Former MU, Pittsburg announcer lands Cardinal play-by-play job

The St. Louis Cardinals fired play-by-play announcer Wayne Hagin after three seasons Friday and named Chicago White Sox announcer John Rooney as his replacement.
I remember Rooney's work as announcer for the MU football and basketball teams, and also his brief stints working with Jack Buck and Mike Shannon on Cardinal games a couple of decades ago. Rooney has some of his early radio experiences in Pittsburg, Kan., according to the Associated Press story.

News-Leader offers 'thorn' to newly-elected senator

I heartily agree with the Springfield News-Leader editorial board's decision to issue one of its thorns in its weekly "roses and thorns" column to newly-elected State Senator Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon.
Goodman's barrage of negative ads during the last several days of his campaign to succeed the late Larry Gene Taylor, was sickening, and as the newspaper pointed out, unnecessary.
The News-Leader editorial writer said:

A THORN: To Rep. Jack Goodman, who needlessly went negative in his campaign for a vacant state Senate seat. Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, took two-thirds of the votes in Tuesday's election, as all observers expected. There was no need to smear his 71-year-old opponent, whose best showing was 40.8 percent in McDonald County. It's this style of politics that alienates citizens and turns them into nonvoters.

Daily confirms Neosho Forums scoop

Today's Neosho Daily News confirmed what had been written a few weeks back in Neosho Forums: perennial candidate (and perennial loser) Martin Lindstedt was found incompetent to assist in his own defense and will be transferred to a mental hospital for at least a six-month stay. Lindstedt has been held in the Newton County Jail since being arrested on statutory sodomy charges.
If you remember, Judge Kevin Selby issued an order prohibiting people who attended an open court session from reporting what had been said, a seeming overreach, even for a judge. Of course, this was the same judge who had overreacted earlier by sentencing Lindstedt to 660 days in jail on 22 separate counts of contempt of court. I would imagine that was probably just the kind of publicity Lindstedt wanted.
Lindstedt has been a candidate for everything from U. S. Senator to East Newton R-6 Board of Education, never winning any election.
He has described himself as a pastor in his writings, but Lindstedt was kicked out of the church because of statements he made, as first noted in The Turner Report.

Joplin firm enters into agreement with Texas firm

Hicks Logistics of Joplin, has entered into a major agreement with a Plano, Texas, firm, according to Market Wire.
Energy & Engine Technology Corporation, described as a "leading developer of auxiliary power generators for the long haul trucking industry," announced today it had entered into a 100-unit purchase order and dealer agreement with Hicks Logistics. Hicks specializes in "mobile and stationary fleet after market production installation and truck maintenance," the article said.
The purchase order is the Texas company's first step in its efforts to move toward "larger, long-term orders," according to the article. The purchase order is for 100 units over the next 12 months for $550,000.

Globe, KSNF websites reporting rogue officer fired

The websites for the Joplin Globe and KSNF are reporting that Joplin's rogue police officer, Charles Ward, has been fired.
Ward, you may recall, was off-duty when he went onto a Joplin elementary school campus and handcuffed and arrested an 11-year-old boy who had an off-campus run-in with Ward's son.
Joplin city officials, as usual, are mum about the reason why Ward was given the heave-ho.

Hastings signing is Saturday

It's just a little more than 24 hours before my novel, "Small Town News," has its first Joplin signing and I am looking forward to seeing many old friends and hopefully, seeing some new ones. I also invite my enemies to drop by and buy the book. I will be happy to sign it for you, too.
I will be at Hastings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the area behind the book desk where the coffeepot is. More than 50 copies of the book will be available, and on the chance that all of those are sold, orders will be taken for more and those copies will be autographed, as well.

RES problems may provide blueprint for Moark situation

The actions taken by Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt and his son, Governor Matt Blunt, to rectify odor problems in Carthage caused by Renewable Environmental Services (RES) don't seem to have done any good at all in the long run.
The company has been issued warnings, says it will do better and is putting in new equipment, then a few days later, the odor returns, more warnings are issued, and more new equipment is promised.
It appears the only positive to come out of the situation is that the public-spirited RES officials are willing to shut down the plant's odors long enough for the city to hold such events as the Maple Leaf Festival and Carthage Senior High School Graduation.
I doubt if Moark is going to provide any such gifts for Neosho. In the Moark situation, officials again have the promise of new, improved equipment from people who have been serial environmental violators in the past. Complaints will be registered, threats will be made, then officials will promise they will take care of the situation, put in new equipment to remove odor and everything will be o. k.
The people in the Carthage and Neosho areas deserve much better from the public officials whose job it is to protect the environment.
For the latest on the RES situation, read the article from today's Joplin Globe.

Jurors called for capital murder trial

Jurors have been called for the early December capital murder trial in Arkansas of a man who was captured by the Neosho Police Department, according to an article in today's Benton County Daily Record.

School administrators' actions being used by those battling for Blunt's 65 percent proposal

The actions of area school boards in raising administrators' salaries while cutting teaching positions during the 2003-2004 school year is being used as ammunition by supporters of Governor Matt Blunt's plan to require 65 percent of school funding go into educational rather than administrative costs.
Area school districts fitting into that category, according to the website RightMissouri.com include: Carl Junction, Diamond, East Newton, Jasper, Joplin, Lamar, Lockwood, Neosho, Seneca, Webb City, and Springfield.
But those figures are paltry compared to St. Louis City which eliminated 401 positions, while giving the superintendent a $16,820 raise, St. Louis County Special, which cut 114 positions and raised the chief administrator's pay $27,500.

Another cable battle for Nexstar

The Hagerstown, Maryland, Herald-Mail has an article today about yet another cable battle, in that community, for Nexstar Broadcasting.
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On the local front, it appears the Nexstar and Mission Joplin stations will lose more customers from the fringe of their viewing area. The stations are advertising that they most likely will not reach a deal with the Allegiance cable system, which has affiliates in southeast Kansas.