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Flags to fly at half-staff at all Missouri fire stations on Saturday to honor McCormick (AUDIO)

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Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday morning in Lee’s Summit for a firefighter/paramedic who died Sunday (January 5) while battling a house fire in western Missouri’s Peculiar.

State Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, addresses the Missouri House about the death of firefighter Charles McCormick during a January 8, 2020 floor speech. State Rep. Joe Runions, D-Grandview, is to Haffner’s right (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The service will begin Saturday at 11 a.m. at Abundant Life Church. Firefighters from across the state are expected to attend.

Governor Mike Parson has ordered U.S. and Missouri flags to be flown at half-staff at every fire station in Missouri on Saturday, in honor of Charles McCormick. The governor has also ordered flags to be flown at half-staff Saturday at the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri, which is located in mid-Missouri’s Kingdom City. Flags will also be at half-staff at all government buildings in Cass County.

“Firefighter-paramedic Charles McCormick lived his life as a devoted public servant committed to protecting others,” Governor Parson said in a written statement. “He made the ultimate sacrifice, and he will always be remembered for his legacy of bravely serving his community, state and nation so that others could be safe. Firefighter-Paramedic McCormick’s tragic passing serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by members of Missouri’s fire service, who take on risks each day to protect their neighbors and people they may never meet.”

During Wednesday’s opening day of the 2020 legislative session in Jefferson City, the Missouri House honored the 30-year-old McCormick with a moment of silence.

State Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, asked Cass County’s House delegation from both parties to join him. State Rep. Joe Runions, D-Grandview, stood at Haffner’s right, with other delegation members nearby.

“We’re deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” Haffner said on the House floor. “Our first responders make great sacrifices to serve and protect.”

Representative Haffner praises Mr. McCormick’s military service and his courage. McCormick served in the Missouri National Guard’s 1135th Engineer Company from 2011 to 2014.

“We’re eternally grateful for his service and his sacrifice. On behalf of the people of the great state of Missouri, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his fellow firefighters, particularly to his family,” Haffner said on the floor.

Governor Parson says McCormick is survived by his wife and three young sons.

Click here to listen to the Missouri House floor comments from State Rep. Mike Haffner, which took place on January 8, 2020 in Jefferson City:

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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

 

Governor Parson activates National Guard in storm recovery and preparation

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From the Governor’s Office

Governor Mike Parson today activated the Missouri National Guard as the state continues to respond to damage from flooding, tornadoes, and severe storms — while still under the threat of additional flooding and severe storms this week.

Governor Parson said in a press release, “Missouri has been battling historic flooding since March, which is depleting local resources, and now flooding conditions in many parts of the state are only getting worse. In addition, communities from Carl Junction to Jefferson City are facing the challenge of recovering from tornadoes and severe storms, further challenging civilian resources. The Guard has demonstrated its capabilities in response to natural disasters across Missouri, and I know they’ll make a difference at this critical time.”

Guard units will be deployed to support Chariton County, by sandbagging to reinforce a stressed levee near Brunswick. The Guard will also be staging and utilizing high-water vehicles to support flood response operations in Jefferson City.

Governor Parson says additional severe storms are possible for parts of Missouri on Memorial Day, and there is an elevated risk of potentially damaging severe storms for much of the state on Tuesday, May 28.

 

Missouri-Tennessee crowd boos during National Guard swearing-in ceremony

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Boos were heard from the crowd at the Missouri-Tennessee game Saturday at the mention of the President.

New members of the Missouri National Guard were sworn in a halftime and during their oath, at a line that says, “I will obey the orders of the President of the United States,” members of the crowd were heard booing.  Several in the crowd said it was clear the boos came at the mention of the President.

Representative Clem Smith (D-Velda Village Hills) says he is “embarrassed and angry” at those who booed, saying they disrespected the men and women of the military and saying the swearing-in ceremony was not the proper place for such a display.

More learned about 1,200 year old village site on National Guard property (AUDIO/PHOTOS)

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Archaeologists have been back on the grounds of the Missouri National Guard’s training site at Jefferson City studying the site of a 1,200 year-old Native American village there. They were looking for signs that the site might not be a seasonal camp as been believed, but a more permanent site.

Archaeologists at the Ike Skelton Training Center at Jefferson City discovered three post holes, indicating a possible home or other permanent structure at a 1,200 year-old Native American village site. Two of them, which overlap, are pictured here.

Archaeologists at the Ike Skelton Training Center at Jefferson City discovered three post holes, indicating a possible home or other permanent structure at a 1,200 year-old Native American village site. Two of them, which overlap, are pictured here.

Archaeologist Joe Harl with the Archaeological Research Center says they found some in the form of pit structures.

“Pits are features or remains of house structures or storage pits, cooking pits, fire hearths, those kinds of things. What we found are the remnants of three posts that probably are related to a house or some other activity.”

AUDIO:  Harl explains how archaeologists find a post hole.

Harl says other findings on the site would also indicate that this site was used more than just seasonally.

Two post holes overlap in the upper-right of this plot. Archaeologists dug out a third post hole, at the left looking for evidence of earlier habitation.

Two post holes overlap in the upper-right of this plot. Archaeologists dug out a third post hole, at the left looking for evidence of earlier habitation.

“When you’re getting a number of pottery vessels for instance, you’re not going to be carrying those around with you. At a special processing site you may have some pottery vessels but not that quantity we’re finding, and then the number of tools we’re finding also suggest that it was a permanent village site.”

Harl says the site is well-preserved because it is under about two feet of sediment deposited by Missouri River flooding, and topsoil that was farmed for 150 years.

“It’s been cut a little bit but not too much because of all the flood deposits on top of it, and so this looks like it could have intact remains that you don’t see, and the bone preservation and the plant preservation was really good at this site as well.”

The bones he refers to are animals bones, that combined with the plant material, show what the people there were eating and raising.

AUDIO:  What were the people at this site eating?

Harl says though none have been found, he believes there are “definitely” human burials at the site.

AUDIO:  Harl discusses the possibility that human remains exist at the site.

The markings on these fragements of pottery are thought to have been left by cords use in their production. Numerous pottery fragments have been found at the National Guard training center site, and are among the evidence that it was more than a seasonal campsite.

The markings on these fragments of pottery are thought to have been left by cords use in their production. Numerous pottery fragments have been found at the National Guard training center site, and are among the evidence that it was more than a seasonal campsite.

The team also found several artifacts including pottery shards and projectile points.

“The points we’re finding we know dated after 700 A.D. when they developed the bow and arrow … The pottery, though, looks like it dates to about 1000 A.D.” The pottery fragments that have been found have either smooth sides, uneven marks made by cords used in their production, or even cord markings. Those markings, or lack thereof, help indicate their age.”When they smoothed the upper rim, they started doing that about 950 A.D. or after that time. After about 1050 or 1100 A.D. they actually would sometimes smooth the whole vessel and then put in size lines, like one of the ones that we found.”

No remains of ornately decorated pottery have been found, and that is also telling.

“Those really fancy pots with animal head effigies on them or fancy incisions or lines drawn in them … those usually occur at the bigger sites, the market centers, where at the common, everyday farming sites, they tend to keep using that cord marked pottery. That’s because those vessels work better at cooking foods in better than the big, rounded, flat-bottomed fancy pots that were more popular at the big market centers.”While people often think of Native Americans as being associated with specific tribes, Harl says it is very difficult in Missouri to tie a site to any specific group.

“The problem is, especially for the eastern half of the state, is that people left this area and it’s a real mystery because from right at the end of the Ice Age when people first came here until 1,400 A.D., this area had some of the highest populations in the country because of all the natural resources and the right deposits and food deposits that are here. This area always had a high population and the real mystery is why in 1,400 A.D. they abandoned most of eastern Missouri.”

AUDIO:  Harl on the prehistoric exodus from Missouri.

Harl says some large projectile points found at the site might indicate that it was used as much as 4,000 years ago, but digging deeper into the soil for evidence of habitation that far back has so far yielded none. He says further investigation into that possibility is needed.  He adds, large points can be deceiving.  They are typically associated with spears and were phased out with the advent of the bow and arrow, but reemerged in later cultures for use as hafted knives.

Follow this link to a previous story on this site, including a set of photos of some more artifacts found there.

National Guard deployed in response to flooding in south Missouri

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Governor Jay Nixon has deployed 50 military policemen with the Missouri National Guard to work with local authorities in flood response in southern Missouri.

The City of Rolla's Fire and Rescue posted this photo on its Facebook page of flooding over East- and Westbound I-44 at Jerome, MO.

The City of Rolla’s Fire and Rescue posted this photo on its Facebook page of flooding over East- and Westbound I-44 at Jerome, MO.

Governor Nixon has spoken to elected officials in Laclede, Miller, Phelps and Pulaski Counties and yesterday declared a state of emergency after heavy rains caused flash flooding and at least one confirmed death in the Waynesville area. That action activated the state Emergency Operations Plan, allowing coordination between state agencies and local jurisdictions.

The Governor has directed the Highway Patrol to keep additional marine operations troopers, a rescue helicopter and associated assets in place until the threat has passed.

Nixon had earlier cancelled a planned roundtable in Waynesville with emergency management officials in light of the continued flood response.

The State Emergency Management Agency is monitoring conditions.

The forecast for the region includes more rain chances through as late as Tuesday.

Missouri National Guard soldier dies in Guatemala

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A Missouri National Guard soldier died Monday while serving in a humanitarian mission in Guatemala.

This screenshot comes from a report filed by Staff Sergeant Robert Traxel while in Guatemala. Image courtesy, the Missouri National Guard.

According to initial reports, 34-year-old Staff Sergeant Robert Traxel of Union was struck in the head by a tree limb that was blown down by a helicopter during a training exercise.

Traxel was a public affairs broadcast specialist with the 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment based in Jefferson City. He joined the Guard on April 19 after serving for more than seven years in the Army and Marines. He was conducting annual training and reporting on the Guard’s role in Beyond the Horizon Guatemala 2012, as part of the U.S. Army South’s continuing mission in Central America.

Traxel served in Afghanistan in 2008 and in Iraq in 2011 and had received numerous decorations. Those included the Army Achievement Medal, second award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ two campaign stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Service Ribbon and the Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Traxel was a married father of four and formerly worked as a Florissant police officer.

In a statement Governor Jay Nixon said, “The family, friends and colleagues of Staff Sgt. Traxel are in our prayers, as we remember this brave Citizen-Soldier who served not only in the Guard, but also during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as both an active duty Soldier and Marine. He answered the call of duty many times, and our state and nation are grateful.”

Traxel filed his final report from Guatemala on June 29.  It can be seen on the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System website.

Missouri National Guard mission in Honduras ending

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The Missouri National Guard is preparing to welcome home soldiers that have been in Honduras since March, involved in building needed infrastructure and providing medical care.

Lt. Col. Robert Jones, commander of Task Force Tropic, helps cut the ribbon outside the newly-built school in Morales, Honduras June 27. Photos courtesy, the Missouri National Guard.

The deployment was part of the U.S. Army South’s Beyond the Horizon-2012 mission. Task force commander Lieutenant Colonel Robert Jones of Cape Girardeau says his team also provided medical services at three locations.

“In the first med-ready we had 5,203 patients and they performed almost 6,000 procedures … and we had our second med-ready … and they saw a little over over 9,000 patients and they had just a little bit over 24,000 procedures.”

Soldiers also saw over 900 dental patients and veterinarians saw over 2,500 animals.

The mission also included a lot of construction work.

“We built two schools and built two clinics … one clinic being an eight room clinic.” Soldiers also helped build a 175 meter street in La Lima.

The mission included thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen from 15 states and territories and multiple branches.

National Guard and Reserve soldiers from Missouri, Minnesota, Florida, Tennessee and Texas spent weeks building a school in Micheletti, Honduras. Photos courtesy, the Missouri National Guard.

Jones and four other Missouri National Guard soldiers were also recognized in a closing ceremony last week, for their contributions in the mission. He and Captain Michael Paluczak of St. Louis, 1st Lieutenant Arturo Ibarra of Purdy, 1st Lieutenant Johnny Robey of Jefferson City, and Sergeant Major Scott Mayer of Lee’s Summit were awarded certificates of recognition signed by Major General Rene Arnoldo Osorio Canales, the Honduran chairman of the joint staff.

Jones says the Missouri Guard members will return in the next week.

National Guard looking for Officer Candidate School alumni

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The National Guard wants to extend more than 900 invitations to alumni of its Officers Candidate School. There have been problems locating all of them, however.

Spokesman Bill Phelan explains, “When the Officer’s Candidate School started in 1962, everything was kept on paper. Apparently over the years, some of these paper documents were not transferred to computers. Adding to this difficulty is that the Officer’s Candidate School originally started in the State of California, then moved to another state before it was eventually located in Missouri.”

The school graduates its 50th class in September in Jefferson City and the Guard is inviting all alumni to be there. Those who want to learn more can find information on the Guard’s website, or by calling Staff Sergeant Joshua Gallagher at (573) 329-9008.

Students help excavate 1200 year-old village on MO National Guard property

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Between the Missouri National Guard’s Ike Skelton Training Center and Algoa Correctional Center, out in a field on Guard property and about a meter beneath the surface of the earth lie the possible remnants of a Native American settlement.

The site is believed to have been occupied off-and-on as early as about 800 A.D. until about 1200 A.D. according to Regina Meyer, Cultural Resource Manager for the Guard. Meyer has a background in archaeology and has been doing unfunded work there on a volunteer basis.

She says the village was what archaeologists call a “multi-component site: It was used and abandoned, used and abandoned and over the years…I’m talking many years…people would pick up the habitation again. The layers would deposit on top of each other, and you’d have some flooding because it is right on the (Missouri) River in the bottomland.”

Only a few, one meter square pits have been opened. Meyer says its overall size remains unknown, but she guesses it takes up about 20 acres of the 80 acre field.

The people there were most likely living by hunting, fishing and gathering, and using the nearby Missouri River for transportation. Digs have turned up hearths, trash pits and artifacts as much as three feet down, which Meyer says indicates long-term occupation. “If we can just locate some post molds, I think we’ll have our proof.” Those molds would be evidence of homes or other more permanent structures.

What’s been found

Most of those artifacts have been churned up by 70 years of farming; in part of that time by the inmates at Algoa.

Still, Meyer says a lot of interesting artifacts have been revealed including arrowheads, ceramics and faunal remains, which provide evidence of what food the people ate. Stone tools include drills, scrapers for treating animal hides, and a spokeshave which is used to straighten wooden shafts for use in things such as arrows. She estimates about 40 tools have been found, along with the flakes of chert that result from production.

The amount of pottery coming from the site is the most Meyer says she has seen from any Guard property in the state. “The amount that we get from each unit in each level, the largest percentage of artifacts we have is ceramic…the ceramic pottery. And, the different types with the different decorations is quite a lot.”

No human remains have been discovered, and Meyer does not anticipate finding any.

The village isn’t the oldest site on the Guard’s property in the area.  Meyer says higher up and further away from the River is a place that was used by humans in the Early Archaic period (ca 7500-6000 B.C.). 

It was studied three years ago and yielded a few artifacts.  Meyer says, “It was probably intermittently used…seasonal.  It wasn’t a permanent site.  More the hunter-gather culture.  It wasn’t really closely related to the site below.” Its presence says something about the overall property, however.  “The area is an excellent area for food procurement and travel, once again, with the Missouri River right there.”

Teaching tomorrow’s archaeologists

Meyer is involving area youth in her work. In each of the last two autumns, she and others have worked in the field for about a week at a time. After excavation pits are opened up and the material from them is gathered into five gallon buckets, students from area middle schools sift through it to recover the artifacts. “Then they have the excitement and the education of seeing the artifacts for the first time. We teach them about what archaeology is and all the methodology involved with it.”

As for the site’s long-term future, Meyer hopes to continue bringing students out for the field school. “Archaeology is the educational tool for our future. If students know how to protect archaeological sites and know our history and our past, then I think it’s wonderful.”

However, if the funding were provided Meyer would like to expand the work to “…a true phase 1 archaeological site to know the boundaries of the site and find more information, and have something officially written up. But, I’d always like to offer the educational outlet for the students”

Teachers who would like the opportunity to bring a class to the site should contact the museum or the Environmental Office at the Missouri Army National Guard.

Those who want to see the artifacts will find them at the museum on the Training Center grounds.  See a few of them in the picture set below (click the button in the lower-right to see a full screen picture viewer).