May 22, 2013

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Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer travel season (AUDIO)

May 21, 2013 By

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, the summer traveling season is just around the corner.

Division of Tourism Director Katie Steele Danner says traveler sentiment and planning family vacations are up this year.

Danner recommends that folks take advantage of Missouri’s waterways this season by planning a float trip on one of the state’s many streams or a boating venture on some of Missouri’s lakes. “All indications are that it’s going to be a great summer travel season in Missouri,” she said.

Danner says a few other vacation hot spots this year Missourians and visitors can go to visit are St. Louis, Kansas City, and Branson; which provide amusement and water parks for families to enjoy.

“They can also participate in some activities that are happening at Six Flags, at the downtown area in St. Louis and at the ballpark,” Danner said.

For more information on summer travel hot spots throughout Missouri, visit www.visitMO.com

 

AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (0:58)

 

 

Filed Under: Entertainment, Featured, Human Interest, News, Travel

Highway Patrol urges drivers to be aware of traffic pattern changes during summer travel season (AUDIO)

May 20, 2013 By

Schools are beginning to let out for summer vacation and the Highway Patrol says that means drivers should notice a change in traffic patterns they should be aware of.

Highway Patrol Spokesman Tim Hull says drivers should be aware of a decrease in school bus traffic in local areas and an increase in bicycle and pedestrian traffic, especially in areas where outdoor summer activities are prominent.

Hull says motorists should still watch out for students  in school areas though, because of summer school classes. “Whether it be going to the swimming pool or any other summer activity, or even kids driving to summer jobs,” he said. “But you won’t see the amount of traffic that we’ve seen over the last few months with school buses and the parents around the schools.”

Hull says as local traffic become lighter, highway traffic will get heavier. “The local weekenders that make regular weekend trips to the Lake of the Ozarks, Branson, and other vacation areas,” he said.

Hull says highway construction also increases during the summer, so he suggests drivers plan their trips accordingly and plan on taking detours.

He also reminds motorists to keep safety in mind and watch weather reports before hitting the road.

“Usually, a lot of people in the state will travel somewhere else and people from elsewhere will travel to Missouri,” he said. “We’ve got places in Kansas City and St. Louis, water parks and amusement parks that we all see visitors going to.”

 

 

AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (0:58)

Filed Under: Featured, Human Interest, News, Transportation, Travel

Powerball jackpot reaches a record $600 million (AUDIO)

May 17, 2013 By

The Powerball jackpot is pushing high payouts due to strong sales and continues to get pushed higher before this Saturday’s drawing… and it has. It’s now soared to a record $600 million with a cash value estimated at $376.9 million.

Saturday’s estimated Powerball jackpot has rised from $550 million to $600 million, and due to overwhelming number of ticket purchases made in Missouri, the gigantic jackpot could possibily keep on growing before this weekend’s drawing.

Executive Director May Scheve Reardon says it only takes 2 dollars at a chance to win big, and all proceeds go to public education in Missouri. “It only takes one ticket to win, and it’s a one in 175 million to one chances that someone would win the powerball,” she said.

Reardon adds that Missouri is no stranger to Powerball winners. “We’ve seen it happen here in Missouri so many times and we think it’s going to happen again,” she said.

Reardon suggests that players play responsibly and within their means. Powerball players have until 8:59 p.m. Saturday to purchase Powerball tickets.

Listen to full interview with Missouri Lottery Executive Director May Scheve Reardon, here. (3:15)

Filed Under: Featured, Finance, Human Interest, News

Nerve stimulation treatment shows change in brain function for people with depression (AUDIO)

May 13, 2013 By

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found an alternative way that could treat patients with severe depression through nerve stimulation in the brain. Dr. Charles Conway with Washington University in St. Louis says a nerve stimulator implanted in the brain could help treat patients with severe depression who don’t respond to standard anti-depressant medication.

Conway says little is known about how this stimulation works to relieve depression, but patients who receive stimulation of the vagus nerve, which is located in the lower-back of the brain; can begin to see positive changes in brain function and brain metabolism within weeks or months.

“We’re seeing with people with this vagus nerve stimulator is it generally, most of the patients who get this, they’re the most severe and they’ve failed multiple medications; so these are sort of the sickest of the sick,” he said. “They don’t typically respond right away, but over the course of many months- usually about 6 to 12 months of stimulation they start to get better.”

He says he doesn’t understand why or how this was coming about.

However, Conway says brain scan studies are beginning to reveal the processes that occur in the brain during stimulation and that could provide clues about how it combats depression. “In the patients who respond to vagus nerve stimulation, the majority of them maintain their response,” he said.

Studies have shown that if a patient responds to the stimulation at 12 months, he says somewhere between 70 to 80 percent of patients maintain their response a year later.

“These are patients who have failed multiple medications,” Conway said. He adds that nerve stimulation is looking promising for severely depressed patients.

AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (:58)

Filed Under: Featured, Health & Medicine, Human Interest, News

Missouri ranks 30th in bicycle friendliness (AUDIO)

May 10, 2013 By

A report by the League of American Bicyclists says Missouri ranks 30th in most bicycle friendly states, down from previous years.

Executive Director Brent Hugh with the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation says in honor of National Bike month, several categories determine how the states are ranked in terms of bicycle friendliness. He says everything from legislation, bicycling laws, bicycling policies and programs, and infrastructure (bike lanes, trails, and road shoulders).

This year, Missouri ranks 30th nationally and 6th in the Midwest. Hugh says prior to this year, Missouri has ranked as high as 17th. He says that this year’s rank is the lowest the state has received in the last six years.

However, he says Missouri did score the highest in education and encouragement which help push Missourians to stay active by bicycling. “Now that we have such things as Nationa Bike Month every year that we didn’t have 10 or 15 years ago,” Hugh said. “It’s also evaluated on whether the state is doing well on evaluation and planning for bicycling.”

Hugh says but one downside is other states are building more bicycle trails and adopting more bicycle friendly programs faster than Missouri. “They’re putting more resources towards it, they have dedicated budgets to do it, they’re interested in public help implications, and they’re interested in helping the environment,” Hugh said.

Hugh says the League of American Bicyclists have been ranking the best bicycle friendly states for the last seven years.

The report also lays out some key recommendations for Missouri: Remove current restrictions on state transportation funds that disallow funding of bicycle facilities; Adopt and implement Complete Street policies; Adopt a statewide bicycle plan; Adopt statewide and local laws making it unlawful to harass, taunt, or throw objects at bicyclists.

 

For more information about the League of American Bicyclists, visit www.bikeleague.org

For more information about the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, visit www.mobikefed.org

 

AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (1:01)

 

Filed Under: Featured, Human Interest, News, Sports, Transportation, Travel
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