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Storms rolling in, possibly bringing flooding, hail, tornadoes with them (AUDIO)

April 30, 2010 By

Weather systems are popping up throughout various regions of Missouri, some of which could get severe.

(Click photo to go to NOAA National Weather Service Web page.)

(Click photo to get updated map on the NOAA National Weather Service Web page.)

Steve Runnels, a meteorologist with the NOAA National Weather Service in Springfield says it’s beginning now.

Runnels says hail is the most immedicate threat, but damaging winds are a possiblity. He says as we go farther into afternoon and evening, tornado threats will be developing from South Central Missouri area to the St. Louis area.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Weather

It’s called home plate, not home base (PODCAST)

April 30, 2010 By

On this week’s Pressbox Podcast, I dig into the whole Missouri moving to the Big 10 rumor that has taken the country by storm. The University has nothing new to say, but I break it down with Jonathon Shelby on the pros and cons of a potential move to the Big 10.

I also come up with some of my pet peeves in sports. One of which is when people call it home base and not home plate. Usually, it’s moms or dads at the little league fields…My hair just stands on the back of my neck.

I also have issues with the NFL draft and the NBA taking two weeks to complete a playoff series.  Listen and see if you agree.
Pressbox Podcast

Filed Under: Press Box, Sports Tagged With:

Fire Marshal asking public to help solve arson cases (AUDIO)

April 30, 2010 By

The State Fire Marshal is asking the community to take a good hard look at arson. It’s offering tools and strategies to combat arson in neighborhoods, business, schools and churches.

An investigator with the State Fire Marshall (left) works with a Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to solve an arson case in Missouri. (Photo courtesy Dept. of Public Safety.)

An investigator with the State Fire Marshall (left) works with a Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to solve an arson case in Missouri. (Photo courtesy Dept. of Public Safety.)

According to the US Fire Administration, more than 300,000 fires are blamed on arson each year. Nearly 8,000 people — including fire fighters — are killed or injured as a result of arson fires each year.

“In addition to needless injury and death, an estimated $1.1 billion in direct property loss occurs annually,” the Fire Marshal says.

Assistant State Fire Marshal Greg Carrell says a lot of people think of arson as a victimless crime, but everyone pays.

“It affects all of us,” he says. ”It affects property values, it can affect our neighborhoods … even the opinion of a certain area, as well as increasing our insurance premium. You know, everyone pays when an insurance company has to pay out on an arson claim; a lot of people just don’t realize that.”

arson 2He says finding the motive of an arson case is often the hardest part of an investigation; officials are urging people to communicate what they know or hear to investigators.

“The public has always been the best source of information for any law enforcement effort, and arson is a crime,” Carrell says. “When we have an arson in any area, we certainly look to the public the local community know the area, they know what’s going on. It’s important they keep their eyes and ears open, then pass along any information they see as suspicious.”

He says the most common motives behind arson fires are insurance fraud, revenge, vandalism and covering up different crimes, such as homicide.

National Arson Awareness Week is May 2 through 8, with this year’s theme being “Community Arson Prevention.”

The US Fire Administration recommends that homeowners and businesses take steps to strengthen internal and external security.

In Missouri, if anyone witnesses or has information that may lead to the arrest of the people responsible for deliberately set fires, they can call the statewide Arson Hotline at 1-800-39ARSON. Tipsters may do so anonymously and rewards of up to $5,000 are available for such information.

Jessica Machetta reports [Download / listen Mp3, 1:20 min.]

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Royals feel the wrath of the Rays

April 30, 2010 By

It was the wrong time for the Royals to play the Tampa Bay Rays. The Royals suffered an 11-1 loss to the team with the best record in the majors at 17-5. Alberto Callaspo had two of the five hits Rays starter Matt Garza gave up. One of those was a solo home run in the fourth.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: , ,

State legislators approve budget early, now what?

April 30, 2010 By

State lawmakers have approved the $23 billion state budget one week before the deadline, but what that might mean for the last two weeks of the legislative session is unclear.

Sagging state tax revenue dollars and their impact on the state budget have dominated this session so much so that some suggest that passage of the state budget has let the air out of the balloon.

House Majority Floor Leader Steven Tilley of Perryville rejects the analogy.

“Oh no, I think everybody is committed to having a solid two weeks,” Tilley says. “My intention is to keep people here and keep them working. We’ve got a lot of difficult issues to deal with and we are going to do our best to deal with them.”

The analogy seems apt to the top Democrat in the House, Paul LeVota of Independence, who questions the productivity of Republicans this session.

“I just remember at the beginning of the session, myself and the Speaker saying the same thing that job creation is our number one priority and we have yet to see that,” LeVota says. “We said that autism insurance was going to be the first bill. We’re still waiting for action on that. So, I don’t know what they want to get done.”

House leadership blames the Senate on the lack of movement of a jobs creation bill. Economic development has had trouble the last couple of years as certain senators complain about tax credits. House Democrats have joined the chorus in calling for tax credit reform, a topic that Governor Nixon has also fixated on the last few weeks of this session.

Legislation to require insurance companies to pay for autism treatment has been a focus of the session this year. The Senate and House have approved separate measures. Ethics legislation has passed the Senate. It has gotten caught in the partisan cross-hairs in the House after Democrats pushed a discharge petition to seize it from a committee and force it on the calendar. That move angered House Republican leaders who say the subjects of the discharge petition will go nowhere. Another vehicle might be found for ethics reform.

Though the budget has been passed, a several pieces of legislation tied to it are pending. Those bills would implement savings expected through the downsizing of state government. They are estimated to save the state nearly $112 million annually, though officials say that number might be a bit inflated.

AUDIO: Brent Martin reports [:60 MP3]

Filed Under: Legislature Tagged With: ,
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