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Morning headlines: Monday, September 19, 2011

Lorenzo Pollard
SLMPD
Lorenzo Pollard

City Corrections Commissioner suspended hours before jail break

Hours before an inmate escaped from a St. Louis jail on Friday night, the city's corrections commissioner was suspended because of complaints about his management of city jail facilities. Commissioner Gene Stubblefield will be able to defend his performance in several hearings and meetings. The city emphasized that no one is alleging any criminal misconduct.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reportsthat the suspension occurred after city officials reviewed past jail breaks and jail operations, which included issues like overdue bills and overtime payments.

The inmate who escaped Friday night is 31-year-old Lorenzo Pollard. He was captured Sunday evening.

Callaway Nuclear Power Plant put on brief alert

A refrigerant leak caused a brief alert at the nuclear power plant in Callaway County but officials say no dangerous radioactive material was released. Ameren Missouri officials issued an alert for the plant near Fulton about 11 a.m. Sunday, saying a refrigerant leak was reported in one of two rooms that contain the air conditioning system for the plant. The situation was over by about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Ameren said there was no release of radioactivity above normal operating limits. And they said neither plant personnel nor the public was ever in danger.

Carnahan selected to attend General Assembly of U.N.

Missouri Congressman Russ Carnahan has been selected by the president to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations. President Barack Obama named Carnahan and a Republican congresswoman from New York to be representatives for the U.S. The appointment is not a job that would require either of the lawmakers to leave their positions in the U.S. House.

Carnahan will attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting Monday and Tuesday. He plans to meet with various countries' delegations about the Middle East peace process, energy and women's rights.

Carnahan is a Democrat and represents an eastern Missouri district that includes part of St. Louis. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 2004.