School Cuts Hurt Everyone

Lack of funding at the State level has resulted in funding cuts for all of Missouri’s public schools.  It stems from a decision by Gov. Nixon to not fund a $43 million mid-year funding boost called for under the school funding formula.

Locally, schools are having to regroup and reprioritize as they learn the impact – equal to 2% of their state funding.  Neosho will stand to lose $300K-$400K as a result of the decision.  Unlike planned cuts that are dealt with in future budgets, these cuts are part of THIS year’s budget.  Dr. Richard Page, Supt. of Neosho R-5 told the Neosho Daily News:

“There is not a lot that you can do with some of the big expenditures that you have in the operations in the middle of the year, but we are going to have to look at some of the projects that we normally try to get done in the summer and probably cut back on some things and maybe some of the services through some of the other residual programs, not affecting the classrooms, but some of the other programs, that are just areas of support or areas on the fringe. I can’t really specify what those programs are.”

The good news is that Neosho’s school finances are stronger than many other districts around the state.  That will help.

Wal-Mart To Eliminate Greenhouse Gases

From HFN:

BENTONVILLE, Ark.–Walmart plans to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from its global supply chain by 2015.



That's the equivalent of taking more than 3.8 million cars off the road for a year, the company said, and it represents one and a half times the company's estimated global carbon footprint over the next five years.

"Energy efficiency and carbon reduction are central issues in the world today," said Mike Duke, president and chief executive officer. "We've been working to make a difference in these areas, both in our own footprint and our supply chain. We know that we have an opportunity to do more and the capacity to do more."

The program will have three main components: the selection of the product categories that have the highest embedded carbon; reducing greenhouse gases from any part of the products' life cycle, from the sourcing of raw materials to end-of-life disposal; and the accountability from both suppliers and Walmart for these reductions. Walmart works with more than 100,000 suppliers worldwide, Duke said.

Walmart collaborated with the Environmental Defense Fund and other external advisors to develop this approach.
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Existing Home Sales Fall in January

From the Washington Post:

Sales of previously occupied homes took a large drop for the second straight month in January, falling to the lowest level since summer. It was another sign the housing market's recovery is faltering.

The National Association of Realtors said sales fell 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million from a downwardly revised pace of 5.44 million in December.

The results, the weakest since June, were far worse than forecast. Economists expected a slight increase to a rate of 5.5 million.
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Real GDP Rises in Q4

Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose at an annual rate of 5.9% in the fourth quarter of 2009, 0.2 percentage point more than in the advance estimate.  Real GDP increased 2.2% in the third quarter of 2009
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“C” Word Dropped Again in DC

Rep. Charlie Rangel D-New York, has dropped the “Common Sense” word in response to a report by the House ethics committee.  The committee has been investigating Rangel on a variety of issues.  The committee reported today that Rangel “knowingly” accepted and took trips to the Carribean in violation of House ethics rules.

Responding to the report during a hastely arranged press conference this evening, Rangel said "I don't want to be critical of the committee. But common sense dictates that members of Congress shouldn't be held responsible for what could be mistakes by staff unless there's reason to believe the member knew or should have known.”

That’s the second time today that the word “common sense” has been used by politicians in DC as they try to point blame.  Earlier today, President Obama used the term while describing issues with health care reform.

My view…common sense says if you didn’t personally pay for the trip Mr. Rangel, you better find out who did before you go.  Ignorance is no excuse.

MODot Stops Traffic…On Highway Bids

From KMIZ:

Right now $250 million worth of highway projects in the state are on hold and there is no start date in site.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said because federal money is uncertain right now, leaders are not moving forward with bids scheduled for tomorrow.

A spokesperson for MoDot says not accepting bids is NOT common and something they were hoping it wouldn’t come to.  There are about 60 projects that were up for bid Friday.  MoDot says these projects won’t be canceled just delayed, until Congress makes a decision.

Last year Congress passed a highway bill that has one fourth less funding than the previous highway program.  This week the US Senate was able to boost funding, but the House and Senate are still working on an exact amount.

If Congress fails to act soon MoDot says it will have to evaluate if it can afford to go forward with projects due for bid in March, April and even May.

We’re told if there are any highway projects that need immediate attention, MoDot will address those.

Fulton School Board Approves Cuts

FULTON, Mo. (AP) -- The Fulton School Board has approved $1.2 million in budget cuts that includes closing the district's alternative school and eliminating ninth-grade sports.

The board approved the cuts Wednesday night after hearing from several students, parents and patrons. The most contentious item was dropping the alternative program, which would save the district about $253,844 next year.

Supporters said the alternative school had helped many students graduate who would not have completed school in a regular setting. They said the district would see an increase in dropouts if the program closed.

But board members noted before the vote that administrators had estimated that keeping the alternative program open would cost the district at least five teachers.

Obama’s Quote Isn’t News, It’s Reality and Has Been for Decades

During today’s televised discussions on health care, President Obama made this comment:

“Politics I think ended up trumping practical common sense.”

With all respect, politicians in both parties have almost always put politics ahead of common sense.  It’s not new to health care.  Saying anything different is…well…politics.

New Home Sales Hit Record Low in January

From the Commerce Dept. and the Washington Post:

Sales of new homes plunged to a record low in January, underscoring the challenges facing the housing industry as it tries to recover from the worst slump in decades.

The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new home sales dropped 11.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 309,000 units, the lowest level on records going back nearly a half century. The big drop was a surprise to economists who had expected sales would rebound to an annual rate of 360,000 units.

“Despite the mixed performance at the start of the year, the outlook for growth in housing activity remains positive,” Commerce Under Secretary Rebecca Blank said. “Americans continue to recognize that this is a good time to buy a home. Mortgage rates are low and the Administration's decision to extend the tax credit through April provides attractive opportunities for buyers in the coming months.”

North Central Association Visits Neosho

A number of visitors are walking the halls of Neosho High School this week as the Neosho R-5 school district undergoes a review by North Central.  The North Central Association is responsible for giving accreditations to over 8500 schools in 19 states.

Part of the process includes conducting interviews with students, faculty, and the public.  I had the privilege to participate in today’s round of interviews along with a number of others including Rick Rogers, Dallas Kelly, Judy Day and a number of current school board members.

Results of the visit will be announced tomorrow afternoon in the High School library.

More information about North Central can be found at their website.

Filing for Many Elected Offices Opens Today

Candidate filing for a number of State and Federal offices started today and will run through March 30.  Primary elections are scheduled for August 3rd, 2010 with the general election set for November 2nd, 2010.

Some key races around the area will include:

County commissioner seat being vacated by Jerry Carter (retirement)

State seat being vacated by Rep. Kevin Wilson (term limits)

State seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Nodler (pursuing US Congressional seat)

Federal Congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Roy Blunt (pursuing US Senate seat)

Federal Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Kit Bond. (retirement)

MSSU Board Member Resigns

MSSU board member and Springfield attorney David Ansley resigned yesterday following reports that he (Ansley) used a homosexual slur to describe the schools mascot.  The comment was reportedly made during a board retreat over the weekend.

Ansley has released a statement that reads in part:

“I have always thought of myself as a tolerant man.  Yet the fact that I spontaneously made the comment has caused me pause. Personally, I am conducting introspection. My goal is to examine my own prejudices with the hope of renewed tolerance. I hope to be a better person because of all this.”

Mixed feeling are coming out of this resignation.  Some view it as the right thing.  Others view it as being unnecessary believing society is becoming to ‘politically correct’.

Ansley was appointed to the board in 2004.

Ansley’s letter can be read here.

The Joplin Globe article is here.

Kraft Foods Expanding in Springfield

From today’s SBJ:

Kraft Foods Inc. plans to add 50 jobs and invest $9 million of capital into two new manufacturing lines at its Springfield plant, according to a Tuesday news release from Springfield Business Development Corp.

Production is expected to expand during the next six to nine months, and the new jobs could push employment above 1,000 people at the plant, 2035 E. Bennett St. The global food company has had a presence in the Springfield area since 1939, the release said.

“Kraft Foods has a long history of providing quality employment opportunities to our community,” said John Wanamaker, SBDC board president and BKD LLP partner, in the release. “The company’s decision to add jobs and expand its production here, shows its further commitment to the community, and hopefully other manufacturers will recognize the Springfield area as a good place to locate and do business.”

Kraft Foods was approved to receive $390,050 in state tax credits through the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Enhanced Enterprise Zone Program, which assists in the creation of new jobs and investment. Kraft’s tax credits will span a five-year period in exchange for the new jobs and investment, according to the agreement.

Wages for the jobs created will be above the county average and include a comprehensive benefits package, the release said. The average pay for Greene County workers, according to the SBDC, is $32,569 a year, or $15.66 an hour.

According to an August Springfield Business Journal report, Kraft intended to increase its Springfield work force by up to 75 jobs by the end of 2009.

Greene County Gets I-44 Money

From today’s SBJ:

The Missouri Department of Transportation is getting $1.9 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation for pavement improvements on Interstate 44 in Greene County.

"This is a good investment for one of the most traveled roads in our state," MoDOT Springfield District Engineer Kirk Juranas said in a news release from the office of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond. “The project also will boost the local economy, providing transportation industry jobs in materials and construction.”

Bond, who announced Friday that USDOT is releasing the funding, is the ranking member of the U.S. Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds transportation projects. The $1.9 million is in the fiscal 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill signed into law last year.

The money will pay for improvements to I-44 between U.S. Highway 65 and Kansas Expressway; the news release said the pavement on that stretch of road "is in poor condition and causes many problems for Missouri drivers." The funding will pay for pavement replacement and shoulder improvements.

(Greene county includes the Springfield Metro area.)

Joplin Council Approves Golf Course Renovations

From today’s Joplin Globe:

Work to design a $320,000 irrigation system for Schifferdecker Municipal Golf Course will proceed as the result of Joplin City Council action.
The council on Tuesday night approved the project along with some contracts for work on stormwater drainage.
The council approved an agreement to hire EC Design Group to plat out the irrigation system for the golf course. Irrigation was one of the issues identified by consultant Larry Flatt, of Jefferson City, when he did a study two years ago of conditions at the course and made recommendations on how to fix the problems he said he found. Since the study, the city has spent $490,830 on construction projects and equipment purchases for the golf course, including buying a new fleet of carts.
The City Council cited sagging play and revenues at the course in its decision to renovate.

Crowder Also Sees Growth

A day after PSU and MSSU reported growing student enrollment, Crowder College is reporting the same.  Reports from Crowder show enrollment up to 4,017 for the Spring semester, up from 3,312 last year.  That follows a record enrollment of 4,407 this past Fall.

Crowder College has locations in Neosho, Cassville, Nevada and Webb City, and also offers classes in various locations in McDonald County.

Way to go Roughriders!

Wilson Bill Gets Held Up Due to Two ‘No’ Votes

Apparently Beth Low (D-Kansas City) and Michael Frame (D-Eureka) don’t feel correcting confusing law is their job.  That comes as those two voted ‘no’ on Rep. Kevin Wilson’s (R-Neosho) bill written to better define what percentage to use on tax issues.

Wilson is attempting to define 4/7th’s and 2/3rd’s as a decimal.  This comes in response to a vote in Neosho during 2007 that garnered 57.11% support.

Feel free to contact them at the following addresses:

	Address: MO House of Representatives 201 West Capitol Avenue Room 203A Jefferson City MO 65101  Phone:  573-751-4485 E-Mail:  Beth.Low@house.mo.gov
	MO House of Representatives 201 West Capitol Avenue Room 102BB Jefferson City MO 65101 Phone:  573-751-4822  Fax:  573-522-1582 E-Mail:  Michael.Frame@house.mo.gov

Plans for Expanding County Jail and 911 Relo Continue to Move Forward

  The Newton County commission is moving forward with plans to solicit bids for the relocation of the county’s 911 emergency dispatch center.  The center, currently located in the basement of the court house, is looking to relocate into the former Armory building on Brook St. 

In addition to the relocation, the county is also pursuing architects to look at a proposed expansion of the county jail.  The current jail has 80 beds, but is averaging a population of over 100 inmates a day.

A full article can be found in today’s Joplin Globe at this link.

MSSU And PSU See Increased Enrollment

From today’s Joplin Globe:

 

Both Missouri Southern State University and Pittsburg (Kan.) State University are reporting enrollment increases for the spring semester.

MSSU’s spring enrollment grew by 341 students, bringing the headcount to 5,431. Those numbers represent a 6.7 percent increase compared to last year, according to a Southern spokesman.

Pittsburg State University has set a record for spring enrollment with a total of 6,752 students, according to a news release from the university. That number represents a 2.4 percent increase over the spring 2009 semester.

PSU is experiencing increases in several areas, including new freshmen (14 percent), transfer students (8 percent), new graduate students (35 percent), and Gorilla Advantage students (9 percent). The university has also seen an increase (66 students) in the number of Kansas residents.

January Wholesale Prices Jump 1.4%

Wholesale prices were up at double the expected pace in January, primarily due to big increases in energy costs. The surprisingly large jump was viewed as a temporary blip and not the start of inflation problems, however.

The Labor Department said Thursday that wholesale prices rose 1.4 percent last month, reflecting higher costs for gasoline and other energy products. Private economists had expected a 0.7 percent increase.

Core inflation at the wholesale level, which excludes energy and food, rose 0.3 percent in January, faster than the 0.1 percent increase economists had predicted.

Wal-Mart Shows Profit Increase in Q4

From the AP:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported a 22 percent increase in its fourth-quarter profit as the world’s largest retailer cut costs and slimmed down its inventories.

But a key measure of sales showed its third consecutive quarterly decline, the discounter said Thursday, as it continues to grapple with deflation in groceries and electronics and a tough economy. The company also offered a tepid earnings outlook.

Wal-Mart shares fell 82 cents to $53.24 in premarket trading.

The sales weakness is happening even as the discounter sees more customers and takes market share away from its rivals with aggressive discounting. Wal-Mart has promised investors that it plans to widen the price gap between itself and rivals as it cut costs and reinvests those savings to lower prices for shoppers, which in turn drives sales.

Wal-Mart earned $4.63, or $1.21 per share, in the quarter ended Jan. 31. That compares with $3.8 billion, or 96 cents per share, in the same quarter last year.

State Budget Cuts Impact Neosho R-5

Due to pending and likely cuts from Jefferson City, the Neosho R-5 school district is being proactive by planning cuts in certain programs.  So far, those cuts are coming from a reduced summer school schedule and a reduction in planned maintenance projects over the summer.  Still unknown with be the full impact of state cuts in the Parents as Teachers program.

Bella Vista Bypass Gets $10 Million from Feds

From today’s NWA Online:

The U.S. Department of Transportation today awarded a $10 million grant to help build the Bella Vista bypass.

Half of the money will apparently go to Arkansas and the other half will go to Missouri, said Randy Ort, a spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. Missouri had requested no grant for its 4.8-mile section of the bypass.

“It leads you to believe it’s $5 million each,” said Ort. “We have more questions than we have answers right now.”

The Arkansas highway department had requested $145.4 million for the state’s 14.1-mile section of the 18.9-mile bypass of U.S. 71.

Ort said he was glad the Bella Vista bypass received a grant, “Obviously, we are very disappointed in the amount, though.”

Out of 1,381 applications, the Department of Transportation awarded grants to 51 projects. There was $1.5 billion available through the TIGER discretionary grants, which stands for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. Applicants requested a total of $56.9 billion. The Bella Vista bypass was the only application endorsed by the Arkansas Highway Department.

Adobe Issues Patch for Popular Reader Software

From today’s Network World:

Adobe today released an emergency update that patched a pair of critical vulnerabilities in its popular PDF viewing and editing software.

The update had been expected: Adobe announced last Thursday that it would issue a rush patch for Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat today.

As expected, one of the two flaws fixed was related to the cross-domain request vulnerability patched last week in Flash Player, the ubiquitous media player installed on virtually every personal computer. The other bug quashed by today's update was a crash vulnerability that could let attackers install malware on a victimized machine.

Adobe ranked both bugs as critical.  An accompanying security bulletin provides more details of the Reader and Acrobat vulnerabilities.

County Property Tax Reminder

Just a reminder that March 1 is the deadline to return this year’s property and business property assessment lists.

Missouri law requires all residents and business owners to declare all taxable personal and business property they own as of Jan. 1 to the assessor's office. Taxable items include motor vehicles, boats, trailers, livestock, farm machinery and business-related equipment, according to an assessor's office news release.

The lists are what the county will use to compute 2010 personal and business property tax bills, which will be sent out in November.

The Newton County Assessor’s office can be reached at 417-451-8296 between 8am and 5pm, M-F.  Their website is:

http://www.newtoncountyassessor.com/

Jarden Shows Profits in Q4

Jarden Corporation (ticker symbol JAH) reported net income of $1.2 million in the 4th quarter reversing a loss of $170 million a year ago.

For the year, Jarden reported net income of $128.7 million vs. a loss of $58.9 million in 2008.

Sales in 2009 down slightly over 2008 as was gross profit.  Operating earnings were up due to reductions in overhead costs.

The full earnings report can be found here.

Jarden operates a large distribution center in Neosho, MO.

Housing Construction Up 2.8% in January

Housing construction posted a better-than-expected increase in January which pushed activity to the highest level in six months. The solid gain raised hopes that the construction industry is beginning to mount a sustained rebound from its worst slump in decades.

Frontier Expands into Branson With Low Fares

From today’s SBJ.net:

Frontier Airlines, the newest air carrier to the private Branson Airport, announced its introductory fares Monday.

Frontier customers will be able to fly from Branson direct to Denver beginning April 20 for $79 each way. One-stop flights from Branson to 50 other airports are available starting at $89.

The airport announced earlier this month that passengers will be able to fly to Denver International Airport four days a week aboard Embraer E190 aircraft that seat 99 people.

AirTran Airways currently offers direct service from the Branson airport to Atlanta and Orlando, Fla., and airport officials have said they are hopeful that Sun Country Airlines will resume its service into and out of Minneapolis from the Branson airport in the spring.

Hamas Assassination Planning Caught on Tape

If you're a big fan of movies like Borne Identity, you might enjoy this video. It goes back in time and tracks an alleged hit squad doing prep work for an assassination on a Hamas leader in Dubai. While it's long, it's VERY interesting.

There are some things about government that I just don't want to know.

Ethics Poll Results

Below are the results from the ethics poll conducted on my website over the past two weeks.  Over 100 people took the unscientific poll.

Question of the week?

What level of ethical conduct do you expect from your LOCAL elected officials compared to state and/or federal elected officials?

Thanks to all that participated.

Business Spending on Supplies Up in December

From NPD:

Business-to-business spending in the office supply industry is on the rebound and was up in December for the first time throughout all of 2009, according to leading market research company The NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service. 

Business-to-business spending grew for the first time in December, rising 2.5 percent, and for the first time all year business spending out-performed consumer spending in the retail office super store channel.  The contract stationers channel had been showing year-over-year improvement each month since August, but December was the first month where it pulled into positive territory.  For the year, the B2B contract stationer channel declined 11 percent.  Business spending across a number of industries, including technology, began to rebound this past fall.  

The retail office super store channel didn’t fare as well, but still made strides in the fourth quarter.  The channel started to stabilize in September, averaging a 5 percent decline over the final four months of the year, and December sales ended down around 6 percent. While still a decline, it is an improvement over the 10 percent monthly decline the channel experienced during the first half of 2009.  The retail office super store channel was down 8 percent in 2009.

Bass Pro Car Finishes First At Daytona

From today’s SBJ:

Southwest Missouri had a good showing in NASCAR’s Daytona 500 on Sunday. Joplin native Jamie McMurray – driving the Bass Pro Shops-sponsored No. 1 Chevrolet – took first place in the 52nd running of the race. The Daytona was the first points race McMurray has driven in for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing.

An eight-year NASCAR veteran, McMurray joined the Bass Pro Shops team in November, effectively replacing Martin Truex Jr., who joined Michael Waltrip Racing.

Sunday’s race was McMurray's eighth Daytona 500 start. He edged out Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the win.This is the fifth year Springfield-based Bass Pro Shops has been a primary NASCAR sponsor.

Wal-Mart Sets Late Delivery Fee for Vendors

From Sunday’s NWAOnline.com

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has joined the ranks of retailers that impose penalties on suppliers that fail to deliver products within the company’s prescribed four-day window.

Effective Feb. 1, under the new policy, suppliers whose products arrive at regional distribution centers before or after that period face a 3 percent penalty based on the cost of the goods.

Previously, the company requested delivery within a four-day window but gave suppliers no incentive to meet the schedule, said Dan Fogleman, a Wal-Mart spokesman.

“This is a common practice among national retailers, andreally in line with charges assessed by our closest competitors,” Fogleman said.

Competitors Target Corp., Best Buy Co. Inc. and Kohl’s Corp. are among the other retailers that assess penalties for early or late deliveries.

Joplin Council To Take Up Pay Raises

As a follow-up to last weeks post on pay raises for Joplin city employees, the Joplin city council will tomorrow night consider an ordinance approving a 3% pay increase for all city employees.

Last week, the council had given informal approval to the idea earlier this month.

If approved the pay raises would take effect in March and would cost the city approximately $800,000 over an entire year.

Wilson Tries Again to Get State Definition of 4/7th

Rep. Kevin Wilson is once again proposing legislation to better define what 4/7th’s means in an election.  The obvious need for clarification stems from the 2007 vote in Neosho where 57.11% of voters supported a ballot issue for various road improvements.  4/7th’s is 57.14%. 

The consent bill being proposed by Wilson defines current fractional requirements down to 4 decimals – 4/7=57.1429% and 2/3=66.6667%.

This will be the 3rd attempt Wilson has made on the bill.  Previous attempts have failed to be passed out of the House.  Based on the issues that have arisen in Neosho (and could arise anywhere else in Missouri), I am a little confused on why our legislature hasn’t been more proactive in fixing this problem.  Perhaps some (Wilson excluded) have forgotten why they are sent to Jefferson City.

If it’s broke, fix it!

A hearing on the bill will be held Wednesday before the House’s general laws committee. Wilson said the measure meets the criteria of a consent bill, as it isn’t controversial, doesn’t have a penalty provision and doesn’t cost the state anything.

Neosho R-5 Asst. Supt Heading to St. Charles

Mr. Charles Brazeale, Neosho’s Asst. Supt of Business and Finance, has been selected to be the new director of instructional technology for the St. Charles School District.  Mr. Brazeale will assume the position starting July 1st.

Mr. Brazeale came to Neosho in 2005 after then-assistant superintendent Dr. Richard Page was elevated to be superintendent of Neosho’s school district.  Brazeale has a bachelors and masters degree from Southwest Baptist University.

No word yet on Brazeale’s successor.

Farewell to Phoebe

As I settled in last night at the hotel, I was in good spirits.  The TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) show had been going well.  We’d had loads of interest in our new band cabinets and I’d just finished a great steak at Morton’s just a couple of hours earlier.  What could possible go wrong?  Then the phone rang.

First off, anytime my phone rings at 10:30pm at night, someone better be in jail, at the hospital, or on fire.  I’m not one that makes (or accepts) calls that late just for the heck of it.  That ring at that time meant something was very wrong.  I answered to the sound of garbled speech filled with whaling moans and crying.  Something had gone wrong…it was just a question of how wrong.

I soon learned that Phoebe, a 3 month old German shepard who joined our family just a couple of weeks ago, had just run under the car as my daughter and her mother pulled up the drive.  Jennifer was on the phone with me while trying to assess the injuries and hold back the emotions.  The injuries were fatal and Phoebe didn’t have time to suffer.  But my daughter and Jennifer were just starting their emotional roller coaster.

I spent the next few minutes with both of them – chatting about what to do and how to handle it, and trying to be a good listener.  Jennifer was feeling a tremendous amount of guilt.  Kyndall was emotional about the loss of her new puppy.  I was emotional since I couldn’t be there for them.  It made for a very long night with little sleep.

I’m glad to report that things are better this morning.  The grieving process is underway.  The emotional roller coaster is slowing.  Life is starting to return to normal.  But even that little dog, who was only in our lives for such a short time, sure had formed a bond with us.  We’ll all miss her.  She was quite the dog.

Business Inventories Drop

Business inventories in December 2009 were down 0.2 percent from the prior month and were down 9.7 percent from the year before to $1,310.7 billion. 

Sales increased 0.9 percent from November and were up 4.7 percent from December 2008 to $1,040.4 billion.

Retail Sales Up in January

Retail sales in January 2010 increased 0.5% from December, to $355.8 billion.  This was 4.7% above the January 2009 level. 

Excluding autos, retail sales rose 0.6% from the previous month and increased 4.6% from the prior year, to $295.5 billion

Rumors Circulate about Neosho Forums

If you haven’t noticed, the website NeoshoForums.com seems to be off the air…at least it has been for a couple of days now.  I’m not sure what exactly is happening, but I’ve heard a few rumors.

While some may not like the forums for their tone and sometimes critical opinions (and I’ve been on the receiving end of their criticisms both on the council and during my former life on the Neosho R-5 school board), the site has been a place to watch (and read) some local discussions of issues facing our town, our state, and our nation.  And while no one ever agrees on everything (just insert Washington DC here if you need to), a sharing of differing ideas and opinions has been a part of our country for over 200 years.  (I think there’s even something about open and free speech in a document our founding fathers signed.)

Anyway, I hope things get worked out for them.  Regardless of if you like their views or not, they are an example of what makes our country what it is.  On the national level we have the Fox News’s and CNN’s of the world. In Neosho, we have NeoshoForums.com.  Personally, I don’t care what any of them say.  I’m capable of making an informed decision on my own.  Sometimes we agree.  Sometimes we don’t.  But either way, we’re all entitled to our own opinions…at least that’s my opinion.

Twin Rivers is Another Notch On the Post

This week’s announcement of the closure of the Neosho Twin Rivers operation is the latest in a stream of bad jobs news for Neosho.  With close to 400-500 employees being impacted, it will certainly hurt.

In this week’s Neosho Daily News, John Ball, COO, was quoted as saying “As of April 9, we will no longer have business opportunity that we have enjoyed for the past 10 years….”

Matt Duffy, president and CEO, cited unfavorable economic conditions and the ever-rising cost of doing business as the major factors for the work slow down.

No More Free Stand-by’s on American Airlines

For as long as I’ve traveled (and worked for the airline industry), passengers who arrived early were always allowed the option to ‘stand-by’ for an earlier flight at no charge.  It helped airlines (if the later flights were overbooked) and it helped passengers get where they were going a little quicker.

Well, American Airlines today has said NO MORE!  Starting with tickets purchased on Feb. 22, only elite travelers, business and first class passengers, military personnel and travelers on full coach tickets (and no one ever purchases full coach) will get a waiver.  Others will pay $50 just for the opportunity to leave early – but no guarantees.

As is typical with fees, American is not calling the $50 charge a ‘fee’, but rather ‘an elimination of a loop hole.’  I’ll have to remember that one.

For more information on this and other airlines fees, you can read the article here.

Springfield Sales Tax Up Slightly in February

From today's SBJ:

City sales tax revenues showed year-to-year improvement in February for the first time in six months, the city of Springfield said Monday.

The city's 1-cent general revenue sales tax brought in $2.48 million in February, up 1.4 percent from February 2009. The year-over-year increase is the first since August, when revenues increased 0.6 percent compared to the year before.

For fiscal year 2010, which began July 1, general sales tax revenue totals $23.3 million, down just less than $2 million - or 7.8 percent - from the first eight months of fiscal 2009.

The city is down roughly $90,000 since making additional cuts to the current budget in January. Those cuts, which included withholding funds from a variety of departments and the continuation of a year long hiring freeze, were made to cover a $1.27 million revenue shortfall in the fiscal year's second quarter. City officials review the yearly budget quarterly to determine if cuts are needed to keep up with declining revenues.
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Capt. Phil Dies from Stroke

As a follow up to a previous post, Phil Harris, captain of the Cornelia Marie and star of Discovery Channel’s ‘Deadliest Catch’ has died of complications from a stroke.  He was 53.

Capt. Harris gained national fame in the last few years thanks to the reality show.  Personally, I loved the show.  His departure will leave a void that will be hard to fill.

MSU Hopes to Have New President Soon

Missouri State is hoping to have its President position filled by next fall, that according to the MSU Board of Governors.  To fill the position, the university has hired a Dallas consultant to assist in the search. 

Their current president, Mike Nietzel, has announced his plan to resign once his successor is picked.

Current Cardinal Becomes Newest Cardinal

The Webb City school board has approved Dr. Anthony Rossetti as the new Supt of Schools.  Rossetti will be replacing current Supt. Ron Lankford.  Lankford announced his retirement late last year.

Rossetti is currently the superintendent of the Miller R-2 district.  Both Miller and Webb City have the same mascot – Cardinals – and both have very successful sports and academic programs.

What does that mean?

Being able to write an article and explain a complicated situation can be a challenge.  Unlike TV, readers only have what’s in black and white to create their visual image of the issue.  I sometimes chuckle when things don’t go quite as planned.  Take this quote from today’s Joplin Globe regarding a barn fire.

“Turner said no injuries were reported. Several bales of hay and a backhoe inside the barn burned in the blaze.

The owner of the barn was not fully identified.”

I found the last sentence funny because I started filling in my own reality:

Did he burn up too and they only find a shoe? (That was not the case.)

Did the police report say “barn reportedly owned by someone named ‘Joe’”?

Did a witness say “Well, Bobby had that until the divorce, but I think Doreen got the north half in the settlement.”

Maybe it wasn’t as funny as I thought, but it did make me chuckle.

Joplin Employees Will Likely See 3% Pay Increase

The Joplin city council last night informally blessed a 3% pay increase for employees during the next budget year.  That increase will cost the city approximately $800,000.

While concerned about increases in health care, the council was reminded that $20 million sits uncommitted in the city’s general fund.  The city’s budgeted general sales tax revenue for 2010 is $11.645 million.

The city of Joplin has their adopted budget online.  You can view it here.

Brother, can you spare a dime?

NPD Says Q4 Small Appliance Sales Show Promise

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.–The pickup in fourth-quarter 2009 sales of large and small appliances offer promise of further growth this year, according to The NPD Group.

The market-research firm’s consumer tracking service showed that sales of small appliances jumped 14 percent on a dollar basis over the fourth quarter of 2008, and unit sales were up 20 percent. The top categories were upright vacuums, drip coffeemakers and heaters, NPD said. The one negative that emerged from the company’s research was a 2 percent drop in average unit selling prices for all small appliances.

Meanwhile, major-appliance sales in the fourth quarter rose 5.5 percent over the fourth quarter of 2008, on both a dollar and unit basis. Microwaves, dishwashers and refrigerators all enjoyed double-digit growth in dollars, while unit sales of dishwashers, microwaves and washing machines had strong increases. Mark Delaney, director of NPD’s home division, said many retailers that featured major appliances in their Black Friday advertisements—some of which promoted “door-buster” specials—achieved positive results.

Peter Goldman, president of NPD’s home division, said these results indicate that the appliance industry is “moving back in a positive direction.” However, Goldman said consumers remain cautious in their spending, as evidenced by their purchases of lower-price products in these categories.

NPD is a leading global provider of of consumer and retail market research.  Their site is www.npd.com.

Jarden, who has a large distribution center in Neosho, is a large manufacturer of small appliances.

Retailer Volume of Imports Predicted to be Up 25% in First Half of 2010

From HFN:

WASHINGTON–Import volume at the nation’s major retailer container ports will jump 25 percent in the first half of this year versus 2009, according to an estimate from the National Retail Federation.

The monthly Global Tracker Report, provided by NRF and Hackett Associates, forecast first-half container volume at 7.4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU; one TEU is a 20-foot cargo container or its equivalent), up from 5.9 million TEU in the first half of last year. The prediction said June volume will jump 36 percent higher than June 2009, February volume would rise 30 percent over February 2009, April volume will be 27 percent ahead of last year’s April and May’s volume will grow 26 percent over May 2009.

Springfield Schools Choose NEA over MSTA

From today’s SBJ:

Springfield teachers voted Thursday to have the National Education Association's Springfield chapter act as their representative in negotiations with the Board of Education.

Springfield NEA received 56.9 percent of the vote, defeating the Missouri State Teachers Association. Both groups have Springfield teachers as members.

"SNEA has the experience, expertise and commitment to represent more than 1,700 Springfield teachers in reaching a collective bargaining agreement with the district," Missouri NEA President Chris Guinther said in a news release. "They have proved they have the patience, skill, and desire to get the job done."

Thursday's election was the second part of a process to choose representation for district teachers that started more than a year ago, when NEA representatives collected more than 1,100 signatures to petition the school board for an exclusive representative election.
That petition was taken to Greene County Circuit Court, which ruled that teachers must first have an election to select either exclusive representation, multiple representatives or no representation. The exclusive option received 58 percent of the vote in that election, which took place in November.

MSTA has said previously that it supported Springfield's policy of allowing multiple representatives.

Stowaway Freezes to Death during Trans-Atlantic Flight

From the AP:

Japanese authorities said Monday they are trying to identify a body found inside one of the landing gear compartments on a Delta Airlines plane flight that arrived in Tokyo from New York.

The body of the apparent stowaway, identified only as that of a male with dark skin, was clad only in a long-sleeved, plaid shirt and jeans, police at the Narita International Airport said Monday.

A mechanic found the body lying inside the landing gear compartment of the Boeing 777-200 during maintenance after Delta Flight 59 from New York landed at Narita on Sunday night, police official Zenjiro Watanabe said.

"All we know is that he must have sneaked in just before departure, because it is impossible for him to enter the storage during flight," Watanabe said.

The body had no visible injuries except signs of frostbite, and the man might have died of hypothermia during the flight, Watanabe said.

The temperature in that part of the plane falls to about minus 58 degrees during flight.

Police are investigating the case both as an accident and a possible crime, Watanabe said.

"It's quite bizarre," he said. "I've never handled a case like this before."

Delta officials were not immediately available for comment.

There have been similar cases in the past.

In 2007, a man who appeared to be Asian and in his 50s, was found dead in the nose gear wheel well in an on a United Airlines Boeing 747 that arrived at San Francisco International Airport from Shanghai. He too was thought to be a stowaway.

Hartland Motors Moves Back to the Boulevard

Hartland motors, a used car dealership in Neosho owned by Steve Hart, recently relocated its operation.  Formerly housed in the old Hickory Chips building on Coler St, Hartland has now moved to the Neosho Blvd across from Price Cutter and south of Advantage Health Care.

BKD Services Were Needed by Neosho

On Friday, the Neosho City Council hired the accounting firm of BKD, LLP to help assist in reconciling the city’s cash accounts and to review some other financial information.  That reconciliation is the first step to getting a handle on where the city stands financially.

To put this in very simple terms: until the city knows how much cash it has in the bank, it can’t know with any level of confidence how much will need to be borrowed to meet its financial debt obligations.  BKD will help confirm to the city what those balances are.

This isn’t the sole fix for the city’s financial crisis, but rather the first step in getting the city’s financial position stabilized so it can start its recovery.

The full Globe article is here.

Global Warming Needed to Get Turbines Spinning

Apparently no one thought about the effects of cold temperatures when installing tax-payer funded wind turbines in Minnesota.  Oops.  Because of cold temperatures, fluids inside the turbines were too thick to allow the blades to spin.  The wind turbines were originally installed in California where temperatures were much warmer.  They were dismantled and refurbished before being shipped to Minnesota for their new installation.

Good news – local officials expect the $300,000 turbines to be spinning in a couple of months after an oil change and a few other modifications.

The turbines were purchased using federal renewable energy bonds.

Joplin Airport Included in Study

Passenger air service to five smaller Missouri airports will be the topic of discussion during a meeting tomorrow at the Joplin Regional Airport.  The 9am meeting will reveal the results of a study done to determine possible changes to Missouri’s airline passenger service.

Joplin is one of five Missouri cities who has a federally-subsidized air service.  The others are Kirksville, Waynesville, Columbia and Cape Girardeau. 

The globe article can be found here.

Ethics Poll Posted on my Website

I’ve posted a new poll related to ethics on my website.  Please take a moment and give your opinion.  Results will be posted next week. 

Click here to voice your opinion.

(This isn’t Chicago – vote once and not often.)

Jobless Claims Rise Last Month

The Labor Department says that new claims for unemployment insurance rose by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 480,000. Wall Street economists had expected a drop to 460,000.

The four-week average, which smooths fluctuations, rose for the third straight week.  The number of people continuing to claim benefits was unchanged at 4.6 million.

December Orders for Durable Goods Up

New orders for manufacturing goods in December 2009 increased 1.0 percent to $370.4 billion. Shipments rose 1.9 percent, unfilled orders declined 1.0 percent and inventories declined by 0.1 percent from November 2009.

Save Money, Live Better. How? Cut More Jobs.

As part of continuing efforts to resize overhead, Wal-Mart yesterday announced another cut of 300 employees at their home offices in Bentonville, AR.  According to statements by Wal-Mart, these cuts are the final round of reductions ending a year-long series of changes to its corporate structure.

To save money, Wal-Mart, which has 2 million employees worldwide, has changed its global sourcing network.  Its Sam’s Club division cut 11,200 jobs last month when it turned announced it was outsourcing in-club demonstrations to an outside company. The cut amounted to 10% of Sam's Club's work force of 110,000. Sam's also closed 10 underperforming stores, which cost another 1,500 jobs.

A year ago, Wal-Mart cut 700 to 800 headquarters workers in its real estate, apparel and health and wellness departments. That layoff followed a reduction in the number and size of new stores Wal-Mart said it would build. The company also plans to renovate many existing stores.

Slowing Construction Impacts Local Architects

Two Springfield architecture firms have announced layoffs as construction projects continue to suffer amid a slowing economy and tighter lending by banking institutions.  Springfield’s largest firm, Butler, Rosenbury & Partners, Inc. cut nine jobs from their payroll last week.  GHN Architects and Engineers cut three jobs.  Both cuts equate to approximately 25% of their workforce.

The full article can be found here.

State Budget Office Pulls $74M in Spending

Continued revenue dips and lower collections are causing more cuts from Jefferson City.  Revenues thru the first 7 months are down 12.5%.  Collections in January are down 22.4% vs. 2009.  Those drops have resulted in $73.8 million worth of cuts to keep the state’s budget balanced.

Below is the full article from today’s Springfield Business Journal:

The continued drop-off in state general revenue collections has led to additional spending restrictions this year, the state budget office said Tuesday.

Through seven months of fiscal 2010, general revenue collections total $3.88 billion, down 12.5 percent compared to the same period in fiscal 2009.  Collections for January totaled $561.2 million, a 22.4 percent decrease from January 2009.

The revenue shortage is leading to additional spending cuts of $73.8 million, to ensure the budget stays balanced for the remainder of the fiscal year, according to a news release.
State salaries and operating expenses will be cut by $2.9 million. The cut should impact about 120 positions, some through attrition, according to the release. 

The biggest chunk of the cuts comes from the state Office of Homeland Security's communications interoperability efforts. The state is cutting $29.2 million from its general revenue funding for that project, which assists in agencies' ability to communicate with each other; other state and federal funding sources picking up the difference.

The state also is cutting $24.2 million from matching funds for its rural broadband initiative, leaving $5.8 million in place for that effort.

General revenue collections in January were down in individual income taxes, sales and use taxes, and corporate income taxes, with refunds up for the month.

Nice Change That Was Welcomed by All

I’ve heard a number of positive comments about last night’s meeting – specifically on conduct of the members and the audience.  It was a welcomed change of atmosphere and tone from past meetings. 

Good job to all that were there.

Duenweg Approves $6 million Bond for Wastewater Plant

From JoplinGlobe.com

February 02, 2010 09:22 pm

Duenweg voters have approved a $6 million bond issue to build a wastewater treatment plant.  County Clerk Bonnie Earl said there were 112 votes in favor and 29 votes against the proposal.

Mayor Russell Olds said city leaders did not do an engineering or rate study to determine how much rate-payers would have to be billed to pay for the project because a study would have cost up to $100,000. Instead, city leaders wanted to know whether voters would support the project going forward before determining the exact cost.

The mayor said he told residents that based on initial discussions with the city’s engineering firm, the cost would likely be about the same as residents are paying the city of Joplin, which currently operates a wastewater treatment system.

Voters said they were concerned about the city of Joplin imposing a 30 percent surcharge on out-of-city users and they wanted to provide more of their services to be prepared for future growth of the town.

Quite a showing of support for a project that all residents knew was in the best interest of their city.  Good job, Duenweg!

Intelligence Agency to Congress: Al Queda Attacks Only Months Away

Top intelligence officials told Congress today that attacks from Al Queda are only months way, according to a new report from Fox News.  In the hearing, Director of National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair said that Al Qaeda can be expected to continue and try to attack the United States until Osama bin Laden and his No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahri, are dead.

The Fox News article is here.

Captain Phil Suffers Stroke

From E-Online:

One of the death-defying crab-boat captains of Deadliest Catch is fighting for his life.

Phil Harris remains hospitalized in Alaska after suffering a stroke Friday while offloading his vessel, the Cornelia Marie.

"Captain Phil is resting comfortably and is in the care of excellent doctors and nurses," reads an update on the Discovery Channel show's website.

Harris has been a fixture on the reality show since its debut. His health became a major storyline during the 2008 season, when he was sidelined after a blod clot passed through his lungs. Doctors said the pulmonary embolism could have killed him.

Harris has skippered the Cornelia Marie for nearly two decades, with sons Josh and Jake serving as deckhands in recent years.

Both are with Harris in the hospital, according to the network, and they "thank everyone for their heartfelt thoughts and prayers."

NTSB Blames Crew Reaction for Buffalo Crash

With today’s technology, crash investigators have more and more data to review to determine why a perfectly-flying airplane suddenly crashes.  Their latest review of Continental 3407 relied heavily on that data to determine that the crew, not ice or weather, was a key ingredient that led to the crash.  That crash killed 49 people in Buffalo, NY.

Quoting parts of the report, the NTSB found Capt. Marvin Renslow fought the plane's system to recover from a stall. The captain had three chances to prevent the crash and failed each time.

A NY Times article can be found here.

An link to the animation of the final two minutes can be found here.

Today Must Be The Beginning

Tonight’s council meeting will very likely set the tone for what is to be the future of Neosho.  It’s no secret that the city is in a very severe financial crisis.  But time is running out to work solutions for recovery.  Now is not the time to relive history.  Further inaction with distraction will almost certainly spell failure.

10,000+ people are looking for leadership from our city government.  Leadership will move us forward.  Forward is the direction we must go.  That move forward will not be easy and the decisions our city must make will be very difficult for some to accept.  But it must be done to save what remains of Neosho and to restore our city back to what it can and should be.

Now is when we can begin to correct the past actions that put us here.  We all want what is ‘right’ for Neosho.  My commitment to you for success has never been stronger.  Working together with an understanding of what must happen is the key.  Please help me and your other city leaders.  It will take all of us coming together to move forward.  Failure is not an option.

NCLB Deadlines May Be Removed

The Obama administration is proposing changes to the No Child Left Behind act (NCLB) including a change in how schools are judged along with the elimination of the 2014 deadline for 100% compliance for academic proficiency.

I’ve said all along (as have many educators) that the 2014 deadline was nothing more than a feel-good statement for a few politicians in DC who want to talk about their approach to education.  It was a great goal, but completely unattainable.  They all knew it.

Someday, politicians will need to quit using education as a political football.  After all, the goal of education is to teach our kids.  Tweak it, make small changes, whatever.  But to totally change education every time a new party takes over the White House isn’t helping a thing.

The full NY Times article is here.