After many long weeks of drought in northwest Missouri, we could see significant rainfall Friday and Saturday.
The National Weather Service tells us Isaac, now a tropical storm, continues to move slowly northwestward over Louisiana, on a track toward Arkansas.
Isaac continues to move slowly northwestward over southeastern Louisiana but should turn toward the north-northwest by Thursday night or early Friday Heavy rain and a significant flood threat are expected to spread inland across parts of the central U.S. during the next several days. Water levels along the northern Gulf Coast will remain elevated through early Thursday.
Forecasters say Isaac will steadily weaken as it continues north and west, with deep tropical moisture spreading into our area Friday and Saturday. Depending on the track it takes, potentially heavy rainfall could hit our region with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms.
riculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated 128 additional counties in nine-states as natural disaster areas due to drought on Wednesday – along with announcing a two-month extension for emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program acres. Vilsack says it’s important for U.S. farmers and ranchers to have the tools they need to be successful in the long term – and this extension will allow farmers and ranchers approved for emergency grazing to extend grazing through November 30th without additional CRP rental payment reductions. Currently – the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates 63-percent of the nation’s hay acreage and 72-percent of the cattle acreage is experiencing drought.
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson and American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman will serve as the masters of ceremony for the Farm Bill Now rally coming up September 12th in Washington, D.C. The event is hosted by NFU, AFBF – the two largest general farm groups in the U.S. – and a number of other agricultural organizations. With only eight days remaining on the legislative calendar before the current farm bill expires – Johnson says the rally aims to send a strong, unified message to Congress that they must act now on the 2012 Farm Bill to ensure the well-being and livelihood of all Americans who benefit from the legislation. Stallman says Farm Bureau appreciates the work done by Congress to date and looks forward to working with the House to get a farm bill passed and into conference as soon as possible. In light of the drought – he says it’s imperative for America’s farmers that a farm bill is passed this year.
The Farm Bill Now rally is an effort to raise public awareness of the need for Congress to pass a new, comprehensive, five-year farm bill before current farm programs expire. Leaders from major farm and commodity groups, rural development, livestock, conservation and energy organizations will address the crowd. NFU, AFBF and the sponsoring organizations are calling on their members, media and all ag supporters to join the event.
Officials at Heartland Regional Medical Center say a new human pathogen was discovered at the hospital.
Officials say the pathogen is named the “Heartland Virus.” A report on the discovery was published this week in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.
A formal announcement is scheduled Thursday.
In the paper, authors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Scott Folk, author from Heartland Health, describe two cases of illness caused by this novel virus. Both patients had tick bites in the days leading up to their illness, and were hospitalized in 2009 with multiple symptoms, including fever, headache, fatigue and diarrhea. Both patients recovered.
Officials say there is much yet to be learned about Heartland virus. CDC is working with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, local health departments, and several healthcare facilities in Missouri to determine symptoms and potential severity of the disease, the geographic extent of the disease, how people are infected and ways to prevent infections.
A news conference is scheduled Thursday, at which officials will offer more information about the virus.
An armada of vehicles and dozens of personnel from Missouri electric power coops will lend a hand with restoration of power in areas hit by Hurricane Isaac.
The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives is waiting for the call from Dixie Electric Membership Corp based in Greenwell Springs, La., a suburb of Baton Rouge. Missouri’s electric cooperatives have organized a relief force of 146 linemen and 81 pieces of equipment from 30 electric cooperatives.
“We are waiting for a call from the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives to go,” says Rob Land, who heads the emergency assistance program at the association. “The storm still hasn’t hit where they are at. It’s still in the gulf but is expected to hit this afternoon.”
Already Dixie Electric reports 27,000 of its members – a fourth of those served by the cooperative – are without power as strong winds and heavy rainfall batter the area.
If needed, crews from northern parts of Missouri will head south to Blytheville, Ark., where they will spend the night. On Friday, they will be joined by crews from southern Missouri electric cooperatives and should arrive in the hurricane zone sometime Friday, Aug. 31, ready to work.
Several of Missouri’s electric cooperatives were unable to respond to the call for help because they have all available workers working to wire wells drilled as part of Gov. Jay Nixon’s drought relief program.
“While we always prioritize helping other electric cooperatives and their members when disasters strike them and leave Missouri alone, we have to also prioritize getting needed water to our Missouri farmers affected by the drought, said Barry Hart, CEO of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.” All of the wells have to be completed by Sept. 23.”
Those systems sending assistance are:
Barry Electric, Cassville
Barton County Electric, Lamar
Black River Electric, Fredericktown
Boone Electric, Columbia
Callaway Electrric, Fulton
Central Missouri Electric, Sedalia
Citizens Electric, Ste. Genevieve
Co-Mo Electric, Tipton
Consolidated Electric, Mexico
Crawford Electric, Bourbon
Cuivre River Electric, Troy
Gascosage Electric, Dixon
Grundy Electric, Trenton
Howell-Oregon Electric, West Plains
Intercounty Electric, Licking
Laclede Electric, Lebanon
Lewis County Electric, Lewistown
Macon Electric, Macon
Osage Valley Electric, Butler
Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric, Hayti
Platte-Clay Electric, Kearney
Ralls County Electric, New London
Sac Osage Electric, El Dorado Springs
SEMO Electric, Sikeston
Tri-County Electric, Lancaster
United Electric, Maryville
Webster Electric , Marshfield
West Central Electric, Higginsville
White River Valley Electric, Branson
Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative, Palmyra
This weekend marks your last chance to cool off and have fun at the St Joseph Aquatic Park.
Grab your swimsuits and get out to the Aquatic Park for one last weekend of fun in the water. The weather is still hot, so cool off splashing at the Aquatic Park before it closes for the season.
Hours of operation this weekend are Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
City officials say the park will close for the season at the end of the day on Sunday, September 2.
Ted Allison, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber, has resigned his position, effective Wednesday. Mr. Allison had been President and CEO, since Dec. 1, 2006.
In a news release, Mr. Allison, an Oklahoma native, said he and his wife, Shelley, will be moving back to Oklahoma.
“There are some serious family matters in Oklahoma that require my immediate attention and, therefore, I am resigning my position as President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber as of this date,” Mr. Allison said in his resignation letter. “I have truly enjoyed my term with the Chamber and living in St. Joseph.
“Reflecting over the last six years, I feel we have accomplished many significant achievements that have greatly benefited the organization, as well as the entire community. Boehringer’s events yesterday were great moments of celebration for all of us. It gives me much comfort in knowing I am leaving on a high note.”
Vern Middleton, Executive Vice President of Midwest Federal and current Chairman of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber Board of Directors expressed his appreciation for Mr. Allison’s service to the Chamber, while also sharing a plan for the immediate future.
“I want to thank Mr. Allison for his work here in St. Joseph,” Mr. Middleton said. “With his departure, the Board of Directors has selected Steve Hamilton, Senior Vice President of Economic Development, to serve as President during the search process for a successor to Mr. Allison.
“Steve is a seasoned business executive who is well respected in the community and by the Chamber staff. We’re fortunate that Steve is available, along with a very capable staff, to help guide the Chamber at this time.”
Before joining the Chamber staff in 2010, Mr. Hamilton served as Chairman and CEO to the Northwest Region of UMB Banks for six years. He oversaw 14 bank locations in 11 communities. He has more than 40 years of management experience.
The Chamber’s Board and staff are currently participating in a strategic planning process being led by the Excellence in Missouri Foundation. The Board will take the results of this process into account when hiring a new President and CEO.
Allison is the former President & CEO of the Broken Arrow, OK, Chamber. That is a position in which he served for 12 years.
Mr. Allison is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Economics.
He also graduated from the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.
He is a “Certified Economic Developer” by the International Economic Development Council. His professional activities include being a member of the University of Missouri Business Development Advisory Council, a board member of the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences, a board member of the Missouri Western State University Foundation, and is a member of the Craig School of Business Advisory Council at Missouri Western State University.
Mr. Allison is married to Shelly, his wife of 35 years, and he has three daughters and one granddaughter
As President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber, Ted Allison oversaw all of the Chamber’s activities, including economic development, membership and administration. In partnership with the business community, the Chamber identifies and facilitates the accomplishment of goals that lead to a strong, vibrant business environment.
ATCHISON, Kan. (AP) – Families of four of the six people who died in an explosion at a grain elevator in northeast Kansas have filed wrongful-death lawsuits against some the elevator’s employees.
The families contend in the lawsuits that employees of Bartlett Grain Co., including current president Bob Knief, disregarded the safety and health of the workers.
An explosion in October 2011 killed four Bartlett employees and two grain inspectors. The lawsuits were filed Monday by families of the Bartlett employees.
Investigators determined the explosion was an accident but federal safety officials accused Bartlett of willfully ignoring workplace rules. Officials proposed $406,000 in fines against Bartlett.
The Kansas City Star reports (http://bit.ly/PQ0IcD ) the company has vowed to fight the fines. It issued a statement Tuesday saying employees acted appropriately and reasonably before the explosion.
Tom Wopat, aka Luke, “the smart cousin” from the “Dukes of Hazzard” television series, will be in St Joseph this fall singing with a jazz trio at the Missouri Theater.
The Performing Arts Association took a different tack, selling tickets at the Ground Round Grill & Bar downtown.
Those who showed up for the Performing Arts Association “Cash Mob” could get a discount $32 tickets for only $20.
The performance of Tom Wopat and his jazz Trio is October 14th.
Wopat was known as “the smart cousin” Luke Duke, on the 70’s TV show The Dukes of Hazzard. He has also worked hard at establishing himself in the musical theater community. The Dukes of Hazzard ran for seven seasons allowing Wopat plenty of time both on camera and behind it. In the late 90’s Wopat was found on the critically acclaimed TV show Cybil, and the touring production of Annie Get Your Gun. Most recently, you will find his eclectic style in his newly released albums, “The Still of the Night” and “Consider it Swung.”
The Environmental Protection Agency has approved registration of Syngenta’s Lexar EZ and Lumax EZ herbicides. Syngenta Technical Asset Lead says these two herbicides demonstrate the same performance, residual control, application flexibility and crop safety as market-leading Lexar and Lumax herbicides with the added benefit of improved handling. Both contain three active ingredients to provide multiple modes of action for more effective residual control on tough grasses and small-seeded broadleaf weeds – along with weeds resistant to glyphosate, ALS-inhibiting, PPO and triazine herbicdes. Vail says Syngenta is committed to providing enhanced technology solutions to meet the needs of growers. Lexar EZ and Lumax EZ are registered to use in field corn, seed corn, sweet corn, yellow popcorn and grain sorghum.
