Hannibal Archives - Missourinet

Missouri Senate committee to hear crime legislation on Tuesday (AUDIO)

July 27, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s special legislative session on violent crime is underway at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. The Missouri Senate gaveled-in Monday at noon and listened to about an hour of floor speeches.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on July 27, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, says a Senate committee will hold a hearing on the crime bill Tuesday afternoon at 12:45 in the Senate chamber.

“The Transportation (Infrastructure and) Public Safety Committee will be meeting and hearing the legislation at that time,” Schatz says.

The committee is chaired by State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff. With the hearing taking place in the Senate chamber, public seating for Tuesday’s hearing will be in the Capitol’s fourth-floor gallery.

Pro Tem Schatz says there’s agreement in the Legislature on the majority of Governor Mike Parson’s special session call on violent crime. Schatz says eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers is the most controversial proposal. The Sullivan Republican tells Missourinet it’s still the right thing to do.

“We’re 150-plus law enforcement officers short in the city of St. Louis right now. Residency will help solve some of that problem,” says Schatz.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden testified in January that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention.

St. Louis has had at least 143 homicides in 2020. KMOV-TV reports that compares to about 110 at this time last year. Kansas City has now had 110 homicides in 2020, a 35 percent increase from last year.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, and Missouri’s Legislative Black Caucus are calling for legislation to utilize unused funds from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) to support programs for gun violence survivors.

“Missouri has failed our survivors of gun violence by not properly utilizing available VOCA funds,” Leader Quade says, in a statement. “The governor’s special session to address violent crimes is the perfect avenue for us to help these survivors and provide money for efforts that stem gun violence before it starts.”

Quade and House Democrats are calling on Governor Parson to utilize $4 million of Missouri’s average annual VOCA funding, that would provide assistance to eligible community-based gun violence intervention groups. Quade says while the VOCA funds directly assist crime victims, they also work to mitigate violent gun crimes from happening in the future.

Governor Parson (R) told Capitol reporters on Monday that he’s narrowly focused on violent crime and does not intend to expand the special session call. He was not specifically asked about VOCA.

The governor says witness protection and juvenile certification are key parts of the call, along with eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers.

Parson also says last week’s roundtable discussions with local leaders and law enforcement officers about violent crime were productive. The governor traveled to St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia. He also went to eastern Missouri’s Hannibal and Cape Girardeau.

“One of the reasons I went to Hannibal, Cape Girardeau is I really wanted to drive the point home that this violent crime is just not a Kansas City, St. Louis issue,” Parson says.

The governor says violent crime impacts all Missourians, adding that Hannibal recently had a homicide.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s two-minute interview with Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, which was recorded on July 27, 2020 at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City:

Graves says northwest Missouri is still impacted from record 2019 flooding (AUDIO)

July 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A congressman who represents northern Missouri says it’s been about 500 days since the Flood of 2019 began, and that thousands of acres of the world’s most fertile farmland are still covered under water or silt and sand.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, visits with officials and residents in flooded Holt County in March 2019 (file photo courtesy of the congressman’s Facebook page)

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, says two small farming towns northwest of St. Joseph have been especially impacted.

“Craig, Missouri being one of those,” Graves says. “Corning, Missouri another. Those are just two that are in Holt County.”

Holt County saw record flooding in 2019, which covered heavily-traveled Highway 159. Graves says some residents there have lost their farms and homes, multiple times.

The Missouri Farm Bureau says more than 1.4 million acres of farmland in the state went unplanted in 2019, due to flooding. One of the hardest-hit areas was in Holt County.

Graves, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is critical of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He says flood control and navigation should be the Corps’ top priority for the Missouri River.

He says 578-million tons of goods are shipped by barges annually.

Congressman Graves and Governor Mike Parson have both criticized the Corps. Parson and the governors of neighboring Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska have met with the Corps at least three times, to discuss what needs to be done differently in the future.

The governors have signed a four-state agreement to cooperate on issues relating to flood control and the Corps.

Graves tells Missourinet that some towns in his district are still behind temporarily-repaired levees.

“In many cases too, they’re building back to the exact same criteria that was there before,” says Graves.

Graves is optimistic that Congress will approve a major water resources bill before the November election. He says the bipartisan bill is aimed at helping communities impacted by repeated flooding.

“I think it will go very easily off the floor of the House. Again, it was unanimous out of committee, and then it will go over to the Senate and then we’ll work it out in conference,” Graves says.

He says the bill gives towns more help in planning and implementing flood control projects that limit the risk of future floods.

Graves, a dean in Missouri’s congressional delegation, represents 36 northern Missouri counties. He’s finishing his tenth term on Capitol Hill. His district includes Craig, St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Bethany, Macon, Kirksville and Hannibal.

Click here to listen to the full eight-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, which was recorded on July 17, 2020:

Bland Manlove: Missouri’s special session should address the root causes of violence (AUDIO)

July 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While she would like to see other issues addressed, a key Democratic lawmaker from Kansas City supports Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session call for witness protection.

State Reps. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, and Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, participate in a roundtable discussion with Missouri Governor Mike Parson and law enforcement officers at the Kansas City Police Department on July 20, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, a member of Missouri’s Legislative Black Caucus, says witness protection is a bipartisan issue.

“So we want to make sure that there’s enough funding behind that to relocate people as necessary, or keep them in some type of protective custody until the case is resolved,” Bland Manlove says.

She says police officers cannot complete cases without evidence, like witness statements.

Kansas City has had 106 homicides in 2020, which is about a 35 percent increase from last year. Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith says there’s a sense of urgency in Kansas City, and that action must be taken.

Bland Manlove and several other state lawmakers from both parties joined the governor this week at the Kansas City Police Department, to hear his presentation about the special session. It begins Monday in Jefferson City.

Bland Manlove would much rather address what she calls the root causes of violence.

“Such as the breakdown of the home, education, health care and how all of those have effects on our day-to-day lives,” says Bland Manlove, who serves on the House Budget Committee.

Governor Parson told Missourinet last week that the only reason he’s calling a special session is for violent crime, and the growing homicide rates in the state. St. Louis has had 135 homicides this year.

“I’d like to see mental health addressed from not only a mental disorder issue, but mental health, a lot of families are broken, so they don’t know how to move through life in an efficient way,” Bland Manlove says.

She says some residents need life coaching, saying some have never been taught how to write checks.

She tells Missourinet that she appreciates Governor Parson calling a special session on violent crime, noting that the Legislative Black Caucus requested that he call one in September 2019. She’s noted that Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

As for the governor, he traveled to northeast Missouri’s Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon to meet with local leaders and law enforcement officers about violent crime and next week’s special session. Parson held a roundtable discussion at Hannibal-LaGrange, where he was joined by State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, State Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal and other lawmakers.

The sheriffs from Marion, Ralls and Lewis counties also attended. Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish is the president of the Missouri Sheriff’s Association.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, which was recorded on July 20, 2020:

Parson emphasizes violent crime and homicides during Kansas City visit (AUDIO)

July 20, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

(Audio is courtesy of Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC)

Saying that violent crime and homicides are escalating across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson traveled to Kansas City and Springfield on Monday afternoon to meet with local leaders and law enforcement officers about next week’s special session.

Law enforcement officers from across Missouri joined Governor Mike Parson at his special session call regarding violent crime on July 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The special session about violent crime starts Monday in Jefferson City.

“There’s no doubt with the homicide increases across the state, especially St. Louis, Kansas City, even Columbia and Springfield Missouri, across our state. It’s something we don’t want to be happening every day,” Parson tells Kansas City reporters.

The governor was joined in Kansas City by state lawmakers from both parties, who listened to his presentation. Parson was also joined by state Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten and by Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith, who notes there was another homicide while the roundtable meeting was about to begin.

Kansas City has had 105 homicides in 2020, a 35 percent increase from last year. Chief Smith says there is a sense of urgency in Kansas City, and that action must be taken. The chief thanks the governor and state lawmakers for addressing the violent crime issue.

As for Governor Parson, he says witness protection and juvenile certification will be key parts of the upcoming special session. He also says eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers is another key part of the call.

“One of the reasons since I’ve been governor that’s been an issue for the last two years since I’ve been there (as governor), they have run consistently about 150 to 200 officers down in their police department,” says Parson.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden testified in January that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention.

There have been at least 135 homicides in St. Louis this year.

DPS Director Karsten says witness protection is essential to reducing Missouri’s homicide rates.

“We need our communities’ help in solving the violent crime that we’re seeing. We need people to come forth as witnesses,” Karsten says.

A key part of the governor’s January State of the State Address was $1 million in funding for witness protection. Despite bipartisan support in both chambers, the measure did not pass this year.

Click here to watch the full Kansas City media briefing, courtesy of Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC.

State Reps. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, Jerome Barnes, D-Raytown, and Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, were among the lawmakers who listened to the governor’s Kansas City presentation. They also participated in the roundtable discussion.

Representative Bland Manlove tells Missourinet that witness protection is a bipartisan issue. She also says that while she supports Governor Parson on the issue of witness protection, she would much rather see the special session address issues such as mental health, education and health care. She also notes that the Legislative Black Caucus requested a special session last year, about violent crime.

Governor Parson also traveled to Springfield on Monday, where he met with Police Chief Paul Williams, Springfield officers and Greene County Sheriff’s deputies. State lawmakers also joined the governor at the Springfield visit.

Springfield has had 15 homicides this year, and the “News-Leader” reports the city is on pace to break its previous yearly record of 16.

The governor will travel to northeast Missouri’s Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon to meet with leaders there about the special session.

Missouri’s governor to sign bipartisan broadband legislation on Thursday in Tipton

July 1, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation extending Missouri’s broadband grant program through 2027 will be signed into law by the governor on Thursday morning in central Missouri’s Tipton.

Governor Mike Parson (R) will travel to Co-Mo Connect in Moniteau County for Thursday’s 10:15 a.m. ceremonial signing. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by State Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal, who will join the governor in Tipton.

State Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on March 9, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Missouri’s broadband internet grant program is for unserved and underserved areas in the state. The grant program is currently scheduled to expire in August 2021. House Bill 1768 extends the program until June 2027.

In addition to extending the broadband grant program, the Riggs legislation requires the state Department of Economic Development (DED) to maintain a record of all federal grants awarded to entities to provide, maintain and expand rural broadband in Missouri.

Representative Riggs’ legislation was approved by the Missouri Senate in May by a 31-0 vote. The House approved it in May, on a 143-3 vote.

Governor Parson emphasized the importance of rural broadband, during a February address to the Missouri Farm Bureau in Jefferson City. At the time, the governor noted there were about ten Missouri school districts that didn’t have broadband.

Parson says broadband ties-in with education and workforce development.

Missouri GOP Congressman: COVID-19 outbreak is unlike anything we’ve ever seen (AUDIO)

March 30, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A northern Missouri congressman who’s a dean in the state’s congressional delegation says the $2 trillion economic stimulus package is aimed at helping America emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, represents 36 counties in northern Missouri (file photo courtesy of Congressman Graves’ office)

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, voted for the bill on Friday. He says the bill provides $350 billion to the Small Business Administration (SBA), to supply main street businesses with the capital they need to keep the lights on and their workers on the payroll.

“And as long as they (main street businesses) continue to keep them on the payroll through July 2, then that becomes forgiven,” Graves says.

Governor Mike Parson has warned that thousands of Missourians will lose their jobs due to the outbreak. Congressman Graves says the stimulus boosts unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans who’ve lost their jobs.

Graves represents 36 counties in northern Missouri. His sprawling district is larger than nine U.S. states, and includes St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Bethany, Kirksville and Hannibal.

Congressman Graves tells Missourinet that some hospitals in his district have struggled to get personal protective equipment (PPE), like masks. He notes the stimulus package also includes $117 billion in funding for hospitals and the Veterans Administration (VA) to care for patients and to protect health care employees battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Those of us who represent rural areas want to make sure that rural hospitals have every bit as much equipment as they need to combat this,” says Graves. “So far, they have not been overrun, but that could quickly, quickly change.”

Parson announced Monday afternoon that the state’s Strategic National Stockpile has now shipped 7,000 gloves and 3,300 cases of masks to hospitals, EMS and long-term care facilities.

State health officials say there are now 1,031 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Missouri, along with 13 deaths.

As for Graves, he says church groups and other organizations are grocery shopping for seniors in his district, to help the seniors limit their exposure during the COVID-19 outbreak. Graves’ district has a large elderly population.

“And that’s what rural Missouri is about and all of our rural areas. We take care of people and we take care of our neighbors and our family, and that’s very heartwarming,” Graves says.

Graves says the pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge for America, and that Americans have responded with unprecedented patriotism.

Graves and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) say the stimulus will also provide most American adults with $1,200 checks to help them make ends meet during the outbreak.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, which was recorded on March 30, 2020:

Haahr and Hansen focused on Missouri property rights legislation

February 14, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

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.

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

February 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

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:

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

November 26, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

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:

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

June 19, 2019 By Ashley Byrd

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.