Cross Country
"It's been a very hard journey," Donald Kraybill, an Amish authority with Elizabethtown College, said last week. One of the two girls out of school remains in a semicomatose state at home; the other is in a Philadelphia children's hospital, where she speaks a little bit, smiles, and has expressed a desire to be home for Christmas. Charities have collected more than $3.2 million on behalf of the victims, which will help build a new schoolhouse and fund long-term care. At least two girls will need reconstructive surgery.
Cheapskate Bank Runs Out of Time
The 63 residents of tiny Tightwad, Mo., had been praying for a Hollywood ending like the one that plays out for Jimmy Stewart and his scrappy savings and loan in the classic It's a Wonderful Life. Alas, no angel appeared to save the Tightwad Bank, which will close January 31 after 22 years. The quirky institution, whose delightful name and old-timey décor (think brass spittoons) attracted national attention and mail-in customers far and wide, was expected to help spur development around nearby Truman Lake. Though Tightwad drew a few tourists, growth was elusive, and the declining bank now boasts only drive-through service. Owner UMB Financial Corp. says locals will have to do business elsewhere. And they'll no doubt take a lot less pleasure paying their monthly bills.
With Alex Kingsbury, Angie C. Marek, Will Sullivan, Liz Halloran and Associated Press
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