Cooper County | 98.3 The Dove

NWS says tornado that struck northeast Missouri’s Baring had 122 mph winds

August 7, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) says Friday night’s EF-2 tornado that struck northeast Missouri’s Knox County caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure in the small town of Baring.

The NWS in St. Louis says maximum wind speeds are estimated at 122 miles per hour. While no one was killed, the NWS says there were two injuries in the town, which has about 125 residents.

Governor Mike Parson has signed an executive order activating the Missouri State Emergency Operations plan, noting tornadoes also touched down Friday in mid-Missouri’s Saline County and in western Missouri’s Ray county. The governor says the ongoing weather system has strained resources as first responders and public works crews continue to respond.

While mid-Missouri did have several tornado warnings on Friday evening, little damage is reported in the 939 the Eagle listening area. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Kansas City confirms an EF-0 tornado touched down at 7:15 Friday evening in Malta Bend, which is near Marshall in Saline County. The tornado packed winds of 85 miles per hour and was on the ground for about a mile and a half. No injuries or deaths are reported. Tornado warnings were also issued Friday evening in mid-Missouri’s Callaway, Cooper and Moniteau counties. No major damage is reported.

Mid-Missouri will finally see some dry time on Monday, but the ground remains saturated. NWS St. Louis meteorologist John Carney tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia received 6.82 inches of rain last week.

UPDATE: No reports of major storm damage in mid-Missouri; storms much worse toward St. Louis

July 2, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

While mid-Missouri saw a number of severe thunderstorm warnings this weekend, there are no reports of major damage.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis issued severe thunderstorm warnings on Friday evening for Cooper, Howard, Audrain and Montgomery counties. They also issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Cole, Callaway and Osage counties on Saturday.

NWS St. Louis meteorologist Lydia Jaja tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia received about a half-inch of rain through early Sunday morning. Columbia received some additional rainfall late Sunday morning. Ms. Jaja has not received reports of any major storm damage in central Missouri.

The weather was much worse in the St. Louis region, where Saturday afternoon’s first Cardinal-Yankee game was delayed due to storms and 70 mile-per-hour winds.

Television station KMOV reports a woman was killed when a tree fell near the Grove, crushing her vehicle. Residents tell KMOV the woman was alive after the tree fell and that she called 911 but couldn’t get through. It took first responders 40 minutes to get to the scene. The city cites the large volume of 911 calls to police and fire dispatch.

(AUDIO): Missouri’s Hoskins hopes to become secretary of state

June 13, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

A state senator who represents three mid-Missouri counties in the 939 the Eagle listening area is running for secretary of state next year.

State Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg) says election integrity would be one of his top priorities, if elected in 2024.

“You know I filed a bill this past legislative session, Senate Bill 350, to establish the Office of Election Crimes and Security. I believe that with so many illegal immigrants crossing the border, especially from Mexico, we need to make sure that we have election integrity in our elections,” Hoskins tells 939 the Eagle.

Senator Hoskins’ Senate Bill 350 would have created the new office within the secretary of state’s office. It would have overseen a voter fraud hotline. The bill did not receive a hearing in the Missouri Senate.

Senator Hoskins’ district includes Cooper, Howard and Saline counties. He chairs the Missouri Senate Economic Development and Tax Policy Committee. Hoskins notes the secretary of state’s office plays a role in business services and helping Missourians start businesses:

“I want to focus on that as well to make sure that we can eliminate red tape when people are trying to start a business here in Missouri, and trying to get as much done as possible online and make it simple and easy for them,” says Hoskins.

The 48-year-old Hoskins graduated from Westphalia’s Fatima high school, in mid-Missouri’s Osage County. He served in the Missouri House from 2009-2016 before being elected to the Senate in 2016. He’s finishing his second four-year term in the upper chamber.

Meantime, Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) says former Pro Tem and former House Speaker Ron Richard’s legacy will live on for decades to come. Rowden served in the Senate with Richard (R-Joplin), who’s passed away. Senator Hoskins served with Richard in both chambers. Ron Richard served as Missouri House Speaker in 2009, when Hoskins arrived at the Capitol as a freshman legislator.

“Ron was a stalwart. Most certainly he was a very honorable man and he told you the truth. And sometimes even when you didn’t want to hear the truth, he was not afraid to tell you how it was and how he saw things,” Hoskins says.

Ron Richard is the only Missouri lawmaker in state history to serve as both House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem.

(AUDIO): Protecting Senator Rowden’s seat is top priority for Boone County Republicans

April 11, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) speaks on the Senate floor in Jefferson City on January 26, 2022 (file photo courtesy of Harrison Sweazea at Senate Communications)

Boone County GOP officials say pre-registrations are up for this year’s Boone County Lincoln Days banquet.

Boone County Republican spokesman Tony Lupo tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that the event is Monday April 17 at Columbia’s Stoney Creek Inn.

“Our (state) treasurer Vivek Malek will be there as our keynote speaker and then we will have our guest speaker (Secretary of State) Jay Ashcroft, who recently announced he’s running for governor,” Lupo says.

Mr. Lupo says the social hour begins at 5 that evening, with dinner at 6 and the program starting at 6:30. “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” host Branden Rathert will be the emcee.

Meantime, the Boone County GOP is hopeful that they’ll be able to hold on to mid-Missouri’s 19^th state senate district seat, which is currently held by Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia). He’s term-limited and will leave the Senate at the end of 2024. The district has lost Republican stronghold Cooper County and is now a Boone County-only district. We asked Mr. Lupo about the race on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.”

“We still have fared very well in Boone County. I think (State Sen.) Caleb Rowden, if you look at how he polled in Boone County (2016 and 2020), it was very close both times with him. And I think it’s a very winnable race, it’s just going to depend on if we can get a great candidate,” says Lupo.

Senator Rowden defeated then-State Rep. Stephen Webber (D-Columbia) in a tight race in 2016, and won re-election against former State Rep. Judy Baker (D-Columbia) in a tough 2020 race.

MU Health’s Boonville medical building to hold grand opening today

April 11, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

MU Health’s 14,000 square foot Jackson road medical building is their largest outpatient facility outside of Columbia (March 2023 photo courtesy of Justin Kelly at MU Health Care)

A formal grand opening is set for today for MU Health Care’s new 14,000 square foot medical building in Boonville.

While it opened to the public in late March, today is the grand opening, which will include dignitaries from Boonville and Cooper County.

It’s MU Health’s largest outpatient facility outside of Columbia and includes an urgent care and primary care. It also includes specialty services.

Boonville was without an urgent care for about three years, since Pinnacle Hospital closed in February 2020. The new urgent care is open seven days a week, from 8 am to 7 pm.

MU Health also has clinics in Fayette, Ashland, Fulton and Mexico.