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Haahr and Hansen focused on Missouri property rights legislation

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Legislation aimed at preventing private entities like the Grain Belt Express from using eminent domain could hit the Missouri Senate floor in Jefferson City soon.

State Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Frankford, briefs Capitol reporters about eminent domain legislation on February 13, 2020, as House Speaker Elijah Haahr and other GOP lawmakers look on (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The legislation from State Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Frankford, was the first bill sent by the House to the Senate earlier this year.

“This legislation is just to protect people’s personal property rights against a private company wanting to use eminent domain, and that’s the bottom line on what we’re working on,” Hansen says.

Grain Belt Express plans to construct and operate a high-voltage transmission line across eight northern Missouri counties: Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Clinton, Randolph, Monroe and Ralls.

A Missouri Senate committee has approved legislation from State Sen. Justin Brown, R-Rolla, that bans private entities from using eminent domain to build above-ground merchant lines. Senator Brown’s bill is similar to Representative Hansen’s bill.

“I’ve requested my bill to be heard over there (Missouri Senate) in the committee here in the near future and then we’ll decide which bill we’ll maybe get on the floor in the Senate,” says Hansen.

Hansen and House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, briefed Capitol reporters Thursday in Jefferson City.

Haahr says his chamber is leading the fight to protect the property of Missouri’s farmers and ranchers. He also notes that last year’s Hansen bill wasn’t approved by the House until mid-April.

“Representative Hansen’s bill, we didn’t really start this process until after spring break of last year,” Speaker Haahr says. “This year it was the first bill out of the House, so I think that gives us a little bit more lead time.”

Last year’s bill died in the Missouri Senate in May.

The House approved Hansen’s bill in late January, on a bipartisan 118-42 vote. Five African-American House Democrats voted for the bill: State Reps. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, Michael Person, D-Ferguson, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, and Kevin Windham, D-Hillsdale.

The Grain Belt project does have support. Backers say it would generate $7 million annually in property taxes to Missouri political subdivisions.

Supporters also say it would save towns like northeast Missouri’s Hannibal about $1 million annually in electricity costs.

The Grain Belt project also cleared another legal hurdle in December, when the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District ruled in favor of multi-state power lines, rejecting the arguments of Missouri Farm Bureau and landowners.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Winter weather advisories and flood watch in effect for different parts of Missouri (AUDIO)

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A winter weather advisory remains in effect for west-central, central and northeast Missouri until midnight. Far northwest Missouri, the Ozarks and southeast Missouri’s Bootheel are not included in the winter weather advisory.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter weather advisory for west-central, mid and northeast Missouri (February 12, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

Cities and towns in the impacted advisory areas include Sedalia, Marshall, Columbia, Jefferson City and Hannibal. National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Scott Blair says light to moderate snow has been falling in those areas.

“And that corridor is going to be under the gun for accumulating snowfall, with a lot of wet, slushy snowfall accumulating up to two to four inches by the time all is said and done later on this evening,” Blair says.

Blair tells Missourinet snow totals will be higher on elevated and grassy surfaces. He’s urging motorists in the advisory areas to avoid the roads, if possible.

“But if you do have to venture out, reduce your speed, use those headlights and take extra precautions as you’re driving,” says Blair.

Northeast Missouri’s Hannibal and Louisiana could see up to four inches of snow.

Blair is urging mid-Missourians to have extra coats, hats and gloves on-hand, with frigid Arctic air coming in behind the snowfall. He says the temperatures will quickly fall.

“After the snow does move out later on tonight, we’re going to be looking at some bitterly cold temperatures moving in with temperatures dropping down potentially into the single digits across portions of central Missouri,” Blair says.

Meantime, heavy rain is the biggest issue in southern Missouri. The NWS Springfield office says West Plains, Sikeston and Dexter are under a flood watch, and ponding of roadways is possible.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Scott Blair, which was recorded on February 12, 2020:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Severe storms and brief tornadoes possible across Missouri tonight (AUDIO)

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The National Weather Service (NWS) is warning that much of Missouri could see severe weather Tuesday evening, into the early morning hours.

The National Weather Service is warning that severe thunderstorms and brief tornadoes are possible across Missouri tonight (November 26, 2019 map courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter)

Southeast Missouri towns like Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, Caruthersville and Kennett are now at an enhanced risk.

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Scott Blair describes it as a dynamic storm system that we normally see in the spring.

“Western Missouri, we’re looking at sometime around or just a little after sunset,” Blair says. “And that threat will quickly progress to the east as we head into the late evening and early overnight hours.”

Most of Missouri is in the “slight” risk category. Cities is that category include Columbia, Jefferson City, Kirksville, Hannibal, Springfield, Joplin and West Plains. Blair says those areas could see strong thunderstorms with winds capable of producing a brief tornado.

“The good news though is that if there happens to be any tornadoes, we’re not looking at the real long track strong or violent type. This is going to be more of a brief type of tornado out there,” says Blair.

45 mile-per-hour winds are expected across the state tonight. The biggest threat in much of the state will be damaging wind gusts.

The NWS says the storms will be moving fast.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Scott Blair, which was recorded on November 26, 2019:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Mississippi River flood waters receding in Hannibal, northeast Missouri must assess damage

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Riggs (right) with Mayor James Hark and Gov. Mike Parson (far left) during a recent disaster briefing

The Mississippi River has been receding in Hannibal, where the levee held and the town was protected. The river topped at one foot shy of the record flooding in 1993.

After hundreds of volunteers, National Guard troops and inmates helped flood-threatened areas in northeastern Missouri, residents are expressing their thanks and relief.  (See coverage from TV partner WGEM)

Now the next step: the damage must be assessed and cleaned up. State Representative Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal, tells Missourinet “the damages are considerable.”

“The cleanup itself is the easy part, assessing the damage is not.”

This will be considered the second major flooding event for the state, and a second, separate disaster declaration and federal aid request.

“The process itself is rather burdensome,” Riggs says, “and involves crunching numbers, authenticating them and six to nine months, even up to a year.”

For farmers, the harvest is missed or cannot get down the river.

River traffic is slowly returning, but not the most important water transportation to this area: barges to carry grain to market.

“I have not seen any barges on the Mississippi now for months, Riggs says.  “Hundreds of thousands of some of the best acreage in the world will not be producing this year so that is one set of damages to sort out.”

In the meantime, Riggs and Hannibal residents are looking to the river to relinquish some ground for something to celebrate.

“We’ve been told that we can expect to be down to normal flood stage as early as June 29, depending on rainfall, so probably close to July 1. July 4th is the biggest event of the year, so it would be nice to have our riverfront back by then,” Riggs adds.

Thunderstorms, hail and flash flooding possible Tuesday evening in parts of Missouri (AUDIO)

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Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across much of Missouri late Tuesday afternoon and evening.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill says 65 mph wind gusts, hail and an isolated tornado or two are possible across parts of Missouri on June 4, 2019 (map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Hal Pietrycha says the storms should start near Kansas City.

“Right now we’re watching just on the state line with Kansas and Missouri that general quadrant basically right now, south of the Missouri River, or put another way, south of I-70 at the state line,” Pietrycha says.

He says damaging winds and large hail will be the main threat. He says wind gusts up to 65 miles per hour are possible.

“Biggest threats today right now appear to be large hail, by that golf ball-sized perhaps,” says Pietrycha.

He says flash flooding is also possible.

The NWS says impacted towns could include St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Columbia, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Hannibal and Rolla.

Mr. Pietrycha also tells Missourinet an isolated tornado or two are possible today.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Hal Pietrycha, which was recorded on June 4, 2019:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

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

 

Inmates sandbagging again in northeast Missouri’s Clarksville; Mississippi River to crest there Sunday

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(Missourinet Quincy affiliate WGEM and Louisiana affiliate KJFM contributed to this story)

The National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis says the Mississippi River at northeast Missouri’s Hannibal is cresting today at about 28.4 feet.

The Mississippi River in northeast Missouri’s Clarksville (file photo courtesy of Clarksville city website)

Missourinet Quincy affiliate WGEM reports about 80 volunteers are back in Hannibal today, filling sandbags for the community and for the Hannibal levee.

Resident Shane Bramblett tells WGEM it’s a community effort.

“So we’re just trying to fill some sand bags to help support levees. We’re probably adding one (to) about two feet to levees right now, so Hannibal, we’ve got a lot of sandbags to fill so we’re trying to get as much support as we can,” Bramblett says.

Marion County highway crews have also brought sandbags to Hannibal to assist in the effort.

Meantime, massive flooding in northeast Missouri’s Clarksville has prompted the state Department of Corrections (DOC) to send more than two dozen inmates to help sandbag in the river town.

DOC spokeswoman Karen Pojmann tells Missourinet that 25 female offenders from the Vandalia prison are currently sandbagging in Clarksville.

The NWS in St. Louis says the Mississippi River at Clarksville is expected to crest at 36.2 feet on Sunday.

Clarksville is a town of about 450 residents.

Missourinet Louisiana affiliate KJFM Radio reports Highway 79 in closed in numerous locations in Louisiana, Clarksville and Elsberry. KJFM also reports Highway 54 at the Champ Clark bridge near Louisiana is also closed.

The flooding is also impacting mail service across northeast Missouri.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) says post offices in La Grange and Clarksville have temporarily closed, due to flooding.

The USPS says mail service in La Grange is temporarily being rerouted to Canton, while mail service in Clarksville is temporarily being rerouted to Louisiana.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

UPDATE: Weather Service finds evidence of ten tornadoes in Missouri from storms Monday

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Update 05/22/2013 3:50pm: Evidence of a tenth tornado during Monday night’s storms has been found 3 miles east of Shell Knob in Southwest Missouri. The Weather Service believes that tornado touched down at about 7:50 Monday night. It uprooted and damaged trees in a 1.4 mile damage path 200 yards wide. Winds reached about 110 miles per hour, making it an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Update 05/22/2013 2:00pm: The National Weather Service has found evidence of another EF-1 tornado that touched down Monday at about 8:05, about 3 miles north-northwest of Reeds Spring in Southwest Missouri. The storm uprooted trees in a damage path 100 yards wide and 1.4 miles long. Winds reached about 90 miles per hour.

Another EF-0 tornado touched down 2 miles north of Reeds Spring causing some tree damage. Its winds ranged from 80 to 85 miles per hour.

A survey team has also been sent to the Shell Knob area to investigate damage there.

UPDATE 05/22/2013 noon: The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado did touchdown southwest of Hannibal Monday night. That tornado uprooted and snapped trees and tore the tin roofing off of a barn as it passed about a mile south of Hannibal Regional Medical Center, before dissipating.  The tornado’s winds reached about 90 miles per hour, making it an EF-1.

The Weather Service says the same storm caused considerable wind damage in Hannibal. A portion of the roof on a building at Hannibal-LaGrange College was torn off and a brick building in downtown Hannibal had a wall collapse and part of its roof torn off. Another building on the south side of Hannibal also had part of its roof torn off, as well as other tree damage and broken windows.

Another EF-1 tornado crossed over from Oklahoma into Missouri Monday afternoon. The tornado came within about a half-mile from Seneca, snapping and uprooting trees in a damage path 600 yards wide and less than a mile into Missouri. Its wind speeds reached between 95 and 100 mph.

The Weather Service says these reports are not final and surveys do continue.

UPDATE:  The Weather Service has confirmed a third, EF-1 tornado touchdown 7 miles west of Lamar. The storm destroyed a couple of outbuildings and damged trees along a damage path nearly 7 miles long and up to 100 yards wide. Wind speeds are estimated to have reached 95 miles per hour.

National Weather Service assessment teams have confirmed five tornado touchdowns in Missouri from storms yesterday.

The National Weather Service's Pleasant Hill (Kansas City) office tweeted this picture, saying this damage is from a "likely EF-1 tornado" in Johnson and Pettis Counties. Its assessment team has since confirmed an EF-1 tornado did touch down in those areas.

The National Weather Service’s Pleasant Hill (Kansas City) office tweeted this picture, saying this damage is from a “likely EF-1 tornado” in Johnson and Pettis Counties. Its assessment team has since confirmed an EF-1 tornado did touch down in those areas.

Tornadoes with winds topping out at between 90 and 100 miles per hour caused damage near Knob Noster in western Missouri and near Carthage in southwest Missouri. Trees were uprooted, power lines were downed and outbuildings destroyed near Carthage. Those tornadoes rate EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Tornadoes producing winds of about 85 miles per hour touched down in southwest Missouri near Lockwood, where a grocery store roof was damaged, trees were uprooted and a car port was thrown, and in the Orleans Trail public use area near Stockton, damaging a barn and several trees. Another weak tornado left a 100-yard wide path of minor damage near Gravois Mills in central Missouri, uprooting trees and causing minor structural damage. Those tornadoes rate EF-0.

An assessment team has determined that damage in Hannibal was not caused by a tornado. Instead, it says it found evidence of straight line winds gusting an estimated 80 to 100 miles an hour.