The Missouri legislature will be asked next year to go after employers who hire illegal immigrants. Senator Tim Green says businesses that comply with minimum wage laws, pay benefits as well as employment and workers compensation taxes have trouble competing with companies that hire illegal immigrants–pay them little, offer no benefits or pay no taxes on them. His biggest target is contractors….especially those who use illegal imigrants on projects that are underwritten by government money. His proposal would immediately yank the contract from the employer using illegal aliens, impose state and local fines, and force the contractor to pay expenses of a new contractor taking over the project. He says his proposal will protect employers and workers who obey the law…and will protect the competitive balance in the labor department. The Senate supported his idea this year but it died in the House late in the session.
All Hazard Incident Management Team Takes Part in Emergency Preparedness Exercise
Emergency command personnel from all regions of the state are undergoing intensive training to help them prepare for a large scale incident that could hit Missouri. State Fire Marshal Randy Cole says the first of three regional seven-day courses is underway in Jefferson City, with a course for St. Louis planned for next week and one for Kansas City scheduled for early in the new year. He points out this training brings together people from various departments and agencies to work with counterparts from other regions of the state in preparing emergency response plans. Cole says it is critical that emergency management people who are going to be coordinating tasks during disasters already have some level of familiarity with their counterparts from other cities, counties, and regions of the state.
Rams Sign Special Teamer
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That is exactly how the Rams felt when they found out the Seahawks released linebacker and special teamer Isaiah Kacyvenski.
The seven-year veteran out of Harvard started at linebacker for Seattle in past years. He is among the league’s best in special teams play, serving as special teams captain this year.
The need for a player like Kacyvenski became more apparent when Rams fullback Paul Smith went down with a concussion and eye injury. Smith was the best special teams player St. Louis had. Special teams play has been a weakness of the Rams for several years. Az-Zahir Hakim was really the last threat inside the Edward Jones Dome. Last week, Lions return man Eddie Drummond racked up 210 yards including returns of 41 and 65.
Injuries Eating Away At Chiefs
If the Chiefs are as physical against the Cardinals this Sunday as they were against each other in practice Wednesday, Arizona better bring extra medical staff.
Four Chiefs players went down during the practice session and could miss a considerable amount of time. Linebacker Rich Scanlon and offensive lineman Will Svitek both injured their knees. No timetable has been set on the amount of time they’ll miss; Scanlon and Svitek are scheduled to undergo an MRI today.
Backup defensive back Benny Sapp suffered a knee injury and will be out four to six weeks.
The fourth player, running back Michael Bennett, is out indefinitely with a bum leg.
Those injuries are just a microcosm of the Chiefs season so far. Quarterback Trent Green went down in week 1 against the Bengals after getting a concussion. He has not returned to the field and is expected to miss at least two more weeks.
Left tackle Kyle Turley missed his second week of practice nursing a back problem. Turley returned to football this season after missing the past two years because of a bad back.
Kansas City will look to get their second win in a row this week against the Cardinals. Matt Leinart is scheduled to make the first start of his career.
Related web sites:
Chiefs Official Website
Tighter Regulations Recommended for Callaway Nuke Plant
A federal task force calls for tighter regulations of the nation’s nuclear power plants. The task force says radioactive tritium leaks have been discovered at power plants throughout the country, including the Callaway nuclear power plant operated by AmerenUE. The task force report says those leaks pose no public health hazard, but should be addressed by tighter regulation of equipment that, at present, is exempt from regular inspection and maintenance. AmerenUE reported in June that small amounts of tritium had leaked from a discharge pipeline carrying cooling water and low-level radioactive waste to the Missouri River. The utility says no material reach the local water supply or harmed crops.
