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Morning headlines: Friday, December 9, 2011

Former Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is leaving St. Louis to play for the Los Angeles Angels, but his foundation will remain in St. Louis.
Credit: Pujols Family Foundation
Former Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is leaving St. Louis to play for the Los Angeles Angels, but his foundation will remain in St. Louis.

Pujols Family Foundation to remain in St. Louis

The iconic Cardinals slugger is signing with the Angels and taking his talents to Los Angeles, raising some concerns about what will happen with the Pujols Family Foundation that benefits people with Down syndrome. But executive director Todd Perry told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the foundation will remain active in St. Louis, though it could expand to include programs in the Los Angeles area. He isn't yet sure if the headquarters will remain in St. Louis.

Mo. utility regulators approve proposal for refined coal at Ameren Missouri power plant

Ameren Missouri plans to sell coal and lease part of its property at the Rush Island Power Plant to another company, which will refine the coal and sell it back to the St. Louis-based power company.

Buffington Partners plans to use a process that will reduce emissions from the coal. The Missouri Public Service Commission has approved the proposal. Regulators say that the public will benefit from environmental improvements and reduced emissions from the coal. 

In addition, payments to Ameren will offset plant operations and maintenance costs.

SIU signs off on contracts with bargaining units at Carbondale campus

The university's board of trustees ratified the agreements Thursday. Members of the Faculty Association, Non-Tenure Track Faculty Association, Graduate Assistants United and the Association of Civil Service Employees voted last month to approve the contracts.

The Faculty Association reached the deal Nov. 9, nearly a week after many of its members went on strike at the 20,000-student university. 

Mo. drought could prove costly for farmers

The University of Missouri's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources says the drought could cost the state's soybean producers $300 million this year. The drought lasted less than six months, but university experts say it dried the soil down to 5 feet below the surface - the depth where the roots of mature plants often seek moisture and nutrition. A University soil expert says it will take persistent rains for many weeks or months to replenish the moisture.

Experts says the 2012 Missouri corn crop could experience the greatest effects, because corn is planted earlier than soybeans or winter wheat.