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Missourinet

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You are here: Home / Archives for State Rep. Rusty Black

New Missouri House Speaker focusing on education and adoption: “I will work with any member from any party”

January 7, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House on Wednesday elected the first Speaker in state history from eastern Missouri’s Arnold. House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, was elected Speaker on his 44th birthday, with his wife Amanda and their five children in the chamber in Jefferson City.

A law enforcement color guard presents the flags at the Missouri House in Jefferson City on January 6, 2021 (photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

Education was a primary theme during Vescovo’s address to the House. He says he was ridiculed by other students and by some of his teachers while growing up, due to his ADHD and other learning challenges. ADHD is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Speaker Vescovo says it’s important to learn from students who struggled within the education system.

“As a student who struggled, I believe I do have valuable insight on what works and what doesn’t. I believe it is time our system of education listens to these students, including me, who have seen firsthand how the system can and should improve,” Vescovo tells the House.

He says Missouri’s teachers need the time, resources and flexibility to be able to work with children on a personal level.

Vescovo wants to provide parents with the option of sending their children to schools that will best serve their needs. He says the COVID pandemic has taught parents across Missouri an important lesson.

“Every parent wants to keep their kids safe and healthy, but we have also learned that teachers are more effective as educators in person, and that kids must be in school to learn effectively, in school,” says Vescovo.

House Republicans in the chamber stood up and applauded that call.

New Missouri House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, shakes hands with House colleagues after being elected Speaker on January 6, 2021 (photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

Vescovo says the Legislature must continue to examine ways to give schools the resources they need to stay open.

He’s also challenging the Legislature to make a stronger commitment to early childhood education. Vescovo says the General Assembly must support policies that focus on empowerment, rather than imprisonment.

“If we want to better serve the people of our state, we must invest in our young people on the front end, rather than pay the cost of incarceration on the backend when our system fails them,” Vescovo says.

That line received a bipartisan standing ovation from the House.

Vescovo, who was adopted, is also calling on the Legislature to expand Missouri’s adoption tax credit, so that families who want to adopt a child aren’t blocked from doing it simply because of cost.

State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, nominated Vescovo for House Speaker. Black says Vescovo is focused on helping others and has worked to make a difference for Missourians. Vescovo was sworn-in as House Speaker by Judge Darrell Missey of the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court in Hillsboro. Vescovo and Judge Missey both live in Jefferson County.

Vescovo takes over for Springfield Republican Elijah Haahr, who termed-out of the House after eight years.

During his address, Vescovo also emphasized that he’s committed to working with both sides of the aisle to find legislative solutions to problems.

“I hope my time in the Floor Leader’s office has made it clear that I will work with any member from any party,” says Vescovo. “That will not change when I am Speaker. My door will be open and my time will be yours if and when you need it.”

Republicans control the Missouri House this session 114-47, and they control the Senate 24-10. The GOP has supermajorities in both chambers, and Governor Mike Parson is a Republican.

Copyright © 2021 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, Education, Elections, Health / Medicine, Legislature, News Tagged With: ADHD, Arnold, Chillicothe, COVID pandemic, Early childhood education, Education, former Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, Hillsboro, Judge Darrell Missey, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Missouri teachers, Missouri's adoption tax credit, New Missouri House Speaker Rob Vescovo, State Rep. Rusty Black

Missouri lawmakers to discuss education supplemental budget request and COVID dollars (AUDIO)

September 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri lawmakers will hear testimony at the Capitol this week from state education officials about how COVID dollars are being spent, and to hear supplemental budget requests.

State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on February 17, 2020 (photo Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Subcommittee on Appropriations-Education Chairman State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, tells Missourinet that he hasn’t called the meeting over any major concerns.

“I think with all the things going on now, at least the members that transfer from this legislative session to the next legislative session, it would be good to be caught up to date so we can hit the ground running a little bit better in January when we show up at the Capitol,” Black says.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the state Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development will testify at the hearing, which is set for Thursday morning at 10 in Jefferson City. The two departments will be presenting their budget requests, at the hearing.

“Looking at departmental requests for the (2022 fiscal year) 22 budget as well as any supplemental requests, any kind of a request they have for changes, more money, less money, in the budget,” says Black.

The northwest Missouri Republican says the committee will also hear details about how COVID dollars are being spent by educators.

“A lot of that money, people may not realize, went directly into students’ hands,” Black says. “It passed through places of higher education to go to students. Some of it of course was used in the universities, colleges around the state.”

The Missouri House Subcommittee on Appropriations-Education has seven members. The ranking Democrat is State Rep. Ingrid Burnett, D-Kansas City.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, which was recorded on September 25, 2020:

https://cdn.missourinet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/bh-repblackSeptember2020.mp3

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Education, Health / Medicine, Legislature, News Tagged With: Chillicothe, COVID-19, Kansas City, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Missouri House Subcommittee on Appropriations-Education, State Rep. Ingrid Burnett, State Rep. Rusty Black

Several thousand people will celebrate sliced bread this weekend in rural Missouri town (AUDIO)

July 5, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Five to seven thousand people are expected to turn out for this weekend’s “Sliced Bread Days” event in northwest Missouri’s Chillicothe.

State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, speaks on the Missouri House floor on March 26, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, notes sliced bread was invented there in 1928. The first automatic bread-slicing machine was used in Chillicothe.

“It’s turned into a cornerstone of our community, not only the tourism part but it is drawing people here,” Black says.

He says people from other countries visit the Grand River Historical Society and Museum to see the bread slicer.

Saturday’s events include a french toast breakfast, a 5K run at 8 a.m. and the parade, which begins at 10 a.m. Black says a big turnout is expected at the french toast breakfast, which goes from 7-10 at the North Missouri Center for Youth and Families. There’s no cost for the breakfast, but organizers will be accepting donations.

“People show up there to support the youth in our area, as well as it’s just a good way to get the day started,” says Black.

Saturday’s events will also include a bread contest and the parade. Black will be participating in the parade downtown, which will also feature some members of the Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders.

“I believe (Kansas City) Royals Sluggerr is going to be here as well as Richard Brown, that’s a state representative out of Kansas City that also serves on the state tourism board,” Black says.

State Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, is also the ranking Democrat on the House Tourism Committee. Brown and Black are close friends, despite being from opposite parties. The Legislature has approved Black’s bill encouraging Missourians to participate in events to commemorate the first sale of sliced bread, which happened in Chillicothe in 1928.

During March House floor debate, Brown urged his fellow Democrats to support the bill, saying it’s important for tourism. The bipartisan bill passed the House 139-9 and is now on Governor Mike Parson’s desk.

Saturday’s events will conclude with a 10 p.m. fireworks display, which is one of the largest displays in north Missouri.

Sunday will also feature a full day of events, including a 7 a.m. Bread of Life sunrise service, a carnival and music from Rhonda Vincent.

Chillicothe, which has about 9,300 residents, sits at the junction of Highways 65 and 36. There’s a large mural in downtown Chillicothe which reads “Home of Sliced Bread: Chillicothe, Missouri.”

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, which was recorded on July 3, 2019:

https://cdn.missourinet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/bh-rustyblackinterviewJuly2019.mp3

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Legislature, News Tagged With: Chillicothe, Grand River Historical Society and Museum, Rhonda Vincent, Sliced Bread Days, Sluggerr, State Rep. Richard Brown, State Rep. Rusty Black



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