The troubled Kansas City School District is released from a federal court order dealing with desegregation. A federal judge has ended the 26-year-old desegregation case against the District. Judge Dean Whipple says the school district has sufficiently closed the portion of the achievement gap between black and white children that stems from the vestiges of segregation. He adds it is unlikely there will be discrimination against African-American children in the future – meaning the school district is now in compliance with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Judge Whipple says the end of court supervision will allow the superintendent to make everyday decisions without being required to consult lawyers. The desegregation case was filed in 1977. Judge Whipple ordered an end to court control over the district in November of 1999, but an appeals court ordered the judge to hold a hearing on whether the district can do anything to remove any lingering damage caused by segregation. That has done, though the issue remains unresolved. Today, the judge ended the case.
Misouri River Water Levels Drop
River levels are dropping along the Missouri River as the US Army Corps of Engineers complies with an order issued by a federal judge in Washington. The Corps has diminished releases from Gavins Point Dam outside Yankton, South Dakota, to 22,800 cubic feet per second and will drop it more. The move is being taken to protect endangered species. It will stop barge traffic on the river and Missouri American Water Company in Jefferson City says it is taking special steps to keep water running in the state’s capital city, because the river will drop below its intake pipes. A spokesman for the company says a more powerful pump is being installed to compensate. The action temporarily halts the legal battle over the river, which is sure to continue through the remainder of the year.
Two Charged In St. Louis Thrill Killing
Two suspects have been charged with murder, two remain at large as St. Louis police investigate further a series of violent crimes that they say were done just for the thrill of it. 18-year-old Antonio Howard and 19-year-old Dedrick Hampton have been charged with killing Louis Bishop as he walked with his wife Sunday near their St. Louis home. As police looked for the other two suspects, a pair of young men stole a car at gunpoint in downtown St. Louis during rush hour. The four are suspected in two shootings, several carjackings, an assault and a robbery. Police say the suspect seemed to be amused by the violent crimes. It was entertainment for them.
Key Indicator Shows Missouri’s Economy Expanding
We’re seeing some positive news from the State Department of Economic Development. Missouri has registered a score of 60.4 for July in Creighton University’s Purchasing Managers’ index. Department Spokesman Jim Grebing says this is another indication that our economy is gaining strength. He says any score above 50 indicates a state’s economy is expanding. July was Missouri’s 18th consecutive month with a score above 50. The PMI measures such key economic indicators as new orders, production,supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders, and exports.
State Looks To Assess Drought Damage
An assessment of how badly the dry weather has hurt the state is being made – the first step in securing federal drought assistance. Northwest Missouri farmers have been suffering for a couple of years now. Little ran has fallen there or in north-central Missouri or even the western part of the state. Governor Bob Holden has asked that 36 counties be assessed. Tony Hoover, who is the Agricultural Impact Chairman of the Drought Assessment Committee, says dry conditions have nearly ruined crops. The drought has hurt crops, pastures and ponds. It also has lowered the water reservoirs of cities in the affected counties. Drought last year cost the state an estimated $460-Million. The damage assessment reports will show the extent of the drought damage and could make farmers eligible for low-interest loans.
