News for Monday, August 29, 2011

That CO2 warming the world: Lock it in a rock

August 29, 2011, 2 p.m.

Rare find discovered amid town’s Old West kitsch

August 29, 2011, 1:54 p.m.

Public Works wants bigger chunk of city budget for sidewalks, street material

August 29, 2011, 5:57 a.m.

Big Brothers Big Sisters official takes program to heart

August 29, 2011, 5:39 a.m.

Father-son interest leads from powwows to Venture Crew

August 29, 2011, 5:01 a.m.

Man charged in Illinois, Missouri deaths faces first trial

August 29, 2011, 5:30 a.m.

Vignettes from Irene’s march up the East Coast

August 29, 2011, 5:26 a.m.

Lohse gets 100th career win, Cards beat Pirates

August 28, 2011, 5:51 p.m.

Chen boosts Royals in 2-1 win over Indians

August 28, 2011, 5:49 p.m.

Grandparents play a bigger role in child-rearing

August 28, 2011, 2 p.m.

Fulton festival features bluegrass and barbecue

August 28, 2011, 1:51 p.m.

Obits

Weblogs

I Cry Over MoDOT's Spilled Milk

Stories

FEMA puts long-term rebuilding on hold after Irene

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The federal government has frozen some aid to tornado- and flood-ravaged Missouri and the South to focus on immediate help for victims of Hurricane Irene, disappointing residents and officials who said Monday they still need help.

Transportation woes continue from river flooding

Floodwater from the bloated Missouri River that has covered miles of roads around the state’s northwest for nearly three months is still causing headaches for residents and towns suddenly dealing with increased traffic, and state transportation officials say it’s unclear when any repair work will begin.

Irene’s toll jumps to 38; Vt. towns battle floods

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The full measure of Hurricane Irene’s fury came into focus Monday as the death toll jumped to 38, New England towns battled epic floods and millions faced the dispiriting prospect of several days without electricity.

Kinder to tour state before deciding on governor’s race

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder had been gearing up to declare his candidacy for governor after the Labor Day holiday, but after an embarrassing acknowledgement that he frequented a strip club in the mid-1990s, Kinder said Monday that he plans to meet with residents across the state before deciding whether to enter the race.

Consumer spending rebounds in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer spending grew in July by 0.8 percent, the largest amount in five months. That followed a decline in June and helped ease fears that the U.S. economy is on the verge of another recession.

Dow gains 254 as insurance drives stocks higher

NEW YORK (AP) — So much for Irene.

Obama’s uncle held by immigration officials

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) — President Barack Obama’s uncle was stopped on suspicion of drunken driving in Massachusetts, told police he planned to arrange bail through the White House and is being held without bail by federal immigration officials, authorities said Monday.

City councilman killed after finding Calif. pot field

FORT BRAGG, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California town was reeling Monday after the death of a well-respected city councilman and former mayor who was gunned down after finding a remote illegal marijuana operation.

Polygamist Warren Jeffs in medically induced coma

HOUSTON (AP) — Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was hospitalized Monday in a medically induced coma in critical condition after fasting in the weeks since receiving a life sentence for sexually assaulting underage followers he took as spiritual brides, officials said.

Gadhafi’s wife, 3 children flee to Algeria

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Moammar Gadhafi’s wife and three of his children fled Libya to neighboring Algeria on Monday, firm evidence that the longtime leader has lost his grip on the country.

Alaska woman in hot sauce case spared jail time

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska woman convicted of punishing her adopted Russian son by squirting hot sauce into his mouth was spared immediate jail time on Monday.

Wis. clinic warns of possible disease exposures

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Madison-based clinic is trying to track down hundreds of patients after a nurse apparently spent years improperly using diabetic injection devices on them, potentially exposing them to blood-borne diseases such as HIV.

Report: Vaccines generally safe, some side effects

Vaccines can cause certain side effects but serious ones appear very rare — and there’s no link with autism and Type 1 diabetes, the Institute of Medicine says in the first comprehensive safety review in 17 years.

That CO2 warming the world: Lock it in a rock

Sometime next month, on the steaming fringes of an Icelandic volcano, an international team of scientists will begin pumping "seltzer water" into a deep hole, producing a brew that will lock away carbon dioxide forever.

Rare find discovered amid town’s Old West kitsch

The Gypsy sat for decades in a restaurant amid the Old West kitsch that fills this former gold rush town, her unblinking gaze greeting the tourists who shuffled in from the creaking wooden sidewalk outside.

Our Opinion: Businesses join to alleviate hunger abroad

Businesses — including companies with international reach — are helping aid groups alleviate the hunger and misery being suffered by victims of drought and famine in the Horn of Africa.

Your Opinion: ‘Status quo’ not American ideal

Dear Editor: A recent writer upheld the conservative view of two Americas with a cavalier “life goes on” conclusion. There are beggars and the wealthy he boasted. So what? This is standard “free market capitalism” which is just one type of capitalism.

Ameren crews aiding Irene victims

When ice storms and thunderstorms downed power lines in eastern Missouri in recent years, utility workers from around the country arrived to help Ameren Corp. worker restore electricity. Now, the St. Louis-based utility is returning the favor.

Obama to tap Krueger for economic post

President Barack Obama has chosen labor economist Alan Krueger for a top administration post as the White House scrambles for solutions to boost a fragile economy with the 2012 election looming.

Missouri weekly gas price update

Press Release

Average retail gasoline prices in Missouri have risen 13.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.51 per gallon on Sunday.

Public Works wants bigger chunk of city budget for sidewalks, street material

Work on the proposed city budget for 2012 is under way, and one Jefferson City department is seeking a large increase in funding from past years.

Despite small roster, Calvary prepping for volleyball opener

While there’s strength in numbers, the Calvary Lutheran volleyball team is hoping it’s strength in small numbers.

Lady Crusaders making adjustments to lineup as season gets started

The season hasn’t even started yet, but the Helias volleyball team has suffered a big loss, finding out last week sophomore middle hitter Anna Murphy will be sidelined with a stress fracture in her lower back.

Helias volleyball schedule gets a facelift

New-look slate includes match with Blair Oaks

Most years, you could count on a schedule for the Helias volleyball team that looked very familiar. This is not most years.

Big Brothers Big Sisters official takes program to heart

Lee Knernschield is the program director of Missouri Valley Big Brothers Big Sisters, but most importantly, she is a mentor to a young child herself and has been for eight years.

Man charged in Illinois, Missouri deaths faces first trial

Police believe Ronald Randall's killer was only in Galesburg long enough to find the 65-year-old retiree, beat the life out of him and steal his truck before driving back onto I-74 and out of town. Randall was one of eight people in Illinois and Missouri who died over a long few days in June 2008 at the hands, investigators say, of a killer who bludgeoned his victims into bloody submission.

Team looks to establish entertainment district, trolley

As part of the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce’s economic development strategic plan “Transformation,” the Old Town action team is recommending four proposals to enhance the neighborhood and encourage continued growth in the area.

Vignettes from Irene’s march up the East Coast

New Jersey State Trooper Daniel Cunning was on duty when a hurricane made landfall in New Jersey for only the third time in two centuries. Fighting ferocious winds and stinging rain, Cunning would save a life and lose a life in the darkness of the same flooded road.

Facebook law’s chances uncertain in special session

Gov. Jay Nixon said Friday lawmakers should repeal the entire section of a new state law restricting public school employees from full use of the Internet’s various “social media” pages, including “Facebook.”

Freeburg man killed in tractor accident

A 22-year-old Freeburg man died in a one-vehicle wreck in Osage County early Sunday morning while driving an Allis-Chalmers tractor.

University to lease historic Columbia theater

The University of Missouri has agreed to lease a historic Columbia theater that some local preservationists feared would close its doors.

Calif. would be first state to ban foam containers

Restaurant owner Gary Honeycutt says a push in California's state Legislature to ban the plastic foam containers he uses to serve up takeout meals could cost him thousands of dollars in an industry where profit margins already are razor thin.

Father-son interest leads from powwows to Venture Crew

For Carl Mahoney, it was his son Patrick who got him back into Native American dancing, a passion of his in the 1980s that gave way to the demands of college, work and then family life.

Analysis: Panels can't reach deal on Missouri districts

Two bipartisan state commissions could not agree this month on the partisan task of drawing new districts for the Missouri Legislature. That means it will be up to a nonpartisan judicial commission to handle the politically significant job.

Local veteran values the integral role of military spouses

Service in the armed forces can be sprinkled with hardships such as deployment and family separation. Fortunately, in the case of local veteran Travis Mobley, the support of his wife has helped him retain a positive outlook during an unexpected career journey.

Linn captures title at New Haven Tournament

The Linn Lady Wildcats went 3-0 to capture the title Saturday at the New Haven Tournament.

The week ahead on Wall Street

Maybe Warren Buffett can strike a deal to buy the entire stock market, too. At least the markets plan to open Monday, but after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke announced no new program Friday to lift stocks, investors sold lots of them.

World stock markets rise after Fed chief’s speech

World stock markets rose Monday, with buying appetite getting a boost from Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke’s prediction that the U.S. economy will eventually return to full health.

Former jailer accused of raping inmate in 1994

A former McDonald County jailer who is accused of making sexual advances toward an underage girl last year now has been charged with raping a female inmate 17 years ago.

Missouri group warns of random violence after attacks

A St. Louis organization that promotes walking and biking is warning cyclists to watch out for random attacks after an assault last week.

Kansas capital case raises insanity defense issue

Former Columbia, Mo., man awaits sentencing

A northeast Kansas jury will decide whether to recommend a death sentence for a former Mid-Missouri man convicted of killing his estranged wife and three other family members after his attorneys failed to convince jurors he was too mentally ill at the time to be held legally responsible for the killings.