Missourinet

Your source for Missouri News and Sports

You are here: Home / Archives for Business

Missouri AG Schmitt: Circle of Hope is one of the most widespread cases of sexual and physical abuse patterns in state history

By

(Brian’s story updated to include details on the Householders’ initial court appearance)

The owners of the now-defunct Circle of Hope Girls Ranch in southwest Missouri’s Humansville remain jailed without bond, after being charged with 102 felonies between them. Boyd and Stephanie Householder are from southern Missouri’s Nevada, which is near Humansville. The Householders’ made their initial court appearance Wednesday in Stockton, and they pleaded not guilty.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced the charges during an emotional Wednesday afternoon press conference in Jefferson City. Schmitt had to stop speaking at one point, to compose himself.

He tells Capitol reporters the charges against the Householders are horrific.

“With 16 victims so far, we believe this to be one of the most widespread cases of sexual, physical and mental abuse patterns against young girls in Missouri history,” Schmitt says.

Boyd Householder is charged with 80 felonies, including 56 counts of child abuse or neglect. Many of the charges are for alleged sex crimes.

“This includes six counts of second degree statutory rape, seven counts of second degree statutory sodomy, six counts of sexual contact with a student,” says Schmitt.

Court documents allege that Boyd Householder punished one girl for drinking water, by forcing her to drink 220 ounces of water and then run until she vomited. In another case, duct tape was placed over a child’s mouth for several hours, before Boyd Householder allegedly “ripped the pieces off all at once,” according to court documents.

Attorney General Schmitt also says Boyd Householder instructed victims on the best way to kill yourself, by cutting your wrists upward and not across.

The 22 felony charges against Stephanie Householder include 12 counts of child abuse or neglect and ten counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Schmitt tells Capitol reporters that his office is still working to identify and to contact victims. He’s urging anyone with information about the Circle of Hope ranch to contact his office at (573) 751-0309.

The next court appearance for Boyd and Stephanie Householder is March 17, in Cedar County Circuit Court in Stockton. Schmitt says they’re jailed in nearby Vernon County.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Missouri gas tax hike proposal put in park

By

An effort to boost Missouri’s gas tax made its way to the state Senate on Tuesday. The upper chamber spent about eight hours working on the bill before pulling the proposal from debate.

That does not mean we have seen the last of the legislation. It could return at any point this legislative session.

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz speaks to Missourinet in 2020 (January 2020 file photo from Missourinet’s Ashley Byrd)

Many state lawmakers agree that Missouri infrastructure funding should increase, but the roadblock ends up usually being how they want to go about boosting those dollars. Tuesday’s debate was no different. Conservative Caucus members Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, and Andrew Koenig, R-Machester, blocked a vote on the plan.

The bill would boost the tax by 15 total cents over five years. It would also offer a rebate for the tax hike.

Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, is sponsoring the proposal. He says the state Transportation Department does not have enough money to maintain Missouri’s roads and bridges.

“You are either going to let those roads go back to dirt and you are not going to maintain them or you are not going to build bridges and you are not going to fix them. But the reality is, the system as a whole – 825-million in annual unfunded transportation needs,” says Schatz.

The state has the seventh largest transportation system in the country.

“I believe we’ve added road miles to our system that we maintain and probably maybe somewhere to 3,500 to 4,000 miles of new road systems since the last tax increase. I may not have that exactly accurate, but I think I’m probably close,” says Schatz.

Missouri’s 17-cent gas tax is one of the lowest in the nation. The state has not increased its fuel tax since 1996.

To view Senate Bill 262, click here.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Missouri Attorney General Schmitt to provide Wednesday update on Circle of Hope facility

By

Missouri’s attorney general has called a press conference for Wednesday in Jefferson City regarding his office’s investigation into the troubled Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch. The ranch is near southwest Missouri’s Humansville.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) will brief reporters at noon, outside the Missouri Capitol.

The “Kansas City Star” newspaper, citing sources, reports the owners of Circle of Hope have been arrested on numerous charges, following a months-long investigation by Schmitt’s office. Missourinet Springfield television partner KOLR-10 reports the two owners have been charged with 102 felonies between them.

The issues at Circle of Hope, Agape Boarding School near Stockton and other facilities have drawn the attention of Missouri lawmakers in both parties.

State Reps. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, and Rudy Veit, R-Wardsville, have filed bipartisan legislation that’s aimed at regulating faith-based boarding schools. Ingle notes that current state law doesn’t allow any regulation or oversight on residential care facilities for children, as long as the facilities declare themselves as religious.

“That meant that they had absolutely zero oversight at all. There were no regulations, no oversight. And that means no health and safety standards. No background checks, no criminal background checks,” Ingle told Missourinet in February.

Ingle was featured in February on NBC’s “Dateline”, for her legislation. She has told Missourinet that the issue with faith-based boarding schools goes well beyond the Circle of Hope, and appears to be a systemic issue in facilities across the state.

“Dateline” also profiled the story of Colton Schrag, who traveled to Jefferson City in mid-February to testify for Ingle’s bill. Schrag testified that he was physically abused and barely fed while living at the Agape ranch. Schrag told lawmakers that he was abused by four staff members at Agape.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Cody Smith: Missouri expects to receive billions under new stimulus package (AUDIO)

By

Legislation creating a new fund for the billions of dollars Missouri is expected to receive from a new federal stimulus package will be unveiled Monday afternoon in Jefferson City.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, testifies before a House committee in Jefferson City on February 24, 2021 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage) tells Missourinet that any money from the “American Rescue Plan of 2021” and any future stimulus money would go into the new fund.

“And the intent there is to set up the fund to receive those funds from this next round of federal stimulus, and keep them separate from all of the other funds that we have in the state treasury for transparency purposes, for management purposes,” Smith says.

Smith says it would also assist with planning purposes.

The U.S. Senate and House have approved different versions of the $1.9 trillion stimulus package. CNBC reports the U.S. House will have to sign off on the Senate’s changes, before the bill can be signed by President Joe Biden (D).

As for Chairman Smith, he says it’s unclear yet how much money specifically will be coming to Missouri. But he notes it will be in the billions.

“It’s generally agreed upon and thought that Missouri will receive billions of dollars with this next round of stimulus for various purposes. And so while we don’t know exactly how much, we do anticipate that it will be a lot of money,” says Smith.

Smith will present his two-page bill on Monday afternoon, to the Budget Committee in Jefferson City. Under House Bill 1236, State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick would be the new fund’s custodian.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage), which was recorded on March 5, 2021:

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Interview: Sen. Hawley wants separate minimum wage hike, calls for immediate tax credit for blue-collar workers (VIDEO)

By

Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley voted Friday against adding a minimum wage hike to the current COVID-19 relief bill in the Senate, but is calling for a higher minimum wage — and a tax credit — for some blue-collar workers.

Hawley, in a stand-alone bill, would require companies that make more than $1 billion annually to pay a $15 starting wage. In the meantime, his “Blue Collar Bonus Tax Credit” plan would give workers a bonus directly through an automatic, advanceable tax credit tied to hours worked.

He says this takes the burden off of small businesses and should be the “focus of the stimulus package.”

Hawley explained his bills, speaking from Washington with Missourinet’s Ashley Byrd:

Parson: Distributing COVID vaccines to as many Missouri pharmacies as possible will expand accessibility

By

Missouri’s governor announced on Thursday that pharmacies across the state will soon be receiving prioritized shipments of the COVID vaccine. Governor Mike Parson tells Capitol reporters in Jefferson City that it’s part of a new partnership with the Missouri Pharmacy Association.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson visits a vaccination clinic at Christian Hospital Northeast near Florissant on March 4, 2021 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

“Starting next week, 15 percent of our weekly state allocation will be distributed to selected pharmacies across the state,” Parson says.

The governor describes local pharmacies as a trusted health care resource for many Missourians.

“161 pharmacies have been identified in 84 counties and were selected based on ability, location and population,” says Parson.

Missouri has 114 counties, as well as St. Louis City. Pharmacy locations include St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Jefferson City, as well as numerous rural Missouri towns. They include Sedalia, Clinton, Warrensburg, Warrenton, Sullivan, Moberly, Mexico, Sikeston, Portageville, Malden, Kennett, Chillicothe, St. Joseph, Nevada and Joplin. You can find the entire nine-page pharmacy list here.

Governor Parson says the pharmacies have the ability to administer 200 initial doses of COVID vaccines per week.

Meantime, the governor says mass vaccination teams will soon start transitioning operations to include a larger presence in both St. Louis and Kansas City.

“Vaccine interest is often highest in the urban populations,” Parson says. “So starting next week, we will begin transitioning mass vaccination teams to accommodate more events in Region A, which is the Kansas City region, and Region C, in the St. Louis region.”

The governor envisions having the Missouri National Guard in the St. Louis and Kansas City metro areas for future two-day vaccination events, where the Guard would administer about 6,000 doses per day and 12,000 doses in two days.

Governor Parson says the St. Louis and Kansas City regions have been receiving the same share of the COVID vaccine as rural areas have. He also continues to praise the work of the Missouri National Guard at targeted vaccination clinics in the two metro areas.

The governor visited a targeted vaccination clinic Thursday at Cambridge Senior Living in St. Louis. The targeted vaccination teams serve vulnerable populations in communities with limited access to health care. He also visited a vaccination clinic held at Christian Hospital Northeast, near the St. Louis suburb of Florissant.

Governor Parson says COVID activity in the state has declined for the seventh straight week, adding that the Show-Me State is second in the nation for average daily cases. Missouri vaccinators have now administered about 1.4 million COVID vaccinations, which includes the first and second shot.

15 percent of Missouri’s population has now received at least one shot, according to the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) COVID-19 dashboard.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Missouri vaccination update: Get ready teachers, childcare centers, grocery workers

By

The next tier of Missouri’s coronavirus vaccination plan will be activated on March 15. That means all teachers, faculty, and staff in public, private, and nonprofit pre K-12 will become eligible. So will state licensed childcare center workers, some food production employees, as well as grocery and convenience stores workers.

Missouri is currently vaccinating residents in Phase 1A, Phase 1B – Tier 1, Phase 1B – Tier 2.

During a press briefing today, Gov. Mike Parson says the next group to become eligible, Phase 1B – Tier 3, allows 550,000 additional Missourians to get vaccinated.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on February 4, 2021 (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

“Tier 3 represents another very important part of our society,” says Parson. “They are the workers in many of the industries we depend on each day to keep our day-to-day lives operating normally.”

Earlier this month, Missouri’s 2017-2021 Teachers of the Year sent a letter to state Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams asking him to prioritize educators and support staff for immediate coronavirus vaccinations. Missouri’s K-12 schools have been operating for months with at least partial in-person education.

The following is a statement from the Chair of Missouri’s Education Roundtable, Dr. Doug Hayter:

“The Education Roundtable, representing eight major education organizations in Missouri, appreciates Governor Parson’s announcement allowing educators to begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations. Getting educators vaccinated as soon as possible is an important step toward keeping educators in the classroom and providing our students with in-person instruction.”

Missouri’s Education Roundtable is made up of the American Federation of Teachers (Missouri), the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals, the Missouri Association of School Administrators, the Missouri National Education Association, the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals, the Missouri School Boards’ Association, the Missouri State Teachers Association, and the Missouri PTA.

Parson says vaccine supply remains limited, but he expects slow and steady increases.

“We heard news this week that the pharmaceutical companies are increasing their production,” says Parson. “The federal government is planning to increase our allotment and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be approved at any time.”

The governor says he expects that Missouri will be able to order vaccine from Johnson & Johnson by early next week.

He says if supply continues to improve, Parson says he thinks Phase 2 of Missouri’s vaccination plan will begin mid-April.

A press release today from Parson’s office says the state also continues to move forward with regional mass vaccination events. There have been 68 completed across Missouri, and more than 66,500 Missourians have received an initial vaccine dose at one of these events.

The release says targeted teams in St. Louis and Kansas City have completed 24 vaccine clinics with more planned in the coming days and weeks. These teams serve vulnerable populations in communities with limited access to health care.

For more information about the next tier of eligible Missourians, click here.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Tractor Supply: it’s business as usual for them and Orscheln; focus is on regulatory approval

By

A company that’s acquired Moberly-based Orscheln Farm and Home says it’s business as usual for now.

Moberly-based Orscheln operates 61 stores across rural Missouri, including one in northeast Missouri’s Mexico (graphic courtesy of Orscheln Facebook page)

Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Company has purchased Moberly-based Orscheln in an all-cash transaction for $297 million.

Orscheln’s headquarters and distribution center are located in Moberly, and Orscheln operates 61 stores across rural Missouri. The store locations include Moberly, Mexico, Marshall, Cameron, Nevada, Sikeston and Sullivan. Tractor Supply has 27 Missouri store locations.

A Tractor Supply spokeswoman tells Missourinet that it’s business as usual right now for those stores and that no other plans have been announced at this time. The spokeswoman says Tractor Supply’s focus is now on regulatory approval.

Tractor Supply’s website describes the company as the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the nation.

Barry Orscheln, the longtime chairman and CEO at Orscheln Farm and Home, is well-known in Moberly and across rural Missouri. He’s issued a statement, saying the future is bright.

“For more than 60 years, my family, our Orscheln Farm and Home employees and I have been committed to serving the needs of rural communities across the Midwest. I am very proud of all that we have accomplished over this time. I am confident that with Tractor Supply, our stores will be well-positioned to continue Orscheln’s tradition of taking care of our customers and communities for the next phase of growth,” Orscheln’s statement reads.

Tractor Supply’s press release says they intend to fund the acquisition through existing cash on hand.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Missouri’s governor warns against potential natural gas price gouging

By

Missouri’s governor said Thursday that numerous constituents have contacted his office about huge price increases in natural gas. Much of the state has been impacted by multiple snowstorms and below freezing temperatures for about ten days.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on February 4, 2021 (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

During a Statehouse news conference, Governor Mike Parson said the demand for heating fuel has increased significantly, with extremely cold temperatures. The governor tells Capitol reporters that he knows there have been some supply issues.

“However, we will not tolerate any effort to price gouge or take advantage of customers at a time when there is no other choice or alternative options,” Parson says.

The governor encourages Missouri residents who believe there has been price gouging to contact Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s consumer protection hotline at 1-800-392-8222. Parson says his administration will use all resources that are possible to stop any kind of gouging.

Meantime, a bipartisan group of Missouri’s congressional delegation is asking federal officials to review the natural gas supply, in light of extreme winter weather.

Republican U.S. Sens. Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley and seven of the state’s eight U.S. House members say there’s been a surge in energy demand across Missouri and that residents have been experiencing electricity outages and rolling blackouts.

“In light of these challenges, we need to ensure there is an adequate supply of affordable energy and natural gas for families, farmers and businesses in Missouri and the Midwest,” the letter from the lawmakers reads, in part.

The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Blunt and Hawley and by U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, Jason Smith, R-Salem, Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, Billy Long, R-Springfield, and Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Southern Missouri will see heaviest snowfall with next storm system (AUDIO)

By

While most of Missouri is still digging out from a two-day snowstorm, another winter storm is heading for the Show-Me State. The heaviest snow will fall tonight and Wednesday near the Missouri-Arkansas border, where towns like Branson and West Plains could see more than three inches of additional snow.

The National Weather Service Springfield office’s winter weather advisory goes into effect tonight for the Ozarks (February 16, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

A winter weather advisory takes effect tonight across the Ozarks. National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Kyle Perez says the I-44 corridor will see about three inches.

“Many of our roads are still partly to mostly covered, especially the secondary roads that have not had a chance to (have) been plowed yet or lay down salt,” Perez says.

This week’s snowstorm dropped about five inches of snow along southern Missouri’s I-44 corridor, and Mr. Perez expects snow to overspread the region again tonight, into Wednesday.

“That can make for dangerous travel with additional snowfall along that 44 corridor approaching anywhere from two to three and isolated four inch amounts, especially down towards the Joplin region,” says Perez.

Southwest Missouri’s Joplin, Springfield and Lebanon should see an additional three inches.

Mid-Missouri’s Jefferson City and Columbia will likely see one to two inches, while an inch of snow is expected in northern Missouri.

Perez is urging Missourians to take proper precautions at home or on the road.

“The dangerous cold has really made for dangerous travel across the Ozarks region, and we encourage everybody to have an emergency kit that they carry in their car as well as one at home,” Perez says.

The Table Rock Lake area could also see three inches of additional snowfall.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Kyle Perez, which was recorded on February 16, 2021:

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet