It’s everybody’s turn to get a swine flu shot—even the people previously considered too old to be on the priority list. [Read more...]
Future of rail in Missouri could depend on Washington
December 22, 2009 By
Whether you might take the train for holiday travel in the future might well depend on a $200 million request for federal funds.
State Transportation Director Pete Rahn says people are being drawn to rail travel for reasons other than saving money on fuel.
“And I think one of the issues is that as airports and security have made flying just more of a hassle, I think it makes rail traffic more desirable,” Rahn says.
Amtrak, though, hasn’t been any more desirable in Missouri. Its slow speeds and uncertain schedule with spotty on-time performance has turned off many Missourians who might well be inclined to take the train. That is, until now. MoDOT has been touting the vastly improved on-time performance of Amtrak between Kansas City and St. Louis due to better cooperation among Union Pacific, Amtrak and MoDOT. Also improvements, such as a new 9,000-foot rail spur in mid-Missouri at California, have helped negotiate freight and passenger rail traffic.
Rahn says even greater improvements must be made to make Amtrak a truly desirable transportation option. Other bottlenecks remain between Kansas City and Jefferson City. A new rail bridge is needed over the Osage River east of Jefferson City to allow more rail traffic. Missouri has applied for slightly more than $201.3 million to completely upgrade the railway, preparing it for the possibility of high-speed rail. MoDOT proposes to use the money to fund 11 rail projects. Competition for the money is expected to be fierce.
“Our application to the federal Railroad Administration for high-speed rail grants is in Washington. We’re hoping to hear by the middle of January,” says Rahn. “And we have a request for funding those improvements. So, I’m hopeful”
Congress set aside $8 billion in economic stimulus money to pay for high-speed rail development.
Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)
Higher gas prices won’t keep Christmas travelers from hitting the road
December 22, 2009 By
Gas prices are higher and the economy is bad. But Missourians and other Americans are hitting the road for the Christmas weekend.
“We’re anticipating some 87.7 million folks are going to be on trips over 50 miles from home, that’s an increase of 3.8 percent over last year the roadways will be busy,” said AAA Missouri’s Mike Right in an interview with the Missourinet. “We’re anticipating about 78 million of those folks are going to be travelling by motor vehicle, and motor vehicle will be up about four and a half percent from what it was this same time last year.” [Read more...]
Health benefits provider expresses concern with health care legislation
December 22, 2009 By
One of Missouri’s largest providers of health insurance benefits insists the version of health insurance reform about to be passed by the U.S. Senate does not do enough to lower costs – because it does not do enough to require all individuals to be insured. Wellpoint, parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri, insists the ideal situation for cost effectiveness involves expanding the pool of insured to include healthy individuals who might not purchase coverage now.
Brad Fluegel, Wellpoint’s Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, says rates for many Missourians will increase dramatically because of the legislation that requires companies to cover those with pre-existing conditions, but does not do enough to have healthy people included in the pool of the insured to balance out the costs. [Read more...]
Lindenwood Coach Ross cleans house after title game
December 22, 2009 By
Lindenwood Coach Patrick Ross after the NAIA title game
So what does the head football coach of the NAIA national runner-up Lindenwood Lions do just three days after losing 25-22 to Sioux Falls…perhaps the greatest team to ever play on the NAIA level? Clean house. No, no. I’m not talking about firing his football staff. I’m talking about Patrick Ross actually cleaning his house getting ready for Christmas. Today is his wife’s birthday and as Lindenwood has been making their run for the title game, Ross says he’s had to neglect his wife and husbandly duties the last month or so.
