Farmington Archives - Missourinet

Christmas tree from rural southeast Missouri to be displayed on Governor’s Mansion lawn in Jefferson City

November 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Christmas tree that will be displayed on the Governor’s Mansion lawn this year will be from a small town in southeast Missouri.

Missouri Office of Administration (OA) staff help install the Governor’s Mansion lawn Christmas tree in Jefferson City on December 2, 2019 (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson says the tree that will be displayed on the Mansion lawn is a 40-foot Norway spruce donated by Doris Baker, who’s from southeast Missouri’s Desloge. It’s a town of about 5,000 residents, near Farmington.

Ms. Baker has donated her tree because it became too large for her yard.

The tree will arrive in Jefferson City on Monday morning between 7 and 8, and it’s so big that part of Madison Street outside the mansion will be closed, when it arrives.

Missouri Office of Administration (OA) staff will install the Mansion lawn tree.

The governor’s office has also announced that the annual lighting of the tree will take place on Friday December 4, at 6 p.m. That will be followed by candlelight tours that evening until 8. This year’s candlelight tours will be by reservation-only, due to COVID concerns.

Governor Parson’s office says it will announce additional details about the tours early next week.

Rural hospital closings getting attention from both candidates in southern Missouri congressional race (AUDIO)

October 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Health care has emerged as a major issue in southern Missouri’s Eighth Congressional district race between U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) and his Democratic challenger Kathy Ellis.

The sprawling district includes 30 southern Missouri counties and about 20,000 square miles. It stretches from Jefferson County, south of St. Louis, all the way to the Bootheel. It also includes southern Missouri towns like West Plains, Ava, and St. James. The district hasn’t sent a Democrat to Washington since Congressman Bill Burlison, who served from 1969 to 1981.

The Eighth Congressional district has seen five hospital closings since 2016:

** Parkland Health Center in Farmington (2016)
** Southeast Health Center of Reynolds County in Ellington (2016)
** Southeast Health Center of Ripley County in Doniphan (2018)
** Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett (2018)
** Black River Medical Center in Poplar Bluff (2019)

Ellis, a social worker who lives in Festus, supports Medicaid expansion and says federally qualified health centers must be expanded in southeast Missouri.

“So that they’re delivering primary care, behavioral health, dental, OBGYN, everything that the area needs,” Ellis says.

As for Congressman Smith, he says Medicaid expansion is a state issue. He has described the hospital closings as “unacceptable” several times, during interviews with Missourinet. He notes that people die when hospitals close, noting that rural hospital closures are associated with an increase in an area’s mortality rate.

But Smith says attention hasn’t been given to the hospitals he’s worked to save, like the Iron County Medical Center in Pilot Knob. Smith tells Missourinet the facility was days away from closing, and that he and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) worked with the hospital administrator to keep it open.

Smith also says that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he immediately got hospital administrators, local health clinics and doctors on the phone, and brought their needs to the president. He notes he successfully urged the Trump Administration this year to reverse its earlier rule requiring telehealth to have audio and video, saying that’s been huge for the district, which has major issues with lack of rural broadband and cell service.

“And so working with the president (Donald Trump), I was able to get him to do an executive order to rescind it, that they could do telehealth by just audio. It didn’t have to be audio and visual,” Smith says.

Congressman Smith also filed legislation in July called the “Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act,” which would keep rural hospitals open by allowing the HHS Secretary to give hospitals flexibility to remain financially viable.

The two candidates agree that access to quality health care is critical in southeast Missouri, and that the district needs every hospital and rural clinic in it.

They also agree on the need for improved rural broadband in the district.

As for Ms. Ellis, she reiterates that health care is the top priority for residents in the district. She notes it’s impoverished and that some southeast Missourians must drive two hours for health care.

“We have huge infant/mother mortality rates in the Bootheel and we have fully one-third of the 16 counties surrounding the Bootheel where children don’t have enough to eat on the weekends,” says Ellis.

She says her priorities are the priorities of district residents, and that it’s time to have a representative who listens to the people.

During her interview with Missourinet, she notes that many southeast Missouri Republicans have run unopposed for state legislative seats during recent years.

She says there’s not been a lot of energy from the Missouri Democratic Party, for southeast Missouri and other rural areas. She says that’s happened around the nation as well.

But Ellis emphasizes that elections are won and lost in rural areas, and that Democrats must focus on rural America. She says winning can take multiple election cycles, and says young voters in her district are energized.

Ellis put 75,000 miles on her car in 2018, when she faced Smith. Smith won with about 73 percent of the vote, getting 194,042 votes to Ellis’ 66,151 votes.

Congressman Smith describes the district as “God’s Country.” It includes the Mississippi Delta and the Ozark Hills. He says his priority is to represent his constituents.

“That is to make sure our rural Missouri values has a strong voice and is represented in Washington D.C. Those values include limited government, freedom, lower taxes,” says Smith.

Smith says the tax cut signed by President Trump should be made permanent, along with doubling the child tax credit.

He also says the 2020 election is not just about the next two or four years, it’s about the next 50 years.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, which was recorded on October 26, 2020:

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Democrat Kathy Ellis of Festus, which was recorded on October 26, 2020:

Southern Missouri congressman emphasizes importance of rural hospitals and telehealth (AUDIO)

May 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A congressman who represents 30 counties across southern Missouri thanks the Trump Administration for reversing decisions involving rural hospitals and telehealth.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, speaks to a community member at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus in 2016 (file photo courtesy of Congressman Smith’s office)

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, describes the two reversals as major wins for rural Missouri and rural America.

The first decision involves rural hospitals and the CARES Act’s paycheck protection program (PPP). Smith says rural hospitals were not originally eligible for the program.

Now they are.

“When you’re looking at rural community hospitals such as those in Potosi, Ironton, Houston, Salem, Ste. Gen (Ste. Genevieve), they will be impacted now that they can participate in this program,” Smith says.

The Small Business Administration’s PPP is a forgivable loan that’s aimed at keeping employees on the payroll, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith says health care professionals and business leaders in his district say that’s critical.

Congressman Smith’s district has seen five hospital closings since 2016. Impacted towns have included Poplar Bluff, Farmington and Doniphan.

Smith is also praising federal health officials, for expanding telehealth to allow care to be administered over the phone. He says the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reversed its earlier rule requiring telehealth to have audio and video.

“In southeast Missouri, a lot of folks don’t have internet, don’t have broadband … and they’re being told to stay at home and not come to hospitals but they still need to talk to their doctors,” says Smith.

Smith learned about the issue during COVID-19 conference calls with health care providers and business leaders in his district, and says he passed the concerns along to the Trump Administration.

He says the administration is willing to listen, adding that it “is making a big difference for southern Missourians.”

Smith’s massive district covers 20,000 square miles, from Jefferson County all the way to the Bootheel. It also includes part of the I-44 corridor, and extends into southwest Missouri.

The district includes Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Kennett, West Plains and Ava.

Smith, who serves as the GOP Conference Secretary on Capitol Hill, tells Missourinet that his constituents want to re-open the country.

While he emphasizes that safety is the top priority, he says his constituents want the district to be the leader for the nation, in re-opening the country for business.

“We’re in such a rural area, over 20,000 square miles that covers the 8th congressional district in Missouri, we know how to social distance ourselves,” Smith says.

Congressman Smith voted for the bipartisan COVID-19 legislation in Washington in late April. It contains $75 billion for personal protective equipment for health care employees, and another $25 billion to expand testing.

Smith also praises President Donald Trump for quickly approving Governor Mike Parson’s request for a major disaster declaration. Smith says the administration has assisted more than 46,000 small businesses in Missouri during the pandemic, “to the tune of $7.5 billion.”

Click here to listen to the full seven-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, which was recorded on May 5, 2020:

GOP congressman describes rural Missouri hospital closings as unacceptable (AUDIO)

March 4, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A congressman who represents 30 counties in southern Missouri has seen five hospital closings in his sprawling district since 2016.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, speaks to a community member at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus (2016 file photo courtesy of Congressman Smith’s office)

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, describes the rural hospital closures as unacceptable.

“Just because you live in a zip code that’s in a rural area doesn’t mean that you should have a different class of care, or different opportunities as other people throughout the state,” Smith says.

Smith says people die when hospitals close, noting that rural hospital closures are associated with an increase in an area’s mortality rate.

The state Hospital Association (MHA) says ten rural Missouri hospitals have closed since 2014. Five of those happened in Congressman Smith’s district:

Smith, the GOP Conference Secretary on Capitol Hill, serves on the House Budget Committee. He tells Missourinet that rural hospitals must be reimbursed appropriately.

“Where it’s at the same level as you see in the cities,” says Smith. “The fact that they’re (rural hospitals) not reimbursed at the same levels as the hospitals in St. Louis forces closures, and that’s unacceptable.”

Smith’s district covers 20,000 square miles, from just south of St. Louis to ten miles east of Branson. The district includes Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Dexter, West Plains, Rolla, St. James and Ava.

Congressman Smith is calling for an increase in the number of healthcare professionals that can serve rural Missouri patients.

“Whenever one hospital closes in a community, that has drastic implications and it can cost lives,” Smith says.

Nine of the ten poorest counties in the state are in southeast Missouri, which has seen the largest number of closings.

The Missouri Hospital Association supports Medicaid expansion, which Smith opposes.

Smith spoke to Missourinet, after he traveled recently to Jefferson City to file for his fourth full term. Smith was elected to Congress in 2013, during a special election.

Smith was re-elected in 2018, capturing 73 percent of the vote against Democrat Kathy Ellis. Ms. Ellis, a Festus Democrat, has filed to challenge Smith again this November.

Click here to listen to the full four-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, which was recorded on February 25, 2020 in Jefferson City:

MoDOT replacing 91-year-old bridge in southeast Missouri; first project in “focus on bridges” plan

January 3, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

State transportation officials say the first project in the governor’s “focus on bridges” program is now open to one lane of traffic. The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says a new Highway 72 bridge over Stouts Creek in southeast Missouri’s Iron County opened just before Christmas.

The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is replacing the old Highway 72 bridge over Stouts Creek in southeast Missouri’s Iron County. It was built in 1928. (December 2019 photo courtesy of MODOT’s Sally Oxenhandler)

The bridge, which is south of Farmington, connects Ironton and Fredericktown. It’s used by residents and farmers and also people heading to recreate in the area.

MoDOT says the 91-year-old bridge was in such poor condition that they didn’t want vehicles to cross it this winter. The construction contract called for a new bridge, which is being built alongside the 1928 bridge, to be open to one lane of traffic with temporary signals by December.

MoDOT Southeast District spokeswoman Nicole Thieret, who’s based in Sikeston, tells Missourinet MoDOT was able to switch traffic from the existing structure to the new structure in the morning hours on December 20.

MoDOT says the new bridge is expected to be fully completed by spring. Poplar Bluff-based Robertson Construction is the project contractor.

Governor Mike Parson (R) and Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) made the bridge bonding measure a priority during the 2019 legislative session. The $350 million measure, which had bipartisan support, will repair or replace 250 of the state’s poorest bridges.

During a February 2019 Missourinet story, Pro Tem Schatz credited Governor Parson for traveling to his district in eastern Missouri’s Franklin County in early 2019 to see one of the 250 bridges, adding that the need for investment in Missouri infrastructure is great.

“Very important, very critical for farmers to be able to get their crops, to get their animals to the market and making sure that those bridges are safe and secure,” Schatz said in that story.

MoDOT says the Highway 72 bridge is one of six in the “focus on bridges” program that’s currently under construction. 43 others are under contract.

Winter storm briefly closes interstate in western Missouri (AUDIO)

November 11, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Winter weather briefly closed heavily-traveled southbound I-49 in western Missouri’s Belton on Monday morning, because of numerous slide offs and unsafe driving conditions.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis is warning about deteriorating conditions on bridges and overpasses (November 11, 2019 map courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter)

National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Jonathan Kurtz notes it’s rare for a storm to close an interstate.

“It happens from time to time when you get these pretty strong intense bursts of snow,” Kurtz says. “And we have had two rounds here in the Kansas City metro, and two pretty strong lines have come through.”

I-49, which has re-opened, is a major route for truckers, and runs in Missouri from just south of Kansas City to southwest Missouri’s McDonald County.

Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) spokeswoman Sally Oxenhandler tells Missourinet that southbound I-49 at 163rd Street in Cass County was closed for about 20 minutes today.

Kurtz says conditions on the interstate quickly deteriorated.

“I-49 was only closed for a little bit of time there due to some slick roads there,” says Kurtz. “And snow started to accumulate pretty fast. Once it started hitting the ground, it only took about 20 to 30 minutes for the road to start to get snow-covered.”

Missouri state troopers responded to several slide-offs on Highway 50 in western Missouri’s Knob Noster on November 11, 2019 (photo from Missourinet’s Ashley Byrd)

The National Weather Service is warning Missourians that the snow and falling temperatures will lead to deteriorating conditions on bridges and overpasses for your evening commute. Mr. Kurtz is urging motorists to slow down.

“My drive in was pretty slick as well, and you just have to give yourself plenty of time. And we can kind of be thrown off, especially when the day before we had highs in the 50’s,” Kurtz says.

Snow is expected to end in Jefferson City by 4 p.m. Monday and in southeast Missouri’s Farmington by 6 p.m. The NWS is urging motorists and anyone heading outside to dress in layers.

Northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph has received about an inch of snow, while mid-Missouri’s Columbia has seen about an inch as well. There’s an inch-and-a-half on the ground in northeast Missouri’s Foley.

Several schools in mid-Missouri and in the Ozarks have dismissed early because of the storm. Westminster College in mid-Missouri’s Fulton has also dismissed classes early.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Jonathan Kurtz, which was recorded on November 11, 2019:

Severe storms expected across much of central and eastern Missouri this evening (AUDIO)

June 5, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis warns that severe storms are expected Wednesday afternoon and tonight across parts of northeast, central and eastern Missouri.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis outlines the time frame for today’s anticipated severe weather (June 5, 2019 map courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter page)

NWS meteorologist Ben Herzog tells Missourinet storms are expected to develop in northeast Missouri and west-central Illinois, and are expected to push straight south.

“Primary thing we’re anticipating with these storms are strong, straight-line winds, damaging winds although these storms will also be capable of producing large hail,” Herzog says.

Herzog says 60 to 70 mile per hour winds are possible, along with lightning. He says the severe storms are expected to begin Wednesday afternoon in Columbia, Jefferson City and Moberly around the afternoon commute time.

“The most likely time for storms in those areas looks like it’s going to be around 5, 6 o’clock, something like that,” says Herzog. “Now I should say that’s going to be the time when storms are most likely.”

The NWS says severe storms are expected to impact the St. Louis region from about 4-7 p.m., and will impact the southern Missouri towns of Lebanon, Rolla and Farmington between 7 and 10 tonight.

The NWS says the St. Louis region and northeast Missouri’s Troy and Bowling Green are now at an enhanced risk of severe weather this afternoon, which means numerous severe storms are possible.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with NWS meteorologist Ben Herzog, which was recorded on June 5, 2019:

Legislature proposes measures to make mental health workers safer (VIDEO)

May 20, 2014 By Mike Lear

The state legislature has approved bills meant to protect staff at the state’s maximum security mental hospital and staff and patients at its treatment facilities for violent sexual offenders.

Representatives Jeanie Riddle (left) and Linda Black (right).

One proposal, HB 1779, will allow advance practice registered nurses at Fulton State Hospital order that physical or chemical restraints, isolation or seclusion be used on a patient as long as that nurse collaborates with an attending licensed physician. Currently only such physicians or the head of the facility can order such measures.

Representative Jeanie Riddle (R-Mokane) says the bill would make working at the Fulton hospital safer.

“[Those nurses] are closer,” says Riddle. “Fulton State Hospital is a number of buildings and the physician or [Chief of Operations] may be in another building when a violent situation arises. This will allow an advanced practice nurse to be able to de-escalate that situation and hopefully eliminate or lessen the injury rate that’s going on.”

Riddle says staff at the Fulton Hospital are not allowed to defend themselves if attacked by patients who are sometimes violently mentally ill. She is looking for more ways to change policy regarding that.

“I intend to work with the Department [of Mental Health],” says Riddle, “what are the things that we can do that de-escalate violent situations and how do we maintain quality employees and not lose them because they got injured?”

Language from a bill sponsored by Representative Linda Black (D-Desloge) and added to SB 852 would make it a Class “B” felony for a sexually violent predator committed to the Department of Mental Health to attack a Department employee or another offender at the Sexual Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment Services (SORTS) facilities at Fulton or Farmington. The same language would also make it a class “C” felony for offenders at SORTS to knowingly damage state property. Black says the language brings punishment for such incidents in line with what happens when inmates at the state’s prisons attack guards or other inmates.

Representative Kevin Engler (R-Farmington) supported that language. He says offenders consider going from a SORTS facility to a prison, “Much worse conditions most people, so it’s a deterrent to keep them from destroying property, from acting out or hurting employees.”

Both proposals await action by Governor Jay Nixon (D).