Tagged: Joplin

A Missouri Senate subcommittee heard testimony at the Capitol today from state officials who handle disaster response.

Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Department of Public Safety, told the Subcommittee on Emergency Response that state and local officials coordinated their response efforts very well following the Joplin tornado.

Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon says the state will play a long-term role in rebuilding housing in Joplin after the deadly May 22 tornado.

Nixon will travel to Joplin today to announce what he describes as a "major initiative to address both the near-term and long-term housing needs."

He says it will involve both federal and state resources to support home construction.

The tornado killed 159 people and destroyed thousands of homes while wiping out a large section of the city.

Sewer line rupture forces lane closures on EB I-70

The Missouri Department of Transportation is urging motorists to avoid eastbound Interstate 70 between Shreve and west Florissant Monday as repairs continue on a ruptured sewer line.

Deanna Venker, MoDOT area engineer for St. Louis City, says crews worked overnight to fix the sewer line. Concrete is curing and crews are working on road repairs.