Daily brief (7/26): Top picks from the Springfield media

There’s a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. today, but it will remain hot.

It will be sunny and hot, with a high of 94. The heat index could hit 101, and a heat advisory remains in effect for the area.

The extended heat wave is starting to create long-term problems for crops in the state, and at least 18 deaths have been linked to the heat.

Budget talks

President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner spoke to the nation last night about the stalled debt-ceiling negotiations. Congress must reach an agreement by Aug. 2 to raise the debt ceiling or the United States will default on its debt.

Here’s how to contact Missouri’s senators:

• Sen. Roy Blunt (Web). Phone: (202) 224-5721
• Sen. Claire McCaskill (Web). Phone: (202) 224-6154

Here are the House districts for Ozarkers:

• 4th District (including Webster, Dade, and northern Polk counties), Rep. Vicky Hartzler: (Web) Phone: (202) 225-2876
• 7th District (including Greene, Christian, western Taney, Stone, Lawrence, and southern Polk counties), Rep. Billy Long: (Web) Phone: (202) 225-6536
• 8th District (including eastern Taney, Ozark, and Douglas counties), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson: (Web) Phone: (202) 225-4404

Today’s picks

• OzarksFirst: Wonders of Wildlife must provide city with annual updates. Monday night, the Springfield City Council amended its contract with the Wonders of Wildlife museum. One change: The museum must now file annual updates with the city.
  
• News-Leader: Two books pulled from Republic school library shelves. The Republic school board voted to remove “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut and “Twenty Boy Summer” by Sarah Ockler from the school curriculum and library.
• KY3: Lebanon mayor fights to keep job. Lebanon Mayor C.P. Craig is fighting to keep his job. Voters will decide his fate in a recall vote next week.
• KSMU: Justice Roundtable reviews successes, failures. The Springfield-Greene County Safety and Justice Roundtable presented its two-year update on public safety and the local criminal justice system to local leaders on Monday. (Other coverage: KSPR)