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Remembering Christmas in Iraq

December 23, 2007 By

There are some vacancies within many Missouri families this Christmas season because loved ones are halfway around the world. Hundreds of Missouri reservists and National Guard members are spending the holiday season in Iraq, Afghanistan, or some other outpost

The voice of the Missouri Guard, Captain Tammy Spicer, remembers her Christmas in her tent in Iraq a couple of years ago. She says people who see pictures of her then see the pictures as sad. But she says it was actually a relatively happy time to sleep in, eat what she wanted all day, and open presents with friends.

She says the military tries to make the day as festive as possible…but sometimes duty intrudes–there as well as it has intruded at home. Spicer says there’s usually a lighter workload if the mission allows it.

She says she knows from personal experience that the military leadership does its best in a mobilized environment to provide a festive atmosphere. She knows the importance of presents from home.

There is some help for those at home. Spicer says every unit has a family readiness group, a military-sponsored organization that provides support and assistance for family members. Spicer says those family readiness groups are most active when the units are deployed..

 

Download Bob Priddy’s story (:63 mp3)

Filed Under: Military

WW II Veteran Says War Changed His Life

December 23, 2007 By

A self-described country boy from Missouri says World War II took him from home and changed his life.

World War II veteran Wilburn Rowden left Maries County in early 1943 for basic training at the Palmer House Hotel in Miami Beach. He says it was quite a difference from his home, which such luxuries as running water and a coal-fired furnace. Rowden learned Morse code as a radio operator and joined the 452nd Bomb Group in the state of Washington.

He traveled to Great Britain on the Queen Elizabeth to join his 10-man crew and get acquainted with a new B17-G. After being assured that the first mission would be a breeze, Rowden’s crew returned to base with seven holes in the plane from anti-aircraft guns. Later, Rowden’s plane took a hit that brought it down.

Though he landed successfully, Rowden took shrapnel in this arms and legs. He couldn’t walk and became a prisoner of war. The Germans first shipped him to an East Prussian POW camp, then moved him a couple of more times as the Russians closed in as the war neared its end. April 26th, 1945 was one of the greatest days of Rowden’s life. The Allies liberated the camp.

Rowden returned home and joined the Missouri National Guard where he spent the next 35 years of his life. He says he is proud to have served his country.

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (1:40 MP3)

Filed Under: Human Interest Tagged With:

Donnelly Vows to Press On With Her Suit Against Ethics Commission

December 23, 2007 By

An Attorney General candidate says she will continue to press her case to open hardship hearings before the Missouri Ethics Commission, despite a setback in court.

Rep. Margaret Donnelly (D-St. Louis) is a Democrat running for Attorney General. Her request for a temporary restraining order against the Ethics Commission has been rejected by a Cole County Circuit Judge in Jefferson City. Donnelly considers that only a minor setback in her legal challenge of the commission. It doesn’t prevent her from presenting her full legal arguments to the court at a later date.

The State Supreme Court this summer struck down a state law that lifted campaign contribution limits. It ordered candidates to comply unless they could prove that to do so would cause their campaign a hardship. The Supreme Court left enforcement of its ruling up to the Ethics Commission.

Donnelly contends that the Ethics Commission has no right to close hearings with candidates who claim a hardship. A lawyer for the commission says state law not only allows the commission to close the hearings, but requires that the hearings be closed.

Download/listen Rep. Margaret Donnelly (D-St. Louis) on legal challenge (:16 MP3)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Illini Braggin’ Once Again

December 23, 2007 By

ST. LOUIS (AP) –  Illinois survived a wild finish to beat Missouri 59-58 on Saturday night in the annual Braggin’ Rights game.

Pruitt had 14 points and Trent Meacham 13 for Illinois (7-4), which has an eight-game winning streak in the annual holiday season neutral-site game. Illinois carried the play at the start of both halves, scoring the game’s first nine points and then running off seven straight after the break, but Missouri (8-4) recovered each time.

Leo Lyons had 15 points before fouling out with 1:36 to go for Missouri. Keon Lawrence  dribbled the ball off his foot and out of bounds as time expired, near the same spot where Stefhon Hannah turned it over with two seconds left in Illinois’ 3-point victory last year. Mizzou.JPG (Photo by Bill Greenblatt, UPI)

Missouri, which entered the game with a three-game winning streak, was undone by season-worst 34.5-percent shooting. Three of Missouri’s losses have been by a combined seven points. The Tigers had their season low for scoring after entering the game with a Big 12-leading 84.5-point average.

Hannah, held to a season-low eight points on 2-for-12 shooting, also had a shot blocked with 18.6 seconds to go. Pruitt scored 10 of Illinois’ first 19 points, then went without a point or shot for more than 25 minutes. Meacham was 4-for-4 with 11 points in the first half, topping his 10.6-point average, but missed all four shots the rest of the way.

DeMarre Carroll had 10 points and eight rebounds for Missouri, but was held to 2-for-10 shooting.

Illinois scored the game’s first nine points and opened the second half with seven straight to open the game’s biggest lead at 43-33 with 16:25 to go.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,