Deadline set for repair or demolition of office building

The owner of an office complex at 1707 N. Mount Auburn has been given until April 16 to repair or demolish the building.

The building was condemned by the city after a fire in November.

Hollie Overstreet of Storey Management said the company has been working with its insurance company and getting bids for both renovating the building and tearing it down.

The company hasn't yet reached a decision, she said, but one would be made in the coming weeks.

* An open date has not yet been set for Cape Girardeau's newest home improvement retailer Menards. The company is planning a late spring or early summer opening, said Jeff Abbot, a spokesman for Menards. Those interested in applying for jobs at the new store, which is expected to hire more than 150 people, can do so at menards.com. "We're looking for good candidates who have a strong work ethic," Abbot said.

* The former Ponderosa restaurant at 45 South Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau is being transformed into a hibachi steak house and grill. The new restaurant, called Watami, is scheduled to open in late May or early June, said owner Yong Chun Zhang. Zhang operates Dongzhi Enterprises, based in Carbondale, Ill.

* Patty Lou's Cafe at 602 Morgan Oak St. in Cape Girardeau has apparently closed. Although a sign indicates the restaurant would reopen March 8, it has not been open for several weeks. Calls to owners Patricia and Shannon Mungle were not returned.

* A free business preparation course called Operation JumpStart will begin April 23 in Perryville, Mo. Operation JumpStart is a nationally-recognized training model designed for individuals who are considering starting or expanding a small business. The program, offered by the Southeast Missouri State University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, helps participants build their business planning and preparation skills like product pricing, legal structure, competition, marketing and cash flow management with the goal of developing a feasibility plan to start or expand a business. In addition, Operation JumpStart graduates will learn about access to start up capital in the form of competitive grants and microloans, and will benefit from one-on-one business consulting with professional business development consultants from the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The program will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at the Perryville Higher Education Center at 108 S. Progress Drive. Additional Operation JumpStart programs will be offered in Sikeston, Mo., and Potosi, Mo., in May and other locations throughout Southeast Missouri in the next few months. To register, visit semo.edu/cie/training. The free course is made possible in part through funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

* Get Organized seminars will be lead by home-management expert Deniece Schofield on Tuesday at the Victorian Inn and Suites in Cape Girardeau. Seminars will be held from 10 a.m. to noon and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Schofield is the author of "Confessions of an Organized Homemaker," "Confessions of a Happily Organized Family," "Kitchen Organization Tips and Secrets" and "Springing the Time Trap." She has been a contributor to Woman's Day magazine and appeared on television and radio programs. For more information, call 1-800-835-8463.

Southeast Missourian business editor Melissa Miller may be contacted at 388-3646 or mmiller@semissourian.com.