600 National Guard Soldiers Wait to Be Deactivated From Service

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1/31/2011: Newspaper Story - Gov. Jay Nixon calls the National Guard into duty to help with expected blizzard

1/31/2011: Newspaper Story - As winter weather approaches, MoDOT urges the public to stay off the roads.

2/ 1/2011: Radio Story - Missouri Highway Patrol leaders have pleaded with people to stay off the roads, but the state is giving little advice to its employees whether to come to work or stay home.

2/ 2/2011: Radio Story - Missouri lawmakers trapped in the Capitol by more than a foot of snow passed the time playing poker and sleeping with emergency relief blankets.

Intro:	As Missourians return to work after the historic blizzard, 600 National Guard soldiers are waiting to be called off duty. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: National Guard soldiers assisted Missourians from stranded semi-truck drivers to doctors trying to get to the hospital, but still can't get home themselves.

The Missouri National Guard spokeswoman, Tammy Spicer says they release soliders as missions are accomplished and it will take a few days.

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Description: "We would anticipate that the state emergency missions are winding down, but again we stay on duty as long as local officials need us."

Spicer also says they expected worse conditions and soliders should be deactivated within the next few days.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	The Missouri National Guard helped semi-trucks and doctors make it work through blizzard-like weather, but are waiting for their time to get off work. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Gov. Jay Nixon warned Missourians to stay off the roads and the National Guard's Spokeswoman, Tammy Spicer says they found very few civilians that needed help.

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Description: "The people of Missouri listened when Gov. Nixon declared this emergency on Monday afternoon, and really they did just what he told them to do and he said, "stay home." That these were not going to be conditions to travel in at all."

Spicer says the National Guard drove the entire length of I70 to prevent people from being stranded in the poor weather conditions.

Aside from aiding stranded cars, the National Guard drove doctors and nurses to hospitals to assure assistance to patients.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	The National Guard helped Missourians make it home safely but are still waiting to go home themselves. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Gov. Jay Nixon mobilized an estimated 600 National Guard soldiers Monday night.

After helping stranded cars and semi-trucks on highway 70, they are still waiting to be released from service.

National Guard Spokeswoman, Tammy Spicer says Missourians listened to Gov. Nixon's warning to stay off the road.

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Description: "Really, they did just what he told them to do, and he said, "stay home." That these were not going to be conditions to travel in at all and So we did not find a lot of civilians on the road."

Spicer says although they did not help a lot of cars, they did assist many semi-truck drivers and brought them to safe conditions.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.