The group home fire in Anderson made the national news

[cornermouse]

on NBC. Local news had Matt Blunt promising to do everything he could to find out why. Meanwhile over there on fired up missouri, someone has put a story that casts a different light on Blunt. Then again, maybe its the Matt Blunt we've all come to know. Anyway, website has a link to supporting information.

http://www.firedupmissouri.com/node/5264
Blunt Puts Patronage Ahead of Elderly Patients; Blocks Hiring of Nurses for Veterans Homes

According to recently released minutes of the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC), Matt Blunt is banning state agencies from posting openings for jobs above $40,000 per year without gubernatorial approval. State government observers speculate that Blunt's Order is designed to facilitate the hiring of partisans into what should be merit system positions.

According to the MVC minutes, Blunt's Order has already delayed the hiring of Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA's) who care for elderly Missouri veterans. Despite the pleas of the MVC, Blunt has refused to modify his Order for such critical care positions.

It's too bad Matt Blunt has put the interest of veteran partisans ahead of Missouri veterans.

[cornermouse]

1. The fire. It gets worse.

This is the problem with "faith-based". It provides handy cover for those with bad intentions. Interesting to note the contrast between styles of reporting in Joplin where they bury the fact that he was convicted of Medicaid/Medicare fraud and Springfield where they think it has some importance to the story.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_332004522
http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_331235855.html

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/NEWS01/611280381

[Broken_Hero]

2. I'm ten miles north of

Anderson...I saw the fire trucks from Goodman heading towards Anderson early monday morning, I had no idea that the fire was that bad. I was awaken at noon on monday by my friend from Alaska, he heard about the fire on WGN News....I saw it run as a ticker news on msnbc about an hour later...on the NBC Nightly news segment, Brian Williams covered it...and about ten minutes after that, my wife and I's mutual friend from NE gave us a call...

It is weird to have Anderson in the news...that makes it twice this year...this fire, and the Fred Phelps gang protesting a dead soldiers funeral in Anderson....

[cornermouse]

3. Its been rather upsetting.

There are/were some nice people in Anderson as well as some not so nice.

[Broken_Hero]

4. usually a lot backwards people

in Anderson, but having a tragedy of this magnitude in a close knit community is devasting...I'm still hearing differing reports of the incident.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Baby Blunt was there on Monday

claiming it was arson. Dumb shit.

[xmas74]

6. We have a vets home in Warrensburg.

I've heard that it's nearly impossible to get a position there now even though they don't have enough employees on staff.

And the mention of the CNAs compared to the 40,000 positions-the CNAs here only make about 8.50 an hour.

[loyalsister]

7. I bet there is something else behind this.......

This was a "special needs" population, and there was probably no planning.
Evacuation for a fire is not the same for people who have mobility problems or other difficulties as it is for the general population.
The fire dept. has no idea who they are. It takes planning with local agencies and on site encouragement.
Above all, the "special needs" population has to be trusted at greater levels.
Unfortunately, they are written off DESPITE the number of people with disabilities and elderly who dies in Katrina.

[Broken_Hero]

8. Lawsuit against Robert Dupont...owner of home.

Law sue states, that Dupont knew that the wiring was faulty, and didn't replace it...just on KODE News, via Joplin....