St. Louis County Archives

Missouri’s Parson and Galloway to focus on their base in final day of gubernatorial campaign

November 1, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s two main gubernatorial candidates have busy schedules on Monday, one day before election day.

Governor Mike Parson (R) spoke Saturday at a rally in St. Peters with former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. That’s in St. Charles County, which has been a Republican stronghold. It’s an area Republicans need to do well on Tuesday.

The governor campaigns Monday in Jefferson City, St. Joseph, Kirksville, Palmyra, Cape Girardeau and Cassville, continuing his focus on rural towns. U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) will join Parson at the Cassville event, in southwest Missouri.

Ann Dorn, the widow of slain St. Louis Police Captain David Dorn, will join Parson on Monday’s tour, along with former gubernatorial candidate John Brunner and the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association’s Mike Deering.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Nicole Galloway, the state auditor, attended two church services Sunday in St. Louis. She also met with Democrats in St. Louis City and St. Louis County, two jurisdictions that are crucial to Democratic success in statewide races.

Galloway will begin Monday in Columbia, where she will attend a literature drop launch with area Democrats. She also speaks at the Missouri Democratic Party’s election eve rally Monday evening in Kansas City. It will feature all of the party’s statewide candidates: Alissia Canady, Yinka Faleti, Rich Finneran and Vicki Englund.

Galloway continues to focus on hospital closings, noting ten rural Missouri hospitals have closed since 2014.

Parson is focusing on rural values and experience.

Polls will be open Tuesday statewide from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Secretary of State’s office says a combined total of 723,058 mail-in and absentee ballots have already been returned to Missouri election authorities. Most of those are absentee ballots.

Phone scammers impersonating FBI agents from Jefferson City; Missouri victim loses $100,000 (AUDIO)

September 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The FBI is warning Missourians about a new phone scam that fraudulently displays the FBI’s real telephone number on the victim’s caller ID.

Photo courtesy of the FBI

FBI St. Louis Division spokeswoman Rebecca Wu tells Missourinet that a St. Louis County victim lost their life savings of more than $100,000, after scammers posed as FBI special agents from Jefferson City.

“And they actually told the victim to search on the internet the phone number on the caller ID to verify,” Wu says. “And since the scammers spoofed a legitimate FBI office number, the result of course came back as the FBI, so that’s how they fooled the victim in the first place.”

The FBI is urging Missourians to be alert.

“End the call, look up the phone number independently. Don’t use the phone number that was given to you. Look up the phone number and then call that agency,” says Wu.

In the recent St. Louis County case, the FBI’s real telephone number appeared on the victim’s caller ID.

The scammers told the St. Louis County victim that their social security number had been stolen and used to purchase property and stocks in the victim’s name. The scammers also told the victim that to protect the victim’s money, they should wire their life savings to the “FBI” for safekeeping.

The FBI emphasizes that they will never ask or demand money for any reason.

Rebecca Wu says victims in scams like this must take immediate action. The FBI believes the scammers are calling others as well.

“If you’ve wired money and all of a sudden you think you’ve been scammed, the number one thing to do, and you have to do this immediately, is to call that bank that you use to try to recall the wire transfer,” Wu says.

The FBI also urges victims to file an online complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with FBI St. Louis Division spokeswoman Rebecca Wu, which was recorded on September 22, 2020:

Missouri congresswoman: St. Louis County has not distributed $100 million in CARES Act funding

September 13, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri congresswoman who represents St. Louis County on Capitol Hill is calling on county officials to distribute millions of dollars in CARES Act funding.

During a Thursday hearing before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, told colleagues that the CARES Act was signed into law in late March and that St. Louis County received $173 million.

U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner visits Jefferson City on February 25, 2020 (file photo from Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth)

“Four months later, there is still over $100 million unspent federal financial aid, that desperately needs to be distributed,” Wagner says.

Congresswoman Wagner says that includes $47 million for local municipalities, adding that public safety is at risk without these funds.

“Funds are needed to prevent law enforcement layoffs, pay public safety officials and help pay for medical care, housing and other essential services for American communities and families,” says Wagner.

She says she’s spoken to Democratic St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page to express her concerns, and has “had enough.” Wagner voted for the CARES Act in March, and says the dollars are critical to support health and public safety.

Missourinet reached out to County Executive Page’s office for a response and we haven’t heard back yet. However, Page’s spokesman, Doug Moore, tells the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” that an announcement will be made soon.

“We are on track to distribute funds to support our municipalities in compliance with federal regulations and based on need. We’ll be making an announcement soon. Although frustrating to many, we must follow federal guidelines for distribution of these funds. To do otherwise we risk having to return the funds,” Moore told the newspaper.

Wagner chairs the House Suburban Caucus. While the bulk of her district is in St. Louis County, the district also includes parts of St. Charles and Jefferson counties.

Dr. Williams urges younger Missourians to wear masks and to maintain social distancing

August 19, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s health director says it’s important to target younger residents with a specific message of the importance of wearing a mask and social distancing.

White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx speaks to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams at the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City on August 18, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

State Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams told Capitol reporters on Tuesday that he had a discussion with White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, about the issue. They also discussed the importance of testing, on Tuesday.

“We talked about the fact that last week, 45 percent of our cases in Missouri were in three counties: St. Louis, Jackson and St. Charles. So for the whole state of 6.1 million, 45 percent were in three counties,” Williams says.

Dr. Williams says it’s crucial for 20 to 30 year-olds to wear a mask and to practice social distancing. He also says staff from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have been in St. Louis and Kansas City, helping to battle the pandemic.

DHSS says Missouri has now had 70,675 confirmed COVID cases, up from about 68,000 earlier this week.

The state health director says Missouri ranks 16th in the nation for COVID-19 cases, per 100,000 people. Director Williams says Missouri ranked 14th last week.

“We are 14th in the United States for new cases per 100,000. That’s 14th out of 50 states. And we are 18th for our positivity rate over the last seven days,” says Williams.

Dr. Williams says Missouri’s COVID cases are increasing by about 1,100 per day, lower than the national average of 1,600 per day.

He continues to emphasize the importance of the “box-in” strategy for the state’s long-term care facilities. Dr. Williams says 115,000 tests have been conducted in Missouri long-term care facilities, using that strategy.

The “box-in” testing strategy involves testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

Missouri is one of the 20 states that Dr. Birx has visited in the past six weeks, to provide guidance on COVID-19. She participated in a roundtable discussion with Governor Mike Parson and Cabinet members in Jefferson City on Tuesday. They were joined by health, school and community leaders.

During a press conference in Jefferson City after Tuesday’s roundtable, Dr. Birx emphasized the importance of wearing a mask and social distancing. She is also suggesting that Missouri follow Texas’ model, which requires masks in counties with more than 20 cases.

St. Louis County and city begin phase one of reopening plan

May 18, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

Jill Enders reported from St. Louis

Phase one of the reopening of St. Louis County and St. Louis City begins today. County Executive Sam Page outlined requirements for businesses reopening, such as requiring employees to wear masks. He also said it’s recommended that customers also wear masks.

“We highly and strongly recommend that people wear masks whenever they are out in public. We do not intend to enforce that; we believe peer pressure and common sense will enforce that. What I have seen in our community is that just about everyone wants to know what the right thing to do is so they can do it. They understand how devastating this virus has been, how contagious it has been and what great harm it has done to our economy and to people’s lives,” Page said in a Monday morning press conference.

Page said area leaders will be watching statistics on hospital admissions and the ratio of positive to negative tests to track the disease prevalence.

The St. Louis metro region has been hardest hit by COViD-19 cases, totaling 5,713 to date.

He says the easing of restrictions can not be looked at as a return to normal and the next step for the county is working with gym owners for a pathway to re-open safely.

Page also announced the deadline to apply for federal funds for the small business relief program has been extended to May 31.

Missouri insurance officials offer advice to residents impacted by major hail storm

March 30, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A major insurance company says more than 3,100 insurance claims have already been processed in Missouri, from this weekend’s hail storm and severe weather.

Jefferson City received some of the heaviest damage from the March 27, 2020 hail storm (photo courtesy of the Missouri Limestone Producers Association)

About 1,800 of those claims involve vehicles, and the other 1,250 are for homes.

State Farm Insurance says the heaviest damage is reported in mid-Missouri’s Cole County, in the Jefferson City area. Other concentrated areas of damage include eastern Missouri’s Warren, Lincoln, St. Charles and St. Louis counties.

Some residents saw baseball-sized hail, while others saw golf ball-sized hail.

State Farm spokesman Chris Pilcic tells Missourinet that a drone team should be active this week, along with an automobile tent in Jefferson City. The tent will be by appointment only.

The state Department of Commerce and Insurance is requesting that Missourians who have insurance questions or concerns call the department’s Insurance Consumer Hotline.

That number is 1-800-726-7390.

“Severe weather continues to occur, even in the midst of a pandemic. The Missouri Department of Insurance and the entire insurance industry are prepared to assist Missourians as they undertake the recovery process following these storms,” State Department of Insurance Director Chlora Lindley-Myers says, in a news release.

She advises you to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. She also recommends not making permanent repairs until your insurance company has inspected your damage.

Director Lindley-Myers also reminds you to watch the repair contractors who inspect your property. The department says unscrupulous companies will cause damage, to increase the repair cost.

Missouri now has 903 confirmed COVID-19 cases

March 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri health officials have announced that there are now 903 confirmed coronavirus cases in Missouri, in addition to 12 deaths.

Governor Mike Parson delivers his State of the State Address to Missouri lawmakers in Jefferson City on January 15, 2020, as House Speaker Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) looks on (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased from 838 on Saturday. The number was 73 on March 20.

Governor Mike Parson has warned that those numbers will rise.

The first case in Missouri to test presumptive positive happened on March 7 in St. Louis County.

Governor Parson signed a March 13 executive order declaring a state of emergency in Missouri, and he signed another executive order on Friday to start mobilizing the Missouri National Guard to assist with COVID-19 response.

The governor also says the state is working to acquire more personal protective equipment for hospitals, law enforcement, first responders and other emergency services.

Parson says the Missouri Strategic National Stockpile has shipped 42,624 face shields, 5,000 gloves, 2,717 cases of masks and 908 cases of surgical gowns.

Parson describes coronavirus as “a public health emergency”; Missouri now has 73 confirmed cases

March 20, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

State health officials say the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Missouri increased from 46 to 73 on Friday. There are also three deaths: in Jackson, St. Louis and Boone counties.

The death in Jackson County was announced by Governor Mike Parson on Friday afternoon, and the St. Louis County death was announced by St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Friday evening.

State Rep. Joe Runions, D-Grandview, has tested positive for coronavirus. He is seen here speaking on the Missouri House floor on February 18, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Governor Parson briefed Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on Friday afternoon, outside his Statehouse office. The governor says this is a public health emergency, and he predicts the number of confirmed cases will continue to rise as more testing is done.

“The good news to that is we are identifying the people that are testing positive and trying to get them in quarantine and out of the public, so we can help combat the coronavirus,” Parson says.

Parson tells reporters that he is ordering state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams to require social distancing.

“It will be targeted to gathering of more than ten people that will be prohibited,” says Parson. “This order will make statewide restrictions on gathering of people.”

The governor emphasizes this is not about shutting places down, and is designed to promote the health and safety of Missourians.

Parson says this order will not apply to religious services, hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and state government. He’ll announce the details of the order on Saturday afternoon.

Meantime, Missouri House leaders in both parties announced Friday evening that a House member has tested positive for the coronavirus. Missourinet has confirmed that the lawmaker is veteran State Rep. Joe Runions, D-Grandview, who is 79 years old.

House leaders in both parties are requesting that all House employees stay out of the Missouri Capitol, for at least the next ten days.

Parson: Missouri now has 15 confirmed cases of coronavirus

March 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor announced Tuesday night in Jefferson City that there are five new positive cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 15.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson addresses Capitol reporters in Jefferson City, after he declared a state of emergency in Missouri for coronavirus (March 13, 2020 file photo courtesy of the Governor’s office)

Governor Mike Parson says there are now four confirmed cases in southwest Missouri’s Greene County, four in St. Louis County, two in western Missouri’s Cass County, one in mid-Missouri’s Boone County, one in mid-Missouri’s Cole County, one in St. Louis City, one in Jackson County and one in western Missouri’s Henry County.

The governor says the state health lab has tested 267 people for COVID-19. There have been 253 negative patients, while 15 have tested positive.

Governor Parson is starting daily briefings about coronavirus, and the first one is happening tonight at the Statehouse in Jefferson City.

The governor was joined by state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams, State Medicaid Director Todd Richardson and state Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten.

The governor is emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility, and washing your hands.

The governor announced earlier that the state’s 13 riverboat casinos will close at midnight, and will remain closed through March 30. Governor Mike Parson says the aim is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Some of the towns impacted by the casino closings are Boonville, Cape Girardeau, Caruthersville and St. Joseph.

Parson: State of emergency declaration was next appropriate step to protect Missouri’s public health

March 13, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor announced Friday evening in Jefferson City that two more individuals have tested presumptive positive for coronavirus in Missouri.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson addresses Capitol reporters in Jefferson City, after he declared a state of emergency in Missouri for coronavirus (March 13, 2020 photo courtesy of the Governor’s office)

Governor Mike Parson made the announcement during a Statehouse press conference in his office, where he declared a state of emergency. The room was full of television cameras and reporters from across the state.

The governor did not provide specific details of the two additional cases during the press conference, because notifications were still underway. The governor’s office announced later in the evening that one of the two new individuals is a St. Louis County resident, between the ages of 50 and 60. The governor’s office says it’s a domestic travel-related case.

The details on the second new case have not been released yet.

Governor Parson and State Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams say 94 patients have now been tested for coronavirus in Missouri: 90 have tested negative. One has been confirmed positive by the Centers for Disease Control. That case involves a college student from the St. Louis suburb of Ladue.

Three have tested as “presumptive positive.” That includes the two new cases announced Friday evening. Governor Parson announced the third presumptive positive case during a Thursday Springfield news conference, saying it involves a Springfield resident in their 20’s who had recently traveled to Austria.

Governor Parson says his biggest responsibility is keeping all Missourians healthy and safe, telling Capitol reporters that his executive order declaring a state of emergency is the next appropriate step to protect public health.

“I also want to make it clear that the declaration is not intended to close public schools. Schools should seek the guidance of local health officials when thinking about closing their schools,” Parson says.

The governor also emphasizes that Missouri’s hospitals and health care professionals are prepared.

“I want to be clear that the declaration has not been made because we feel our current healthcare system is overwhelmed or unprepared,” says Parson.

He says the emergency declaration is aimed at allowing more flexibility to utilize resources and deploying them across the state, where they’re needed most.

Click here to read Governor Parson’s executive order.

Click here to watch Governor Mike Parson’s full press conference from March 13, 2020 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City.