State Rep. Kent Haden (R-Mexico) says there’s a “food fight” between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the state Department of Transportation (MODOT) over which agency should pay to remove dead deer and large dead animals from roads. Haden has filed legislation that requires MoDOT to remove and bury dead wildlife on a road, highway or shoulder that is large enough to impede traffic. The Missouri House Transportation Accountability Committee has heard testimony on Haden’s bill. House Bill 404 would require MoDOT to remove the dead deer, with Conservation paying those expenses. Conservation would also be required to bury the dead deer on Conservation land that’s three feet deep. Representative Haden tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” this is an issue in both urban and rural Missouri:
(AUDIO): State Rep. Kent Haden (R-Mexico) discusses dead wildlife legislation on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
State Rep. Kent Haden (R-Mexico) says there’s a “food fight” between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the state Department of Transportation (MODOT) over which agency should pay to remove dead deer and large dead animals from roads. Haden has filed legislation that requires MoDOT to remove and bury dead wildlife on a road, highway or shoulder that is large enough to impede traffic. The Missouri House Transportation Accountability Committee has heard testimony on Haden’s bill. House Bill 404 would require MoDOT to remove the dead deer, with Conservation paying those expenses. Conservation would also be required to bury the dead deer on Conservation land that’s three feet deep. Representative Haden tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” this is an issue in both urban and rural Missouri:
State Conservation employees would receive pay raise, if Missouri lawmakers approve Parson plan
Missouri Department of Conservation employees will be included in the governor’s pay raise proposal, if the Legislature approves the plan.
939 the Eagle News has received inquiries from Conservation employees asking if they’re eligible, since the Conservation Department is overseen by the Missouri Conservation Commission. We asked House Budget Committee chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage), who says the Legislature appropriates for them. The Carthage Republican tells 939 the Eagle that Conservation employees are included in the governor’s recommendation and that if the Legislature approves the plan, Conservation funds would pay for the pay increase.
Smith says the Missouri Department of Conservation has about 1,825 full-time employees.
Governor Parson is calling on lawmakers to approve an immediate 8.7 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for state employees. He wants it done by March 1. The governor says it’s critical for the state to remain competitive with the marketplace.
Lemonade stand helps raise more than $2,000 for shop with a cop in rural mid-Missouri county
25 disadvantaged children from mid-Missouri are enjoying a brighter Christmas, thanks to your generosity and the Moniteau County Sheriff’s shop with a cop event.
Sheriff Tony Wheatley says the 25 local children were primarily selected by school districts. Sheriff Wheatley says the children were assigned to patrol cars on December 15, and were allowed to run the lights and sirens through California, as they headed to Jefferson City’s Target.
“It really brings the kids closer to our local police departments. And let’s them see that we’re just people too, just like they are. And it helps relationships a lot,” Wheatley says.
The shop with a cop program raised about $7,500 this year. Wheatley says the children were thinking of others as they shopped at Target.
“A lot of those kids, well most of this kids that went with us, not only bought toys for themselves but they bought stuff for other members of their family as well. Their little brothers and sisters and things like that,” says Wheatley.
Commerce Bank, California’s Cargill, Sydenstrickers, Brockes Tire, Co-Mo Electric and the California Eagles are some of the businesses and organizations that donated, along with teachers in California and Jamestown. The Moniteau County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri Department of Conservation participated, along with officers from the California, Tipton and Jamestown police departments.
Sheriff Wheatley also praises Tipton children Owen Crane and Ryder Bracht, who raised more than $2,000 this summer from their lemonade stand in Tipton. They donated it to shop with a cop. Crane and Bracht also raised money this fall to purchase coats at Target for the needy.
“Last year they raised I believe it was close to $500. And this year they went high-tech on us. They opened up a Venmo and all kinds of stuff and they raised $2,016 this year off that lemonade stand in Tipton. And of course donated all that to shop with a cop,” Wheatley says.
The sheriff also thanks the families of Crane and Bracht and the customers who purchased lemonade from the stand. The Moniteau County Sheriff’s Department presented Crane and Bracht with the “young citizen award” in September. This is the second straight year the Tipton children have hosted a lemonade stand for shop with a cop. They are eight and nine years old.
Sheriff Wheatley emphasizes that the shop with a cop program is funded entirely by donations, and that they hope to do it each year.
Missouri DPS: cause of Wooldridge fire is still under investigation
The Cooper County Fire Protection District and other local agencies are still investigating to determine what caused Saturday’s massive wildfire in the Wooldridge area.
Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) deputy director Kevin Bond tells 939 the Eagle that the investigation continues.
“That’s being done on the local level in conjunction with (state) fire marshal’s office. And so that investigation is still ongoing and there’s not been a release on cause of (the) fire yet,” Bond says.
Mr. Bond is a former Pettis County sheriff. He joined Governor Mike Parson, U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville), Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) and first responders for Wednesday’s Wooldridge tour. Smoke permeated the area during the tour.
Numerous state departments were involved in Saturday’s massive wildfire in Cooper County, ranging from the Missouri State Highway Patrol to the state Department of Conservation. DPS deputy director Bond tells 939 the Eagle that DPS had many of its personnel in Wooldridge, on I-70 and in Jefferson City.
“The state fire marshal’s office, SEMA (State Emergency Management Agency), the Missouri State Highway Patrol, lots of our agencies were actively involved in this situation. We activated the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) there in Jefferson City, not only for this fire but also for other fires and other events that were going on across the state,” says Bond.
The State Emergency Operations Center is housed at Jefferson City’s Ike Skelton facility. Mr. Bond reiterates what Governor Parson told reporters in Wooldridge: that closing I-70 on Saturday for two hours was done for safety reasons due to zero visibility at the I-70 Rocheport bridge.