are for living the moments that will be memorialized in photographs, experiencing the stories we will tell to our children and grandchildren and creating traditions with family members that will be passed down for generations to come. With Christmas and Thanksgiving right around the corner, start planning now to help your guests feel welcome and wanting to stay in your home by creating a cozy ambiance. ...

Sherm Smith Jr., owner of Smith Auctions, LLC, is in the business of bringing people together. He does it through collecting, consigning and auctioning collector cars from across the Midwest, storing them in his warehouse in Dexter, Missouri. It’s intergenerational, he says, and stretches across cultural barriers...

Take the drive north on State Highway 72, pass acres of farmland and, eventually, Meadow Heights High School, and you’ll run into a business producing custom wood products and shipping around the globe. There’s no sign up on this early October day; the couple, Jon and Debbie Ortmann, have just moved to the new location in Patton, Missouri. It’s a 9,000-square-foot white and green barnhouse where they make custom wood products...

Jack Rickard cobbled together his first electric car in 2008. “Went 94 miles an hour on the first test drive and 110 miles on the first charge,” he recalls. “And that’s when I got pissed.” The successful test, he says, only made him wonder why on earth there weren’t more electric cars being produced. ...

Many very smart, successful entrepreneurs are all about reducing risk, testing the business concept on the side, keeping their day job and turning a hobby into a little bit of extra income. In a word, they have a side hustle. This isn’t just the big, massive success stories from Silicon Valley like Warby Parker, where all the founders kept their regular jobs for several months while starting a business that sells glasses online; I found more and more entrepreneurs in our own Southeast Missouri backyard that had steady jobs while exploring their own business opportunity in the evenings and on weekends.. ...

There is something about the Midwest: we are hardworking. We know what it means to treat someone well. We are situated centrally, hearing multiple perspectives. They’re qualities people on the coasts are seeking in business, which Gary Rust II and Jeff Rawson discuss here in “Made in Southeast Missouri.”...

The Midwest matters. And those living on the coasts in cities with a population greater than a million don’t get it — yet. The Millennials do. Smaller communities, mostly in the Midwest, have been called the forgotten 100 million, first labeled as #altmiddle by USC Annenberg researcher Lisa Pecot-Hebert at SXSW...

At B Magazine, we're all about providing value-added, non-coastal, business-oriented content. Below you will find a selection of quality business ideas handpicked from the recesses of Martha's brain during recent stints in the shower. With the right financial backing, smart leadership and a little luck, any of these concepts could find success in Southeast Missouri...

Fostering cultural understanding: it’s important work. That’s just what Cenet: Cultural Exchange Network does. The nonprofit based in Cape Girardeau administers four in-bound international exchange programs, bringing approximately 2,000 young people to the United States each year. ...

What advice would you give to someone starting a business in Cape Girardeau? Start as small as possible to test the market. I was fortunate enough to start off by renting a small space in the Indie House on the first floor. As I grew, I expanded upstairs into bigger spaces, and now my business is comprised of four spaces upstairs. So don't be afraid to try new things, but don't go too big too fast...

It’s not exactly cloak and dagger with lives at risk, but the preference of many successful businesses in Southeast Missouri is to avoid the limelight, innovate and keep their success secret. This story delves into some of the reasons why, sharing the thoughts of prominent local business owners and CEOs (some recently retired), most of whom insist to be unnamed in order to speak freely. ...

It’s a rainy Friday night, and the newly opened Ebb & Flow in downtown Cape Girardeau is a cozy sanctuary from the wet and onset of autumn chill. In the front room, pairs of friends sit on the old, orange-cushioned church pews, deep in conversation in the low lights. ...

Entrepreneurs love the “how.” That is our favorite question: How could we get that idea done? Asking “How?” injects energy into an entrepreneur’s brain like nitrous oxide into the engine of a street racer. Our answer to “When?” tends to be “Now.” The process of working out “What?” and “Who?” can be rewarding, but they sometimes drain our juices as much as they fill them. Nothing gets us out of bed every morning like “How?”...

Hanschen receives award Shaun D. Hanschen, a member of Blanton, Nickell, Collins, Douglas and Hanschen, LLC, was awarded the David J. Dixon Appellate Advocacy Award by The Missouri Bar Foundation during the Missouri Bar Annual Meeting on Sept. 26 in St. Louis. He also was named as one of 45 Up & Coming attorneys by Missouri Lawyers Media on October 12 during an awards luncheon at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis...

On November 6, voters in the state of Missouri will be asked to consider Proposition D – a 2.5 cents per gallon motor fuel tax increase for four years beginning July 1, 2019. The bill will fund the Missouri State Highway Patrol, resulting in a freeing up of at least $288 million annually to the State Road Fund and $123 million annually to local governments for road construction and maintenance. ...

As the competition for workers remains fierce, employers are looking outside traditional labor pools. In the Cape – Jackson metro area, there are more open positions than available workers. We are urging employers to look at various non-traditional sources for help. A couple of these methods are gaining steam and having positive results in other areas of the state and country...

Having access to top-notch healthcare is important, and thanks to the efforts of Pink Up™, a new 3-D mammography machine is extending care to those in Poplar Bluff and the surrounding area. Kneibert Clinic now offers the latest screening and diagnostic technology with this machine that allows radiologists to view the breast tissue more clearly and identify abnormalities more accurately...

The financial profession spends a substantial amount of time discussing the topic of retirement planning. However, I’ll be one of the first to admit that the profession focuses too myopically on the premise that retirement planning means money and investments, and that more of the two equals a happy retirement. ...

Southeast Hospice Offers Annual Children’s Grief Camp Southeast Hospice C.O.O.L. Camp (Children Overcoming Outstanding Loss) will offer its annual one-day grief support camp to children ages 6-15 who have experienced a loss due to death of a friend or family member on Saturday, October 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The camp is free of charge for any child in the region and includes supplies, activities and lunch...

Nurse practitioners are nurses who have undergone advanced training and are able to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, order lab work and imaging tests, and write prescriptions. They can manage many health conditions, teach health promotion and help patients with disease prevention...

Healthcare is changing in our region, and EBO MD is one healthcare provider at the forefront of development. Tony Thompson and Josh Stephens are the founders of EBO MD, a Direct Primary Care clinic system that eliminates insurance companies and hospital chargemasters, with locations in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Missouri...


Considering the stakes -- $50,000 in funding and mentorship -- happy hour is a breezy affair on the eve of Codefi's 1st50k startup competition. The seven teams of founders crowd around the business incubator's sixth-floor offices, chatting over pilsner glasses and peering out over downtown Cape Girardeau, sizing up the town they'll end up calling home for the foreseeable future, if they win. ...

I am not a music festival guy. But I have been to Sturgill Simpson, Judah and the Lion and Jack White and concerts in St. Louis this past year. I’ve been to stadiums and dive bars in Tokyo and Beijing. And I enjoy the occasional Tunes at the gazebo and the Southeast Missouri Orchestra at the River Campus’ Bedell. I am typically all about vinyl and first to buy tickets to “Hamilton” in St. Louis...

Principal, Richmond + Blanton in Sikeston, Missouri More than 17 months ago, I shifted my career and felt I needed a refresher and enlightenment on how to manage myself as an independent consultant. “On Managing Yourself” is a series of essays from leading business experts including the late Peter Drucker, Robert Kaplan and Clayton Christensen. ...

Delta is a site development and highway contractor specializing in asphalt paving and road construction materials. In addition to construction activities, Delta produces aggregates, asphalt paving mixtures, emulsions and other asphalt-related products. The firm operates throughout Northeast Arkansas, Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, with its corporate office located in Cape Girardeau...

What if, growing up, Bill Gates was viewed similarly to Michael Jordan? Or Steve Wozniak was as cool as Derek Jeter? What if STEM-related skills were as exciting and as cool as sports? What if we took the youth sports model and applied it to computer programming? No more what-ifs...

Twelve SoutheastHEALTH marketing projects received statewide recognition at the recent Show Me Excellence Awards held at Camden on the Lake in Osage Beach, Missouri. Southeast won first place for three marketing efforts, including Human Resources recruitment for nursing featuring SoutheastHEALTH nurses; the 2018 photo calendar featuring photographs taken by Southeast staff, physicians, board members and volunteers; and A Polar Express community event in Perryville, Missouri, featuring a special screening of film "The Polar Express" and a holiday food drive.. ...

Each summer, we make an appeal to you, our readers, to help us find local newsmakers. These are people not content to sit idly by when they see something that needs attention. They want to help, see progress and make a meaningful difference. For some, it’s central to their occupation. ...

The inaugural edition of B Magazine featured hospital CEOs Ken Bateman and Maryann Reese as "agents of change," more open to collaboration than their predecessors at SoutheastHEALTH and Saint Francis, respectively, while fully engaged in "healthy competition." The story reported on talks about "a jointly-owned new line of business, which would have a dramatic impact on an area of health care that the region sorely needs."...

Blame it on more efficient vehicles. Blame it on a fuel tax not indexed to inflation. Regardless, Missouri’s gas tax, which has not been raised since 1996, is short when it comes to funding roads and bridges. The Missouri General Assembly voted to increase the state fuel tax by 6 cents per gallon in 1992. The increase was phased in over several years with 17 cents per gallon the end point in 1996...

More than 67 percent of Missouri voters voted against Proposition A on August 7, so it's official: the bill colloquially known as Right to Work will be repealed. If it had been passed, Prop A would have made the paying of union dues optional. Currently, 28 U.S. states are right-to-work states; Missouri's "no" vote is the first overturning of a right to work measure since 2011...

Cape Girardeau has announced a new program to zealously enforce old and new city ordinances to increase revenue for future construction projects. Recently the city pursued charges against the carGO ride-sharing platform for delivering adult beverages without obtaining an alcohol license. Following a public outcry, the city council backed down. Since then, however, the city fathers have admitted they caved too readily...

When Dr. Chelsea Grigery, MD was in sixth grade at Sikeston Middle School, she entered the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair. Six years later as a senior in high school, her project about lyme disease that she completed as a mentee of Dr. Ed Masters, world-renowned lyme disease researcher, won third place at the International Science Fair in Phoenix, Arizona...

When Andrea Roseman began substitute teaching for a Sunday school class for people with special needs at Lynwood Baptist Church five and a half years ago, she never dreamed she would found Access Ministry, a ministry that provides community and Bible teaching to people with disabilities...

Farming in the bootheel of Missouri is big business. Think $1.2 billion annually. Heather Couch has played a large role in helping make this possible in Scott, New Madrid and Cape Girardeau counties since 2015, when she became the vice president and branch manager of Farm Credit of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston, Missouri. ...

Due to mismanagement issues, the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMO-NASV) was on the brink of disintegration. Then, in 2016, Kendra Eads stepped in as the director. Eads secured new funding to get the program back on its feet, which allowed the organization to reinstate its counseling program. ...

Jeremy Ferguson says he and his wife Raelenna Ferguson began having a stirring in their hearts for people, service opportunities and community nearly a decade ago. Through overseas mission work, being foster parents and participating in other community endeavors, they began to notice racial, socioeconomic and geographic divides in their Cape Girardeau community. ...

When Tyler Cuba joined Cuba Financial Group, a comprehensive financial planning and wealth management firm, he says the industry was changing rapidly. Cuba realized being an early adopter of technology would help the firm stay relevant and expand.Now, nine years later, the business has nearly tripled, and its geographic reach has significantly expanded to serve clients in 15 states. ...

Thirty-two years ago, Bob Nations realized the gravity of the issues facing high school students. He wanted to do something to help guide students to make positive choices, but wasn’t sure how he could help. That was when a man from Sports World drove into Cape Girardeau needing directions. ...

Coalter Insurance Group has been located in the Old Town Cape District since it first opened its doors in 1985; Laura Coalter Parker has been working in the family business for the past 13 years and took over the business as president and partner after her father passed away six years ago. ...

There were more than 210 entries from all over the world for the 2018 New York Musical Festival, which is the largest musical festival in the world. From these entries, 11 were chosen to be produced at the Off-Broadway Acorn Theater on 42nd Street, July 9 through August 5...

Jessica Hill, executive director of Safe House for Women, says she has always wanted to help others through working in the nonprofit community. Her job at Safe House, she says, is to ensure the administration and finances behind the scenes run as smoothly as possible so her staff is set up for success when working in their client-centered organization...

The evidence was clear: for one, there was no physical evidence. For two, another man confessed to the murder and then committed suicide. For three, the two witnesses who had testified recanted. Yet Sikeston man David Robinson was held in jail for 18 years, for a crime he didn’t commit...

During college, LaKrisha Moore, founder of On Cue Performing Arts Studio in Cape Girardeau, created the business model behind the performing arts school she wanted to own someday. Then she put the project away in a box and forgot about it. Nearly a decade later, she found the plans her former self had made, and the timing to create the performing arts school was right. In 2015, she opened On Cue Performing Arts Studio in downtown Cape...

Four hundred. That’s the approximate number of children in foster care in Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties. Sixty-nine. That’s the number of foster parents in these three counties. The deficit is large. Enter Crissy Mayberry, executive director of Hope for One More, a nonprofit foster care support agency in Cape Girardeau that was added to the services of Hope Children’s Home in 2014. The program’s mission is to find all children in foster care a home...

Dawn Dauer, chief banking officer at The Bank of Missouri, is all about partnerships. Willing to spend her SBA lending experience in the service of Old Town Cape, she has created a relationship beneficial to both parties, as well as to the community of Cape Girardeau...

When you need a solution to manage your cash flow easily and efficiently, let us help keep your day-to-day operations running smoothly. Montgomery Bank Cash Management Officers, Janet Jansen and Patty Harrell, provide insight on Cash Management services that save time and effort while increasing cash flow for business customers...

Finding common ground on community core values and confronting and solving difficult issues is what the Cape Chamber team is all about. From businesses to schools, churches to parents, charities to civic organizations, what do we hear frequently about job applicants? The soft stuff is the hard stuff. Regardless of industry, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find employees with adequate soft skills — which in reality, are the essential skills for both work and life...

One of the most common challenges faced by businesses both in Southeast Missouri and across the country is the lack of soft skills. As a community, we are focused on doing something about it. The Work Ready Coalition with the Cape Chamber spearheaded the development of a strategy designed to create common language and improve the overall state of soft skills in Cape Girardeau. ...

When it comes to population health, the numbers are seldom kind to the people of Southeast Missouri. The rates of childhood poverty and low birthweight are higher there. So too are the rates of cancers, premature death, and a variety of other negative outcomes...

Robots race around a racetrack in the middle of a city complete with a pizza parlor whose slogan is “Gary’s Pizza — It’s pretty good.” A robot explores the moon, avoiding craters along the way. A robot successfully completes an obstacle course. A robot tells your fortune when you ask it any question...

There are 74.6 million people in the civilian labor force, and that number is growing at a steady clip. Statistics recently released by the United States Department of Labor show women make up 47 percent of the U.S. workforce. And listen to this: 70 percent of mothers with children under 18 participate in the labor force. ...

When you’re experiencing a life-threatening condition, such as chest pains, a head injury or severe bleeding, the Emergency Department at Saint Francis Medical Center is your best option for medical care. However, if your situation is non-life-threating, such as a sprained ankle or a sore throat, you could save time and money by going to your primary care physician or an urgent care center...

Rustic, vintage and shabby chic wedding décor is trending, and Rental Land in Cape Girardeau has these decorations and more to help you create the wedding of your dreams. “We rent everything for the wedding except the dress and tuxedo,” Amy Kasten Yates, Rental Land manager, says...

Whether it's rehabbing an existing building, building new buildings or providing housing options, with each new development there's an entrepreneur taking the lead. In this edition of B Magazine, Rex Rust, Co-president of Rust Communications, talked with local developers Scott Rhodes and Jason Coalter to get their insights on why they do what they do, what keeps them up at night and how municipalities play an important role in fostering development. ...

Southeast Missouri State University brings more than 9,000 students to Cape Girardeau from outside the county yearly. These students contribute revenue to the city; many of them need a house or apartment to call home for four years. The University requires students to live on-campus during their first two years of attending classes, unless the student is from within a 50-mile radius of campus and chooses to commute. ...

In Cape Girardeau, the Esquire Theater stands at the entry point to the town's historic downtown. It is a mess with deteriorating infrastructure. Water damage has destroyed much of the inside. For more than 30 years it's been vacant -- with the exception of an occasional church service -- and its building integrity has become worse each year. Nowadays, without major renovation, it would be unsafe for anything to take place inside. Until recently, the building's most likely fate: demolition...

For Robert Spurlock, cancer is personal: when he was 3 years old, he lost his father to a brain tumor. Because cancer has had a profound impact on Spurlock’s life, he uses his resources as co-founder of KRM to help the American Cancer Society market its annual gala event in Cape Girardeau...

Health care is changing in our region. There is a growing movement in America — practices everywhere are working to improve our health care system. We are one of those practices. We are EBO MD. Because our current, ever-changing health care system too often jeopardizes our ability to do what’s best for patients, we decided to simplify the process by cutting out the middlemen. ...

I’m one of the most private people you’ll meet. That’s why most people who know me don’t know I am a bit of a gearhead. Among the things I love most is the adventure of building something from nothing. I’ve had a wicked good time these last 18 months completely rebuilding my hotrod ‘66 Chevy truck. And she roars in high gear...

Have you found your dream house and now you’re ready to take the next step towards making it your home? Montgomery Bank, with locations in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Sikeston and Miner,is a community bank that focuses on building relationships with their customers, and they want to help you attain your goals...

Seventy percent of general contractors in the U.S. have a hard time finding qualified craft workers, according to data from a 2017 workforce survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America. Robinson Construction, the fifth largest employer in Southeast Missouri according to Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET, with a total of 475 employees in 2017, says this is true not only in the U.S. but right here in Southeast Missouri...

Development is not for the faint of heart. Whether you’re investing in land, housing, commercial real estate or a historic rehabilitation project, development requires much research, financial intelligence and understanding of processes. Add in construction variables, and it would be enough to keep some people up at night. For others, it’s an exciting opportunity to cast a vision and see it through to completion...

In January 1908, the Himmelberger & Harrison (H & H) Building opened at 400 Broadway Street. It housed the headquarters of the Himmelberger & Harrison Lumber Company, as well as offices for the Little River Drainage District and the Southeast Missouri Trust Company. The first fireproof, modern office building in Cape Girardeau, it was what the January 15, 1908, issue of the Daily Republican noted as a building “only an artist could describe … with justice.”...

The Cape Chamber launched their new website, capeishome.com, on May 31, as part of their talent attraction campaign. Designed as a hub of information, this website will serve as a valuable tool for both human-resource professionals and individuals looking to relocate to the Cape Girardeau area...

Area development has been a key priority for the City of Jackson and the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce. The local leadership of Jackson is contributing a concerted effort to improve local services and infrastructure to make the community even more attractive to potential businesses...

I've noticed Southeast Missouri has a major problem. When you look at various websites devoted to quirky tourist attractions, we're totally missing from the maps. RoadsideAmerica.com and AtlasObscura.com, for example, show a giant void surrounding Cape Girardeau...

Because marketing efforts are directed externally, they are not always readily apparent to local citizens. Through the Cape Chamber and Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET, we consistently strive to promote our region and work very closely with a variety of groups, including the Missouri Partnership — the group charged with promoting Missouri to the rest of the world — and the Missouri Department of Economic Development, to broaden our business base. ...

Availability of skilled workers trailed only highway accessibility and labor costs as the most important factors in locating a new business facility, according to Area Development Magazine. This is a major issue throughout the United States, and the Cape Girardeau area is no different. Talent attraction and retention are key pieces to any successful economic development effort...

Over the last ten years, I’ve witnessed the substantial opportunities young professionals have when they take time to consider and review a few financial planning issues early on. Although these five examples sound simple, the percentage of young professionals who don’t formalize a plan, that includes these considerations, far outweigh those who do...