Business memo 02/20/06

Cape Girardeau statistics included in financial study

A.G. Edwards, one of the nation's leading financial services providers, has created its Nest Egg Index as an annual barometer to track Americans' savings and investments habits. By measuring statistical factors such as retirement savings plans, personal debt levels and home ownership, the Nest Egg Index compares the geographic regions where people are succeeding to areas where people face the greatest difficulty in building their nest eggs. The statistics gathered from the Cape Girardeau area were included in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Of the 12 statistical factors, the St. Louis area performed better than the country's average in all factors except housing value.

Cape-based Plaza Tire to open 43rd store

Cape Girardeau-based Plaza Tire Service will soon open its 43rd location. Construction is almost finished on the Plaza Tire Service store in Manchester, Mo. It will be the second Plaza Tire store in St. Louis County and the seventh in the St. Louis metro area. Vernon "Pee Wee" Rhodes established Plaza Tire Service as Plaza Car Wash on William Street in 1963.

-- From staff reports