Business Archives - Missourinet

State lawmaker and rancher hopeful that Missouri will get cattle slaughter facility (AUDIO)

June 2, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A veteran state lawmaker who has served on the House Agriculture Policy Committee for eight years says Missouri needs a cow processing plant.

State Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, is also a rancher. He notes Missouri is second in the nation in cow numbers.

State Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, attends the Joint Committee on Agriculture hearing in Jefferson City on May 28, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

“I don’t know that we can justify what I call a processing plant to justify processing what I call fed-cattle, most of those are further west of us. But we have a lot of cows in Missouri,” Love says.

Love, whose western Missouri district includes Warsaw and Wheatland, attended the recent legislative Joint Committee on Agriculture hearing in Jefferson City. He is pleased to hear the news from State Rep. Don Rone, R-Portageville, that an effort is underway to get a cattle slaughter facility in Missouri.

“And if you draw a 100-mile circle around Joplin, Missouri, you’re going to find a lot of cows. And I believe we can justify a cow processing plant of size big enough to compete,” says Love.

Love, a Missouri Cattlemen’s Association member, says there was a cattle slaughter facility years ago in western Missouri’s Rockville, which is in Bates County. Rockville is west of Osceola.

Love says the Rockville plant was used by cattle producers across southwest Missouri, as well as southeast Kansas, northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.

During last week’s hearing, Representative Rone testified that he and State Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, met recently with retailers and meat wholesalers.

“This would be a processing plant in Missouri, for Missouri for Missouri-grown cattle and to be sold in Missouri,” Rone says.

Rone emphasizes the effort is in its very early stages, telling Missourinet we’re a “long way from brick-and-mortar.” A specific region hasn’t been selected.

Joint Committee on Agriculture Chairman Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, supports the plan. Supporters of the proposal hope to form a working group by July.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, which was recorded at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on May 28, 2020:

Missouri National Guard, Missouri Highway Patrol and FBI helping to patrol St. Louis; curfew in effect (AUDIO)

June 2, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

St. Louis’ Public Safety Director has announced that the FBI, ATF, the Missouri National Guard, the Missouri Highway Patrol and other agencies arrived overnight to help patrol St. Louis, and will continue to do so until further notice.

Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards tells reporters that more than 200 people engaged in “persistent criminal activity” overnight. He says four St. Louis police officers were shot, and that a retired officer was killed by a looter.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol logo (courtesy of Patrol Lieutenant Collin Stosberg)

The four officers who were shot have been released from the hospital.

“To the criminals that inflicted crime on our city last night, we have your surveillance pictures,” Edwards says. “And I will use every tool available to me to count every freckle on your face until you have been identified and arrested.”

Edwards says the city also requested the FBI surveillance plane and the FBI swat team, and they also arrived overnight. The St. Louis County swat team is also assisting.

Edwards says his officers are frustrated when fellow officers tarnish their badge, referring to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. He says his officers joined in solidarity with protesters on Monday afternoon.

“Yesterday evening and throughout the early morning, many of the same protesters that our officers protected turned violent against them,” Edwards tells St. Louis reporters. He says they threw objects at officers and used fireworks against them.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson says has signed an executive order establishing a citywide curfew, after the overnight burning and looting. She says retired officer David Dorn was shot to death last night, outside a looted pawn shop.

Mayor Krewson describes what happened overnight as a riot, adding that it was “a terrible night for St. Louis.”

“What started as a very non-violent and peaceful demonstration and protest ended in looting, shooting, burning and attacks on law enforcement,” Krewson says.

She tells reporters that hundreds of vehicles were going to various locations.

As for the curfew, it takes effect tonight at 9 and goes until 6 a.m. It will continue daily until further notice.

“9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the morning, everybody needs to be off the streets, you need to be at home,” says Krewson.

There are exceptions to the order. They include those traveling to and from work, government employees performing work assignments, the news media and those traveling for medical treatment. The homeless are also exempt.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner also spoke today, saying that while she wants peaceful protesters to continue to make their voices heard, she will use the full power of law to prosecute those who shoot and murder police officers.

Prosecutor Gardner also urged peaceful protesters to help her office “root out those whose actions work directly against justice for all.”

Missouri Congressman wants investigation into Minneapolis PD; Kansas City Police hit with frozen water bottles Saturday (AUDIO)

May 31, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s senior Democrat on Capitol Hill is condemning the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, saying that systematic racism and excessive force led to Floyd’s death.

U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, briefs reporters at Jamestown Mall in Florissant on May 30, 2020 (photo courtesy of Congressman Clay’s Twitter page)

U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, spoke Saturday at an Urban League food distribution event in Florissant, which is a north St. Louis County suburb.

“That video doesn’t lie, and the whole world is watching,” Clay tells the audience. “George Floyd was not resisting arrest, he was resisting strangulation.”

Former officer Derek Chauvin is charged in Minnesota with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Congressman Clay is calling on the other three officers and a medic to be charged as accessories.

“The medic who made no effort to save his (Floyd’s) life,” says Clay.

Congressman Clay, a senior member of the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee, is calling on the Justice Department to investigate the Minneapolis Police Department. He wants to see a sweeping consent decree, similar to what happened in Ferguson.

“Unless white America finally sees us and respects us and is willing to mutually recognize our humanity as black people, as much as their own, our country will never heal,” Clay says.

He says the Ferguson consent decree has “totally transformed the local government and the police department” there.

Congressman Clay is extending his condolences to George Floyd’s family.

“It’s clear that he was a beloved man who lived his life for others,” says Clay.

During his remarks at the former Jamestown Mall site, Congressman Clay also spoke directly to what he describes as “my white allies in the progressive movement, who regularly expect black leaders to stand with you to advance your core agenda.”

“Will you stand with us now, will you make a difference in this country and face this evil in its entirety?”, Clay asks.

Florissant is near Ferguson, which was the site of the Michael Brown incident in August 2014.

Brown’s father, Michael Brown Sr., traveled to Minnesota this weekend to show support for the community there. He tells our sister network, the Minnesota News Network, that what’s happening in Minneapolis reminds him of what happened to his son.

18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot during a confrontation with then-Ferguson officer Darren Wilson. The Obama Justice Department cleared the officer of criminal wrongdoing, and a St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict him.

Meantime, things turned violent this weekend in Ferguson. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports protesters launched fireworks at officers, smashed windows to Ferguson police headquarters and looted a beauty supply store.

The “Post” reports police deployed tear gas, in response.

Across the state in Kansas City, the Kansas City Police Department says it made 85 arrests Saturday night, after significant damage to businesses on the Plaza.

“Nearly all officers hit with frozen water bottles or rocks. Two officers hospitalized from being struck, one with an injury to the temple and one with a lacerated liver,” Kansas City Police tweeted Sunday.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) has activated the Missouri National Guard, and has signed an executive order declaring that a state of emergency exists in Missouri, due to civil unrest.

The governor says citizens have the right to peacefully assemble and to protest.

“Violence and destruction are not the answers. I support those who are calling for justice and peace. However, a small element has seized on these peaceful demonstrations to commit violent acts that endanger the lives of citizens and bring destruction to our communities,” Governor Parson said in a written statement Saturday night.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute speech from U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, which took place on May 30, 2020 at Jamestown Mall in Florissant. The audio is courtesy of Congressman Clay’s Facebook page:

Missouri lawmakers hope to see a cattle slaughter facility in the Show-Me State (AUDIO)

May 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Two state lawmakers testified Thursday in Jefferson City that an effort is underway to get a cattle slaughter facility in Missouri.

Joint Committee on Agriculture Chairman Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, speaks about the importance of a cattle slaughter facility during a hearing on May 28, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Reps. Don Rone, R-Portageville, and Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, testified before the Joint Committee on Agriculture. Rone says he and Shaul participated in a conference call this week with retailers, grocers and meat wholesalers.

“This would be a processing plant in Missouri, for Missouri for Missouri-grown cattle and to be sold in Missouri,” Rone says.

Rone, who chairs the House Agriculture Policy Committee, emphasizes the effort is in its very early stages. He tells Missourinet we’re a “long way from brick-and-mortar.”

A specific region hasn’t been selected.

Representative Shaul, who heads the Missouri Grocers Association, says Missourians are interested in locally raised and locally harvested agricultural products.

“What COVID has shown us is that there is a weakness in our supply chain, and the consumers of Missouri want Missouri product and we want to be able to give it to them at retail,” says Shaul.

He says the aim is to get Missouri-made products processed here and sold to Missourians.

Joint Committee on Agriculture Chairman Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, supports the plan.

“And there’s one thing that the COVID crisis has shown us is that we in Missouri need to take care of our own,” Haffner says. “We don’t necessarily from a legislative format do a very good job of that.”

Supporters of the proposal hope to form a working group by July. Many of Missouri’s commodity groups attended Thursday’s hearing.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) also participated in the hearing, and MDA Director Chris Chinn serves on the Joint Committee on Agriculture.

State Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, who’s served on the House Agriculture Committee for eight years, traveled to Jefferson City to listen to the discussion and testimony. He tells Missourinet that the state deserves a cow processing plant.

Love notes Missouri is second in the nation in cow numbers.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with Missouri House Agriculture Policy Committee Chairman Don Rone, R-Portageville, which was recorded on May 28, 2020 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:

Parson extends Missouri reopening order through June 15

May 28, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson has extended his phase one reopening order through June 15. The restrictions mean nursing homes will remain closed to visitors. Retail will continue to have occupancy limits and bars and restaurants must continue to put tables six feet apart.

Gov. Mike Parson (Photo courtesy of governor’s Flickr page)

“We are extending phase one not because Missouri has taken a step back, but because we want to make sure we are fully prepared for phase two,” says Parson. “As long as social distancing and other necessary health and safety measures are implemented, businesses can still be open. Events such as graduations, weddings, county fairs, summer schools and camps can still take place. There are currently no limitations on social gatherings as long as precautions are taken and six feet of distance can be maintained.”

Parson says local leaders will still have the authority to issue further rules, regulations, or ordinances, as long as they are not inconsistent with the statewide order.

“Some communities across this state are further along than others when it comes to reopening and economic recovery,” he says. “Extending the order will give these communities more time to prepare and align with us at the state level as we continue working towards phase 2.

During today’s press briefing, Parson says crowded pool parties last weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks did not weigh in to his decision to extend the order.

CVS Health today announced it will open 22 new COVID-19 testing sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across Missouri as part of its nationwide COVID-19 response. Self-swab tests will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria as well as state and age guidelines.

Patients are to remain in their vehicles and be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window. At the window, they will be given a test kit and instructions. A CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly. Tests will then be sent to an independent, third-party lab for processing, and the results will be available in about three days.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams says today the sites are primarily in the Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield regions.

Second largest U.S. tooling provider to expand eastern Missouri location

May 28, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

The second largest tooling provider in the United States is investing $4.5 million in an expansion at one of its eastern Missouri locations. During a press conference today, Gov. Mike Parson says Tooling Tech Group’s plant in Washington will grow by 21,000 square feet.

Second largest U.S. tooling provider to expand eastern Missouri location

The company plans to boost its workforce by 25 people over the next five years with engineers, precision machinists, CNC programmers, and die mechanics. It also has a site in the west St. Louis County suburb of Town & Country.

“I’m thankful for that company’s expansion at a time like this,” says Parson. “When you realize where we were in January, that things were going so well in our state and we had opportunities for businesses to come here – company expansions – we knew that opportunity was still there. We just had to deal with the virus and I think now we’re starting to see proof that those companies are still interested in Missouri.”

The division, which has been around since 1983, specializes in aerospace tooling, precision machining, and custom die cast tooling for the auto and outdoor products industries.

”We are thrilled to hear about Tooling Tech’s expansion project,” Sal Maniaci, Washington Community and Economic Development Director said. “Their commitment to growing in Washington and providing valuable jobs has always made them one of the region’s great industry partners.

A press release from the state says TTG is also partnering with schools to give students the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in the manufacturing industry.

Missouri Gaming Commission to allow casinos to reopen Monday

May 28, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Missouri Gaming Commission Chairman Mike Leara says the state will allow its 13 floating casinos to reopen at 12:01 a.m. June 1. Local health departments could have additional restrictions for casinos.

Missouri Gaming Commission to allow casinos to reopen Monday

“I believe that the casinos all were ready to open,” says Leara. “I think it’s going to be interesting to see how it opens when they open on Monday and if all 13 are allowed to open by their local officials. I believe that St. Louis City and St. Charles County are welcoming the opening and return of patrons. I have not spoken to others but I plan to visit a casino or two to see how it’s going, to see that social distancing and the crowds are kept at acceptable levels and I expect it to be.”

The commission is not imposing any occupancy limits. Casinos are expected to follow health measures, including personal protective equipment for employees and maybe customers, disinfecting of frequently used items, closing every other slot machine, and removing every other seat at a gaming table.

Leara says Missouri Gaming Commission civilian staff and state troopers who are normally required at casinos will be there to monitor.

“If there’s any issue, we’re not going to be making arrests or things like that,” says Leara. “But if they feel that the guidelines are not being followed, then they’ll call that to the attention of the management of the casino, which has always been responsive to our requests.”

The casinos have been closed since mid-March when the coronavirus started spreading across Missouri – costing the state about $1 million in revenue for each day the lights are off.

Riverboat casinos are located in St. Louis, St. Charles, Kansas City, St. Joseph in northwest Missouri, central Missouri’s Boonville, La Grange in northeast Missouri, and southeast Missouri’s Caruthersville and Cape Girardeau.

Missouri’s Hawley: It’s time for the Coast Guard to act on duck boats (AUDIO/VIDEO)

May 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s junior senator says the deadly 2018 duck boat tragedy which killed 17 victims on southwest Missouri’s Table Rock Lake should never have occurred.

Missouri State Highway Patrol crews assist the U.S. Coast Guard during the duck boat recovery efforts on July 23, 2018 (file photo courtesy of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Twitter page)

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) tells Missourinet that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made several recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard after a similar 1999 tragedy in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

“If the Coast Guard had implemented the NTSB’s recommendations from the late 1990’s, almost 20 years ago now, 20 years from the time of the accident, then this (Table Rock Lake incident) would not have happened,” Hawley says.

The 1999 Arkansas incident killed 13 of the 21 passengers on board.

Senator Hawley has filed legislation that would require amphibious passenger vessels to be equipped to stay afloat, in the event of flooding. His bill would also require additional life preservers, and would require duck boats to remove canopies. It also requires additional ways to pump water out.

Hawley, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, says it’s time for the Coast Guard to act on the issue of duck boats. He says it’s critical to keeping Missourians and others safe.

“Over a year ago, I introduced legislation that would write these requirements and these protections into law,” says Hawley. “It is time for the Senate to act on that legislation, and I hope that they will.”

Hawley’s legislation is similar to one filed by former U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D). Hawley unseated McCaskill in Missouri’s 2018 Senate election.

Hawley’s letter to Coast Guard Admiral Karl Schultz reads, in part: “It is in your power to ensure ‘duck boat’ is not synonymous with ‘floating metal death trap.’

17 victims died in the Table Rock Lake incident, including nine from one family. The victims drowned when the vessel sank quickly, during a storm.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, which was recorded on May 21, 2020:

Kansas City area firm to slash nearly 700 jobs beginning Friday

May 27, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

A U.S. defense and government services contractor based out of the Kansas City suburb of Lee’s Summit is laying off nearly 700 workers beginning Friday. Pacific Architects and Engineers has informed the state the cutbacks are expected to be permanent.

Kansas City area firm to slash nearly 700 jobs Friday

The company says its contract work with the federal government is being significantly reduced due to budget tightening.

“As you may be aware from recent media reports, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on UCIS’s (The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) financial outlook. Since the declaration of the national emergency, USCIS has reported that its application and petition receipts dropped to half their previous levels and with them, agency revenue significantly declined. USCIS has requested $1.2 billion in emergency funding from Congress due to the forecast that the agency will run out of money this summer. PAE has been advised that this agency budget shortfall necessitated this sudden and unexpected contract change,” a letter to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development says.

Pacific Architects and Engineers says most of the positions affected are general clerk workers.

Northern Missouri could see small tornadoes on Tuesday afternoon (AUDIO)

May 26, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

UPDATE AT 3:10 PM: The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill says the threat for severe weather over north central Missouri has diminished and moved north into Iowa. The NWS says there will still be scattered showers in the area, but that they’re not expecting them to be severe.

BRIAN’S ORIGINAL STORY:

The National Weather Service (NWS) says parts of northwest, north-central and northeast Missouri could see brief tornadoes Tuesday afternoon. NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Andy Bailey says damaging winds are also possible.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill says brief tornadoes are possible across north Missouri on Tuesday afternoon (May 26, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

“And really any of the towns from, say, Carrollton to Bethany to Kirksville would kind of be in that area that are possible to see these types of storms,” Bailey says.

Maryville, Moberly, Macon, Chillicothe, Trenton and Brookfield could also be impacted by brief tornadoes.

The NWS is urging residents across northern Missouri to be ready to take shelter quickly this afternoon. Winds of up to 60 miles-per-hour are possible.

“This is going to sound contradictory, but the storms are not going to be all that strong,” says Bailey. “However, any storms (that) can get rotating will have the potential to produce a brief, relatively weak tornado.”

The NWS says lightning is also possible, through about 4 p.m.

“They (possible tornadoes) should be relatively short-lived, should be just dropping down, hitting the ground, coming back up. Whether or not they hit anything is anybody’s guess at this point,” Bailey says.

The NWS is still investigating a possible tornado that touched down Monday evening near Mendon, in north-central Missouri. That’s west of Moberly.

Click hear to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Andy Bailey, which was recorded on May 26, 2020: