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Missouri triggers extended unemployment benefits

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From the State Labor Department:

The Missouri Department of Labor says the state will offer extended unemployment benefits (EB) for those who have exhausted their previous unemployment benefits.

Missouri’s most recent insured unemployment rate of 5.39 percent triggered the state onto a 13-week EB program period beginning the week of May 31, 2020, joining 43 other states that have done the same in recent weeks. 

Under federal law, the EB program offers up to an additional 13 weeks of benefits to individuals who have exhausted both their regular unemployment benefits and 13 weeks of the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) assistance.

Weak tornadoes hit Archie and Blue Springs Lake areas in Missouri; no injuries reported (AUDIO)

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The National Weather Service (NWS) confirms there were two separate overnight tornadoes in far western Missouri. NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Sarah Adkins says there were no deaths nor injuries.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill says a weak tornado touched down in Archie at about 2:56 a.m. on June 4, 2020 (map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

Adkins describes both EF-0 tornadoes as weak. She says one damaged homes in the small town of Archie, which is in Cass County.

“It had a max wind speed of 80 miles per hour, it was only on the ground for about a mile-and-a-half and only about 40 yards wide,” Adkins says.

She says a line of storms ran into each other overnight, causing the tornadoes. Adkins says the other tornado touched down at about 2:20 a.m., near Blue Springs Lake.

“That tornado was a little bit stronger but still an EF-0, it had max wind speeds of 85 miles per hour, was on the ground for almost six miles,” says Adkins.

That tornado traveled southeast, ending near Lake Lotawana. Damage was minor.

The severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall also caused flash flooding overnight in parts of northern Missouri. Adkins says that within a 12-hour period, Moberly received 3.67 inches of rain. Nearby Salisbury, which is in Chariton County, had 4.1 inches.

Missourinet Moberly affiliate KWIX Radio reports more than six inches of rain fell near Madison.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Sarah Adkins, which was recorded on June 4, 2020:

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“It worked in Ferguson” — Sen. Blunt, Reps. Clay and Cleaver push for U.S. Attorney Gen. Barr to allow review of local police practices

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Missouri Senator Roy Blunt is urging U.S. Attorney General William Barr to allow the Justice Department to review the practices and training of local police departments in rooting out misconduct and implementing reforms.

This comes at the suggestion and support of Reps. Emanuel Cleaver from the Kansas City area and Lacy Clay of the St. Louis area.

They all agree that the Department of Justice in the past successfully used this process to address misconduct in local departments, including the Ferguson Police Department and the Baltimore Police Department.  Review DOJ Ferguson Report.

United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions abandoned the policy in 2018 and according to Blunt, it was not reinstated by Barr.

“Unfortunately, news reports indicate that the Department of Justice has walked away from pattern-or-practice reviews in recent years.  Additionally, the Department of Justice implemented a policy change in November 2018 that placed tighter restrictions on the use of consent decrees, making it more difficult to pursue reforms where they are needed.,” Blunt says in his letter.

Blunt says this is not necessary in some cases but needs to be an option. He says the current response of the Justice Department and many local jurisdictions is to investigate one officer instead of the underlying practices.

“There are some situations that the best solution is the review of the department, and the patterns and the procedures and the practices of that department,” Blunt told Missourinet.

“I attribute the success in Ferguson and the atmospheric conditions there to the Justice Department’s patterns and practices report and then Ferguson entered into a consent decree with the Justice Department to correct those things,” Cleaver told Missourinet.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City

“As a result of those corrections, Ferguson is now a whole different town. It used to be one of the ‘sundown towns’ in Missouri, where you have to be out of there by the time the sun goes down. And here it is now with the first female mayor and the first African-American mayor all-in-one.”

Ella Jones was elected mayor of Ferguson Tuesday.

Blunt, Cleaver and Clay have also called on Barr to investigate the practices of the Minneapolis Police Department after four officers have been charged in the murder of George Floyd. The on-video death has prompted protests in every state in the country, as well as international rallies against racism.

Cleaver says this is the time to confront police practices and training.

“We may not get another chance to do this without really having some bad things happen on the streets of this country, that I don’t think anybody of goodwill wants to happen. There are people who would like to see a race war, we’ve heard people express that. And the fact that this could happen here shows us the fragility of where we are in this country as it relates to race,” Cleaver said.

Following is the full text of the Senator Blunt’s letter:

Dear Attorney General Barr,

In the wake of the recent tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, Americans are rightfully demanding justice and accountability.  To that end, I write to urge you to use your authority as the nation’s top law enforcement officer to root out misconduct in local police departments and to help restore trust between these departments and the communities they serve.

When the Department of Justice has reason to believe that local police departments have engaged in systemic misconduct that violates the Constitution or federal law, it has a proven track record of using pattern-or-practice reviews to investigate.  If misconduct is established, the Department of Justice may act on that information by entering into a consent decree requiring court-enforced reforms.

Unfortunately, news reports indicate that the Department of Justice has walked away from pattern-or-practice reviews in recent years.  Additionally, the Department of Justice implemented a policy change in November 2018 that placed tighter restrictions on the use of consent decrees, making it more difficult to pursue reforms where they are needed.  I ask that you immediately resume the robust use of pattern-or-practice reviews and reinstate a policy that allows greater latitude for officials to enter into consent decrees.

Missouri provides an example of how valuable these tools can be.  Following the unrest that occurred in response to the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson and Anthony Lamar Smith in the City of St. Louis, three St. Louis-area police departments underwent comprehensive reviews by the Department of Justice to examine police department practices and law enforcement responses to protests.  The Department of Justice’s actions included a pattern-or-practice review of the Ferguson Police Department, which led to a consent decree to address unlawful police practices.

St. Louis-area law enforcement and community leaders have worked tirelessly to address community fear and anger since the civil unrest in 2014.  There is more work to be done, but there is a foundation for continued progress that is built on a full accounting of past violations and detailed recommendations for reform.

I have seen firsthand how the federal government can play an important role in addressing failures in the local justice system, rebuilding trust in police departments, and restoring confidence in government institutions.  I am not advocating for any action that would allow for federal control of local departments or place undue burdens on them.  We need to be mindful of concerns about federal overreach that would be counterproductive to implementing needed reforms at the local level.  However, these principles can coexist with policies that give the Department of Justice the ability to address injustice in full measure.

I appreciate your attention and consideration.  Your leadership is indispensable as the federal government responds to unlawful actions across the nation and upholds justice and the rule of law.

 

Missouri’s ‘last responders’ facing major challenges during coronavirus outbreak

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Missouri’s funeral homes are in desperate need of supplies to protect themselves from the coronavirus. Don Otto with the Missouri Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association tells Missourinet protective gear purchased through vendors is long gone and funeral homes are not part of the emergency supply chain.

Missouri’s ‘last responders’ facing major challenges during coronavirus outbreak

Ironically, they have been deemed by the federal government to be essential personnel. And, in order to safely and properly handle a body potentially exposed to COVID-19, Otto says the feds want personal protective equipment used. He says some Missouri morgues, hospitals and nursing homes are even requiring funeral directors to wear protective equipment while in their building.

“If you don’t have the equipment to do that, then you’re going to start running into problems where funeral homes will, at some point, have to decide ‘Am I able to legally and safely pick up and handle this deceased for the family,’” he says.

The types of supplies funeral directors are supposed to be using include N95 respirator masks or KN95 masks, a double layer of nitrile gloves, disposable gowns or ones capable of being completely sanitized between uses and there are some body bag precautions.

“Those are not too much different than the universal precautions that a funeral director uses on a regular basis,” says Otto. “What is unusual now, however, is in the past, the funeral director might not have worried about wearing gloves and a mask as they walk in the front door of somebody’s house and say hello to the family. They would worry about that when they go to the bedroom to remove the loved ones who has passed away. Now you have to worry about that all the time. You have to worry about wearing the PPE in situations where you’re not necessarily dealing with the deceased body but with the family, or the hospital staff or anyone else. So that has created an increased demand for that material.”

He goes on to say funeral homes are used to dealing with deceased people who could have a contagious disease.

“A person may have died in a car accident but you don’t know if they have hepatitis, or tuberculosis or measles. So the standard procedures are supposed to be used in every case,” he says.

According to Otto, Missouri’s funeral homes have been feeling the pinch when it comes to the type of services they can offer families. COVID-19 has led to gathering limits in communities, including at traditional funerals.

“The funeral industry, like many other industries and professions, have been under extreme emotional, legal and economic pressure,” says Otto. “When you say thank you to that hospital worker, when you say thank you to that EMT, wave at the truck driver who’s delivering your goods, give a shout out to your local funeral director too – who’s the last responder, who’s been there on the job this whole time and will continue to do so. They’ve never closed.”

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Northern Missouri sheriff killed in automobile crash

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(News director Brent Martin from Missourinet St. Joseph affiliate KFEQ contributed to this story)

The sheriff in northwest Missouri’s DeKalb County has been killed in a car crash that happened late Wednesday morning on Highway 36 at the Osborn junction. Our Missourinet St. Joseph affiliate KFEQ reports Sheriff Andy Clark crashed his patrol car, while attempting to assist one of his deputies.

The sheriff in nearby Buchanan County, Bill Puett, describes the news as a shock to fellow sheriffs.

“What we’ve been told is that Sheriff Clark was responding to a deputy who needed some assistance,” Sheriff Puett tells KFEQ. “And in that response, there was a car crash. Sheriff Clark was severely injured. He was transferred to Mosaic (Hospital in St. Joseph), where he later passed away, due to injuries from the crash.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s crash report says Sheriff Clark was traveling southbound on Highway 33 in a Chevrolet pickup, when he crossed over eastbound Highway 36. Another vehicle struck the passenger side of the sheriff’s truck.

The Patrol’s report says the crash happened at 11:20 this morning, and that Sheriff Clark was pronounced dead at Mosaic at 12:07 p.m.

Clark, who lived in Maysville, was 43 years old.

Sheriff Puett tells KFEQ that Mr. Clark was a good man and an outstanding sheriff, who was passionate about serving his community. Puett says it’s a hard loss to take.

“Andy was a really good man and an outstanding sheriff, very passionate about serving his community and citizens. Always had a smile on his face. Everybody loved Andy. It’s just heartbreaking to hear that,” Puett says.

The Patrol’s crash report says there were four occupants in the second vehicle. The driver of that vehicle, a 71-year-old Nebraska man, suffered moderate injuries. The three passengers sustained minor injuries.

Firefighters from Dekalb County, Osborn and Cameron responded to the crash scene, as did the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri National Guard soldiers responding to protests at nation’s capital

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Gov. Mike Parson says Missouri is sending National Guard soldiers to Washington, D.C. to help with protests there. At a press conference today, Parson says the troops will be sent out within a day or so.

Missouri National Guard soldiers responding to protests at nation’s capital

“All of our jobs, no matter what state you’re in, no matter who the president is, protecting Washington, D.C., protecting the monuments, protecting our history of who we are, is important and should be important to every citizen,” says Parson. “Politics out the window for aside, we’ve got to maintain that law and order. So, we’re more than willing to help to preserve that.”

Protests have emerged around the country since last week’s death of George Floyd in Minnesota. He died after a white police officer pressed a knee into Floyd’s neck for about eight minutes while the African American man was on the ground in handcuffs.

Other states are also sending troops in response to protests in Washington. About 5,000 troops are reportedly expected to help with security there.

Democratic governors in Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware have turned down requests from Defense Secretary Mark Esper to provide National Guard help in Washington.

More than 1,000 National Guard troops are scattered across Missouri to help keep peaceful protests from turning violent.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Parson to boost Missouri National Guard response to unrest

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Gov. Mike Parson says more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers will be called up to help crack down on the violent and destructive turmoil going on around Missouri. On Saturday, the governor signed an executive order activating the National Guard to help with ongoing turbulence.

Gov. Mike Parson

Protests have sprung up in several Missouri cities since last week’s police brutality death of George Floyd, an African-American man from Minnesota. A white police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for about eight minutes while the man was on the ground face down in handcuffs.

When night falls, the surroundings have become unruly in Kansas City and St. Louis. Four St. Louis police officers were injured during shootings Monday night and a retired officer there was killed by looters. News and police vehicles have been set on fire in both cities. Looters have broken into businesses and damaged property. Officers have been injured by flying objects. People in the crowd have been pepper spray and tear gas has been ignited.

During a press conference today, Parson says he’s not going to tolerate total chaos.

“We’re not going to have police officers, we’re not going to have citizens of Missouri being shot in our streets in this state and we’re going to put an end to it with whatever forces I have as governor of the state of Missouri. Whether that’s every member of the Highway Patrol, whether that’s every member of the National Guard, I will call them all out to stop the violence,” says Parson.

Brig. Gen. Levon Cumpton, the Adjutant General, says the state has more than 10,000 National Guard soldiers.

The governor, a former Polk County sheriff, says there must be law and order in America for people to survive.

“We all need to take a little more accountability,” he says. “I don’t care whether you’re an elected official, whether you’re an everyday citizen, whether you’re a mom, whether you’re a grandma or whoever you might be. You need to start standing up and protecting one another and not engage and not trying to create chaos and commit criminal activities. They’re really trying to change a cause that definitely needs to be changed. Things need to be done different in society. We need to address issues that the African-American community have, but not through violence – not through what we’re seeing out there on the streets.”

Parson thinks the behavior is organized crime that is different from the 2014 Ferguson riots.

“When all the sudden you’ve seen pallets of bricks show up or pallets of blocks that show up, you’re having a strategy where dumpsters are where you pull them out and you set them on fire, they know to try to burn police cars because it gets more of the media coverage, and their main focus is to try to get to the police stations or the law so they can disrupt the services there. So, they have a plan of how they do sweeps, they have a plan of how they attack police officers,” says Parson.

The FBI and its SWAT team, ATF and Missouri Highway Patrol are also helping on the ground in St. Louis.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri National Guard, Missouri Highway Patrol and FBI helping to patrol St. Louis; curfew in effect (AUDIO)

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St. Louis’ Public Safety Director has announced that the FBI, ATF, the Missouri National Guard, the Missouri Highway Patrol and other agencies arrived overnight to help patrol St. Louis, and will continue to do so until further notice.

Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards tells reporters that more than 200 people engaged in “persistent criminal activity” overnight. He says four St. Louis police officers were shot, and that a retired officer was killed by a looter.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol logo (courtesy of Patrol Lieutenant Collin Stosberg)

The four officers who were shot have been released from the hospital.

“To the criminals that inflicted crime on our city last night, we have your surveillance pictures,” Edwards says. “And I will use every tool available to me to count every freckle on your face until you have been identified and arrested.”

Edwards says the city also requested the FBI surveillance plane and the FBI swat team, and they also arrived overnight. The St. Louis County swat team is also assisting.

Edwards says his officers are frustrated when fellow officers tarnish their badge, referring to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. He says his officers joined in solidarity with protesters on Monday afternoon.

“Yesterday evening and throughout the early morning, many of the same protesters that our officers protected turned violent against them,” Edwards tells St. Louis reporters. He says they threw objects at officers and used fireworks against them.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson says has signed an executive order establishing a citywide curfew, after the overnight burning and looting. She says retired officer David Dorn was shot to death last night, outside a looted pawn shop.

Mayor Krewson describes what happened overnight as a riot, adding that it was “a terrible night for St. Louis.”

“What started as a very non-violent and peaceful demonstration and protest ended in looting, shooting, burning and attacks on law enforcement,” Krewson says.

She tells reporters that hundreds of vehicles were going to various locations.

As for the curfew, it takes effect tonight at 9 and goes until 6 a.m. It will continue daily until further notice.

“9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the morning, everybody needs to be off the streets, you need to be at home,” says Krewson.

There are exceptions to the order. They include those traveling to and from work, government employees performing work assignments, the news media and those traveling for medical treatment. The homeless are also exempt.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner also spoke today, saying that while she wants peaceful protesters to continue to make their voices heard, she will use the full power of law to prosecute those who shoot and murder police officers.

Prosecutor Gardner also urged peaceful protesters to help her office “root out those whose actions work directly against justice for all.”

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Protesters hit Jefferson City streets to rally against George Floyd’s death

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About 2,000 people marched along the streets of Jefferson City Monday evening to protest last week’s police brutality death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Participants of all ages and backgrounds chanted phrases like “No justice, no peace. Prosecute the police.”

Mary Chen of Jefferson City says she was happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with people of all colors in the community.

“I think that the most recent racial injustices have just really tipped the scale,” she says. “I think as a white person, I’m finally starting to get it – that it’s going to take all of us being aggressively involved in this movement for racial justice to happen.”

A young black woman named Ari says this is her first protest, “but this is my community.”

“We will come out here every single day if we have to until I don’t have to fear for my life because of the color of my skin.”

After persuasion by the crowd, some officers and soldiers at the protest took a knee in support of ending racial injustice. Nimrod Chapel, President of the Missouri NAACP, says the move was important.

“I think far too often that our peace officers and people in the military get painted with a broad brush – that they’re just opposed to the humanitarian measures – life-preserving measures like don’t put your knee in people’s necks that we’re talking about here, don’t kill people, be good people. And I think anybody with a heart and a professional consciousness is willing to listen to that and I think that they demonstrated that today.”

Protestors then walked a mile and a half to  Lincoln University – one of Missouri’s historically black colleges. For nine minutes, protesters lay on the ground near the college entrance with their hands behind their backs chanting “I can’t breathe” – just like George Floyd said.

The event was mainly peaceful. As marchers returned to the Capitol, a few tossed water bottles at police cars, two storefront windows along the route were damaged, and there was continual verbal taunting of police.

Most of the gathering dispersed from the Capitol grounds after a being led in a prayer by one of the participants. A few dozen remained to chant and challenge the National Guard and Missouri State Trooper presence that surrounded the statehouse.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Blunt statement on protests: We must confront the fact that millions of Americans don’t feel safe because of the color of their skin.

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Missouri’s senior U.S. Senator Roy Blunt issued a statement today on protests and “indiscriminate violence” after three more black Americans were recently killed, two by police

“Our nation has once again been brought to a moment of reckoning. The recent tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have shocked and outraged Americans. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones who are mourning their loss.

“Americans have every right to demand justice. They have every right to protest and be heard. But we cannot allow their message to be drowned out by those who are exploiting this moment to destroy communities and put more innocent lives at risk. Indiscriminate violence will not bring about change, it will bring more suffering at a time when so many families and small businesses are already hurting. I appreciate all of our law enforcement officers and National Guardsmen and women who have put their safety on the line to respond to this crisis.

“Just as we did in the days following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, we must confront the fact that millions of Americans don’t feel safe because of the color of their skin. We must acknowledge the very deep pain, and the very deep fear, that communities of color are feeling. I hope we are able to emerge from these recent events with a renewed commitment to continuing the work that needs to be done. There are significant challenges we have to address for everyone to trust that they will be treated equally under the law. I said after the Ferguson protests that tragedy is a tough teacher, but that makes it ever more important to learn from tragedy. Let’s learn from this. Let’s listen to one another and work together to become the nation we ought to be.”