Lee's Summit Archives

Far northwest and northern Missouri under winter storm warning until 6 am Wednesday (AUDIO)

December 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 o’clock on Wednesday morning in northwest and far northern Missouri. Impacted towns include St. Joseph, Bethany, Maryville and Trenton, as well as numerous farming communities in that region.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a winter storm warning and a separate winter weather advisory for large parts of northern Missouri (December 29, 2020 graphic courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Spencer Mell says there’s four inches of snow on the ground in Atchison County, which is on the border with Iowa and Nebraska.

“We’re seeing a lot of this transition from a snow scenario over to sleet and even some freezing rain. We did see anywhere from one to four inches (of snow) across those areas this morning,” Mell says.

The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says most roadways in northern Missouri are covered with snow or some ice. They’re urging north Missourians to stay at home if possible, and to use extreme caution if driving.

Our Bethany affiliate KAAN reports about an inch of snow on the ground, along with sleet this afternoon.

Meantime, a large section of western, northern and northeast Missouri remains under a winter weather advisory until 6 o’clock Tuesday evening. Impacted cities include Kansas City, Marshall and Chillicothe.

Meteorologist Mell says those communities are also seeing some ice.

“Right now we’re hovering right around freezing, so we’re still seeing a little bit of light freezing rain. Expect that to continue here through the afternoon, I think most of those areas have seen the worst of it,” says Mell.

MoDOT Kansas City crews are urging residents in the Kansas City metro and in western Missouri to stay alert, to brake carefully and to stay home, if possible. Mell notes there’s been freezing rain today near Lee’s Summit, as well as Raymore and Pleasant Hill.

“It’s really just a sheet of ice out there so fortunately, MoDOT has got out there and treated some of these roads, but some of this freezing rain came pretty quick,” Mell says.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is also urging you to slow down, in winter weather. Troopers say that during inclement weather, driving the speed limit is often too fast and not “exercising the highest degree of care.”

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Spencer Mell, which was recorded on December 29, 2020:

Missouri’s health director to outline vaccine plan and testify about increasing COVID numbers (AUDIO)

November 8, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri health officials say there have been about 21,000 new COVID cases in the past week, an average of 3,105 per day.

State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on August 25, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams will testify Tuesday morning before the Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention. Committee chairman Dr. Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, wants to hear an update.

“You know we seem to be experiencing in the country and the state some of the highest case volumes it seems since the pandemic started,” Patterson says. “I want to kind of discuss how we’re responding to that.”

DHSS says about 120,000 new COVID tests have been conducted in the past week. Chairman Patterson praises DHSS, but notes he wants to make sure the state is doing all it can to get control of the coronavirus.

We’ll also learn new details at Tuesday’s hearing about how Missouri’s vaccine plan will be implemented statewide. Dr. Williams will be testifying about it, and answering questions from lawmakers in both parties.

Missouri has submitted its 111-page plan for administering the impending COVID vaccine to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Williams says the plan’s hallmark is collaboration and coordination.

Missouri’s plan is based upon CDC’s anticipation of a phased availability of vaccines within the state. It also notes the highest risk population for mortality from COVID is nursing home residents.

As for Chairman Patterson, he emphasizes that COVID is and must be a bipartisan issue.

“You know this virus doesn’t care whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. It doesn’t care whether you live in a city or you’re rural. So, our response has to be bipartisan,” says Patterson.

DHSS says the state has now had 209,197 COVID cases this year, along with 3,153 deaths.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention Chairman Dr. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit. It was recorded on November 6, 2020:

Governor Parson to sign Missouri’s witness protection bill on Monday (AUDIO)

September 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that’s aimed at providing witness protection will be signed into law Monday afternoon by Missouri’s governor in Kansas City and Carthage.

State Rep. Dr. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on August 25, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The bipartisan witness protection legislation was one of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) top priorities for the recent special session on violent crime. State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, says the bill is crucial.

“And what law enforcement has told us is the number one thing they need to prosecute criminals is witnesses that are willing to come forward and testify as to what they saw, so that they can put these criminals behind bars,” Patterson says.

The bill, which is House Bill 66, will create a pretrial witness protection services fund, which will provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

“They can use those dollars to find housing for witnesses. Do all the necessary things that you need to get witnesses out of the harmful environment that they’re in,” says Patterson.

The Missouri Senate approved Patterson’s bill 29-0, and it passed the House on a 147-3 vote.

Representative Patterson predicts the bill will help law enforcement officers solve more violent crime.

“You know we have a lot of violent crime in Kansas City unfortunately like St. Louis and I think it will be important to help fight violent crime,” Patterson says.

Kansas City has recorded 143 homicides in 2020, compared to 112 at this time last year. St. Louis has had 195 homicides this year, and the “Post-Dispatch” reported Sunday that St. Louis is on pace to have 240 homicides this year, the highest in 25 years.

As for Governor Parson, he’s praising the two bill sponsors: Representative Patterson and State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, which was recorded on September 18, 2020:

Missouri House committee to hear Tuesday testimony from Vandeven and Williams about COVID-19

August 7, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s health director and the education commissioner will both testify Tuesday in Jefferson City before a bipartisan Missouri House Committee that’s related to the coronavirus.

Missouri Commissioner of Education Dr. Margie Vandeven briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on July 6, 2020 (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention will meet Tuesday morning at 10:30 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. The committee is chaired by State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, a private practice general surgeon. The committee’s ranking Democrat is State Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia. Kendrick is the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

The committee will be examining the decision by school districts in reopening buildings to students, and will get an update on Missouri’s use of federal CARES Act funding.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says Missouri now has 57,379 confirmed cases, up from 55,321 on Wednesday.

Chairman Patterson tells Missourinet that DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams will testify on Tuesday morning, about the trajectory Missouri is on. Dr. Patterson is also interested what will happen if/when a COVID-19 vaccine is developed. Patterson wants to know if DHSS has a plan in place.

Another key part of Tuesday’s hearing will involve Missouri Commissioner of Education Dr. Margie Vandeven, who will testify about schools.

Chairman Patterson notes that he has a nine-year-old and a six-year-old in public school. He says the number one issue he’s hearing about from constituents is about school plans.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson says his office has worked closely with the State Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and DHSS to address questions about reopening.

Earlier this week, DESE and DHSS released updated schoool reopening guidance, which addresses frequently asked questions. DESE and DHSS recommend that local school leaders require school staff members to wear face coverings, “as the data indicates COVID-19 transmission is more likely from adult to student, than from student to adult.”

Contact tracing is also addressed in the report from DESE and DHSS.

Governor Parson says the state is working to help school districts with personal protective equipment (PPE), noting that 1.8 million cloth masks have been made available through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

The governor says DESE and SEMA are currently working to develop a plan to distribute the masks to Missouri school districts.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, announced the committee’s creation earlier this year. Chairman Patterson notes this will be the committee’s second hearing: they met on March 2 and heard testimony from Dr. Williams.

At that time, Dr. Williams testified there had been no confirmed cases in Missouri. About 100 people had been self-monitoring, according to testimony.

Governor Parson says Missouri is one of the states the White House is concerned about, with increasing COVID-19 cases. The governor told Capitol reporters this week that Vice President Mike Pence called him on Sunday, to offer additional assistance and resources to battle the pandemic.

Snow-related crashes close westbound I-70 near mid-Missouri’s Rocheport (AUDIO)

January 20, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) says the highest snow totals from Monday’s winter storm extend from the Kansas City suburb of Lee’s Summit to Sedalia.

The National Weather Service is urging motorists to slow down in the snow (January 20, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Sarah Adkins says while snow is ending north of the Missouri River, it’s still snowing in many locations across western, west-central and mid-Missouri.

“We’re seeing the Kansas City area over to Warrensburg and Sedalia into Columbia, Jefferson City and again down into the Lake of the Ozarks and over west in Clinton,” Adkins says.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol also says highways in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in the Kansas City metro have been slick, because of snow. Blowing snow has also been causing visibility issues.

Meantime, the Highway Patrol says about a dozen vehicles are involved in several snow-related crashes on westbound I-70 near mid-Missouri’s Rocheport. Several tractor trailers are involved, and westbound I-70 is closed there.

The I-70 Rocheport bridge is heavily-traveled. U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, has said more than 12 million vehicles cross the bridge annually, including three million trucks.

Rocheport is just west of Columbia.

As for Adkins, she’s urging motorists to slow down and to give themselves extra time.

“It is accumulating on the roadways and that is going to make them slick,” says Adkins. “So while we don’t anticipate multiple inches of snow, still take it easy. It’s going to be slick.”

Some areas have received an inch of snowfall. Missouri state troopers are urging you to stay focused on the road.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Sarah Adkins, which was recorded on January 20, 2020:

KMRN: Five tractor trailers jackknifed Friday on icy I-35 in northwest Missouri (AUDIO)

January 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Law enforcement officials in northern Missouri’s Harrison County are asking residents and travelers to stay off the roads there, until heavy freezing rain and sleet stops.

A Missouri state trooper assists a motorist who slid off the road in mid-Missouri on January 17, 2020 (photo courtesy of MSHP Troop F Twitter)

National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Andy Bailey notes heavily-traveled I-35 runs through Harrison County.

“Lots of slide offs, lots of accidents there and Harrison County has actually put out a request for people not to travel,” Bailey says.

Harrison County is located on the Missouri-Iowa border. Impacted towns include Bethany, Brooklyn and Gilman City.

The freezing rain also caused conditions to deteriorate Friday morning on I-35 between Cameron and Kearney. Reporter Jeremy Shields from Missourinet Cameron affiliate KMRN (AM 1360) reports he saw five tractor trailers jackknife this morning in that area. Shields says truck drivers struggled in the ice.

The NWS warns that road conditions across northern Missouri will be treacherous throughout the afternoon, because of heavy freezing rain and sleet. Bailey is urging motorists to stay off the road, if possible.

“If it is still snowing in northeast Missouri, that will probably change in the coming hours as that warm air overspreads the area turning things over to freezing rain up there,” says Bailey.

Freezing rain has also been happening in Trenton today.

As for mid-Missouri, Bailey says temperatures in Jefferson City and Columbia will stay at or below freezing until about 5 p.m., when they are expected to go above freezing. He emphasizes that one degree is critical.

Ice has been reported across central Missouri today, including Jefferson City, Columbia and Boonville.

Bailey also says overpasses and side streets were problematic earlier today in the Kansas City metro. A Lee’s Summit fire truck overturned this morning.

Meantime, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has issued a flood watch through Saturday morning, across the Ozarks. Impacted towns include Springfield, Branson and Lebanon.

More than an inch of additional rainfall is possible tonight, into Saturday.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Andy Bailey, which was recorded on January 17, 2020:

Cierpiot files Missouri Korean War Memorial legislation

January 1, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that would designate a memorial in Kansas City as the state’s official Korean War Veterans Memorial has been filed by a western Missouri lawmaker.

The Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial is located in Washington Square Park in Kansas City (file photo courtesy of Kansas City Parks Department website)

State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, has filed the legislation, which designates the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial in Kansas City for that status.

The Korean War took place between 1950 and 1953.

The memorial, which was dedicated in 2011, is located at Pershing and Main in Kansas City, in Washington Square Park.

The Kansas City Parks Department notes about 37,000 American soldiers died during the Korean War, including more than 900 Missourians. More than 100 of them lived in the Kansas City region.

Cierpiot’s legislation is Senate Bill 656. Missouri’s 2020 legislative session begins on January 8 in Jefferson City.

Haahr: Roeber “will forever be remembered for being a champion for Missouri’s students” (AUDIO)

July 30, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House Speaker describes State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, as a dedicated public servant who will be greatly missed.

House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Chairwoman Rebecca Roeber speaks at the Missouri Capitol on February 19, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, announced Roeber’s death today. The Speaker notes Roeber suffered serious injuries in a March head-on collision on Highway 50 in west-central Missouri’s Syracuse.

“Had been released from the hospital somewhat recently and we thought she was on the mend,” Haahr says. “She was on a family vacation in Colorado and passed away in the night.”

Roeber, who was first elected in 2014, chaired the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. She supported legislation that would have allowed charter schools to expand to Missouri cities and charter counties with a population larger than 30,000.

Charter schools are publicly-funded schools which operate independently of traditional public schools. Under current Missouri law, charter schools are only allowed in St. Louis, Kansas City and in unaccredited school districts.

Speaker Haahr says Roeber “will forever be remembered for being a champion for Missouri’s students.” He says she had a passion to see children develop the tools to succeed in life.

“An incredibly kind person, incredibly talented and cared so much about education, about giving kids the best opportunity forward and it’s a tragedy for the House to lose her,” says Haahr.

Before being elected to the House in 2014, Roeber served as a teacher in the Raytown school district for 17 years. Raytown is a Kansas City suburb.

Haahr tells Missourinet that Roeber was respected by lawmakers in both parties.

“Even when she could be firm, she never seemed angry or upset with people that she worked with and she was just liked across the aisle, universally by everyone,” Haahr says.

After the crash, Roeber did not return to the Statehouse in Jefferson City for the rest of the 2019 session. Speaker Haahr told Missourinet in May that she would need to learn to walk again.

Funeral arrangements for Representative Roeber have not been announced yet.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full three-minute interview with House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, about State Rep. Rebecca Roeber’s death and her education legacy: