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Parson says grey area should be cleaned up in Missouri’s gambling laws

January 31, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Last October, the Missouri State Highway Patrol testified that the number of complaints it has received about illegal gambling has increased from 39 in 2018 to at least 145 in 2019. Most of those complaints were about alleged illegal slot machines. The terminals can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores in Missouri.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson speaks to the Capitol Press Corps after being sworn-in as governor on June 1, 2018 in Jefferson City (file photo by Tim Bommel/UPI)

Gov. Mike Parson says the grey area needs to be cleaned up in Missouri’s gambling laws. During a press event in Jefferson City, Parson tells reporters he expects plenty of discussion this session by the state Legislature about the matter.

“You can’t just have people in there setting up slot machines all over the state with no guidance or no supervision,” says Parson.

During legislative hearings held last year about illegal gambling, the Missouri Lottery testified that illegal slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State.

Meanwhile, Webster Groves resident Chris Marshall, who co-owns Llywelyn’s Pub testified in November before the House gaming committee. He said the machines can help managers invest money in restaurant renovations. He cites documents showing the average restaurant in Illinois that has five video game machines can average additional revenue of about $5,000 per month.

Under a proposal this session by State Representative Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, he wants to legalize sports wagering and slot machines. He’s proposing to let truck stops and fraternal organizations operate up to ten video lottery terminals at one location. Bars could operate up to five slot machines at one location.

This week, a Missouri House committee voted in favor of Shaul’s measure, House Bill 2088. It would also allow the gambling activities in “entertainment districts”, like the Power & Light District in Kansas City and Ballpark Village in St. Louis.

Schaul’s proposal is at odds with legislation introduced by Senate leader Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan. Schatz is proposing to increase penalties for what Schatz calls illegal slot machines. At the conclusion of last year’s regular session, Schatz said illegal gaming has exploded across Missouri in record numbers.

“Grey or black market or whatever type of games you want to call, those are everywhere across our state in every district,” Schatz said.

Under Senate Bill 557, a person or business and any affiliated company with a gaming license that is convicted of or pleads guilty to illegal gambling, would be permanently banned from being licensed in video lottery gaming. Any conviction for illegal gambling activity involving an illegal gambling device would result in the automatic and permanent revocation of a license issued under the Liquor Control Law, as well as any lottery game retailer license.

A Senate committee has voted in favor of Schatz’s bill. The measure awaits consideration by the full Senate.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create crop research center in Missouri

January 29, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create crop research center in Missouri

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is making plans for a crop research center in the St. Louis metro area. In a press release, the Gates Ag One foundation says it intends to speed up efforts to give small farms in developing countries the tools and technology to lift them out of poverty and adapt to climate change effects.

Excerpts from the release:

“In two of the fastest growing regions of the world—sub-Saharan Africa, home to around 1 billion people, and South Asia, with a population of about 1.8 billion—approximately 60 percent of the population lives in rural areas that typically depend on smallholder agriculture for food and income. In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture accounts for more than half of the region’s employment, and for South Asia it contributes about 40 percent. Yields on farms in these regions are already far below what farmers elsewhere in the world achieve, and climate change will make their crops even less productive,” the release says.

“Gates Ag One will collaborate with a diverse community of regional and international public- and private-sector partners, as well as interested governments, to enable the advancement of resilient, yield-enhancing seeds and traits globally and facilitate the introduction of those breakthroughs into specific crops essential to smallholder farmers, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia,” it says.

The foundation is still in the early planning stages. A launch date for the center is unknown.

Sports wagering bill is now heading to Missouri House floor

January 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that would legalize sports wagering and slot machines was approved by a Missouri House committee in Jefferson City on Tuesday.

State Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, speaks at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on August 22, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The comprehensive 31-page gaming bill, which is sponsored by State Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, will now head to the House floor.

The bill is House Bill 2088.

The House Special Committee on Government Oversight also voted to approve an amendment from Shaul, to allow sports wagering and slot machines in “entertainment districts.”

“What this does is basically allows (the) Power and Light District (in Kansas City) and also Ballpark Village areas to become an entertainment district so that they could also do sports betting and VLT’s,” Shaul testifies.

VLT’s, known as video lottery terminals, are slot machines. State Rep. Peter Meredith, D-St. Louis, asked about the amendment’s language.

“Are we sure that it’s limited to those two (Power and Light and Ballpark Village), with these definitions,” Meredith asks Shaul.

“I believe before this bill is done, they’ll be some expansion of that to some other players that will want to be involved,” Shaul responds.

Missourinet checked with Shaul’s office after the hearing, to confirm specifics about the language. Shaul’s office says Ballpark Village and Power and Light are examples of entertainment districts and possible locations for the sports betting and VLT’s.

The slot machine issue has been a high-profile issue at the Missouri Capitol, dominating discussion at several House interim gaming hearings in the fall. The Missouri State Highway Patrol testified in October that the number of complaints it’s received about illegal gambling has increased from 39 in 2018 to at least 145 in 2019. Most of those complaints were about slot machines.

Shaul’s legislation would allow the Missouri Lottery Commission to implement a system of video lottery game terminals and to issue licenses to video lottery game manufacturers, distributors, operators and handlers.

Under the Shaul bill, the video lottery terminals would be connected to a centralized computer system developed by the Lottery Commission. No terminal could be placed in operation without connecting to that system, under the bill.

The Shaul bill says that truck stops and fraternal organizations could operate up to ten video lottery terminals at one location. Bars could operate up to five slot machines, at one location.

It also prohibits those under 21 from playing the slot machines.

As for the overall bill, Shaul says 18 states will have implemented sports wagering, by the end of 2020. It will be heading to the House floor.

Representative Meredith says the legislation should go to a statewide vote, noting the Missouri Lottery’s creation and other major gaming issues went to voters.

“This would be the first major expansion of gambling in our state ever to not go to a vote of the people,” Meredith says. “The vote of the people who even have to vote to change the rules on bingo.”

Meredith is referring to a statewide vote in November 2018, involving bingo. His amendment was defeated in committee.

A Major League Baseball (MLB) representative testified before Shaul’s House committee in Jefferson City in November, predicting that Missourians will wager $5.5 billion annually on sports, if it’s legalized.

Missouri gets another $61 million in federal broadband money to connect rural areas

January 28, 2020 By Missourinet Contributor

USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy. Photo by Jeremy Shields KKWK

Compiled from press release and on-site reports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy joined Governor Mike Parson in Trenton, Missouri to announce another $60.9 million for high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 11,000 rural households, 81 farms, 73 businesses, 16 educational facilities, 12 critical community facilities, and two health care facilities in rural Missouri. The USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program will support another five projects in Missouri:

Mid-States Services LLC will use a $3 million loan to provide unserved and underserved members in and around Trenton, Mo., with Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband services. This investment is expected to reach 566 households, a highway patrol office, and an elementary school.
Total Highspeed LLC will use a $20.1 million loan and a $20.1 million grant to build a Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to improve broadband services to families and businesses in rural Greene County. This investment is expected to reach 8,683 households, 20 pre-subscribed farms, 15 pre-subscribed businesses, eight critical community facilities, 12 educational facilities, and a health care center.
Gascosage Electric Cooperative, serving Camden, Maries, Miller, Phelps, and Pulaski counties, will use a $7 million loan and a $7 million grant to develop a Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network for its most rural areas. The investment is expected to reach 20 pre-subscribed farms, 20 pre-subscribed businesses, 1,177 households, and two fire protection districts.
Green Hills Telephone Corporation will use a $2.6 million grant to expand its Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to rural areas in Caldwell and Livingston counties. This investment is expected to reach 20 pre-subscribed farms, 20 pre-subscribed businesses, 546 households, a fire protection district and two educational facilities.
Marshall Municipal Utilities will use a $575,000 loan and a $575,000 grant to provide high-quality internet access to rural areas of Saline County. By expanding its current service area, an additional 21 pre-subscribed farms, 18 pre-subscribed businesses, 763 households, a private school, and a nursing home will have access to broadband.

In November of 2019, USDA awarded about $42 million to the Grand River Mutual Telephone Corporation to serve rural areas of Missouri and Southern Iowa.

Missouri U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt has pushed for broadband funding in the federal budget, supporting the $600 million for the program in 2018. The Blunt-backed FY2019 and FY2020 agriculture funding bills provided a total of $1.1 billion for the ReConnect Pilot Program.

Blunt said in a press statement, “The investment announced today marks another important step toward ending the digital divide that has left about one-third of rural Missourians without access to broadband. I’ll continue working with local, state, and federal officials to ensure every community has access to high-speed internet.”

Governor Mike Parson at the announcement in Trenton reiterated that there are ten school districts in Missouri that do not have broadband yet.

The state has given $5 million to match construction costs for broadband connections in Missouri. He has asked for another $5 million in the new state budget.

“If the rural coops can get electricity to every house in the state of Missouri, then we can get broadband to every house and every business in the state of Missouri,” he said.

Jeremy Shields of KKWK radio contributed to this report.

State racks up millions in unpaid bills owed to Amtrak

January 28, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Daily Missouri River Runner service from St. Louis to Kansas City continues chugging along but if the state doesn’t start paying its bills, the trips could get derailed. During a Missouri House Budget Committee hearing, MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna says Missouri owes the company more than $6.5 million in unpaid bills and about $12 million for its service contract this year. He’s requesting more money from the Legislature to help pay off the debt.

State racks up millions in unpaid bills owed to Amtrak

“Actually, it is an embarrassment,” says McKenna. “We have to deal with these folks at the federal level. We’re not paying our bill. They’ve been giving us a pass. They’re now charging interest on the arrearage.”

Amtrak is charging 12% interest on what Missouri owed last year.

“To retain the service, is a $12 million annual bill. We’re currently paying 9 (million dollars) a year and it’s an arrearage that’s growing,” says McKenna.

“How did it get to that point in the first place,” asks Representative Don Mayhew, R-Crocker.

“The requests to fund the operating costs have not been granted through the budget process annually,” says McKenna.

“And that started how long ago,” asks Mayhew.

“2010,” says McKenna.

McKenna tells Mayhew the debt could endanger the service’s future.

Some lawmakers, including Representative Deb Lavender, D-Kirkwood, says the River Runner plays an important role in Missouri’s tourism. The line stops in Lavender’s hometown of Kirkwood, as well as Hermann and Sedalia. All three are tourism points.

The Missouri Legislature is in full swing with its fiscal year 2021 budget work.

Missouri study: Super Bowl victory is economic win for team’s community

January 24, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

A Missouri University of Science and Technology study says when a NFL team wins the Super Bowl, the team’s metro area also scores a financial victory. The Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on February 2.

Missouri S&T Economics Professor Michael Davis

Economics Professor Dr. Michael Davis says on average, NFL teams with 10 or 11 wins in the season will fuel about a $100 additional income per person.

“Which may not sound like a lot but $100 spread over millions of people is quite a bit of money,” he says. “What we’re looking at is the more general impact of people going to business that have nothing to do with the sports team. So nothing to do with the Chiefs, just a company that is headquartered in Kansas City is going to have a lot of Chiefs fans as employees.”

His analysis covers decades of data going back to 1969.

“If the local football team does well, you are happier,” says Davis. “Therefore, that happiness will then translate into either you being more productive at work – you go in on Monday, your team having won and you do a lot better job – or you consume more.”

Davis says his study does not consider hungover fans the day after a game.

(Thumbnail photo courtesy of Kansas City Chiefs/Twitter)

Schatz: Rural Missouri hospitals are critical to their communities

January 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s Senate Majority Leader says he’s working with state health officials and leaders in mid-Missouri’s Boonville in an effort to reopen a hospital which closed last week.

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz testifies before a House committee on May 1, 2019 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Pinnacle Regional Hospital is located in the district of State Sen. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, who’s the Majority Leader. Last week’s closing impacts about 160 employees.

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, is also concerned about the Boonville hospital’s closing. Schatz says reimbursements are a major issue for rural hospitals.

“And obviously those rural hospitals struggle with that type of population of being, they’re payment-based and things of that nature, so it’s problematic,” Schatz says.

Pro Tem Schatz tells Missourinet that rural hospitals are critical to their communities. He notes the importance of Missouri Baptist Sullivan hospital in his eastern Missouri hometown.

“I live in Sullivan, Missouri and obviously we have a good rural hospital right there, but again, they struggle at times meeting financial obligations that are there,” says Schatz.

As for Leader Rowden, he says Pinnacle ceased surgical operations after the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) discovered that Pinnacle allegedly wasn’t sterilizing surgical tools and equipment.

DHSS spokeswoman Lisa Cox tells Missourinet the agency and Pinnacle agreed to a 90-day suspension last week. Rowden says that gives any potential buyers time to repair and reopen the hospital as quickly as possible.

Rowden also praises Columbia-based MU Health Care for holding open interviews this week in Boonville, for affected staff.

Senator Rowden also says he’s outraged at reports about how Pinnacle has treated their employees and patients. He notes those are his constituents.

Hospital closings have been an issue in rural Missouri. The “Columbia Missourian” reported in June that six rural Missouri hospitals had closed, in the previous five years.

Winter weather advisories will cover most of Missouri on Thursday into Friday (AUDIO)

January 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) will be issuing multiple winter weather advisories on Thursday afternoon and evening, that will impact almost all of Missouri.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill says the heaviest snow on Thursday will be in the Moberly and Macon areas (January 23, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter)

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Spencer Mell is urging you to slow down on the road.

“Roads across, especially across northern Missouri this afternoon, are already snow-covered,” Mell says. “And it really doesn’t take much, we’ve seen a lot of accidents already out there.”

Missourinet Cameron affiliate KMRN (AM 1360) and Chillicothe affiliate KCHI (FM 102.5) report dozens of school districts across northwest Missouri canceled classes today. Many of them have been closed all week.

The winter weather advisory for northern Missouri will take effect at 3 p.m. The heaviest band of snow will impact towns like Moberly, Macon, Boonville, Fayette, and Marshall, where four to six additional inches is possible.

“As we get into this evening, the temperatures are going to cool down out there and we will see a band of heavier snow set up in that area,” says Mell.

As for the Kansas City metro over to west-central Missouri’s Sedalia, NWS meteorologist Mell expects more snow to fall tonight.

“So we’re probably looking at more of the 8 to 10 p.m. time frame before we really start to see the snow stick in the Kansas City area,” Mell says.

In mid-Missouri, Mell says snow is expected to start falling again at about 10 p.m. in Jefferson City and Columbia. Two to four inches of additional snow is expected.

In St. Louis, the NWS office there says light snow and snow will change to all snow during tonight’s evening rush hour. The NWS says it will reduce visibility for St. Louis-area motorists, and potentially create snow-covered road conditions. About an inch of snow is expected.

Snow will also impact the Ozarks tonight into Friday. The I-44 corridor between Lebanon, Waynesville and Rolla should see two to three inches.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Spencer Mell, which was recorded on January 23, 2020:

State awards 192 licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries

January 23, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

More than 1,100 applications were submitted to the state from companies interested in selling medical marijuana inside highly-secured retail sites. Of those applicants, only 192 will get licenses. A 2018 ballot measure passed by Missouri voters allows 24 licensed dispensary locations in each of the state’s eight congressional districts.

The state says the dispensaries chosen are the top-scoring ones meeting all eligibility requirements. When the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services releases the winners, likely by the end of the day, that information will be listed here.

In 2018, Missouri voters approved a Constitutional amendment allowing the sale of medical marijuana and doctors recommending medical marijuana to patients with certain illnesses.

Here’s the latest information on the number of Missourians who have been approved to use medical marijuana and the caregivers allowed to administer the drugs to patients.


		Patient Services Application Stats
Morning of 1/21/2020
Processed Applications
Patient approved	29,457
Caregiver approved	820
Approved Patient/Caregiver Cultivators	9,523
Patient/Caregiver rejected*	70
Patient/Caregiver denied	941
Total approved	30,277
Applications Received
Patient applications	31,221
Caregiver applications	963
Total applications received	32,184
*Reject Status are not denials, just an opportunity for applicant to provide additional needed information.

Seed-to-sale site certifications will be announced on January 31.

Due to federal law, transporting medical marijuana seeds to Missouri is still illegal.

Winter weather advisory impacting much of Missouri, including Legislature

January 22, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for much of Missouri.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for much of Missouri (January 22, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter)

Wednesday and Wednesday night’s heaviest snowfall will be across northern Missouri, with towns like Maryville, Bethany and Trenton expected to receive three to four inches.

Reporter Jeremy Shields at Missourinet Cameron affiliate KMRN reports there has been snow, blowing snow and sleet in northwest Missouri this morning.

Reporter Tom Tingerthal at Missourinet Chillicothe affiliate KCHI reports there is already about an inch-and-a-half of snow on the ground there, as of this afternoon. Tingerthal also notes many school districts across northwest Missouri have not been in session this week. Classes are expected to be canceled on Thursday as well, due to the winter storm.

Towns located near and along the I-70 corridor should see one to three inches of snow. They include Kansas City, Clinton, Sedalia and Columbia.

The NWS warns hazardous driving conditions will continue into this evening, and that untreated and rural roads will be very slick.

The NWS is urging you to slow down, and to give yourself extra time on the road.

The snow is also impacting legislative work at the Missouri Capitol.

The Missouri Senate has adjourned until next week. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, tweeted today, urging lawmakers and residents to stay safe as they travel to every corner in the state.

The House will also not be in session on Thursday. Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, tells Missourinet they will have a technical session, which simply requires one member to gavel-in and out.

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