Missouri Guard deploys for Mississippi fellows

SPRINGFIELD, MO. -- More than 100 members of a Springfield-based National Guard unit volunteered to deploy to the Middle East to spare fellow citizen-soldiers from Mississippi who are still recovering from hurricane damage. Members of the 1107th Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot were officially mobilized for active duty Thursday. It is the second time the 1107th, which repairs helicopters and other aircraft, has been deployed in support of U.S. operations in the Middle East.

Auditor candidate has history of financial woes

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Maida Coleman, a Missouri lawmaker who wants to become the state's top fiscal watchdog, has a history of personal financial problems, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported Friday. Coleman, a St. Louis Democrat, announced last month that she would run for state auditor. The newspaper reported that after being fired from her job with the St. Louis Housing Authority in 1998, Coleman filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection. Two lending agencies later sued her. Coleman, 51, said Thursday that she realized it was only a matter of time before her financial issues surfaced, saying the problems stemmed from a year when she was between jobs.

Officials outline steps to update quake plan

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State emergency officials said Friday they are working to update the state's plan for responding to a major earthquake. Earlier this week, House Democrats criticized the state for not being ready enough to handle a disaster, such as an earthquake. Public Safety director Mark James said that after Hurricane Katrina, Gov. Matt Blunt ordered a review of plans for handling an earthquake, and on Friday officials discussed what more can be done. James said that the state must be ready in case local agencies cannot respond to a crisis.

-- From wire reports