Area events, appreciated generosity and big decisions

Special thanks to Charles Stamp Jr. for his $750,000 donation to the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the Creative Labs and Industries Incubator. The new incubator center to be located at 616 Broadway will be a major feature to the program led by Dr. James Stapleton.

This is another of the many upgrades to buildings and parking lots on the Broadway Corridor.

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The "Gone Girl" movie shoots all over Cape Girardeau at the "old" Federal Courthouse building, courthouse gazebo, reworked "The Bar" on Spanish Street and about 20 other area locations have created a real buzz.

I'm proud the citizens of this area are respectful to the shootings while in many instances getting an opportunity to participate as extras or observe the many professionals, many of whom are from Los Angeles.

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I was happy to see the announcement of Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger that he would seek a second term. Have three and a half years really passed?

The negotiations for "Gone Girl," Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Broadway Corridor, new business park, etc., have been just a few of his achievements.

Rediger is an experienced and leading businessman who has been helpful in many negotiations with entities seeking answers to locating or expanding in Cape Girardeau.

He has been the effective leader of the city council and personnel under the competent direction of city manager Scott Meyer.

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I look forward to the Dr. Joe Low Lecture at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Glenn Auditorium in the Southeast Missouri State University business school.

His son, Joseph Low III of Weston, Fla., (who was reared in Cape Girardeau as a contemporary of some of my children) will give the lecture.

"They Don't Speak Spanish in Brazil" is his topic. Low, who is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese, is a strategic management and marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience focused on Latin American business development.

Many of us recall that his father, Dr. Joe Low Jr., (besides his SEMO University speech communications teaching) was one of the founders of My Daddy's Cheesecake startup along with his friend and business partner Dr. Tom Harte (who writes a regular column for this newspaper).

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Bob Nations, local businessman and national Christian leader (we have a lot in Cape Girardeau), is bringing the Sports World Ministries to Southeast Missouri high schools next week.

Former professional football player Tim Lester, who was a top player with the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and then-Los Angeles Rams, will be the featured speaker.

This has proved to be a meaningful and inspirational program in this area for about 27 years with 31 outreaches. I thank Nations, area volunteers and participating high schools for making this program available.

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All are invited to join the La Croix Church at 6 tonight in the Show Me Center in celebrating its 25th anniversary.

From about 50 people at the Rev. Ron Watts' first Cape Girardeau sermon in the mall theater, the church has grown to about 2,200 who attend three services each weekend. (They'll combine Sunday night.)

Bill Hybels, one of the top ministers in the U.S. and world through the Global Leadership Summitt held at Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago area and simulcast to many locations, including La Croix, will be flying in to deliver the main message.

Watts has nurtured the church from its beginning and is going on 26 years as pastor of the same church. I'm a proud member and have benefited from his sermons for the 25 years of La Croix Methodist's existence.

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Financial adviser Marsha Limbaugh (wife of federal judge Steve Limbaugh Jr.) recently received the Wells Fargo Advisors Spirit Award. She was one of only eight advisers in the nation to receive this award. It was presented at the Wells Fargo Education Conference in San Francisco.

The award recognized her lifetime achievements, professional and personal.

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On Monday, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder announced the formation of an "exploratory committee" to gather information to see whether he finds it prudent to enter a Republican primary against U.S. Rep. Jason Smith for the 8th District congressional seat.

Peter knows this puts me in an uncomfortable position, as both are friends, but I can be uncomfortable and still make decisions.

Like the Affordable Care Act, we will see how this plays out.

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My wife, Wendy, along with almost 600 other '50s Cape Girardeau Central High School graduates, celebrated their reunion for all classes graduating in the '50s.

I didn't know she was that old. She doesn't look it.

Gary Rust is chairman of the board of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian, as well as a member of the editorial board.