Business

The Board of Directors has announced the selection of Greg Cunningham as the new President/CEO of Farm Credit Southeast Missouri, effective August 1st. Cunningham is succeeding Bob Smith, who will be retiring this fall after 42 years of service with the association...

PHOENIX, Arizona — NewWave Communications has announced it will be rebranding as Sparklight® beginning this month. “We are very excited for this evolution to our new brand and the next chapter in our story,” President and CEO Julie Laulis said. “Over the past several years we have evolved, and our new brand will better convey who we are and what we stand for – a company committed to providing our communities with connectivity that enriches their world. ...

BLODGETT, Mo. — When she was just a small child, a family member handed Shelby Perrien a camera and had her take pictures. The love for capturing that special moment stuck with Perrien and now she runs her own photography business, Perrien’s Photography...

BLODGETT, Mo. — U-Haul Company of Missouri has announce that Blodgett Motor Company has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Sikeston community. Blodgett Motor Company at 217 S. Hawkins will offer essential services like U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, moving supplies and in-store pickup for boxes...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Time to empty out the piggy banks to help small businesses. Missouri banks are asking consumers to deposit their spare change at their local banks or use change when shopping as the pandemic-related shutdowns have created a slowdown in coin circulation. ...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. – First State Bank & Trust Co., Inc. recently announced the recipients of the 2019-2020 Horace Dunagan, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, George & Louise Brown Scholarship and the VanAusdall Family Scholarship. Students were recognized based on of their exceptional character, leadership qualities and financial need. They were also awarded for their excellent academic performance, as well as ACT scoring...

CHAFFEE, Mo. — Follow the smoke and the scent of barbecue pulled pork. That’s all you had to do last week to find the Chaffee home of Smokin Brothers, a family-run company that manufactures and sells wood pellet grills -- along with sauces, seasonings and other barbecue accessories -- throughout much of the United States...

CHARLESTON, Mo. – Plaza Tire Service recently donated a building and land in Charleston to the Charleston R-I School District, which serves the northern half of Mississippi County, Mo., including the towns of Charleston, Bertrand, Anniston, Wyatt and Wilson City...

CHAFFEE, Mo.—After postponing their March grand opening due to the coronavirus pandemic, D Duncan Floristry & Boutique is finally rolling out the red carpet for their grand opening event beginning Wednesday, July 29 at 9 a.m. Throughout the 4-day event, clients will be treated with champagne, hors d’oeuvres, local pastries, $1,000 worth of mystery giveaways, and the chance to win one year of D Duncan Flower-ship, valued at $1,500...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — The East Prairie Chamber of Commerce has announced a new agriculture business in Mississippi County. Located at 2917 West, MO-80 in East Prairie, Farmers 1st Agronomy Services LLC is independently owned and will offer the only American-owned seed brand left in agriculture today, Pioneer/Corteva, according to a news release from East Prairie Chamber of Commerce Director Cyndi Norton...

Sikeston, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Food Bank has added Gratten Allen to its staff in the newly created role of operations coordinator. Allen, of Sikeston, will assist with operations and distribution functions in the food bank warehouse and will serve as a liaison to the administrative side of operations by working with the Development Department to identify sources of food and funding to support ongoing operations. ...

New Madrid, Mo. — Mike Johnson of East Prairie, Missouri, joined Associated Electric Cooperative in June 2000 on advice from his father-in-law who worked at the New Madrid Power Plant. Twenty years later, Mike leads a team he considers family at the plant...

SIKESTON — Two longtime City of Sikeston employees have received promotions. Karen Bailey, who began working for the City of Sikeston in the Administration Division in 1979, has been promoted to Finance Director. During her time with the City, Bailey as worked in various departments and assignments and was appointed City Treasurer/Deputy Clerk in 1987, responsible for the City’s accounts payable, payroll and investment functions. ...

Title To Halt Summer Melt, College Advising Corps Launches Virtual Advising Program In Missouri For Class Of 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 17, 2020 To Halt Summer Melt, College Advising Corps Launches Virtual Advising Program In Missouri For Class Of 2020...

Title State Farm Good Neighbor Relief Fund Recipient Brett Matthews, State Farm Agency was happy to be able to help our Senior Nutrition Center in Charleston, Missouri with a $500 State Farm Good Neighbor Relief Fund donation. The Nutrition Center provides meals to our patrons, but due to COVID-19 the center has decreased their meal frequency. It is a great program that serves a need in our local community...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever in Missouri recently received a contribution from Corteva Agriscience to help fund upcoming “Women Caring for the Land” workshops in southeast Missouri. Kelsey DeZalia, a Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist II for Scott and Stoddard counties, collaborated with Nathan Bengtson, a Corteva Production Location Manager from New Madrid, Mo., to secure the contribution from the Corteva Grows Communities program. ...

A Dexter business has been awarded a contract to help secure the southern border of the United States. Randy Kinder Excavating was awarded a contract with a total value, including options, worth $175,577,000. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in partnership with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers...

Harps Food Stores of Springdale, Arkansas, has begun its ownership takeover of several former Country Mart outlets in Southeast Missouri. Country Mart, 309 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson, was converted to a Harps on Wednesday with stores in Marble Hill and Fredericktown slated for the changeover today and Friday, respectively...

A Jackson family is bringing a bit of Cajun culture to Southeast Missouri through SEMO Crawfish Co. Boilhouse & Market, set to open later this month. For more than 20 years, AmyJo and Ben Hunter have farmed and sold crawfish from their Sikeston, Missouri, farm, producing some 10,000 pounds each year. They own a 180-acre farm, 10 acres of which are used for crawfish...

SIKESTON — As many local residents look for ways to stay at home as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new local Sikeston business has the answer. OrangeCrate opened in Sikeston about a month ago and is a delivery service that connects restaurants that want to have their food delivered with independent contractors willing to deliver it...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. – First State Bank & Trust Co., Inc. now offers on-the-spot debit card issuance to new and existing FSBT customers. Whether you’re a new customer opening an account or a current customer who’s debit card has been misplaced or stolen, the instant issue service provides immediate access to your funds...

ST. LOUIS — Bunge Limited announced Tuesday in a news release that it has agreed to sell 35 U.S. interior elevators to Zen-Noah Grain Corporation. It was unknown at press time if Bunge Grain in Portageville or Caruthersville were among the 35 elevators that will be sold as requests for information from Bunge were not immediately returned...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Nearly 34,100 small businesses in Missouri are receiving more than $6.4 billion to help support their employees and business operations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds were made available to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program, a $349 billion relief measure included in the CARES Act passed by Congress on March 27. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Saint Francis Healthcare System has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital and Home Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care...

SIKESTON – Walmart and Sam’s Clubs nationwide kicked off the seventh annual “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” Campaign on April 13 to raise awareness and funds for Feeding America and its nationwide network of food banks, including Southeast Missouri Food Bank...

SIKESTON — McMikle Funeral Home is now open in Sikeston. On Feb. 6, McMikle Funeral Home, owned by Bill and Mary Katherine (McMikle) Branum, completed the purchase of the former Blanchard Funeral Chapel, located at 403 N. Kingshighway. The building was then renovated and completed on March 22, opening for services...

SIKESTON – Deke Lape, an employee benefits consultant with Mitchell Insurance of Sikeston has been selected for the third-straight year to address the 17th Annual World Health Care Congress (WHCC) in Washington, D.C. “Deke Lape is widely recognized as a national leader in innovative NextGen Benefits strategies that are revolutionizing employee benefits,” said Nelson Griswold, chairman of the WHCC Benefits Adviser Leadership Track. ...

By SARAH SKIDMORE SELL and MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Business Writers The Trump administration has announced that most individuals and businesses will be allowed to delay paying their federal tax bills for 90 days as part of an emergency relief plan amid the coronavirus pandemic...

Armstrong Outdoors celebrated their Grand Opening at the Sikeston Outlet Stores with a ribbon cutting on March 7. The store is now open in the corner next to Carter’s at the outlet mall and offers everything from mens, ladies and youth camo to all-inclusive hunting and fishing guided trips. The store hours are Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m...

Two Sikeston office supply stores recently merged. Effective March 1, Mid-South Office Supply and Heartland Office Supply merged. Mid-South Office Supply, located at 924 S. Kingshighway in Sikeston, opened in 1983 and is locally owned and operated. ...

Waller joins First Midwest Bank as vice president, lending officer SIKESTON, Mo. – Gordon Waller has joined First Midwest Bank in Sikeston as a vice president and lending officer. With over 45 years of experience in community bank management, commercial lending and agricultural lending, Waller brings extensive knowledge to the bank group...

SIKESTON — One of the largest community banks in Missouri, First State Community Bank has been part of the Sikeston community since 2005. First State Community Bank was founded in 1954 and opened a trailer in Sikeston in 2005, moving into their current location at 201 N. Main in 2006...

The Sikeston Regional Chamber held a ribbon cutting on Feb. 20 to celebrate the new location of GoSEMO Fiber. GoSEMO plans to be fully operational and open to the public in the new location, 778 N. Main St., on April 6. The location will be home to all subscriber care, sign-ups for service, call center, construction operations, and technical support. GoSEMO plans to offer full fiber services in the BMU served territory in the coming year as construction completes...

SIKESTON — Chad Crow has been promoted to executive vice president/chief business officer of Farm Credit in Sikeston. Crow began his Farm Credit career in 2003 as a loan officer at the Sikeston branch. Over his 17 year tenure, Crow has continued to grow and develop into a leadership role having held various other positions within the organization including vice president/branch manager, senior vice president / chief operating officer, and in 2017 accepted his most recent position of senior vice president / senior relationship officer.. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Saint Francis Medical Center’s Emergency and Trauma Center has been recertified as the only state-designated Level III Trauma Center in southeast Missouri. “This designation as a Level III Trauma Center demonstrates our continued commitment to provide the highest quality care when our patients need it most,” said Dr. ...

SIKESTON — Sikeston will have a new food option beginning Monday. At 10 a.m. Monday, Rally’s will open at 533 N. Main, next to Rhodes. “The Sikeston community has been a staple community in Southeast Missouri for many years,” said Brent Anderson, vice president of operations at PAJCO Inc. “The continued growth and development of the market and community made it an easy decision to open this exciting new brand in a town known for it’s hospitality.”...

SIKESTON — Subway on East Malone in Sikeston has a new look. Located at 1203 E. Malone in the old McDonald’s building, the newly renovated Subway opened Feb. 8. “We bought the building in June and Blake Hickman Construction pretty much gutted the building,” said Kathy Agin, who owns the business along with her husband Trent Agin. “It’s been a long process but he did an excellent job.”...