Local man's invention prevents toilet paper waste

A new product developed by Cape Girardeau businessman David Patrick promises to stop children and pets from playing the unwinding game with toilet paper in the bathroom.

Bathroom Brake is now available locally at Schnucks and Elias Ace Hardware in Cape Girardeau.

Made of environmentally friendly soybean-based Bio-Flex foam, it fits onto existing toilet paper holders and emits a pleasant fragrance with every use. The product promises to reduce toilet paper usage as much as 25 percent by eliminating wasted paper.

Bathroom Brake's creator David Patrick previously worked in the furniture business in Cape Girardeau.

An instructional video on how this new product works is available at www.bathroombrake.com.

* Art gallery opens on Main Street: A group of local artists has come together to cooperatively market their works. O'Tenem Gallery will soon open at 5 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau. The new art gallery, set to open May 7, has 2,800 square feet of space to showcase jewelry, woodworks, paintings, pastels, drawings, photographs and books. It also will have a gift shop. Hours will be noon to 5 p.m. seven days a week, with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Fridays and until 9 p.m. on First Friday. The O'Tenem Creative Group, which operates the gallery, includes nine local artists: Mike and Ronda O'Fara, Sharon and Bill Hopkins, Carol Aoole, Aaron Horrell, Marcia Williams, Kaili Kai and Lyndie Kempfer. Renovations are now underway at the new gallery site. The group has a virtual gallery online at www.otenem.com.

* Medical supplier sets up in Cape: SEMO Medical Equipment recently opened at 1417 N. Mount Auburn Road, Suite B in Cape Girardeau. It offers home medical equipment and hospital supplies.

n New mortgage lender opens: Equity One Mortgage recently opened at 1301 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau. It is owned by Sharon Burton.

Southeast Missourian business reporter Melissa Miller may be contacted at 388-3646 or mmiller@semissourian.com.<I>