Nixa Archives - Missourinet

Missouri lawmaker under federal indictment is asked to resign by House Speaker

February 4, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House Speaker is asking a fellow GOP House member to resign her seat, after she was indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for an alleged stem cell fraud scheme. The indictment was unsealed and made public on Monday.

U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announces a 20-count federal indictment against Rep. Tricia Derges on February 1, 2021 in Springfield (photo courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s office)

House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, announced Wednesday that he’s removed State Rep. Tricia Derges, R-Nixa, from all committee assignments.

“After speaking with her and with the caucus, I am asking her to resign her seat with the House. The legal process will ultimately determine her guilt or innocence, but this is clearly a time for her to spend with her family as she focuses on her legal issues, and for the people of the 140th district (in southwest Missouri’s Christian County) to move forward with selecting a replacement who can effectively advocate for their interests,” Speaker Vescovo says, in a written statement.

As for Representative Derges, she remains in the Missouri House. Missourinet contacted her office for a response to Speaker Vescovo’s statement, and she hadn’t responded by this posting.

U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced the 20-count federal indictment during a Monday press conference in Springfield.

“This defendant abused her privileged position to enrich herself through deception,” U.S. Attorney Garrison told reporters on Monday. He also notes the indictment alleges she lied to her patients and to federal agents.

Federal prosecutors say the investigation started “as a result of false or misleading statements” made by Derges in April 2020 to a Springfield television station, about her potential use of stem cells to treat COVID-19.

The 63-year-old Derges was elected to the House in November. Garrison says she operates three Ozark Valley Medical Clinic locations in Springfield, Ozark and Branson.

Missouri lawmakers in both parties critical of Labor Department’s reimbursement request for unemployment overpayments

February 3, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s labor director was grilled by state lawmakers in both parties, during a Tuesday hearing in Jefferson City involving unemployment overpayments and the department’s subsequent request for reimbursement.

State Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on January 13, 2021 (file photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director Anna Hui testified before the Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight, saying the state overpaid more than $150 million in unemployment benefits last year. She also says overpayments are a regular part of the unemployment program.

The $150 million number frustrates committee chairman Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, who notes the number was about $100 million three days ago. Director Hui says the number changes each day.

Director Hui testifies that about 46,000 Missourians have been impacted by the unemployment overpayments, and emphasizes that her department will work with them on a payment plan. She also says it’s critical for Missourians who have received unemployment overpayments to communicate with her department, for a repayment plan.

“And they can cover a number of different things whether it’s offset against future benefits, offset against tax returns, refunds or again, we establish a payment plan,” Director Hui testifies.

Lawmakers in both parties are critical of that. State Rep. Doug Clemens, D-St. Ann, has filed a bill to change current law that mandates that the Labor Department collect on overpayments. State Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, tells Director Hui that a woman he knows has received a letter, asking her to repay $23,000. Brown says the woman doesn’t have the money.

State Reps. Tony Lovasco, R-O’Fallon, and Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, say Missourians who didn’t commit fraud should not have to repay money, because the state made the error.

“I think we need to figure out a way to let these people keep this money because ultimately they’re never going to trust us again if we don’t,” Lovasco says.

As for Representative Merideth, he’s filed a resolution that calls on Governor Parson to forgive the balance of non-fraudulent overpayments.

During the three-hour hearing, State Rep. J. Eggleston, R-Maysville, read a letter from a northwest Missouri teacher who’s being told she must repay $9,000, because of the state’s error. He says the teacher wishes she had been denied unemployment, to begin with.

Lawmakers also learned new details about the pandemic’s impact on the state’s economy and the unemployment system.

Director Hui testifies that Missouri paid out $236 million in unemployment benefits in 2019. That number increased to $5.1 billion in 2020, due to the pandemic.

Missouri House oversight committee chair wants to make sure unemployment issue is being handled correctly (AUDIO)

February 2, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House oversight committee chair says the state overpaid more than $100 million in unemployment benefits last year, and he’s hearing that some residents are being told they’ll have to repay up to $12,000.

State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on January 13, 2021, as State Rep. Don Rone, R-Portageville, (left) listens (file photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

The House Special Committee on Government Oversight will hold a hearing on the issue Tuesday afternoon at 2 in Jefferson City. Committee chairman Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, tells Missourinet it’s important to find out what happened.

“I’m hearing over $100 million now, the first number I heard was $40 million and then $90 million and now it’s over $100 (million) on overpayments, and they’re requesting that money back,” Taylor says.

The committee will hear testimony Tuesday from state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director Anna Hui on what caused the unemployment overpayments. The committee also wants to hear about the department’s subsequent request for reimbursement.

As for Governor Parson, he says Missourians mistakenly paid unemployment benefits by the state should be required to pay the money back. The governor also told the Missouri Press Association on Thursday that “some people did try to defraud the system.”

Director Hui will likely face some tough questions from lawmakers in both parties today. Chairman Taylor says taxpayers who didn’t commit fraud should not have to repay money.

“But I don’t think that these people that, through no fault of their own, they submitted the paperwork, everything was correct on their end and it was the Department (of Labor) who made these erroneous overpayments,” says Taylor.

State Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, has expressed similar concerns. Senator Williams says if the state overpaid someone, that’s on the state, not the individual.

Chairman Taylor is encouraging Missourians who can’t attend today’s hearing to fill out written testimony.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full three-minute interview with State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, which was recorded on February 1, 2021:

Labor director to testify before Missouri House oversight committee about unemployment overpayments

January 29, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

We’ll learn new details next week about what caused unemployment overpayments and the Missouri Department of Labor’s subsequent request for reimbursement.

The Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight has called a Tuesday meeting, where they’ll hear testimony from State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Director Anna Hui. The department told Missourinet this week that $96 million in unemployment benefits were overpaid between last January and September.

Governor Mike Parson told the Missouri Press Association on Thursday that “some people did try to defraud the system,” adding that Missourians mistakenly paid unemployment benefits by the state should be required to pay the money back.

House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, says the committee will also take public testimony at Tuesday’s hearing. Chairman Taylor encourages Missourians who can’t attend the hearing in-person to fill out written testimony and let the committee know how this issue has impacted them.

Taylor, who’s a senior member of the Missouri House, was first elected in 2014. He was re-elected to his fourth and final House term in November.

The ranking Democrat on the committee is State Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson.

Missouri Supreme Court hears arguments in key case involving 2018 labor bill

November 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri Supreme Court heard remote oral arguments on Monday afternoon in a key case involving public-sector employee labor laws.

The Supreme Court heard 36 minutes of arguments in a complicated case that involves a 2018 Missouri bill, that was sponsored by State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa. Republicans describe that bill, House Bill 1413, as paycheck protection, while Democrats view it as anti-labor.

In January, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Joseph Walsh III declared the bill “void in its entirety,” and prevented any of its provisions from being enforced. The state appealed.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer says the trial court erred several times, and emphasizes that no provision of the bill violates public employees’ rights to bargain collectively.

“There’s unrefuted, unrebutted evidence in the summary judgment record in this case that the plaintiffs submitted no evidence at all to refute that directly addresses how the various provisions of House Bill 1413 do protect in advance employees’ ability to select representatives of their own choosing,” Sauer tells the court.

You can read the full 146-page brief submitted by Solicitor General Sauer here.

Seven labor unions that represent public sector employees in Missouri disagree with Mr. Sauer, and are asking the state Supreme Court to affirm Judge Walsh’s decision. Those unions include the Missouri National Education Association, Ferguson-Florissant National Education Association and the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local Union Number 42.

National Education Association attorney Jason Walta, who represented the plaintiffs at the Missouri Supreme Court, says the 2018 bill dramatically curtails public-sector collective bargaining.

“I think that the trial court wrote a very thoughful and excellent decision in this matter. He (Judge Walsh) considered the issues very carefully, and I think that it’s a decision that’s worthy of this court’s affirmance,” Walta tells the Supreme Court.

Counselor Walta says the bill infringes on the rights of employees to bargain collectively. You can read the full 103-page brief submitted by Counselor Walta here.

Because of COVID concerns, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice George Draper III was the only judge in the Jefferson City courtroom on Monday. The other six Supreme Court judges participated remotely, as did Counselors Sauer and Walta. Capitol reporters listened to the arguments remotely.

There is no timeframe on when the Supreme Court will issue a decision.

Missouri public utility crews working to restore power in Louisiana, after Hurricane Delta

October 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

14 lineworkers representing four rural Missouri hometown public utilities worked throughout the weekend to help restore power in hurricane-damaged Louisiana. CNN reports about 320,000 Louisiana residents are without electricity, because of Hurricane Delta.

Linemen from western Missouri’s Harrisonville stop for a quick picture, before leaving for Louisiana on October 8, 2020 (photo courtesy of city of Harrisonville)

Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) spokesman Kerry Cordray says the lineworkers are working in difficult conditions.

“But these guys are great at what they do, and they’re very dedicated to doing their work well, wherever they’re doing it,” Cordray says.

The MPUA crews are from four Missouri municipal utilities: Harrisonville, Nixa, Palmyra and Poplar Bluff. They’re working in Alexandria, which is northwest of New Orleans. Cordray tells Missourinet the damage in Alexandria wasn’t as big as it was for Hurricane Laura six weeks ago.

“If there are still outages in nearby public power communities when restoration at Alexandria is complete, the crews may be made available to another location before coming home,” he says.

Harrisonville is located south of Kansas City, while Nixa is south of Springfield. Palmyra is in northeast Missouri, and Poplar Bluff is in southeast Missouri. Cordray says the four towns have “public power” electric utilities and are part of MPUA.

“These public power utilities (MPUA) are as large as Springfield, Columbia, Independence, but include many smaller towns and rural communities, some with only a few hundred residents,” says Cordray.

MPUA has 79 Missouri members that provide electricity. The Missouri crews in Alexandria are equipped with four bucket trucks, another specialty truck and other linework vehicles and machines.

The town of Alexandria, Louisiana issued a call to the MPUA for mutual aid assistance, which is coordinated through MPUA’s mutual aid network. Towns that assist are reimbursed by the municipal utilities receiving assistance.

Cordray also notes last week was public power week.

14 lineworkers from four Missouri towns heading to Louisiana, because of Hurricane Delta

October 8, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Hometown electric line crews from four rural Missouri towns are driving to Louisiana on this Thursday evening. They’ll perform recovery work after Hurricane Delta hits.

Linemen from western Missouri’s Harrisonville stop for a quick picture, before leaving for Louisiana in the early-morning hours of October 8, 2020 (photo courtesy of city of Harrisonville)

The Weather Channel reports hurricane warnings have been issued for much of southwest Louisiana, which was hammered by Hurricane Laura several weeks ago. Governor John Bel Edwards says Hurricane Laura destroyed 10,000 homes and caused major damage to 35,000 others. The governor says the electrical infrastructure in southwest Louisiana is still being repaired, from Laura.

Hurricane Delta is expected to bring life-threatening storm surges to the Gulf coast.

The Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) says the Missouri crews heading to Louisiana are from Harrisonville, Nixa, Palmyra and Poplar Bluff. Harrisonville is south of Kansas City, while Nixa is located south of Springfield. Palmyra is in northeast Missouri, and Poplar Bluff is in southeast Missouri.

The four towns have public power utilities.

The Missouri line workers will respond to power outages once the storm passes. The town of Alexandria, Louisiana issued a call to the MPUA for mutual aid assistance.

The four Missouri towns are sending a combined 14 lineworkers. They will stage in Alexandria and are equipped with four bucket trucks, another specialty truck and other linework vehicles and machines.

Alexandria, which is northwest of New Orleans, is Louisiana’s ninth-largest city.

The National Hurricane Center expects Delta to reach southwest Louisiana on Friday morning, and move inland on Friday and Saturday.

In August and September, 24 Missouri lineworkers representing six other Missouri hometown utilities assisted Alexandria, following Hurricane Laura.

The mutual aid assistance is coordinated through MPUA’s mutual aid network, and assisting towns are reimbursed by the municipal utilities receiving assistance.

Missouri’s new motorcycle helmet law takes effect on Friday

August 27, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Some Missourians will be able to ride their motorcycles without a helmet, starting Friday. Governor Mike Parson (R) signed legislation into law in July, which gives Missouri motorcyclists the option of riding without a helmet.

Members of the “Freedom of the Road Riders” joined Governor Mike Parson on July 14, 2020 in Jefferson City, when he signed motorcycle helmet repeal legislation into law (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The provision is part of a large transportation bill.

Under current Missouri law, every person operating or riding on a motorcycle must wear protective headgear. But starting on Friday, Missouri motorcyclists ages 26 and older can ride without a helmet, if they have both medical insurance and proof of financial responsibility.

The new law says that qualified operators 26 or older can operate a motorcycle or motortricycle without a helmet if they’re covered by a health insurance policy or other form of insurance, that would provide them with medical benefits for injuries as a result of an accident.

A national highway safety organization urged the governor to veto the bill, saying the helmet law saves lives and prevents life-long brain trauma. The organization “Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety” also worries the new law will be difficult to enforce, saying it will be hard for police to know if a motorcyclist is 26 or older.

State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, and other supporters of repealing the helmet law say it’s an issue of freedom. They say Missourians 26 or older should be able to decide whether or not they want to wear a helmet.

When Governor Parson signed the bill in mid-July, there were members of the organization “Freedom of the Road Riders” inside the Missouri Capitol. Some were outside the building as well. They cheered when they learned the bill was being signed, with some saying “freedom.”

The group’s members from across the state travel to Jefferson City each year to ask lawmakers to support the helmet repeal.

The new law, which is House Bill 1963, includes several other provisions, including Hyperloop language. It also creates the Christopher Ryan Morton and Gary Lee Michael Memorial Highways in west-central Missouri’s Henry County.

Morton and Michael were Clinton Police officers killed in the line of duty, in recent years. Michael was killed in 2017, and Morton died in 2018.

Utility crews from six Missouri towns are working to restore power in Louisiana (AUDIO)

August 27, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Forecasters are saying that Hurricane Laura is the most powerful hurricane to hit the state of Louisiana in 150 years. The “New Orleans Times-Picayune” reports the storm made landfall as a category four storm, bringing strong winds and a crashing storm surge.

Hurricane Laura made landfall as a category four storm. It damaged the Tiger Stop gas station in Alexandria, Louisiana, which is northwest of New Orleans (photo courtesy of Alexandria’s Facebook page)

The Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) says hometown utility crews from six Missouri towns are in Alexandria, Louisiana this afternoon. They are staging there and are working to clear roads and to restore power.

“These are public power utilities,” MPUA spokesman Kerry Cordray says. “These are hometown utilities that are part of the Missouri Public Utility Alliance’s mutual aid network.”

Mr. Cordray says the utility crews working in Louisiana are from Hannibal, Harrisonville, Higginsville, Macon, Nixa and Rolla. 24 lineworkers are in Alexandria, which is a city of about 47,000 residents.

Alexandria, which is northwest of New Orleans, is Louisiana’s ninth-largest city. Cordray says the Missouri lineworkers are in difficult conditions.

“Even just getting access to the areas, you know, lots of roads have to be cleared, they have to be careful for flooding to make sure their safety is absolutely first,” says Cordray.

The six Missouri towns with lineworkers in Louisiana have “public power” electric utilities.

Hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents remain without power.

“They (lineworkers) roll out, equipped and ready to hit the road and assist the local utility to get poles back up and lines back up,” Cordray says.

He says the Missouri crews have lots of equipment and vehicles.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with Missoui Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) spokesman Kerry Cordray, which was recorded on August 27, 2020:

Missouri motorcycle helmet legislation is still under review

June 10, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor is still reviewing legislation that would allow some motorcyclists to ride without a helmet.

State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on February 20, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The provision is included in a large transportation bill that is now on Governor Mike Parson’s desk. Parson’s spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, told Missourinet on Wednesday that the large bill is still under review.

Current Missouri law requires every person operating or riding a motorcycle to wear protective headgear.

The provision in the transportation bill would allow riders 26 and older to operate a motorcycle without a helmet, if they have both medical insurance and proof of financial responsibility.

A national highway safety organization is calling on the governor to veto the bill, because of the helmet provision. The organization “Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety” says the helmet law saves lives and prevents life-long brain trauma.

The group also says it will be difficult to enforce, saying it will be hard for police to know if a motorcyclist driving by is 26 or older.

The organization “Freedom of the Road Riders” also supports the repeal. Their members travel to the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City each year to ask lawmakers to support a helmet repeal.

This is a perennial issue that’s been debated annually at the Capitol for more than 25 years.

At least three governors, including GOP Governor Parson, have vetoed helmet repeal legislation. Governor Parson vetoed a broad bill in 2019, that included a helmet repeal. The governor’s objections were to a different part of that overall bill.

Then-Governor Mel Carnahan (D) vetoed a similar motorcycle helmet bill in 1999, and then-Governor Jay Nixon (D) vetoed a similar bill in 2009. None of those three vetoes were overridden.