Tarkio Archives - Missourinet

Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska governors plan bipartisan Thursday meeting on river and Corps-related issues

April 8, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor will join the governors of Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska Thursday afternoon in Council Bluffs, to follow-up on Missouri River issues and about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Governor Mike Parson talks to Missouri National Guard members in northern Missouri on June 3, 2019, after an aerial tour of massive flooding (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

This will be at least the fourth bipartisan meeting between Governor Mike Parson (R) and Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts (R), Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R) and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D). While their 3 p.m. meeting will be closed, the governors will brief reporters after the event at the Council Bluffs Police Department.

The governors have signed a four-state agreement to cooperate on issues relating to flood control and the Corps.

Governor Parson is still frustrated over the 2019 flooding, which hit northern Missouri especially hard. The Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest general farm organization, says more than 1.4 million acres of farmland in the state went unplanted in 2019, due to flooding.

The flooding also caused the October 2019 collapse of the heavily-traveled railroad bridge over the Grand River in northern Missouri’s Brunswick, causing Norfolk Southern to suspend freight train service between Moberly and Kansas City for a time.

Brunswick is a small farming community, between Carrollton and Moberly. The National Weather Service (NWS) Missouri Basin River forecast center said in 2019 that backwater from flood debris helped cause that bridge to collapse. The logjam collapsed the train tracks.

Governor Parson will also be heading to northwest Missouri’s rural Rock Port on Thursday morning, to tour a major levee known as L-536. He’ll tour the levee and will meet with farmers who were impacted by the 2019 flooding.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio), who’s the ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill, has told Missourinet that flood control and navigation must be the top priority for the Corps, regarding the Missouri River.

Rural Missouri congressional district has more square miles than nine U.S. states

April 7, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri House committee working on congressional redistricting will hear public testimony Thursday morning in Jefferson City from residents in northern Missouri’s massive Sixth Congressional District, which covers more square miles than nine U.S. states.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (left) meets with Missouri Governor Mike Parson at the Capitol in Jefferson City on February 24, 2020 (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The district includes 36 of Missouri’s 114 counties. The Sixth District includes St. Joseph, Tarkio, Cameron, Chillicothe, Bethany, Trenton, Kirksville, Macon and Hannibal. The Missouri and Mississippi Rivers are both in the district.

The district is represented by U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio), who’s the dean of Missouri’s congressional delegation. He’s serving his 11th term on Capitol Hill.

The Missouri House Special Committee on Redistricting will meet Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. The committee will hear in-person testimony, and written testimony will also be accepted. Committee Chair Dan Shaul (R-Imperial) says the committee is looking for information on what makes the district good and bad, and key characteristics about the district.

Flooding has been a major issue in the district, for the past 30 years. The flood of 1993 devastated the district. The entire town of Pattonsburg had to be relocated. The floods of 1995 and 2019 also caused major problems. Congressman Graves has been critical of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for how they’ve managed the Missouri River.

Agriculture is also a big issue in the district, as is transportation. The district includes I-29, I-35 and Highway 36. Graves is the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Graves was re-elected to his 11th term in November, beating Democrat Gena Ross with 67 percent of the vote. Graves received 258,709 votes, while Ross received 118,926 votes.

Northern Missouri hasn’t sent a Democrat to Capitol Hill since former U.S. Rep. Pat Danner (D-Smithville), who served four terms from 1993-2000. The late U.S. Rep. Jerry Litton (D-Chillicothe) also represented the district, serving two terms from 1973-1976. Congressman Litton was killed in a plane crash in August 1976, after winning Missouri’s Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.

UPDATE: NWS urges you to avoid travel near Missouri-Iowa border; one to two inches of snow falling per hour (AUDIO)

January 25, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Heavy snow has been falling near the Missouri-Iowa border, and a winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday. The warning includes heavily-traveled Interstates 29 and 35.

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill is urging truckers and motorists to avoid travel near the Missouri-Iowa border, due to heavy snow (January 25, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter)

National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Brad Temeyer says three to five inches of snow is already on the ground.

“Expecting snow rates of one to two inches per hour for several hours across that far northwestern Missouri, southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska. That area is really under the gun here,” Temeyer says.

Tarkio and Maryville are two of the towns under the winter storm warning. The NWS is urging truckers and other motorists to avoid travel near the Missouri-Iowa border, at this time.

“Definitely Tarkio, Maryville, Skidmore, Mound City, Craig, Rock Port. All those areas are really under the gun for heavy snow,” says Temeyer.

The National Weather Service says road conditions continue to deteriorate. Missourinet Cameron affiliate KMRN reports there are at least five school closings in northwest Missouri, and more are possible on Tuesday.

Eagleville, Bethany, Brooklyn and Denver are also under the winter storm warning.

The snow totals drop off significantly at the Highway 36 corridor. Chillicothe and Brookfield should see about an inch of snow.

The NWS has also reported some light glazing of ice in the northern Kansas City metro. Bridges and overpasses there could become slick.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Brad Temeyer, which was recorded on January 25, 2021:

UPDATE: Blizzard warning remains in effect for far northwest Missouri through 6 pm; southbound I-29 reopens (AUDIO)

January 15, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

A blizzard warning remains in effect for far northwest Missouri until 6 p.m. on Friday. The warning includes heavily-traveled I-29 and covers four rural counties: Atchison, Nodaway, Andrew and Holt.

The National Weather Service’s blizzard warning in far northwest Missouri remains in effect until 6 p.m. (January 15, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter)

National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Brad Temeyer says blowing snow and 45 mile-per-hour winds have made travel very difficult today.

“We’re still continuing to see very low visibilities up there with the strong northwest winds that are continuing. Fortunately, the snow is starting to taper off up there,” Temeyer says.

The blizzard caused a crash Friday morning in northwest Missouri’s Atchison County, causing southbound I-29 to close for a few hours. It has since reopened.

Crews from the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) have been working around the clock in northwest Missouri, trying to clear roads.

“But with those strong northwest winds gusting currently to 40 to 45 miles an hour, we’re still seeing visibilities well below a mile in that far northwestern corner of Missouri,” says Temeyer.

Truckers and other motorists are being urged to avoid travel in those four counties, until the warning expires. Towns in the blizzard warning area include Tarkio, Fairfax, Maryville and Mound City.

Mr. Temeyer emphasizes to Missourinet that blizzard warnings are rare in Missouri.

“We only issue these for the worst of conditions when we expect visibilities to be well below a half-a-mile,” Temeyer says.

Our Missourinet Cameron affiliate KMRN reports more than 20 schools in the region canceled classes today, because of the blizzard.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Brad Temeyer, which was recorded on January 15, 2021:

NWS: Jan. 15 blizzard warning starts at midnight for far northwest Missouri (AUDIO)

January 14, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a blizzard warning for far northwest Missouri, saying that accumulating blowing snow and strong winds will make travel extremely hazardous.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a blizzard warning for far northwest Missouri. It will take effect at midnight on January 15, 2021 (graphic courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter)

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Brad Temeyer says the blizzard warning takes effect at midnight, and includes Maryville, Tarkio, Bethany and Craig.

“So basically for far northwestern Missouri, travel is going to be very difficult if not impossible,” Temeyer says.

The National Weather Service urges you to avoid any travel north of Highway 36 in northern Missouri from midnight until 6 p.m. on Friday. The blizzard warning area is expected to receive three to four inches of blowing snow, with strong winds.

The blizzard warning area includes heavily-traveled Interstates 29 and 35, which are used by truckers from across the nation.

“We’re looking at wind gusts probably of 40 to 45 miles an hour through at least much of the day tomorrow before that starts to let up. And you combine that with the snow that we’re expecting and it’s really going to make travel very, very difficult,” says Temeyer.

State Department of Transportation (MoDOT) crews will be working around the clock in northern Missouri, to get roads to mostly clear within a few hours after the blizzard ends. Whiteout conditions are possible.

Northern Missouri’s St. Joseph, Chillicothe and Kirksville are under a winter weather advisory, and those areas should receive two to three inches of snow.

“This is going to be a type of system where if you don’t have to travel, it’s best to get those errands and everything done ahead of time. Because once the snow starts, it’s just going to make visibility very difficult,” Temeyer says.

The NWS says the heaviest snowfall will be between 3 am and 3 pm on Friday.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Brad Temeyer, which was recorded on January 14, 2021:

Missouri Congressman Graves: it’s time to get the economy open again

November 4, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Voters in northern Missouri are sending U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, back to Washington for his 11th term on Capitol Hill. Graves captured 67 percent of the vote Tuesday against Platte City Democrat Gena Ross.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, (right) speaks to a farmer at the Port of St. Joseph on September 1, 2020 (photo courtesy of Congressman Graves’ Facebook page)

Graves, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Transportation Committee, tells Missourinet that it’s humbling to be re-elected.

“You know I want to continue to do exactly what I do, and that is represent the 6th District to Washington D.C. I will not represent Washington D.C. back to the 6th District,” Graves says.

His top priority is getting the economy open again.

“We have businesses and small businesses that are literally going broke because of what the government has done. And we have to get this economy going again and we got to get people back on their feet,” says Graves.

He’s also focusing on agriculture. He notes there are fewer and fewer farmers in the Congress.

The sixth congressional district covers 36 counties, and is larger than nine states. Graves’ district includes St. Joseph, Bethany, Chillicothe, Hannibal, Macon and Memphis.

Graves is the new dean of Missouri’s congressional delegation, after U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, was defeated in the August primary by Cori Bush. Ms. Bush was elected to Congress on Tuesday, becoming the first African-American female to represent the state in Congress.

Graves and Clay had been the co-deans of the delegation. Both were elected to Congress in 2000.

Drowning deaths of three kayakers in southwest Missouri getting attention on Capitol Hill (AUDIO)

October 18, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A southwest Missouri congressman says three kayakers have drowned in the same location on Bull Creek in the past 15 months, prompting him to file legislation aimed at preventing future deaths.

U.S. Rep. Billy Long’s district includes Springfield, Branson and Joplin (2017 file photo courtesy of Congressman Long’s Facebook page)

U.S. Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, says the deaths happened near Saddlebrooke, which is between Springfield and Branson. He says a landowner received a linear transportation nationwide permit (NWP) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a low water crossing. Long says the contractor built a structure 18 feet wider and one foot taller, than approved by the Corps.

“So I went down there to look at it and honest to goodness, I thought that I was looking at a county bridge, where we were going to cross and get over to where this low water crossing was. It was a massive structure,” Long says.

He says the landowner has removed the structure, after the three deaths.

Long says high water in that area formed a dangerous vortex. He notes two kayakers died in the first incident.

“The second incident was a man and a wife, and the man could get over to the side and he actually had a hold of his wife, if you can imagine anything so traumatic,” says Long. “And he couldn’t hold her. It (the vortex) just sucked her out of his hand, he couldn’t hold her.”

Congressman Long’s legislation would require the Corps to conduct an in-depth study of the nationwide permitting process. It would also require the Corps to determine how much funding and personnel they need to inspect every structure like this, and to include public safety as a condition of compliance.

“When the water gets up high, it obviously forms some kind of a vortex down there and just sucks these kayaks down into it. And when three people in two different incidents died within a year of each other, I just thought something had to be done,” Long says.

Long tells Missourinet that his role as a congressman isn’t to point fingers, but rather to identify the problem and work to try to fix it. He also says his bill aims to ensure that these structures are built safely, without infringing upon property rights.

Long says the Army Corps of Engineers currently only has enough staff to visit ten to 20 percent of completed structures, adding that there is no requirement for the Corps to inspect completed projects after NWP’s are issued.

He says he hopes to get his provision included in the federal water resources bill, and says he’s working with U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, on it. Congressman Graves is the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full five-minute interview with U.S. Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, which was recorded on October 16, 2020:

Northern Missouri food bank leader testifies before Congress about hunger needs, during pandemic

July 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The chief executive officer of a northwest Missouri food bank testifies the response and recovery effort from COVID-19 will be the largest relief assistance program in American history, by far.

Second Harvest Community Food Bank serves 15 northwest Missouri counties, along with four Kansas counties (2020 photo courtesy of Second Harvest’s Facebook page)

Second Harvest Community Food Bank CEO Chad Higdon testified Tuesday before a congressional subcommittee on emergency management. The food bank is headquartered in St. Joseph.

“We have seen a tremendous increase in need as a result of COVID-19,” Higdon testifies. “This past fiscal year, Second Harvest distributed 9.9 million pounds of food, up 31 percent from our record distribution the year prior.”

Higdon says that translates to about 8.25 million meals to needy families. He also says the food bank distributed about one million pounds of food in July.

“We understand that low-income families in general are vulnerable. One vehicle emergency or unexpected home repair can set a family back financially for months, and we know that low-income seniors often must choose between needed prescriptions and a nutritious meal,” Higdon says.

Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill are praising the St. Joseph food bank for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second Harvest serves 15 northwest Missouri counties: Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway and Worth. Towns include St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Bethany and Trenton.

It also serves four Kansas counties.

Second Harvest employs a staff of 24 full-time employees, with an annual operating budget of $3.7 million. Mr. Higdon testifies that prior to the pandemic, they were serving about 45,000 individuals. He says that number is now about 64,000, about 18 percent of the population in those counties.

He testifies about 26 percent of the children in that area are food insecure.

Higdon praises the members of the congressional subcommittee for their support of food banks. He testified at the request of U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, who says Higdon’s testimony highlights how disasters impact vulnerable populations like the elderly.

Higdon testified from Congressman Graves’ St. Joseph office, because witnesses were encouraged to participate remotely due to the pandemic. He also submitted written testimony.

Second Harvest Community Food Bank’s website says its mission “is to provide nourishment and hope to the hungry in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas, while engaging and empowering the region in the fight to end hunger.”

Graves says northwest Missouri is still impacted from record 2019 flooding (AUDIO)

July 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A congressman who represents northern Missouri says it’s been about 500 days since the Flood of 2019 began, and that thousands of acres of the world’s most fertile farmland are still covered under water or silt and sand.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, visits with officials and residents in flooded Holt County in March 2019 (file photo courtesy of the congressman’s Facebook page)

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, says two small farming towns northwest of St. Joseph have been especially impacted.

“Craig, Missouri being one of those,” Graves says. “Corning, Missouri another. Those are just two that are in Holt County.”

Holt County saw record flooding in 2019, which covered heavily-traveled Highway 159. Graves says some residents there have lost their farms and homes, multiple times.

The Missouri Farm Bureau says more than 1.4 million acres of farmland in the state went unplanted in 2019, due to flooding. One of the hardest-hit areas was in Holt County.

Graves, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is critical of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He says flood control and navigation should be the Corps’ top priority for the Missouri River.

He says 578-million tons of goods are shipped by barges annually.

Congressman Graves and Governor Mike Parson have both criticized the Corps. Parson and the governors of neighboring Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska have met with the Corps at least three times, to discuss what needs to be done differently in the future.

The governors have signed a four-state agreement to cooperate on issues relating to flood control and the Corps.

Graves tells Missourinet that some towns in his district are still behind temporarily-repaired levees.

“In many cases too, they’re building back to the exact same criteria that was there before,” says Graves.

Graves is optimistic that Congress will approve a major water resources bill before the November election. He says the bipartisan bill is aimed at helping communities impacted by repeated flooding.

“I think it will go very easily off the floor of the House. Again, it was unanimous out of committee, and then it will go over to the Senate and then we’ll work it out in conference,” Graves says.

He says the bill gives towns more help in planning and implementing flood control projects that limit the risk of future floods.

Graves, a dean in Missouri’s congressional delegation, represents 36 northern Missouri counties. He’s finishing his tenth term on Capitol Hill. His district includes Craig, St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Bethany, Macon, Kirksville and Hannibal.

Click here to listen to the full eight-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, which was recorded on July 17, 2020:

Missouri GOP Congressman: COVID-19 outbreak is unlike anything we’ve ever seen (AUDIO)

March 30, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A northern Missouri congressman who’s a dean in the state’s congressional delegation says the $2 trillion economic stimulus package is aimed at helping America emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, represents 36 counties in northern Missouri (file photo courtesy of Congressman Graves’ office)

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, voted for the bill on Friday. He says the bill provides $350 billion to the Small Business Administration (SBA), to supply main street businesses with the capital they need to keep the lights on and their workers on the payroll.

“And as long as they (main street businesses) continue to keep them on the payroll through July 2, then that becomes forgiven,” Graves says.

Governor Mike Parson has warned that thousands of Missourians will lose their jobs due to the outbreak. Congressman Graves says the stimulus boosts unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans who’ve lost their jobs.

Graves represents 36 counties in northern Missouri. His sprawling district is larger than nine U.S. states, and includes St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Bethany, Kirksville and Hannibal.

Congressman Graves tells Missourinet that some hospitals in his district have struggled to get personal protective equipment (PPE), like masks. He notes the stimulus package also includes $117 billion in funding for hospitals and the Veterans Administration (VA) to care for patients and to protect health care employees battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Those of us who represent rural areas want to make sure that rural hospitals have every bit as much equipment as they need to combat this,” says Graves. “So far, they have not been overrun, but that could quickly, quickly change.”

Parson announced Monday afternoon that the state’s Strategic National Stockpile has now shipped 7,000 gloves and 3,300 cases of masks to hospitals, EMS and long-term care facilities.

State health officials say there are now 1,031 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Missouri, along with 13 deaths.

As for Graves, he says church groups and other organizations are grocery shopping for seniors in his district, to help the seniors limit their exposure during the COVID-19 outbreak. Graves’ district has a large elderly population.

“And that’s what rural Missouri is about and all of our rural areas. We take care of people and we take care of our neighbors and our family, and that’s very heartwarming,” Graves says.

Graves says the pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge for America, and that Americans have responded with unprecedented patriotism.

Graves and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) say the stimulus will also provide most American adults with $1,200 checks to help them make ends meet during the outbreak.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, which was recorded on March 30, 2020: