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Associated Press - February 9, 2010 4:14 AM ET
Power plant victim was safety supervisor
FLORISSANT, Mo. (AP) - 1 of the five men killed in an explosion at a power plant under construction in Middletown, Conn. was the safety supervisor for the project's electrical contractor.
His widow told The Associated Press Monday that 48-year-old Chris Walters of Florissant, Mo., worked for Keystone Construction and was "the one who made sure everyone was in compliance with OSHA, using their safety equipment, wearing their steel-toed shoes."
Forty-5-year-old Fran Walters says her husband's temporary job with Keystone was to end in late March.
The father of 3 had been working for another construction company and had recently been laid off. Keystone picked him up for temporary work.
4 people killed in St. Joseph duplex fire
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) - The bodies of 2 infants have been recovered from the scene of a duplex fire that also killed two other people in northwest Missouri.
St. Joseph Fire Department inspector Rob Blizzard says the babies' bodies were found around 1 p.m. Monday on the bottom floor of the duplex. He says they were believed to have fallen from the second floor of the residence when it collapsed.
Firefighters were called just after 3 a.m. Monday. They found the bodies of a woman believed to be a grandmother and a 14-year-old girl upstairs.
Two people believed to be the parents of the children were able to escape.
St. Joseph police Sgt. Gary Murphy says the fire is being treated as a crime scene because there were multiple victims.
Mo. Senate criticizes federal gov operations
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Senate has adopted two resolutions critical of federal government operations.
Both measures prompted debate Monday on the role of the federal government.
One resolution calls on the federal government to approve only a balanced budget.
The other asks Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to investigate a special deal that helped secure a favorable vote from Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska on a health care bill.
The deal would have spared Nebraska from paying any cost of a proposed expansion of Medicaid.
Nelson has since asked that the special provision be stripped from the health care bill. Attorneys general in several states had objected to the Nebraska exemption.
McCaskill: Mo. politicians posturing on stimulus
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill says she's fed up with Missouri politicians who are criticizing the federal government for big spending yet are using federal stimulus money to balance the state budget.
McCaskill didn't call anyone out by name Monday. But the Democratic senator generically targeted Republicans who control the Missouri House and Senate.
Missouri's 2010 budget is using federal stimulus money for education and health care. The 2011 budget proposed by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon would rely on $1.2 billion of stimulus money but would not finance the full amount due to public schools.
Republican Senate leaders have committed to fully funding the school formula. McCaskill says they could not even come close to doing so were it not for federal money.
4 sentenced for fake federal diplomat scheme
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Three men who were convicted of selling fake diplomatic credentials have been sentenced to federal prison, while a fourth who pleaded guilty has gotten probation.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas City says 66-year-old David Robinson of Lawrence, Kan., was sentenced Monday to six years and three months in prison. Fifty-year-old Daniel Denham of Kingsville, Mo., and 52-year-old Larry Goodyke of Henderson, Nev., both received 5-year sentences.
All three were found guilty in August.
The fourth defendant, 47-year-old Blake Bestol of Cheyenne, Wyo., had pleaded guilty in a scheme to fraudulently buy and sell fake diplomatic IDs.
Customers paid $450 to $2,000 for the cards identifying them as ambassadors. They were told the cards would grant them sovereign status.
Mo. woman pleads guilty in supplements fraud
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A southwest Missouri woman has admitted taking part in a scheme to fraudulently market dietary supplements over the Internet.
The U.S. Attorney's office says 25-year-old Mai Lor of Springfield faces up to five years in prison plus a fine of up to $250,000.
Prosecutors announced Monday that Lor pleaded guilty last week to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Lor was part-owner of a company that bought and sold dietary supplements. Prosecutors say the supplements were fraudulently advertised as preventing, treating or curing such diseases as heartburn and high cholesterol.
The government says nearly $12 million worth of the supplements were sold.
Under the plea deal, Lor agreed to forfeit any property bought with proceeds from the scheme, including several properties in Springfield, Rogersville and Pleasant Hope.
Mo. governor names Highway Patrol superintendent
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Gov. Jay Nixon has named a successor to outgoing Missouri State Highway Patrol superintendent Col. James Keathley.
The appointment of Maj. Ronald Replogle (REHP'-loh-guhl) was announced Monday. If confirmed by the state Senate, he would take over when Keathley retires at the end of this month.
Replogle is a 26-year veteran of the Highway Patrol. He has led several departments, including the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
The Highway Patrol superintendent is chosen from among the uniformed members of the agency.
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