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Missouri Governor to attend memorial service for officers killed in Dallas

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Governor Jay Nixon (D) will represent Missouri at a memorial service in Dallas, Texas, for the five police fatally shot there last week.

Governor Jay Nixon (UPI/Bill Greenblatt)

Governor Jay Nixon (UPI/Bill Greenblatt)

Nixon, Missouri Public Safety Director Lane Roberts, and Highway Patrol Superintendent Bret Johnson will attend the service at the invitation of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.

The governor had been scheduled to be in Europe this week but canceled that trip after violence involving law enforcement in Ballwin and elsewhere in the country, last week.

In a statement from Nixon’s office, he writes, “Missouri stands with the law enforcement officers of Dallas in grieving the loss of these officers who died protecting others. Tragically, we have just seen in Missouri the very real dangers that law enforcement officers subject themselves to on a daily basis. Being at the memorial service is a sign of the enormous respect we have for the sacrifice of the officers in Dallas, and conveys the support of the people of Missouri for law enforcement officers across the country.”

Police: Ballwin officer shot Friday morning ‘was ambushed’ – suspect charged

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Update 4:55 p.m.:  The suspect’s identity has been released:  St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch says 31-year-old Antonio Taylor of St. Louis is charged with three felonies for the shooting of a Ballwin officer: assault on an officer, armed criminal action, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Earlier story:

A Ballwin police officer is listed in critical but stable condition in a St. Louis-area hospital’s intensive care unit after being shot in the neck, following a traffic stop shortly after 11 a.m. Friday. Ballwin and St. Louis County police said the suspect in that shooting has a criminal history in more than one state.

Ballwin, Missouri police

Ballwin, Missouri police

Ballwin Police Chief Kevin Scott said the shooting happened as the officer, whose name has not been released, was concluding the traffic stop.

“[He] was retreating back to his vehicle to do some follow-up paperwork for whatever that scenario was. While going back to his vehicle with his back turned to the motorist, the driver came out of the vehicle, advanced quickly on the officer from the back, and fired three shots,” said Scott.

“Make no mistake,” said St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar, “We believe during this investigation that Ballwin officer was ambushed, and that is an unfortunate state of events that we are dealing with right now.”

The incident was caught on the dash camera of the officer’s vehicle, but Ballwin police are asking anyone with additional video of the incident to share it with investigators with their agency or St. Louis County Police.

The officer is a nine-year veteran of law enforcement; the past two years having been spent at Ballwin.
The suspect was caught later when police saw a blue Ford Taurus matching descriptions given by witnesses to the shooting, and matching the vehicle seen in the dash cam video of the shooting. The arrest came after the suspect bailed out of his car and ran from the officer for about five minutes. Police say a handgun was recovered.

Belmar said the name of the suspect will be released once a warrant is issued for him.

“He was put on probation for a weapons violation and a stolen vehicle I guess about 2011. he served some amount of time on probation. He was caught with a weapon in California which made him a felon in possession of a firearm. His probation was revoked. He did 30 months. He was released in March of 2015,” said Belmar.

Smith said there has been no communication with the wounded officer about what happened.

“His family is there. They have had access to him, but we are not in a position at this point, based on his condition, to try to obtain any information from him,” said Smith.

St. Louis and Ballwin police would not speculate about the motive of the man who shot the Ballwin officer today, nor whether that motive could be related to any of the other incidents this week elsewhere in the country.

The shooting comes after a sniper in Dallas, Texas, killed five police officers and wounded others during a protest about police-involved shootings. That follows the killing of two black men by police in two days – one in St. Paul, Minnesota on Wednesday, and one in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Tuesday.

Weather service warning Missourians of heavy rain, flooding threats for holiday weekend

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Missouri is predicted to receive a lot of rain over the next few days, and the National Weather Service is warning people to be paying attention.

This graphic from the National Weather Service shows the predicted rainfall totals for Missouri for Friday through Monday.

This graphic from the National Weather Service shows the predicted rainfall totals for Missouri for Friday through Monday (click for larger size).

Forecasts say a large portion of central to northern Missouri could receive four to six inches of rain by Monday, with up to eight inches in local areas. Other regions farther north and south could get two to four inches.

Meteorologist Ben Miller told Missourinet a cold front that could produce some severe storms this afternoon and evening will be the focus of showers through the weekend.

“This cold front’s going to sag through the area tonight, kinda stall across southern Missouri tomorrow, and kinda slowly work back north through the weekend. Along and north of that boundary there will be waves of showers and thunderstorms kind of off-and-on through the weekend,” said Miller. “At that point it won’t be nearly as big of a severe weather threat as it will be a heavy rainfall threat. It looks like the best window for the heaviest rainfall appears to be late Saturday through Sunday night – looks to be the period when the bulk of the precipitation is going to occur.”

The Weather Service is concerned about possible flooding, especially because it is a holiday weekend.

“If this happened during the week when everybody’s at work I’m not saying there wouldn’t be impacts, but the safety level would be completely different than a weekend when you have people out boating or floating on area rivers … where they’re at-risk being in low-lying areas and maybe not quite as in-tuned as they would be otherwise,” said Miller. “We’re hoping we have the word out enough ahead of time that people are cognizant that this is an event that is going to occur and they do the right thing and stay abreast of the current conditions and the forecast and just do their best to be safe.”

Use the Transportation Department's Traveler Information Map to find the latest road conditions when heavy rain or other weather occurs. Click on the image to go to it online, or find links to the apps for Apple and Android in this story.

Use the Transportation Department’s Traveler Information Map to find the latest road conditions when heavy rain or other weather occurs. Click on the image to go to it online, or find links to the apps for Apple and Android in this story.

Miller said how great a flooding threat the predicted rainfall poses is difficult to say.

“We’ve been pretty dry, at least along the Missouri River and north,” said Miller. “A lot of it depends on exactly how fast it falls and exactly where the heaviest corridors of this rain fall. If they’re spaced out north to south, each event doesn’t go exactly over the same areas, then we may get a nice, beneficial heavy rainfall that doesn’t result in a ton of dangerous, damaging flash flooding. If a couple of these or they all kind of train along the same corridor and you get six, eight [inches], maybe a little bit more than that, then yes those areas are going to see some significant flooding and probably some issues with flash flooding over the weekend.”

Miller encourages people to pay attention to the weather and traveler information, and heed warnings if and when they’re issued.

He said right now it looks like rain will be ending from northwest Missouri through southeast Missouri through the day on Monday, but some parts of southeast Missouri could still be getting rain Monday night and that could interfere with some fireworks displays.

Find Missouri road conditions with the Transportation Department’s Traveler Information Map, which is also available as an app on Apple or Android.

For information for your area, tune in to your Missourinet affiliate station and visit these Weather Service office websites.

In southwest Missouri:  Springfield and on Twitter @NWSSpringfield

In southeast Missouri:  Paducah, KY and on Twitter @NWSPaducah

In northwest and western Missouri:  Kansas City (Pleasant Hill) and on Twitter @NWSKansasCity

In northeast and eastern Missouri:  St. Louis and on Twitter @NWSStLouis

Scotland and Clark counties:  Davenport, IA and on Twitter @NWSQuadCities

Missouri gun bill sponsors expect override of governor’s veto

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The lawmakers who carried a sweeping gun rights expansion proposal say Governor Jay Nixon is missing an important detail in his rationale for vetoing it.

Senator Brian Munzlinger (photo: Mike Lear, Missourinet)

Senator Brian Munzlinger (photo: Mike Lear, Missourinet)

Nixon said in his veto message the bill would let people legally carry a concealed firearm even if they have been denied a concealed carry permit by a sheriff because a background check revealed criminal offenses or the sheriff believed the individual poses a danger.

“He fails to recognize that all those people that we’re allowing with the constitutional carry can currently carry openly in the state of Missouri,” said the bill’s sponsor, Senator Brian Munzlinger (R-Williamstown). “All this bill does is allow them to carry concealed where they would now have to carry open.”

The bill’s House handler, Representative Eric Burlison (R-Springfield) agrees.
“It’s not about how you carry but where you’d have the right to carry, and so getting the permit allows a person more privileges and locations of where they’re allowed to carry than where they currently cannot carry,” said Burlison.

“Personally I would rather see people carry concealed, especially our law-abiding citizens,” said Munzlinger. “What this bill does is give law-abiding citizens the right to protect themselves. In the crazy world we’re in we definitely need the right to protect ourselves.”

Representative Eric Burlison (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Representative Eric Burlison (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Both men believe the governor’s veto will be overridden when the legislature convenes for its annual veto session in September. Burlison expects some Democrats to vote with the governor but still believes there will be enough support to overturn the veto.

“There’s nothing changed and there’s no new information about the bill. Even the governor’s opposition is something that we discussed on the House floor and they discussed in the Senate,” said Burlison.

Burlison believes the governor’s veto is evidence that his eight years as governor, with an armed security detail, has made him forget what it’s like to be a citizen.

“If we were in the budget process I would be suggesting that we eliminate the budget for the governor’s security detail and instead give him a budget for him to purchase and carry a firearm himself so he knows and is reminded what it’s like to be a normal citizen,” said Burlison.

The bill would also expand the state’s “castle doctrine,” which allows homeowners to use deadly force against intruders by letting invited guests to also use such force. It also included a “stand your ground” provision to let people in a place they were legally allowed to use deadly force against a perceived threat, without retreating.

Governor Nixon expected to act on at least two agriculture bills today

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Governor Jay Nixon is expected to announce his decision today on at least two pieces of legislation with several provisions meant to help farmers.

Senator Mike Parson (photo courtesy; Harrison Sweazea, Missouri Senate Communications)

Senator Mike Parson (photo courtesy; Harrison Sweazea, Missouri Senate Communications)

Senator Mike Parson (R-Bolivar) said Nixon will sign two of his bills. Senate Bill 665 includes an expansion of the Farm-to-School program, which gets locally-grown produce into Missouri school cafeterias, to now include hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, and military bases.

Parson said the program will now be called “Farm-to-Table.”

“When you can take food directly from the farm into facilities and have fresh produce in there or fresh food of any sort, and again where you’re basically just promoting within the borders of Missouri and making sure we’re taking people so they get Missouri products on their table and on their plates,” said Parson.

Parson said the program helps Missourians in those facilities eat healthier.

“I think the next generations are going to take a much harder look at finding out how was crops raised, how were they grown, who done it, what did they use to grow those crops, and the same way in the meat industry,” said Parson.

One of his bills will also create a tax credit for upgrading beef processing equipment. Parson wants to see processing facilities in Missouri expanded.

“I hope in the future we’ll be able to take Missouri beef, be able to raise cattle here in this state and keep them here in this state to finish them off and get to a processing facility, all the way to getting them into the grocery store,” said Parson.

Senate Bill 664 waives corporate reporting requirements for corporate or family farms for which certain parts of their structure have not changed since their last report.

“It’s just something I didn’t think farmers should be out the expense of, and two it’s just another hurdle for bureaucracy to keep track of,” said Parson. “I think it was a win situation for the sake of smaller government and for the actual farmers themselves.”

Parson said Nixon would sign his two bills and perhaps several others, in Sedalia this afternoon.

Sponsor hopes Missouri governor will soon sign bill meant to save children from hot cars

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The sponsor of a bill aimed at keeping children from dying in hot cars hoped Governor Jay Nixon would have signed it into law by now.

Representative Elijah Haahr (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Representative Elijah Haahr (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Representative Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) calls the bill “Rescue the Forgotten.” It would protect from being sued anyone who forces his or her way into a car to free a child believed to be in danger.

He wanted it to be law before dangerously hot temperatures arrived, out of hope that it would save some children’s lives.

“Nationally there have been 13 hot car deaths already. Last year, I think at this time, there had only been five,” said Haahr. “If he signs it, just the news about it is enough to remind parents about checking the back seats and things like that.”

The bill was passed with a clause that would make it effective as soon as the governor signs it.

“It’s imperative that this legislation gets signed and because it has an emergency clause, the sooner it gets signed, I think, the better,” said Haahr.

Haahr drafted the bill after an incident in the Kansas City area last year in which a man wanted a person to pay for damage to his car, after that person broke out a window to rescue a child in dangerously hot temperatures.

The bill would require that a person who breaks into a car to free a child contact emergency responders and stay with the child until they arrive.

Missouri governor to sign bill making advertising sex with trafficking victims a crime

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Governor Jay Nixon (D) will sign tomorrow legislation that will make the advertising of sex with victims of trafficking a felony.

Representative Elijah Haahr (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Representative Elijah Haahr (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

The bill will add such advertising to the state’s definition of trafficking, which is a felony punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or 10-years in prison or life, depending on the age of the victim.

The bill’s sponsor, Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield), said other aspects of trafficking were being punished but those advertising it were getting away.

“What essentially we realized is there’s a loophole in the law, and this is a way to close that loophole,” said Haahr.

Haahr said trafficking is a major issue in Missouri.

“The FBI estimates St. Louis is one of the top 20 trafficking destinations in the country. With I-49, I-70, and I-44 cutting across the state, it’s one that I think impacts Missouri to a much more significant level than most people understand,” said Haahr.

Haahr chairs a committee that he told Missourinet will meet later this year, and will prepare a report recommending more legislation and other initiatives to fight trafficking in Missouri.

The legislation also includes language that tightens controls on who can access videos and photos of interviews with victims of child sex crimes. Backers said there were cases in which such videos were released to a college class, wound up on YouTube, or even were given to the person accused of abusing the child in the video.

Another provision allows sex trafficking victims to use a state program to keep their addresses confidential, to help them hide from their abductors.

The new law becomes effective August 28.

Bill expanding Missouri municipal court reforms signed, critics call it ‘unnecessary’

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Governor Jay Nixon (D) has signed a bill expanding the reform of Missouri’s municipal courts that began last year, but critics say it’s not needed and politically motivated.

Governor Jay Nixon (left) signed the municipal court reform bill sponsored by Senator Eric Schmitt. (Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

Governor Jay Nixon (left) in 2015 signed the municipal court reform bill sponsored that year by Senator Eric Schmitt (right).  Nixon on Friday signed a bill expanding on it.  (Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

The bill caps how much cities can collect from citizens for minor ordinance violations. First-time offenses are limited to $200 fines and citizens can no longer be jailed for nonpayment. It also lowers the cap on finds and costs for minor traffic violations.

Deputy Director Richard Sheets with the Missouri Municipal League says the bill is unnecessary.

“I believe it was filed for political reasons, to make certain individuals campaign soundbites,” Sheets told Missourinet.

Republican Senator Eric Schmitt (Glendale), who is running for treasurer, sponsored the bill. He noted it had bipartisan support, including being signed by Nixon, a Democrat.

“A testament to the issue and how deeply people felt about making sure we reformed a system that wasn’t working for the poor, it wasn’t working for citizens. It was treating people as ATMs,” said Schmitt.

Sheets said the bill will hurt cities, who he says use fines to get people to clean up properties.

“It really is going to be a problem with absentee slumlords and absentee owners that live out of the city, out of the state, that have properties they’re not maintaining, with such a low fine,” said Sheets.

The bill expands on legislation that last year limited municipal traffic fines and fees.

O’Flaherty crowned Miss Missouri 2016

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The new Miss Missouri is Erin O’Flaherty of St. Louis. She was crowned Saturday night at the pageant in Mexico.

The court announced Saturday night in Mexico includes 3rd runner up Miss Gateway St. Louis, Brittney Sears; 1st runner up Miss Audrain, Jennifer Davis; Miss Missouri Erin O'Flaherty; 2nd runner up Miss Metro St. Louis, Katie Moeller; 4th runner up Miss Northwest, Mikaela Carson.

The court announced Saturday night in Mexico includes 3rd runner up Miss Gateway St. Louis, Brittney Sears; 1st runner up Miss Audrain, Jennifer Davis; Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty; 2nd runner up Miss Metro St. Louis, Katie Moeller; 4th runner up Miss Northwest, Mikaela Carson.

O’Flaherty was Miss City of Fountains. She said she is excited to take over for McKensie Garber, Miss Missouri 2015.

“My ultimate goal – just to leave a legacy on this state that’s of social change and passion, and I know that I have huge shoes to fill coming after Kensie so I’m so excited to pick up where she left off,” said O’Flaherty.

O’Flaherty beat out 29 other contestants. She will represent Missouri in the Miss America pageant in September.

Aimee Higgins, KXEO contributed this story.

Heat and humidity creating dangerous conditions in Missouri

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The western half of the state and part of the St. Louis region are under heat advisories, and the Kansas City region is under an excessive heat warning. The National Weather Service says it feels like temperatures are exceeding 100-degrees in parts of the state.

This graphic from the National Weather Service illustrates what symptoms people might have if being overcome by hot and humid conditions.

This graphic from the National Weather Service illustrates what symptoms people might have if being overcome by hot and humid conditions.

Meteorologist Chris Bowman says when heat and humidity create the conditions they have today, Missourians are encouraged to avoid working outside in the afternoon.

“Get out of that hottest time of the day. If that’s not possible take frequent breaks, wear light clothing, and be sure to stay hydrated as well,” said Bowman.

He said when it’s this hot, people need to take care of one another.

“Check on the people that are a little bit more susceptible to heat, so any kind of elderly parents or friends, kids that might be out in the heat,” said Bowman.
Bowman urges Missourians to watch the forecast when making plans through the summer, as it’s generally easy to warn when high heat is coming.