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Gov. Parson in Saturday briefing: Extensions and waivers to help families, drivers (FULL VIDEO)

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Missouri Governor Mike Parson held a rare Saturday press conference at the Capitol to continue coronavirus response updates.

Some of the takeaways include:

-Licensed childcare providers can use rules for emergency school closing and exceed facility capacity limits by one-third of normal.

-Dept. or revenue is automatically extending driver’s licenses and motor vehicle registrations by two months from renewal dates. That also applies to inspections.

– March, April and May, registered SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefit recipients get an increase. Families who get free and reduced lunch programs will get additional SNAP benefits. The Dept. of Social Services will reach out to families through the schools to help them enroll in SNAP.

-A federal waiver extends re-certification for SNAP-eligible families by six months.

-Personal protection equipment orders have been delivered to 101 hospitals and 22 EMS providers from the strategic stockpile.

-911 dispatchers must ask callers COVID-19 questions, including potential exposure, travel, medication, and testing to protect and prepare first responders answering the calls.

WATCH THE ENTIRE PRESS CONFERENCE:

Missouri’s April 7 municipal elections postponed until June 2

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From press release

In response to COVID-19, Governor Parson today signed Executive Order 20-03 ordering all Missouri municipal elections previously scheduled for April 7, 2020, to be postponed to June 2, 2020.

Ballots already printed for the April 7 election may be used at the postponed date of June 2. Voters who have attained the age of 18 by April 7 will be allowed to cast a ballot.

“Given the growing concern surrounding COVID-19 and the large number of people elections attract, postponing Missouri’s municipal elections is a necessary step to help combat the spread of the virus and protect the health and safety of Missouri voters,” Governor Parson said. “Postponing an election is not easy, but we are all in this together. We are thankful to Secretary Ashcroft and our 116 election authorities for their leadership, cooperation, and commitment to doing what is best for their communities during this time.”

During a state of emergency, the Governor is authorized to “waive or suspend the operation of any statutory requirement or administrative rule prescribing procedures for conducting state business, where strict compliance with such requirements and rules would prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action by the department of health and senior services to respond to a declared emergency or increased health threat to the population.”

The Executive Order requires local election authorities to publish notice of the June 2 election as required in Section 115.127.2, RSMo. In addition, the Executive Order states:

  • The closing date to register to vote in this election remains March 11.
  • The deadline for filing as a write-in candidate for office remains March 27 at 5 p.m.
  • The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot (Section 115.279, RSMo) shall be May 20.
  • A public test of voting equipment shall be completed no later than June 1.
  • In-person absentee ballots may be cast until 5 p.m. on June 1.
  • The deadline by which absentee ballots must be received by the election authority (Section 115.293.1, RSMo) shall be 7 p.m. on June 2.
  • Military and overseas voters must request a ballot from an election authority by 5 p.m. on May 29, and the deadline for local election authorities to make ballots available to such voters is April 18.
    Military and overseas ballots must be received by the election authority by June 5.
  • Local election authorities are also directed to post information on their website, use social media if available, issue press release, conduct public appearances, and directly contact stakeholders such as candidates.

Gov. Parson to hold daily press briefings on coronavirus (LINK TO TODAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE)

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Governor Mike Parson will be holding daily press briefings to provide updates regarding COVID-19 in Missouri.

Parson will be joined by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams, Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten, and MO HealthNet Director Todd Richardson.

Tuesday’s press conference will take place at 6:45 p.m and will be live-streamed on Governor Parson’s Facebook page.

Missourinet will be there and provide video online after the event.

 

(VIDEO) “A project of national significance”: Rocheport one of 250 bridges to be replaced

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Governor Mike Parson, surrounded by local, state and national legislators, announced the success of his plan to replace 250 bridges around Missouri– including the $238 million 1-70 Rocheport Bridge.

On a bluff overlooking the bridge and the Missouri River, Sen. Roy Blunt joined the governor in explaining the work it took to get the money needed.

Busy Rocheport I-70 bridge will be replaced, Gov. Parson and Sen. Blunt to announce details on site today

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A creatively engineered funding plan of federal, state, local and borrowing has assured that a critical bridge in Missouri will be replaced, instead of repaired. This summer, the Missouri Department of Transportation got $81 million of a federal infrastructure (INFRA) grant, plus the promise of state funding to borrow what it needs to keep traffic flowing over the Missouri River on I-70.

The money will also be used to build climbing lanes on I-70 at what’s known as Mineola Hill in Montgomery County, in the Loutre River valley.  “Mineola Hill impacts the national freight network every day,” says MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna.

“The combination of the two created a very strong application and the USDOT recognized that. But that did not provide all of the source of funding for the bridge,” he adds. “We had about a $106 million gap to close. We’ve been working very closely with the highway commission to fill that gap. We’re going to do that through cost-share and the infrastructure bank and we’re really pleased with the way that’s all coming together.”

The Legislature approved $351.0 million for replacement and repair of bridges, including $50 million one-time General Revenue and $301.0 million from bonding, which was contingent upon the award of the federal INFRA Grant.

MoDOT map shows where traffic flows within 48 hours of crossing the I-70 bridge near Rocheport. About 12 million vehicles cross the bridge each year.

Gov. Parson lays out plan for state to help St. Louis region fight crime (VIDEO)

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As promised, Gov. Mike Parson returned to St. Louis Thursday with a plan for state government to help the St. Louis area fight a “growing number of gun crimes,” as he describes it. St. Louis continues to have one of the nations highest violent crime rates, year after year.

Highlights of his agreement with city and county leader starting Oct. 1 include:

– Two state Troopers to the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force
– $2 million dedicated to the St. Louis area from the Victims of Crime Act to assist victims services.
– Two state highway patrol troopers to the ATF Strike Force
– Two state trooper and one cyber analyst to the Mission Saved Task Force
– Highway Patrol interstate highway surges for highways through St. Louis targeting violent criminals, with four to six troopers per surge.
– Two investigators to the U.S Attorney’s Office to assist with federal gun and drug cases

The plan uses 25 officers/staff and will cost between $3 million and $4 million.

Two more children killed Thursday as St. Louis region awaits a plan from governor, city and county leaders

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Tuesday, St. Louis County Chief of Police Jon Belmar sat at a conference table with Gov. Mike Parson, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson as they sought solutions to the area’s increase in violent crime. Video of meeting press conference. 

Belmar (left), St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden, MO Public Safety Dir. Sandy Karsten with Parson at St. Louis City Hall September 10, 2019.

Thursday, two youngsters died from gunshot wounds in north St. Louis County: a toddler who found his father’s loaded gun and a 13-year-old who was walking through an apartment complex. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, six children have died from gunshot wounds in St. Louis County this year, and 13 children have been killed by gunfire in the city of St. Louis this year.

Belmar told the press Thursday, “It’s heartbreaking for the families and those involved and I will tell you it is also heartbreaking for the police officers who are involved in this.”

Gov. Parson has promised to announce the first steps of a state-local plan within the week. He says he will also meet with county and city prosecutors soon.

“I’m not the fix-all to everything, I’m not. But I want to support everybody at the table today. I want to come up with solutions.”

“As somebody who has been in law enforcement for 22 years and I am standing up here with these fellow officers who are up here today to try to figure out how do we deal with this terrible situation in our state. And the bottom line is how do we protect those children who are out there being killed in the streets every day.”

Meanwhile, Democrat lawmakers who were in the state capital for a special session this week asked for an interim committee to address gun violence across the state. Kansas City Senator Kiki Curls asked her chamber, “Maybe there is some gray area, some middle ground so that we can make sure that folks that are using firearms and guns lawfully are not impacted by it.”

Senate President Dave Schatz, a Republican from Sullivan, near St. Louis, says he will consider the idea as long as it “does not take guns away from law-abiding citizens.”

(VIDEO) Gov. Parson, Mayor Krewson press conference in St. Louis, promise a plan in 10 days

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Governor Mike Parson, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and County Executive Sam Page held a press conference after meeting with law enforcement and other city leaders about the area’s continued spike in violent crime. The governor calls it “a crisis in our state” and promises to have a plan in place in 10 days.

Watch the entire press conference below:

Gov. Parson on first trade mission to Europe

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Governor Parson is on a European trip to promote more international trade and investment in Missouri industries. The governor will make several stops along the way, visiting Germany, Switzerland, then to France.

He will attend a memorial ceremony at the World War II D-Day invasion site in Normandy, where he and Missouri First Lady Teresa Parson will visit the Normandy American Cemetery and honor Missouri’s fallen through a flag exchange and wreath-placing ceremony with Superintendent Scott Desjardins.

While in France, Parson will meet with the Canadian and U.S. Ambassadors to France, key executives of the U.S. and Canadian Industry Associations, fellow U.S. Governors, and other national and military officials.

Parson then attends to Le Bourget air show, the world’s largest, to meet with officials from Boeing and other aerospace companies.

Details about the second half of the trip will be released next week. The trip is funded by Missouri’s Hawthorn foundation, an economic development non-profit.

 

 

 

Gov. Parson to Hannibal officials: we’re doing everything we can with the situation we’re in (Video-WGEM)

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Gov. Parson, Mayor and County EMD John Hark, State Rep. Louis Riggs

Gov. Parson met with local leaders in Hannibal as he toured efforts to stave off Mississippi River flooding. Mayor John Hark said the city is in good shape “thanks to city employees and citizens” who have been sandbagging during all daylight hours.

The governor also recognized the Department of Corrections inmates who have been helping across the state.

“Those men and women have been out there helping every day just like everyone else; they’ve out their backs into it,” Parson said.  “Sometimes take just a second to appreciate people like that that are out there working.”

“Unfortunately, the rain’s not going to let up,” Parson said.

Missourinet’s TV and radio partner in Quincy, WGEM, covered the press conference Monday.

Read their story- watch presser here