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): State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
GOP Governor Mike Parson remains in the Missouri Governor’s Mansion in 2024 and Republicans will have supermajorities in both legislative chambers in the new session. It begins on Wednesday January 3 at high noon in Jefferson City. Republicans control the Missouri Senate 24-10 and the Missouri House 111-51. Missouri Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” to preview the 2024 session. Leader O’Laughlin expresses frustration with a term that’s used sometimes in Jefferson City: RINO. That means Republican in name only. Senator O’Laughlin tells listeners that some of her GOP colleagues don’t want to compromise, adding that you must compromise to get 18 votes in the chamber. Senator O’Laughlin also doesn’t think the controversial slot machine issue will be resolved during the 2024 session:
(LISTEN): State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) discusses education funding and the 2024 legislative session on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) serves as the Missouri Senate Majority Leader, a powerful position in Jefferson City. Republicans have a supermajority in the Senate, 24-10. Senator O’Laughlin is the first female to hold that post in state history. She joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” to preview Missouri’s 2024 legislative session and to discuss education, particularly the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Leader O’Laughlin tells listeners that DESE wants an additional $250-million in funding next year, emphasizing that she’s opposed to that. Senator O’Laughlin says schools are receiving record funding but that the money is not getting to teachers. She says our classrooms are being “dumbed down” and that schools need to be teaching students how to read and write:
Columbia receives five inches of snow; freezing rain/ice lowered the snow total
The National Weather Service (NWS) says about five inches of snow fell in Columbia during Thursday’s winter storm. NWS St. Louis meteorologist Jared Maples says the freezing rain and ice that fell first limited snow totals. “So whenever you start off like that, you’re really cutting into the amount of moisture that would originally or …
National Weather Service: Columbia expected to receive snow/ice on Thursday
The National Weather Service (NWS) says Columbia is now expected to receive three to six inches of snow on Thursday, with the heaviest snowfall happening in counties in the far northern 939 the Eagle listening area. NWS St. Louis meteorologist Ben Herzog says heavy rain moves in tonight, with cold air behind it. “It will …