Nixa Archives - Missourinet

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.

Heavy rain heading to far southern Missouri; forecasters warn of possible flooding (AUDIO)

November 6, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield says far southern Missouri towns could see two to three inches of rainfall by Thursday morning.

The National Weather Service in Springfield says heavy rainfall is expected overnight in far southern Missouri (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)

NWS Springfield warning coordination meteorologist Steve Runnels says Branson, Gainesville and West Plains could see three inches of rain.

“We’re going to see just a ton of rainfall coming out of Oklahoma moving into the southern part of Missouri during the course of the evening into the overnight hours,” Runnels says. “It’s something that’s kind of unusual for this time of the year.”

Runnels says prolonged rain could cause low-lying areas to flood, and warns about possible flooding after dark.

“People that are traveling along Highway 60 and on south should be anticipating very heavy rainfall starting sometime mid to late evening and lasting into the nighttime hours,” says Runnels.

Runnels says far southwest Missouri’s Anderson will also see heavy rainfall. Further north, Springfield and Nixa are expected to receive at least an inch of rain.

Click here to listen to the full two-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield warning coordination meteorologist Steve Runnels, which was recorded on November 6, 2019:

Nixa’s Frerich turns on the speed late to punch her ticket to Rio in Women’s Steeplechase (VIDEO/AUDIO)

July 9, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Courtney Frerichs (back left), passes Colleen Quigley (back right) as they chase Emma Coburn. All three are U.S. Olympians (NBCSN screen shot)

What a year it’s been for Nixa, Missouri’s Courtney Frerichs. After graduating from UMKC, she just completed her first year of graduate studies at New Mexico. She led the Lady Lobos to the NCAA DI cross country title in the fall, and then won the 3,000 meter steeplechase and setting the collegiate record with a time of 9:24 at the NCAA Championships back in June.

Follow Frerichs on Twitter

On Thursday night, Frerichs was back in Eugene, Oregon competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Emma Coburn won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:17.48.

Frerichs was a distant fourth heading into the final lap well behind Coburn, Stephanie Garcia and Colleen Quigley. On the back stretch, Frerich kicked it in gear closing the gap. Garcia fell over the final barrier making it a three-person race down the stretch as Frerich’s pulled ahead of Quigley at the end, a teammate of hers from the Bowerman Track Club, for second place. All three are headed to Rio.

Watch the final lap

An excited and exhausted Frerich was interviewed by NBCSN after the race.

“This year couldn’t have gone more perfect,” said Frerichs. “To be with these two girls (Coburn and Quiqley), I’m just so happy.”

Helias Catholic and Nixa open the 2014 football season on ESPNU, Sunday, August 24th

July 1, 2014 By Bill Pollock

Helias defenders tackle a Marshall running back. (photo/Pam Bax, Helias High School website)

The Helias Cathohlic Crusaders from Jefferson City will open the 2014 football season Sunday, Aug. 24, with a game against the Nixa Eagles that will be televised by ESPNU from Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City, Mo.

Nixa, a Class 5 school finished 9-2 last season and beat Branson before losing to Springfield-Kickapoo in the quarterfinals of last year’s Show Me Bowl. Helias, a Class 4 school, is coming off back-to-back appearances in the Show Me Bowl finals, where they finished runner-up to Webb City.

Helias was set to move forward with a game on ESPNU against Rock Bridge, but the deal fell through. The ESPN Network approached Helias once again about the Nixa game and both schools agreed.

“We’re looking forward to the opportunity to showcase our football program, our school and the entire Jefferson City community,” Helias head coach Phil Pitts told the Jefferson City News Tribune.

The Nixa Eagles will be featured on ESPNU this August 24th. (photo/TalonTalk.com)

The game, originally scheduled to kick off on Friday, Aug. 22, was re-scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start that Sunday and if heat is an issue, the start time could be pushed back to later in the day.

Both schools will receive a stipend for agreeing to appear in the game.