St. Louis Archives - Missourinet

Missouri’s governor to call special legislative session about violent crime (AUDIO)

July 6, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor confirms he plans to call a special session later this year, to address violent crime in the state. Governor Mike Parson (R) made his comments Monday at the Statehouse in Jefferson City, in response to a question from Missourinet.

Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (right) applauds as Governor Mike Parson delivers his State of the State Address on January 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The governor says it’s a critical issue.

“I think I’ve talked to most of the mayors for weeks now, about the issue of crime,” Parson says.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is asking the governor to call a special session about crime, saying his city is at a “crisis point”. There have been at least 101 homicides in Kansas City this year, and the “Kansas City Star” reports 2020 is on pace to be the city’s deadliest year on record.

Across the state in St. Louis City, Missourinet contributor Jill Enders reports 24 people were shot over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, seven of them fatally. One of them was a four-year-old boy.

The governor says he had a good phone conversation this weekend with Kansas City’s mayor.

“We talked about some of the officer shootings they’ve had, more on the violent crime side,” says Parson. “I emphasized to him I thought through the legislative process last year we should have got some key elements done. He agreed that that should have been done.”

Mayor Lucas notes two Kansas City Police officers were shot last week. He also says criminals shot into an apartment building last week, killing a four-year-old sleeping inside.

Mayor Lucas wants to see funding increased for witness protection, and wants more tools for law enforcement to be able to interrupt conspiracies to commit murder.

It’s unclear when the special session will start.

One of the key proposals in Governor Parson’s January State of the State Address was about $1 million in funding for witness protection, in an effort to battle increasing violence in urban cities.

Despite bipartisan support in both chambers, the measure did not pass.

State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, is a strong supporter of witness protection, telling Missourinet at the January State of the State that witnesses fear retribution.

“I hear law enforcement say that very thing that there are people that they know that know who these individuals are that are committing these crimes but they’re scared to death to come forward because they don’t want to be the next victim,” Basye said that day.

Mayor Lucas, Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, St. Louis Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones were special guests at the January State of the State Address.

There were 194 homicides in St. Louis and 148 in Kansas City in 2019.

Click here to listen to Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s response to Brian Hauswirth’s question about a special session on violent crime, and about the governor’s phone conversation this weekend with Kansas City’s Mayor:

$2 billion in unemployment claims paid in Missouri during pandemic; work search requirements to resume July 5

June 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

State officials say the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR) has paid more than $2 billion in unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Director Anna Hui briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on June 16, 2020, as Governor Mike Parson listens (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

DOLIR Director Anna Hui says initial unemployment claims have dropped from about 100,000 in late March to about 20,000 in early June. She says America’s unemployment program was designed and is intended to be a temporary, partial replacement of income.

“Since March 28, eligible Missouri claimants have been receiving an average weekly benefit payment of nearly $900, which includes the $600 federal supplement,” Hui says.

Director Hui tells Capitol reporters in Jefferson City that a system that rewards individuals to be unemployed is unsustainable.

“According to a recent University of Chicago study, two-thirds of people getting unemployment are receiving more than what they earned from their jobs,” says Hui.

Director Hui says that study found that 20 percent of those on unemployment are receiving two times or more in their benefits, than what they used to make.

DOLIR says that starting on July 5, Missourians who want to continue to receive unemployment benefits will be required to perform three work search activities per week. Those activities include filing an application, attending a job fair, and job interviews.

Hui says the work search waivers were put in place during the height of the pandemic and were designed to help the economy, businesses and families during a time of total shutdown.

The state Department of Economic Development (DED) says Missouri’s May unemployment rate was 10.1 percent. While that is an improvement from April’s 10.2 percent rate, DED notes it’s three times higher than the May 2019 rate.

One issue that several rural Missourinet listeners have raised is the digital divide, specifically the lack of broadband access in parts of rural Missouri. Missourinet asked Director Hui about that issue, during the recent media briefing at the Capitol.

State officials have announced today that Missouri Job Centers have started reopening to the public. The St. Louis, St. Charles and Springfield facilities are now open.

Job seekers and displaced workers who have questions or who lack internet access can still access services by phone, by calling 1-888-728-5627.

Missouri Congressman wants investigation into Minneapolis PD; Kansas City Police hit with frozen water bottles Saturday (AUDIO)

May 31, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s senior Democrat on Capitol Hill is condemning the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, saying that systematic racism and excessive force led to Floyd’s death.

U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, briefs reporters at Jamestown Mall in Florissant on May 30, 2020 (photo courtesy of Congressman Clay’s Twitter page)

U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, spoke Saturday at an Urban League food distribution event in Florissant, which is a north St. Louis County suburb.

“That video doesn’t lie, and the whole world is watching,” Clay tells the audience. “George Floyd was not resisting arrest, he was resisting strangulation.”

Former officer Derek Chauvin is charged in Minnesota with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Congressman Clay is calling on the other three officers and a medic to be charged as accessories.

“The medic who made no effort to save his (Floyd’s) life,” says Clay.

Congressman Clay, a senior member of the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee, is calling on the Justice Department to investigate the Minneapolis Police Department. He wants to see a sweeping consent decree, similar to what happened in Ferguson.

“Unless white America finally sees us and respects us and is willing to mutually recognize our humanity as black people, as much as their own, our country will never heal,” Clay says.

He says the Ferguson consent decree has “totally transformed the local government and the police department” there.

Congressman Clay is extending his condolences to George Floyd’s family.

“It’s clear that he was a beloved man who lived his life for others,” says Clay.

During his remarks at the former Jamestown Mall site, Congressman Clay also spoke directly to what he describes as “my white allies in the progressive movement, who regularly expect black leaders to stand with you to advance your core agenda.”

“Will you stand with us now, will you make a difference in this country and face this evil in its entirety?”, Clay asks.

Florissant is near Ferguson, which was the site of the Michael Brown incident in August 2014.

Brown’s father, Michael Brown Sr., traveled to Minnesota this weekend to show support for the community there. He tells our sister network, the Minnesota News Network, that what’s happening in Minneapolis reminds him of what happened to his son.

18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot during a confrontation with then-Ferguson officer Darren Wilson. The Obama Justice Department cleared the officer of criminal wrongdoing, and a St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict him.

Meantime, things turned violent this weekend in Ferguson. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports protesters launched fireworks at officers, smashed windows to Ferguson police headquarters and looted a beauty supply store.

The “Post” reports police deployed tear gas, in response.

Across the state in Kansas City, the Kansas City Police Department says it made 85 arrests Saturday night, after significant damage to businesses on the Plaza.

“Nearly all officers hit with frozen water bottles or rocks. Two officers hospitalized from being struck, one with an injury to the temple and one with a lacerated liver,” Kansas City Police tweeted Sunday.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) has activated the Missouri National Guard, and has signed an executive order declaring that a state of emergency exists in Missouri, due to civil unrest.

The governor says citizens have the right to peacefully assemble and to protest.

“Violence and destruction are not the answers. I support those who are calling for justice and peace. However, a small element has seized on these peaceful demonstrations to commit violent acts that endanger the lives of citizens and bring destruction to our communities,” Governor Parson said in a written statement Saturday night.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute speech from U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, which took place on May 30, 2020 at Jamestown Mall in Florissant. The audio is courtesy of Congressman Clay’s Facebook page:

Missouri lawmaker emphasizes importance of COVID-19 testing in 63113 zip code, which has 152 cases

May 10, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A state lawmaker from St. Louis who’s pushed to expand coronavirus testing plans to host a second testing event on Monday at a mobile site on North Kingshighway Blvd.

State Rep. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, (left) and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Office of Minority Health Staff Chief Joe Palm attended the COVID-19 mobile testing event at the Victor Roberts Building in St. Louis on May 4, 2020 (photo courtesy of Representative Roberts’ Capitol office)

State Rep. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, worked with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and Affinia Healthcare to establish the mobile test site. It’s located at the Victor Roberts Building, at 1408 North Kingshighway.

The Victor Roberts Building is in the 63113 zip code, which Affinia Healthcare says “is one of the hot spots in St. Louis City.”

A detailed map from the St. Louis City Department of Health shows that there are 152 COVID-19 cases in the 63113 zip code. The only zip code in St. Louis city with more cases is 63116, which now has 164 cases.

Representative Roberts says the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on St. Louis’ African-American community.

“This past Sunday (May 3), St. Louis posted its highest number of new cases for a single day since the outbreak began. Of the residents of the city who have died, 68 percent are African-American. We desperately needed more testing sites accessible in the area where the virus has proven most devastating,” Roberts says, in a statement.

Roberts also cites a recent news article from KMOV-TV. The station reports that while 68 percent of St. Louis City’s COVID-19 deaths are African-Americans, the city’s African-American population is only 46 percent.

Roberts says more than 50 people showed up and received a COVID-19 test last Monday, when the site opened. He describes the Victor Roberts Building as a large site in a centralized location, that makes it easier to provide social distancing.

He emphasizes there is no fee and no referral is needed. Roberts says the aim is to get more St. Louisans tested, which he says is the key to reducing transmission.

Roberts urges residents to get tested, even if they’re asymptomatic.

Because of the success last Monday, Roberts is hosting a second event on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon. He praises the collaboration from DHSS and Affinia Healthcare.

State health officials say there are now 9,844 confirmed coronavirus cases in Missouri, along with 482 deaths. In St. Louis City, there are now 1,484 cases and 85 deaths.

Veteran State Rep. Alan Green, D-Florissant, has also warned that the COVID-19 outbreak is disproportionately impacting African-American communities, “in pockets in north St. Louis County.” Green says black residents in St. Louis City and north St. Louis County are feeling a disproportionate impact of the disease.

Parson emphasizes safety and expanded COVID-19 testing, during stops at two mid-Missouri businesses

May 8, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor is praising employees and customers at two Jefferson City businesses, for taking the COVID-19 threat seriously.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson toured the Orscheln Farm and Home store in Jefferson City on May 7, 2020 (photo from Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth)

Governor Mike Parson visited HyVee and Orscheln Farm and Home on Thursday morning, meeting with managers and employees about the state’s re-opening.

“You see the screens, the barriers that are put up between the cashiers and the customers,” Parson says. “You know, the availability of the sanitizers there.”

The governor also praises the HyVee grocery store for its senior shopping hours of 6-8 a.m, as well as social distancing markers at checkout lanes.

After stopping at HyVee, the governor and a few staffers traveled a few miles away to the Orscheln store on Missouri Boulevard. It’s a newly-remodeled store, which sells items like farm supplies, livestock feed, lawn and garden equipment, farm toys, tools and sporting goods.

The president of Moberly-based Orscheln, Marc Johnson, drove to Jefferson City to join Parson at the event. Johnson tells Missourinet safety is his top priority, for employees and customers.

“I think our customers are understanding that they have to keep the social distancing and they’re self-regulating, if you will,” he says.

Orscheln operates 165 stores in 11 states, including 45 stores across Missouri. Its corporate office and distribution center are in Moberly, which is north of Columbia.

Parson also spent ten minutes at Orscheln, answering questions from Capitol reporters.

He says the state continues to try to do more coronavirus testing, emphasizing that expanding the testing is one of his top priorities. The governor notes it’s one of the four essential pillars of the “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan.”

“We need to do a much better job of stockpiling to be able to do tests, and with all the new things, the Abbott equipment and everything that’s coming out, you’re going to see a much better job of that,” says Parson.

The governor says the state now has the capability of performing about 50,000 tests each week.

He praises the response from the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to what’s happened at Triumph Foods in northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph, and says DHSS will be in St. Louis soon for a larger random sampling of about five hundred residents.

Kehoe praises Missouri’s recovery plan; emphasizes importance of expanding COVID-19 testing capability (AUDIO)

May 6, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s lieutenant governor is pleased with the state’s “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan,” and says residents are ready to return to work. Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (R) says the state has safely re-opened.

“This is a gradual, phased-in opening, but it really does set the tone for us moving forward both economically, socially, etc.,” Kehoe says.

He notes that expanding the COVID-19 testing capacity is a top priority for Governor Mike Parson, and is one of the four essential pillars of the plan.

Kehoe says the state now has the capability of performing about 50,000 tests each week, between the state health lab in Jefferson City and at least 15 private labs and participating health care institutions.

The deadly coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on Missouri tourism, impacting attractions, hotels and restaurants across the state. It’s impacting Branson, the Lake of the Ozarks, St. Louis, Kansas City and many smaller communities.

Kehoe, who serves on the state’s Tourism Commission, says they have voted to form a special task force.

“We’ve put together 16 companies from around the state that are both private and public, so we have everything from state parks to the Aquarium in St. Louis to convention and visitors bureaus in Kansas City,” says Kehoe.

Other representatives include the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and convention and visitors bureaus at the Lake of the Ozarks and Springfield. Kehoe says Missouri’s tourism industry is ready to highlight state tourism assets, and emphasizes the importance of keeping visitors and employees safe.

Governor Parson traveled to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield on Monday morning, to discuss the re-opening. Bass Pro is one of the biggest companies in Springfield.

Parson and Kehoe also note that another pillar in the recovery plan is the expansion of reserves of personal protective equipment (PPE), by opening public and private supply chains.

As of Friday evening, Parson says the state had ordered about $40 million worth of PPE and had already shipped two million pieces of PPE to local partners, including 300,000 N95 respirator masks, 450,000 face shields and 200,000 surgical masks.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there are now 8,916 confirmed coronavirus cases in Missouri, along with 377 deaths.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, which was recorded on May 4, 2020:

Floyd Warmann dies; served as Missouri Governor Hearnes’ top aide for eight years

April 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A St. Louis man who successfully ran Warren Hearnes’ 1964 Missouri gubernatorial campaign and served as Hearnes’ top aide for eight years has died.

The Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City

Floyd Warmann, 87, died this week, according to the obituary from Ortmann Funeral Home in Creve Couer.

Mr. Warmann was involved in Missouri Democratic Party politics his entire life.

Hearnes, who was from southeast Missouri’s Charleston, served ten years in the Missouri House before being elected Secretary of State in 1960. Warmann ran Hearnes’ 1964 gubernatorial campaign, and was his top assistant for eight years in Jefferson City.

Hearnes was re-elected to a second term in 1968. He served as governor from 1965 to 1973.

Mr. Warmann later served on the St. Louis County Board of Police Commissioners. Memorials are suggested to the BackStoppers organization.

Click here to read the full obituary.

Missouri Supreme Court to hear arguments in Johnson case; numerous amici briefs filed

April 13, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Tuesday morning in a high-profile case of a man who’s served 25 years in prison for murder, a man the St. Louis Circuit Attorney says was convicted based on police and prosecutorial misconduct.

46-year-old Lamar Johnson is serving a life sentence for first degree murder at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has filed a motion for a new trial (2019 file photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Corrections)

Because of COVID-19 concerns, the court will hear the case remotely, with only Chief Justice George Draper in the Jefferson City courtroom. The other six judges and the attorneys for both sides will participate remotely via videoconference.

Oral arguments will begin at 9:30 a.m.

46-year-old Lamar Johnson is serving a life sentence for killing Marcus Boyd in 1994. Johnson remains incarcerated at the maximum-security Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Johnson’s co-defendant, Phillip Campbell, signed an affidavit saying that Johnson wasn’t involved in the murder. An eyewitness recanted his identification of Johnson, and signed an affidavit that he received monetary payments from the state.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has filed a motion for a new trial, saying there is credible evidence of Johnson’s innocence.

Gardner is an intervenor in the case. In a 72-page brief, Gardner counsel Daniel Harawa writes “He (Johnson) is innocent of the crime for which he has spent the last 25 years behind bars.”

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office argues the circuit court has no jurisdiction to consider Gardner’s motion, especially at this late date.

In their 52-page brief, Attorney General Schmitt’s office writes “This court’s rule 29.11(b) provides that, in a criminal case, (a) motion for new trial … shall be filed within fifteen days after the return of the verdict.”

The attorney general’s office says Johnson and Gardner want the Missouri Supreme Court to “ignore the plain language of its own rules.” Schmitt’s brief also says Johnson acknowledges that Missouri and federal law already provide at least six mechanisms by which an inmate claiming innocence can obtain relief.

The circuit court overruled Gardner’s motion for a new trial, saying it lacked authority to consider it. The circuit court says Gardner’s accusation of prosecutorial misconduct should have been investigated independently. The circuit court also says Johnson’s lawyer improperly contacted jurors.

The case has attracted national media attention from the “New York Times”, “USA Today” and others.

There have also been numerous amici briefs that have been submitted to the Missouri Supreme Court, from people across the country and state.

A group of 45 elected prosecutors from across the nation have filed an amici brief, which says Circuit Attorney Gardner must have a legal mechanism to seek a new trial for a defendant, “when newly discovered evidence shows the conviction was tainted by constitutional violations.”

But a group of 30 elected Missouri prosecutors disagrees, and has also filed an amici brief. They say the circuit attorney’s office has no authority to file a motion for a new trial in a criminal case, on the defendant’s behalf.

Easterseals Midwest: there’s a workforce crisis in Missouri for direct support professionals (AUDIO)

April 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

An organization that provides support to more than 5,000 Missouri children and adults with disabilities continues to provide essential needs and programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is Christian (left) with his Easterseals Midwest respite provider Kyra. Kyra goes to the home on most days, and works 40 minutes with Christian on his schoolwork (photo provided by Easterseals Midwest spokeswoman Rachel McGlasson)

Easterseals Midwest executive vice president Jeanne Marshall says they provide services in hundreds of homes.

“We have individuals who live independently in their home and we provide staff, generally 24 hours a day to help them be as independent and supportive as they can,” Marshall says.

About 103,000 Missourians have an intellectual or developmental disability, according to Easterseals Midwest.

Marshall says Easterseals is in need of personal protective equipment (PPE), including gowns for disposable lab coats, masks, gloves and alcohol wipes. She says the PPE is key to protecting staff and those they serve.

Missourinet asked Governor Mike Parson about the Easterseals’ needs during a recent press conference, specifically PPE. The governor thanks the Easterseals and others who continue to go into homes to assist those with disabilities. He notes there is a shortage of PPE, but adds that many Missouri companies are stepping up to make additional personal protective equipment.

Easterseals Midwest provides services, education and outreach to Missourians with disabilities, and they’re still hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s especially the case in Columbia, Springfield and St. Louis.

Marshall says more than 15,000 Missourians work as direct support professionals.

“With that, we’ve been experiencing a workforce crisis for a couple of years now in this industry,” says Marshall. “Turnover is very high in most cases, that could be over 50 percent for turnover.”

Marshall says vacancy rates for positions range from 20 to 30 percent.

Easterseals Midwest has more than 1,000 staff members. Marshall choked-up, when speaking to Missourinet about the work her staff members do.

“Our staff go above and beyond. But we can’t thank them enough for the work they’re doing, and the impact they’re having,” Marshall says.

The organization is also providing respite care to Missouri first responders, doctors and nurses. Respite care is temporary care provided to caregivers of a child or adult.

Easterseals Midwest is also e-mailing families daily with autism strategies, especially with children home from school.

Easterseals has wait lists for most of their autism services in Springfield and southwest Missouri.

Anyone interesting in donating PPE or assisting Easterseals Midwest can check their website. You can also call them toll-free at 1-800-200-2119.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full six-minute interview with Easterseals Midwest executive vice president Jeanne Marshall, which was recorded on April 1, 2020:

Missouri traffic fatalities up in 2020, despite large drop in traffic due to COVID-19 (AUDIO)

April 5, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While passenger traffic in Missouri has plummeted due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Missouri state troopers say there’s been a three percent increase in traffic fatalities for the year.

A Missouri state trooper’s radar clocks a motorist driving 93 miles-per-hour in northern Missouri’s Troop B in March 2020 (photo courtesy of Missouri State Highway Patrol headquarters)

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz says passenger traffic is down 47 percent statewide since March 13. Captain Hotz and the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) say passenger traffic in both the Kansas City and St. Louis areas is down 49 percent in the past month.

Click below to see the Highway Patrol report.

Traffic Changes due to COVID-19

“It is alarming when you see the significant reduction in traffic and yet we’re still having the same number of fatal crashes, or even a little bit more than what had we had last year,” Hotz says.

There have been 174 traffic fatalities statewide in 2020, compared to 168 at this time last year.

You’ll notice additional Missouri state troopers on the road, increasing enforcement to stop the rising number of traffic fatalities. Hotz says motorists driving 90-miles-per-hour is “unfortunately becoming commonplace.”

“Now we (the Highway Patrol) are practicing social distancing just like everyone else, but in the end we have a job to do,” says Hotz. “And if we have people that are out there endangering themselves or others, we’re going to take enforcement action on that.”

And he warns motorists that increasing speeds increases the likelihood of serious injuries or death.

“We know the faster that you’re going when you have a traffic crash, the more severe that crash is going to be. There’s just no way around it, we can’t cheat the laws of physics,” Hotz says.

Captain Hotz tells Missourinet that three MoDOT trucks have been struck by motorists in the past week, despite the falling traffic volumes.

There were 879 traffic fatalities in Missouri in 2019.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz, which was recorded on April 2, 2020: