Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Rolla, Missouri - Flooding has closed Interstate 44 at mile marker 172 near the city of Jerome. Traffic backups are now occurring near Rolla, Mo., as traffic detours to two-lane highways.
MoDOT urges motor carriers and other travelers to exit the interstate at the earliest, convenient alternate route. This is especially important for commercial motor vehicle traffic.
Major routes that can serve as alternates include Interstate 70, US 50 and US 60.
Please do not plan to travel to central Missouri and detour from there. The earlier travelers can find an alternate, the better.
U.S. 63 is also closed in both directions, south of Vienna in Maries County.
MoDOT expects I-44 and US 63 to remain closed for more than six hours. When the water recedes, MoDOT will inspect pavement and bridges for safety before opening highways for public use.
Visit http://www.modot.org/ to find the MoDOT Traveler Information Map and information on obtaining the free smartphone app or call 1-888-ASK MoDOT (888-275-6636) for up-to-date information.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet- If you plan to travel to Paducah, Kentucky be aware of the traffic delays.
Traffic will be restricted to one lane at the intersection of US 51, US 60, and US 62 in Wickliffe/Ballard County starting Monday, Aug. 5.
During the time traffic restrictions on the US 51 Ohio River Bridge have lowered the traffic count at this busy intersection, a contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to place new concrete pavement in the intersection and along the approaches.
This work, starting Monday, Aug. 5 will require traffic to be restricted to one lane with flow through the intersection controlled by a temporary automated signal.
This is the "T" intersection where eastbound traffic from Illinois and Missouri for US 60 turns left toward LaCenter and Paducah and where southbound traffic for US 51 and eastbound traffic for US 62 turns right toward Bardwell.
The temporary traffic signal will be configured to allow one lane of traffic to move at a time to facilitate this intersection improvement work.
Due to the high truck volume at this intersection, the pavement has deteriorated and waffled. The asphalt pavement will be removed and replaced with a new concrete surface that will be more durable and safer.
Charbon Contracting is the prime contractor on this highway improvement project.
As a reminder, the US 51/US 60/US 60 Ohio River Bridge between Wickliffe, KY, and Cairo, IL, is restricted to a 7 ft. maximum vehicle width, a 19 ft. maximum vehicle length, and no trailers through about Sept. 14. This essentially restricts the bridge to passenger vehicles and standard pickup trucks for the duration of that project. All vehicles such as commercial trucks, motor homes, buses, and other vehicles that are over the 7 ft. width and 19 ft. length are excluded from the bridge work zone.
Written by
Dee Loflin SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri – While many have generously given blood donations, the American Red Cross is in critical need of blood at this time. Donors of all blood types, especially O negative, A negative and B negative are still needed this summer. Blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are being collected.
Accident and burn victims, heart surgery patients, and organ transplant recipients are just a view that requires blood and platelets. Many who are being treated for cancer or sickle cell disease may also depend on these lifesaving transfusions. In fact, every two seconds a patient in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion.
The Red Cross appreciates all those who take the time to help save lives. Visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to learn more and schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
On Wednesday, August 7th from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. the Red Cross will be at the American Legion building across from West City Part. They need your help! Please donate blood TODAY!
If you absolutely cannot give blood today, here is a list of upcoming blood drives in Dexter and Puxico.
Aug. 16 from 1:30-6:30 p.m. at Fraternal Order of Eagles, 13583 Old Highway 25 in Dexter, Mo.
Aug. 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Fraternal Order of Eagles, 13583 Old Highway 25 in Dexter, Mo.
Aug. 19 from 12-5 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 102 E. Castor in Dexter, Mo.
Aug. 23 from 2-6 p.m. at Dexter Church of Christ, 1014 N. One Mile Road in Dexter, Mo.
Aug. 30 from 2-6 p.m. at Life Chapel Assembly of God, 22443 State Highway 51 in Puxico, Mo.
Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
YouTube has been involved with its viewers since it first began back in 2005. Back in May, YouTube dedicated a whole week to comedians, naming it Comedy Week. That week, the website highlighted hilarious videos, comedians, and YouTube users so that everyone could get a good laugh.
Now, YouTube is promoting Geek Week. And, of course, this special week is being dedicated to science-related videos while throwing in a little video gaming fun and some Star Wars videos into the mix. The website will be launching some type of geeky riddles every morning of this week. You can try to solve the puzzles yourself by logging on to your very own YouTube account.
The riddles, known as “Easter Eggs” are hidden throughout the websites with geeky videos that may be along the lines of these topics: comic books, video games, and IQ Tests. Yesterday, the Easter Egg clue was found, but it was written in a different language. After decoding the Huttese language, the new clue to be searched by all users was: “Use the force, Luke.” All people who searched this phrase in the YouTube search bar found all of their YouTube channels, videos, and items hovering on their internet page.
With more Easter Eggs to be found throughout the week, users are flocking to the website to help decode the daily riddle. Aside from the games and opportunities YouTube is offering for the next few days, many teachers and educators are finding Geek Week very helpful while they are making their yearly plans for their classes.
YouTube is used in many classrooms across the United States because of its variety of videos. Geek Week has been highlighting a bunch of science-related videos, experiments, and helpful study aids for science classrooms for kids and students of all ages.
To help get some science-y classroom tips and ideas, you can get on YouTube and check out their playlists. They have a variety of scientists with their very own YouTube channels and accounts that post easy to do and fun experiments. There are also many lessons and videos to help in all different science classes, including Physical Science, Biology, and Chemistry.
Here’s the schedule for the rest of Geek Week so you can log on and check out their videos:
Blockbuster Sunday, Global Geekery Monday, Brainiac Tuesday, Super Wednesday, Gaming Thursday, Fan Friday, and Best of Saturday.
Be sure to log on and check it out for yourself!
Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Cape Girardeau, Missouri – Breast cancer has become an enormous problem for many women across America throughout the past few decades. Scientists and doctors have stressed the importance of getting checked for this common type of cancer but sadly, the process of a mammogram is much too expensive for some women to afford. There are many organizations that help fund recurring problems such as this one, but a local team of girls created their own way to help out with the cause.
Five different female swim teams from Cape Girardeau, Saxony Lutheran, Jackson, St. Vincent (from Perryville), and Poplar Bluff created and sold “Splash Out Cancer” T-shirts in order to help the cause.
"It made me feel like I was helping and making a difference with people," said Cape Central Freshman Josey Powell.
The girls all enjoyed selling the T-shirts and explaining the cause and the importance of their sales. They claimed that what made it even better was that it was their very own idea and their actions that lead to their end result and their success.
The five swim teams raised money for “Dig For Life”, a program at Saint Francis Medical Center that helps donate to women who can not afford mammograms.
The girls explained that once they talked to a handful of people in their very own community about their cause, they began to realize how many people really could not afford the needed procedure and that the cause “hit home” for a lot of them. The more they talked to local women, the more it fueled them to keep selling T-shirts, but they were not just T-shirts to the swimmers. Instead, the girls looked at the T-shirts as a way to help these women continue their lives with less stress and worrying about the thought of breast cancer but had no way of knowing for sure.
Once the sales ended, the five teams totaled their sales and came up with a profit of nearly $1500, which was completely donated to the Saint Francis Medical Center and the Dig For Life program. The girls did not only learn from this experience, but many claimed that they grew from it and that they look forward to doing it again next year.
The other swim teams at Cape Girardeau High School wanted to join in with the cause. The other sports have Dig Pink games and Hoops for Hope games but swimming was a little left out of the loop for breast cancer awareness. The T-shirt sales helped them become apart and help spread awareness not only in their high school, but throughout their community.
