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Four Republicans hope to replace term-limited Libla in southeast Missouri Senate district

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Four southeast Missouri Republicans are running in the August GOP primary to replace veteran State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, who’s leaving the Legislature at the end of the year because of term limits.

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, presides over the Missouri Senate in Jefferson City on May 14, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Jonathan Lorenz at Senate Communications)

Three of the four candidates are from Poplar Bluff, while the fourth lives in the Bootheel. The four candidates are State Rep. Jeff Shawan, R-Poplar Bluff, farmer Jason Bean of Holcomb, longtime State Farm Insurance agent Eddy Justice and former State Rep. Stephen Cookson, R-Poplar Bluff.

The rural district includes eight counties: Butler, Carter, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Shannon and Stoddard. Towns in the district include Poplar Bluff, Kennett, Charleston, Portageville, Dexter and Puxico.

Agriculture is huge in the district.

No Democrats filed for Libla’s seat, which means the winner of the August 4th primary will be the next senator from the district.

Representative Shawan is finishing his first term in the Missouri House. He’s a former Butler County emergency management director. One of his main priorities as a legislator and during the campaign is supporting law enforcement and first responders.

Shawan filed legislation this year to increase penalties for those who flee from police, in high-speed pursuits. Shawan’s cousin, Bob Adams, testified for the bill. Adams testified that his daughter was killed in 1998 after a 14-year-old suspect fleeing police slammed a stolen vehicle into his daughter’s car.

Bean is the son of former State Rep. Otto Bean, R-Holcomb. Jason Bean is a farmer and is currently the chairman of the Fisher Delta Research Center’s advisory board. Missouri Farm Bureau has endorsed Bean, and says the 25th district “is the number-one agriculture district in the state of Missouri.”

Eddy Justice has been a State Farm agent in Poplar Bluff for more than 20 years. He’s also a former chairman of the Butler County GOP Committee, and served briefly on the Missouri Board of Education. Justice is campaigning against government overreach, and for the Second Amendment and jobs.

Former State Rep. Stephen Cookson, R-Poplar Bluff, served four terms in the Missouri House, from 2011-2018. Cookson was one of the first GOP lawmakers in the Legislature to call for then-Governor Eric Greitens (R) to resign in January 2018.

Cookson focused on organ donation, while he served in the Legislature. Governor Greitens appointed him to Missouri’s Organ Donor Task Force. Cookson is campaigning on conservative, rural values. He’s a former teacher and served as school superintendent in Naylor.

The August primary winner will replace Libla, who chairs the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. Libla was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016.

Libla’s top priority has been transportation. During an interview with Missourinet in July, Libla said that Missouri is not funding roads and bridges adequately. He says Missouri’s gasoline tax needs to be increased, noting the state’s 17-cent per gallon tax has remained the same since 1996.

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Blunt discusses U.S. Senate GOP’s $1 trillion HEALS Act

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U.S. Senate Republicans have unveiled a $1 trillion coronavirus aid package. The HEALS Act includes $200 per week in unemployment benefits, more than $100 billion for schools, more funding for the small business Paycheck Protection Program and a liability shield to protect businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri

The plan would also give another $1,200 stimulus payment with similar eligibility requirements as the last one. Qualifying individuals earning a gross adjusted income up to $75,000 per year in 2019, and couples earning $150,000, would get the full $1,200 or $2,400. Individuals would also receive $500 for each dependent, just like under the CARES Act.

During a press conference in Washington, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, says the plan would provide $16 billion to help states cover COVID-19 testing.

“Our priority to help with testing through the states is to put a priority on elementary and secondary education, on higher education, on nursing homes and childcare facilities,” says Blunt.

Blunt says the package would give $15 billion to the nation’s childcare providers.

“As people get back to work, some people don’t want to send their kids. There will be some childcare expenses of distancing and other things that have to be done, but you can’t get back to work if you can’t get back to childcare for most families. And if you’re a working parent, particularly if you’re a working single parent, your biggest single problem is being sure that that childcare situation works,” says Blunt.

Congressional Democratic leaders say the bill should include hazard pay for essential workers, provide additional funding for food stamps and address the eviction crisis, among other things. Kansas City Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver hopped on Twitter to criticize the bill.

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Missouri protesters call for virtual K-12 learning in COVID-19 hot spots

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A group of protesters rallied Monday at the state Capitol in Jefferson City to demand that Missouri K-12 schools in coronavirus hot spots begin the academic year with remote learning. Kimberly Hanan-West, who has been a teacher in the Parkway School District in St. Louis County for nearly 20 years, organized today’s event.

Missouri protesters call for virtual K-12 learning in COVID-19 hot spots

“If you look at the data and you make data-driven decisions, you should see that cases rates are four times higher than they were in March and April,” Hanan-West says. “And therefore, we need a virtual start to the school year until cases see at least a 14-day dramatic decline.”

Some Missouri schools are starting fall classes online, while others are doing in-person schooling, starting classes after Labor Day, doing a mix of in-person and online learning, or a combination.

“This is not just a St. Louis County or St. Louis City problem. This could decimate educators, staff, students and their families across Missouri,” she says. “And I was telling someone else, if you look at Joplin and if you look at St. Louis, that should illustrate to you the way in which cases can rise rapidly and really, really hurt a community.”

The protesters also want teachers to have “the best PPE and infrastructure to safely return” to in-person classes. She says schools are not going to be “an island” that is safe from the coronavirus.

“Our leaders that decide that they’re not going to mask because somehow it’s part of their freedom to be unmasked, but I ask them where is my freedom and that of my students and staff members to be healthy and safe,” she asks.

Hanan-West says despite some teachers unable to do in-person classes, she does not think her school is running into a teacher shortage. She points to online classes allowing higher class sizes, which she says increases teacher workloads exponentially and provides less individual attention to struggling students.

About 40 people showed up to the event. She says the protest is one of many planned in Missouri.

The state is letting local school districts decide how to handle their reopening and whether to require staff and students to wear masks. Gov. Mike Parson is meeting Tuesday with some mid Missouri school officials in Jefferson City to discuss reopening measures. During a press conference today, Parson says most Missouri schools want to have classes in-person. He goes on to say that he worries about kids with disabilities and students from low-income families who don’t have as many options as other students.

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Abortion is a key issue in Missouri Senate GOP primary to replace Sater (AUDIO)

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Two well-known Republicans are running in the August GOP primary to replace term-limited State Sen. David Sater in southwest Missouri. No Democrats have filed, which means the GOP primary winner will be the next senator from that district.

State Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, stands on the Missouri Senate floor on January 9, 2020 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Jonathan Lorenz at Missouri Senate Communications)

State Rep. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, is facing former Missouri Republican Party chairman David Cole of Cassville.

Moon, who was elected to the Missouri House in a special election in April 2013, says he’s focused on ending abortions in Missouri.

“I believe that at the point of conception that is a result of a unique human individual with separate unique DNA, and they should be protected by law,” Moon says.

Moon says the government’s primary purpose is to protect the liberty of the people and to protect their property. His priorities also include eliminating the corporate tax, and ending what he calls burdensome regulations on farmers, businesses and residents.

Moon’s opponent is Cole, who served as the Missouri Republican Party chairman from 2009-2013. His priorities include education and workforce development.

“And being able to put together an environment where businesses can thrive and people can have good jobs, support their families,” Cole says.

Cole says the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact across the state. He’s focused on the economy and getting Missourians back to work.

Abortion is a major issue in the August Senate primary. During an interview with Missourinet, Representative Moon accuses the Cole campaign of “stretching the truth” in campaign mailers, including on abortion.

“I am the most conservative, most constitutional and most pro-life legislator in Missouri, and I’m the most of those three in this particular Senate race too,” says Moon.

Moon filed a proposed constitutional amendment in January 2019, regarding the right to life. He said at that time that passage of House Joint Resolution 28 “will begin the process of ensuring that all unborn children will be afforded the opportunity to live and prosper in Missouri.”

That bill did not receive a House committee hearing in 2019. He also filed legislation this year abolishing abortion in the state.

Moon says he’s running on his record, and Cole tells Missourinet that he’s running on Moon’s record as well.

“When we (the Cole campaign) make statements that Missouri Right to Life rated him (Moon) the lowest-ranked Republican in the House last year, that is not stretching the truth. Those are facts,” says Cole.

Cole also says Representative Moon is the only Republican who voted “no” on abortion legislation during a 2017 special session called by then-Governor Eric Greitens (R).

Republicans gained legislative seats while Cole served as the party chairman, including the election of Moon to the House in 2013. Moon unseated then State Rep. Charlie Dake (D). Republicans also unseated State Sens. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, and Frank Barnitz, D-Lake Spring, in 2010.

The GOP primary winner will replace Sater, who was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016. Sater also served in the Missouri House from 2005 to 2012. He’ll leave office at the end of December.

The district includes five counties: Barry, Lawrence, McDonald, Stone and Taney.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Rep. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, which was recorded on July 24, 2020:

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with former Missouri Republican Party chairman David Cole, which was recorded on July 24, 2020:

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Parson about kids catching COVID-19 comments: ‘What I said didn’t come out the way I intended’

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Gov. Mike Parson has gained national attention for comments he made Friday on “The Marc Cox Morning Show” in St. Louis. The governor has been firm in getting Missouri’s kids back to school this fall.

Gov. Mike Parson

“These kids have got to get back to school,” Parson said. “They’re at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going to have to sit in doctor’s offices. They’re going to go home, and they’re going to get over it.”

The governor’s comments have sparked a flurry of criticism in Missouri and nationally.

A statement from Missouri National Education Association President Phil Murray says Parson’s comments demonstrate “a callous disregard for the suffering of children and the safety of the parents, grandparents, educators, and students that will be put at risk if schools are reopened with improper plans and protections.”

State Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democratic candidate for governor, said Parson’s comments displayed “stunning ignorance”.

Former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, had a bit more to say.

Former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, inserted her thoughts.

During a press conference Wednesday at the state Capitol, Parson started off by bringing up the topic. The governor says he did not do a good job of explaining his point – that COVID-19 will likely be in Missouri’s schools and we must be prepared.

“For someone to use politics as a tool to say that I don’t give a damn about children is one sick individual,” Parson says during a Capitol press conference Wednesday. “And anybody that wants to follow my career, take a good look at it and you’ll find out who I care about and who I’ve protected.”

Parson pointed out that his daughter is a teacher and he has five grandchildren attending public schools. He added that he has funded education more than any other Missouri governor.

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Washington University and St. Louis University have roles in COVID-19 vaccine trials

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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development will be a part of the national effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine.

The two private schools are part of the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), a newly organized network formed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to develop and test COVID-19 vaccines and  treatments.

According to Washington University, researchers at both universities will try to enroll about 3,000 participants in several different vaccine trials and “it will be critically important to enroll participants who are likely to be exposed to COVID-19 or those at risk for severe disease from COVID-19, including participants over age 65.”

According to a press release, both schools are well-positioned to conduct this research:

The Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development is home to one of 10 Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units in the United States. As such, SLU conducts phases 1 through 4 vaccine and treatment trials, including clinical studies with industry partners.

Washington University School of Medicine has more than 30 years’ experience leading clinical trials evaluating new treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases through its Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group. The latter has been instrumental in conducting trials to control the HIV pandemic, leading to safe and effective medications that treat and prevent HIV infection and AIDS.

For more information about vaccine trials at Washington University School of Medicine, email [email protected]; call 314-454-0058 or visit the Division of Infectious Diseases clinical trials site.

For more information about vaccine trials at Saint Louis University’s Center for Vaccine Development, vaccine.slu.edu; call 314-977-6333 or 1-866-410-6333; or email [email protected].

Bland Manlove: Missouri’s special session should address the root causes of violence (AUDIO)

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While she would like to see other issues addressed, a key Democratic lawmaker from Kansas City supports Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session call for witness protection.

State Reps. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, and Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, participate in a roundtable discussion with Missouri Governor Mike Parson and law enforcement officers at the Kansas City Police Department on July 20, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, a member of Missouri’s Legislative Black Caucus, says witness protection is a bipartisan issue.

“So we want to make sure that there’s enough funding behind that to relocate people as necessary, or keep them in some type of protective custody until the case is resolved,” Bland Manlove says.

She says police officers cannot complete cases without evidence, like witness statements.

Kansas City has had 106 homicides in 2020, which is about a 35 percent increase from last year. Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith says there’s a sense of urgency in Kansas City, and that action must be taken.

Bland Manlove and several other state lawmakers from both parties joined the governor this week at the Kansas City Police Department, to hear his presentation about the special session. It begins Monday in Jefferson City.

Bland Manlove would much rather address what she calls the root causes of violence.

“Such as the breakdown of the home, education, health care and how all of those have effects on our day-to-day lives,” says Bland Manlove, who serves on the House Budget Committee.

Governor Parson told Missourinet last week that the only reason he’s calling a special session is for violent crime, and the growing homicide rates in the state. St. Louis has had 135 homicides this year.

“I’d like to see mental health addressed from not only a mental disorder issue, but mental health, a lot of families are broken, so they don’t know how to move through life in an efficient way,” Bland Manlove says.

She says some residents need life coaching, saying some have never been taught how to write checks.

She tells Missourinet that she appreciates Governor Parson calling a special session on violent crime, noting that the Legislative Black Caucus requested that he call one in September 2019. She’s noted that Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

As for the governor, he traveled to northeast Missouri’s Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon to meet with local leaders and law enforcement officers about violent crime and next week’s special session. Parson held a roundtable discussion at Hannibal-LaGrange, where he was joined by State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, State Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal and other lawmakers.

The sheriffs from Marion, Ralls and Lewis counties also attended. Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish is the president of the Missouri Sheriff’s Association.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, which was recorded on July 20, 2020:

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Parson emphasizes violent crime and homicides during Kansas City visit (AUDIO)

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(Audio is courtesy of Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC)

Saying that violent crime and homicides are escalating across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson traveled to Kansas City and Springfield on Monday afternoon to meet with local leaders and law enforcement officers about next week’s special session.

Law enforcement officers from across Missouri joined Governor Mike Parson at his special session call regarding violent crime on July 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The special session about violent crime starts Monday in Jefferson City.

“There’s no doubt with the homicide increases across the state, especially St. Louis, Kansas City, even Columbia and Springfield Missouri, across our state. It’s something we don’t want to be happening every day,” Parson tells Kansas City reporters.

The governor was joined in Kansas City by state lawmakers from both parties, who listened to his presentation. Parson was also joined by state Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten and by Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith, who notes there was another homicide while the roundtable meeting was about to begin.

Kansas City has had 105 homicides in 2020, a 35 percent increase from last year. Chief Smith says there is a sense of urgency in Kansas City, and that action must be taken. The chief thanks the governor and state lawmakers for addressing the violent crime issue.

As for Governor Parson, he says witness protection and juvenile certification will be key parts of the upcoming special session. He also says eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers is another key part of the call.

“One of the reasons since I’ve been governor that’s been an issue for the last two years since I’ve been there (as governor), they have run consistently about 150 to 200 officers down in their police department,” says Parson.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden testified in January that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention.

There have been at least 135 homicides in St. Louis this year.

DPS Director Karsten says witness protection is essential to reducing Missouri’s homicide rates.

“We need our communities’ help in solving the violent crime that we’re seeing. We need people to come forth as witnesses,” Karsten says.

A key part of the governor’s January State of the State Address was $1 million in funding for witness protection. Despite bipartisan support in both chambers, the measure did not pass this year.

Click here to watch the full Kansas City media briefing, courtesy of Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC.

State Reps. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, Jerome Barnes, D-Raytown, and Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, were among the lawmakers who listened to the governor’s Kansas City presentation. They also participated in the roundtable discussion.

Representative Bland Manlove tells Missourinet that witness protection is a bipartisan issue. She also says that while she supports Governor Parson on the issue of witness protection, she would much rather see the special session address issues such as mental health, education and health care. She also notes that the Legislative Black Caucus requested a special session last year, about violent crime.

Governor Parson also traveled to Springfield on Monday, where he met with Police Chief Paul Williams, Springfield officers and Greene County Sheriff’s deputies. State lawmakers also joined the governor at the Springfield visit.

Springfield has had 15 homicides this year, and the “News-Leader” reports the city is on pace to break its previous yearly record of 16.

The governor will travel to northeast Missouri’s Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon to meet with leaders there about the special session.

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Mizzou announces additional inclusion policies, welcomes new diversity head (AUDIO INTERVIEW)

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University of Missouri leaders last week announced a series of actions to address inequities and inclusion, including

  • mandatory cultural competency training,
  • bystander and civil discourse training,
  • supervisor training to address acts of discrimination and
  • a thorough review of the MU Police Department’s “use of force” policies and de-escalation tactics.

In August, the university will launch a “Bias Hotline” so students, faculty and staff can anonymously report acts of discrimination or racism.  Since student protests and the resignation of the school’s president in 2015, Mizzou has redirected its policies and staffing to focus on repairing race relations and improving diversity. This includes inviting scrutiny from the American Council on Education, which released its second report on the university’s progress since 2015.

“This work is never complete, but we are committed to doing the hard work necessary to become a better Mizzou.” President and Chancellor Mun Choi said after the report and a panel discussion presented online last week.

The newly-hired Vice-Chancellor of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Maurice Gipson will oversee much of this work. He says Mizzou’s program is uncommon because of the “stable infrastructure” it now has in place.

“With this type of capacity, over 30 fulltime staff members and another 30 or so part-time, having an infrastructure that large just speaks to Mizzou’s commitment,” Gipson told Missourinet.

Gipson was in a similar position at Arkansas State University before coming to Mizzou. He says providing off-campus experiences were an important part of his success.

“Making sure that our students have these transformational experiences which they are engaged with people they are less familiar with or go and engage with students from around the country, I think that helps them become better global citizens.”

His vision is that everyone who wants a college education should be able to achieve one. He was the first in his family to go to college and was from a poor family. He saw college as a way to level the opportunities for any student.

“If you want to have just a conversation just about race and ethnicity, then we are not going to have a productive and fruitful conversation because diversity is so much more than that. An issue that is very near and dear to me is making sure that we can pull our students out of some of this cyclical poverty,” Gipson said.

“If you want to pull students out of cyclical poverty, a college education is a way to do that.”

LISTEN to the interview with MU Vice-Chancellor of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Maurice Gipson (15:04)

COVID-19 could cause greater Missouri teacher and bus driver shortages this fall

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Many Missouri K-12 schools have had a persistent shortage of full-time teachers, substitute teachers and bus drivers. Kelli Hopkins, associate executive director of the Missouri School Boards’ Association, tells Missourinet the COVID-19 outbreak could cause an even greater shortage this upcoming school year.

COVID-19 could cause greater Missouri teacher and bus driver shortages this fall

She expects the need for substitute bus drivers in rural Missouri school districts to run especially deep. To address social distancing health guidelines, more buses and drivers could be required to transport kids.

“This is huge for our rural districts because, of course, buses are how the children get to school. And, if you have to double the number of buses, it’s going to be a problem,” she says. “If the virus continues to spread, we may have drivers that can’t drive because they’ve tested positive and they’re quarantined or because they have someone at home they have to care for – same thing with substitute teachers.”

Missouri has 555 public school districts and charter schools. The changes could be a financial headache for many districts, especially the ones already facing money problems.

“There really are some creative folks out there in schools, working on staggered arrival times, and alternate day attendance and alternate hour attendance,” says Hopkins. “Some come in here, go for these four hours, some they take them home and pick up another route, etc. All we’re talking about here is not just the logistics. The finances of it are incredible.”

Some Missouri parents might be ready for their kids to return to the classroom this fall, but whether teachers are comfortable returning during the COVID-19 pandemic could be a different story for some. Many schools have been surveying their parents and staff about their preferences on returning to school, learning remotely, or something in between for the upcoming school year.

“If my full-time job is a teacher and I’m too leery to come, I suspect someone who’s a substitute, who may be in multiple rooms with multiple children is going to be even maybe less excited about coming to work with students,” says Hopkins.

The going pay rate for teachers and bus drivers could factor into the overall shortage, along Missouri’s historically low unemployment rate. Pay varies from district to district. For substitute bus drivers, Hopkins says the pay could be a daily rate, based on the number of trips made, etc.

For substitute teachers, 60 hours of college and a good background check are required. For substitute bus drivers, a commercial driver’s license and good background check are required.

“So it’s not like you can say ‘I’ll drive,’” says Hopkins.

The Missouri Departments of Health and Senior Services and Elementary and Secondary Education have rolled out answers to frequently asked health questions about schools reopening next month. They include details about screening, assigned seating, desk placement, requiring hand washing before and after students move from one space to another and loading buses appropriately. The guidance urges schools to keep kids in the same group of students and adults throughout the day, including during P.E., recess, lunch and music classes.

In May, representatives from DHSS and DESE worked with the Missouri School Boards’ Association to publish the “Pandemic Recovery Consideration: Re-Entry and Reopening of Schools”, a 110-page guide with more thorough information to help school leaders develop plans for returning to onsite teaching and learning.

Meanwhile, the Missouri State High School Activities Association has outlined its recommendations to member schools for their return to activities. In the eight-page guidelines, if says if a district is only offering online learning with no face to face education, either temporarily or for the semester/year, the district cannot offer activities during that period. If a participant or coach tests positive for COVID-19, all participants who had direct contact should be excluded from play for 14 days. The association also urges urge schools to develop live streaming of events to reduce crowd size.

High school sports are still on schedule to begin with practices starting August 10 and competition beginning August 28.

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