[Publisher's note: this article will also appear in Thursday's newspaper.] UPDATE: The legislature voted at 11:55pm on Wednesday night; the Governor’s veto stands. Jefferson City is a strange place these days. Literally, things can turn upside down overnight. That's been the case with House Bill 1326 and Senate Bill 506. The bills, deemed the Mo Farm Bills, are supported by both the Missouri Cattle Producers and Missouri's Dairy Cattle industry. They were designed to strengthen Missouri's agricultural industry, which pretty much everyone agreed was a good thing. Just over two months ago these bills were also heavily supported in the state capitol. At the time of passage, the Missouri Cattlemen's Association's (MCA) wrote, “The MCA strongly supports the bipartisan 105
- Sep 11,
New Madrid, Mo. - Officials who represent the region's largest employer today announced layoffs that will affect 125 to 200 area workers. Noranda President and Chief Executive Officer Layle K. "Kip" Smith said job cuts are related directly to a decision by the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) to deny competitive power rates to the New Madrid smelter. Layoffs are expected to come in phases during the next six months, Smith told a crowd of employees, dignitaries and press. Those cuts will reach across all sectors of the company's staff, including both administrative and plant personnel, he said. In addition to eliminating jobs, Smith said the company will suspend a $30 million capacity expansion project at the plant. "Unfortunately, this
Sep 02,