By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

The reopening of Interstate 29 in northwest Missouri was short-lived.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has closed I-29 after the Iowa Department of Transportation closed the interstate due to flooding north of the Missouri/Iowa state line.

MoDOT closed I-29 last night after floodwaters washed over U.S. Highway 59 near Mound City and then crept over the interstate. MoDOT reopened I-29 to one lane of traffic after the floodwaters receded.

An hour later, I-DOT reached out to MoDOT to coordinate the closing of the interstate after flooding forced its closing in southwest Iowa.

MoDOT officials say just as it has been with the previous two closures of I-29, traffic is being rerouted at U.S. Route 71 (mile marker 57). Motorists can expect delays and should choose a different route at their earliest possible turn-off point.

I-29 detour information:

• Kansas City area thru traffic – use I-35 to Iowa
• St. Joseph area thru traffic – use U.S. Route 71 north
• Local traffic is able to utilize I-29 to reach their homes and businesses by either going north on U.S. Route 71 and west on U.S. Route 59 or northbound I-229 to northbound I-29.

MoDOT has been posting the latest on flooding in northwest Missouri on a special website. You can access it by clicking here.

MoDOT urges motorists to report any flooded roadway without barricades by calling MoDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service line at 888 ASK MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

UPDATE:  I-29 is closed again. See our latest story.

Interstate 29, closed in northwest Missouri due to flooding, has reopened.

The Missouri Department of Transportation closed I-29 last night after floodwaters covered U.S. Route 59 near Mound City and began to wash over I-29. MoDOT worked with the Missouri State Highway Patrol to re-route travelers.

Traffic on I-29 at Highway 59 has been narrowed to one lane.

MoDOT cautions motorists to monitor conditions in the area and not to drive over flooded roadways or around barricades.

Multiple roads in northwest Missouri closed due to flooding overnight. MoDOT has been posting the latest on the impact of the flooding in northwest Missouri on a special website. You can access it by clicking here.

MoDOT urges motorists to report any flooded roadway without barricades by calling MoDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service line at 888 ASK MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Water releases from Missouri River upstream dams will be increased as runoff from heavy rain and northern snowmelt pour more water into the Missouri River Basin.

Chief of Missouri River Water Management John Remus with the Army Corps of Engineers Northwest Division says the Corps plans to increase water releases from Gavins Point Dam from 65,000 cubic feet per second to 70,000 today.

“Just about every time it rains, we see a significant increase in the runoff. It just is not prudent to run these reservoirs all the way to the top and give us zero flexibility to manage runoff events,” Remus tells a Corps of Engineers conference call.

Remus says that if the Corps doesn’t increase runoffs now, future runoffs would be even more destructive to flooded areas downstream. The Corps had increased releases from Gavins Point to 60,000, then increased it to 65,000. Remus holds out the possibility that an increase to 70,000 today won’t be enough to handle the influx of water into the six upstream Missouri River dams.

The Corps says rainfall over much of Nebraska, South Dakota, and central North Dakota has been 200 to 600% of normal the past few days. The continued rain has led to higher inflows at Oahe, Big Bend, Fort Randall, and Gavins Point Dams.

The increase comes as northwest Missouri battles renewed flooding. The extra water being poured into the system will add to the pressure on a Missouri River Basin levee system saturated. Many levees are broken.

Chief of Emergency Management Jud Kneuvean with the Corps’ Kansas City District admits he worries how the increased releases will impact dams already straining under the pressure of floodwaters.

“But the answer is ‘Yes.’ We are constantly evaluating that and constantly concerned that the levee systems won’t be able to take anything else,” Kneuvean says.

Kneuvean notes the levee system has had to hold up under flood conditions since mid-March. Kneuvean says, overall, the federal levee system is performing well. Other private levees have been failing up and down the Missouri River.

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Missouri might soon not require adult motorcycle riders to wear helmets.

The legislature repealed the mandatory motorcycle helmet law for those 18 and older who carry qualifying medical insurance. Those younger than 18 would still be required to wear helmets.

The legislation now goes to the desk of Gov. Mike Parson for his signature. Parson supported repeal as a member of the legislature.

St. Joseph Safety and Health Council Executive Director Sheldon Lyon declines to comment directly on the General Assembly’s action, but does say it’s only smart for motorcyclists, riding a vehicle with a small silhouette, to wear protective gear.

“It’s harder for operators of a motor vehicle, like a car, to see a motorcycle,” Lyon tells St. Joseph Post. “So, anytime you’re in a vehicle like that you want to protect yourself and that includes riding gear:  your boots, your gloves, goggles, helmet.  All of those things are important to keep yourself safe while you’re enjoying your motorcycle.”

Missouri is in the minority among states. Only 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, mandate the wearing of motorcycle helmets, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Lyon says whether the mandatory motorcycle helmet law is repealed or not, the council will continue to advocate for the wearing of motorcycle helmets.

“I understand the fact that there is a feeling of freedom when you ride the motorcycle and, for some, they’re very much opposed to the helmet law,” Lyon says. “I think, as an advocate for highway safety, we know those helmets save lives and so, I think, with the repeal of the helmet law, you’re going to see the number of brain injuries increase.”

Legislators opposed to the change warn repeal will lead to more deaths and serious injuries on Missouri roadways. Repeal has been before the General Assembly for years. In 2009, lawmakers passed a mandatory motorcycle helmet repeal law, but couldn’t overcome a veto by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Click here to read about Senate Bill 147, the motorcycle helmet repeal law.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A veteran United States Senator says farmers deserve a trade deal with China and urges the Trump Administration to get back to the negotiating table.

Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas is the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He says farmers deserve trade negotiations with China to continue.

“I mean our farmers and ranchers and growers all across this country deserve that,” Roberts tells KFEQ Farm Director Melissa Gregory in a sit-down interview. “We do not deserve being used as a pawn with regards to the discussion between China and the United States or for that matter any country where we have a tariff. You impose a tariff, you immediately have tariff retaliation. Agriculture is the top target and, boom, there you go.”

Roberts says agriculture wants a consistent and predictable trade policy. He says trade with China could greatly increase commodity prices across the board.

Roberts is urging the Trump Administration to get back to the negotiating table with China. Roberts says the suggestion by some to increase federal aid to offset farm trade losses is misguided.

“I don’t think we can make up with regards to price recovery,” Roberts says. “That’s a noble goal. It’s something we’ll take a look at always, but that’s not going to make up the difference with regards to what farmers have experienced,”

Roberts says increased trade with China, and its population of 1.4 billion people, would make a huge difference for American agriculture, boosting commodity prices across the board.

Robert is not pleased that the two sides broke off talks.

“I’ve been somewhat critical with regards to what is going on now, but in terms of the China situation, that could really make the difference,” according to Roberts. “It could be a giant step toward that goal. It would make a difference with virtually every commodity that we have.”

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A compromise reached during the recently concluded Missouri legislative session should pave the way for big improvements to deteriorating bridges in the state.

State Sen. Dan Hegeman of Cosby says House resistance to Gov. Mike Parson’s $300 million bond proposal led to negotiations which resulted in a plan both the House and Senate could accept.

“So, we did seven-year bonding, $50 million upfront cash, you might call it a down payment,” Hegeman tells St. Joseph Post. “And, like I say, if we’re able to leverage them to get these grants from the federal government, then we will do $300 million worth of bonding to complete the 250 bridges in the state of Missouri.”

Missouri will apply for special federal funds to complete some of the more expensive bridge repairs on the state priority list.

A proposal to give General Motors $50 million in tax breaks to expand production at its plant in Wentzville complicated an economic development proposal by Gov. Parson that didn’t need any controversy added to it. Several of the governor’s fellow Republicans in the Senate held up approval of the workforce development plan, claiming it gave away too much state money and could be ripe for abuse.

Hegeman supported the mixture of business incentives and workforce training programs.

“Some of these were economic development programs that have been combined and reconstituted,” Hegeman says. “Some programs have been doing well for many years, just kind of with a different name and refreshed. But also, there are some new tools that we have given to our Department of Economic Development.”

Hegeman says the General Assembly must keep an eye on how the incentives are used.

As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hegeman, was proud of the state budget his committee recommended and the legislature approved this year.

The legislature adopted a $30 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year.

Hegeman notes the legislature approved $1 million increases to the core budgets of each four-year college and university.

“The state of Missouri has done core cuts of higher education, we have just not been able to put money into higher education the past few years,” Hegeman says. “I was proud that we were able to finally put some money into higher education and try to do what we can to bring down the cost of higher education for the citizens of the state of Missouri that are moving in that direction.”

An uptick in state revenue allowed the legislature to approve the increase to higher education as well as to fully fund the formula which pays for public schools in Missouri.