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MoDOT crews worked in bitter cold, Wednesday, to restore power at the intersection of 4th and Chouteau Streets, south of downtown St. Louis, where traffic signals had been knocked out by gusting winds up to 50 mph.
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High Winds Knocks Out Power to Thousands in St. Louis Area
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), December 8, 2009 - Howling winds, gusting to nearly 50 mph Wednesday, brought down power lines to thousands of AmerenUE customers in the St. Louis region, knocking down tree limbs and holiday decorations.
AmerenUE reported that over 7,000 customers were without power early Wednesday morning as winds from a major storm passed through the region. AmerenUE crews worked through the day quickly fixing lines and restoring power. By 3:10 p.m., only about 2,496 customers in Missouri were still without power on a day that saw temperatures drop into the upper teens.
In Illinois, heavy outages were reported in Alton and Belleville areas. AmerenUE said that high winds (25-35 mph with gusts to 50 mph) in much of the territory caused galloping lines, making driving hazardous. By 3:20 p.m., only 1,310 customers were still without power.
"Safety is our first and foremost concern when severe weather strikes," said Ron Pate, vice president of Operations for the Ameren Illinois Utilities." The most important safety rule is to stay clear of downed power lines and always call your Ameren Illinois Utility or '911' if you see downed lines. Assume all downed power lines are energized. Stay inside, especially at night because you may walk into an energized power line. Stay clear of brush, shrubs and downed trees that may hide downed lines."
Lambert Installing New Signs, Renaming Terminals
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), December 6, 2009 - Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is kicking off 2010 with a campaign to overhaul its main roadway with all new signs and other infrastructure enhancements. The $1.2 million Wayfinding Signage Project will greatly improve visitor experiences by simplifying and improving airport messaging which will include renaming Lambert's terminals.
The signage improvement project will receive an additional $200,000 contribution from St. Louis' Regional Business Council to complete the transformation of Lambert International Boulevard by giving the Airport a new signature look which will include the painting of sign structures, guardrails, street lights and fencing. The RBC is a consortium of presidents and CEOs representing 100 of the largest companies in the St. Louis region.
"The entire overhaul of roadway signage has been needed for years. We know the new signage will make it easier for our passengers and visitors to navigate their way to airport destinations," said Director Richard Hrabko. "The RBC's contribution is the first of its kind. It's a tremendous civic investment for the region for work that will complement the new signage improving Lambert's image for all of our visitors."
Lambert has been developing its new sign program for more than a year working with airport designers and sign experts. The addition of all new signs now makes it possible for Lambert to adopt numerical terminal designations which are commonly used because they are sign friendly, easier to understand and easier to remember. The "Main Terminal" will become Terminal 1. The "East Terminal" will become Terminal 2. Other features of the new signage program includes simple consistent messaging, color-coded symbols, distinct interstate signage, airline terminal locations, improved car rental signage and improved parking lot information. The installation of 75 new overhead and ground mounted signs along two miles of Lambert International Boulevard will begin in January 2010.
Lambert recently opened a second checkpoint location in the East Terminal to increase passenger screening capacity during times of peak demand. The
addition of two new security lanes, along with the terminal's original four-lane checkpoint, gives Lambert 50 percent more screening capacity and should improve wait times for passengers flying Southwest Airlines, USA 3000, Air Choice One and charter flights. The new checkpoint is located next to Starbucks on the west end of the East Terminal ticketing level.
Proposed Legislation to Require Coverage of Autism Diagnosis/Treatment
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), December 6, 2009 - Governor Jay Nixon has announced new legislation that will require coverage of autism diagnosis and treatment, including medically necessary Applied Behavioral Analysis, under health insurance policies written in Missouri.
Earlier this year, Governor Nixon outlined four guiding principles that he said would ensure that an autism-coverage bill would make a real difference for Missouri families.
The legislation announced during a news conference at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center on Dec. 3, has been pre-filed in the Senate by State Sen. Scott Rupp (R-Wentzville), with co-sponsor State Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale), and in the House of Representatives by State Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst (R-Manchester), would meet all four of those principles, Governor Nixon said. Pre-filing for bills for the 2010 legislative session began Tuesday.
"As autism becomes an even more commonly diagnosed condition for children in Missouri and across our country, it is vital that we take bold action to make sure that families have access to the diagnosis and treatment services they need," Gov. Nixon said.
"This legislation would guarantee coverage of proven Applied Behavioral Analysis therapies, protect existing coverage of autism spectrum treatments, and ensure that Missourians' coverage isn't reduced or limited because of an autism diagnosis. I thank the bipartisan team of legislators for their work on this important issue, and I urge the General Assembly to take up this legislations quickly this session and send it to my desk. Together, we will change the lives of autistic children in Missouri for generations to come," stated the Governor.
The legislation outlined four critical guidelines:
- Health insurance carriers that issue or renew health benefit plans on or after Jan. 1, 2011, must provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders;
- This coverage must expressly include medically necessary, evidence-based Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy, subject to a reasonable annual limit, under this legislation, $72,000;
- Coverage must have no limit on the number of visits by an individual to an autism service provider for Applied Behavioral Analysis or for any other autism-related services; and
- Carriers must not refuse to renew or refuse to reissue or otherwise terminate or restrict coverage on an individual or their dependent solely because the individual is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
"If one out of 100 kids in our local communities were being kidnapped, there would be a public outcry, and this neurological disorder is kidnapping Missouri's children," said Sen. Scott Rupp, the Senate sponsor. "I've been calling attention to this for the last couple of years and would like to thank my fellow legislators and the Governor for helping to bring this issue to light. Together, we will help rescue Missouri's children from the clutches of autism."
"These therapies are the real key to bringing hope and opportunity to children affected by Autism and their families," said Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Senate co-sponsor. "Without early diagnosis and therapies, we are condemning these children from having the best quality of life possible. These children and families should not have to go another day without access to these therapies. That is why this is the year we hope to succeed by advancing autism insurance reform in Missouri."
"We know that early identification and treatment make a powerful difference for kids and that investing resources early on can make a positive, long-lasting impact," State Rep. Sara Lampe (D-Springfield) said. "And as an educator, I have seen first-hand just how crucial it is for girls and boys to have early, appropriate interventions to achieve their greatest possible success in their school and family lives."
"With autism incidence going from 1-in-15,000 to affecting 1 in less than 100 children, early diagnosis and treatment is critical and will help multitudes of children and their families," said State Rep. Jeff Grisamore (R-Lee's Summit), a co-sponsor of the House bill. "It is the right thing to do and cost effective for the state."
According to an October report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Autism Spectrum Disorders are now diagnosed in approximately 1-in-100 births in America. This appears to be a sharp increase from the previous projection of 1-in-150 births.
Gov. Nixon and the legislators detailed the new legislation during news conferences today in the Governor's Office in Jefferson City and at the Burrell Autism Center in Springfield and at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis.
"As a state, we must make sure that autistic children have access to life-changing therapies that will help them grow and achieve their full potential," Gov. Nixon said. "This legislation, as introduced, does just that. I look forward to working with a broad, bipartisan coalition of legislators to move our state forward on this vital issue."
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