BOARD MEMBERS CAN'T ESCAPE FLOODING CONDITIONS AT RETREAT

JEFFERSON CITY -- Cape Girardeau's Board of Education found something familiar at its planning meeting in Jefferson City Tuesday flooding.

Floodwaters from the rising Missouri River literally lapped at the doorsteps of Capitol Plaza Hotel where the board met, just blocks from the State Capitol.

Flooding had already closed most streets in Jefferson City's downtown. On Tuesday, Highway 63 leading to Columbia was closed. Highway 54, the main route into Jefferson City from the north, is in danger of being swamped. A temporary levee is being constructed in hopes of keeping that access to the city open.

The crest here is predicted to arrive over the weekend.

At the hotel, in the heart of the flooded area, essentially all the parking lot was covered by water by the end of the planning meeting.

Several board members and administrators had to park their cars several miles away at Helias High School and ride a shuttle bus to and from the hotel.

A pump is operating around the clock to try to remove floodwater from the hotel's underground parking garage, but water has left a distinctive flood odor.

One guest speaker at the board's meeting, Jerry Valentine, who discussed performance-based evaluation, left early from his home in Columbia in case the water had already closed traditional routes into the capital city.

State government employees, many of whom work in the Truman Office Building across the street from the Capitol Plaza, have been encouraged to take vacation or leave time during the flooding. Those still reporting to work are asked to utilize shuttle buses also.