Several Northwest Missouri cities have received major block grants that will be used for water system improvements, bridge replacements and a courthouse elevator.

One of the community development block grants, an award of $500,000, was given to the city of Kidder, Mo. The Missouri Department of Economic Development said the funds will used to finance water system improvements.

Grundy County will receive a $400,000 block grant for a bridge replacement program. Clinton County will receive a $210,000 grant that will be used to build a courthouse elevator that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Elsewhere, the city of Plattsburg, Mo., will receive a $359,000 grant through Gov. Matt Blunt’s Clean Water Initiative and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The city will use the money to construct 11,000 feet of pipe from the water treatment plant to the distribution system.

MoDOT pursues recycling

The Missouri Department of Transportation may be about to start a project in Gentry County this month that will involve cold-in-place recycling.

The process involves milling and removing two to three inches of existing highway pavement, adding additional asphalt oils to the milled material, and replacing the reclaimed material back on the road.

This action is then followed with a new chip seal wearing surface on the entire length of the road.

Two routes — Missouri Route E from U.S. Highway 169 to Missouri Route H and Route H from Route E to Route V — have been chosen as the first demonstration projects.

The work is scheduled to begin this month, pending final agreements and favorable weather.

Shelter offers special

on cats

More than 90 cats and kittens currently live at the new Nodaway Animal Shelter in Maryville, Mo. The new Nodaway Humane Society is offering a special adoption rate throughout the month to place the animals in homes.

“Dozens of kittens are being dropped (off) at the shelter, which is already operating at capacity and facing possible closure due to lack of funding,” said Kelley Baldwin, a member of the society’s board.

The shelter is offering $10 off the normal cat adoption fee. For $60 throughout July, anyone can adopt the cat or kitten of their choice.

Neither Maryville nor Nodaway County currently have a mandated spaying/neutering program.

Call Cindy Nelson, the shelter’s manager, at (660) 562-3333 or e-mail nnhsmanager@embarqmail.com for more information. Or visit www.nodawayhumanesociety.org on the Web.

Ray Scherer can be reached

at rscherer@npgco.com.