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Illegal gambling complaints in Missouri have almost quadrupled in one year

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol testified Thursday in Jefferson City that the number of complaints it’s received about illegal gambling has increased from 39 in 2018 to 145 so far this year.

Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, speaks during a hearing on August 22, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Most of those complaints are about alleged illegal slot machines. Highway Patrol Lieutenant Roger Phillips tells state lawmakers the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) only has two full-time investigators to handle these complaints.

“In recent months, we’ve had such a volume of complaints that we’ve had to pull investigators from other assigned duties to come and help investigate these complaints,” Phillips testifies.

The Patrol’s DDCC is the Patrol’s criminal investigation bureau’s investigative branch. Phillips testified Thursday before the House Special Interim Committee on Gaming.

Alleged illegal slots can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

The Missouri Prosecutors Association also testified at Thursday’s hearing. Prosecutors Association legal counsel Steve Sokoloff says the first criminal case in the state involving alleged illegal slots will go to trial in December in western Missouri’s Platte County.

“I think everybody is waiting to see once there’s a definitive statement I think you’ll find that there will be a lot more willingness to prosecute those cases,” says Sokoloff.

House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, predicts the alleged illegal slot machine issue will end up at the Missouri Supreme Court. Representative Shaul tells Mr. Sokoloff that whichever side loses the Platte County case will appeal.

“It’s a good chance it’s going to end up over here (across the street at the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City). There’s enough money on each side of this argument,” Shaul tells Sokoloff.

“They’re going to try anyway, let’s put it that way,” Sokoloff responds.

“Either side, win or lose, they’re both,” Shaul says. “Right,” Sokoloff responds.

Sokoloff tells lawmakers that all gambling is illegal in Missouri by the Constitution, unless specifically provided for.

State Rep. Jeff Shawan, R-Poplar Bluff, says prosecutors in his southeast Missouri district are dealing with more important violent crime issues than slot machines.

The Missouri Gaming Association describes the slot machines in gas stations and truck stops as illegal, adding that they bypass Missouri voters. The Gaming Association opposes legalizing the video lottery terminals, saying Missouri casinos generated $370 million in state tax revenue in 2018.

The Missouri Gaming Commission has testified that any illegal gaming machines used in Missouri negatively impact casinos and the state Lottery, reducing taxes and funding for education and veterans.

The House committee’s next hearing will be its fourth, and is scheduled for October 24 at the Statehouse. It will be on sports betting.

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Thursday’s Missouri House hearing on alleged illegal slots expected to draw crowd

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Prosecutors Association will testify Thursday in Jefferson City before a House gaming committee investigating the issue of alleged illegal slot machines.

State Rep. Dirk Deaton, R-Noel, speaks at the August 22, 2019 Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming hearing. State Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, is behind him. (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A large crowd is expected to attend the House Special Interim Committee on Gaming hearing, which begins at noon at the Statehouse.

The committee will hear testimony from Missouri State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Justin McCullough and from Missouri Prosecutors Association legal counsel Steve Sokoloff.

During the committee’s last hearing in September, Missouri Lottery Executive Director May Scheve Reardon testified that illegal slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State. She says the I-44 corridor has many of them, and told lawmakers about one Lottery sales representative whose territory goes from St. James to Lebanon.

“Down that I-44 corridor in six months, her route alone was down $800,000. That’s an estimated $3.2 million sales lost for six months,” Scheve Reardon testified on September 5.

Alleged illegal slot machines can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

Committee Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, tells Missourinet that illegal slot machines cost Missouri education at least $50 million last year. He says the illegal machines “are everywhere” in the state and in his district in eastern Missouri’s Jefferson County.

“But I think what we have to worry about is not what happened last year, it’s what’s going to happen next year because this is not a plateau. We are going to continue to see the loss,” Chairman Shaul told Missourinet after the September hearing.

Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director David Grothaus testified in August that any illegal gaming machines used in Missouri negatively impact casinos and the state Lottery, reducing taxes and funding for education and veterans. Grothaus has called for the state to develop a coordinated effort to stop illegal slot machines.

Grothaus notes there’s one pending criminal case in western Missouri’s Platte County, in the Kansas City area.

Thursday is also your first opportunity to testify before the committee, and House officials have encouraged those who want to testify to call ahead. The hearing is expected to last for two to three hours.

Anyone who wants to testify Thursday should call E.J. Fleischmann in Chairman Shaul’s office. That number is (573) 751-2504.

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Missouri state troopers to be visible on road and water throughout Labor Day weekend (AUDIO)

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Every available Missouri state trooper is on the road and water on Friday and will be throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper from the marine division patrols a waterway in 2019 (file photo courtesy of Highway Patrol)

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Scott White says 11 motorists were killed and another 470 were injured in Missouri traffic crashes during the 2018 Labor Day holiday.

“We worked almost 1,100 crashes last year during the Labor Day holiday and we arrested 113 people for driving while intoxicated,” White says.

Sergeant White tells Missourinet troopers are participating in Operation C.A.R.E. this Labor Day holiday weekend. That stands for crash awareness and reduction effort.

“And we know that the peak travel days are going to be Friday and Monday,” says White. “And what that means is we’re going to have as many troopers out there as possible enforcing the speed limit laws, seat belt, impaired driving laws.”

Troopers will also be assisting motorists throughout the holiday weekend.

Meantime, every available Missouri state trooper from the marine division will be on the water throughout the entire Labor Day holiday weekend. White says troopers worked seven boating crashes during the 2018 holiday. None of them involved fatalities.

“All of our marine enforcement troopers will be out there working the waterways,” White says. “And what that means is they’ll be working extended shifts, they’ll be working 10 to 12-hour shifts to make sure that they’re out there.”

White says people tend to be safer when they see state troopers in boats. He urges boaters to check their vessel’s navigation lights and to have spare bulbs on board.

He’s also urging boaters to wear a life jacket and to avoid alcohol. State troopers made 15 arrests for boating while intoxicated during the 2018 holiday.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Scott White, which was recorded on August 29, 2019:

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About 450 Missourians injured in traffic crashes involving school buses in 2018 (AUDIO)

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Missouri state troopers are urging motorists to be careful on the road, as students prepare to begin the 2019-2020 school year.

A Missouri state trooper speaks to students about school bus safety (2019 file photo courtesy of Missouri State Highway Patrol general headquarters)

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz says five Missourians were killed and another 457 suffered injuries in traffic crashes involving school buses in 2018.

“And we want to make sure that anytime they’re (bus drivers) picking up or discharging students that people are stopping for them, if they’re required to stop,” Hotz says.

Captain Hotz reminds you that Missouri law requires drivers to stop when a school bus stops and displays warning signals to load or unload children, on a two-lane road.

He says pedestrian and bicycle traffic will increase near schools and wants drivers to be alert.

“We know that this time of year we’re going to start seeing school buses, we haven’t seen those for several months now,” says Hotz. “But we also see a lot of parents that take their kids to school.”

Hotz reminds children to wear a helmet and follow traffic laws, if they ride a bicycle to school.

He also says most traffic crashes involving drivers under the age of 21 happen between 3 and 4 p.m., when school typically lets out. As the new school year approaches, Hotz encourages parents to tell young people that driving is a full-time job.

“Once they’re (students) leaving school, some of them may be going to jobs, some of them may have practice or whatever, but a lot of times they’re driving around for more recreational purposes,” Hotz says.

He says using a cell phone or texting can be the distraction that leads to a crash, adding that texting while driving is against Missouri law for anyone under the age of 22.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz, which was recorded on August 6, 2019:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Missouri Amber Alert canceled; child and mother found safe in Rolla

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(This story is updated to include the Patrol’s clarification that Frye was ruled out as a suspect)

The Missouri State Highway Patrol logo (courtesy of Patrol Lieutenant Collin Stosberg)

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has canceled an Amber Alert that was issued this afternoon in central Missouri’s Maries County.

State troopers say a suspect abducted Alison Summerford and her child at gunpoint from their Maries County residence. Highway Patrol Sergeant Scott White tells Missourinet Alison Summerford and her child have been located safe in Rolla. He says authorities are still working to determine what happened.

Troopers have described the suspect as a white or Hispanic male with black hair and a black beard, wearing a tee shirt with a dragon on it.

The child is Dominque Summerford, a boy about 10 to 11 months old. The Patrol also says Alison Summerford is five months pregnant.

Troopers originally described the suspect as Terrioun Frye. However, both the Highway Patrol and the Maries County Sheriff’s Department tell Missourinet that Frye has been ruled out as a suspect.

Audit: northwest Missouri bookkeeper used embezzled money on cruises, credit cards

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Missouri’s state auditor says the former bookkeeper for a northwest Missouri road district misappropriated more than $286,000.

Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway briefs Capitol reporters on April 2, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Alisa Nelson)

Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway says former Plattsburg Special Road District bookkeeper Ava Langner allegedly embezzled the money from 2011 to 2018.

Galloway’s office has released a scathing district audit, which says Langner used to money to pay credit cards and for travel on Carnival Cruise Lines. The audit also says Langner used the money for entertainment at locations like Silver Dollar City, the Starlight Theatre and Space Center Houston.

The audit says $76,000 was used to pay Langner’s personal credit card bills.

Langner served as the district’s secretary/treasurer, and was fired by the board in October.

Galloway spokeswoman Steph Deidrick tells Missourinet that Langner has not been charged yet, adding that the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are investigating.

The auditor’s 46-page report notes the Clinton County prosecutor referred the matter to both the Highway Patrol and the FBI.

The state auditor’s public corruption and fraud division released the audit today, giving the district a rating of “poor.”

“This was a brazen betrayal by an official entrusted with public funds, who then tried to cover her tracks by falsifying documents,” Galloway says in a statement. “Restoring public trust and confidence in the district may be a challenge going forward, but it is vitally important that it happen.”

Galloway says a whistleblower contacted her office last fall, regarding potential fraud in the district. Galloway says that after a preliminary investigation found the allegations credible, she asked for and received a request from district officials to conduct an independent audit.

Plattsburg, which is in Clinton County, is southeast of St. Joseph.

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Missouri state troopers to conduct DWI enforcement during Fourth of July holiday (AUDIO)

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol says all available troopers will be patrolling roadways during the long Fourth of July weekend, enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper patrols the Lake of the Ozarks (2019 photo courtesy of Patrol Lt. Collin Stosberg)

Patrol Lieutenant Collin Stosberg is urging you to exercise care on the road.

“Drive the speed limit, be courteous, follow traffic laws and never drink and drive,” Stosberg says.

Missouri state troopers say the Fourth of July holiday weekend is historically one of the deadliest ones on the road because of alcohol. Lieutenant Stosberg says four people died and another 220 suffered injuries in Missouri traffic crashes during the 2018 holiday.

“If everyone wore their seat belt, (if) no one would drink and drive, if motorcyclists wear their helmet and people would obey those traffic laws, we would have zero fatalities,” says Stosberg.

The Highway Patrol says an Independence Day DWI enforcement operation will take place during the entire holiday weekend. Troopers are enforcing all Missouri statutes, including driving while intoxicated and underage drinking.

The 2019 holiday counting period begins Wednesday evening at 6 and goes through 11:59 Sunday night.

Meantime, the Patrol says the Fourth holiday weekend is also one of the busiest boating holidays of the year. Lieutenant Stosberg is urging boaters to be alert for other boats and for swimmers.

“If you’re out (on the water) at night, that seems to be the deadliest crashes,” Stosberg says. “Make sure your navigation lights are on.”

Stosberg also notes evening fireworks displays attract additional night boaters.

Just last weekend, two boats collided at night at the Lake of the Ozarks, killing 39-year-old Jason Russell of mid-Missouri’s Eugene.

Lake traffic is expected to be heavy this weekend. Missourinet Versailles affiliate KTKS (FM 95.1) reports more than 250,000 are expected to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Collin Stosberg, which was recorded on July 2, 2019:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Northwest Missouri suspect dies after reportedly shooting two motorists and firing at trooper

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(News director Brent Martin at Missourinet St. Joseph affiliate KFEQ contributed to this story)

A man suspected of firing shots into two cars and then exchanging gunfire with a trooper has been killed in northwest Missouri, after his vehicle overturned Friday morning on I-35 near Cameron.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) is investigating.

Patrol Troop H Sergeant Jacob Angle tells Missourinet St. Joseph affiliate KFEQ Radio (AM 680) that troopers received a report of shots fired on I-35 at about 7 this morning.

Angle says occupants of two other vehicles suffered non life-threatening injuries, after being shot by the suspect during the pursuit.

“One of our troopers saw the suspect vehicle, which was described as a small red passenger car northbound on Interstate 35 about the 56, 57 mile marker,” Angle tells KFEQ. “Our trooper attempted to stop that vehicle, at which time the vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated.”

Angle says the pursuit continued on northbound I-35 and that the suspect fired shots at the trooper, who returned fire. KFEQ reports the pursuit continued on heavily-traveled I-35 until the suspect lost control of his vehicle, ran off the road and overturned.

Troopers found him dead, pinned underneath the vehicle. The Daviess County Coroner pronounced the suspect dead, at the scene.

Sergeant Angle tells Missourinet the incident remains under investigation. He says the Patrol has not released the suspect’s name, adding that next of kin have not been notified yet.

An autopsy will be performed, to determine cause of death.

The DDCC’s investigation continues, and Sergeant Angle says northwest Missouri’s Clinton County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the motorist shootings along I-35.

The troopers involved in the pursuit were uninjured.

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Gov. Parson’s update on storm recovery, damage assessments: Missouri is making strong progress

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Hawthorne Apartments took a direct hit Wednesday night.

Governor Parson urges Missourians to be prepared to take protective actions over the Memorial Day holiday weekend in which severe weather and flooding are being forecast.

The National Weather Service Kansas City Office expects up to three inches of rain in northwest Missouri by early Saturday morning, resulting in a Flash Flood Watch. The Kansas City NWS office is calling for a total of 4 to 6 inches of rainfall for parts of Missouri over the next seven days. This is now expected to push flooded rivers to higher levels than previously forecast

In Jefferson City, a team of volunteer engineers, architects, building inspectors, and other trained professionals Friday began assessing the exteriors of about 500 homes and buildings believed to have sustained damage to determine which are safe and which should be evacuated.

On Saturday, SEMA’s Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation (S.A.V.E.) Coalition is expected to evaluate about 200 additional structures in Cole County that are reported to have been damaged.

Of the first 321 structures reviewed Friday, the S.A.V.E. Coalition reported the following:

  • 78 Unsafe (Severely damaged and cannot be occupied – Red placard.)
  • 60 Restricted Use (A portion of the building is unsafe – Yellow placard.)
  • 183 Safe for Reentry (Structurally safe to occupy – Green placard.)

Inspectors look for external structural damage, such as partially collapsed buildings, buildings moved off their foundations, leaning buildings, damage to supports, falling hazards from chimneys or walls, or other hazards like gas leaks or downed power lines.

“As I traveled the state yesterday and observed the devastation from Wednesday night storms, I saw people hard at work and lending a hand everywhere I went. Missouri utilities and businesses have brought on extra workers and are working extended shifts; public service workers are doing yeoman’s work, and volunteers are making a difference. The results are clear. Missouri is making strong progress in our recovery from this challenge, ” Parson said.

More updates from Governor’s Office

  • State Facilities Restoration: The Missouri Office of Administration (OA) has taken the following actions so that all state employees can return to work on Tuesday: begun cleanup efforts, worked with contractors to repair damaged buildings and roofs, worked with Ameren Missouri to restore power to several buildings, recovered IT equipment from damaged buildings, and identified temporary work spaces for employees in damaged buildings. At the Division of Employment Security building on Dunklin Street, OA has assisted in moving employees to temporary work spaces and worked to repair the HVAC system, as well as cleaning debris and helping Ameren Missouri restore power to the building.

 

  • Power Restoration: Efforts by Ameren Missouri and Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, bolstered by additional crews, have greatly reduced outages. Friday morning, in the Jefferson City area, Ameren Missouri was reporting about 3,000 outages. Three Rivers Electric was reporting about 900 outages in Cole County and about 250 in Miller County. Power is expected to be completely restored Saturday. There were more than 14,000 total outages on Thursday.

 

  • Communications Restoration: Verizon, which sustained damage that affected 19 sites in the Jefferson City area has deployed three mobile cellular sites and a mobile community center at City Hall to support first responders and affected community members with wireless communications. The company is also providing a recharging station, laptops with internet connectivity, and an air-conditioned mobile facility to support survivors and volunteers. It’s also offering unlimited calling, text, and data for customers impacted by the Missouri tornadoes.

 

  • Communications Restoration: U.S. Cellular, whose service was affected by the storms in Miller, Barton, and Jasper counties, deployed generators and partnered with another carrier to raise call capacity.

 

  • Law Enforcement: In addition to assisting local public safety agencies responding to calls for service, search and rescue, and security details in Jefferson City, Golden City and Carl Junction, the Missouri State Highway Patrol provided 21 of its law enforcement academy recruits to direct traffic in damaged areas of Jefferson City on Thursday. Also, nine Patrol troopers assisted by handling regular police calls for service in the Jefferson City area on Thursday. Patrol aircraft have been assisting with aerial damage assessments.

 

Missouri State Representative Roeber still recovering from vehicle crash

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The Missouri House Speaker says a state lawmaker who was seriously injured in a March head-on collision will need to learn to walk again.

State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri House floor on May 12, 2017 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, tells Missourinet that State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, continues to recover. Roeber is no longer at MU Health Care in Columbia.

“Representative Roeber is now back in the Kansas City area, she continues to receive treatment but at least my understanding is her need for surgeries are done,” Haahr says.

The March collision happened on Highway 50 in west-central Missouri’s Syracuse. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Roeber crossed the center line on Highway 50 and struck a second vehicle.

Roeber, who was first elected to the House in 2014, chairs the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. She will not return to the Capitol this session, which ends Friday at 6 p.m.

Meantime, legislation that would allow charter schools to expand to Missouri cities and charter counties with a population larger than 30,000 is finished for the year.

Chairwoman Roeber is the House sponsor. Her bill is House bill 581. 

House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, tells Missourinet the bill was removed from the House calendar because of the amount of time it sat in the calendar and was not brought up for debate.

Speaker Haahr told Missourinet recently the bill already faced an uncertain future with Roeber out. He noted that charter school legislation would have probably have had come through the Senate first, where it’s already been filibustered.

“If not, we always have next year to work on that issue,” says Haahr.

Proponents of charter school expansion legislation include the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the organization Excellence in Education in Action. Supporters say school choices benefit all in society and that expansion will give more children an opportunity to attend schools that meet their needs.

Bill opponents include the Missouri School Boards Association and the Missouri State Teachers Association. Opponents say removing students from public education impacts the overall district and that the fiscal impact of charter school expansion will hurt public school funding and programs.

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

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