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O'FALLON, Mo. — John McCain presented his new vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, to thousands of cheering Missouri supporters at a sun-drenched Sunday afternoon rally at the home of St. Charles County's minor league baseball team. "She's exactly who I need," the Arizona senator said at a jam-packed T.R. Hughes Ballpark. "She's exactly what the country needs to fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second." Many in the crowd seemed to agree, breaking out at one point in a chant of "Sar-ah, Sar-ah." Wendy Riemann, a McCain spokeswoman, said about 23,000 people...

O’FALLON — John McCain presented his new vice-presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, to thousands of cheering Missouri supporters at a sun-drenched Sunday afternoon rally at the home of St. Charles County’s minor league baseball team. “I have found the right partner,” the Arizona senator said at T.R. Hughes Ballpark. “She’s exactly who I need. She’s exactly what the country needs to fight the same old Washington politics. Many in the crowd, which the campaign estimated at 23,000, seemed to agree, breaking out at one point in a chant of “Sar-uh, Sar-uh.”

John McCain leads Barack Obama by seven percentage points in the race for Missouri’s Electoral College votes. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Missouri shows John McCain attracting 48% of the vote while Barack Obama earns 41%. This is the third time in the last four months that McCain’s support has been at 47% or 48%. The one exception came in early June—McCain’s support dipped as Obama was wrapping up the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Below is Gov. Matt Blunt’s discussion of his budget policy over four years in the context of a major editorial with a cartoon that appeared on Wednesday, July 30, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gov. Blunt’s op-ed was not accepted for publication by the newspaper. Insolvency to Surpluses: The Facts about Missouri’s Budget By Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently stressed the importance of understanding the state budget. They should follow their own advice. Missourians deserve to know the facts about the state budget. The budget we inherited after years of liberal control in Jefferson City was...

In an election for President in Missouri today, 08/01/08, Republican John McCain edges Democrat Barack Obama 49% to 44%, according to this latest SurveyUSA pre-election tracking poll conducted for KCTV-TV Kansas City and KSDK-TV St. Louis. Compared to a SurveyUSA poll released ten weeks ago, when Hillary Clinton was still in the race for the Democratic nomination, McCain is up a statistically insignificant one point; Obama is down a statistically insignificant one point. Among men, McCain today leads by 12. Among women, Obama leads by 3 -- a 15 point gender gap. Among voters older than McCain, McCain leads by...

His aunt says he is undergoing major surgery for a broken back and broken heel. While he was lying on the ground, she wonders why Ozark police used an electric stun gun on him up to 19 times. “I'm not an officer, but i don't see the reason for ‘Tasering’ somebody laying there with a broken back. I don't consider that a threat,” His dad says the use of the stun gun delayed what would have been immediate surgery by two days. “The ‘Tasering’ increased his white blood cell count and caused him to have a temperature so they could...

Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri....called Obama "humble" and "as red, white and blue as you can possibly get." "He doesn't look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills," Obama said, summarizing what he views as the attacks against him. "I have not done all the full research on this, but the family legend is that Wild Bill Hickok, he's a distant cousin of mine," Obama said. "I don't know if it's true, but that's the legend, so we're going to research that because I'm ready to duel John McCain on taxes, right now, right here."

MAPLEWOOD -- A rookie firefighter was killed and two police officers were wounded when a gunman opened fire in Maplewood early today. The ambush led to a standoff that lasted several hours. It was unclear Monday afternoon what happened to the gunman, as the house he was holed up in was burned to the ground. At 2:40 p.m., police sharpshooters continued to swarm the neighborhood near South Big Bend Boulevard and Zephyr Place. Closed all day, Big Bend Boulevard was reopened at 4:30 p.m. today. The slain firefighter has been identified as Ryan Hummert, 22, the son of a former...

Three area women who took part in Million Mom Marches (MMM) against gun violence are putting their convictions to the test in this year's races for the state legislature. All of them have a respect for the Second Amendment, although they put the emphasis on "well-regulated" in the Constitutional wording. All are unhappy with the 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, which they contend promotes the availability of weapons over the safety of people.These state candidates said they're confident voters also are unhappy — even angry – that the pendulum has swung too far in a direction of unregulated...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline)-A Missouri candidate for the state Legislature says he has returned a $300 contribution from fellow Democrat state Sen. Chris Koster, who's running for attorney general. Dr. Vernon (Doc) Harlan of St. Louis is running for the 71st District state House seat in the Aug. 5 primary. Harlan said he returned the contributions amid recent revelations that Koster's campaign may have "been connected to laundering of political funds."

The 11th commandment of politics is that elected officials shall not take sides in their party primaries. Then again, Missouri Republicans are burdened with so many sins, what's one more? For an insight as to why the GOP is down and out in Washington, take a look at Jefferson City. That's where Sarah Steelman, the state treasurer, is running in an Aug. 5 primary for the Missouri governorship. And it's where her reform campaign against earmarks and self-dealing is threatening the entrenched status quo, causing her own party to rise against her.

Please Freep this poll. Of the 12 candidates listed for County Commissioner, only the first is a Republican. Help by voting for Bob Ott. ottforcommissioner.com

Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed into law today legislation that will make it harder for illegal aliens living in the state to receive benefits and harder to find jobs. The new legislations requires all public employers to use the E-Verify system to verify the legality of a potential employee and requires and individual to prove their citizenship status before receiving state benefits such as food stamps and housing. The bill also punishes those localities that adopt policies to not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Missouri joins Arizona, Oklahoma, and Georgia in instituting state-wide anti-illegal immigration laws. So far, the laws...

U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, one of two Republicans running for governor, sent out an e-release this morning challenging rival “Sarah Steelman’s newfound commitment to repeal the state’s renewable fuel directive…� Hulshof’s campaign contended that Steelman’s call to eliminate Missouri’s ethanol mandate could hike gas prices at a time when Missouri’s are the cheapest in the nation. (Many experts tie Missouri’s low price, in part, to our lower gas taxes.)

It's Panic Attack time in DUmmieland. A SurveyUSA poll shows their beloved Obama is behind by 7 points in Missouri. Of course, polls at the juncture of the campaign season are fairly meaningless. Just ask President Mondale or President Dukakis. However, it is FUn to watch the DUmmies panic. What will be ever more FUn will to be to watch the bigtime Panic Attacks by the DUmmies as the polls inevitably tighten up in a few months. The great thing about this is that this will cause the Left act really goofy and make matters even worse for themselves....

TORNADO WARNING ILC133-163-MOC099-189-510-062000- /O.NEW.KLSX.TO.W.0053.080606T1921Z-080606T2000Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 221 PM CDT FRI JUN 6 2008 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS CITY IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI NORTHWESTERN MONROE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS WESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS * UNTIL 300 PM CDT * AT 217 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HIGH...

NEOSHO, Mo. -- Missouri's two U.S. senators toured tornado-damaged areas of Newton County on Friday. A reporter asked about the possibility of federal aid to help people install tornado shelters or buy weather alert radios for their homes. "At some point, you've got to take some responsibility. The federal federal government, unless you're in need, is not going to buy your lunch for you; it's not going to buy your TV set, and a weather radio is probably something a provident, responsible family should do," said Sen. Kit Bond. "The important thing is to make sure they have the accurate...

A tornado that spun across the Oklahoma-Missouri border killed several people as severe storms raked the nation's heart Saturday, taking at least 11 lives, mangling buildings and trapping people in rubble in the storm-weary region. At least six people were killed as the tornado flattened the northeastern Oklahoma town of Picher before the funnel struck about 15 miles away near Seneca, Mo., and killed at least three, authorities said. The death toll in Oklahoma could climb, said state Emergency Management spokeswoman Michelann Ooten. The tornado in Picher — a depressed and pollution-scarred mining town that many residents had already fled...

Today President Bush traveled to Missouri and visited World Wide Technology Inc. After a tour of the company, the president spoke about the economy, and what the government should—and should not do—to help. (Transcript) “If Congress truly is interested in helping relieve the price of gasoline, they would do two things: They would recognize that we can drill for oil and gas in environmentally friendly ways here in the United States, where there are good reserves; and they would build refineries. They would encourage the construction of refineries. Do you know that there hasn't been a new refinery built in...

An illegal alien accused of sexually molesting two underage girls in Carthage two years ago entered Alford pleas Monday on both felony counts he was facing in Jasper County Circuit Court and was ordered turned over to immigration officials for deportation to Mexico. Salomon A. Jiminez, 55, entered the pleas to counts of first-degree statutory rape and first-degree statutory sodomy in a plea agreement with the county prosecutor’s office. The agreement limited the length of sentences he could be assessed to 10 years for each conviction and called for the sentences to run concurrently. Circuit Judge David Dally sentenced Jiminez...

Kirkwood — About 75 protesters gathered Monday outside the world headquarters of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, many holding signs that asked simply, "Why?" The question was directed at church leaders who, during Holy Week last month, pulled the plug on a popular radio program on the denomination's KFUO-AM station called "Issues, Etc." The host, the Rev. Todd Wilken, and producer, Jeff Schwarz, were fired without warning, and all reference to the show was taken off KFUO's website. Fans were left confused and angry. ... In the vacated time slot, the church has launched a new program called "The Afternoon Show,"...

DEEPWATER, Mo. -- Officials were trying Tuesday to decide whether to file charges against a Missouri man who fatally shot his wife while trying to install a satellite TV system in the bedroom of their home. Patsy Long, 34, of Deepwater, died after being shot in the chest with a .22-caliber handgun on Saturday. Her husband, Ronald Long, fired the shot from the inside of their home after several unsuccessful efforts to punch a hole through the exterior wall using other means. Henry County sheriff's deputies said the woman was hit by the second of two shots fired by her...

PIEDMONT, Mo. — President Bush Wednesday evening declared a major disaster in Missouri and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in areaa struck by severe storms and flooding. Residents of low-lying towns stacked sandbags or grabbed belongings and evacuated the region after a foot of rain pushed rivers and creeks out of their banks in the nation's midsection. At least 13 deaths had been linked to the weather, and three people were missing.

Ron Paul’s Missouri supporters aren’t giving up. Despite his distant fourth-place finish in the state’s presidential primary, with just 4.5 percent of the vote, more than a thousand Paul supporters crowded into Republican county caucuses last weekend, electing hundreds of delegates to upcoming congressional district and state conventions.

Missouri House members vote to bar illegal immigrants from public colleges. The legislation would require higher education institutions to verify to lawmakers that they have not knowingly enrolled illegal immigrants before they receive state money. House members gave first-round approval to the bill Wednesday by a voice vote. That came after they defeated an amendment to exempt community colleges from the bill. A 1996 federal law already prohibits states from offering in-state tuition to illegal immigrants unless they offer the same tuition break to all U.S. citizens. But at least 10 states have enacted laws providing in-state tuition to illegal...

A river is a beautiful thing. However, a river outside its banks is called a flood and turns from being a beautiful amenity to being a destructive force. This role change describes what may be happening to our judicial branch of government. There are many very fine judges, but all too often we hear about bad decisions in which the judge applied his personal philosophy to arrive at a decision far beyond simply interpreting the law. We are seeing a nationwide trend of judges starting to tax and spend without legislative authority. It is bad enough to see a poor...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Heavy snow and slush has forced officials at Kansas City International Airport to close and cancel numerous flights. Airport spokesman Joe McBride says the runways were closed around 6:30 a.m. Sunday when testing showed conditions were too slick to safely operate planes. The airport sees about 440 flights a day. Four inches of snow had fallen at Kansas City International as of 10 a.m. Forecasters predict snow will continue well into the afternoon.

"Giuliani-McCain-Romney" blamed for 2006 defeat => People ask "Leaders who never weavered on Principles", as Huckabee ! 2004 + 2006 Votes' experience asks in 2008 "GOP Leaders who never weavered on Principles" People's criticism of Giuliani-McCain-Romney for past failures, points at Brownback or Huckabee ! The People who won in 2004, but felt "betrayed" in 2006 by "Giuliani-McCain-Romney"'s line, need now, in 2008, New leaders, if not Brownback, then Huckabee : >>> "Giuliani-McCain-Romney wing of GOP is responsible for 2006 defeat...the GOP...must [now] look to leaders .. who ..never wavered on ..principles", said World's largest pro-Family, pro-Life, Human Rights organization's...

With Tuesday's presidential primary on the horizon, Missouri once again finds itself basking in the political sun. Sunday's St. Louis visits by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Mitt Romney. . . . < snip> ROMNEY VISIT Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, declared here Sunday that he's "battling coast to coast" for his party's nomination and "the soul of the Republican Party." Romney addressed dozens of supporters packing two rooms at the Dave & Buster's restaurant in Maryland Heights. He was joined by Gov. Matt Blunt, Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton and former Sens. Jim Talent of Missouri and...

Governor Romney Campaigns in Missouri 13857 Riverport Drive Maryland Heights MO 63043 February 03, 2008 Sunday, February 3rd, Governor Mitt Romney will campaign in Missouri. 4:30 p.m. Governor Romney Holds a Super Bowl Kick-Off Party Dave & Buster's 13857 Riverport Drive Maryland Heights, MO 5:20 p.m. Governor Romney Holds a Media Availability Dave & Buster's 13857 Riverport Drive Maryland Heights, MO *All Times Are Central Standard Time Start Time: 4:30 PM End Time: 6:00 PM

Chelsea Clinton to appear in Cape Girardeau Sunday, January 27, 2008 ~ Updated 2:04 AM By Rudi Keller ~ Southeast Missourian Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of top Democratic presidential contender U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, will appear at Cape Girardeau campaign event Sunday evening, Clinton, 27, is scheduled to show up at 7 p.m. at Grace Cafe, 818 Broadway. Fliers announcing the appearance were being distributed Saturday evening in downtown Cape Girardeau nightspots. (Advertisement) The event is part of the Clinton campaign's outreach to younger voters, said Carly Lindauer, spokeswoman for the Clinton campaign, in a telephone interview early Sunday morning....

Rasmussen Results for Missouri leading up to Feb 5 primary:. Huckabee ........... 27% McCain ............. 26%. Mitt Romney ........ 18% Rudy Giuliani ...... 7% Ron Paul ........... 5% undecided........... 16% In addition to those who are undecided, 11% say there is a good chance they could change their mind and another 23% say they might change their mind.This telephone survey of 589 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on January 23, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.. Clinton ........... 43% Obama ............. 24%...

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri legislator was charged with a felony Thursday for allegedly driving away after hitting a pedestrian with his pickup truck. Authorities say state Rep. Brad Robinson was driving the truck that hit a 46-year-old man south of St. Louis in the early hours of New Year's Day. His wife, Tara, had told police she was driving, but authorities say a high school's surveillance camera captured the couple switching seats in the truck moments after the accident. The Democratic lawmaker from Bonne Terre was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, and could get up...

ST. LOUIS - The state of Missouri must provide transportation to clinics for inmates who want to have an abortion, a federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the state had to allow a specific inmate, listed as Jane Roe, to have an abortion after the state tried to end the practice of driving prisoners to clinics for elective abortions. The American Civil Liberties Union then sought a federal ruling making the high court's decision a class-action on behalf of all imprisoned pregnant women in the state. U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple ruled in 2006...

Gov. Matt Blunt abruptly announced Tuesday that he will not seek a second term, leaving Republicans without a candidate in a race the incumbent had stockpiled millions of dollars for. The 37-year-old said he had decided not to seek a second term in November because he had accomplished virtually everything he set out to do when he ran for governor four years ago. Blunt has trailed in the polls, however, behind Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon, who has been campaigning against him for several years.

Gov. Matt Blunt made the surprise announcement at 4 p.m. that he will not seek re-election to a second term. He posted a video address to Missourians at YouTube.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A special Kansas City police counter-terrorism unit says they are battling international and domestic terrorism in the metro. The department's homeland security division has five detectives dedicated to investigating threats of terrorism. The unit's commander says it's an evolving threat. "We have investigated leads, that we believe are threads that are involved in the material support of terrorism that leads to acts of terrorism," Major Tom Dailey said. Dailey's unit works closely with the 15 different agencies, including the FBI and CIA. The police mainly gather leads and deliver credible threats to the proper authorities. Dailey...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A small-town mayor and church pastor was in jail Monday on charges of soliciting sex over the Internet from a police detective posing as a 13-year-old girl. Allen Kauffman, 63, was arrested Friday on four counts of felony enticement of a child in the latest sting orchestrated by a police detective in another southwest Missouri town, Diamond. Prosecutors alleged in court filings that Kauffman believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl from the Joplin area in a Yahoo chat room last November and December. In online messages, Kauffman allegedly asked the girl for sex and...

ST. LOUIS —  A rural school district's long-standing practice of allowing the distribution of Bibles to grade school students is unconstitutional, a federal judge has ruled.An attorney for the southeastern Missouri school district said Wednesday he will appeal the judge's injunction against the practice.For more than three decades, the South Iron School District in Annapolis, 120 miles southwest of St. Louis in the heart of the Bible Belt, allowed representatives of Gideons International to give away Bibles in fifth-grade classrooms.The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit two years ago on behalf of four sets of parents. In August, a three-judge...

After months of protesting Columbia’s smoking ordinance and spearheading a failed campaign to have it repealed, Joel Thiel, co-owner of Otto’s Corner Bar & Grill, said he decided this week to close doors for good. Julia Robinson photos Above, Brett Wisman, left, and Kristal Allen smoke cigarettes after dinner last night at Otto’s Corner Bar & Grill in downtown Columbia. Below, Otto’s co-owner Joel Thiel works yesterday in the restaurant. Otto’s will close next week, a move Thiel blamed on the city’s smoking ban. He said sales have been down 30 percent since the ban took effect in January. "Our...

Local news has been reporting all evening on a system of tornado producing storms moving through SW Missouri. There is at least one reported fatality and significant damage. Tornado warnings continue to be issued every few minutes. Anyone else in the area have any information?

Excerpt: Missouri's gubernatorial candidates are competing in a one-upsmanship contest to appear tough on illegal immigrants. SNIP Republican Gov. Matt Blunt and his Democratic challenger, Attorney General Jay Nixon, each announced a series of initiatives against illegal immigrants last week. Their actions underscore how illegal immigration has become a hot issue in U.S. politics. SNIP From their flurry of proposals, Missourians might get the impression that illegal immigration is big problem in this state. The Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington-based research organization, used census figures to estimate there are 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States - an amount...

excerpt: A head-on collision Friday night on Route VV at Wildwood Street injured one motorist and resulted in a four-hour search for the other driver, who was later identified as an illegal immigrant. (big snip) Meyers (of the Missouri Highway Patrol) said experiences such as the one he had Friday night, going house to house to find evidence of someone without proper documentation, has opened his eyes to the magnitude of the immigration problem in Mid-Missouri. "You’d be surprised. We noticed just a few years back we were regularly coming in contact with undocumented people in the community. Now it’s...

Former executive spooks some, but not all, faculty By ABRAHAM MAHSHIE of the Tribune’s staff Published Friday, December 21, 2007 Faculty reaction to the naming of Gary Forsee as the new University of Missouri System president yesterday ranged from fear and anger to satisfaction and confidence. "I’m alarmed," said John Kultgen, a retired MU professor of philosophy who wrote a letter to curators when Forsee’s name first surfaced asking to "please, please do not view the university as a corporation that turns out a standardized product or just another bureaucratic structure reaching for a larger share at the public trough."...

ST. LOUIS – Gov. Matt Blunt is taking action where Washington has failed as he announced additional steps in his plan to fight illegal immigration. The governor’s plan would ban the creation of sanctuary cities in Missouri, require all public employers to use a legal worker verification system, impose new monetary sanctions against contractors who hire illegal immigrants and criminalize the transportation of illegals. “Enforcing immigration laws should be primarily federal responsibility, but Washington has failed to act which means Missouri must make up for Washington’s failure and protect Missouri against illegal immigration,” Gov. Blunt said. “While I strongly support...

OKLAHOMA CITY - Another wintry blast was forecast Friday for the nation's midsection, where 355,000 homes and businesses were still without power, while the Northeast dug out from heavy snow before it gets a second hit Saturday. Crews in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri worked overtime to get power back before the second storm hits later Friday. The system could complicate restoration efforts to the some 355,000 homes and businesses in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri still without power after the first storm darkened 1 million customers at its height earlier this week.

TOPEKA, Kan. -- A sex scandal involving Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison could end up costing Johnson County big bucks. A former staffer and lover of Morrison's filed a sexual harassment claim against him with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. In a statement, Morrison admitted to having an extra-marital affair with Linda Carter, but denied harassment and other accusations.[snip] [snip]According to the Topeka Capital Journal, the relationship began two years ago when Carter was the director of administration for Morrison during his tenure as Johnson County District Attorney. Carter said the two engaged in sexual acts in vacant rooms in...

Residents of the middle-class subdivision have turned against the neighbor, Lori Drew, and her family, demanding the Drews move out. In interviews, they have warned darkly that someone might be tempted to "take matters into their own hands." "It's like they used to do in the 1700s and 1800s. If you wronged a community, you were basically shunned. That's basically what happened to her," said Trever Buckles, a 40-year-old who lives next door to the Drews. Drew became an outcast after she participated in a hoax in which a fictional teenager by the name of "Josh Evans" exchanged online messages...

Governor Blunt this week announced the creation of the Governor’s Internet Harassment Task Force and charged the group with carefully reviewing state law and making recommendations for changes to better protect Missourians from Internet harassment. The task force was created to specifically review Missouri laws that relate to stalking, harassment and child endangerment. He expects the Task Force to make recommendations within 30 days. The tight timeframe will ensure that the group’s recommended proposals or legislative changes may be considered during the next legislative session. The governor has taken the lead to protect Missourians from Internet threats. Legislation he signed...

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) - No criminal charges will be filed against people who sent cruel Internet messages to a 13-year-old girl before she committed suicide, the St. Charles County prosecutor said Monday. The parents of Megan Meier of Dardenne Prairie, who hanged herself last year, said her suicide came minutes after she received mean messages through the social networking site MySpace. County Prosecutor Jack Banas said at a news conference there was no applicable statue to file charges in the case. Banas said he looked at laws related to stalking, harassment and child endangerment, but found no repeated incidents...