Missouri

AT&T Boosts Wireless Coverage, Announces New 3G Markets and Plans to Expand AT&T U-verse Availability

St. Louis, Missouri, May 18, 2009 -- AT&T* plans to add approximately 55 new cell sites throughout Missouri in 2009. It also plans to launch its third-generation (3G) mobile broadband network in Cape Girardeau and Joplin. In February, AT&T completed its St. Joseph 3G launch. Additionally, AT&T plans to expand its existing 3G network in St. Louis.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed House Bill 15 into law. This bill provides supplemental appropriations to several state agencies, departments and programs for Fiscal Year 2009 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

One of the key items in HB 15 is an appropriation of $30.9 million for employment and job-training programs for low-income youth and displaced workers. A portion of this appropriation will fund Gov. Nixon's Next-Generation Jobs Team, a summer employment program that will connect thousands of Missouri youth with internships and work experiences at high-tech, cutting-edge businesses beginning this month.    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today sent joint federal and state damage assessment teams to 28 counties in southern Missouri that were affected by the May 8 storm system that brought tornadoes, straight line winds and flash flooding. The teams will canvass areas with local officials, verifying damage to homes and businesses from the storm to support the Governor's request for Federal Disaster Assistance.

"It is imperative that our citizens receive help to recover from last week's devastating storms," Gov. Nixon said. "Many communities are still without power, and we are working diligently with local officials and the utility companies to expedite the recovery effort."    » read more »

May 7, 2009 -- LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. -- Missouri Governor Jay Nixon toured the production facility at Kokam America in Lee's Summit this morning to urge the Missouri Senate to take urgent action to pass the administration's emergency jobs bill. The bill, which has passed several times in the Missouri House of Representatives, would provide vital resources to help high-tech, next-generation companies expand and create jobs.

Kokam America is a growing manufacturer of cutting-edge lithium battery projects, which are used in applications such as computers, emergency response vehicles and U.S. military fighter jets. The company's U.S. headquarters are in Lee's Summit.    » read more »

May 6, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today released the following statement on the Missouri House's failure to adopt the conference committee report for House Bill 11:

"Missouri has a 25-year high in unemployment and a little more than one week remaining in the legislative session, yet the Republican-led legislature has done virtually nothing to improve our state's economy.    » read more »

April 27, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced today that Missouri health officials are taking significant steps to deal with a new strain of swine flu that has prompted federal officials to declare a nationwide health emergency.

The Governor said that while no case of swine flu had been confirmed in Missouri, state health officials and the medical community have been on high alert since Friday because of the contagious nature of the new flu virus. The Department of Health and Senior Services, headed by Director Margaret Donnelly, is the lead agency in coordinating the state's preparation for possible influenza cases.    » read more »

Phase I of proposed projects would link Chicago, St. Louis

April 14, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and the governors of seven other Midwestern states have joined in support of high-speed passenger rail projects to link cities in their region, with Chicago as the hub. The governors, along with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking him to support plans that have been in place for several years for key rail corridors between cities in their states, including St. Louis to Chicago.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, DC, April 8, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,409,877 grant to assist approximately 815 workers affected by mass layoffs and plant closures at 11 companies across three regions in southern Missouri. These include the Ozark region, the southeast region and the south central region.

Workers affected include those employed in industries such as distribution, manufacturing and telecommunications. Companies include: Cargill Value Added Meats, EDCO Group Inc. (doing business as Healthport), McQueary Brothers Drug Co., Noranda Aluminum Inc., Nordyne, Paul Mueller Co., Petit Jean Poultry Inc., Rapco/Major Custom Cable Inc., Thorngate Ltd., Tracker Marine and Westgate Resorts.    » read more »

Resilient Missourians Recover From Raucous '08

March 26, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Winter storms, ice, flooding, and tornadoes made 2008 a year like few others in Missouri.

Beginning with the December 2007 ice storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinated recovery efforts for seven separate disasters that hit the state last year. More than $181 million in disaster assistance was provided to individuals, businesses and qualifying nonprofit organizations, and to state and local governments.    » read more »

March 26, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today signed into law SB313, which codifies the two special funds the Governor created in February to track every dollar received by the State Treasury under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: the Federal Budget Stabilization Fund and the Federal Stimulus Fund.    » read more »

March 26, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today announced the names of 18 Missourians he has appointed to the Automotive Jobs Task Force. Gov. Nixon created the Task Force to identify ways state government can best help Missouri's automotive industry and the industries that are dependent on it.

"Our top priorities to revive Missouri's economy are to create and retain good jobs, and these are people with the expertise in the automotive industry and in related industries who can provide our state with the assistance we need in this vital area," Gov. Nixon said.

The Task Force, which falls under the Missouri Department of Economic Development, is charged with:    » read more »

New Analysis Ranks "Filthy 15" States by Coal Ash Produced by Proposed Plants

Washington, D.C. (March 12, 2009) -- Proposed coal plants across the United States would produce nearly 18 million tons of dangerous waste, including toxic metals, each year. Nearly 130 million tons of coal waste from existing plants is being produced annually, most of which is disposed of in largely unregulated landfills, ponds and other locations, posing serious public health and environmental risks.

According to a new analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the 15 states that would be the biggest polluters -- the “Filthy 15” -- have proposals for 54 coal plants and would create nearly 14 million tons of dangerous waste.    » read more »

March 9, 2009 -- ST. LOUIS - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is visiting community health centers across Missouri this week to announce a landmark agreement with the Missouri Hospital Association to provide quality health care to nearly 35,000 additional parents - at no increased cost to the state's taxpayers.    » read more »

March 5, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today released the following statement on Wednesday's House vote against an amendment to expand S-CHIP funding in the FY09 supplemental budget bill:

"Yesterday, the Missouri House of Representatives turned down an opportunity to provide health care to 2,000 Missouri children, eliminate premiums for 19,000 others and take the first step to enroll 20,000 more children.

By refusing to make a minimal investment of $1.9 million in the health of our kids, House Republicans turned away $5.5 million in federal matching funds from the Children's Health Insurance Program and sent a disappointing signal that health care for Missouri children is not one of their priorities.    » read more »

February 27, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Advance planning and quick response is the key to saving lives when confronted with tornadoes.

Severe storms that often spawn tornadoes can approach quickly, and there may be only a short time to make a life-or-death decision.

March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) encourages Missourians to prepare ahead for the worst.

"We remind all Missouri residents that each household needs to have a disaster preparedness plan," said FEMA's Tom Hall, federal coordinating officer for disaster operations in Missouri. "Planning and practicing specifically how and where you will take shelter in the event a tornado could be a matter of survival."    » read more »