Chamber Updates

Key End-of-Year Tax Moves for Small Businesses As 2025 winds down, it’s a critical time for small business owners to capitalize on significant tax benefits introduced by the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). You can claim benefits for expenses and purchases made now, (even those dating back to January 20th, 2025) so don’t wait…

Century Casino Cuts Ribbon on New BetMGM Sportsbook Last week, we celebrated the ribbon cutting and opening of the new BetMGM Sportsbook at Century Casino in Cape Girardeau. This significant investment is far more than just a new entertainment venue; it is a catalyst for economic growth and a vibrant enhancement of the quality of…

The Economic Impact of Shopping Local this Holiday Season As we all come back to work or school following a busy holiday weekend, we are now officially into the final run up to Christmas, and the season that kicked off with Black Friday deals and Shop Local Saturday is more important than ever to keep…

Codefi Announces Launch of AgTech Startup Studio in Cape Girardeau With last week’s announcement from Codefi, Cape Girardeau continues to reinforce its role as the business and innovation hub of Southeast Missouri. For our region, the agricultural sector is foundational, and securing its future means embracing cutting-edge technology. Codefi is ready to make a massive…

The Government is Reopened…Now What? The sigh of relief across the U.S. business community is almost audible! With the government officially reopened, our nation’s capital, and indeed the broader economy, can begin to move forward without the shadow of immediate uncertainty. But for local businesses and those impacted by federal operations, the question quickly turns…

Fall Back, Reset and Close Out Strong Well, here we are Monday morning after the glorious “Fall Back.” Hopefully everyone enjoyed that elusive, once-a-year gift of an extra hour this weekend! For many of us, it translated to a much-needed second snooze, a longer dog walk, or maybe even an extra hour trying to figure…

Codefi to Host Missouri’s First Vibeathon in Joplin AI Technology and the rise of Large Language Models or LLMs as tools accessible to all has created a new trend in technical problem solving called “Vibe Coding.” Codefi is set to host the very first Vibeathon in Missouri next month and you’re invited to participate. Codefi…

Latest Release of Federal Reserve Beige Book Offers Insights for Business As the CEO of your Chamber of Commerce, I often focus on equipping our business community with the clearest possible picture of the economic landscape. One of the most insightful tools we monitor is the Federal Reserve Bank’s Beige Book. Published eight times a…

An Opportunity for Small Business Owners in 2026 Are you a small business owner who is ready to grow to the next level? The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program is now expanding to rural Missouri, offering an incredible opportunity for growth-minded entrepreneurs. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program provides MBA-level business education designed…

What Does a Federal Government Shutdown Mean for Business? For the 20th time since 1976, the U.S. federal government has “shut down” after Congress failed to pass a funding bill to start the new fiscal year. Understanding how this may impact your operations is an important part of business. Federal government shutdowns can create significant challenges…