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Poplar Bluff, Sedalia, Bloomfield, Columbia and Wentzville highlighted in Missouri State of State (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s governor says more than 40,000 new jobs have been created since he took office in June 2018 and that the state’s 3.1 percent unemployment rate is at a historic low.

North Carolina-based Nucor is building a $400 million steel rebar manufacturing plant in west-central Missouri’s Sedalia (August 2019 file photo courtesy of Nucor)

During this week’s State of the State Address, Governor Mike Parson (R) emphasized the success of Missouri’s economy, and took the opportunity to highlight rural Missouri towns that are seeing capital investment.

Parson tells state lawmakers that big cities aren’t the only ones generating new jobs.

“Aurora Organic Dairy opened a new processing plant in Columbia, creating over 100 new jobs,” Parson says. “And Purina invested $115 million to expand in Bloomfield, Missouri.”

Bloomfield, a southeast Missouri town of about 1,900, is north of Dexter. Parson traveled there in September to tour the Nestle Purina plant, which makes Tidy Cats brand cat litter.

The plant’s expansion is creating about 30 new jobs, and the state Department of Economic Development (DED) says the expansion is adding a 110,000 square foot processing and packaging facility.

Parson met with Nestle CEO Mark Schneider in Switzerland in June, during his first European trade mission. The governor has noted that Nestle employs more than 3,500 Missourians in Bloomfield, Chesterfield, Earth City, Gray Summit, St. Joseph, St. Louis and Trenton.

During Wednesday’s State of the State, Governor Parson also announced that North Carolina-based Nucor Steel is close to starting production at its $400 million steel mill in Sedalia. Parson also announced that gasoline engine manufacturer Briggs and Stratton is creating 130 new jobs in southeast Missouri’s Poplar Bluff.

State DED Director Rob Dixon praises the news.

“These are companies that are international companies that are looking at Missouri and looking at rural Missouri in particular because of the strength of our workforce, the quality of the people that live here,” says Dixon.

The steel mill in west-central Missouri’s Sedalia is one of the largest projects Missouri has landed in the past decade. The average salary for a Nucor steelworker will be $65,000.

The governor says the average salary for the 130 new jobs at Briggs and Stratton in Poplar Bluff will be $36,531. The company is investing $15 million in the expansion.

Briggs and Stratton is already one of the largest employers in Poplar Bluff, according to the Chamber of Commerce there.

The governor also discussed the eastern Missouri town of Wentzville, during State of the State.

Parson says the decision by General Motors (GM) to invest $1.5 billion into its plant in Wentzville represents one of the largest single-project investments from the private sector in Missouri. Director Dixon tells Missourinet that GM’s Wentzville plant supports about 12,000 jobs across Missouri.

“We secured the long-term viability of that plant in Wentzville. That benefits not just Wentzville, but the entire state,” Dixon says.

DED says out of Missouri’s 227 automotive suppliers, 178 supply GM.

The Wentzville plant produces the GMC Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado. About 4,600 employees work there.

Wentzville, which is known as the “Crossroads of the Nation”, is one of Missouri’s fastest-growing cities. It sits on I-70 in St. Charles County.

Its current population is about 41,000. The city’s website notes Wentzville’s population jumped from 6,896 in 2000 to 29,070 in the 2010 census.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon, which was recorded on January 15, 2020 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri officials confident about GM Wentzville plant expansion (AUDIO)

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The state’s economic development director remains optimistic about landing a $1 billion expansion at the sprawling General Motors (GM) plant in eastern Missouri’s Wentzville.

The General Motors plant in Wentzville has about 4,600 employees, according to GM’s website (photo courtesy of GM website)

State Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Rob Dixon tells Missourinet that expansion would ensure that production stays in Wentzville long-term.

“GM is still looking at a possible $1 billion capitol investment in their plant in Wentzville,” Dixon says. “We’re in day-to-day conversations with General Motors. We are still under negotiations with them right now.”

Dixon spoke to Missourinet at the State Fair in Sedalia on Thursday. He’s optimistic.

“You know if we can get this done, we’d be confident that General Motors is going to be in Wentzville for a very long time and folks are going to have a place to work there. So that’s what it’s all about,” says Dixon.

Dixon says nothing has been finalized, adding that DED is confident “that we’re going to get there soon.”

GM’s Wentzville plant has about 4,600 employees. The plant produces vehicles such as the GMC Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado.

Governor Mike Parson says GM has 178 suppliers across Missouri, with the plant supporting more than 12,000 jobs statewide.

Legislation aimed at attracting the expansion has been signed by the governor. It would provide $5 million per year in tax credits over ten years to automakers that invest at least $750 million in plant upgrades.

Wentzville, which is known as the “Crossroads of the Nation”, is one of Missouri’s fastest-growing cities. It sits on I-70 in St. Charles County.

Its current population is about 40,000. The city’s website notes Wentzville’s population skyrocketed from 6,896 in 2000 to 29,070 in the 2010 census.

Dixon says 300,000 Missourians work in the automotive industry.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon, which was recorded on August 15, 2019 at the State Fair in Sedalia:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Dixon optimistic about General Motors expansion in Wentzville

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Missouri’s top economic development official is optimistic about a possible $1 billion expansion at the sprawling General Motors (GM) plant in Wentzville.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson makes the Bayer announcement in Jefferson City on July 16, 2019, joined by Bayer’s Lisa Safarian (left), St. Louis County Executive Sam Page (right) and DED Director Rob Dixon (Brian Hauswirth photo)

State Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Rob Dixon told Capitol reporters in Jefferson City last week that he and his staff have daily conversations with GM.

“Those conversations continue but they have not finalized at this point. We’re very optimistic, but they are ongoing conversations,” Dixon says.

Dixon indicates GM’s decision could be coming soon.

“We think it’s a very positive conversation, we expect them to conclude soon, but they’re still ongoing,” says Dixon.

Legislation aimed at attracting the expansion has been signed by Governor Mike Parson. It would provide $5 million per year in tax credits over ten years to automakers that invest at least $750 million in plant upgrades.

The legislation also includes the Fast Track provision, which allows Missourians to receive advanced training in high-demand areas. Fast Track was a top priority for Parson and Dixon.

GM’s Wentzville plant has about 4,600 employees. The plant produces vehicles such as the GMC Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado.

Bill supporters say plant expansion would ensure that production remains in Wentzville long-term.

Governor Parson says GM has 178 suppliers across Missouri, with the plant supporting more than 12,000 jobs statewide.

Dixon spoke to reporters last week at the Statehouse, after Parson announced that Bayer will be relocating its North American Crop Science Division to Creve Coeur, bringing 500 new jobs there.

Parson tells reporters he expects more positive job announcements in the next 60 to 90 days.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Gov. Parson presser: This plan benefits all Missouri, not just GM (AUDIO)

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Gov. Mike Parson called a press conference as senators filibustered his workforce training and tax incentive package.  The package is tied to current negotiations with GM over a potential $1 billion expansion of its plant in Wentzville.

Parson and his Economic Development Director Rob Dixon answered media questions:

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Sen. Blunt pushes for more information on federal health care application processing centers

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Missouri’s junior senator says he’s still waiting for answers, even after getting a reply to his inquiry about the workload at centers processing federal healthcare plan applications. Whistleblowers say there are too many employees and not enough work at centers managed by Serco in Wentzville and elsewhere in the country that are supposed to process paper applications to the federal health care system.

Senator Roy Blunt (R) and other lawmakers including Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R) sent letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services asking about the claims. Blunt says after a long delay he finally got a letter in response, that he says was “vague,” and he wants something better.

“I got a non-answer answer,” says Blunt of the letter he received from Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“Did you really tell them to refresh their computer every ten minutes so it would look like they’re doing something,” Blunt asks of the working conditions at the Serco facilities. “Did you really bring library books and board games to work so that the people that taxpayers were paying would have something to do? Those are pretty simple ‘yes or no’ questions and I’d like some ‘yeses’ or ‘nos’ to those questions.”

The 1.25-billion dollar federal contract includes more than 3,000 employees. A reported 600 of those are at Wentzville.

Three arrested in attack on Montee Ball

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Madison, WI. police have arrested three, 21-year old suspects in the attack of Wentzville, MO. native and Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball. Wendell J. Venerable, Deonte J. Wilson and Robert A. Wilks, have not had formal charges brought up yet, but each  faces battery charges.

Police say the attack may have resulted from a fight at a house party that Ball and several Wisconsin football players attended just a few days prior to Ball’s attack on Aug. 1 and are looking into facts to see if retaliation was a motive. Ball claims that he was not involved in that fight at the house party and detectives have no evidence saying he was involved either.

Ball is hoping to be ready for the start of the season. Ball was attack by the three suspects in downtown Madison shortly after 2 a.m. on Aug. 1. Some of Ball’s friends were walking ahead of him, when Ball was jumped. He suffered a concussion and minor injuries and was released from hospital later that day.

Madison police say Ball was at a fight night before attack

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Montee Ball

Madison, WI. police released new information that shows Wentzville, MO. football star Montee Ball was as a party where a fight broke out, the night before his attack in downtown Madison. According to police, the current starting running back of the Wisconsin Badgers was not involved in that fight, but some members of the Wisconsin football team were.

Madison police released a statement “Although Montee Ball was assaulted on a public street, this incident does not fit the pattern of random violence that we have seen in recent weeks in downtown Madison,” Madison police department chief Noble Wray said Saturday. “Through information developed by detectives, have determined that there was a fight that occurred Friday night (July 27th-28th) which involved UW students, members of the UW football team, and other individuals that were not affiliated with the University of Wisconsin’s Athletics Department. We have also determined that Montee Ball was present at the location of that fight, but we have no information that leads us to believe that he had any involvement in that particular event.

Ball was walking behind two of his friends in downtown Madison, early last Wednesday, when he was attacked by five suspects that he said he did not recognize. One witness said he overheard one of the assailants say, “One down, nine to go.”

Responding to a TMZ.com report that he was involved in a previous fight that provoked the attack, Ball posted on his Twitter account, “The report that I was involved in a fight is totally false.”

Ball will miss part of fall camp with Wisconsin after suffering a head injury and concussion. His coach Bret Bielma said, “My concern right now is for Montee’s health and well-being. Montee has been released from the hospital and is under the care and supervision of our sports medicine staff. We will continue to evaluate him as we approach the start of fall camp this weekend. I do expect Montee to make a full recovery.”

 

Wentzville football star, Montee Ball attacked in Wisconsin (AUDIO)

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Montee Ball

Madison, Wi., police are investigating the early morning assault of Wisconsin Badger football standout, Montee Ball. The senior running back, from Wentzville, Mo., was jumped on a downtown Madison street near the UW campus early Wednesday morning.

“According to witnesses, we had five men who jumped him, knocked him down, kicked him in the head,” said Madison Police Department spokesman Joel DeSpain. “There were witnesses in the area that were able to intervene, and the perpetrators fled.”

Ball suffered head injuries, but Badgers coach Bret Bielema expects Ball, who announced earlier this year that he’d return to play his final season with the Badgers, to make a full recovery, although it’s not clear whether he’ll join the team for the start of fall training camp this weekend.

On his Twitter account, Ball tweeted I appreciate the support and thank you for the concerns.I will be okay! See you guys in September! #WiscONsin

AUDIO Madison Police spokesman Joe DeSpain on the attack (:20)

Wisconsin Radio Network contributed to this story.