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The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday – traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year. And retailers throughout the country are gearing up for a busy day at the cash registers.
“We expect roughly 134 million people are going to be shopping this Friday,” said Missouri Retailers Association President David Overfelt in an interview with the Missourinet. “There’s going to be a number of bargains.” [Read more...]
Dozens of local groups are being formed to make sure nobody is missed in next year’s census. Some of the groups will help specific populations. [Read more...]
Hunger appears to be on the rise in Missouri.
Missouri food banks are experiencing dramatically increased need and are asking Missourians to help restock their shelves. The Missouri Food Bank Association, representing the state’s six large food banks, reports increased demand this year of between 20% and 44%. Association spokesman Scott Baker says some surveys ranked Missouri 5th among the states in hunger prior to 2009.
“What we’re seeing in 2009 is this increase of anywhere from 20-to-44%,” Baker says. “So, on top of the dire numbers that we’ve seen so far, we’ve seen a significant increase in demand this year.”
A Food and Research Action Center survey found that six percent of our population reported often going hungry, ranking Missouri 6th among the states in citizens struggling to afford enough to eat. Baker says many Missourians find that hard to believe, since Missouri ranks as one of the top farm states.
Baker says the food banks fear high unemployment and a lingering recession will only make matters worse. The association asks that Missourians respond.
“Understanding and acknowledging the serious problem that Missourians have and then finding any way possible you can to help out those who are on the front lines trying to feed Missourians,” according to Baker.
Baker says it appears hunger has no geographic boundary, affecting rural and urban Missouri alike.
Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)
The schedule for the weekend is as follows:
Friday, November 27
9:30 a.m. – 8-Man Championship Game — St. Joseph Christian vs. Mound City
1 p.m. – Class 2 Championship Game — Brentwood vs. Maryville
4:15 p.m. – Class 4 Championship Game — Helias vs. Kearney
7:30 p.m. – Class 6 Championship Game — Hazelwood Central vs. Blue Springs
Saturday, November 28
12 p.m. – Class 1 Championship Game — Valle Catholic vs. Penney
3:15 p.m. – Class 3 Championship Game — Bowling Green vs. Cassville
6:30 p.m. – Class 5 Championship Game — Webster Groves vs. Fort Osage
Thanksgiving for many Missourians is being celebrated in Afghanistan, Iraq or even in Germany, where troops are being treated for injuries suffered in combat.
A Missouri soldier and Congressman in Germany on this Thanksgiving have talked with the Missourinet. [Read more...]
