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The final budget approved by Missouri lawmakers on Friday did not include $500-million in construction projects across the state. House Budget Committee chairman Dirk Deaton (R-Noel) says it purely was a financial decision. Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) joined us live on "Wake Up Missouri" and says Chairman Deaton didn't inform state senators about the decision. Chairman Hough says the decision will make getting other bills approved during the final week of the 2025 session that much tougher. Chairman Hough says he's received messages of frustration from Missouri House and Senate colleagues over the House decision. He says $50-million for Mizzou's second research reactor that battles cancer is now not funded, along with repairs at the Dent County sheltered workshop and at a foster care building in Bates County:

Longtime UM System president Dr. Mun Choi is currently in his ninth year in the position. He also serves as the Mizzou chancellor. President Choi started in his position in March 2017. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. While the Missouri House’s Friday budget vote eliminated $50-million for NextGen MURR, the final budget approved by Missouri lawmakers on Friday includes a three percent overall increase for Mizzou. President Choi praises Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe (R), telling listeners that the governor will do wonderful things by supporting higher education. President Choi and Mr. Parry spoke in-detail about the ceremonial agreement to partner with a consortium to build a new 20-megawatt state-of-the-art research reactor near south Columbia’s Discovery Ridge. President Choi says NextGen MURR will allow Mizzou to lead the nation in producing critical medical isotopes. The new reactor is expected to take eight to ten years to comple

FBI Director Kash Patel plans to relocate about 1,000 employees from Washington to field offices around the nation. U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-Raymore) addressed the issue on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri", telling listeners that he supports the plan. Congressman Alford says Director Patel's plan would add 32 agents and personnel to the FBI's Kansas City regional office. Congressman Alford says that office is less than a year old. The congressman also addressed a recent protest at his Columbia office from State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia), who wanted Congressman Alford to push back against what he calls tyranny. Congressman Alford says the protest was on a Saturday and that he was at a relative's funeral in Houston. He addresses the comments from Rep. Tyson Smith:

Missouri House and Senate budget negotiators had a long night Wednesday, as they try to hammer out differences between the budgets approved by the GOP-controlled House and Senate. A conference committee will meet again this morning at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. The proposed overall budget is about $50-billion. State Rep. Bishop Davidson (R-Republic) joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri". He outlined some of the differences between the House and Senate budgets. Rep. Davidson is the Missouri House Budget Committee's vice chair, and says some programs cut by the Senate have been restored. Rep. Davidson is a vocal supporter of school choice and touted Mo Scholars during the interview. Friday is the deadline for Missouri lawmakers to approve a budget:

Missouri's Constitution requires Missouri lawmakers to approve a balanced budget by Friday. While the GOP has supermajorities in both legislative chambers, there are still a number of uncertainties. Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin (R-Shelbina) joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri" to discuss the budget and education. Pro Tem O'Laughlin tells listeners that the budget is very complicated, adding that she believes there will be a consensus between Republicans on education. Pro Tem O'Laughlin says Republican Governor Mike Kehoe wants to give parents choice in schools and she agrees with that. Senator O'Laughlin says parents need the best opportunity for their children with education:

President Donald Trump has appointed State Rep. Ben Baker (R-Neosho) as the state director of Rural Development for the USDA. Baker says it will be a great honor to serve the Trump administration. "Missouri Times" publisher Scott Faughn praises the appointment, saying former Rep. Baker has one of the ten most influential public jobs in Missouri with USDA. Faughn says Mr. Baker has a huge job and that he's respected by legislative colleagues in Jefferson City. Mr. Faughn also discussed potential rule changes in the Missouri Senate and comments made from the dais by Lt. Governor Dave Wasinger:

The Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture (CCUA) started in 2008. Its mission is feeding and educating our community. CCUA executive director Billy Polansky joined host Fred Parry in-studio Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. Mr. Polansky tells listeners that the CCUA aims to connect people with agriculture and their food. The CCUA also helps get young people interested in farming and it grows food for the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. Mr. Polansky updated listeners on the status of the welcome center at the Agriculture Park, saying the lowest of four bids was about $4.7 million. “It’s an 11,000 square foot building. It’s going to have office space, a commercial kitchen, event space and a resource library as well,” Mr. Polansky tells listeners. He notes that when people go to the park, they’re unsure if they can even be there, saying this will be a “front door” for the park. People will be able to take a tour by going into the welcome center, and they’ll also be able

The Missouri Senate discussed/ debated open enrollment legislation for more than four hours on Wednesday. State Sen. Curtis Trent (R-Springfield), a vocal supporter of open enrollment, joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri." He describes open enrollment as common sense and says it would make a difference in children's lives across the state. He also says there are academic reasons why some parents want to change schools, and says it would help with bullying cases as well. The Missouri House has approved open enrollment. There are GOP opponents to the bill in both chambers, as well as opposition from Democrats. Critics say it would hurt public schools. Supporters disagree with that:

Columbia Parks and Recreation oversees 3,800 acres of parkland, 79 parks and 62 miles of trails. It also has 56 playgrounds. Gabe Huffington has served as Columbia Parks and Recreation director for three years and has worked for the department for 17 years. Mr. Huffington grew up in southwest Missouri’s Buffalo. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Mr. Huffington emphasizes that safety is the biggest priority for the department, and he discussed this month’s chaotic double shooting at Cosmo Park. Mr. Huffington tells listeners that the department currently has one park ranger and they’re working to hire three additional rangers. He also confirms there are 13 flock cameras installed at various Columbia parks. Columbia Parks and Recreation now has 87 full-time employees. Mr. Huffington also discussed the recent dedication of the Perche creek trail and the upcoming dedication of the new Cosmo bike trail on May 22. He also updated listeners on the Easter Sunday tor

Pope Francis’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday. He died this week at the age of 88. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe is a Roman Catholic and a parishioner at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Jefferson City. Governor Kehoe joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Missouri”, telling listeners that the Pope’s death is sad for all Catholics. Governor Kehoe describes Francis as the “People’s Pope”, noting he’s requested a simple burial. Governor Kehoe hopes the next Pope will be someone who connects with our youth and can keep young people in the church:

Columbia Regional Airport’s (COU) manager is optimistic about the restoration of passenger air service between Columbia and Denver. COU staff members have been working with airlines to try to restore air service to Denver. Columbia has received a $1-million federal grant for the restoration or reinstatement of air service to Denver. That grant was from the U-S Department of Transportation. Columbia Regional Airport manager Michael Parks spoke to host Fred Parry Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Mr. Parks tells listeners he sees United Airlines returning to Columbia. “You know Denver was very successful prior to COVID coming in. You know we were even looking at adding a second Denver route. That was flying on the 50-passenger jet is what we currently had with United Airlines. I do see United coming back,” Mr. Parks tells host Parry. Parks also says it is hard to get an additional flight. American Airlines currently offers daily flights from Columbia to both Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth. Mr

Omnibus election-related legislation that also reinstates Missouri's presidential preference primary has been given final approval by the Missouri House this week. The vote was 85-64, which means many Republicans voted against the bill, which is sponsored by veteran State Rep. Rudy Veit (R-Wardsville). It takes 82 votes to pass a bill in the Missouri House. Mr. Veit is one of the Missouri House's senior members. Representative Veit joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri", telling listeners that Republicans who voted no on the bill have concerns with the costs of a presidential primary:

Kansas City will be a host city for the 2026 World Cup. Then-Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) signed bipartisan legislation from then-Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo (D-Independence) that both parties say was critical for Kansas City being named as a 2026 World Cup host city. Senator Rizzo's bill provides a sales tax exemption for 2026 World Cup tickets to matches at Arrowhead Stadium. Senator Rizzo and other supporters say the 2026 World Cup will generate $695-million in economic activity for Missouri. Rizzo compares it to multiple Super Bowls over a 30-day period. Missouri Lt. Governor Dave Wasinger (R) agrees with those numbers. Lt. Governor Wasinger joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri". He tells listeners that FIFA has 12 full-time employees in Kansas City preparing for the World Cup, which he says will draw a few hundred thousand fans to Kansas City. Wasinger says he was just in Kansas City. He also praises the Trump administration's response to recent Missouri tornadoes and flooding,

Five people were shot in three separate incidents across Columbia this weekend. One happened Friday night on McGuire in a dispute involving drag racing. Two men were shot in downtown Columbia early Sunday morning, just blocks from the police station. CPD says charges are pending against two juveniles in that case. No arrests have been made for Saturday night’s chaotic double shooting in Columbia’s Cosmopolitan park on the Business Loop. One victim was in critical but stable condition and the other victim was in serious condition, at last check. Missouri attorney general Andrew Bailey joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri." He tells listeners that he's heartbroken over the violence in Columbia, where he grew up. He emphasizes the importance of supporting law enforcement officers and says Missouri needs to look statewide at juvenile law reform. He also discussed the abortion issue:

Jefferson City's approximately 14,000 state employees will receive a pay increase in July. The only question is how much they'll receive. Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri" this morning. Chairman Hough notes the Senate has approved a one percent pay increase for state employees for every two years of service, up to ten percent. Chairman Hough emphasizes the importance of retaining state employees. During the live interview, he also expressed frustration with a computer system that crashed on Tuesday, impacting the Missouri Senate. Chairman Hough didn't mince words during the interview, saying taxpayers have paid $250-million for a computer system that's not working. He also talked the 404 error on his computer:

Five people were shot in three different incidents in Columbia this weekend. A man was shot on Columbia's McGuire Boulevard during a Friday evening argument and suffered minor injuries. A man and woman were shot in Cosmo park late Saturday night during a large party, and two men were shot early Sunday morning in downtown Columbia, just blocks from CPD. Columbia's first-ever Office of Violence Prevention administrator D'Markus Thomas-Brown joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri" this morning. Mr. Thomas-Brown tells listeners that we need community transformation. He says he's saddened by this weekend's violence, calling it tragic. Mr. Thomas-Brown also tells listeners that we need unity and bipartisan fixes to the violence. He says Republicans and Democrats have great ideas to bring to the table:

Missouri's 2025 legislative session in Jefferson City has about a month left. The session ends on Friday May 16 at 6 pm. "Missouri Times" publisher Scott Faughn joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri" this morning and he praises the job that the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is doing. Mr. Faughn tells listeners that MoDOT is accomplishing the things Missourians want. MoDOT is thanking you for your patience during this weekend’s I-70 bridge demolition in Columbia, which caused heavy backups Saturday morning and early Saturday afternoon. MoDOT finished the demolition of the I-70 bridge near Columbia’s Big O Tires ahead of schedule. ALL lanes of I-70 are now open. Mr. Faughn is also pleased with the job that MoDOT director Ed Hassinger is doing. Mr. Faughn also predicts the GOP-controlled Legislature will approve a big school choice bill, but not this year. He also discussed abortion and IP, which stands for initiative petition:

Columbia-based Boone Health says it continues to accept all commercial Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance plans. While negotiations continue, Anthem and Columbia-based MU Health Care have still not reached an agreement. Boone Health president Brady Dubois addressed the issue Saturday morning in-studio on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. Mr. Dubois tells listeners he doesn’t know any details about MU Health Care’s negotiations with Anthem and did not comment on those negotiations. Mr. Dubois emphasizes that Boone Health continues to accept all commercial Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance plans. “What we’re focused on is how do we make sure that folks want to receive health care locally that they’re able to access in-network providers, in-network health care,” Mr. Dubois tells listeners. He also says Boone Health is working to absorb patients into its Boone medical clinics and also affiliated providers like Missouri Cancer Associates or Columbia Orthopaedic Group. Mr. Dubois says they are wo

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says the rough winter in January and February caused numerous potholes. MoDOT state maintenance director Darin Hamelink joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri" to discuss potholes and what the agency is doing. Mr. Hamelink tells listeners that MoDOT has already spent $8-million this year on potholes, with $5-million of that being spent on labor. He urges you to slow down and move over a lane when you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, and to never driver distracted. Mr. Hamelink also encourages you to call 1-888-ASK-MODOT to report potholes. You need to be specific on where the pothole is. We also addressed the growing problem of litter, which is costing Missouri taxpayers millions of dollars a year:

One of Missouri's top business leaders says many small businesses around the Show-Me State are struggling to hire employees. NFIB Missouri president Brad Jones joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri", saying the number of small businesses in Missouri that have jobs that they cannot fill jumped from 34 percent in February to 40 percent in March. Mr. Jones tells listeners that its troubling. He also addressed Proposition A, which was approved by Missouri voters in November. It increased Missouri's minimum wage to $13.75 an hour in January and raises it to $15 an hour in 2026. The voter-approved measure will also adjust the minimum wage based on changes in the Consumer Price Index starting in 2027. It also includes sick leave provisions. Mr. Jones tells listeners that some of his members are worried about how they will deal with the sick leave provision, with their staffing issues: