medicaid money caught in political tug-of-war between states

M I S S O U R I S E N A T E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

DAILY NEWS CLIPSC o l l e c t e d / A r c h i v e d f o r W e d n e s d a y , J u n e 1 6 , 2 0 1 0 -- of 45

Medicaid money caught in political tug-of-war between states, WashingtonBy DAVID KLEPPER

The Star’s Topeka correspondent

TOPEKA | If bailout-weary members of Congress have their way, Kansas and 29 other states will lose $25 billion in expected federal aid and face yet another round of gaping budget deficits.

The money — amounting to $130 million in Medicaid dollars for the Sunflower State — is caught in the middle of a tug of war between cash-starved legislatures and Washington lawmakers reluctant to pass another bailout that adds billions in debt in an election year.

A year ago, Congress increased the federal contribution to state Medicaid programs as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. But the extra money expires in December.

Despite loud protests from Democratic and Republican governors nationwide, a bill extending the higher contributions for six additional months faces an uncertain fate in Congress. A Senate vote is possible this week, but there’s no guarantee of passage.

If Congress balks, Gov. Mark Parkinson of Kansas warns that more budget cuts are likely. And he’s singled out slashes to public schools as one option — as many as 4,000 teachers could be laid off.

“It is Kansans that stand to suffer from Congress’ inaction,” said Parkinson, a Democrat who personally lobbied the state’s two Republican senators in Washington last week. “Without this assistance, our budget will no longer be balanced, causing more damage to the services we have already cut to the bone and stalling Kansas’ economic recovery.”

Some 30 states balanced their budgets by assuming Congress would approve the extra Medicaid funds, which help pay for medical services for low-income residents and those with disabilities.

To many cash-strapped legislatures it looked like a fairly safe bet: The U.S. House and Senate endorsed the idea in an initial vote, and it has the strong backing of President Barack Obama.

Missouri lawmakers, however, took a more cautious approach by not banking on the money. If Congress approves the money, Missouri will set its $300 million share aside as a budget reserve for next year, according to Linda Luebbering, budget director for Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat.

Still, Nixon signed a letter along with 46 other governors supporting the increase. While he said he didn’t want to add to the federal deficit, the state could use the money.

“I didn’t get elected governor to lobby the Congress, but clearly having it would be helpful,” Nixon said.

But many Republican members of Congress — and some Democrats — contend that the public is fed up with bailouts and government debt. With an eye on the fall elections, the House voted last month to remove the funding. Senate leaders hope to restore it, but acknowledge it will be a close vote.

U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback of Kansas oppose giving the money to states unless there’s a way to make up the difference. They opposed the appropriation during an initial vote in March.

“I cautioned the governor not to count on funding until it has been signed into law,” Roberts said in a statement. “We must be able to pay for it without going further into debt.”

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The issue is especially thorny for Brownback, who stands to inherit the state’s budget crisis if elected governor in November. Brownback said he would support giving the money to the states but only if the White House and Congress agreed to use existing, unspent stimulus funds to cover the costs.

“With our debt out of control, we need to be fiscally responsible,” he said. “I will support (the Medicaid) extension as long as it’s offset and paid for, which can easily be done by the White House and congressional Democrats by using existing stimulus funds.”

Brownback’s Democratic opponent in the governor’s race, state Sen. Tom Holland of Baldwin City, accused Brownback of playing “partisan games in Washington that cause real problems here in Kansas.”

Yet Kansas would hardly be the biggest loser if Congress decides to keep the money. California is counting on $1.5 billion. Without it, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, warned that “cruel and counterproductive” budget cuts were in the offing.

The Medicaid dollars are only one part of more than $50 billion in additional stimulus funds sought by Obama. In a letter to congressional leaders, he warned that without the additional money states would have no choice but to slash government programs.

“We cannot afford to slide backwards just as our recovery is taking hold,” Obama wrote. “We must take these emergency measures.”

The federal government currently pays nearly 70 percent of Kansas’ Medicaid bills — up from 60 percent before the stimulus passed.

If Congress refuses to extend that extra help past Dec. 31, Kansas will have to make up the difference somewhere else in its $13.6 billion budget, which goes into effect July 1 and runs through June 2011. The money could come from anywhere in the budget.

Parkinson hasn’t made any decisions yet, but education cuts are on the table. Spokeswoman Rachel Reeves noted that public schools and universities ate up more state dollars than any other programs.

“It is a possibility just because of how much money is dedicated to education in our budget,” Reeves said.








Gov. Jay Nixon continues push to Ford incentive billBy Tony MessengerSt. Louis Post-Dispatch

JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Jay Nixon seemed confident today that he could convince lawmakers to agree to a special legislative session by the end of June to pass a bill that would give tax incentives to a Ford plant in Claycomo near Kansas City.

A bill that would allow Ford to keep a percentage of withholding taxes on employees in exchange for more investment in facility upgrades stalled on the legislative session’s last day in May, despite an end-of-session push by Nixon. Since the session ended, Ford has been recruited by other states, Nixon said, and now he wants lawmakers to come back to the Capitol to pass the bill to help keep the plant in Missouri.

“Ford is literally in the decision-making process,” Nixon told reporters in his office this morning before heading out to Columbia and Kansas City to stump for the bill. “Other states have come forward with very aggressive positions.”

Nixon had a conference call with lawmakers last Friday to discuss the possible special session, and those discussions have continued. Nixon said he won’t call the session unless there is “broad, bipartisan consensus” on whether to pass the bill. The session would also likely discuss a pension overhaul bill that in the session’s final hours was tied by lawmakers to the Ford bill. The pension bill would reduce future state contributions to the pensions of state employees, and is seen as a money-saver that is necessary to offset the $15 million per year possible cost of the Ford bill.

That pension bill, though, is controversial, in part because it would create a new board that some critics have said could limit public scrutiny. Nixon had criticized one of the state’s pension boards, MOSERS, for paying large bonuses to key staff members despite losing money in its investment fund.

“It certainly doesn’t limit us in our ability of have oversight,” Nixon said of the proposed new pension board.

Nixon said discussions with lawmakers were ongoing and no decision had been reached yet on calling a special session.






http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2010/06/nixon-considering-calling-mo-legislators-back-to-work/




Gov. Nixon visits Columbia plant, aims to keep Ford in Mo.COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN By Abby Rogers

June 15, 2010 | 12:22 p.m. CDT

COLUMBIA — Gov. Jay Nixon visited a local manufacturing plant Tuesday morning as part of an effort to promote legislation that would encourage the Ford Motor Co. to stay in Missouri.

"We must protect our existing automotive jobs and position Missouri as a hotbed of production for next-generation vehicles," Nixon said.

The visit took place at the Columbia-based Dana Holding Corporation's auto parts plant, which supplies Ford with many of its products. Nixon spoke to a diverse crowd that included plant employees, plant management and the press. During his speech, Nixon stressed the importance of keeping Ford in the state.

"It is clear that Ford is going to make a decision in the coming weeks" about how it will restructure its manufacturing processes, Nixon said.

Nixon is attempting to overcome a stalemate that took place in the last few days of the legislative session. The Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act — aimed at persuading Ford to keep its Claycomo assembly plant in the state by offering tax credits — stalled in the Senate, and a separate bill that could be used to fund the act stalled in the House of Representatives.

Because the jobs act did not pass in the legislature, other states have come forward in attempts to lure Ford away from Missouri, Nixon said. Missouri needs to "sharpen its economic tools" and move fast to keep Ford, Nixon said.

The governor said he has been working with the General Assembly to get the jobs act passed and to fund it, saying it is "vital" for Ford to know what kind of incentives the state can offer.

If legislators can reach a consensus, Nixon said he would be willing to call a special legislative session. Nixon said he hopes for the legislature to enter a special session by the last week in June.

State Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, attended the speech, and said he would like to get more of a commitment from Ford before incurring the costs of holding a special legislative session.

A change to the state's pension plan has been proposed as one of the options to fund the jobs act. Under this plan, the state would pay new employees less, in addition to implementing other cost-cutting measures. Nixon called the pension bill the "most likely" of the proposed funding ideas.

The proposed pension plan change was a sticky issue during the legislative session, and some lawmakers who attended Nixon's speech remained opposed to it as a way to fund the jobs act.

"I very much want the Ford deal," said state Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, , but he said the money garnered from the pension bill would be "nowhere near enough" to fund the jobs act.

Schaefer, who also opposed the pension bill, said he is concerned about an act that would give Ford incentives, but then "close the barn door" to other companies looking at Columbia. He said the act did not include options for high-tech jobs like data centers, and would use up money that could be offered to other companies.

While legislators debate the jobs act, employees at the Dana plant anxiously await a decision.






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The plant employees 143 people and is "very, very dependent on keeping Ford at Claycomo," plant manager Mark Howard said.

The plant would have to cut approximately 40 to 50 employees if Ford did not stay in Missouri, Howard said.

Although the plant does a lot of business with other companies, such as shipping products to Nissan factories in Missouri and Tennessee, Howard said it would hurt Dana's workforce a "great deal" if Ford left.








Mo. gov. wants special session on Ford incentives By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press Writer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri must act quickly to sweeten incentives for Ford Motor Co. if it hopes to compete for thousands of jobs making its next generation of vehicles, Gov. Jay Nixon said Tuesday.

Missouri's governor is building a case for a special legislative session that could allow Ford to receive up to $100 million of tax breaks over 10 years if it updates its Claycomo assembly plant near Kansas City for new model lines.

Additional incentives would be available for Ford's Missouri-based suppliers of such things as axles, seats and steering wheels.

A similar proposal failed last month on the final day of Missouri's legislative session when it got linked to a separate bill revamping Missouri's pension systems. Since then, Nixon said other states - notably Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky - have ramped up efforts to lure Ford's new product lines.

"It's clear to us that Ford is making decisions right now," Nixon told Missouri Capitol reporters Tuesday. "They are in the process of deciding where they are going to retool and where they are going to build existing lines as well as new lines. So we're in a very tight time frame."

The Claycomo factory has the second-largest work force among Ford's U.S. assembly plants, trailing only Louisville, Ky. Most of the factory's 3,700 hourly workers build the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner midsize sport utility vehicles, working on three shifts per day. The plant also builds the F-150 pickup truck on one shift.

Ford is phasing out the Mercury brand, including the Mariner, by the end of this year, and workers are worried that it will stop making current versions of the Escape when the 2011 model year ends next summer. At present, the plant has been assigned no vehicle to replace it, said Jeff Wright, president of the United Auto Workers local at the plant.

Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans declined to say whether Ford intends to stop making the Escape or what new product might go into the Claycomo plant.

The Escape, which far outsells the Mariner, debuted in the 2001 model year and was given a small update for the 2010 model. So far this year, Ford has sold more than 64,000 Escapes, up 43 percent from the first five months of last year.

Nixon is considering calling a special session beginning June 28, if there is bipartisan consensus among lawmakers about the incentives and a means to pay for them.

Although targeted at Ford, the Missouri legislation could apply to any manufacturer. Companies could keep half the Missouri employee withholding taxes they normally would pay, if they invest at least $100,000 per full-time employee on factory improvements for a new product line.

No single manufacturer could receive more than $10 million annually for 10 years. The total program would be capped at $15 million annually. Suppliers to those manufacturers also could keep the employee withholding taxes if they expand their payrolls.

To highlight the "tentacles of Ford," Nixon traveled Tuesday to a Columbia plant that makes axles for Ford. He also was speaking at a regional chamber of commerce meeting in Kansas City, near the Ford assembly plant.

The auto industry has a $4 billion annual economic impact in Missouri, Nixon said.








But it has been shrinking. In 2006, Ford closed a St. Louis area assembly plant that made sport utility vehicles. Last year, Chrysler closed two St. Louis area plants that produced trucks and minivans, and General Motors Corp. indefinitely shut down one of two production shifts at a van assembly plant in suburban St. Louis.

Missouri House Majority Leader Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, said Tuesday he believes there is a consensus for the manufacturing incentives. But he said private negotiations are continuing among the House and Senate on the pension legislation that would help offset the costs of the incentives. That legislation would require new state employees to start paying money toward their retirements benefits.

"We're hopeful we can get an agreement this week," Tilley said.

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Associated Press writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit.








Governor: Automaker proposal could be subject of special sessionBy Bob Watson JEFFERSON CITY NEWS TRIBUNEPublished: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:02 AM CDT

If Missouri government doesn't act quickly to offer the Ford Motor Co. a good incentives package -- so Ford will renovate its Claycomo assembly plant north of Kansas City -- the automaker may just take its jobs elsewhere, Gov. Jay Nixon said Tuesday.

"For more than 100 years, the automotive industry has been a pillar of Missouri's economy," Nixon reminded reporters in his Capitol office Tuesday morning. "It's a big part of what we do."

He said the automotive industry contributes about $4 billion each year to the state's economy, "and each auto job creates four other jobs for the state."

But it also is clear that the industry is restructuring itself, and Missouri risks being left behind if it doesn't help with that effort, he said.

Nixon delivered the same message Tuesday during a visit to Columbia's Dana Automotive Systems Group plant, which supplies axles to Ford, and in a speech to the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce in North Kansas City.

He wants to call lawmakers back to Jefferson City for a special session, perhaps in "that last week of June," to pass the "Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act" that failed to clear all hurdles on the legislative session's final day last month.

The measure would allow Ford to receive up to $100 million in tax breaks over a 10-year period -- if it updates the Claycomo plant's assembly lines.

Nixon said Missouri's biggest competition is coming from Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.

Some lawmakers last month objected to tying the auto manufacturing bill to a new pension plan for incoming state employees.

But Nixon said that idea still makes the most sense.

"I think that it's a reasonable measure," he said. "It begins for new employees, to have a partial match of their pension."

Read expanded coverage of this story in our newspaper or e-Edition for Wednesday, June 16, 2010. Newspaper subscribers: Click on an e-Edition article and log in using your current account information at no extra charge. For help, e-mail [email protected]






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Nixon stumps for Ford

Governor wants incentives OK’d.

COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE By T.J. Greaney Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Surrounded by auto parts workers and robotic arms that assemble axles for Ford sport utility vehicles, Gov. Jay Nixon called on the General Assembly to act with a “real sense of urgency” or risk losing thousands of jobs.

Nixon visited Columbia’s Dana Corp. plant today to advocate for a special session to pass a bill to entice Ford Motor Co. to maintain and expand its plant in Claycomo, just north of Kansas City.

Ford officials have not publicly discussed plans to close the plant, which employs about 3,700 people, but Nixon and others are concerned. Nixon said his meetings with top Ford officials have made clear that all options, including plant closure, are on the table as Ford examines how and where it will build the “next generation” of vehicles.

Missouri has lost approximately 15,000 jobs tied to the auto sector since 2004.

“It is clear that Ford is going to make a decision in the coming weeks about how it structures its production operations moving forward,” Nixon said. “It is clear the Claycomo operation and the Missouri supplier network are a central part of that conversation.”

Nixon said he will only call a special session if he sees there is a consensus among legislators of both parties on how to pass the bill and pay for it.

“The special session would need to be crisp, focused and productive and occur in the next few weeks,” Nixon said.

The bill introduced in the past session, the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act, would let manufacturers keep half of the withholding taxes if they invest the money in factory improvements for a new product. The bill caps the amount of incentives at $15 million per year for 10 years.

Nixon said he has received no assurance from Ford that it would stay in the state if the bill is passed. Some legislators, including Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, want to hear a commitment from Ford.

“I’m afraid we’re just paying for the moving vans,” he said. “I don’t think we have any commitment at all for Ford to stay.”

Kelly said he also is concerned about a proposal to pay for the tax incentives with changes to the retirement system for state employees. A separate proposal, which passed the Senate in April, would create a “Public Trust Co.” to invest state employee retirement funds and would increase the retirement age for new state workers hired after 2011 and force them to contribute 4 percent of their salary towards retirement.

Nixon called this pension reform, which wouldn’t directly affect teachers, “the most likely method” to pay for the Ford incentives.

“Why is it that state retirees ought to be the people who pay for Ford?” Kelly asked.

Local lawmakers also have bemoaned the narrowness of the incentive bill, saying they’ve been working hard to attract a data center to Columbia and would be aided greatly by an incentive package tailored to that industry.






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“I think we need to have a package for Ford, but we need to have alternatives and packages for other industries as well,” said Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia.

Nixon shot down the idea of expanding the bill to include data centers, saying the special session should be a “narrow call” focused on automotive jobs.

Mark Howard, plant manager at Dana, said fast action is important. Standing next to a line where front axles for the Ford Explorer and Ranger roll off about one every 70 seconds, Howard said 80 percent of his plant’s business is with Ford.

Several years ago, the plant employed 400 people; now, that number is 143.

“The automotive slowdown has been devastating to this facility,” Howard said.








Lawmakers’ reaction is mixed to Nixon’s call for special sessionBy Susan Redden Joplin Globe Staff Writer

The governor’s call for a special session got a somewhat positive response from House Speaker Ron Richard of Joplin on Tuesday, though the reception from several other local lawmakers was far less than enthusiastic.

Gov. Jay Nixon is calling for a special legislative session on tax incentives that would benefit a Ford Motor Co. assembly plant, saying Missouri must act quickly to sweeten incentives if it hopes to compete for thousands of jobs making the company’s next generation of vehicles.

At issue is a proposal to allow Ford to receive up to $100 million in tax breaks over 10 years if it updates its Claycomo assembly plant near Kansas City for new model lines.

Additional incentives would be available for Ford’s Missouri-based suppliers of such things as axles, seats and steering wheels.

Nixon is considering calling a special session starting June 28 if there is bipartisan consensus on legislation. A similar bill failed last month on the final day of the legislative session when it got linked to a separate bill revamping Missouri’s pension systems. Nixon said that since then, other states — specifically Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky — have ramped up efforts to lure Ford’s new product lines.

Nixon says a decision needs to be made soon because Ford is deciding where to make its next generation of vehicles. Ford now manufactures trucks and sport utility vehicles at its Claycomo factory.

Richard on Tuesday said he favors “trying to figure out if there is a consensus for a special session.”

He said he had instructed the leaders of House committees that would be involved in the legislation to talk with their counterparts in the Senate “to see if there is common ground.”

“I don’t think it benefits Missouri to let those jobs go elsewhere,” Richard said.

State Rep. Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, said that if the governor wanted action on the Ford incentives, he should have called lawmakers back into session immediately after the May 14 adjournment. A special session now “would be a waste of taxpayer money,” he said.

“The House voted on the Ford bill several times in regular session; we passed it, but the Senate wouldn’t,” Wilson said. “I don’t know what’s changed in the last six weeks that all of a sudden now, we need a special session.”

Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, and Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, both voted against the incentives bill. They said they don’t see the need for a special session.

“If there has to be a special session, I’d rather see it during the veto session (scheduled for September),” Nodler said. “This is not the environment to spend an extra $100,000 on a special session.”

He said proponents may be responding to a deadline, “but residents of Southwest Missouri strongly opposed the federal auto bailout, and I’m not sure I see any indication they would be more enthusiastic about a state bailout. It’s still taxpayer dollars, directed at a specific industry.”

Goodman said it’s his understanding that a special session won’t be called unless there is a good likelihood of quick passage of the measures so there is “no big cost to taxpayers.”








“But I still have serious concerns about the cost of a special session, given the state’s budget problems,” he said.

Goodman said he opposed the incentive package when it was before the Senate in regular session “because people see it as a taxpayer bailout.”

“The government has to treat everyone in an evenhanded way, and when you’re picking out winners and losers, you’re not doing that,” he said.

Although targeted at Ford, the legislation could apply to any manufacturer. Companies could keep half the Missouri employee withholding taxes they normally would pay, if they invest at least $100,000 per full-time employee on factory improvements for a new product line.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Consensus

Missouri House Majority Leader Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, said Tuesday that he believes there is a consensus for the manufacturing incentives. But he said private negotiations are continuing in the House and Senate on the pension legislation that would help offset the costs of the incentives. That legislation would require new state employees to start paying money toward their retirements benefits.








Posted on Tue, Jun. 15, 2010

Talk of special Missouri legislative session to consider tax inventive for Ford revs upBy JASON NOBLEThe Star’s Jefferson City correspondent

COLUMBIA | Public and private discussions about a special legislative session in Missouri to consider tax incentives for the Ford Motor Co. have gone from zero to 60 in just days.

Gov. Jay Nixon appeared Tuesday in Kansas City and Columbia to tout a package of incentives aimed at the automaker’s Claycomo plant, but said he wanted agreement from lawmakers before he formally called them back to the Capitol.

“I wouldn’t want to bring the legislature back into session unless we had broad, bipartisan consensus,” said Nixon, a Democrat.

The prospect of a special session was raised publicly Friday, after Nixon held a conference call on the issue with legislative leaders from both parties. Since then, those leaders have been talking privately with their rank and file to discuss the details of the package and a way to pay for it.

On Tuesday, Nixon said he hoped those discussions could be settled by this Friday, so that a special session could be held in the final week of June.

The incentive package would allow manufacturers meeting certain criteria to keep the withholding taxes on jobs created or retained at Missouri facilities — a tax break worth up to $15 million a year.

It is specifically designed to encourage new investment and jobs at the Claycomo assembly plant, which is expected to lose a production line next year, although lawmakers noted that other companies could tap into it as well.

“We must protect our existing automotive jobs and position Missouri as a hotbed of production of next-generation vehicles,” Nixon said during a stop at a Ford parts supplier in Columbia, a message he repeated later at a lunchtime meeting of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The measure is familiar to lawmakers. It passed easily in the House during the regular legislative session that ended last month and won a preliminary vote in the Senate on the session’s final day. It failed, however, when lawmakers could not agree on budget cuts to offset the cost to the state. That obstacle still remains.

Nixon said Tuesday he wanted the incentives paired with legislation reforming the pension system for state workers. The changes would raise the retirement age for new employees and require them to contribute to their retirement, potentially saving millions of dollars a year.

But lawmakers may not be entirely in agreement. The House balked at pension reform on the final day of the session, with lawmakers arguing they did not have time to fully review its provisions.

House Speaker Ron Richard, a Joplin Republican, said Monday he favored passage of the incentives and that his chamber would be open to looking at the retirement proposal.

Sen. Luann Ridgeway, a Smithville Republican whose district includes the Claycomo plant, said linking the subsidies with pension changes would be a good way to pay for the incentives.

“I think the pension offsets would be a doable deal,” she said, “because it only applies to new employees.”








But Rep. Jim Viebrock, a Republic Republican who is chairman of the House Retirement Committee, expressed grave doubts about the retirement language, and said he hoped to see it “decoupled” from the Ford incentives.

“There are certain provisions within the retirement bill that I’m not prepared to pass,” he said.

Rep. Chris Kelly, a Columbia Democrat, said he was uncomfortable with the tax incentives being financed “on the backs” of state workers, and cited several alternatives that could raise the necessary funds.

Lawmakers said that while they supported the incentive package, they wanted more certainty from Ford that it would affect the company’s decision on the future of the Claycomo plant.

“If we’re going to do a special session, we need a commitment from Ford that they’re going to stay,” said Sen. Kurt Schaefer, a Columbia Republican.

Such assurances were not immediately forthcoming. A Ford spokeswoman said the company appreciated efforts to secure manufacturing jobs in Missouri, but could not comment on how a package would affect its future plans.

“We’ve not confirmed or made any announcements about any future product-related changes at the plant,” said Marcey Evans.








Missouri’s top Tigers’ fan takes shot at Colorado, NebraskaBy Tony MessengerSt. Louis Post-Dispatch

JEFFERSON CITY — Calling them the former Big 12’s “weakest basketball programs,” Gov. Jay Nixon today praised the new plan that will keep Missouri in the conference and criticized two of the programs who left.

Nixon made his comments to reporters in his office after talking about a possible special session to pass a bill laden with incentives for a Ford plant. The plant, ironically, is being pursued by two Big 10 states — Michigan and Ohio. Not long ago, Nixon was commenting about how Missouri might be a better fit for the Big Ten.

But today, after the conference moves appeared to have stabilized, Nixon praised the new deal for bringing millions of more dollars in TV revenue to Missouri.

“It’s a significant multi-million-dollar gain,” Nixon said. The governor, an MU graduate, attends many MU basketball and football games, and is such a big fan that among his first decisions as governor was to replace the officials color of bill signing pens and folders to black and gold.

Nixon suggested that the loss of Colorado and Nebraska might be good for MU and the rest of the conference, at least in one sport.

“When you drop the two weakest basketball programs in Colorado and Nebraska, it makes the conference better,” Nixon said. “Our RPI will improve.” The RPI is a formula the NCAA uses that helps test a team’s strength of schedule and figures into seeding in the NCAA basketball tournament.






http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/mizzou/story/693196834440B345862577430013A351?OpenDocument




Tight budgets make lobbying tough for Marrs

Lobbyist Scott Marrs spent most of the 2010 legislative session working to soften the blow of more than $900 million in budget cuts for his clients, including the city and county.

Jeremy Elwood SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL

Scott Marrs considers himself to be a hired gun in the state capital.

Marrs - owner of lobbying firm Governmental Services Group Inc. and guest Tuesday morning at Springfield Business Journal's 12 People You Need to Know breakfast event - spent most of the 2010 legislative session working to soften the blow of more than $900 million in budget cuts for his clients, which include the city of Springfield, City Utilities, Springfield Public Schools and the Greene County Commission.

In fact, Marrs said his biggest victory in the 2010 Missouri legislative session was that most of his clients "weren't hurt terribly by budget cuts."

And the job, he adds, won't get much easier next year, as a combination of continued rough financial straits and legislator turnover continue to make his job tough.

"The system is made to prevent legislation from passing, not to let it through," he said, noting that of the 2,000 bills introduced in the General Assembly each year, only about 100 will pass.

Marrs is used to working behind the scenes - certainly not as the center of attention, where he was Tuesday morning.

"We like to be in the shadows, doing what we like to be doing," he told the crowd of nearly 50 gathered at The Tower Club. "We usually don't like to be in front of a lot of people."

And what is it Marrs usually "likes to be doing"? As a lobbyist, he said, his job is to help legislators - who usually are elected by focusing on a handful of topics such as education and health care - understand other issues with which they may not be as familiar.

Marrs admitted that some lobbyists have given the profession a less-than-stellar reputation, but he said he follows several rules to maintain integrity in his job. The No. 1 rule: Tell the truth.

That means not adding clients in the gambling, tobacco or alcohol industries - not necessarily because of a moral objection, but because his other clients, including the Branson/Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and area health care organizations, object.

"My credibility is more important to me than taking on a client for financial compensation," Marrs said.









Mo. adopts national reading, mathematics standards JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri education officials have voted to adopt national academic standards for reading and mathematics.

The Missouri Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve standards developed through a project sponsored by the National Governors Association.

Missouri initially resisted participating because some feared the state might be forced to adopt standards below its existing goals.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says every state but Alaska and Texas has indicated support for developing national academic standards. Missouri Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro says the country needs consistent, rigorous educational standards.








Another charter school approved for Kansas CityBy MARÁ ROSE WILLIAMS

The Kansas City Star

Call it Charter-22.

Missouri education officials approved another Kansas City charter school for the 2011-2012 school year.

The city’s 22nd charter is the proposal of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, for which the board approved up to $10 million over 10 years.

No location is identified yet. “All options are on the table,” said Munro Richardson, foundation vice president of education, including discussions with the Kansas City School District about one of the buildings it has closed.

Recruitment will focus on urban-core ZIP codes: 64123, 64124, 64127, 64128 and 64130.

The University of Missouri will sponsor the school for at least 10 years. Three other charters sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City opened in the city last fall.

“Beginning with Project Choice nearly a quarter-century ago, Ewing Kauffman displayed a tremendous commitment to the education of Kansas City’s youth,” said Kauffman Foundation president and CEO Carl Schramm. “The Kauffman School will continue the foundation’s legacy.”

The school promises students global competence, strong training in math and science and self-directed learning.

Richardson said it will be a college preparatory and “life preparatory” school with a mission to see every student graduated from college.

Organizers plan to start with 75 fifth-graders and grow a grade a year, increasing enrollment by 2020 to about 1,000 students in grades five-12. Ultimately, the projection is for two 300-student middle schools feeding one 400-student high school.








MoDOT To Announce Bridge Improvement Projects

13 mid-Missouri bridges are being fixed, as part of the Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Project

KMIZ-TV Posted by Michelle Linn on Wed Jun 16, 2010

Earlier this week, we told you about high water that caused extensive errosion to a bridge along Highway 24 in Chariton County. This morning it's closed, and it may stay that way for the next four months.

This afternoon MoDOT announces 13 bridges that are being repaired, thanks to the Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Project.

Many of them are along I-70 outer roads in Boone County. Some work is also being done in Cooper County and in Callaway County.

You can find out more at 4:30PM, during a community briefing at MoDOT's Columbia Project Office Garage on Paris Road.






http://www.kmiz.com/people/bio2.php?nickname=Michelle%20Linn



Mo. to get $8.9M in AstraZeneca settlementSt. Louis Business Journal

Missouri will receive $8.9 million in a settlement reached by several states and the federal government with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster said Tuesday.

A settlement totaling $520 million was reached in April to resolve allegations by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services that AstraZeneca had marketed the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel for uses not approved by the FDA.

According to the HHS, the Wilmington, Del.-based company signed a civil settlement to resolve allegations that by marketing Seroquel for unapproved uses, AstraZeneca caused false claims to be submitted to federal insurance programs.

“This company unlawfully profited at the expense of taxpayers and people in need of our state’s Medicaid services,” Koster said in a statement. “This settlement will make other companies think twice before resorting to such tactics.”

Under the terms of the settlement, announced April 27 by the HHS, the federal government will receive $301,907,007 from the civil settlement, and the state Medicaid programs and the District of Columbia were to share up to $218,092,993 of the civil settlement, depending on the number of states that participated. The allegations were originally brought in a lawsuit under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act and various state False Claims Act statutes.






http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/related_content.html?topic=AstraZeneca



Mo. casinos to stay open 24 hours per day JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Roughly a half-dozen Missouri casinos will operate around the clock beginning next month.

Many of the state's 13 casinos already stay open 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays but close for several hours each day during the week.

That's partly a function of the number of state enforcement agents available for each casino.

But the President Casino in St. Louis going out of business next month. Officials with the Missouri Gaming Commission say that means there will be enough agents available for transfer to other casinos to allow for the extended hours.

Clarence Greeno is the commission's assistant deputy director of enforcement. Greeno says every casino that asked to begin 24-hour operations on July 1 will be allowed to do so.








Sculpture of Warren Hearnes unveiled in CharlestonWednesday, June 16, 2010By Jill Bock ~ Standard Democrat

A bronze sculpture of the late Warren E. Hearnes, the 46th governor of Missouri, was unveiled in a special ceremony Saturday afternoon on the lawn of the Mississippi County Courthouse in Charleston.(Jill Bock/Standard Democrat)

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A man who dedicated his life to public service will continue to be a part of that public scene. On Saturday a bronze sculpture of former governor Warren E. Hearnes was dedicated at the Mississippi County Courthouse.

Saturday's dedication ceremony drew state and local leaders and a large group of Charleston residents to catch the first glimpse of the bust by Sabra Tull Meyer, a nationally known sculptor. Meyer recently completed the Lewis and Clark monument at the Capitol complex in Jefferson City, Mo.

Lining up to speak about Hearnes, who died last year, were Gov. Jay Nixon, former governors Roger Wilson and Bob Holden and former first lady and former Missouri senator Jean Carnahan.

Nixon called Missouri's 46th governor a "truly remarkable man." He detailed Hearnes' career from his graduation at West Point to his service as a state legislator and floor leader to his election as secretary of state and then governor.








"In his quiet way, Warren Hearnes transformed Missouri," Nixon said. "... He was a quiet man but an unstoppable force."

The governor touched on Hearnes' work to aid education, to end discrimination and to improve mental health services.

"His legacy of action, compassion and enlightened leadership endures," Nixon said.

Wilson, Carnahan and Holden also spoke of Hearnes' accomplishments as well as the service of Betty Hearnes to the state and to her husband. Many times, the speakers said, Hearnes would take political risks to do what he believed was best for Missourians.

Warren Hearnes was an example of "what integrity should be for the rest of us," Holden said.

The statue was unveiled by the artist and Hearnes' daughters, Julie Hearnes-Sindelar and Leigh Hammond.








Embattled fire district committee says MEC can’t fine itBy Tony MessengerSt. Louis Post-Dispatch

JEFFERSON CITY — The attorney for a campaign finance committee set up for Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District said in a hearing today that the Missouri Ethics Commission has no authority to fine it.

Earlier this year, the ethics commission levied what might be its largest fine in state history $167,000 — against Northeast’s campaign committee and its treasurer, Linda Love-Tolbert — for systematically ignoring state campaign finance laws. The attorney for Love-Tolbert and the committee, Elbert Walton, Jr., took aim at the ethics commission today, saying the body had no authority to issue a fine, no matter what the evidence in the case is.

“The ethics commission served as judge and jury,” Walton argued. He appealed the fine from the ethics commission to the state’s Administrative Hearing Commission. But that body, according to briefs filed by the attorney general’s office, doesn’t have the authority to hear any of the constitutional and statutory arguments Walton made. All the administrative hearing commission can do, according to the AG’s office, is re-hear the evidence and determine whether the ethics commission reached a fair ruling in the first place.

The entire matter will likely end up in circuit court, where the attorney general has the authority to sue for the fine to be paid.

Walton is the founder of Unity PAC, a political committee he established to help get blacks elected to various positions in north St. Louis County. Unity PAC and its treasurer, Anthony Weaver, were fined by the ethics commission more than $80,000 last year for similar allegations. Those fines remain unpaid, according to ethics commission records.

In this case, Walton is representing both Love-Tolbert and the fire district’s political action committee. Love-Tolbert did not attend today’s hearing.

The fire district has been in turmoil for several months amid various accusations of corruption. Love-Tolbert is the fire district’s office administrator.

In today’s hearing, Glen Webb of the attorney general’s office produced the files of evidence that the ethics commission used in its deliberations. Walton several times objected to the evidence being introduced, but never argued the merits of the evidence. The evidence shows a pattern of the fire district’s political action committee failing to file reports, filing false reports, and allowing people other than the treasurer of the committee to spend money from the committee.

Asked about the financial state of Northeast’s political committee, and its inability to fine timely reports, Walton said he had no comment.

But he lashed out at the arrangement that has a judge supervising the financial affairs of the fire district.

“All I got to say is it’s clearly illegal for a judge to be supervising elected government officials,” Walton said. “It was a racist decision.”

The Administrative Hearing Commission gave Walton and the ethics commission a couple of months to file legal briefs before ruling on the case.






http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/AE7C910B38F7404B862576790013C53B?OpenDocument




Emerson, Skelton resolve to continue fight against cap-and-tradeTuesday, June 15, 2010Annabeth Miller, Daily Dunklin Democrat

The U.S. Senate put up an obstacle late last week to the efforts of a group of legislators from the mid-south and midwest in stopping federal greenhouse gas regulation.

But while U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson concedes the Senate vote is a "concern" she promises to be vigilant in her fight against a federal agency implementing regulations that would have negative implications for Southeast Missouri.

Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, said Thursday's defeat of a measure in the U.S. Senate to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from implementing greenhouse gas regulation will not stop her efforts to fight for passage of legislation she has co-authored in the House of Representatives.

The Senate on Thursday rejected a challenge to Obama administration rules aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other big polluters. The defeated resolution would have denied EPA the authority to move ahead with the rules, crafted under the federal Clean Air Act.

The vote was 53-47 to stop the Senate from moving forward on the Republican-led effort to restrain the EPA.

Emerson said the Senate vote tempers her hopes for success of the resolution she has co-sponsored in the House. Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture Collin Peterson and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Ike Skelton authored the resolution of disapproval language in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"We are essentially allowing EPA to implement policies without any kind of check on their authority," Emerson said. "This is a way for the administration to implement a cap-and-trade bill which Congress will not pass because of its disastrous effects on multiple sectors of our economy. EPA should not be able to institute policies with powers that Congress has not expressly given to the agency.This is one case where the costs of regulation aren't just troublesome to Americans, but will absolutely demolish sectors of our economy and the jobs in them."

Emerson said that Missouri would be hit hard by the passage of cap-and-trade legislation.She said cap-and-trade regulation from the EPA would raise the cost of gasoline and power for residents and businesses and would threaten jobs.

"Everyone's bread would cost most at the grocery store," she added. She said it is estimated that passage of the energy tax bill or unilateral enactment of the tax by EPA would most like cause electricity rates to jump at least 80 percent, and gasoline would spike to over $6 per gallon.

"We use a high proportion of coal for electricity, and we use gas and diesel fuel to drive longer distances to work than Americans in urban areas," she said. Dramatically higher costs to both these sources of energy would be crippling to the agriculture and manufacturing sectors of the Show-Me State.

"When the price of gas does spike, we have fewer transportation alternatives in rural areas of the state than do residents of cities with light rail, buses, and a grocery store every few blocks," she said.

Emerson said that stopping cap-and-trade policies is a priority of Midwestern legislators on both sides of the political aisle where the energy used fuels the economy, enables people to heat and cool their homes and powers cars, trucks and farm machinery.








"Allowing EPA to unilaterally set policies to tax energy and add surcharges that get passed on to consumers is unacceptable for taxpayers, families and businesses in Missouri," Emerson added.

Emerson's Democrat colleague in the House, Congressman Ike Skelton of the 4th Congressional District in the central and eastern part of Missouri, expressed disappointment in the Senate's vote but determination to continue his efforts.

"I am sorely disappointed that the Senate has voted to kill a bipartisan, bicameral effort in Congress to gain better control over the EPA. By choosing to kill S.J.Res. 26, the Senate has given the EPA the green light to enact costly greenhouse gas rules under the Clean Air Act, even though Congress has never given the Agency permission to write such regulations," Skelton said.

Skelton said that although the legislation he and Emerson have co-sponsored they will continue their efforts.

"The bipartisan fight to reign in unelected bureaucrats at EPA is by no means over," he said. "In the coming days, I will work with the farmers and businesses of Missouri to determine our next step forward in this struggle."

"This debate is far from over. Opponents of this bill will continue to fight against artificial energy cost increases, and it is especially important that the rural areas of our country are heard from during this discussion," Emerson said.








Skelton's shift to Internet campaigning is sign of timesDAVID A. LIEB • THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • JUNE 16, 2010

Sedalia -- It's 7:19 p.m., yet Rep. Ike Skelton appears hard at work. "I just voted against the repeal of DADT," Skelton tweets via BlackBerry to alert a few hundred followers to his stance against gays openly serving in the military.

This from a man who doesn't have a personal computer in his office and displays photos of himself with former President Harry Truman.

Now at age 78, after more than three decades in Congress, Skelton is going modern.

Facing what may be the most difficult election of his long career, the Democrat from rural Missouri has embraced Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. He's amassing thousands of e-mail addresses. And he has hired a cadre of consultants to manage his message, raise money and dig up political dirt for a campaign blitz that is about four times larger than anything Skelton's ever done, according to a longtime adviser.

With an electorate that appears hostile to the established political order, many longtime members of Congress accustomed to cruise-control campaigns have had to make a choice for this year's midterm elections: get modern or get out.

Others are attempting to adapt by embracing technology that hadn't even been imagined when they first were elected, hiring campaign staffs sooner than usual and stockpiling cash instead of giving it away to others.

But no one perhaps illustrates the transformation better than Skelton, the Democratic chairman of the House Armed Services Committee who since 1976 has routinely carried about two-thirds of the vote in a district that otherwise favors Republicans. While narrowly carrying Missouri in the last presidential election, Republican John McCain trounced Democrat Barack Obama 60 percent to 38 percent in Skelton's congressional district.

Skelton has prevailed by defending the district's two military bases, backing conservative causes and having regular face-to-face meetings with constituents. But behind the scenes, Skelton's methods have undergone a makeover.

When he recently hosted his 22nd annual conference for would-be government contractors, Skelton slowly moved through the crowd chatting about people's home towns and shared acquaintances.

Yet at that very moment, Skelton was doing a very new-school thing. From his Washington office nearly 900 miles away, a message shot across his Twitter and Facebook pages: "About to kickoff this year's Procurement Conference in Sedalia -- a day long meeting to spur small business growth throughout Missouri."

Skelton didn't write or dictate the words. Instead, a pair of 23-year-olds in his congressional office were speaking for him over the Internet.








Blunt: Plenty of blame to go around in spill disasterBy Bill LambrechtPost-Dispatch Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON – He was not among the more aggressive questioners when a House panel grilled oil executives. But Rep. Roy Blunt wanted answers today — and he was intent on laying blame on the Obama administration for the Gulf spill and the response.

In the highly charged congressional hearing, Blunt wanted to know if British Petroleum intended to be fully responsible for damages and if the company had adequate cash reserves to handle it. How much money do you haved? Blunt asked — a question that went unanswered.

He also questioned the wisdom of paying second quarter dividends to shareholders, payments held up by a storm of protest.

“With this kind of unknown exposure, does that seem like something the company ought to be doing right now?” Blunt asked.

Blunt’s most pointed remarks came in a prepared statement, comments stronger than the opening remarks he gave.

“There’s a lot of blame to go around on this disaster,” his statement read. “I, for one, believe that this administration and its government agency heads have failed nearly every step of the way — from preparedness to prevention to response.”

Blunt questioned the wisdom of the administration’s moratorium on deep-water drilling. He inquired about the number of BP U.S. employees (23,000) and rigs sitting idle.









“I’m afraid that the moratorium … will cost thousands of jobs and ultimately hurt consumers,” he said in his opening remarks, noting division in the administration about the decree.

Blunt, a GOP candidate for Missouri’s opening Senate seat, has moved aggressively to reposition himself during the ongoing Gulf tragedy since some of his remarks in the early going. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, the likely Democratic candidate in the race, seized upon those remarks in a campaign offensive that may have helped to tighten the race.

The Carnahan campaign today accused Blunt of “doublespeak” after the congressional hearing, recalling his efforts over the years to promote offshore drilling.






http://www.robincarnahan.com/




Plasticized bodies display has congressman calling for a banFred Bodimer/ Bill Reker Reporting

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -- That controversial display of human body remains this fall at the Galleria has become more controversial.

Missouri Congressman Todd Akin says he's concerned because organizers of "Bodies; The Exhibition" can not confirm that the plasticized human remains, obtained in China, are not from executed political and religious prisoners.

Akin has reintroduced federal legislation that would make it illegal to bring such bodies from China into the United States.

"We've had serious concerns with human rights in China and we've tried to encourage them to be respecters of human rights. For us then to subsidize financially the export of plasticized bodies is totally counter productive to our effort to emphasize decent human rights."

Akin is sponsoring legislation to outlaw the importation of such Chinese bodies into the US.

KMOX tried but couldn't reach a representative of the exhibition but we were directed to the exhibition's web site where they state that the bodies were unclaimed at death and that their identities, medical histories and cause of death is kept confidential.

It mentions nothing about Chinese jail or executions, but it's interesting to note that when the exhibition was in New York City in 2008 a disclaimer was put on the bodies display.

It read in part that it cannot be independently verified that the human remains were not those of persons who were incarcerated or executed in Chinese prisons.








June bug: Kinder’s big month continues with $25,000 from SinquefieldBy Jake WagmanSt. Louis Post-Dispatch

Even though retired financier Rex Sinquefield has already given more than $3 million for his push that could end the city’s earnings tax, wealthy free market enthusiast is not done giving away his money to political causes.

This week, the Missouri Ethics Commission reported that Sinquefield gave $25,000 to the campaign of Republican Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, viewed as among the top potential GOP nominees for governor in 2012.

The $25,000 reported on Tuesday is on top of a donation in the same amount Sinquefield made to Kinder’s debt retirement committee last year at this time.

Regardless of what Kinder decides to run for, he won’t be up for election — or, if he chooses, re-election in his current office — for two years, making this prime time for him stockpile cash.

Earlier this month, Kinder received another $25,000 check from Jerry Cook, a Springfield, Mo. businessman; $30,000 from Bill Holekamp, a venture capitalist and former Enterprise Rent-A-Car exec; and $50,000 from Jerry Hall, vice president of a banking services firm in southwest Missouri.






http://www.mec.mo.gov/EthicsWeb/CampaignFinance/CF_SearchResults.aspx?Year=2009&Report=0&Type=0&CD1Type=All&CD3Type=All&Name=sinquefield&City=&EmpOcc=&AmtBeg=&AmtEnd=&MECID=&ComName=kinder

http://www.mec.mo.gov/EthicsWeb/CampaignFinance/CF_SearchResults.aspx?Year=2009&Report=0&Type=0&CD1Type=All&CD3Type=All&Name=sinquefield&City=&EmpOcc=&AmtBeg=&AmtEnd=&MECID=&ComName=kinder

http://www.mec.mo.gov/CampaignFinanceReports/CFFilerPDFs/FullReport/FullReport.aspx?CDRCP_id=8585&MyYear=2010

http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2010/06/sinquefield-gives-2-5-million-anti-earning-tax-petition/




BLOG ZONEYards in Park Hills, Desloge to be tested for contamination

Brockovich team heads to area this week By PAULA BARR Daily Journal Online Staff Writer | Posted: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 10:24 am |

Members of the Erin Brockovich team are in Park Hills and Desloge this week to test yards for lead contamination.

Brockovich and her team are investigating problems in the area of the Leadwood mine tailings, and are expanding to include other Parkland sites near chat piles or mine tailings fields.

Her colleague, environmental investigator Robert Bowcock, is in the Parkland all week with members of their litigation team, which has filed two lawsuits over lead contamination in the Leadwood area.

Bowcock will test for lead and other contaminants from the remediation sites. He and the team also will attend the Mineral Area Education Assessment meeting from 6.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday in the Continuing Education Building at Mineral Area College in Park Hills.

The public meeting will focus on the recently-released Education Assessment and its research on community knowledge across the four county region of St. Francois, Madison, Washington, and Iron counties. The report and the discussion will focus on the educational findings in the areas of area history, environment, human health and economy. The Doe Run Company funded the study, according to Project Manager John Carter.

Bowcock and Brockovich began their investigation more than a year ago, after Leadwood resident Christy Briley contacted them with complaints. During several community meetings over the past year, Bowcock assured area residents that their concerns would be heard and their land tested as soon as he was finished testing the property of Leadwood area residents who requested his services.

“We plan to finish Leadwood on Monday and start in Park Hills and Desloge on Tuesday,” Bowcock told the Daily Journal. “We already have a list of people, but others can still sign up for testing.”

Residents of those cities who want their properties tested for free should call 816-701-1119.

According to the environmental investigators, the communities lie in an area that is likely to be contaminated with heavy metals including lead, cadmium and zinc. The region mined for lead and other minerals for more than a century, and after processing the lead, piled the leftovers into several areas of the Parkland. Tailings or chat sites include several in Park Hills, Bonne Terre, Desloge and Leadwood.

The Doe Run Company inherited responsibility for the lead-contaminated material when they bought out the St. Joe Mine Company.

Carter has said that the company shares “a common goal: Finding and implementing a plan that will allow us to address a tailings site that dates back 100 years.”

He said the company is committed to completing the work in a professional and timely fashion.

“Many of our team live and work in St. Francois County and we are dedicated to doing a good job,” he said.








Nixon renews special-session option, if Legislature meets conditionsBy Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter

POSTED 11:56 AM TUE., 06.15.10

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon reaffirmed this morning that he is willing to call a special session of the state Legislature to deal with proposed tax breaks to induce Ford Motor Co. to keep its Kansas City assembly plant -- but only if legislators also will agree to pass a measure to pay for it.

That stance is similar to what Nixon has said for weeks, although the fact that he brought up the matter indicates that he may now be encouraging legislative leaders to take action to meet his conditions.

Nixon press secretary Scott Holste said the governor discussed the subject while touring the Dana Automotive Systems Group plant in Columbia, Mo.

In a statement, the governor's office said he "called for broad consensus among state legislators to pass the Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act, which will help save thousands of existing Missouri automotive jobs and attract next-generation automotive jobs to the state.

"If legislators can reach consensus about passing the Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act and a separate bill to offset its costs, the governor indicated he would be willing to call a special session of the General Assembly to accomplish that objective," his staff added.

The tax incentive bill to benefit Ford, estimated to cost up to $15 million a year, was among the last-minute casualties of the legislative session that ended May 14. The state Senate had approved a package, but it died in the House in a conflict over how to pay for it.

Nixon supported a bill to revamp the state's pension system for its employees, by raising the retirement age for new employees and requiring contributions from workers. His administration says the changes could save the state $300 million over 10 years. But the House had balked over other provisions in the Senate-crafted version.

Today, spokesman Holste left open the idea that Nixon might support some other way to cover the cost of the Ford incentives.

"Missouri’s automotive industry is a pillar of our economy, and saving existing automotive jobs is a top priority for my administration," Nixon said during his Columbia appearance.

Nixon broached the idea at the Dana plant, which employs about 140 workers, because the business creates vehicle axles for Ford. The Dana plant exemplifies the distribution of subcontractors around the state -- including Dexter, Farmington, Nixa, Hannibal, Joplin, Perryville and Sedalia -- that produce vehicle parts.

Statewide, Nixon's administration estimates that the state has lost 14,000 auto-related jobs since 2004 -- including the closing of the Chrysler plants in Fenton.

"As the major automotive manufacturers transform their companies, it is vital that we protect existing automotive jobs from unnecessary risk, and that we make Missouri a prime target for the manufacturing jobs of the future. Missouri is home to thousands of jobs at automotive manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and other facilities. We simply cannot risk further blows to Missouri’s automotive industry. I call on the General Assembly to come together with a broad consensus to pass this legislation to protect and expand our automotive industry."






http://www.stlbeacon.org/content/view/102416/314/





The incentive bill in question -- called the Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act -- "would allow qualified suppliers or manufacturing facilities that create or retain jobs in the state to retain a portion of withheld income taxes," Nixon said.

As his office notes:

"Automotive manufacturing is a $4 billion industry in Missouri, and automotive products represent 18 percent of Missouri's export market, according to a 2009 report by the Missouri Automotive Jobs Task Force. Automotive industry suppliers, manufacturers and dealers are located in nearly every Missouri county, according to the Center for Automotive Research. In fact, the Ford plant near Kansas City alone employs about 3,700 workers in highly paid positions with full benefits, and its supplier network throughout the state employs thousands more."

But not everyone is keen on the special-session idea, especially if it involves trimming other state spending.

The Missouri Budget Project, a nonpartisan advocacy group, said in a statement that it disliked linking the tax breaks to "significant cuts to pension benefits for state employees."

"This is particularly concerning as Ford Motor Company recently announced first quarter 2010 profits of $2.1 billion, while Missouri’s state employees remain the lowest paid in the nation and our state continues to face massive cuts to critical state programs," the group said.

"At the same time that this increased spending for one company would be considered, there is also the possibility of the governor making cuts to the FY 2011 budget of nearly $350 million. This would be in addition to at least $650 million already cut from the budget for FY 2011, which begins next month, by the state legislature and governor.

"The cuts that have been made to our state budget impact the core services that benefit all Missourians and provide the foundation on which a strong economy is built. It is irresponsible to consider expanding spending on tax credits without a broader look at balanced solutions to Missouri’s budget process.”








President's oil-spill address prompts the usual partisan splitBy Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter

Posted 11:51 pm Tue., 06.15.10

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Springfield and a candidate for the U.S. Senate, was sharply critical of President Barack Obama's address Tuesday night about the Gulf oil spill, saying " all we’ve seen is finger-pointing and a job-killing moratorium on oil exploration."

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, said the president's remarks reinforce why Americans "must take a hard look at what our reliance on oil is costing us as a nation."

Their sharply differing views were among the few public comments Tuesday night by Missouri members of Congress, candidates or political activists in reaction to Obama's address -- perhaps reflecting the political quandary that the worst oil spill in the nation's history creates for both parties.

Republicans decry Obama's approach so far in dealing with BP, but appear uncomfortable with any restrictions on drilling. Democrats say the catastrophe underscores the need for more government regulation, but appear sensitive to accusations that Obama's administration has taken too long to take control.

Blunt's comments issued Tuesday night were in line with his testimony earlier Tuesday before the Senate Energy and the Environment Subcommittee.

Said Blunt before the speech: "There’s a lot of blame to go around on this disaster. I, for one, believe that this Administration and its government agency heads have failed nearly every step of the way – from preparedness to prevention to response. Incredibly, over seven weeks after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, we are still lacking in resources for containment, and the government’s lack of contingency planning for this kind of catastrophe should be a wakeup call that better preparations are needed.

Said Blunt after the president's address: ""The president, as always, has a way with words. But Americans are ready for action on this crisis in the Gulf. Fifty-seven days after the explosion that is now causing up to 60,000 gallons of oil to spew into the waters of the Gulf every day, we finally hear the president speak directly about it. As jobs are lost and a way of life is threatened, all we’ve seen is finger-pointing and a job-killing moratorium on oil exploration. ..."

Missouri's best-known Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, asserted this afternoon before Obama's speech that Blunt was engaging in "doublespeak'' and attempting to hide from what she contended were the congressman's years of siding with the oil companies. )

But it was her brother, U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, who was the first area Democrat to offer reaction after the president's address and to call for a more aggressive effort to shift the nation away from its "addiction to oil."

"As we continue to work to repair the damage being done by the worst oil spill in American history, we must take a hard look at what our reliance on oil is costing us as a nation," the congressman said. "The fact is, our addiction to oil is benefiting Big Oil and Wall Street – at the expense of American families and our national security.

"In 2009, BP reported $16.6 billion in profits and paid $10 billion to shareholders. And that’s chump change compared to Exxon Mobil, which posted a record $45 billion profit just 2 years ago," Carnahan continued.







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb4kmd9WKpk&feature=player_embedded



"...This addiction to oil is not only resulting in increased reliance on oil from riskier sources – like deep sea drilling – but also increased reliance on foreign and often hostile sources. This represents a grave threat to our national security. It is a situation that is, quite simply, unsustainable...."

Russ Carnahan's Republican opponent, St. Louis lawyer Ed Martin, weighed in late Tuesday with an anti-government view.

"... Tonight, we heard the President talk of an 'oil czar' to supervise the mess in the Gulf. Americans have had enough of the czars, bailouts, payouts to family members, and plans to takeover and change American life. Enough is enough."

The Missouri chapter of Organizing for America, the president's post-election political arm, predictably offered up praise for his view.

"As the President pointed out, the inherent risk of drilling oil from a mile beneath the water’s surface is further evidence that our dependence on the finite source of fuel is endangering our economy, our small businesses, our health and our environment," said Organizing for America state director Erin McCann.








MISSOURINETGov. Nixon will call special session if consensus is reached by Brent Martin on June 15, 2010

Governor Nixon could call a special legislative session if legislative leaders can reach agreement on a bill that died the last day of the regular session.

Nixon is cautious about calling the legislature to return to Jefferson City.

“I wouldn’t want to bring the legislature back into session unless we had broad, bi-partisan consensus to do so,” Nixon told members of the Capitol Press Corps prior to leaving his office for appearances in Columbia and North Kansas City.

When we last left the legislature, it failed to approve the Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act (HB 1675). A last minute attempt to coordinate approval of the jobs bill in the Senate and a state worker pension reform bill in the House unraveled as House members hesitated on taking up such major legislation with barely an hour to go in the session. The House had approved the jobs bill earlier, but it stalled in the Senate as senators again expressed concern over the state’s economic development policies. A fragile agreement to pay for the incentives through pension reform couldn’t withstand the pressure that comes with the closing hours of a regular session.

Nixon hopes that lawmakers have had time to reconsider the issue and that a special legislative session could provide a fresh start. Nixon officials say the governor held a 45 minute conference call with legislative leaders on Friday. Nixon says the discussion encouraged him. The governor says he won’t call a special session unless broad consensus can be reached on the two issues which now have become intertwined.

“A special session would need to be crisp, focused and productive and we wouldn’t want to waste time on superfluous topics or political posturing,” Nixon told reporters. “We’ll be narrow on what we would do.”

A key to getting consensus is Nixon’s ability to sell his pitch that major manufacturers benefit more than major metropolitan areas.

“Major manufacturing touches many communities across the state. If you lose a Claycomo institution, there are ripple effects that cover the entire state,” according to Nixon.

To emphasize the point, Nixon traveled to Columbia for a news conference at the Dana Automotive Systems Group factory there. That plant employs about 140 workers who manufacture axles for Ford. The Nixon Administration points out that other supplies across the state produce seats, wheels and other automotive components in communities such as Dexter, Farmington, Nixa, Hannibal, Joplin, Perryville and Sedalia.

Still, the urgency centers on the Ford Claycomo plant in Kansas City. It employs 3,700 workers. The Claycomo plant mainly makes pick-ups; the best-selling Ford F-150 has rolled off the assembly line at Claycomo for years. It also has a line that produces the Ford Escape. Ford plans to end production of that line and hasn’t decided whether build its replacement in Kansas City or elsewhere. It is thought that Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky are offering incentives to Ford to lure production away from Claycomo.

Under the Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act, manufacturers and their suppliers that create or retain jobs in the state would be allowed to retain a portion of their income taxes. Incentives would be capped at $15 million annually.

Nixon is considering calling a special legislative session at the end of this mopnth. He says Ford is making its decision now and the legislature needs to act quickly if it is going to act at all.






http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills101/bills/hb1675.htm



MoDot: Watch work zones’ TOP TEN most congestedby Jessica Machetta on June 16, 2010

There are lots of construction zones throughout the state as the summer work season goes into full swing, but the Transporation Department warns there are TEN that are causing major delays.

The K-C ICON project at Interstate 29/35 at the Kansas City central business district loop. I 270 and Dorsett/Page in St. Louis. The Route 60/65 interchange reconstruction and six-laning project in southeast Springfield.

Those are the three worst construction zones for delays, according to MoDOT’s Jorma Duran, and seven more span the state.

Duran says already this year, five people have been killed and 36 seriously injured in work zone crashes. He it’s why the “top ten” list is issued each year.

Other projects causing frustration, congestion and delays are in Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City, Franklin County, Crawford County, Andrew County and Chillicothe.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says its asking people to be aware of the ten worst work zones in the state, both to protect themselves and to protect those working on the projects.

Besides these highway improvements, more than 200 bridges are scheduled for work this year under the department’s Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program. In almost all cases, the bridges will be closed during construction to lower the cost and allow for speedy completion. A map showing bridge construction schedules and available detours can be found at http://safeandsoundmap.modot.mo.gov/flex/SafeAndSound.html.

Ten Work Zones to Look Out For in 2010

1. Kansas City – kcICON – Interstate 29/35 reconstruction

Interstate 29/35 from Route 210/Armour Road to the northeast corner of the downtown Kansas City central business district loop will have restricted lanes and various ramp closures through July 2011. Two restricted lanes will be open daily 6-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-6:30 p.m. Expect delays during both peak and non-peak hours. This project includes construction of the new, landmark Christopher S. Bond Missouri River Bridge. The route carries 102,000 vehicles per day. For more information, visit www.kcicon.com <http://www.kcicon.com>.

2. St. Louis – Interstate 270 and Dorsett/Page – interchange improvements

Traffic on Interstate 270 at Dorsett will be diverted to a bypass with reduced lanes during construction of a new I-270 bridge over Dorsett. The project also includes construction of a second auxiliary lane on northbound I-270 between Olive and Page. Work will continue day and night through fall 2010. The project is estimated to impact 171,000 vehicles.

3. Springfield – Route 60/65 interchange reconstruction and six-laning project

Highway work in southeast Springfield at the Route 60/Route 65 crossroads involves rebuilding an interchange; adding two new “flyover” directional ramps; building bridges to carry Route 60 traffic and ramp track over railroad tracks; and replacing, rehabilitating and widening several bridges. Lane and ramp closings will take place mainly at night. Delays are possible at the interchange due to traffic shifts and narrowed driving lanes. This portion of the project, scheduled for completion in October 2012, affects about 125,000 vehicles a day. In addition, eight miles of Route 65 between Route 60 and I-44 in east Springfield will be widened to six lanes. The project also






http://safeandsoundmap.modot.mo.gov/flex/SafeAndSound.html



includes replacing, rehabilitating and widening a number of bridges. Delays are possible due to traffic shifts, narrowed driving lanes and reduced speed limits. Work will be finished in October 2011.

4. Cape Girardeau, Perry and Pemiscot Counties – Interstate 55 improvements

Work to improve northbound Interstate 55 from Route 61 at Fruitland to Route B at Biehle is under way. Traffic is shifted to use the southbound lanes and is running head-to-head from Route 61 to south of the Route KK ramps. The Route E northbound on and off ramps will also remain closed. The northbound lanes of Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau and Perry counties carry approximately 8,300 vehicles daily. Completion is anticipated in fall 2010. In addition, improvements to northbound I-55 from Route U/J to Route 164 in Pemiscot County began this April. Traffic will be shifted to the southbound lanes only. This section of I-55 carries approximately 19,200 vehicles a day. Work is expected to be finished this summer.

5. Kansas City – Interstate 70 improvements

MoDOT is rehabilitating 14 bridges on I-70 and improving the I-70 and I-435 interchange. To repair the bridges, I-70 will be reduced to two lanes on eastbound I-70 from downtown Kansas City to Van Brunt Boulevard until December. Afternoon rush hour eastbound traffic likely will be slowed into late fall. At the same time, work to improve access at I-70 and I-435 will impact more than 200,000 travelers heading to the Truman Sports Complex and other destinations. Work this summer is centered on 40 Highway and I-435 at the I-70 interchange. This project will slow traffic on the interstates and will close 40 Highway during the summer while a new bridge is constructed.

6. Jefferson City – U.S. 54 Eastbound/U.S. 63 Northbound Missouri River Bridge

Construction of a pedestrian/bicycle attachment on the existing bridge will close the Main Street ramp. Lanes across the bridge will be narrowed and some lane closures may be necessary at times. Motorists should expect delays. The route carries nearly 50,000 daily motorists. Work will be ongoing through May 2011.

7. Franklin County – Lane additions and improvements on Interstate 44 between Pacific and Route 100

This project consists of grading, drainage improvements, pavement replacement, a median closure and an additional lane added in both directions on I-44 between Pacific and the Route 100 (Washington) exit. This project will be completed in October 2010.

8. Crawford County – Interstate 44 resurfacing

More than 10 miles of the eastbound lanes of I-44 from just west of Route H to the Franklin County line will be resurfaced under this project. Restricted lanes and various ramp closures will begin this fall. This area carries 30,000 vehicles per day, and motorists should anticipate delays during day and evening hours while work is in progress.

9. Andrew County – Interstate 29 Overpass (Safe & Sound bridge)

Two bridges at the intersection of Routes 59/Business 71with I-29 will get new decks. MoDOT will close one bridge at a time and move traffic head-to-head on the other bridge via crossovers. Daily delays are expected during morning and evening commutes. Work will continue through December 2010. The project will impact about 10,000 vehicles a day.

10. Chillicothe – Resurfacing Route 65 from Route 36 at Chillicothe to Iowa

This project involves resurfacing 57 miles across three counties of Route 65 from Chillicothe to the Iowa state line. Work includes shoulder improvements, as well as centerline and edgeline rumble strips. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in the work zone areas. Route 65 carries more than 10,000 vehicles per day depending on the location. Moderate delays can be expected. Work will begin in May and be completed late fall.








School buses pass by Bob Priddy on June 15, 2010

Missouri’s school buses get strong passing grades in this year’s inspections.

School buses are inspected twice a year, once in the Spring by the Highway Patrol and then just before school starts in July and August. This year, more than 84 percent of those buses passed and about 13 percent had some minor defects that required repairs but did not require the buses to be taken out of service.

Highway Patrol Captain Tim Hull says only about three percent had to be parked for major repairs.

Defects have to be fixed and buses reinspected before they’re allowed back on the roads. School districts have ten days after the first inspection to make repairs before reinspection can be done.

Hull says buses are in pretty good shape, overall, considering some of the roads they have to travel and some of the conditions they have to go through.

Missouri Emergency Operations Center activated (AUDIO)by Bob Priddy on June 15, 2010

Governor Nixon has activated the state emergency operations center because of flooding along the Missouri River. Heavy rains north of the Missouri river have caused high levels on the river sand its tributaries in several parts of north Missouri. EOH spokesman John Campbell says the biggest concerns are along the river north of St. Joseph and an area from Lexington to Glasgow. He says the headquarters has been checking with local officials on the status of levees and other conditions.

Campbell says some flooding is reported as far east as the Kirksville area although that area is not under the pressure that the two areas are to the west.

Bob Priddy interviews John Campbell, EOH, and Mike O’Connell, Dep;t of Public Safety

MO Board of Education signs on to push for ‘common core standards’by Ryan Famuliner on June 15, 2010

The State Board of Education approved the standards during their June meeting in Jefferson City

The State Board of Education votes to adopt a set of nation-wide common core standard drawn up by the National Governors Association and State Education Chiefs. The guidelines have support from every state in the country expect Alaska and Texas.

Michael Muenks in the Department of Education’s office of College and Career Readiness says discussions on the changes have been well-received by school districts in the state. One of the major changes for Missouri will be in math lesson plans.

“A little more Algebra in Grade 8. But the major change that teachers in Missouri will see in the elementary grade level is really around the increased importance of, and earlier introduction of the concepts around fractions, and working with fractions,” Muenks said.

There will also be a more clear emphasis on technical writing skills in all subjects.






http://www.missourinet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/eoh.mp3



“That includes career technical, that includes all the social sciences, that whole area. Writing should not only been a communications arts or English/language arts course, but that it should be across all content areas and we need to balance creative writing with technical writing, those are skills that all kids need,” Muenks said.

The Board of Education voted 5 to 1 to accept the standards. Deborah Demien of Wentzville was the lone dissenting vote.

“I have very, very strong concerns over handing the power as to what will be taught our children over to either a national government or a national organization or even a group of national organizations,” Demien said.

Muenks says these standards are in line with the goals of Missouri schools to prepare students for the future.

“Those learning progressions are still there. I’m sure that we’ll have requests from the field to provide a smaller user’s version, because they’re quite thick because there’s lots of details, lots of examples,” Muenks said.

Board member Russell Still asked Muenks whether the standards go as far as telling teachers exactly how many papers students have to write.

“That’s left up to the local folks to determine how your writing process is going to work. Through the assessment program, there will be a minimum number of writing performance events throughout the year that school districts would participate in, in a benchmark,” Muenks said.

For more information on the standards, follow this link.






http://corestandards.org/



EDITORIALS … & Letters to the Editor

St. Louis needs an engaged, independent police boardPOST-DISPATCH By Editorial Board

A federal court jury recently returned a major verdict against St. Louis police officers for civil rights violations. Kenneth Rohrbough, who was arrested and handcuffed near Crown Candy Kitchen in Old North St. Louis after a dispute with a merchant in 2002, had sued and alleged that an unknown “John Doe” police officer beat him with a flashlight.

Last Thursday, the jury awarded him $365,000 in actual damages and another $500,000 in punitive damages. But the St. Louis Police Board dodged a bullet.

U.S. District Judge Richard Webber had ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the jury to weigh whether the police board was at fault in addition to weighing whether the police officers were at fault. Judge Webber said jurors could decide whether the board had been “deliberately indifferent to the risk that officers (were) using excessive force.”

The jury found for the police board. But the police commissioners are not off the hook. In light of the judge’s ruling, their oversight is sure to become a staple in lawsuits alleging police abuse. The board, in other words, was issued a warning — one Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon would do well to heed.

“Micromanaging the police department is not something that the police board should be in the task of doing,” the governor said recently when explaining his board appointments philosophy.

In the three appointments Mr. Nixon has made to board — a fourth is pending — Mr. Nixon chose members linked to the “police family.”

Police Board President Bettye Battle-Turner is married to a retired police lieutenant. Her son is a civilian employee of the department’s purchasing department — a conflict that has prevented her from participating in some board matters.

Commissioner Michael Gerdine, meanwhile, is a chiropractor married to a retired, 20-year St. Louis police officer. Commissioner Richard Gray is a former Berkeley police officer.

His appointment was vetted with the president of the St. Louis Police Officers Association. In an e-mail to Mr. Gray, Mary Nelson, Mr. Nixon’s director of boards and commissions, described that meeting as Mr. Gray’s “final test.”

Now come reports of a push for the governor to fill the fourth vacancy with another police insider — former St. Louis County Police Chief Jerry Lee.

Mr. Nixon misreads history with this appointment strategy.

Problems with police department oversight in St. Louis haven’t come from boards that are too independent. They have arisen from commissioners who became enamored of being called “colonel,” who got too cozy with commanders and police culture and who forgot they are supposed to represent the entire community and provide accountability.






http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/10/27/StLouisCops.pdf




Over the years, police boards have been criticized by state auditors for failing to ensure the department uses good business practices, not for interfering with police work. Some of those findings were left unaddressed for as long as a decade.

Neglect, not micromanagement, plagues the St. Louis police board. The board did not risk liability in the Rohrbough case because its members had involved themselves too closely in the department disciplinary process. The question was whether they had lost their independence and had become a rubber stamp.

Mr. Nixon’s challenge — indeed, his duty — is to appoint police board members who are independent and serve the police department by staying well informed and asking tough questions.

To get that objectivity, you have to go outside the family.






http://www.auditor.mo.gov/press/99-25.htm

http://www.auditor.mo.gov/press/99-25.htm



Reform legislation makes autism treatment possibleBy Tania Ortega-Bowman Special to The Joplin Globe

JOPLIN, Mo. — I’m the parent of an autistic child. You may already know me. You may know others like me. Someday, you may be me.

Autism spectrum disorders have been around a long time. Understanding and acceptance has been slower to arrive; accessibility of treatment even slower. Missouri recently joined 20 other states in passing Autism Insurance Reform legislation. Thank you, local and state legislators, for bringing hope to Missouri families.

If your family is not directly affected by autism, should you care about this legislation? Yes.

Here’s why: Global estimates say 1.5 million individuals in the United States and tens of millions worldwide are affected by autism. One in every 110 American children is diagnosed with autism; for boys the ratio is 1 in 70. Rates are increasing at an alarming pace. Look around you. Do the math. Eventually, it will touch you too.

Is there a cure for autism? Not yet. Should we give up hope? Absolutely not. Will the new autism insurance reform fix everything? No, but it’s a good start.

With insurance coverage, many young children will begin early intervention treatments so vital to their lifelong development. This treatment is intensive and, without insurance, cost prohibitive. This treatment is proven effective, and can make all the difference in their ability to live and be productive in society. In years past, older kids, teens and adults received no treatment at all. However, we know now that it is never too late. This legislation makes treatment more accessible and affordable for many of them too.

It says that we as a society value them and give them the tools to reach for more. Inside every autistic person is a unique individual who, given a chance, has something to contribute to our world. Autistic individuals are visible in every segment of our society including the arts, science, and technology. Some have a winsome quirkiness that brings us laughter and joy. Some have an extreme single-mindedness that seeks and succeeds where others never even think to go. And many are silent spirits who would have so much to say, if they could just find their voice.

Imagine the possibilities … the children who we help today, inherit our tomorrow. My son has high-function autism, and if you spend enough time around him you will recognize the hallmarks. But he loves science and technology, and pursues it with dogged devotion. With access to the right services and therapies, my husband and I can’t help but wonder what he might accomplish. Who knows? Maybe someday he will become the scientist who unlocks the secrets to autism. Frankly, we will be happy if he learns to live independently, finds the love of a good woman and builds a family of his own. But, if he should win the Noble Prize, that would be great too!

Autism is here, and it’s not leaving. If you think it doesn’t concern you, spend time with someone with autism. That person’s unique existence might just teach you a little something about your own identity.

Tania Ortega-Bowman, of Joplin, is the mother of a son diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. She is a member of the Ozark Center for Autism Advocacy Committee.








USA TODAY MISSOURI NEWSTUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2010 –Tuscumbia — More than 100 small-breed dogs have been removed from a breeding facility, where rescuers said the animals were living in filthy conditions. The dogs were removed Monday and taken to the Humane Society headquarters in St. Louis for care. The breeds included poodles, beagles, and other smaller breeds

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 -- Park Hills — Environmental activist Erin Brockovich and her colleagues will be in the Old Lead Belt region this week, testing yards for lead contamination. Brockovich, environmental investigator Robert Bowcock and others plan to test yards here and in Desloge for lead and other contaminants. Brockovich's legal team has already filed two lawsuits over lead contamination in the Leadwood area.






http://content.usatoday.com/topics/post/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/Missouri/95713.blog/1

medicaid money caught in political tug-of-war between states

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