Business memo 03/08/04

MU to hold ag meetings in Sikeston and Cape

The Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri will conduct meetings to discuss agriculture marketing and policy with local farmers, farmland owners, financial advisers and others in agribusiness.

Meetings will be held at the Clinton Building on 501 Campanella Ave. in Sikeston from 7 to 9 p.m. today, and at the Cape Girardeau County Extension office in Jackson at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Topics will include commodity price outlook, where the presidential candidates stand on agriculture issues and farm income risk under current agriculture policy.

AmerenUE launches Web-based toolkit

On March 1, AmerenUE initiated a Web-based energy efficiency program to allow Missouri electric and natural gas customers to log on to the company's Web site -- www.amerenue. com -- and move through a process to determine the factors behind specific bill differences on a month-to-month comparison.

Factors could be weather, new appliances or the number of days in the billing cycle that would make up differences in a customer's monthly bill. The program calculates a customer's costs for everything from installing insulation to buying more energy-efficient appliances.

Aquarium business opens on Broadway in Cape

Let It Grow is a new hydroponics gardening and marine aquarium supply center with a warehouse and showroom at 725 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. It offers horticulture and saltwater aquarium products.

Services include establishment of aquariums in both residential and commercial environments, establishment of micro-greenhouses in restaurants that want to offer fresh organic and hydroponic vegetables, fruits, coffees or seafoods, and establishment of large-scale greenhouse and aquariums for commercial applications.

Farmers market workshop scheduled for Tuesday

The University of Missouri Outreach and Extension and the Missouri Department of Agriculture will put on a farmer's market workshop on Tuesday at the Cape Girardeau County Extension Office in Jackson.

The workshop will begin at 1 p.m. and will include discussions on displaying produce, growing tomatoes in high tunnels, Missouri Vegetable Grower's Association and a question and answer session.

Network service provider expands to Cape area

NetLogic, a St. Louis-based network service provider, recently announced that it has expanded its network to a total of 26 cities throughout the Midwest, including Cape Girardeau. Other cities on that list include Chicago, Kansas City, Indianapolis and Memphis, as well as Jefferson City, Columbia, St. Joseph and Springfield.

The company said it selected these cities for expansion because they are often overlooked by other carriers.

Audio-visual business opens on Limbaugh Lane

The Audio/Video/Networking Co., a new division of H&R Alarms Inc., has opened to sell audio/visual and networking products. Located at 338 Limbaugh Lane, the establishment sells televisions, sound systems, home theater and lighting equipment. It also specializes in networking lighting and entertainment systems.

Surgeon opening clinic in Poplar Bluff

Cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Dr. John C. Wiggans is opening a vascular clinic at Poplar Bluff Medical Park. He is doing so with the help of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Group in Cape Girardeau.

Wiggans has 20 years of experience providing cardiac and vascular care and will be available at the clinic on the second and fourth Monday of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

-- From staff reports