Training classes help prepare future entrepreneurs

Business training

* A class, "The Basics of Writing a Business Plan," will be offered at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Cape Girardeau County University of Missouri Extension Center at 684 W. Jackson Trail in Jackson. The workshop costs $40 and is sponsored by the Small Business Administration and University of Missouri Extension. Space is limited. For information, contact Richard Proffer at 243-3581 or profferrd@missouri.edu.

* Operation JumpStart is a hands-on course designed for people who are considering starting or expanding a small business. The OJS program teaches participants business planning and preparation skills such as product pricing, legal structure, competition, marketing and cash-flow management. Course participants will receive one-on-one business counseling with a professional business development consultant. The six-week training will begin May 14 and will run from 6 to 9 p.m on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Operation JumpStart consistently produces businesses still in operation "at an astounding rate of 92 percent after two years," according the website of the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Southeast Missouri State University. The program is offered at no charge, made possible by funding from the CIE and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance by contacting the CIE at 651-2929. Visit www.semo.edu/cie or contact the CIE at cie@semo.edu no later than May 3. An application is required; participants must be able to attend all sessions and seating is limited.

Business awards and recognition

* The Healthy Weigh, Saint Francis Medical Center's medical weight-loss program, was awarded the 2012 Health Management Resources Gold Standard Certificate of Achievement in five categories, including weight loss and program compliance. In just more than a year, program participants lost more than 6,000 collective pounds. The Healthy Weigh at Saint Francis offers a comprehensive approach to weight loss that includes lifestyle education and the option of medical supervision for those with weight-related medical conditions. Trained HMR experts, a registered dietitian, nurse and medical director Philip E. Tippen, MD, teach participants how to lose weight safely, keep pounds off and improve wellness through healthy eating habits and physical activity. Free orientation sessions are held each week, offering more information and samples of the program's food, beverages and meal replacements. Call 331-5686 to register or learn more.

* City of Jackson Electric Utilities earned Reliable Public Power Provider recognition from the American Public Power Association for "providing consumers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service," according to a news release. The "RP3 designation" was presented to 90 of the nation's more than 2,000 public power utilities on March 25 during the association's annual Engineering & Operations Technical Conference held in Kissimmee, Fla., and recognizes proficiency in reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. "Receiving the RP3 designation means a lot to us," said Donald F. Schuette, electric utilities director of City of Jackson Electric Utilities. "It's an honor to be recognized on a national level for the work we are doing here locally in Jackson."

* Southeast Hospital earned the 2013 Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades for the fifth consecutive year, ranking it among the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for patient care. "The hospitals who have achieved Healthgrades 2013 Outstanding Patient Experience Award stand above the rest in terms of providing the most positive experience for patients during their hospital stay," said Evan Marks, executive vice president of Informatics and Strategy for Healthgrades, the leading online resource that helps consumers make informed choices about hospitals and physicians. Southeast President and CEO Wayne Smith said, "Our recognition by Healthgrades is a testimony to the skills and dedication of our physicians, nurses and support teams who are second to none when it comes to the care of our patients and their families."

Rumors and previews

* Rumor has it a new beer garden is going in at the former Calix Coffeebar/Grace Diner location at 818 Broadway. More to come.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

1701 Lacey St, Cape Girardeau, MO

602 Morgan Oak St., Cape Girardeau, MO

818 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

211 St. Francis Dr, Cape Girardeau, MO

684 W. Jackson Trail, Jackson, MO

101 Court St., Jackson, MO