STRICTLY BUSINESS: HALF OF MISSOURI INCOME TAX RETURNS STILL OUT

More than a million Missourians have waited until the final two weeks to place their income tax returns in the mail, and many of them will wait until the final day.

This is about the norm, said Nova L. Felton, public affairs officer with the Missouri District Internal Revenue Service office at St. Louis.

The IRS has processed about 1.3 million returns.

That means about half the state's usual 2.5 million returns are still out, Felton said.

Taxpayers have an extra two days built into the 1995 deadline because the regular April 15 deadline falls on a weekend. All returns must be postmarked Monday, April 17.

Most people will put their returns in the mail before the deadline, Felton said. "However, some people will have extensions." A fifth of Missourians request extensions each year.

Even with the extensions, Felton cautioned there are interest charges on any taxes paid after April 17. To keep these charges as low as possible, the IRS advises taxpayers to pay as much as they can as soon as they can. A year ago Missourians filed more than 60,000 automatic extensions.

The average American household spends 12.4 hours doing income tax returns. Two kinds of people have special problems as the tax deadline approaches -- those who are unable to fill out their forms on time, and those who are unable to pay on time.

If you're having trouble finishing the paperwork, the IRS understands. People can apply for an automatic four-month extension of time to file. To get an extension to Aug. 15, however, you must fill out and mail in Form 4868 by the April 17 tax deadline. Make a reasonable estimate of your tax liability for 1994 and enter on the first line of this form.

You need not send money with Tax Form 4868 to receive an extension, but the IRS said if you expect to owe tax when you file the return in August, it may be a good idea to make a payment with your extension request. This is because you will owe interest on any tax paid after April 17.

In some cases, a late payment penalty may also be due. By accurately filling out Form 4868 and mailing by the deadline you will get out of the much larger late filing penalty. This penalty can amount to as much as 25 percent of the unpaid tax.

On the other hand, if your return is done and you owe money, the IRS urges you to file on time, even if you can't pay the amount due. By sending part of the amount due with your return, you will reduce the interest and late payment charge added to your bill later.

You can request an installment payment agreement with the IRS by filling out Form 9465 and attaching it to the front of your return. If your request is approved a $43 user fee will apply in addition to the regular tax, late payment penalty and interest.

To order the installment agreement form, or the extension form, call the IRS toll-free number, 1-800-TAX-FORM (829-3676). For other information on any tax topic, call 1-800-829-1040.

New on the business scene

Jungle Gemm, a pet and pet supply store, is scheduled to open in West Park Mall today.

The new store will offer a full line of pet supplies and a number of pets, including fish, birds, reptiles, hamsters and guinea pigs.

"We won't have dogs or cats," said Cheryl Scott, one of the owners. "But, we will have supplies for them."

Scott, her son, Randy Scott, and his wife, Crystal Scott, all of Perryville, are owners of the new store in a 1,400-square-foot space across the corridor from Garfield's Restaurant.

The store will be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 Sunday.

The mall has been without a pet shop the past two years. Pass Pets, which opened in the mall in 1981, closed in January 1993.

Neumeyer Photography will relocate in the downtown area of Cape Girardeau.

Neumeyer has announced plans to construct a 1,200-square-foot addition to his home at 25 S. Lorimier St. The new structure will house the studio, darkroom, bath-dressing rooms. A deck will surround the new addition.

Neumeyer designed the new facility, which is expected to be completed in May.

He said his business has outgrown his space at 117 Independence St.

Neumeyer Photography provides wedding, portrait and commercial photography service.

Neumeyer and his wife, Terri, also operate a bed and breakfast.

Kwik Kopy Printing, which was established by Richard and Jane Daume in Cape Girardeau a decade ago, will move into a new building this summer.

Ground preparation is under way and a special groundbreaking ceremony was held last week for a new 5,000-square-foot structure at 112 S. Broadview.

"This marks the second expansion since we opened," Jane Daume said. The company opened at 354 Silver Springs Road in 1985 with about 1,200 square feet, then expanded to twice that much space at the same site.

The business now employs nine full-time employees and two part-time employees.

Judith Anne's, a gift store with bed, bath and home decor, has opened in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The new retail facility at 130 N. Main occupies space previously occupied by Daina Rae's arts and crafts store.

Among items available at the store are cards, candles, lace curtains, shower curtains and other gift items.

Judy Ventrella, who has been involved in retailing a number of years, is owner of the new store.

Hours for the new store are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Baseball Cards Unlimited has moved to a new location.

The shop, specializing in all types of sports cards -- baseball, hockey, football and basketball -- opened recently at 353-1 Christine St.

The business is open 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Jeff Schott established Baseball Cards Unlimited in 1992.

Designer and More, a used clothing store, has opened at 1335 B, Old Cape Road in Jackson.

The retail operation will offer used clothing for the entire family.

The business will also offer a special "finder service," owners Mary Winterhof and Gudrun Snyder said.

Hours are 5:30 to 8: p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday .

Excel Telecommunications Inc., founded in 1988 as a regional long-distance carrier operating in Texas, is now available in this area.

The privately held company is one of about 570 long-distance companies that share about 15 percent of the long-distance market.

AT&T, MCI and Sprint control about 85 percent of the national market.

Excel purchases long-distance time wholesale and resells it to customers, using a network of independent contractors.

Ken Wallace of Cape Girardeau and Dixie Troyer of Jackson are among the company's representatives in the Cape Girardeau County area. Additional information is available by calling Wallace, 335-7144, or Troyer, 243-0120.

Boat notes:

Casino gambling attracted 125 million visitors to tables and slots in the United States last year, according to a survey conducted by Harrah's Casinos.

Fifteen million of those visitors boarded gambling riverboats in Illinois.

Riverboat casinos and American Indian gambling halls have resulted in increases in attendance and casino revenues, which hit $16.5 billion in 1994, up almost 100 percent from the $8.3 billion registered in 1990, the survey said.

Casino gambling is now offered or approved in 26 states.

The 125 million visits in 1994 was up 33 percent over 1993 figures. At least one member of 32 percent of all U.S. households visited a casino last year.

The nation's attitudes about gambling are loosening up: The survey said 92 percent of those polled called casino gambling acceptable, up from 86 percent a year ago.

The third annual Harrah's Survey of Casino Entertainment was conducted by the NPD Group Inc., Yankelovich Partners Inc. and Research International New York.

The Players International riverboat gambling casino averaged almost 5,000 visitors a day in February.

The Illinois Gaming Board's monthly riverboat casino report said the Metropolis-based facility had 139,414 visitors in February for an average of 4,943 a day.

Metropolis received $444,562 in revenues from Players, and the state received $1,054,860.

The state received $15 million in February as its share of revenues from its nine riverboat casinos.

For the first time, a new leader emerged on the Illinois gambling scene. The Grand Victoria at Elgin attracted 277,457 visitors to top the list of 10 operations. East St. Louis Casino Queen and Joliet Empress, previous leaders, have dropped to Nos. 2 and 3. The Casino Queen attracted 249,063 visitors in February, and the Empress had 243,488 visitors.

The Alton Bell attracted 172,913 visitors.

Statewide, 1.8 million visitors boarded the 10 riverboat casinos in February.

According to Illinois Gaming Commission reports, the Casino Queen reported top payouts in February. The Queen quarter slots paid out 92.02 percent, while the $5 slots paid 96.47 percent. The dollar slot payout was 95.44 percent.

Metropolis payouts were just under 92 percent for $1 slots, 92.5 for $5 slots, and at 88.74 on quarter machines.

Elsewhere:

POPLAR BLUFF -- J.C. Penney Co. Inc. has opened its new store in Poplar Bluff.

The 50,000-square-foot store is in the South Westwood Shopping Center.

New departments in the store include furnishings and a styling salon.

Gary McDowell is manager of the store, which employs 85 people, 25 more than the previous Penney store.