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(VIDEO) Summary of today’s press briefing about coronavirus in Missouri

March 31, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson announced today that more than 1,300 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and fourteen people have died. Some 15,600 people have been tested for the respiratory disease.

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

Parson opened up the briefing by mentioning that state and federal officials are looking at several potential temporary hospital sites around the state to care for coronavirus patients if needed. Parson says they have three main questions in mind.

“Including located in areas with the possibility of deficient bed counts, areas large enough for patient population and areas where utilities are available to start immediate construction if necessary,” says Parson.

Potential sites include the Kemper Arena and Independence Event Center in Kansas City, Hearnes Center in Columbia, the Edward Jones Dome and America’s Center in St. Louis, the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Hammons Student Center and JQH Arena in Springfield and Missouri Southern State University’s Leggett and Platt Athletic Center in Joplin.

Missouri’s website to file unemployment claims apparently crashed after too many people were trying to submit claims. Parson says the problem has been fixed but the office continues to be flooded with calls and claims.

“There’s just thousands upon thousands of people trying to reach that office every day,” says Parson. “And we’re doing everything we can to process those claims and we’ll continue to do that. We’ve got people working around the clock over there and again, these are just things that’s never happened before and we’ve just got to work through them.”

For the week ending March 21, more than 42,000 unemployment claims were filed, up from nearly 4,000 filed the previous week.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway is calling on the governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Galloway, a Democrat running for governor, says public health experts, organizations representing healthcare workers, business and faith leaders, local governments and others have urged Parson to issue the order. Parson responded to Galloway’s call.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer

“I would say the state auditor needs to worry about being the state auditor right now,” says Parson. “All of us elected officials right now need to have one thing in mind – it’s what do we do to help with the COVID-19 situation. This is not the time to play politics out of this issue and try to figure out who gets one up. There will be plenty of time for that down the road. Plenty of time, but today is not the time.”

To address overcrowding and social distancing problems over the weekend, state Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer says Missouri is temporarily closing four state parks and partially closing another one.

The state parks closing are Castlewood, Elephant Rocks, Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and Park, and Weston Bend. St. Joe State Park will close the off-road vehicle riding area. The changes take effect at 5 p.m. on Thursday and are scheduled to continue until April 30.

Missouri Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe

At the time of the press conference, Missouri Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe says there are no positive cases within the prison system. She says a prisoner who previously tested positive for COVID-19 has since tested negative twice. He remains in the hospital for other health problems.

Two staff who do not work in a prison have tested positive. Eighteen inmates have been tested. Thirteen have tested negative. Four are pending and the other one is the case that is now negative.

The toilet paper craze has led the TP factory within the former Crossroads Correctional Center in northwest Missouri’s Cameron to boost its hours of operation. Precythe says the factory has ramped up production by 20%.

“Increasing hours of run time by adding an additional shift, has allowed us to manufacture approximately 3,500 cases of tissue each week,” says Precythe.

Each case contains 96 rolls of tissue. Government agencies and nonprofits can buy the TP through Missouri Vocational Enterprises.

The Jefferson City Correctional Center in mid Missouri is making 4,000 protective gowns.

“The Veterans Commission reached out to us with the need for protective gowns,” says Precythe. “Our clothing plant in Jefferson City created a prototype, which has been approved.”

Missouri’s seven veterans homes are in Cameron, Cape Girardeau, Mexico, Mount Vernon, St. James, St. Louis and Warrensburg.

Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten

Keeping social distance during severe weather could be complicated. The tornado shelter director in southern Missouri’s Houston, Glenn McKinney, reached out to Missourinet this week, to say he hadn’t received any direction from the state about how to strike that balance. At today’s press briefing, state Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten says the number one priority is to take shelter.

“I know it has to be on the minds of many Missourians as we face severe weather forecasts and certainly watch what has happened in our neighboring states,” says Karsten. “In the situation of tornado safe rooms, we would ask that you also have a plan in which you consider the social distancing – the no more than 10 people and six feet apart. We understand that that may be difficult in certain situations.”

Missourians can take shelter and also protect themselves from coronavirus germs by covering their face, eyes and body.

Watch today’s press briefing below.

Overcrowding problems force Missouri to temporarily close some state parks

March 31, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

To address overcrowding problems over the weekend, Missouri is temporarily closing four state parks and partially closing another one. A press release says the state parks closing are Castlewood, Elephant Rocks, Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and Park, and Weston Bend. St. Joe State Park will close the off-road vehicle riding area.

A scenic overlook at Ha Ha Tonka State Park near Camdenton, MO at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The changes take effect at 5 p.m. on Thursday and will continue until April 30.

During a Capitol press conference Monday, Gov. Mike Parson said he was disappointed some state park visitors over the weekend were not following social distancing rules of remaining six feet apart and limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer says gates to individual parking lots may close at all state parks when the lot reaches capacity.

“We’re continuing to evaluate the situation and make adjustments to operations as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves,” says Carol Comer, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “As conditions and recommendations change, we will make additional closures as needed.”

If you want to head outside, park officials say you can still enjoy the many open spaces in your local community while limiting travel.

“We understand the importance of physical activity and getting outside during this unprecedented time,” says Mike Sutherland, director of DNR’s Division of State Parks. “However, we have to make changes to operations at some facilities, due to overcrowding, to ensure public safety.”

Park visitors are encouraged to check mostateparks.com for advisory updates and the latest actions before heading out to a state park.

(AUDIO) Governor answers several burning questions about Missouri’s response to COVID-19

March 26, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson visited with Missourinet today about the state’s response efforts to COVID-19. Here’s the full interview:

Twice-daily Amtrak service across Missouri gets bipartisan support in House Budget Committee

March 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the Missouri House Budget Committee teamed up this week to support a GOP amendment, which removes the restriction to once-daily Amtrak passenger service across Missouri.

The amendment is from State Rep. Aaron Griesheimer, R-Washington. The Missouri River Runner train stops in his hometown of Washington, which has an Amtrak station near the Missouri River.

State Reps. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, and Wes Rogers (far right), D-Kansas City, listen to testimony during a House Budget Committee hearing on March 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, voted for the Griesheimer amendment on Sunday. Representative Aldridge has ridden the Missouri River Runner train from St. Louis to Jefferson City, for session.

“I’ve used the Amtrak quite often, and I know how essential it is not just to me but to people that are trying to see our great state,” Aldridge says. “If it’s getting to Kansas City, Jefferson City, other stops that people like to visit.”

Representative Aldridge tells colleagues that both the morning and afternoon Amtrak trains are usually 90 percent full when he rides, and emphasizes the service’s need.

The train stops in downtown St. Louis, near 14th Street. It also stops in several Missouri towns, including Sedalia, Warrensburg and Hermann.

The Budget Committee has voted 19-16 to approve the Griesheimer amendment, which is aimed at preserving twice-daily service from St. Louis to Kansas City.

State Rep. Wes Rogers, D-Kansas City, also voted for the amendment, telling Griesheimer that twice-daily train service is good for tourism too.

“When we visit my in-laws in St. Louis, we like to get on the train in Kirkwood (a St. Louis suburb), take it to your district, spend the day and get back on the train and then go home. It’s my son’s favorite thing to do. Without your amendment, would that be impossible?” Rogers asks.

“Yes,” Griesheimer responds.

“Thank you, no more questions,” Rogers says.

The Amtrak issue could come up again on the House floor, when the full Missouri House begins budget debate. It’s unclear now when that will be, due to coronavirus concerns.

The state owes Amtrak more than $6 million in unpaid bills.

Missouri’s casinos to temporarily close

March 17, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

All bets are off at Missouri’s 13 casinos beginning at midnight tonight through March 30. To help battle the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Mike Parson says the casinos will temporarily halt business.

Missouri’s casinos to temporarily close

On Twitter today, Parson says he consulted with the chairman of the State Gaming Commission and the casinos before making the decision.

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

Eight people have tested positive in Missouri for COVID-19. The cases include one in St. Louis city, three in St. Louis County, three in southwest Missouri’s Greene County, one in western Missouri’s Henry County.

How will the coronavirus affect Missouri’s state budget?

March 13, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

The Missouri Legislature is working on a more than $30 billion state budget for the fiscal year beginning in July. Lawmakers are crafting a balanced budget they are required to pass in early May. Now they are faced with the effects of COVID-19, often referred to as the coronavirus, and how it will creep its way into the current and future state budgets and state revenues.

Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia

Several events, businesses and schools in Missouri have taken precautionary steps in an effort to avoid an outbreak of COVID-19. Missouri cities hosting major college and high school basketball tournaments will take a hit for getting the games called off or limiting the number of fans allowed, not to mention the St. Louis Blues having the plug pulled on the team’s season.

Missouri will miss out on all those fans once coming through its airports, spending money to hitch a ride to the events, crashing at a hotel, shopping, eating, and drinking. Speaking of drinking, Kansas City and St. Louis have both canceled their St. Patty’s Day parades. That’s a lot of green beer sales not bringing in as much green paper.

The financial impact of these events collecting far less money than planned will trickle down to the state level. There might also be a growing state-level price tag for coronavirus response for agencies like the State Health and Human Services Department. It all depends on how the disease plays out.

During a press conference Thursday at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, says lawmakers might have to make some tougher decisions.

“This is unchartered waters for us and so we’re going to take it as it comes,” says Rowden. “It’s probably two-fold: One, we figure out how much money we’ve got coming in and obviously what we have to spend. But also, potentially what dollars need to be utilized and resourced for the purposes of dealing with this particular issue.”

Rowden says Gov. Mike Parson and legislative budget leaders did not reach a consensus revenue estimate – an agreement on how much they project the state to earn in revenue during the upcoming state budget year. The estimate helps lawmakers shape the budget.

“At least maybe a silver lining in that, which is not something we are celebrating, but it provides Senator (Dan) Hegeman a little bit of flexibility when the House budget comes over to recognize, I think we were under the general assumption that the economy has been good. And so, we thought if anything, that we might have the chance to spend a little more money than the House did on our priorities. But if that’s reversed, based on the information that we have, based on the economic realities of the coronavirus and the backlash, we’ll have to deal with that as well,” he says.

The Missouri Constitution requires state lawmakers to approve a balanced budget by early May.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States has more than 1,200 cases of COVID-19. So far, 36 people have died from the illness. Globally, the virus has sickened more than 125,000 people and killed about 4,600. About two-thirds of the cases originate in China.

So far, Missouri has tested 73 patients for the virus and that number continues to grow.

Thursday, Gov. Parson announced the state’s second “presumptive positive” case of the respiratory illness is a Springfield patient in their 20s who recently traveled to Austria.

Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a positive case involving a St. Louis County woman in her 20’s who recently studied abroad in Italy.

Famous country music star to be inducted into Hall of Famous Missourians

February 25, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

A new face will be showcased next week in the Hall of Famous Missourians. Country music legend and West Plains native Porter Wagoner will be inducted Monday as the 47th member. His bust will join the many others sitting in the third floor of the Missouri Capitol Rotunda in Jefferson City, including television journalist Walter Cronkite, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, and the 33rd U.S. President – Harry Truman.

The Missouri House and Senate convene on January 9, 2019 for a joint session to commemorate the 100th General Assembly (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Wagoner and singer Dolly Parton became a well-known duo on The Porter Wagoner Show throughout the late 1960s and early 70s. His first band, the Blue Ridge Boys, performed on Missourinet affiliate KWPM in West Plains from a butcher shop in town, where Wagoner cut meat. He also performed on Springfield radio station KWTO in southwest Missouri.

Wagoner, nicknamed “Mr. Grand Ole Opry”, died in 2007 at the age of 80. He’s in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and Porter Wagoner Boulevard is located in his southern Missouri hometown of West Plains.

Monday’s 1 p.m. ceremony is open to the public in the 4th floor upper House gallery. A reception in the 3rd floor Capitol Rotunda will follow.

Wagoner was nominated by former Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, who will serve as the Master of Ceremonies on Monday. Representative David Evans, R-West Plains, has helped to organize the event in cooperation with Richardson.

According to Evans’ office, special guests include Wagoner’s granddaughter and representatives of KWPM and KWTO radio. A special video from Dolly Parton will also be showcased.

Longtime Cardinal broadcaster McLaughlin emphasizes importance of rural Missouri fans to St. Louis (AUDIO)

February 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Veteran St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Dan McLaughlin is starting his 23rd season in the broadcast booth. He broadcast the Cardinals’ first 2020 spring training game in Florida Saturday on Fox Sports Midwest.

Longtime Cardinal broadcaster Dan McLaughlin (right) visits with Brian Hauswirth at the Cardinal Caravan in Jefferson City on January 17, 2020

During a recent Jefferson City appearance, McLaughlin visited with Missourinet about his career and about the Cardinals. He emphasizes that Cardinal fans traveling from rural Missouri and other locations are crucial to the team and to downtown St. Louis business.

“It’s something like 60 to 70 percent of the tickets sold on a weekend is from, if you took a radius and did a circle there and drew it out 60 miles, they’re outside that area,” McLaughlin says.

The “St. Louis Business Journal” reports the Cardinals drew 3.48 million fans to Busch Stadium during the 2019 regular season. That ranks second in Major League Baseball, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

McLaughlin notes the economic impact of those Cardinal fans staying in downtown St. Louis hotels, and the impact on downtown restaurants and other businesses.

As for McLaughlin, he says he’s living his dream. He notes he grew up seven minutes from Busch Stadium, and his mother still lives at that house. McLaughlin graduated from Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) in St. Charles, and praises the school. He says it gave him his life.

He also says Cardinal baseball gives fans a release on the reality of life.

“And what they want to do is go home, flip on a tv, flip on the radio and hear a couple of people that are excited to do the game, excited about Cardinals baseball,” says McLaughlin.

He emphasizes the importance of having fun, during the broadcasts.

“Bottom line is this should be entertainment,” McLaughlin says. “It should be fun, it should be something you enjoy. Should be something that you enjoy with your children or your friends or your family.”

McLaughlin emceed the January Cardinal Caravan event at Missouri Farm Bureau headquarters in Jefferson City, which raised about $1,200 for “Feeding Missouri.” The coalition of six Missouri food banks works to provide hunger relief in all 114 counties and St. Louis city. “Feeding Missouri” distributes 120-million pounds of food annually.

Despite frigid temperatures and snow that night, a few hundred Cardinal fans turned out for the event.

McLaughlin tells Missourinet he’s beyond grateful for the opportunity he’s been given. He has two jobs: he works for Fox Sports Midwest and for the Cardinals.

He emphasizes that the Cardinal employees he works with care, and that they love what they do.

The St. Louis Cardinals open the 2020 season on March 26 at Cincinnati, when they play the Reds.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and veteran St. Louis Cardinal broadcaster Dan McLaughlin, which was recorded on January 17, 2020 at Missouri Farm Bureau headquarters in Jefferson City:

Missouri lawmaker: a casino would do well along the Osage River, if it’s done right

February 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A proposed constitutional amendment that would authorize a riverboat casino near the Lake of the Ozarks could be heading to the Missouri House floor soon, after being approved by two committees.

State Rep. Rocky Miller, R-Lake Ozark, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on May 17, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The proposal from State Rep. Rocky Miller, R-Lake Ozark, would authorize a boat on the Osage River, between the Bagnell Dam and the Missouri River.

“All (the bill) it really does is put out to a vote of the people adding the Osage River to the possibility of getting a license, if one becomes available in the future,” Miller says.

Currently, riverboat gambling in Missouri is only allowed along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The Missouri Gaming Commission regulates casino gambling.

Missouri’s 13 riverboat casino licenses are all currently taken. It’s capped at 13 as a result of Proposition A, which was approved by voters in 2008. Proposition A also repealed loss limits and increased the casino gambling tax from 20 to 21 percent.

Miller has filed House Joint Resolution 87, which is a proposed constitutional amendment. He tells Missourinet that a casino would do well along the Osage River, if it’s done right.

“It has to be where it’s a benefit to the community and to the state,” says Miller. “And the way to ensure that is to make sure it goes through the legislative process, and that’s what we’re doing here today,” he said during a recent Statehouse interview.

Miller’s proposal was approved by the House Special Committee on Government Oversight on a 3-2 vote. It was approved by the Rules Committee on a 6-1 vote.

Missouri House oversight committee to hear additional sports wagering bills this week

February 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri House oversight committee will hear testimony Tuesday in Jefferson City from the Budget Committee chairman on his proposal involving sports wagering.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (left) and House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, visit on the House floor in Jefferson City on May 9, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The House Special Committee on Government Oversight will hold a Tuesday afternoon hearing on the legislation from House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage.

Under Smith’s 15-page bill, all sports wagering would be conducted on Missouri’s 13’s licensed riverboat casinos, and on the internet.

Chairman Smith’s bill, House Bill 2284, would require the 13 casinos to come up with standards to detect and prevent compulsive gambling. It would also require the casinos to ensure that their surveillance system covers all areas where sports wagering is conducted.

Major League Baseball (MLB) representatives traveled to Jefferson City in November to testify before the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming. MLB representative Jeremy Kudon testified that Missourians would wager $5.5 billion annually on sports, if it’s legalized.

During his November testimony, Kudon predicted that Missouri casino operators would make about $376 million a year from that, and that Missouri would receive about $37 million annually in taxes.

Smith’s bill is different from a separate bill from State Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, who chaired the interim gaming committee.

The Shaul bill, which is waiting for House floor debate, would legalize sports wagering and slot machines. It would also allow them in “entertainment districts” such as Kansas City’s Power and Light District and the Ballpark Village area in downtown St. Louis.

The Smith bill doesn’t mention slot machines, which have been a controversial issue. 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 alleged illegal slot machines.

State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, has also filed a sports wagering bill. The Christofanelli bill will also be heard Tuesday afternoon by the oversight committee.

The Christofanelli bill is similar to the Shaul bill.