Today is the deadline for county clerks to get their official vote totals from November 7th filed with the Secretary of State. But a lot of counties are pushing the deadline. Some counties have struggled with the high number of provisional ballots they had to use this year or the high number of absentees cast because of the tight U. S. Senate race and the ballot issues… Spokesman Stacie Temple with the Secretary of State’s office says some counties just wait until the last minute. She says about one-fourth of the counties have until 5 p.m. to mail them in or deliver them to the state election office. The Secretary of State has until December 13th to canvass the results and certify them as the official returns. But Temple says the staff is going to try to get that done by the 29th. Temple says the Secretary of State is generally satisfied with the various mechanical systems used throughout the state this time. She says some county clerks that ran out of ballots in some precincts can avoid the problem in 2008 with some more careful planning.
MODOT Pushes Primary Seat Belt Law as Number One Priority
The State Transportation Department says it wants to make headlines in 2007 by changing headlines… Director Pete Rahn says the nearly 100 deaths that make the news are preventable and “utterly senseless.” That’s why he wants to bump the status of the seat belt law from secondary to primary. A primary seatbelt law would mean state law enforcement officers would no longer need to stop motorists for a different traffic violation before issuing a ticket for not buckling up. Rahn says after spending millions of dollars in seat belt campaigns, the number of seat belt users still dropped two percentage points this year to 75 percent. It’s the first time the figure has dropped since 1998.
Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials Collects Public Testimony
The Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials is rushing to meet a December 1st deadline for making recommendations on salary increases for statewide elected officials, state lawmakers, and state judges. It’s held one of four hearings required to collect input from the public. Commission Chairman Jack Pohrer says it will be an abitious schedule to stick to over the next week or so, but it has to be done. Retired Court of Appeals Judge Paul Simon, a Commission member, says it is important to at least provide judges with cost of living increases, so that Missouri has the most competent people sitting on the Bench. The first of the meetings was held in Jefferson City, with the next three meetings scheduled for Kansas City on Friday, and St. Louis and Cape Girardeau on Monday. The Commission returns to Jefferson City, Wednesday of next week, to work on its report.
Howard, Not Pujols NL MVP
The post-season snubs continue for the World Champion Cardinals. This time it was Albert Pujols that was overlooked in favor of another St. Louisan. Lafayette High School alum Ryan Howard was voted National League MVP after leading the majors in home runs and RBI.
Howard, who won the NL Rookie of the Year, hit .313 with 58 home runs and 149 RBI. He also won the Home Run Derby during the All Star Game. Voters gave Howard 20 first-place votes and 12 seconds for a total of 388 points. Pujols finished right behind Howard with 12 firsts and 19 seconds for a 347 total.
Howard crushed the ball all over Major League ballparks. His hottest month was August, go figure, when he hit 14 homers.
Pujols definitely had an MVP caliber season. The Gold Glove first baseman hit .331 with 49 home runs and 137 RBI. One of the downfalls for Pujols was the amount of games he missed due to a strained oblique muscle. This is the third time Pujols has been the first runner-up. He won the award last season after finishing in second in 2002 and 2003.
Chiefs Silence Raider Nation
Trent Green made the most of his opportunities and helped to ease the controversy in Kansas City. Green, making his first start since suffering a concussion in Week 1, only attempted 16 passes.
The decision by Herm Edwards to start Green was questioned because of the job backup Damon Huard did in his appearances. Huard won five of the eight games he started and put the Chiefs in position to compete for the AFC West championship. Also making Edwards’ decision dicey was the fact that Green only received clearance for contact on Tuesday prior to the game. How soon we forget the past. Green is a two-time Pro Bowler that has quarterbacked the league’s best offense. He did so again Sunday, this time, not with his arm, but with his mind and leadership.
Larry Johnson, celebrating his 27th birthday, helped keep the pressure off Green rushing for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.
The Chiefs game plan looked bleak in the first half as they fell behind 13-7 going into the break. But a lackluster Chiefs defense stiffened up in the second half and shutout an embarrassing Raiders offense.
Kansas City still trailed 13-10 when they started their final drive with 4:53 to play. Green connected on 3-of-5 passes in the final drive that was capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Johnson leaving Oakland 1:32 to score.
The Raiders made it interesting on their final possession. Aaron Brooks found Ronald Curry down the middle of the field for a 39-yard completion to the Chiefs 8 with 32 seconds to play. However, safety and Oakland native, Jarrad Page stepped in front of Brooks’ next pass and intercepted it in the end zone.
Kansas City does not have much time to celebrate the victory. They are right back on the field for Thanksgiving against the Broncos.
