1999 BUSY FOR BUSINESS COMMUNITY

12. PERRYVILLE A tiger refuge in Perry County would be a new venture for DePaul University, which has worked only with zoos and wildlife parks. DePaul has unveiled plans to buy more than 400 acres of hilly, wooded land in the southwest portion of Perry County to build a National Tiger Sanctuary. The decision to build the conservation-minded sanctuary depends on a favorable reaction from a majority of the people in the county.

12. Circuit City officially opens in Cape Girardeau. Between 200 and 300 people are on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony which opens the newest retail store at 164 Siemers Drive in Cape Girardeau Business Park. The store, a retailer of brand-name consumer electronics, personal computers and household appliances, actually opened Nov. 8, four days before the grand opening.

12. Groundbreaking is held for a 93,890-square-foot facility for Jim Wilson Inc., at 2007 Southern Expressway. Jim Wilson Co., a wholesaler distributor of automotive, light truck and heavy duty truck parts, tires and shop equipment, started business in 1947 founded by James W. Wilson, father of the current president in a 600-square-foot garage.

15. With a simple vote, the Cape Girardeau City Council approves a resolution accepting annexation requests for slightly more than 190 acres of land west of Interstate 55 and sets a public hearing for Dec. 6. The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, Christian Faith Fellowship, Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Inc., and James L. Drury and Wanda L. Drury have asked the city to annex the land so they can receive sewer and water service. In all, the city would annex 190.58 acres of land along Route K west from the city limits to County Road 206. Two more approved readings are necessary for the annexation to occur.

15. KinderCare, a child care center located at 113 South Silver Springs Road for almost two decades, will close next month. KinderCare Learning Centers Inc. announces the closing in letters to parents of the youngsters attending the center. The closing date has been set for Dec. 17.

16. A number of area petroleum distributors have filed a lawsuit in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court against a Jackson gas station alleging it is selling gasoline below cost. The lawsuit alleges that Jim Lemmon, owner of Basic Fuel at 2927 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson, is unfairly undercutting his competitors and violating a state law. The law, passed by the Missouri General Assembly in 1993, makes it illegal to sell gasoline below cost. This could be the first time the law is examined in court.

16. Ray Duffey, owner of Bootheel Area Rapid Transportation (BART), a transportation service between the Southeast Missouri/Southern Illinois area and St. Louis Lambert Airport, receives the Sam Walton Business Leader Award. Duffey is the second annual recipient of the award in Cape Girardeau and one of more than 1,000 business leaders in the nation to be honored by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., headquartered in Bentonville, Ark. He received the award during the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's "Business After Hours" session, held at the Cape Girardeau Country Club.

22. John L. Lashly works with old wood. Utilizing slabs of old redwood, he turns them into clocks, plaques, tables and jewelry boxes. Upon retirement, Lashley, a St. Louis native, became a "wood artist," found a redwood supplier in California and started producing "Burl Products," which recently opened at 709 William in Cape Girardeau.

27. Fire damages the kitchen and storage area of Dairy Queen, near the intersection of Broadway and Pacific. The blaze begins in the kitchen area, and, despite attempts to extinguish the flames by two employees, the spreads to the storage area. Other businesses in the corner complex receive smoke damage, as well. Owner Robert Peeler says that repairs to the Dairy Queen will begin immediately.

29. The existing location of Cape Electrical Supply is about to become a branch location. Cape Electrical Supply will open a new primary location and distribution center early next month. The company will open a new 41,000-square-foot facility near the intersection of Interstate 55 and Highway 74 Dec. 6. Cape Electrical Supply, founded in 1953, has grown to locations in four states including the two locations in Cape Girardeau. The company employs 90 people and operates stores in Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff, West Plains, Park Hills, Arnold, Marion, Ill., Carbondale, Ill., Paducah, Ky., Murray, Ky., and Dyersburg, Tenn. The newest location will be at 489 Kell FFarm Drive.

29. Midwest Cash Advance L.L.C. has opened at 1335 Old Cape Road at Jackson. The small loan office specializes in short-term cash and advances against personal checks. Mitch Mayberry, who has been in the financial services business 23 years, and Chad Hartle, a real estate developer, are co-owners.

29. The Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA) has presented several awards. The Regional Spirit Award was given to state legislators from 18 counties covered by the RCGA. The Corporate Appreciation Award was presented to Black River Electric Co-op, headquartered at Fredericktown. And the John T. Crowe Award went to Virginia Heise of Malden.

29. John and Jerrianne Wyman, purveyors of fine food and drink in Cape Girardeau since 1989, have opened Europa's Gourmet Market in Downtown Cape Girardeau. A market and cafe, Europa's combines shopping for unique and gourmet food items with a casual dining menu of selected soups, salads, sandwiches and quiche. The new market at 20 N. Spanish also houses corporate offices of Meriweather Investments.