July 12, 2019

Since Voters Approved A $5 Cap On Gifts, Lobbyist Spending On Missouri Lawmakers Dropped 94%

Beyoncé tickets. Pricey steak dinners. Royals games.

Lobbyists used to be able to spend thousands in an effort to influence Missouri lawmakers. Voters approved a $5 dollar limit on gifts for lawmakers in November. A KCUR analysis of data released this month by the Missouri Ethics Commission shows there’s been a 94% decrease in spending from the 2019 to 2018 legislative session.

In this year’s session, lobbyists spent less than $17,000 on lawmakers. That’s a significant drop from the about $300,00 spent in the 2018 session.

“These sorts of financial gifts or benefits that have been directed to lawmakers don’t actually buy their votes, but they do buy access,” University of Missouri political science professor Peverill Squire said. “That access is important because lawmakers have to decide how they are going to spend their time and what energy they want to devote to different topics.”

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/voters-approved-5-cap-gifts-lobbyist-spending-missouri-lawmakers-dropped-94

July 10, 2019

1 in custody, police searching for 2 others after shots fired at St. Louis Premium Outlet Mall

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- Several officers responded St. Louis Premium Outlet Mall in Chesterfield Tuesday afternoon after reports of gunshots at the facility.

A Chesterfield Police Spokesman said five shots were fired in the atrium of the mall, outside of the stores.

Police said one person in custody and a gun was recovered at the scene.

They are still looking for two additional people, a man and a woman, who may have been involved, but they still don't have specific descriptions.

https://www.kmov.com/news/in-custody-police-searching-for-others-after-shots-fired-at/article_9babd10c-a275-11e9-9ffb-333b1506ec49.html

July 9, 2019

Missouri outlaws jail debt turning into jail time, following action by Gov. Mike Parson

JEFFERSON CITY — Courts across the state will no longer be allowed to threaten defendants with more time behind bars if defendants fail to pay jail debts.

Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday signed House Bill 192, which does away with hearings at which defendants must explain to a judge why they should not be locked up for failure to pay jail "board bills." The bills cover the costs of imprisonment and can total thousands of dollars.

If defendants do not show up, or fail to make payments on their jail debt, they risk re-incarceration — and additional jail bills — even after fulfilling their original sentence.

"As a former sheriff and law enforcement officer, I understand the challenges facing those working within the criminal justice system, and we have to do a better job," Parson, a Republican, said in a statement.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/missouri-outlaws-jail-debt-turning-into-jail-time-following-action/article_26b4fa38-3437-502e-9f4a-49c4302e1f37.html

July 9, 2019

Illinois man gets 30-month prison term in kickback scheme in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS • A Madison County man was sentenced Monday to 2½ years in prison in a health-care kickback scheme.

Anthony B. Camillo, 62, the owner of Allegiance Medical Laboratory and AMS Medical Laboratory pleaded guilty last year to paying kickbacks to marketers in Missouri and other states who would steer biological samples to the labs for testing. U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig ordered Camillo to pay $3.47 million in restitition.

Prosecutors have said Camillo would pay the marketers 50 percent of the profit, or as much as $200 per sample. Prosecutors said the samples were obtained through health fairs held at business and churches, and often submitted with the names of doctors who did not order the tests or know the patients.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/illinois-man-gets--month-prison-term-in-kickback-scheme/article_2652dd18-a255-5f95-882b-3b58e390b8cf.html

July 9, 2019

Effort to put Missouri abortion ban to vote can proceed

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An appellate court panel ruled Monday that the American Civil Liberties Union can soon begin collecting signatures that would put a new Missouri law banning abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy to a public vote.

A three-judge panel of the state’s Court of Appeals found that Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft was “without authority” to reject petitions on constitutional grounds. The 31-page ruling was issued just hours after the panel heard oral arguments in the case.

ACLU of Missouri acting executive director Tony Rothert had argued that time was of the essence. Most of the new law, including the eight-week abortion ban, takes effect Aug. 28. The ACLU needs to collect more than 100,000 signatures by then to put the law on hold until a public vote in 2020. Rothert had argued that the signature gathering should begin by July 18.

“We are pleased with the ruling,” Rothert said. “We think the secretary of state was wrong and quite clearly trying to derail the referendum effort. We are happy that the court is going to get it back on track.”

https://www.stltoday.com/news/national/crime-and-courts/effort-to-put-missouri-abortion-ban-to-vote-can-proceed/article_085411da-9ff4-5369-ac31-6dc3a094bf69.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

July 8, 2019

Andrew Yang on The View 7/8/19

July 8, 2019

Andrew Yang on The View 7/8/19

July 8, 2019

These old houses: Learn history, architecture and more from these lesser-known house museums

Are you curious about the history of the houses in your neighborhood? Ever wandered around Kirkwood and wondered what it was like to live in a mansion at the time it was built? A house museum can unlock those secrets and so many more. The St. Louis area has an abundance of them — beyond the Lemp Mansion and the Campbell House. Learn about the history and architecture of the 19th century through tours of upper-class mansions, migrant workers’ homes and farmhouses.

Gina Siebe, president of Historic Florissant which runs Gittemeier House, believes that it’s important to continue to visit these historical landmarks, especially the smaller ones, in order to preserve local history.

“The smaller ones lend themselves to history. We have all the history for Florissant. (Gittemeier) was just a farmer, but he had 10 kids and they married into prominent families and each had kids of their own, so they helped to populate Florissant. It’s important for these houses to be preserved and educate people on history,” she says.

Most of these houses have been saved, preserved and are run by historical societies and many are open during the holidays as part of larger house tours.


https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/hotlist/these-old-houses-learn-history-architecture-and-more-from-these/collection_41762b21-f35c-54b8-955a-b995e83eac86.html#1

July 8, 2019

These old houses: Learn history, architecture and more from these lesser-known house museums

Are you curious about the history of the houses in your neighborhood? Ever wandered around Kirkwood and wondered what it was like to live in a mansion at the time it was built? A house museum can unlock those secrets and so many more. The St. Louis area has an abundance of them — beyond the Lemp Mansion and the Campbell House. Learn about the history and architecture of the 19th century through tours of upper-class mansions, migrant workers’ homes and farmhouses.

Gina Siebe, president of Historic Florissant which runs Gittemeier House, believes that it’s important to continue to visit these historical landmarks, especially the smaller ones, in order to preserve local history.

“The smaller ones lend themselves to history. We have all the history for Florissant. (Gittemeier) was just a farmer, but he had 10 kids and they married into prominent families and each had kids of their own, so they helped to populate Florissant. It’s important for these houses to be preserved and educate people on history,” she says.

Most of these houses have been saved, preserved and are run by historical societies and many are open during the holidays as part of larger house tours.


https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/hotlist/these-old-houses-learn-history-architecture-and-more-from-these/collection_41762b21-f35c-54b8-955a-b995e83eac86.html#1

July 7, 2019

Missouri S&T Part Of Research Effort To Make Roads Cheaper And Last Longer

More than 40 million motorists are expected to hit the road in the U.S. this holiday weekend, and many of them will encounter highways that are cracked or littered with potholes.

Missouri University of Science and Technology is part of an effort to make those roads last longer.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $15 million to 10 universities, including Missouri S&T, to create a National Transportation Center research project focusing on the durability and lifespan of transportation infrastructure.

Missouri S&T will contribute to several parts of the research, including using materials to make roads that last longer.

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/missouri-st-part-research-effort-make-roads-cheaper-and-last-longer