Business Notebook: Jobless rates near pre-pandemic levels; Medicare, health insurance deadlines approaching

Six months after recording an unemployment rate of nearly 10%, Cape Girardeau County's latest jobless percentage is almost as low as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations provided the Southeast Missourian with county-by-county unemployment rates last week, which showed Cape County's rate dropped to 3.3% in October, down two-tenths of a percentage point from September's 3.5% rate.

The data is expected to be posted on the department's website this week.

The October rate was more than 6 percentage points below the county's 9.5% unemployment rate in April, when thousands of area workers were laid off or furloughed because of business closures, and just a tenth of a percentage point higher than February's 3.2% rate, which is as low as the county's unemployment rate has been this year.

The number of initial claims for unemployment benefits filed in Cape County in October dropped to 327, down from 402 filed in September and 477 submitted in August.

The number of coronavirus cases in Cape County increased significantly over the past four weeks, but it won't be known until late December, when November data is finalized, whether the rise in cases had an impact on the county's November jobless rate.

Meanwhile, the October unemployment percentages in Missouri counties adjoining Cape County were as follows:

• Bollinger — 3.6%, down from 4.2% in September and a high of 9.6% in April.
• Perry — 2.3%, down from 2.7% in September and a high of 14.8% in April.
• Scott — 3.7%, same as September, and down from a high of 7.6% in April.

Elsewhere in Southeast Missouri, the October unemployment rates, compared to September's rates, were as follows:

• Butler — 3.8%, down from 4.1%.
• Carter — 3.7%, unchanged.
• Dunklin — 4.6%, down from 5.3%.
• Iron — 4.5%, down from 4.7%.
• Madison — 3.9%, down from 4.5%.
• Mississippi — 3.8%, up from 3.7%.
• New Madrid — 3.8%, down from 4.2%.
• Pemiscot — 5.7%, down from 6.3%.
• Ripley — 4.8%, down from 5.5%.
• St. Francois — 4.3%, down from 5.0%
• Ste. Genevieve — 3.0%, down from 3.2%.
• Stoddard — 3.4%, unchanged.
• Wayne — 3.9%, down from 4.2%.

Missouri's overall unemployment rate in October was 4.6%, down three-tenths of a percentage point from the state's 4.9% in September, and 5.6% lower than the state's peak jobless rate of 10.2% in April.

At 4.6%, Missouri is tied with North Dakota with the ninth-lowest unemployment rate among all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nebraska and Iowa rank first and second, respectively, with October unemployment rates of 3.0% and 3.2%, respectively, followed by South Dakota and Utah, tied at 3.6%.

Hawaii and Nevada, states with high percentages of workers in the tourism and hospitality industries, have the nation's highest unemployment rates, according to government data. Hawaii's current unemployment rate is 14.3% while Nevada checks in at 12.0%.

Medicare annual open enrollment ends next week

The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) reminds Missourians with Medicare and their caregivers that open enrollment ends Dec. 7.

DCI encourages eligible Missourians who have not made their plan selections for 2021 to contact CLAIM (Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri), the state's official health insurance assistant program, for Medicare plan counseling either by calling (800) 390-3330 or online at www.missouriclaim.org.

In addition, the deadline to enroll for health insurance coverage in 2021 through the Missouri Health Insurance Marketplace is Dec. 15. More information about coverage through the state health insurance marketplace is available at www.covermissouri.org.

The new urgent care center at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Centre in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, is the first major addition to the hospital since it opened in 1950.Submitted

New urgent care center opens at veterans hospital

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A new urgent care facility has opened at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. The clinic, which opened about a week ago, is on the south side of the VA hospital and replaces a smaller urgent care area on the north side of the building.

It is the first clinical addition to the medical center since the building was constructed in 1950.

"Our previous urgent care was approximately 1,000 square feet and was basically just three beds separated by curtains in a very crowded space," medical center director Drew DeWitt said. "Privacy was limited and the situation was not adequate for our veterans."

The new 10,000-square-foot facility has five exam rooms, a decontamination area, a procedure room and spaces dedicated to mental health care and female patients.

The new unit also allows more space for COVID-19 distancing requirements.

Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture scholarships available

The Missouri State Fair and the fair's Youth in Agriculture Committee are accepting applications for Youth in Agriculture scholarships for Missouri high school seniors graduating in 2021.

A total of 40 scholarships totaling $68,500 will be awarded.

Applicants must be high school seniors and active members of a Missouri 4-H or Future Farmers of America club and must have participated at least once as a 4-H or FFA exhibitor at the Missouri State Fair. Students selected to receive scholarships must enroll in an accredited community college, college or university in Missouri.

More information is available through the Missouri State Fair's website.

Holiday giving campaigns ...

River Radio, the Marine Corps League 1081 and Schnucks will collect new, unwrapped toys, batteries and cash donations for the annual Toys for Tots campaign from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9 on the Schnucks' parking lot, 19 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

Donations will be distributed by the Marine Corps League to local children and families in need this holiday season.

n

Premier Physical Therapy is collecting nonperishable food items for the Southeast Missouri Food Bank, with each item donated by Dec. 10 qualifying the donor for entry in a $100 cash drawing.

Among the items being collected include canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, rice, beans, pasta and juice. Items may be dropped off at any of Premier Physical Therapy's locations in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Advance, Missouri.

n

As part of its "Slice of Joy" initiative, Casey's is donating pizzas to numerous organizations in December throughout the 16 states where Casey's stores are located, including those in the Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City areas.

According to an email from the company, Casey's will be giving pizzas to "those experiencing a challenging holiday season" because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including community shelters, post offices and assisted-living facilities.

In addition, the convenience store chain has announced a promotion called "24 Days of Casey's," which will offer customers a different "reward," such as free drinks, snacks, and buy-one, get-one-free deals every day starting Tuesday and continuing through Dec. 24. Customers will also be automatically eligible to win a cash prize.

More information is available at www.caseys.com.

n

The Jackson School District is teaming up with the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce's Women's Impact Network (WIN) and several area businesses to provide snack packs for students in Jackson's public schools.

The district hands out hundreds of snack packs weekly to students in need of a snack at school during the day or a small "pick-me-up" before heading home. Many of the students and their families are dealing with food insecurity and the snack packs help provide extra nutrition.

Donations of individually-wrapped snacks — such a fruit cups, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, beef jerky, fruit snacks and energy bars — are being accepted at WIN sponsor locations through Dec. 9. The locations in Jackson are:

• Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, 125 E. Main St.
• Farmers Insurance, Sara Gerau Agency, 200 W. Main St.
• First State Community Bank, 320 W. Main St.
• United Land Title, 1210 Greenway Drive

Donations may also be brought to several locations in Cape Girardeau:

• Heartland Custom Flooring, 211 N. Spring Ave., Suite A
• 1st Class Travel, 3443B William St.
• Bug Zero, 849 S. Kingshighway
• SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties, 166 LaSalle St.

New behavioral health program added at TRCC

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Three Rivers College has added a new Associate of Applied Science degree program in behavioral health support, which the college says will give students skills they need for an in-demand career in the behavioral and mental health fields.

The application deadline for the 18-month accelerated program is Tuesday for classes starting in January.

The program will prepare graduates for entry-level positions as support professionals in the areas of addiction, disabilities, education, mental health and psychiatric care.

More information is available by contacting Corey Reynolds, coordinator of the behavioral health support program at Three Rivers, at (573) 840-9631, ext. 8361.

Program application forms are available online at www.trcc.edu/admissions/application.

Chamber Notes

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's December First Friday Coffee, scheduled for 7:40 a.m. Friday, will be online-only on the chamber's Facebook page because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a recent increase in coronavirus cases in Cape Girardeau County.

Friday's program was originally scheduled to include a report about activities at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport and the new pilot program offered at the airport by Southeast Missouri State University. However, because this month's First Friday Coffee will be "virtual," the airport program has been postponed. In its place, chamber president and CEO John Mehner will present a 2020 chamber "year in review" and will discuss the chamber's "shop local" campaign.

Do you crave business news? Check out B Magazine, and the B Magazine email newsletter. Check it out at www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.