Lee's Summit Archives

Missouri House Speaker and Ethics chair: legislator who resigned should be subject of thorough law enforcement investigation

April 13, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s GOP House Speaker and the GOP House Ethics Committee chair say a fellow Republican state lawmaker who resigned Tuesday is unfit for office and should be the subject of a thorough investigation by law enforcement.

State Rep. Rick Roeber (R-Lee’s Summit) resigned Tuesday (January 2021 photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Rick Roeber (R-Lee’s Summit), who resigned today, was elected to the House in November. His district includes Lee’s Summit and Greenwood. His now adult children have alleged that he abused them when they were young.

Here is the full statement from House Speaker Rob Vescovo (R-Arnold) and Ethics Chairman Travis Fitzwater (R-Holts Summit). It was issued Tuesday afternoon:

“Our caucus and our institution (the Missouri House) have a zero tolerance policy for anyone who would endanger the well-being of a child, and it’s clear that Rick Roeber’s heinous actions make him not only unfit for office, but should also make him the subject of a thorough investigation by law enforcement. To that end we have communicated with the appropriate law enforcement officials to share our concerns about the risk he may pose to other children. The House Ethics Committee did exemplary work in investigating the troubling allegations made by his children and found them to be credible. For far too long, his children were ignored and the abuses they suffered were swept under the rug. We are appalled by the disturbing details uncovered by the committee and ashamed of the way the system failed to protect them from harm. With his resignation today, we take an important step to protect the integrity of the House as an institution, but it’s far more important that we do all we can to seek justice for his children and to ensure he never again causes harm to another child. His resignation allows him to walk away from his duties as a representative, but we cannot allow him to once again walk away from the children he victimized. The committee will release its full report next week and we will continue to communicate with law enforcement on this matter,” the statement reads.

“The Independent” reported Tuesday that Missouri House legislative leaders have asked Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker to help ensure the safety of a minor child, with whom Roeber reportedly has regular contact. Representative Roeber has not been charged with a crime.

The Missouri House Ethics Committee has scheduled Wednesday, Thursday and Friday hearings in Jefferson City, but it’s unclear if they’re related to Roeber.

Roeber is a former project manager for Sprint, and also served as a chaplain for KC Rescue Mission.

Rep. Ingle: Issues with Circle of Hope and other Missouri facilities appear to be systemic (AUDIO)

February 15, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The top Democrat on the Missouri House Children’s and Families Committee was featured Thursday night on NBC’s “Dateline”, for her legislation aimed at facilities like the troubled Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch near Humansville.

State Reps. Keri Ingle (D-Lee’s Summit) and Rudy Veit (R-Wardsville) testify before a Missouri House committee in Jefferson City on
February 10, 2021 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, spoke on-camera to “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison about Circle of Hope, the Agape Boarding School near Stockton and other facilities. She tells Missourinet that the issue with faith-based boarding schools goes well beyond the Circle of Hope.

“This appears to be a systemic issue. We’ve heard about this in not just one facility but facilities across the state,” Ingle says.

Ingle and State Rep. Rudy Veit, R-Wardsville, have filed bipartisan legislation aimed at regulating faith-based boarding schools. Representative Ingle says current state law doesn’t allow any regulation or oversight on residential care facilities for children, as long as the facilities declare themselves as religious.

“That meant that they had absolutely zero oversight at all. There were no regulations, no oversight. And that means no health and safety standards. No background checks, no criminal background checks,” says Ingle.

Click here to read Ingle’s House Bill 560. It’s a six-page bill.

“Dateline” also profiled the story of Colton Schrag, who traveled to Jefferson City last week to testify for Ingle’s bill. Schrag testified that he was physically abused and barely fed while living at the Agape ranch in southwest Missouri’s Stockton. Schrag told lawmakers that he was abused by four staff members at Agape.

Others submitted written testimony to the committee. Another former student at Agape says he was restrained twice there, between 2009 and 2011. The former student testifies he was attacked by a staff member and defended himself, saying he was then punched, kicked, elbowed and molested.

Another student testified that children were forced to eat their own vomit, at a Missouri facility.

Votes on the Ingle and Veit bills are expected this week in Jefferson City.

“I plan to vote the bills out of committee this week,” House Children’s and Families Committee Chairwoman Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, tells Missourinet.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with State Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, which was recorded on February 11, 2021:

Five tornado warnings issued Saturday across southwest Missouri; no deaths or damage reported

January 31, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Saturday’s severe storms across the Ozarks prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield to issue five tornado warnings.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield issued five tornado warnings for southwest Missouri on Saturday (January 30, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

January tornado warnings are rare in Missouri. NWS Springfield officials tell Missourinet there were no deaths nor serious injuries, and there’s no reports of damage at this time.

Southwest Missouri’s Joplin, Neosho, Monett, Pierce City, Goodman and Cassville were some of the communities under tornado warnings.

While there wasn’t severe weather in other parts of Missouri, Kansas City and several other cities received almost a month’s worth of rainfall on Saturday.

The NWS in Pleasant Hill says Kansas City’s normal monthly precipitation amount for January is 1.07 inches. .85 fell in Kansas City on Saturday, while one inch of rain was reported in Lee’s Summit.

Northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph saw .92, while more than an inch of rain fell in northeast Missouri’s Kirksville.

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Jared Leighton says more than one inch of rain fell in both Columbia and Jefferson City. There was heavy rain all day Saturday in both mid-Missouri communities.

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.