Columbia Mayor Brian Treece Archives

Columbia’s mayor touts radiopharmaceutical corridor and three massive construction projects (AUDIO)

November 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Columbia’s mayor says his fast-growing city and all of mid-Missouri will benefit greatly from three massive projects happening in the area.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (left) and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece (center) speak to businessman Greg Steinhoff on November 17, 2020 at a groundbreaking ceremony at Columbia Regional Airport (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Mayor Brian Treece notes that more than $500 million in new construction will be happening in the next 12 to 24 months, with some already underway.

“Between a new I-70 bridge at Rocheport, a $200 million NextGen precisional health complex, that will bring life saving cures to Columbia. And now a new $38 million airport terminal (at Columbia Regional). That’s great for mid-Missouri,” Treece says.

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

The NextGen project is the UM System’s top capital priority, and enjoys bipartisan support in the Legislature from lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, State Rep. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland, and State Rep. (and State Sen.-Elect) Greg Razer, D-Kansas City.

Mizzou says researchers in medicine and engineering will work in the institute, to advance lifesaving research.

As for the I-70 Rocheport bridge, Missouri has received an $81 million federal grant to replace the current bridge, which was built in 1960. More than 12-million vehicles cross that bridge annually, including three million trucks.

Rocheport is just west of Columbia.

Mayor Treece also predicts that a new terminal that will be built at Columbia Regional Airport (COU) will be a generational investment that will pay big dividends in future economic development for his city and for central Missouri. The mayor says the terminal will also be huge for the University of Missouri.

“For new businesses that want to come to mid-Missouri, that want to take advantage of the University of Missouri’s nuclear reactor and building a radiopharmaceutical corridor right here in central Missouri for life-saving cures that we all benefit from,” says Treece.

The current COU terminal was built in 1968, and Columbia will soon begin flying to Charlotte. Mayor Treece says the new terminal will put further destinations in play, and says Atlanta and Phoenix are two major hub cities Columbia would like to fly to.

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

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

November 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

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.

Dr. Birx praises Missouri’s box-in strategy on COVID-19 (AUDIO)

August 18, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The White House coronavirus response coordinator says Missouri is one of the 20 states she’s visited in the past six weeks, to provide guidance on COVID-19.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson and White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx speak to Missouri’s Cabinet and community leaders about COVID-19 on August 18, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Dr. Deborah Birx participated in a roundtable discussion with Governor Mike Parson and Cabinet members in Jefferson City on Tuesday. They were joined by State Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) officials and by community and school leaders.

Dr. Birx also held a press conference on Tuesday with reporters at the Missouri Capitol, after the roundtable.

“This box-in strategy that is being used here in Missouri I think really is an important example of how to really protect vulnerable individuals,” Dr. Birx says.

Governor Parson says Dr. Birx originally introduced the “box-in” testing strategy to Missouri officials, during a conference call. The “box-in” testing strategy involves testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

Missouri officials have used the strategy in long-term care facilities and other locations. State Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams says 115,000 tests have been conducted in Missouri long-term care facilities, using the box-in strategy.

As of today, 468 long-term care facilities in Missouri have experienced at least one positive case of COVID-19, either among residents, staff or both.

DHSS says that since implementing box-in testing, Missouri has seen a significant decrease in its COVID-19 observed case fatality ratio. Governor Parson says that during April and May, more than seven percent of all observed cases each month in Missouri were fatal. In June, that number dropped to less than two percent. Parson says it’s now less than half a percent in August.

Dr. Birx says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff are heading to Missouri, to help the Show-Me State in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Missourinet asked Dr. Birx about the the CDC personnel, during the press conference.

“We have been sending out what we call these craft teams that work on COVID directly city by city. I believe they may be going to St. Louis, but I will look that up. Or Kansas City, to really go to cities before they get into serious situation,” says Dr. Birx.

DHSS says Missouri has now had 69,417 confirmed COVID cases, which is up from Monday’s number of 68,623. St. Louis has reported 181 COVID deaths, while St. Louis County has reported 705 deaths.

Kansas City has had 87 COVID deaths.

Dr. Birx emphasized several times the importance of wearing a mask and social distancing. She is also suggesting that Missouri follow Texas’ model, which requires masks in counties with more than 20 cases. Governor Parson says he will review the Texas model.

Dr. Birx is also encouraging you to participate in upcoming COVID-19 vaccine trials that will be conducted by researchers at Washington University’s School of Medicine and St. Louis University’s School of Medicine. She says it’s very important for people “from all different walks of life” to participate in those trials.

“Because when we complete those trials, we want to know that it’s going to work in a 70-year-old, we want to know it works in a farmer, we want to know it works in someone who lives in an inner city,” Dr. Birx says.

She says vaccine trial participants will be helping all of America. Researchers at the two universities expect to enroll about 3,000 participants in several vaccine trials. The two schools will participate in different trials.

Dr. Birx finished her press conference, by urging all Missourians to do their part in fighting the pandemic.

“It doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican. You need to wear a mask and socially distance. You need to not have parties in your back yard and in your living room,” Dr. Birx says. “And we need to stop the spread of this virus because we can and we will together, while we work on developing a vaccine together.”

In addition to the Cabinet, numerous others participated in the roundtable discussion at the Governor’s Mansion. They included Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, Jefferson City School Superintendent Larry Linthacum, Lincoln University President Jerald Woolfolk, Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) Executive Director Melissa Randol, Missouri Pork Association Executive Director Don Nikodim, and representatives from the Missouri Hospital Association and University Hospital in Columbia.

Click here to listen to the full 22-minute press conference from White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, which took place at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on August 18, 2020:

Columbia and Boone County issue stay-at-home orders

March 24, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

City of Columbia and Boone County leaders hold a live-streamed briefing, practicing social distancing.

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and Boone County Presiding Commissioner Dan Atwill announced new stay-at-home orders to protect the public and essential workers from the spread of COVID-19.

Columbia is home to the Truman VA hospital, Boone County Hospital, the UM hospital and health care system hub, as well as its medical school.

The orders exceed the back-to-school date and Treece says the school district will “accommodate this order. ”

Boone County Public Health and Human Services Director Stephanie Browning confirmed that there are 20 cases in the county as of this morning.

Treece said nothing in the order prevents you from going to the grocery store, the pharmacy, the gas station, the drive-through, and the doctor.

He said because of “healthcare workers and first responders who are selflessly sacrificing, and grocery workers stocking shelves while we stay at home, we honor the seriousness of their work by following the advice and direction of our public health professionals.”

City ordinances violations are complaint-driven and Treece says regulatory workers like building inspectors are being trained to respond and give directions to the offender first. Further violations would be reported to the public health department.

Treece offered this hopeful message:

“We will get through this together. And when we do, may we never take for granted greeting a stranger with a handshake or our friends with a hug. May we be thankful for a crowded football stadium or a packed city council chamber. And may we find joy ina busy morning getting ready for school once again or having to wait 20 minutes for a table in the evening at our favorite local restaurant.”

Missouri now has 24 confirmed cases of coronavirus; first death is in Columbia area

March 19, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor announced Wednesday evening in Jefferson City that there are now 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, and says the first recorded death has happened in the Columbia area.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson addresses Capitol reporters in Jefferson City, after he declared a state of emergency in Missouri for coronavirus (March 13, 2020 file photo courtesy of the Governor’s office)

Governor Mike Parson held two Statehouse press conferences on Wednesday. He held the first one in the afternoon, where he was joined by Columbia Mayor Brian Treece about the death. Mayor Treece says the death involves the patient who tested positive Tuesday for coronavirus, and that it’s a travel-related case.

The governor is urging you to wash your hands and to follow the advice of health professionals.

“If the people of Missouri want to protect themselves and protect their families and their loved ones, it will be through social distancing and using common sense, and taking on personal responsibilities,” Parson says.

Parson spoke at a Wednesday evening press conference outside his Capitol office, where he was joined by state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams, State Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten, State Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Rob Dixon and other officials.

Governor Parson has signed an executive order, authorizing state agencies to waive regulations that interfere with Missouri’s coronavirus response. Parson says the order also expands telemedicine.

Director Karsten has announced that DPS and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are working to get hundreds of thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment to local law enforcement officers and other first responders.

She emphasizes the importance of equipment like masks and gowns.

“We expect the first orders of that to arrive March 24, and we’re already making plans to distribute those pieces to our partners,” says Karsten.

Karsten tells reporters her office is responding to requests from hospitals and first responders, adding the equipment will come from the National Strategic Stockpile.

Governor Parson and Mayor Treece note that the Columbia-area first responders who made contact with the coronavirus patient who died were wearing proper equipment.

The governor also discussed the economy on Wednesday evening. He is warning that thousands of Missourians will lose their jobs because of coronavirus, and says his top priorities continue to be public health and public safety.

Missourinet asked Governor Parson if he’ll need to tap into the state’s Rainy Day Fund.

“I am not worried about the funding source of it right now, to be honest about it,” Parson says. “I believe we will have the money, we’ll put the money wherever it needs to be. It’s going to be tremendously expensive to get through this next year or two, however long it might be.”

The governor also emphasizes he put $100 million into the state budget for emergencies, saying that will help.

Thousands of Missouri autoworkers at the General Motors and Ford plants in Wentzville and Claycomo will be heading home soon, as the plants close temporarily over coronavirus concerns.

Director Dixon tells Missourinet the Big Three automakers and the UAW reached an agreement, to do that.

Governor Parson’s next scheduled press conference about the coronavirus is set for Thursday afternoon at 3 at the Capitol.

Kansas City mayor says bipartisanship is critical in battling crime (AUDIO)

December 1, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Kansas City’s mayor says the hardest part of the job is dealing with the increasing violence in his city.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (right) visits with
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and their four respective police chiefs on November 25, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s office)

Kansas City saw at least three homicides in 24 hours this weekend, bringing the total number of homicides there this year to 141. That’s up from 120 in 2018, with a full month to go.

Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted this weekend that “we can never accept the violence”, describing it as senseless. He says each victim’s life was important.

Meantime, Mayor Lucas is optimistic about the four meetings that have taken place between Governor Mike Parson and the mayors of Missouri’s four largest cities.

Lucas, a Democrat, met with GOP Governor Parson and the three other mayors last week at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City.

Missourinet asked Lucas about a tweet sent to him, questioning why he would meet with the Republican governor. Lucas emphasizes this is a bipartisan issue.

“Nobody wants me to sit around and be a proud Democrat and four years from now we still have 140 homicides every year in Kansas City,” Lucas says. “And so, I’ll meet with the governor everyday of the week if we can get this problem solved.”

Lucas says the crime priorities outlined last week in Jefferson City by Governor Parson and the mayors are reasonable ideas. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece also spoke at the press conference.

“What we’re saying is we’re going to make the community safer by making sure that children aren’t walking around with handguns,” Lucas tells Capitol reporters. “That domestic abusers can’t walk around with guns and threaten their past victims and survivors of domestic violence.”

Other priorities for the governor and mayors include witness protection and relocation and mental health treatment.

Click here to listen to the full press conference involving Governor Mike Parson (R) and Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, which took place at the Statehouse in Jefferson City on November 25, 2019:

Parson: Missouri Highway Patrol’s surge on St. Louis interstates has led to 300 arrests

November 26, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The mayors of Missouri’s four largest cities and Governor Mike Parson outlined their top priorities for battling violent crime in Jefferson City on Monday.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson visits with
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and their four respective police chiefs on November 25, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s office)

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and their four respective police chiefs met with Governor Parson behind closed doors at the Statehouse.

The governor and mayors briefed the Capitol Press Corps after the meeting, inside the governor’s office.

Springfield Mayor McClure says their top three priorities are witness protection and relocation, mental health treatment and keeping guns out of the hands of those under 18. Krewson says protecting witnesses is key to solving more crimes and obtaining more convictions.

Governor Parson also says the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s “surge” on St. Louis interstates is taking criminals and guns off the streets. In response to a question from Missourinet, the governor says the Patrol has made about 300 arrests since the operation began a month ago.

“So the important thing to take out of that (300 arrests), we are getting people off the streets,” Parson says. “And that’s just counting what we (state troopers) did, that’s still not counting what the cities are doing everyday up there. But all of that helps.”

The arrests announced by the governor also don’t include this month’s massive federal special operation called “Operation Triple Beam”, where 69 alleged St. Louis-area gang members were arrested. 16 of those arrests were for murder-related warrants.

Mayor Krewson tells Missourinet she “begged” the governor to send troopers to St. Louis, and praises his response.

“I drive on Highway 70 regularly and I always see one, two maybe three Highway Patrol officers out there, trying to make a difference on our highways,” says Krewson.

She says the operation has been successful, adding that some of the 300 arrests during the surge involve guns and drugs.

The governor also discussed the importance of education and workforce development during the meeting, along with battling poverty.

Parson also says he’s open to the idea of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s (R) call for lawmakers to approve a statewide carjacking statute.

Schmitt told reporters last week that there have been 305 carjacking incidents in the St. Louis metro area this year. Schmitt notes there is currently no uniform charge for carjacking, adding that the new statute would bring clarity to charging and sentencing carjackings.

Parson to discuss violence with large city mayors and police chiefs at Missouri Capitol

November 24, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The mayors and police chiefs of Missouri’s four largest cities will be in Jefferson City Monday morning to meet with Governor Mike Parson (R). They’ll be discussing crime and other issues.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (center) meets with Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Springfield Mayor Ken McClure on October 18, 2019 in Springfield (file photo courtesy of KSGF’s Bailey Strohl)

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and their four respective police chiefs will travel to the Missouri Capitol to meet with the governor behind closed doors.

Crime and violence will be a main topic, but they’re also expected to discuss issues like jobs as well. Governor Parson will hold a 12:15 p.m. Statehouse press briefing with Capitol reporters, and will be joined by the mayors and chiefs.

U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison has noted that St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield are three of the top 15 most violent cities in the nation. Governor Parson met with the four mayors in October in Springfield, and reiterated that the violent crime issue will take a coordinated effort among federal, state and community leaders.

Governor Parson has sent state troopers to St. Louis to patrol interstates, and supports working with churches to help prevent violence. He’s traveled to several churches in St. Louis, to meet with pastors.

The governor has also met with members of Missouri’s Legislative Black Caucus, which supports legislation allowing cities with high gun violence to approve their own gun control legislation.

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, has told Missourinet that gun violence is ravaging the streets, noting that Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

Kansas City Police say there have been 131 homicides there in 2019, up from 120 last year. State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, notes that at least 13 children have been killed in St. Louis city shootings in 2019.

St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield mayors to discuss crime with Governor Parson

October 17, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The mayors of four large Missouri cities will be in southwest Missouri’s Springfield on Friday morning to have a closed-door meeting with Governor Mike Parson about crime and violence in their communities.

State Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on September 10, 2019. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, is at right (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Governor Parson (R) will meet with Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece. They’ll meet Friday morning from 10:30 until 11:15, and then they’re expected to come out of the meeting and address reporters.

U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison has told Missourinet that Missouri has three of the top 15 most violent cities in the nation, on a per capita basis. Those three cities are St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield. Garrison told that to then White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly last July, and Garrison says Kelly was “floored.”

Governor Parson told Capitol reporters in September that the violent crime issue will take a coordinated effort among federal, state and community leaders.

“This will never be fixed by one agency. It won’t. It’s going to take a lot of people a long time to try to fix this problem,” Parson said that day.

Kansas City Police say there have been 118 homicides in 2019, and five of them were children.

During last month’s special session, State Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, told Capitol reporters that the time for action is now, adding that God wants state lawmakers to take action instead of praying.

“In Kansas City in the month of August, we had a double homicide in the Power and Light district. A patron was shot and killed in the 18th and Vine Jazz District,” Brown said in September. He’s the ranking Democrat on the Missouri House Special Committee on Tourism, and says violent crime is hurting business in Kansas City.

During the special session, State Sen. Jamiliah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, noted at least 13 children have been killed in St. Louis city shootings in 2019. Senator Nasheed has called on the Senate to hold a hearing in St. Louis, where the parents of murdered children can testify. Nasheed has described the gun violence in her hometown as an epidemic.

In mid-Missouri’s Columbia, there were five murders during the month of September.

Missourinet Springfield affiliate KSGF will be outside of Friday morning’s meeting, and will talk to participants as they come out.