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Missouri issues public health warning for local governments to implement, plus travel advisory

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compiled by Brian Hauswirth and Ashley Byrd

Missouri’s governor has issued a statewide public health warning because of the continued increase in new COVID cases statewide. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there have been 27,358 new COVID cases in Missouri in the past week, which is an average of 3,908 new COVID cases per day.

The DHSS new COVID-19 advisory provides expectations for communities, with three action plans for counties based on positivity rates. Counties with a PCR 7-day positivity rate of 15 percent or above are advised to limit social group sizes to ten or less, and masks are advised in all offices and businesses where social distancing isn’t possible. In counties with a PCR 7-day positivity rate of 10 to 14 percent, counties are advised to limit social group sizes to 25 or less, and that offices and businesses with more than ten people should have masks. For counties with a PCR 7-day positivity rate of five to nine percent, social groups should maintain six feet of social distance.

READ 11-19-2020 Public Health Advisory

The advisory is simply that, however, a set of recommendations to counties and not an order, Missourinet confirmed with DHSS. The consequences of not complying are, as the White House Coronavirus Task Force describes, the exponential spread of the virus and the overburdening of health care systems.

Parson explained that this puts restrictions in the hands of mayors and counties instead of his office because he believes in local control, with “citizen input.”

“Government’s not going to mandate everything you need to do in your lives, nor do I want government to mandate, you don’t need that right now. You just need to take it upon ourselves to make tough decisions, wise decisions, and to slow the spread,” the governor said Thursday. “We don’t want to be like these other states around us. To be able to protect our economy, to be able to protect our lifestyle, we have to take action.”

The Parson administration has also issued a travel advisory for Thanksgiving, urging Missourians to minimize travel outside of the state and to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

 

Departing Missouri House Speaker Haahr reflects on successes, disappointments (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s outgoing House Speaker says life issues and the largest tax cut in state history are some of his biggest successes in the Legislature.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, gavels the chamber into session on August 24, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, was first elected to the House in 2012. He’s finishing his eighth and final year in the House, due to term limits. He’s also finishing his term as Speaker.

“I was very proud of the work we did on the pro-life bill last year, I thought that was a big thing,” Haahr says. “Prior to me being Speaker, I carried also the largest tax cut in Missouri history and that was a really big one, I think, for our constituencies in the state.”

The 2019 abortion legislation essentially banned abortions once a fetal heartbeat was detected. The House vote was 110-44, and the Senate approved it last year after about 15 hours of filibuster and negotiations behind the scenes.

Haahr is the first and only House Speaker from Springfield in state history, and says that symbolizes Springfield and southwest Missouri’s growing political and economic influence. He says boosting funding for Missouri State University is another success he’s proud of.

“Worked really hard last year on bringing Missouri State University’s funding on parity with other schools, and so we did a $10 million increase to them to get them to a place where they’re funded equally with all the other schools,” says Haahr.

Haahr says this has been talked about for years and even decades, and that to get it done while he was Speaker is very important.

While Haahr has been Speaker, State Rep. Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, has served as House Minority Leader. While the two have disagreed on issues like abortion and Medicaid expansion, they have worked together on issues involving Greene County, such as Missouri State funding and Hailey’s Law, which was sponsored by State Rep. Curtis Trent, R-Springfield.

Haahr has said several times from the House dais that while he and Leader Quade frequently disagree on policy, they both share a love for Springfield.

Haahr became speaker on November 1, 2018. His predecessor, former House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, resigned the day before to take over as state Medicaid director. Haahr campaigned hard for House GOP candidates across the state in the fall of 2018, helping Republican Mary Elizabeth Coleman unseat State Rep. Mike Revis, D-Fenton. He also helped protect Republican seats in swing districts across the state.

Not all of Haahr’s priorities have passed in the Legislature, even with GOP supermajorities in both chambers and a Republican in the governor’s mansion.

During an interview in his Capitol office in Jefferson City last week, Haahr reflected on some of his disappointments. He says Hyperloop is one of his biggest disappointments.

“I had made a real strong push to try to bring the Hyperloop to Missouri,” Haahr says. “And they chose West Virginia. We were one of the three finalists that got really close but we didn’t get it. I think in 15 or 20 years that will have a transformative impact on West Virginia’s economy.”

Speaker Haahr says that would have jump-started Missouri as a leader on an issue of transportation importance.

Virgin Hyperloop chose West Virginia for its futuristic tube travel test track and certification center, but has said Missouri is not out of the picture. Haahr is hopeful that will still happen.

Haahr is speaker until the end of the year, and expects the House to be in session in December to take up COVID liability during the ongoing special session.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with outgoing Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, which was recorded on November 10, 2020 at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City:

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Gov. Parson COVID-19 briefing Nov. 19 : A new public health warning is coming for the entire state of Missouri (VIDEO)

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Governor Mike Parson announced he will be issuing new COVID-19 guidance to local governments, “a public health warning for the entire state of Missouri. He says it will stress the importance of wearing a mask. Instead of a issuing a statewide mandate, he and the state health director are leaving the choice to city and county governments “to encourage them to take some sort of action to make this curb [in COVID-19 numbers] happen.”

“But at the end of the day, I’m going to stress to you again, as many people out there would like to say it’s government’s responsibility — it’s not,” Parson added.

Missouri’s governor reiterates opposition to statewide mask mandate; promotes Show Me You Care campaign (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s governor has been using stops this week to tout a program called the “Show Me You Care” campaign, which emphasizes the need for you to wear a mask, practice good hygiene and to social distance.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on November 12, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson says everyone must step up to stop the spread of COVID.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there have been 30,049 new COVID cases in the past week, an average of 4,293 cases per day. There have also been 62 new deaths during that timeframe.

Missourinet spoke to Governor Parson Tuesday, after he spoke at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $23 million terminal at Columbia Regional Airport (COU). The governor is emphasizing the need for everyone to “step up” to battle COVID.

“I think everybody has got a little virus fatigue over nine months, but the reality of it, it’s a different time today,” Parson says. “We’re seeing these cases go at a pretty fast pace here. Everybody has got to do their part.”

The governor is also emphasizing the importance of washing your hands and avoiding large gatherings. He also says rural Missouri must step up, saying that the increasing COVID numbers statewide are concerning.

DHSS says there are currently 2,453 COVID patients in Missouri hospitals, including 582 in the ICU and 298 on ventilators.

Governor Parson says the next 30 to 60 days is crucial. Missourinet asked the governor on Tuesday about the Missouri Hospital Association’s renewed call for him to issue a statewide mask mandate.

“From day one I’ve recommended that people wear a mask, but I’m not going to mandate that for the state of Missouri. I’ve answered that question numerous times and that hasn’t changed any. People … again, I’m a fan of local control. I think that’s where it needs to be,” says Parson.

The governor has maintained that position throughout the pandemic, saying that he’s not anti-mask but is anti-mandate.

State Rep. Martha Stevens, D-Columbia, the ranking Democrat on the House Special Committee on Aging, called for a statewide mask mandate again on Wednesday.

“Our frontline workers and communities are looking for leadership as things get worse and worse across Missouri,” Representative Stevens tweeted.

Governor Parson and DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams will brief Capitol reporters on Thursday morning at 9 in Jefferson City.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Governor Mike Parson, which was recorded on November 17, 2020 at Columbia Regional Airport:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

White House Coronavirus Task Force: The spread in Missouri is exponential and unyielding

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The latest report from the White House Coronavirus Taskforce says Missouri is in the red zone for test positivity, indicating a rate at or above 10.1 percent, with the 7th highest rate in the country. Among their Nov. 15 recommendations:

“The spread in Missouri is exponential and unyielding with hospitalizations increasing week over week. Increases from the past two weeks correlate with Halloween and related activities. With Thanksgiving and upcoming holidays, Missourians must understand the COVID-19 situation statewide.

With all counties in the red zone and over 50% of nursing homes with at least one positive staff member, mitigation and messaging needs to be further strengthened as other states have done. Effective practices to decrease transmission in public spaces include limiting restaurant indoor capacity to less than 25% and limiting bar hours until cases and test positivity decrease to the yellow zone.”

Review Missouri Nov. 15 report  obtained by The Center for Public Integrity

Columbia’s mayor says new $23 million airport terminal will put additional destinations in play

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Top political leaders in the state joined mid-Missouri business leaders for Tuesday morning’s groundbreaking ceremony for a new $23 million terminal at Columbia Regional Airport (COU).

Missouri Governor Mike Parson, UM System President Dr. Mun Choi and other dignitaries broke ground for a new Columbia Regional Airport terminal.

The airport currently provides daily flights to Dallas, Denver, Chicago and will soon be flying to Charlotte. Governor Mike Parson says the project is big for all of mid-Missouri.

“A lot of people, you know, when you’ve got to go to St. Louis (and) Kansas City those are travel days for them,” Parson says. “That’s windshield time that they lose, but if you can come here to Columbia, I think you’re going to have an opportunity. I really think they’re going to build on this and it’s just going to get better and better and you’re going to get more flights in here.”

University of Missouri System President Dr. Mun Choi, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, Boone County Presiding Commissioner Dan Atwill, and Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin also spoke at the ceremony. U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt spoke via video from Washington.

President Choi says a new terminal will be big for the University of Missouri and for the entire region. Mayor Treece agrees.

“A new airport terminal is one of those generational investments that, you know, will pay big dividends. Not just in the short-run construction jobs at the end of this pandemic, but in years to come with the economic development this opportunity creates,” says Treece.

Mayor Treece says a new terminal puts further destinations in play, adding that Atlanta and Phoenix are two major hub cities Columbia would like to fly to. The mayor notes COU needs more space and more baggage carousels.

The old terminal at Columbia Regional was built in 1968 and is still being used today.

Dr. Choi notes the importance of the new terminal, with the NextGen facility being built on campus. State Reps. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland, and Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, led the bipartisan effort to restore cuts to Mizzou’s NextGen Precision Health initiative.

The NextGen Precision Health Institute is expected to train the next generation of scientists who will help Missouri address future health care needs. It’s a $220 million facility.

The airport terminal’s main funding source is a hotel tax approved by Columbia voters in 2016. It’s also paid for in part with enplanements, which involves per-seat charges paid by each passenger when they purchase a ticket.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) are also providing some funding.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri Senate postpones session; House postpones new member bus tour

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The Missouri Senate portion of a special legislative session is postponed. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden announced this first on Monday morning via Twitter:

Rowden said the decision “was not made lightly.”

Missourinet confirmed with Senate President Pro Tem that there are members and staff with COVID-19.

Some senators were also busy over the past week with official gatherings and other rallies, including a pro-President Trump gathering inside the Capitol. 

House freshman will have to wait to take their statewide bus tour.

Missouri House Speaker Designee Rob Vescovo’s statement about this component of the new House member orientation:

“Out of an abundance of caution and in an effort to protect the health and well-being of members, staff and the general public, we have decided to postpone the two-week statewide bus tour for newly-elected House members. The tour is an incredibly important learning opportunity that gives new members first-hand experiences with many of the programs and facilities around the state that are impacted by their decisions in Jefferson City. I am committed to ensuring our new members will be able to benefit from this incredible educational experience at a future date when we can conduct the tour in a safe and responsible fashion that doesn’t risk further spread of COVID-19.”

The Missouri House will still hold its scheduled three-day orientation for new members this week in the State Capitol building, with plans to follow CDC guidelines and screenings.

 

 

 

National Weather Service’s Springfield office issued nine tornado warnings on Saturday night (AUDIO)

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(News directors J.T. Gerlt and Patty Burns at Missourinet affiliates KTKS and KBNN contributed to this story)

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says it appears that straight line winds caused the significant damage Saturday evening to a popular Osage Beach shopping center.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says straight line winds caused the significant damage at the popular King’s Plaza shopping center in Osage Beach on November 14, 2020 (photo from Daniel Carnahan Jr., through J.T. Gerlt at Missourinet Versailles affiliate KTKS Radio)

NWS Springfield meteorologist Justin Titus tells Missourinet that they’ve checked drone footage and have spoken to Osage Beach’s emergency management director.

“And so that’s something that we can still receive new information on and update as we go, but right now preliminarily it looks like straight line winds,” Titus says.

Osage Beach Police Chief Todd Davis tells us the storm damaged at least seven to eight businesses in the King’s Plaza shopping center, which has a Randy’s Custard location. The shopping center is a popular spot for Lake-area tourists and local residents.

Drone photos show that the storm blew roofs off many of the businesses. Walls have caved-in as well, and Missourinet Versailles affiliate KTKS reports vehicles in the parking lot were also damaged during the storm.

The NWS’ Springfield office issued nine tornado warnings and 21 severe thunderstorm warnings on Saturday evening. The thunderstorm warnings were across their entire forecast area.

The NWS had warned Friday that severe storms and hail were possible Saturday afternoon and evening, across the Ozarks.

There are no reports of any serious injuries from the storms.

Titus says the storms also caused damage in the small town of Dixon, which is about 100 miles northeast of Springfield. The town has about 1,400 residents.

“But that Dixon area, north of Waynesville, got hit pretty hard. Had some mobile homes flipped over and some other damage up in that area,” says Titus.

He says while the damage in Dixon appears to be from straight line winds, it’s still under investigation.

Titus says their office is still deciding whether to send survey teams to impacted areas.

“We base that on what we’re seeing out in the field, as far as evidence. So we’ll be making that determination coming up too,” Titus says.

Missourinet Lebanon affiliate KBNN reports the storm brought 65-mile-per hour winds and one-inch hail in some locations, knocking power poles down in Springfield. KBNN reports trees were knocked down in southwest Missouri’s Jasper County.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Justin Titus, which was recorded on November 15, 2020:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Severe storms/hail possible Saturday in southern Missouri’s Springfield, Joplin and West Plains (AUDIO)

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The National Weather Service (NWS) says some strong to severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening across southwest and south-central Missouri.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says strong to severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening across southwest and south-central Missouri (November 13, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

NWS Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein describes it as a conditional risk, depending on what happens with showers earlier on Saturday afternoon.

“If those showers do clear up by the early to mid-afternoon hours, we could see the potential for some severe weather, at least on a scattered basis during the afternoon and evening,” Rothstein says.

He says residents in Joplin, Springfield, Branson, Carthage, Marshfield, Ava and West Plains could see damaging wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour on Saturday. Rothstein cannot rule out a tornado threat, but says it will be limited in nature.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) says there’s a slight risk of severe weather Saturday afternoon and evening across the Ozarks. The NWS says quarter-sized hail will be possible with a few of the stronger storms.

“The main threat for these damaging winds, quarter-sized hail, would be primarily during about the 4 pm into the evening rush hour (on Saturday) and maybe lingering into about the 8 to 10 o’clock timeframe as it moves southeast across portions of southwest Missouri,” says Rothstein.

He’s also urging you to have multiple ways to receive weather warnings.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Cory Rothstein, which was recorded on November 13, 2020:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Look for Missouri Senate to vote on $1.27 billion supplemental next week (AUDIO)

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The Missouri Senate is expected to debate and vote on the proposed $1.27 billion supplemental budget next Thursday and Friday. That’s according to Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia.

Missouri House Majority Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, (left) speaks to House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, in the House chamber in Jefferson City on November 10, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The House gave final approval to the supplemental budget this week, with a bipartisan 133-4 vote. That pleases House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage.

“It (the budget) was more of a what I call ‘keep the trains running on time supplemental budget bill.’ The deployment of federal resources across a variety of state departments is mostly what the bill was about,” Smith says.

He says the budget also provides more authority to spend federal dollars on personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing. Chairman Smith says it also addresses Missouri’s unemployment fund shortage.

“Our plans for unemployment program ran short with higher than expected unemployment,” says Smith.

If the Senate approves the supplemental budget as is, it would head straight to the governor’s desk. If changes are made by the Senate, the budget would head to a Senate-House conference committee.

Smith is hopeful the Senate will send it to Governor Parson’s desk, saying he doesn’t expect it to be controversial in the upper chamber.

Meantime, the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there have been 25,961 new COVID cases in Missouri in the past seven days, along with 63 new deaths in the past week.

State Rep. Jon Carpenter, D-Gladstone, a senior Democrat in the Missouri House, addressed the issue on the floor this week. He’s warning his colleagues that COVID hospitalizations are skyrocketing in the Midwest.

“We now have twice as many people getting infected with coronavirus in our region (the Midwest) than any other region in this country at any point during the pandemic,” Carpenter says.

During his House floor speech, Carpenter called on the Parson administration to address the pandemic itself and to use some of the $1.2 billion supplemental to address economic hardships, school hardships and food hardships in Missouri.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, which was recorded on November 10, 2020 at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City:

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