Interactive outage map on www.ameren.com allows electric customers in the AmerenUE, AmerenCIPS and AmerenCILCO service territories to view outage data by ZIP code. Graphic courtesy of AmerenUE
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Ameren Introduces Real-time Outage Maps
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), June 11, 2005 - Ameren Corporation rolled out a new real-time outage map feature on its Web site, www.ameren.com, on Tuesday, June 7. On Wednesday and Thursday, the St. Louis metropolitan area experienced torrential rainfall, downed trees, high winds and power outages.
The outage map, inspired by similar maps produced by Florida utilities during last year's hurricanes, allows electric customers in the AmerenUE, AmerenCIPS and AmerenCILCO service territories to view outage data by ZIP code. AmerenIP data will be added with customer system conversions slated for the fall of 2005.
To give Web visitors some perspective, the site shows both the number of customers out in each ZIP code and the total number of customers served. Ameren serves 1.7 million customers in the service territories currently displaying real-time outage data.
In an announcement, Richard Mark, senior vice president, Missouri Energy Delivery, said "Part of our goal is to educate the public about power outages-what causes them and how we work to prevent them or minimize their duration when they do strike."
Though the most severe and longest-lasting outages are caused by weather, Mark said that outages can occur at any time for any number of reasons.
"We strive to prevent power outages, but traffic accidents, wild animals and maintenance can cause service disruptions," said Mark. "In fact, when people were bracing for widespread outages from the Y2K bug, the only outage on our system at midnight on December 31, 1999, was caused by some helium balloons released at a New Year's Eve party!"
Other links within Ameren's Storm Center provide helpful tips for what to do before, during and after power outages.
Another new option on the Web site is the ability to view and pay bills online. Once AmerenUE, AmerenCIPS and AmerenCILCO customers have registered on Ameren's Web site and signed up for this service, they will receive an e-mail monthly notifying them that their bill is available. AmerenIP customers will also have this service with customer system conversions slated for the fall of 2005. By clicking a link in the e-mail, they will log in with their personal User ID and Password. Next, they will go to Ameren's Residential home page, where they can click a red "Pay Now" button, or choose a link to "View Bill Image."
Ameren works with two vendors to process electronic payments: CheckFree pushes funds from a customer-designated checking or savings account directly to Ameren. SpeedPay allows customers to pay by debit or credit card.
"Paying on-line is a safe, secure and efficient way for Ameren to receive customer payments," stated Mark. "The payments come to Ameren electronically and post automatically to the customer system."
Customers can either choose electronic notification, the traditional paper bill or both.
With assets of more than $17 billion, Ameren owns a diverse mix of electric generating plants strategically located in its Midwest market with a generating capacity of more than 15,000 megawatts.
Blunt to Reaffirm Missouri's Commitment to Auto Industry During Trip to Detroit
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), June 11, 2005 - Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt will meet with officials from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. on June 13 in Detroit to discuss Missouri's commitment to the auto industry that plays such an important role in driving the state's economy.
Blunt, Rep. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, chairman of the Job Creation and Economic Development Committee, and Mike Mills, deputy director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, will meet with top officials from Ford and GM to discuss ways to maintain and enhance the Missouri operations of both automakers.
Ford currently operates facilities in Claycomo and Hazelwood while GM operates a facility in Wentzville. Blunt's trip was scheduled several weeks ago in support of this industry that makes up 11 percent of the state's total manufacturing employment and accounts for 3 percent of Missouri's Gross State Product.
"Missouri is committed to the auto industry and these talks will focus both on maintaining our long relationship with Ford and GM and looking at ways to enhance our role in this critical industry," Blunt said. "I certainly am looking forward to this opportunity to promote Missouri's pro-jobs, pro-family agenda."
In order to boost Missouri's economy, Blunt recently signed into law legal liability and workers' compensation reforms and initiated the Missouri Quality Jobs Act passed by the Legislature that ties job creation to economic incentives.
"Missouri is open for business and I plan to take that message to the auto industry in Detroit," Blunt said. "By reaching out on behalf of Missouri's workers, we can enhance our economy and provide high quality, high paying, family-supporting jobs to our citizens."
Jobs supported by the auto industry earn an annual average wage of over $46,000 or a much higher average of $74,804 for motor vehicle manufacturing alone, both well above the state average wage of $34,852.
A ZonePerfect survey conducted by Harris Interactive reveals 43 percent of U.S. adults eat on the go because it's more convenient than preparing a meal. Many also indicated they eat on the go because they are just too busy; 22 percent running errands and 19 percent at home with the children and household chores.
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American Adults Compromise Nutrition for Convenience
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), June 11, 2005 - A new ZonePerfect® survey, conducted by Harris Interactive® revealed 43 percent of U.S. adults eat on the go because it's more convenient than preparing a meal.
The survey found that nine out of ten U.S. adults eat meals or snacks on the go; six out of ten do so on a daily basis; and about a quarter (26 percent) do so two to three times daily.
Many American adults admitted to falling off the "health and wellness wagon," and a large proportion cited on-the-go activities (eating on the go, when traveling or dining out, when tempted by food at the office) as a reason. When lunch comes out of a vending machine and dinner is served through a drive-through window, nutritious choices can be limited.
"We understand that people don't always have the time to prepare a home- cooked meal from scratch," said Tobe Cohen, director, marketing, ZonePerfect at Ross. "When people are crunched for time, healthy food choices are often offset by empty-calorie meals and snacks. ZonePerfect makes eating healthy easy by providing all-natural, great-tasting and nutritious, portable options for on-the-go lifestyles."
"The busier we are, the more important it is that we eat foods that give us the energy to fuel our bodies throughout each demanding day," said Carolyn O'Neil, registered dietitian and co-author of "The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!. "At the same time, we need simple snack and meal-time solutions that fit our modern-day, multi-tasking lives. They need to taste great, be readily available or prepared in a matter of minutes."
O'Neil recommends simple tips to maintaining a healthy lifestyle in spite of a hectic schedule. Highlights include:
A Treat That's Sweet -- Is a sweet tooth keeping you from healthy eating? Ninety-six percent of respondents indicated they fall off the "health and wellness wagon" in some way; 48 percent of adults indicated they do so when they're "craving something sweet.
A Little Goes a Long Way -- When U.S. adults were asked how they would describe their approach to exercise, 42 percent indicated "taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
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