As his Department of Natural Resources’ decision to withhold information about contaminated water at the Lake of the Ozarks comes under fire, Gov. Nixon says he’ll hold DNR accountable. "When I first heard about it … I indicated I thought it should’ve been released, and certainly feel like it should have at the time that it was available," Nixon said. "We will continue to press forward to release information as it becomes available and we’ll cooperate fully with whoever, it’s just public information that should’ve been released sooner." "We have certainly sent a clear signal, and I have personally, that it’s important to release that information," he said. "That is part of an ongoing process, but the bottom line is the information should’ve been released and I’ve made that point eminently clear to those in charge of those departments." Department of Natural Resources officials are accused of holding onto the information for four weeks. Samples at the Lake taken at the end of May showed high levels of E. coli bacteria, but DNR didn’t release the results until after the Memorial Day holiday. The Attorney General’s office is investigating whether DNR violated the Sunshine Law by ignoring requests for the information about the E. coli levels by a Camdenton newspaper and the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance.
DNR reports that 29 of the 55 sites that were sampled on May 26 found E. coli levels above the EPA’s recommended single sample maximum level of 235 colonies per 100 milliliters. Five of the 59 sites that were sampled on June 22 had elevated results, but were below the EPA recommended single sample maximum level. DNR says that heavy rainfall on May 26th might have contributed to the higher levels of E. coli by carrying waste found in the soil from septic tanks or sewer systems, perhaps even heavy concentrations of water fowl, animal waste or manure. DNR promised further investigations and stated it would take any action necessary.
DNR says it is in the third of a five-year study to establish a baseline at the Lake of the Ozarks by which to determine the overall health of the lake. The water samples are expected to include coves from Bagnell Dam to Truman Dam. The study is a cooperative effort led by the Department of Natural Resources and includes the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance, which provides trained volunteers to collect the water samples, Ameren UE, which pays $15,000 per year for the five-year study, and the Department of Conservation.
Sen. Brad Lager (R-Savannah) says it’s unacceptable to withhold information from the public, because you believe it might hurt tourism. "For me what this is really about is making sure that we have integrity and public trust in Department of Natural Resources," Lager tells the Missourinet. Lager chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and the Environment. He plans to call the committee next week and discuss a review of DNR’s actions; a review, not an investigation. Lager insists this will not turn into a Republican legislative body investigating a Democratic administration. Brent Martin contributed to this story.
Jessica Machetta reports [Download/listen MP3]
Nixon to state departments: Release information to public as soon as it’s available
Pinkel sees answers in upcoming season
Leadership, talent, wins. How will all of those voids be filled by the Missouri Tiger football team? While Tiger fans and the media ask those questions, head coach Gary Pinkel is confident he has the answers.
The Tigers have lost 40 seniors in the last two seasons and are coming off of back to back 10 win seasons, the first in Mizzou football history. Of course there are going to be concerns, but as Pinkel pointed out at the Big 12 Football Media Days in Dallas, TX, he and his staff didn’t just wake up one day and realize they wouldn’t have Chase Daniel or Chase Coffman, or that Jeremy Maclin was leaving. The Tigers have been building for this moment. There’s no doubt that Pinkel and his staff continued to recruit top players to fill those holes. Missouri built talent on recruiting and there is no reason to believe they recruited less talented players after these past graduating classes.
Pinkel started his press conference by saying that strength and conditioning coach Pat Ivey called this year’s team the hardest working group of players. Many of the questions seem to center on how the offense would survive without Daniel and a new offensive coordinator.
I think the message that Pinkel is trying to convey to fans is don’t compare Blaine Gabbert to last year’s Chase Daniel, but compare him to Chase Daniel the sophomore. In other words, Pinkel said their offensive philosophy isn’t going to change, but the play calling and strategy they employ will look more like the way they ran things when Daniel took over for Brad Smith. Pinkel is absolutely right, Gabbert would not be able to run the same offense that Chase ran last year, but neither would Daniel the sophomore. In other words, David Yost will call plays that favor and play into Gabbert’s skill sets and ability as a sophomore.
In addition to simplifying (for lack of a better word) the offense, the Tigers according to Pinkel, are faster overall than the team last year. Speed trumps experience. Opponents may know what the Tigers are going to do, but they still have to catch ‘em.
Pinkel said this may be the best running back tandem the Tigers have had in a long time. Expect Derrick Washington to run the ball more and look for him to catch the ball out of the backfield. He, along with De’Vion Moore, will allow the Tigers more options out of the backfield. Plus, keep this in mind, Gabbert is a better runner than Daniel.
More team speed, a simplistic approach to the offense, and a talented backfield, will all ease Gabbert into that role of starting quarterback.
Chiefs kick Barth to the curb
The Kansas City Chiefs waived kicker Connor Barth, which should give seventh-round draft pick Ryan Succop the starting job this season. Succop was this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, meaning he was the last player (256th) taken in the NFL draft.
After a solid career at North Carolina, Barth played in 10 games for the Chiefs last season, making 10 of 12 field goals as a rookie, but special teams was an area tagged for much needed improvement on last year’s 2-14 team and Barth is among those changes.
Succop kicked for South Carolina last year and made 66% of his field goal attempts with his longest coming from 55 yards out.
Joplin native McMurray looking for ride in 2010
Crown Royal will serve as the primary sponsor for Matt Kenseth and his 17 car next NASCAR season as Kenseth moves over to Roush-Fenway. With his arrival, that means Jamie McMurray will exit.
With NASCAR require teams to be limited to four drivers, McMurray is the odd man out for owner Jack Roush who will team Kenseth up with Columbia, MO native Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and David Ragan.
McMurry has just two career wins and this season has managed just two, top 10 finishes as he sits in 20th place in the Sprint Cup Standings. There were some who thought perhaps Ragan, who is currently 30th would be let go, but Roush-Fenway sees Ragan’s age and upcoming potential as a big plus over McMurry who hasn’t progressed as well as perhaps the team had hoped.
Cardinals blow out Dodgers
The Cardinals are back in first place after beating the Dodgers 10-0 at Busch Stadium. The one hour and 25 minute rain delay didn’t hurt Adam Wainwright at all.
Backed by some outstanding defensive plays, Adam Wainwright threw eight shutout innings. He wiggled out of a couple of jams as he gave up eight hits. It was the second game in a row the Dodgers put runners on base, but couldn’t push across any runs getting outscored 16-1 in the first two games.
With a scoreless tie heading into the sixth, the Cardinals got to Chad Billingsley scoring six runs. Ryan Ludwick and Yadier Molina drove in two runs apiece and Wainwright chased Billingsley when he singled home Molina. The Cardinals tacked on four more in the eighth thanks in part to a three run homer from Mark DeRosa. DeRosa now has 19 homers on the year, six since joining the Cardinals and three in his last three games. (Shown after hitting his home run. Photo by Bill Greenblatt)
The additions of Holliday and DeRosa will really take the pressure off of Albert Pujols and it comes at a great time when he’s slumping a bit. Could you imagine what could have happened after that 2-5 road trip, coming into this Dodgers’ series without support for Pujols? The key test of this series is going to come in games three and four. You had to figure that with Carpenter and Wainwright on the mound, the Cardinals would have a chance to win each game. Now, what will they do with Pineiro and Lohse starting the final two games? The Dodgers have 17 hits against Carpenter and Wainwright and somehow the good pitchers find a way to work out of jams. If the Dodgers combine for 17 hits in the next two games against the rest of the staff, they’re capable of putting 8-9 runs on the board.
Listen to postgame comments from DeRosa, Tony LaRussa and Adam Wainwright.
