The Associated Press is reporting Governor Bob Holden wants to seek another term in 2004. While not making an official announcement, Holden tells the AP he will run because he likes being Governor. He sepcifically ruled out a run against Senator Christopher Bond in 2004. Holden’s administration has had some bumps in the road in the nearly two years he has been Governor, including a million dollar inauguration party, a controversial executive order on collective bargaining for state workers, and Democrats losing control of the Missouri House for the first time in nearly 50 years. Some Democrats publicly grumbled the Governor’s policies cost them their seats. Fellow Democrat Lieutenant Governor Joe Maxwell has ruled out running against Holden, and before the November 5th election, State Auditor Claire McCaskill said she wouldn’t run for Governor in 2004. Now, she says she won’t talk about it.
Landowners Celebrate Katy Trail Ruling
Thirteen landowners along Missouri’s Katy Trail have been awarded a total of $410,000 in a property rights dispute. That ruling could pave the way for another 285 property owners along the 225-mile trail to get awards. A lawyer for the landowners says lawyers will seek damage awards by the end of next year for the other Katy Trail landowners who have filed claims against the state. Those awards could total up to $10-Million. The awards will be paid by the federal government because the state moved forward with the land acquisition under the federal “Rails to Trails” program – a program allowing for abandoned rail lines to be turned into hiking and biking trails.
Pallid Sturgeons In Missouri Threatened By Federal Ban
A federal ban on caviar imports from the former Soviet Union could end up endangering pallid sturgeons in the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Shovelnose sturgeons are legal for amateur and commercial fishermen to take, but the pallid is endangered. Commercial anglers say they can tell the difference, and they throw the pallid sturgeons back. Biologists say amateurs might have more trouble and could end keeping the endangered one. A belly full of roe could net and angler $200 worth of caviar.
3 State Football Titles On The Line Today
Three state football titles will be decided at the Dome in St. Louis this afternoon. The first game will feature Centralia and St. Pius X in the Class 2 championship. Centralia enters the game with a perfect 13-0 record. They’ve never won the state title. St Pius X, which started the season with three losses, won championships in 1981, 1988 and 2000. Kickoff’s at noon. At 3:15, the Class 4 championship will get underway. It features Eureka and Kearney. Both teams are 12-1 on the season. Neither team has ever been to the title game before. Kearney provided the biggest upset in Class 4, by beating two-time defending state champ, Webb City in the semi-finals. Tonight, in the state’s first Class six championship, undefeated Rockhurst will try to win its seventh state championship as they face Lindbergh. Until last season, Lindbergh had never been to the post season. Classes 1,3 and 5 will play tomorrow.
Kirkwood Wins Tukey Day Game
In yesterday’s 87th Turkey Day game between Kirkwood beat Webster Groves High Schools, Kirkwood came away with a 28-14 win. Since Webster Groves is in the Class 5 title against Ray-Pec tomorrow, only freshmen and sophomores were used in the game. Webster Groves still has the advantage in the oldest high school football rivalry west of the Mississippi in America. They have 46 wins, Kirkwood has 36, and there have been 5 ties.
