Cape Girardeau train wreck this morning

Seven injured in Missouri as trains collide, trigger highway bridge collapse

Two freight trains collided and derailed early Saturday in southeast Missouri, then triggered the collapse of a highway overpass when several rail cars struck a support pillar.

Seven people were injured, including two personnel on the trains and five individuals in cars on the overpass on Highway M near Scott City, about 120 miles south of St. Louis, NBC affiliate KSDK reported. All the injured were hospitalized and listed in fair condition.

The collision occurred before dawn at a rail intersection. 

"One train T-boned the other one and caused it to derail, and the derailed train hit a pillar which caused the overpass to collapse," Scott County Sheriff's dispatcher Clay Slipis told Reuters.

The crash, which involved BNSF Railway Co and Union Pacific trains, also ignited a fire when diesel fuel leaked from one of the train engines, Slipis said.

Missouri in NY Times

We hit the Times yesterday: In Missouri, as Levee Is Rebuilt, Signs of Rebirth Begin to Sprout

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/us/along-mississippi-river-rebuilding-levee-after-springs-flood.html?ref=us

Further evidence Roy Blunt is bad for Missouri

Besides taking it upon myself to do what I can to help get the US out of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (tongue planted firmly in cheek), I'm also taking it upon myself to get word out--truth only--about the kind of person Roy Blunt is so he won't be returned to Washington, DC this Fall, to represent us. So, besides being from a wealthy political family dynasty--and isn't that enough reason right there?--there's also the fact that he is a deeply entrenched "Washington insider"--strike 2--and, apparently, according to websites on the internet, a real party animal on the Washington cocktail circuit. (See http://www.roybluntpartyblog.com/) That should do it right there. And it would except Roy and his family and their wealthy and corporate friends have boodles of money and they can spend it to tell us buffoons back home to vote for him and them. Besides, unfortunately, it seems too many voters vote "familiar names" too frequently, rather than issues and on hard data and their own best interests. (banging head on desk) So, added to all the above on Mr. Blunt is the fact that he is misrepresenting his past voting record now, particularly as it relates to the TARP fund in 2008: Before he was against it, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt was for a 2008 bill authorizing up to $700 billion to shore up banks and other troubled financial institutions. In fact, Blunt helped negotiate its details and - as House Republican whip - helped round up enough votes to ensure its passage. Now a candidate for U.S. Senate, Blunt is carefully parsing his past support for the unpopular bank bailout. Some people, when speaking of people who misrepresent the truth, would call such a person a liar. Link to original post: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MO_MISSOURI_SENATE_ANALYSIS_MOOL-?SITE=MOCAP&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT