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Missouri's 2025 legislative session is less than four weeks away. Republicans will have supermajorities in both legislative chambers once again in January, and Governor-elect Mike Kehoe (R) will be in the governor's Mansion. State Rep. Rudy Veit (R-Wardsville) will begin his fourth and final term in Jefferson City in January. He says Governor-elect Kehoe, House Speaker-designee Jon Patterson (R-Lee's Summit) and incoming Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin (R-Shelbina) are talking to each other and not at each other. Representative Veit also outlined his legislation that reinstates the presidential preference primary. We also discussed faith-based boarding schools and insurance-related issues:

Columbia Public Schools' (CPS) settlement with retiring Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood contained a gag order that prohibits Yearwood from talking about his departure publicly. Columbia school board president Suzette Waters and interim CPS Superintendent Dr. Chris Belcher joined host Mike Murphy live Sunday morning on 939 the Eagle's "Columbia Buzz" program. Mike Murphy joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" this morning, telling listeners that Sunday's interview with President Waters and Dr. Belcher cleared up a lot of things. Murphy tells listeners that Dr. Yearwood did not retire and that the board chose to part ways with Dr. Yearwood. But he emphasizes that personnel records involving school employees are protected by state law, so the board cannot discuss details. Mr. Murphy tells listeners that this was a negotiated departure that has been in the works for months:

A state lawmaker from Columbia says Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Missouri and Anthem have backed away from their plan involving anesthesia coverage during surgeries. State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) tweeted Thursday that Blue Cross/Blue Shield had announced a new policy in Missouri to not cover anesthesia care if surgery goes beyond a certain arbitrary time. He described that proposal as “dangerous, egregious and appalling.” Representative Tyson Smith tweeted later Thursday that after he announced he would file legislation to prevent Anthem from limiting their anesthesia coverage during surgery, Anthem backtracked from that policy. Rep. Tyson Smith joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri", telling listeners this is a victory for constituents across the state. He also says residents across Missouri from both parties were outraged by the insurance company's plan. During the live interview, Representative Tyson Smith also outlined his bill to prohibit the purchasing of semi-aut

Missouri's 2025 legislative session begins on Wednesday January 8. Republicans will have supermajorities once again in the Missouri Senate and Missouri House, and Governor-elect Mike Kehoe (R) will be in the governor's mansion. "Missouri Times" publisher Scott Faughn joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri." He tells listeners that the voters spoke on Amendment Three (abortion) in November, but says the voters also spoke when they elected GOP supermajorities in both chambers. Mr. Faughn is also impressed with incoming House Minority Leader Ashley Aune (D-Kansas City), who will take over for term-limited Leader Crystal Quade (D-Springfield). Mr. Faughn tells listeners that Representative Aune is very smart, is capable and has lots of potential. He also says that Leader Aune has big shoes to fill, referring to Quade. Leader Quade was Missouri's 2024 Democratic gubernatorial nominee. Mr. Faughn also says the national Democratic Party gave up on Missouri several years ago:

The retiring Columbia Public Schools (CPS) superintendent will be paid regularly on his $261,000 annual salary through December 31 and then will receive a lump sum payment of $667,000 in January. 939 the Eagle's Mike Murphy, who publishes Comobuz, broke that story in late November. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." Mr. Murphy outlined the "separation agreement and release” document he obtained through an open records request and explained that, by law, the board and Dr. Yearwood cannot discuss it. Mr. Murphy says he understands that and says they're correct about the law; However, Mr. Murphy says that state law needs to be changed. He says Boone County's legislative delegation should lead the effort to change it. Mr. Parry and Mr. Murphy also discussed Columbia business license fees, which were maxed at $750 from 1964 to 2022. Murphy tells listeners that some business owners are paying triple now for a business license fee and that the cap

One of the most hotly-contested ballot issues in November in Missouri was Amendment Three, which essentially legalized abortion in Missouri. While Amendment Three passed by about 95,000 votes statewide, it failed in at least 105 of Missouri's 114 counties. Several lawmakers who represent those rural areas, including State Rep. Brian Seitz (R-Branson), have blasted the vote. State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Arnold) joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" to preview the 2025 session. She is filing a proposed constitutional amendment that, if passed, would be placed on the statewide ballot. Senator Coleman tells listeners that SJR 25 would correct what she calls the lies told by Amendment Three supporters . She says her measure would also enshrine in the Missouri Constitution necessary healthcare and safety protections for women. Abortion-rights supporters say the voters have already spoken on Amendment 3. We also discussed taxes during the live interview. Senator Coleman has filed legislati

Ambulance service across Missouri, especially rural Missouri, is a key issue for veteran State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City). He joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" to preview the 2025 legislative session, which begins on January 8 in Jefferson City. Senator Bernskoetter has filed Senate Bill 7, in response to some ambulance districts across Missouri closing their doors without notice. Under Senator Bernskoetter's seven-page bill, ambulance districts would be required to report closings to other license holders operating in the license holder's vicinity, state lawmakers who represent that area in Missouri, other elected officials and to the State Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services. Senator Bernskoetter tells listeners this is critical. He also represents 14,000 state employees who work in Jefferson City and is hopeful Governor-elect Kehoe's budget proposal will include a pay increase for state employees. Senator Bernskoetter says state employee pay has

Authorities closed part of Madison street in downtown Jefferson City this morning to give room for a 40-foot Norway Spruce to arrive and be displayed on the Governor's Mansion lawn. Daryl and Sherry Richardson of Boone County donated the Christmas tree. "Missouri Times" publisher Scott Faughn joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" to preview Living Windows and the candlelight tours and to look ahead to Missouri's 2025 legislative session. The candlelight tours and annual tree lighting ceremony take place on Friday evening at 5:30. The candlelight tours will run until 8 pm Friday. Thousands of people are expected to be in downtown Jefferson City for both events. Mr. Faughn tells listeners that both events are huge and that they are awesome. He notes Governor Mike and First Lady Teresa Parson pose for photos with everyone who comes to the Mansion for candlelight tours, who wants a photo. Mr. Faughn says the governor and his wife stay until every person in line has visited. This year's Living W

Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater says the state fire marshal’s office has been called in to investigate this weekend’s house explosion on St. Louis road, east of the Missouri Capitol. Mayor Fitzwater joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri." Jefferson City spokeswoman Molly Bryan tells 939 the Eagle that there is an ongoing joint investigation between the Jefferson City fire and police departments and the Missouri state fire marshal's office. A cause has NOT been determined yet. Jefferson City authorities say there six people inside the home in the 2400 block of St. Louis road when it exploded Saturday morning at about 2:45. Two of the victims were driven across the river to the Jefferson City Memorial Airport and flown to Columbia’s University Hospital and the other four were transported by ambulance to University Hospital. Our news partner KMIZ reports three of the victims are in critical condition and that three suffered moderate injuries. Mayor Fitzwater praises the team eff

Columbia businessman Ryan Kreuger has sold men's clothing at Bingham's downtown and has managed two AT&T stores for Mid-American Wireless. Today, Mr. Kreuger owns RTK Properties and also helped start Boulevard Realty. RTK Properties is a property management company. Mr. Kreuger joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable" program. They discussed in-detail some of the challenges that property owners face, ranging from dealing with tenants to sprinkler systems that burst. Mr. Kreuger also provides listeners with his rule of thumb for cash flow for investment properties. Mr. Parry and Mr. Kreuger also discussed Boone County's housing study. Boone County southern district commissioner Justin Aldred notes that about 60,000 residents have moved into Boone County since the last master plan was approved in 1996. Commissioner Aldred has told 939 the Eagle that Boone County will need 37,000 additional housing units by 2050. The 37-year-old Kreuger was born in Columbia and g

Missouri Governor-elect Mike Kehoe (R) has announced that state Department of Agriculture (MDA) director Chris Chinn will remain as MDA's director in the new administration. Governor-elect Kehoe says Director Chinn knows agriculture and that he's proud to have her on the team. Director Chinn joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" to discuss her appointment, the new Trump administration and America's Heartland Packing's $800-million state-of-the-art beef processing facility in eastern Missouri's Warren County, near Wright City. Director Chinn tells listeners that it will be a gamechanger for the beef and dairy industry in the Midwest. She says it will be a beef processing facility for cattle from Missouri and across the Midwest. Director Chinn tells listeners that they'll have 1,200 employees and that those will be good-paying jobs. She also says America's Heartland Packing has already made several donations to the local school district in Wright City and to several businesses in

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) announced this month that 40-year state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) veteran Ed Hassinger is MoDOT's new director. Mr. Hassinger replaces former MoDOT director Patrick McKenna, who resigned in September and serving almost nine years in the role. "Missouri Times" publisher Scott Faughn joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" this morning to discuss MoDOT and state legislative politics. Mr. Faughn is not impressed with Mr. Hassinger's appointment and only sees Ed staying on as director for a year or two. Mr. Faughn believes State Rep. Donnie Brown (R-New Madrid) could be the next director of MoDOT in a few years:

Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to taking care of people at the end of their life. Nurse Jackie Reed and Deb Portell of Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable" program. Ms. Reed tells listeners that their home "basically takes the place of a person’s own home. And our guests and volunteers, I mean our volunteers and our staff, are an extension of their family." Ms. Reed, who co-founded Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia, is a nurse with 28 years of experience at Boone Hospital Center. Her passion for end-of-life care is due to personal family losses. Ms. Portell is a board member who has a heart for those nearing the end of their life. She appreciated hospice care during the final days of four members of her family and became a hospice volunteer in 2001. Jackie Reed and co-founder Dorreen Rardin saw patients throughout their nursing careers who needed end-of-l

Missouri's winningest coach in any sport is longtime Mizzou wrestling coach Brian Smith, who’s written a brand-new book that will be released on Monday. Coach Smith has led his team to a 334-120-3 record in 27 years of coaching. His book called “Tiger Style” comes out tomorrow morning, and he’ll be signing books Monday evening from 5-7 pm at Memorial Stadium’s Columns club, which is on the east side of the football stadium in Columbia. Coach Smith is known for having basic rules, and those rules are for his wrestlers to attend class and to live “Tiger Style”. Those are eight things: know your identity, the small things win, focus on what you have (not on what others have), believing and finding a way, compete, think right/speak right, never be satisfied and expect to win. Coach Smith is known for his writing and his wrestlers are expected to read books. But he wasn’t always interested in reading. Coach Smith joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” to

Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick has released a new report that identifies what he calls significant inadequacies in Missouri's property tax credit program, which is known as the circuit breaker. Auditor Fitzpatrick, a Republican, gives the program a rating of "poor" and says the program lacks sufficient oversight. Auditor Fitzpatrick also says more than 188,000 taxpayers may have been eligible for the credit in 2022 while only 140,000 claims were approved for the credit during the same time period. State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri". She'll leave office in December after eight years in the Missouri House. She notes she's been helping seniors and disabled residents in the Hallsville area with the circuit breaker for about 30 years. She says while the state Department of Revenue (DOR) should follow the auditor's recommendations, more can be done to make the program more simple and reduces its complexities:

Missouri's largest general farm organization is slamming a proposal from the United States Postal Service (USPS) to change rural mail delivery. Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" to discuss the plan. Mr. Hawkins, who lives in west-central Missouri's Appleton City, has written a letter to Postmaster General Louis Dejoy blasting the plan. President Hawkins tells listeners that the proposal would consolidate mail drop off and pick operations for locations 50 miles or more from the nearest regional USPS hub. Mr. Hawkins says his 157,000 Missouri Farm Bureau member families and other rural residents depend on timely mail for medication and important things like bills. He also complains about a lack of transparency from the USPS, saying it was rolled out in the Federal Register during Labor Day weekend. President Hawkins says the plan would impact 68 percent of rural Missourians mail and that rural Americans deserve quality mail service too:

Today is Veterans Day, which is a federal, Missouri, county and municipal holiday. Banks and financial institutions are closed, and there will be no regular mail delivery. Most federal, Missouri, county and city offices are closed today to observe Veterans Day, which the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs describes as a celebration “to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good." State Rep. Dave Griffith (R-Jefferson City), who is expected to chair the Missouri House Veterans Committee again in January, joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri." Griffith, a veteran himself, thanks veterans for their service. 939 the Eagle's Brian Hauswirth asked Chairman Griffith about the growing number of homeless veterans who are seen panhandling at Columbia intersections. Chairman Griffith tells listeners he wants to secure $1-million in state funding for Columbia's Welcome Home, to address that issue and get those veterans a s

An organization that serves pregnant women and new mothers in need is in its new location at the former Ronald McDonald House near Keene in Columbia. St. Raymond’s Society co-founder Mike Hentges and chief programming officer Shauna Balk joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable" program. Mr. Hentges tells listeners that their vision is to save lives by empowering mothers. He says they carry out their mission by partnering with new mothers while they build a thriving future for themselves and their children. He also emphasizes that mothers who face an unplanned pregnancy need as much love and support after the child is born as before. Mr. Hentges and Ms. Balk also discussed their new SuperStart preschool in Columbia, which is licensed for 99 children. Balk tells listeners that they have more than 40 children there, and that it's open to the public. They're currently looking for additional staff. Mr. Parry and his two guests also discussed the St. Raymond's Soci

Missouri Republicans will once again have a 24-10 supermajority in the Senate in Jefferson City in January 2025. The 24 GOP state senators have chosen State Sens. Cindy O'Laughlin (R-Shelbina) as President Pro Tem and Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville) as Senate Majority Floor Leader. O'Laughlin is the first female who will serve as Senate President Pro Tem. She joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri", telling listeners that it's an honor. Some of her legislative priorities include education, public safety and the economy. She also wants to see the 34 state senators in Jefferson City work together as a team. She also expressed her frustration with former state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) director Patrick McKenna, for not visiting rural areas and roads in northeast Missouri. She also discussed the issue of initiative petition reform during the live interview:

A businessman and lawyer who grew up in northeast Missouri's Hannibal will be your next lieutenant governor. Republican Dave Wasinger, a former member of the UM Board of Curators, captures 57 percent of the vote to win Tuesday's election. Lt. Governor-elect Wasinger joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri" to discuss his priorities. He started delivering papers at the age of eight and worked through high school and college at Hardee's. Mr. Wasinger says the winners of the statewide offices will be meeting this morning at 10. 939 the Eagle's Brian Hauswirth asked Wasinger about his call to take a hammer to the Jefferson City establishment and "the career do-nothing politicians." Lt. Governor-elect Wasinger tells listeners that there's a swamp in Jefferson City with the establishment and lobbyists, adding that those lobbyists didn't support his run. He describes himself as an America-first conservative: