Northeast Missouri, including Audrain and Randolph counties in the 939 the Eagle listening area, have been hard hit by winter storms, wind chill warnings and Monday’s ice storm. January has been a very tough month in the region, and many schools have been forced to take a number of snow days. Missouri Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) represents Audrain and Randolph counties in Jefferson City. She joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri,” telling listeners that state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) crews at northeast Missouri sheds have been pulled away to help St. Louis and Kansas City offices during snowstorms. She says while those offices have staffing issues, her constituents in rural Missouri deserve to have their highways plowed in snow. Senator O’Laughlin also discussed her frustration with the Missouri Senate Freedom Caucus, which she calls the “Chaos Caucus.” Leader O’Laughlin says that caucus doesn’t meet with the Senate Republican caucus in Jefferson City. While the GOP has a 24-10 supermajority in the Missouri Senate, Republican infighting has hampered the ability of them to pass priority legislation. Senator O’Laughlin tells listeners that her caucus has filed 12 initiative petition bills, 20 school reform bills and 31 tax reform bills. She also hopes to hear Missouri Governor Mike Parson highlight some of those issues during tomorrow’s State of the State address:
(LISTEN): Veteran Missouri lawmaker says I-44 should be six-laned before I-70
A powerful Missouri state lawmaker describes the $2.8 billion plan to rebuild and expand I-70 to six lanes across the state as the biggest boondoggle in Missouri history.
House Transportation Accountability chairman Don Mayhew (R-Crocker) joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” to explain why he’s filed a one-page bill to change the name of I-70 in Missouri to I-44 and the name of I-44 in Missouri to I-70.
“I can’t find a single, going through MoDOT’s studies and reports and everything going back a few years, I can’t find a single engineering reason why you would choose I-70 for three-laning in each direction instead of, let’s say, I-44,” Mayhew says.
Mayhew tells listeners that I-44 in his district should be six-laned. Representative Mayhew, a former MoDOT engineer, says I-44 in his district and across the state has much more truck traffic than I-70.
“If you just look at freight tonnage alone, MoDOT’s own studies said that there’s about nine times the freight tonnage that travels on I-44. And in fact there’s four routes in Missouri that carry more freight tonnage that I-70 does,” says Mayhew.
You can listen to the full interview with Chairman Mayhew here, and you can also weigh in on the issue on the 939 the Eagle Facebook page.
(LISTEN): New downtown Jefferson City burger and shake shop to open in early 2024
A Jefferson City businessman who owns the popular Yanis Coffee Zone downtown plans to open Izzy’s burgers and shakes in January.
Taisir Yanis says Izzy’s will be in the old Jimmy John’s. Mr. Yanis tells 939 the Eagle that the location is perfect.
“We’re one block away from the (Missouri) Capitol and we’re one block away from the (Cole County) Courthouse. And you’ve got the state workers in the Truman Building and you have MoDOT down the street from it (near the Capitol). And we have Central Bank and Hawthorn Bank right next to us and across the street from us,” Yanis says.
Mr. Yanis says the ice cream will be provided by Central Dairy and the meat will be from Jefferson City-based Steele’s Fine Custom Meats.
He also envisions the new restaurant as being a safe and great spot for high school students to enjoy.
“High schoolers there’s no where for them to go to enjoy themselves eating a hamburger and having a shake. So the goal is to bring the old feeling back to downtown. (I) remember when we used to go with my parents you know have a hamburger and a shake and everybody is happy with the fries,” says Yanis.
Mr. Yanis says Izzy’s currently has two employees but that they’re still hiring and need two more employees. He says their menu will be simple: they’ll have five burgers, five shakes and homemade fries.
UPDATE: MoDOT to close westbound lane of I-70 at Rocheport bridge at 6 am
Truckers and motorists who are traveling on westbound I-70 this morning near mid-Missouri’s Rocheport bridge can expect delays, as crews install river navigation lights on the bridge.
The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says westbound I-70 will narrow to one lane over the new Lance Corporal Leon Deraps bridge from 6 to 9 am. This area is just west of exit 115. MODOT is urging mid-Missouri motorists to be alert and to pay attention to signs.
MoDOT and its crews are currently building a new $240-million bridge to replace the aging I-70 Rocheport bridge, which was built in 1960. More than four-million trucks cross the old bridge each year.
(LISTEN): U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) discusses transportation, Jefferson City’s tri-level and Mizzou on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Capitol Hill. He represents 39 counties across northern Missouri, representing Audrain and Randolph counties in the 939 the Eagle listening area. One of the biggest issues he’s also been involved in is trying to obtain federal funding to help replace Jefferson City’s aging tri-level. The tri-level bridges were built in 1964. The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says rebuilding the tri-level will cost about $40-million, adding that the nearby Rex Whitton Expressway would also have to be rebuilt for an additional $53-million. While Congressman Graves has been hopeful of finding some intrastate highway dollars for the project, he tells listeners that he’s not as optimistic as he was. However, Chairman Graves tells listeners that it’s still in the works and that he’s still working on the process. Congressman Graves, a Mizzou graduate, also predicts Mizzou will beat Tennessee in Saturday afternoon’s top 20 showdown in Columbia:
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