Susan Smith-Harmon
Public school students in Missouri could soon be spending more time in the classroom. Right now, state law says school must be in session a minimum of 174 days and 1,044 hours each year.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says he'd like to add six days to the school calendar. And southwestern Missouri Republican State Rep. Lyle Rowland is proposing the state base the requirement on hours, rather than both that and days...and he'd like to add another 29-36 hours to the minimum.
Some districts have expressed skepticism because of the added cost and conflicts with existing labor contracts.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says he'd like to add six days to the school calendar. And southwestern Missouri Republican State Rep. Lyle Rowland is proposing the state base the requirement on hours, rather than both that and days...and he'd like to add another 29-36 hours to the minimum.
Some districts have expressed skepticism because of the added cost and conflicts with existing labor contracts.
The city of Kirkwood continues to remember the lives lost in a mass shooting five years ago, even as officials work to move the city forward.
A quirk of the calendar put Thursday night's City Council meeting on the five year anniversary of the Kirkwood City Hall shootings.
Before the meeting people gathered outside city hall and held hands. Church bells tolled seven times -- once for each of the six victims, and the shooter.
The massacre on February 7th, 2008 had claimed the lives Mayor Mike Swoboda ((swuh-BOH-duh)), council members Connie Karr and Michael Lynch, Public Works Director Ken Yost ((YOHST)), Police Sergeant William Biggs and Officer Tom Ballman. The shooter, Charles "Cookie" Thornton was also killed.
Last night's council meeting began with a simple commemoration. Mayor Arthur McDonnell read the names of the victims, and offered a prayer. A moment of silence followed, then it was business as usual.
A quirk of the calendar put Thursday night's City Council meeting on the five year anniversary of the Kirkwood City Hall shootings.
Before the meeting people gathered outside city hall and held hands. Church bells tolled seven times -- once for each of the six victims, and the shooter.
The massacre on February 7th, 2008 had claimed the lives Mayor Mike Swoboda ((swuh-BOH-duh)), council members Connie Karr and Michael Lynch, Public Works Director Ken Yost ((YOHST)), Police Sergeant William Biggs and Officer Tom Ballman. The shooter, Charles "Cookie" Thornton was also killed.
Last night's council meeting began with a simple commemoration. Mayor Arthur McDonnell read the names of the victims, and offered a prayer. A moment of silence followed, then it was business as usual.
Police raid scrap yard owned by Kirkwood shooter's brother
Friday, 08 February 2013 01:52 Published in Local News
The brother of Kirkwood City Hall shooter Charles "Cookie" Thornton is claiming that his Granite City scrap yard was raided Thursday afternoon in retaliation for the 2008 massacre.
Just hours before the fifth anniversary of the shooting was marked in Kirkwood, the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force executed a warrant at Paul Thornton's Scrap Solutions business in the 5500 block of Dial Drive. But Task force Director Gary Brewer says it had nothing to do with the anniversary of the shootings. "This all has to do with timing on following and executing a search warrant to find stolen vehicles," Brewer said.
Police found several stolen cars on the lot, along with a stolen semi and another tractor-trailer filled with auto parts. Brewer said the bust was the result of an investigation that began after a spike in thefts of older model cars.
Thornton was critical of the way the raid was conduction. He told Fox 2 News Thursday evening that it wasn't right for 20 to 30 officers to come to his business with guns drawn.
Police won't say if there are any charges pending against Thornton.
Just hours before the fifth anniversary of the shooting was marked in Kirkwood, the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force executed a warrant at Paul Thornton's Scrap Solutions business in the 5500 block of Dial Drive. But Task force Director Gary Brewer says it had nothing to do with the anniversary of the shootings. "This all has to do with timing on following and executing a search warrant to find stolen vehicles," Brewer said.
Police found several stolen cars on the lot, along with a stolen semi and another tractor-trailer filled with auto parts. Brewer said the bust was the result of an investigation that began after a spike in thefts of older model cars.
Thornton was critical of the way the raid was conduction. He told Fox 2 News Thursday evening that it wasn't right for 20 to 30 officers to come to his business with guns drawn.
Police won't say if there are any charges pending against Thornton.
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