MODOT sent a news bulletin that warns of an incoming storm affecting our readers. We'd like to pass it along-- they give some excellent Winter driving reminders.

Winter Storm Hitting Southern Missouri
Motorists Advised to Check Road Conditions Before Traveling

JEFFERSON CITY – A winter storm has moved into the southern half of Missouri, leaving roads covered or partly covered with snow and slush. Highways in west central Missouri are also partially to fully covered. The storm is expected to continue through today, with the prediction that heavy snow could fall in metropolitan St. Louis and points south during this afternoon's rush hour. Interstates 44, 55 and 270/255 are expected to receive the most snow in the metro area.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is urging drivers to plan ahead and check road conditions before traveling. The latest road conditions are available at www.modot.org through the Traveler Information Map. The map shows routes in different colors ranging from clear, to partially covered, covered or closed to travel. Travelers can also call MoDOT’s toll-free number, 888-ASK-MODOT, to get road condition information.

MoDOT uses a priority system of routes to determine which roadways are cleared first to get traffic moving as quickly as possible. The following are priority levels for snow and ice-removal:

Priority 1: Highest traffic-volume roadways are cleared first, including interstates and other major routes. These roads receive continuous treatment throughout a storm.

Priority 2: Lower-volume, lettered or numbered routes are opened to two-way traffic and treated with salt at critical areas such as intersections, hills and curves.

After the storm during regular work hours, workers clean up accumulation on shoulders, bridge edges and interchanges.

Drivers are urged to be very cautious and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
The department also offers the following safe travel tips:

*Buckle up.
*Drive slower than normal.
*Avoid hard braking and sudden turns to keep from sliding out of control.
*Make sure vehicle windows are cleared to ensure visibility.
*Use headlights.
*Increase following distance.
*Keep at least 100 feet behind a truck plowing or salting the road.
*Keep plenty of fuel in the tank and carry an emergency kit.
*Let someone know where you're headed.

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The Lake Regional Hospital Foundation recently received $3,500 from Lake Area Christmas for Kids. The funds, raised at the December 2009 event, will be used by Lake Regional’s Speech Therapy department to purchase the Interactive Metronome® program. The IM helps children with learning and developmental disorders, as well as adult neuro-rehabilitation patients.

“We thank the Christmas for Kids Committee for their generous donation,” said Lake Regional Hospital Foundation Director Terri Hall, CTFA. “Because of their contribution, Lake Regional soon will offer area children and others the latest in speech therapy and neuro-rehabilitation technology.”

Developed in the 1990s, Interactive Metronome® is a computer-based auditory processing training system that focuses on synchronizing a rhythmic sequence of movements of the hands and feet in response to a tone played through ear phones.

“Recent research has shown IM training significantly can improve the neurological processes of motor planning and sequencing for adults and children with neuro-motor impairments,” said Sandra Keeney, M.A., CCC-SLP, director of Speech Therapy at Lake Regional Health System. “These functions are central to human activity, including speech and language development.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of Lake Regional’s certified speech-language pathologists, call 573-302-2238.

Lake Regional Health System’s Speech Therapy department offers inpatient and outpatient evaluation of and treatment for speech, language, cognitive, voice and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Throughout the past year, Lake Regional’s speech-language pathologists provided more than 3,000 therapy sessions for lake-area residents and visitors.


(From left) Katie Karr, CFK Committee member; Jennifer Hoose, CFK Committee treasurer; Sandy Keeney, director of Speech Therapy, LRHS; Terri Hall, director of Foundation, LRHS

School-age children and their parents are invited to sign up for Lake Regional Health System’s Trim Kids program, a practical approach to weight loss and healthy living led by trained health care professionals.

This free, 12-week program will include nutrition, exercise and behavior modification components, such as self-esteem building, emotional pitfalls and stress management. Participants will receive handouts, and incentives will be offered for homework and program completion.

Because parental involvement is necessary for achieving program goals, at least one parent or legal guardian is required to attend each session with their child. Parents also are expected to implement the principles presented, including shopping for and cooking healthier foods, participating in their child’s exercise program and helping their child meet established goals.

An informational meeting is scheduled 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, for registrants and their parents. The program will be held each Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. beginning March 4 and ending May 20. Sessions will be held in Lake Regional Hospital’s third floor conference rooms.

Visit lakeregional.com and click “Classes/Events” to register. Space is limited. Registrations must be received by Thursday, Feb. 18. Call 573-348-8222 for more information.

Lake Regional offers a variety of educational programming topics during the year, such as diabetes, heart disease and childhood obesity. Several health fairs and screenings also are held annually throughout the lake area. For information on upcoming events, visit lakeregional.com.

Their long-anticipated product launch is finally here, and the iPad has been announced starting at $499, available in two months time. The notebook sized half-inch-thick device has a 9.6" screen, and accommodates all iPhone apps right out of the box. They're also bundling iWork with it, and a new all-you-can-eat data plan from AT&T for just $30 monthly. This is the "bridge" device that I think will change the way we use and work with computers casually. How big a change remains to be seen. But, the notebook and e-reader markets will be shaken up by this, to be sure. Look for e-book reader and laptop prices to shift downward-- netbooks may even drop a bit.
$499 for 16GB of iPad. 32GB is $599, 64GB is $799. 3G models cost an extra $130. $629, $729, and $829 with 3G.

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This year promises to be an exciting year for Symphony of the Lake in making great music come to life by the end of 2010.

Immediate Step: Recruit those wonderful musicians, perhaps hiding in places yet to be explored, who have played with an orchestra in the past, have skills they wish to pursue in an environment of music and training, and work under an accomplished conductor. We want to hear from those with a potential interest in playing or have questions about playing.

The Symphony is evaluating a 3-day, weekend-long rehearsal schedule, followed by a concert on the final evening. Musicians will come prepared to deliver great music, and the rehearsals will be about blending with the other instruments into a concert symphony. This would contrast to the more traditional weekly rehearsals and enable musicians from a larger area to travel to the Lake for such a weekend of work and play, enable local school instructors and top musical students to participate, and provide on-going skills enhancement through these 2-3 weekends throughout the year.

The less-frequent schedule of concerts should fit in well with the Lake’s overall performing arts schedules of concerts.

We want to hear your reactions and questions about this alternative.

Our community surveys confirmed that the Lake is very interested in having us produce great Symphony music, having Symphony concerts be gala affairs, incorporating outreach to youth, and continuously upgrading talent skills. This new format addresses all aspects of our “mission/vision/ expectations” much more quickly than would otherwise be possible, and we need your confirmation that we are on the right track.

Please contact Nancee Byington @ 573-365-1605, or info-creative@designvues.com so we can include your wishes and hopes for our new Symphony of the Lake. If you are interested in helping with these efforts, we invite you to join our planning board. Next meeting Thursday, February 18, 5:00-6:30 PM.