Memo 1/14

Business After Hours to feature high-tech facility

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce will host its "Business After Hours," 5 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday. It will be held at the Otto & Della Seabaugh Polytechnic Building on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The event is intended to provide attendees with an opportunity to experience the university's newest high-tech facility.

Best Buy announces fourth-quarter profit

Plans are under way for Cape Girardeau to get a Best Buy at 3025 William and the company continues to look financially solid.

Best Buy Inc. raised its fourth-quarter profit estimate, as it reported better-than-expected holiday results, fueled by strong sales of digital and video gaming products.

The nation's largest consumer electronics chain said Wednesday it now expects fourth-quarter earnings to be in the range of $1.35 to $1.40 per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial/First Call expected $1.27 per share.

Best Buy is expected to report its earnings results April 2.

Best Buy said total sales in December were $3.9 billion, up 43 percent from a year ago. The results were driven by a 6.2 percent increase in sales at stores open at least a year, known as same-store sales, and the addition of 65 Best Buy stores in the past 12 months.

Ag Expo 2002 scheduled this week in Poplar Bluff

Ag Expo 2002, one of the largest farm trade shows in the region, will be held Friday at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The Butler County University Outreach and the Ag Club of Three Rivers Community College sponsor the annual event.

There will be 118 booths available to visit and learn first-hand about agriculture and its importance to the community.

The expo will also feature outside exhibits. Ten thousand people attended last year's event.

Admission to the expo is free.

FDA recommends criminal background checks

The Food and Drug Administration is recommending that America's farms, restaurants and supermarkets consider criminal background checks on employees, take care to safeguard water supplies and keep a closer eye on the salad bar to protect the nation's food supply from terrorist attacks.

The FDA also suggests in its new guidelines that the food industry watch for employees who stay at work after their shifts end and restrict access to computer control systems, laboratories and sensitive areas of processing plants.

The guidelines were put together in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, with advice from the food industry.

However, companies are not required to follow the guidelines.

-- From staff, wire reports