Leo Lyons will join Poplar Bluff native Tyler Hansbrough at least for now. After not getting drafted, Lyons will play for the Indiana Pacers summer team. Lyons was projected to be a 2nd round pick.
Three Missourians killed in Arkansas plane crash
June 26, 2009 By
The Baxter County Arkansas Sheriff says three of five Missourians on a plane that crashed near a resort just south of the Missouri-Arkansas State line, were killed today.
The Piper Cherokee owned by Propaire, Inc., of St. Louis went down shortly after takeoff from Gaston’s Resort near Lakeview.
Officials identify those killed as 52-year old William Langford of Chesterfield and his 15-year-old son Brendan and 15-year old Jacob Ritz of Bridgeton. One of the injured, 15-year old Joshua Beckerle of Eureka has been taken to a hospital in Springfield. The other passenger, 43-year old Donald Beckerle, also from Eureka, was treated and released from Baxter Regional Hospital.
Sheriff’s investigators say the plane had arrived from St. Louis on Tuesday and was returning when the crash happened. The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.
NRC conducting inspection at Callaway
June 26, 2009 By
A special investigation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is underway at the Callaway Nuclear Power Plant .
A spokesman for the NRC, Victor Dricks, says inspectors will be reviewing how the plant handled a recent problem. Operators at Callaway had problems with the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump during routine testing in late May. The problem was fixed on the scene by Callaway operators and the pump restarted. The pump is used to supply water to the steam generators at Callaway that kick in if the AC power is cut off.
Two NRC inspectors, one from Callaway another from the Cooper Nuclear Power Plant in Nebraska, began their work this week. It is expected the inspection will last days.
Dricks points out the problem with the pump never posed a safety hazard. He says it appears Callaway handled it correctly, but the inspectors will review the causes of the problem and the steps taken to correct it. They will file a written report to the NRC in 30 to 45 days after the inspection is complete.
The Callaway plant is Missouri’s only nuclear power plant. It is located near Fulton and operated by AmerenUE.
Deadline day for Small Business Loan Program applicaitons
June 26, 2009 By
This is the last day for small businsses to apply for some of the two-million dollars in the state Small Business Loan Program. The program will loan 25-hundred to 25-thousand dollars to small businesses of five employees or fewer, with a ten-year payback at three percent interest.
Economic Development Departments spokesman John Fougere says about 700 companies had asked for information about the program. He says the department is being flooded with applications today.
He says the applications will probably exceed the funding available. Fougere says a lottery probably will be used to pick companies getting the loans.
