An east-central Missouri congressman who represents Jefferson City, Fulton, Boonville and parts of Columbia on Capitol Hill doesn’t expect President Joe Biden to seek re-election in 2024. U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that President Biden has virtually no ground game, and questions if he’s electable in 2024. Congressman Luetkemeyer also addressed an issue that’s been a big topic in Jefferson City: the aging tri-level. Congressman Luetkemeyer tells listeners that he appreciates the efforts of House Transportation Committee chair Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) to obtain federal funding for the project. Congressman Graves tells 939 the Eagle that he’s had conversations with Governor Parson’s office about the project:
(LISTEN): Efforts underway to try to obtain federal funding for Jefferson City tri-level project
A powerful northern Missouri congressman who chairs the U.S. House Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill is trying to obtain federal funding to help replace Jefferson City’s aging tri-level.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) tells 939 the Eagle that he’s had conversations with Governor Mike Parson’s office about the project.
“Maybe some intrastate highway dollars that are out there. And that’s dollars specific to goods and services that pass from one state to the next on our federal highway system,” Congressman Graves says.
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. That’s an additional $53-million. MoDOT central district engineer Michelle Watkins told “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” last week that MoDOT currently doesn’t have the funding for the two projects.
“It’s possible we might be able to make that work there too. But anyway we’re talking to the governor’s office about what the potential opportunities are,” Graves says, referring to intrastate highway dollars.
MoDOT says 86,000 vehicles a day come through the tri-level area, with three major highways converging in the same area. MoDOT says the tri-level bridges were built in 1964 and that the “flyover” bridges were built in 1991.
Death penalty opponents urge Missouri’s governor to stop Tisius’ scheduled execution
A state lawmaker from St. Louis and other death penalty opponents are urging Missouri’s governor to block Tuesday’s scheduled execution of convicted murderer Michael Tisius.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, tells 939 the Eagle that the governor’s office is reviewing the clemency request from Tisius and his supporters.
The 42-year-old Tisius is under a death sentence for killing two Randolph County jailers in Huntsville in 2000 in an attempt to help Tisius’ former cellmate try to escape from jail. The former cellmate was unable to escape. The two jailers were Leon Egley and Jason Acton. Both of the jailers were unarmed and were shot to death at the old jail.
The Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled the execution for Tuesday evening for Tisius. Barring intervention from the courts or from Governor Mike Parson, Tisius will be executed by lethal injection at the maximum-security prison in southeast Missouri’s Bonne Terre on Tuesday evening.
Our news partner KMIZ quotes State Rep. Peter Merideth (D-St. Louis) as wanting the execution to be blocked, saying he wishes for a state with more empathy.
“Wish for a state, I long for a state where our leaders could have empathy. Both with the victims and with the people that made the terrible choices who were probably victims leading up to that in their lives as well,” Representative Meredith is quoted as saying at Tuesday’s event in Jefferson City.
Death penalty opponents want the governor to commute Tisius’ sentence to life in prison without parole.