Region/state digest 03/12/05

Last bridge pier to be blasted today

Construction crews plan to demolish the final pier of the old Mississippi River bridge with explosives at 8 a.m. today, Missouri Department of Transportation officials said Friday. Most of the blast will occur under water. The nearby Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge and Aquamsi Street will be closed to traffic for about 10 minutes as a precaution. A barge-mounted crane will clean up the pier debris. Winter weather had delayed the final demolition work since late last year, officials said.

Multiple sclerosis rally being held today at mall

The MS Hope Rally will be held at 1 p.m. today at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park, near Pasta House. Registration for the MS Walk and the MS Challenge Walk will be held. An opportunity to benefit the national MS society by purchasing "Bands of Hope" wristbands for $1 and/or writing a message on a "Ribbon of Hope" for placement on the "Wall of Hope" inside the mall will also be available. For more information, call Teresa Birk at 334-1777.

I-55 ramps at Route KK to be closed two days

The southbound on and off ramps on Interstate 55 at Route KK near Old Appleton will be closed to traffic Monday and Tuesday while Missouri Department of Transportation maintenance crews replace the concrete pavement, state highway officials said. The ramps will be closed starting at 8 a.m. Monday and running through Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Man gets jail, fine for molasses-induced fish kill

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The owner of a septic tank service must spend two days in jail and pay $6,000 for a fish kill caused by his illegal dumping of molasses and water into a sinkhole. Stephen Lindsey of German Septic Service of Springfield was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of discharging contaminants into state waters. Lindsey was charged in November after Missouri Department of Natural Resources investigators discovered about 50,000 gallons of waste molasses and water from the Purina Mill had been dumped into the sinkhole on Lindsey's property.

-- From staff, wire reports