(Missourinet) – Missouri’s next lieutenant governor served in the Army from 1975 to 1980.

State Senator Mike Parson (R-Bolivar) joined the military when he was 19 years old. His Army career included working as a military police officer, conducting military police investigations and working for the Army’s criminal investigation division.

He investigated major cases like homicides and suspected smuggling of military supplies.

“Weapons, military arsenal, where you’re trying to move quantities of that back home for personal gains is a big deal,” says Parson. “Some of them were doing it for the wrong reasons all the way from M60 machine guns, M16 rifles, grenade launchers.”

Parson also attended French commando training school, which involves learning about espionage. He was trained to do things like not be detected, mountain climb and repel across a large river from a high tower.

Parson also recalls helping with security during a NATO summit in Europe in the 1970s.

“All the dignitaries from all over the world were there in their uniforms. The Vice President of the United States was there. I was working with Secret Service. That was kind of a cool experience to do that and see all of the powers that be from around the world,” says Parson.

His military career took him to Germany and Hawaii. After his work in Hawaii, he moved back to Missouri for good. He put his investigative experience to work by serving for twelve years as the Polk County Sheriff in southwest Missouri.

He served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2005-2011. He has served in the Missouri Senate since 2011.

Parson will take office in January as Missouri’s Lt. Governor. Governor-elect Eric Greitens could call a special election to fill Parson’s seat.

(Missourinet) – While the country honors people who’ve served in the military on Veterans Day, a Missouri company is financing a “smart home” for a triple amputee veteran.

Employees of Columbia based Veterans United Home Loans participated in a silent auction which raised $44,000 toward building a residence for a Navy veteran. Those workers placed bids on guitars signed by artists who performed during the first concert season at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach,Virginia.

The company’s Lauren Karr says the venue’s line-up of 18 acts was impressive.

“It was a huge first season,” said Karr. “Dave Matthews Band, Goo-Goo Dolls, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Dixie Chicks, Dierks Bentley…I could keep going.  They had an incredible season all summer.”

Karr notes 90 percent of the firm’s 21,000 employees took part in an auction of the guitars.

“Just seeing the outcome and how many different employees took part in this was pretty awesome.  To raise more than $44,000 in a week, in a silent auction was pretty cool.”

Karr says one magical moment from the auction occurred when a worker successfully bid on a guitar signed by his wife’s favorite artist.  He found out and told her on the day of their wedding anniversary.

The employees involved in the auction also contribute one-percent of every paycheck to the Veteran’s United Foundation. Karr says the arrangement’s raised big money since it started five years ago.

“Since we were founded in November 2011, we have given more than $20 million from the foundation to different people throughout the nation.”

The foundation works with a number of organizations and communities to assist current and retired soldiers.  The foundation donated over $300,000 to assist the same Navy Seal the Veteran’s United Home Loans employees raised the $44,000 for.

The money is being given to the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) which is building a customized home in San Diego for triple amputee Andrew Bottrell, who was injured in 2011 while being deployed in Afghanistan.

He was injured when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.  The R.I.S.E. program provides mortgage-free homes customized specifically to the needs of severely wounded Veterans.

(Missourinet) – Voters watched tens of millions of dollars get spent in the races for governor and U.S. Senator this year and 70% of those who voted want an end to that system.

They’ve approved campaign donation limits. But critics say the vote will just force big spenders to funnel money through so-called dark-money groups.

The measure caps donations for individual candidates to $2,600 and to $25,000 for political parties. The restrictions begin next year. A similar measure, sponsored by Senator David Pearce (R-Warrensburg), was offered this year in the Missouri legislature. It didn’t make it out of committee.

Missourians have strongly rejected two tobacco tax increases put on the ballot by special interest groups – one trying to make the proposal attractive by earmarking the money for early childhood education; the other earmarking it for roads and bridges.

A group called Raise Your Hand for Kids led the effort to increase Missouri’s tobacco tax to help raise money for early childhood education. The measure required an increase of 15 cents per pack each year for four years by major brand name cigarettes and 1.27 per pack increase each year for cheaper brands.

The other was led by The Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association. MPCA wanted to increase the tobacco tax by 23 cents per pack to help pay for Missouri’s growing infrastructure needs.

Voters do want the one-tenth-of-one-percent sales tax extension for soil conservation and parks to continue for another decade. The tax, which generates about $90 million annually, helps improve things like cattle water, pasture ground and terraces. Missouri is the only state in the nation with such a sales tax.

Two thirds of those voting in the general election say Missourians in 2018 will have to present a photo-ID to vote. A driver’s license and supporting documentation, like a birth certificate would be paid for by the state. Those without photo ID could still vote if they sign a waiver and show a utility bill or paycheck.

Almost 60% have voted to keep the Missouri legislature from passing laws taxing services – legal advice, deliveries of goods, plumbing repairs and the like. The secretary of state’s office says the cost of banning such taxes is unknown, but would have significant impact on state and local governments.

(Missourinet) – Republican incumbent Roy Blunt helps his party maintain control of the U.S. Senate next year by defeating Democrat Jason Kander in Tuesday’s general election.

Blunt received about 49% of the vote to Kander’s 46%. Blunt dominated rural Missouri, offsetting Kander’s lead in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.

In a short concession speech to supporters, Kander says he’s concerned that many young voters won’t engage in the political process.

“That’s not okay. They need to know that’s not okay with me,” says Kander. “If there’s anything that we’ve done in this campaign that has inspired anybody in this generation, they need to know that I’m not okay with them stepping away. This country is a place that you’ve got to stay invested in. This is a country that has survived a Civil War. This is a country that has survived big, big challenges. This is a generation that has incredible capacity.”

Kander, who is Missouri’s Secretary of State, conceded more than five hours after the polls closed Tuesday. Final numbers had not been reported yet from all of the precincts in the Democratic strongholds of Kansas City and St. Louis.

The battle between Blunt and Kander was tight from the beginning. Ongoing polling consistently showed them virtually tied. The race was one of about a handful receiving national attention for possibly shifting the balance of power in the U.S. Senate next year.

(Missourinet) – The Missouri Secretary of State’s office is projecting a 71 percent voter turnout on Tuesday, citing estimates from local election authorities. There is strong voter interest in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race between Sen. Roy Blunt (R) and challenger Jason Kander (D), Missouri’s Secretary of State. That race could determine which party controls the Senate.

Five of Missouri’s six statewide offices are up for grabs, highlighted by the bitter gubernatorial race that includes Attorney General Chris Koster (D) and Navy SEAL Eric Greitens (R). The winner will replace Governor Jay Nixon (D), who is barred by term limits from seeking a third term.

Missouri will have a new Lieutenant Governor in January. Incumbent Peter Kinder (R) lost the GOP gubernatorial nomination to Greitens in August. Kinder is finishing his third term. State Sen. Mike Parson (R-Bolivar) faces former U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-St. Louis).

Missouri will also have a new Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General in January.

Incumbent Secretary of State Kander’s Senate bid leaves his office open. Longtime St. Louis television news anchor Robin Smith (D) faces Jay Ashcroft (R). State Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale) faces former State Rep. Judy Baker (D-Columbia) for State Treasurer. The winner of that race will replace incumbent Clint Zweifel (D), who is finishing his second term. The Attorney General’s post also opens in January, with Koster running for Governor. Former Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley (D) faces Constitutional lawyer Josh Hawley (R) of Columbia. Koster is finishing his second term as Attorney General.

Missourians will vote on five Constitutional Amendments on Tuesday.

Amendment One is a sales tax extension for Missouri’s parks, soil and water conservation. The tax was created through a constitutional amendment, and was first approved by Missouri voters in 1984. Voters have renewed it three times: in 1988, 1996 and 2006. There is no organized opposition to the measure.

Amendment Two establishes limits on campaign contributions.

Amendment Three is a proposed 60-cent tax increase on cigarettes. Supporters say it would generate $263 to $374 million annually, for early childhood health and education. Opponents have aired radio ads saying it would be a “slush fund for politicians.”

Amendment Four would prohibit a new state or local sales tax “on any service or transaction that was not subject to a sales/use or similar tax as of January 1, 2015.”

Amendment Six would require a photo identification to vote. Opponents, led by House Assistant Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D-Kansas City), say there are about 200,000 Missourians who are currently registered to vote who won’t be able to, if the measure passes. Amendment Six supporters, including State Sen. Will Kraus (R-Lee’s Summit), dispute the estimate and say no one will be excluded from voting.

Missouri voters will see two proposed cigarette tax increases on the ballot. In addition to Amendment Three, there is Proposition A, which is a proposed 23-cent increase.

Missouri Supreme Court Justice Richard Teitelman is the only statewide judicial retention seat on the November ballot. Teitelman was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court in 2002 and was retained in 2004 for a 12-year term, which expires in December.

Missouri polls will be open on Tuesday until 7 p.m.

(Missourinet) – Mark McArtor of Camdenton has caught the state’s largest hybrid striped bass.

He used a jug line to catch the 9 lb. 1 oz. fish at a length of 27-inches.

McArtor caught the fish through the new alternative method in front of his house on the Lake of the Ozarks. He said he used a shad for bait trying to catch blue catfish but instead caught the large hybrid striped bass.

“This wasn’t the first hybrid striped bass we caught,” says McArtor. “We actually caught a pretty decent sized one last year, but it didn’t meet the qualifications for the Department’s master angler program.”

MDC staff verified the record-weight fish using a certified scale in Camdenton. This is the 15th state record fish caught this year by an angler.

“A state record fish can be caught any time of the year, but we normally do not receive many state record fish applications once summer is over, “says MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “But since the weather has been warmer this year a lot people are still fishing, which means a better chance of someone catching a state record fish.”

Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl.

(Missourinet) – The state’s County Clerks are expecting a record turnout for Tuesday’s election.

Even though polls are open for 13 hours – 6 a.m.-7 p.m., lines are expected at busier polling locations.

Missouri Association of County Clerks President Peggy Kenny says some voters will be challenged by the number of ballot measures in addition to candidates.

“We do feel like it’s going to take longer because the ballot is very lengthy when you have as many amendments for people to read through” said Kenny.  “That can take longer to vote the ballots. We do think that it will take some people longer to vote their ballot than in some years past.”

Five constitutional amendments and one proposition are on the ballot. They deal with a tax for soil and water conservation, a sales tax on services, campaign contributions, a voter ID law and two measures on cigarette taxes.

The wording on one of the ballot measures could cause confusion to some voters.  A yes vote on Amendment 4 supports a ban on sales taxes on services while a no vote allows such taxes to be imposed.

Kenny says “fair ballot language” is available at all polling places to assist voters.

“We have those available for people to help explain the amendments in simpler terms. That’s why it’s called fair ballot language, to help people understand what they’re reading. We’re hoping that that helps (so they can) mark the ballot in the way they actually are intending to vote. We don’t want people to vote differently than what they think they’re voting.”

“Fair ballot language” is supplied by the Missouri Secretary of State’s office and is contained on posters at polling places.

The secretary’s office is predicting a record of more than 3 million votes to be cast Tuesday.  The statewide picture was developed through data collected by local election authorities.  Kenny claims county clerks have made accommodations for the increase in voting.

“Most county clerks, whenever they ordered ballots, they ordered 110 percent or 120 percent of the voter registration that they had at the time, knowing that we would have an increased volume of people registering to vote, so that that would help insure that there would be ample ballots throughout the day.”

County clerks had to order ballots in time to meet a September deadline to send them out to military personnel overseas.  They also had to allow for continued voter registration through October 12th.

There’s some opposition to a decision to station off-duty deputies inside polling places in Springfield.  Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller says he made the move as a response to the current unstable political climate.  Kenny doesn’t see much interest in doing the same thing in other counties.

“As far as I know, there hasn’t been any discussion throughout the association that this is a need.  Those are just what particular isolated cases that those election authorities feel like that they want to do.”

The Greene County Democratic Party and the Missouri NAACP are against the placement of deputies inside polling places.

(Missourinet) – As soon as the final out was made in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, Larry Hanneke and his crew got to work in St. Louis.

Hanneke owns Hanneke’s Logowear, in south St. Louis and his crew started screen printing well over 30,000 T-shirts to be sent up to Chicago.

“We printed for 18 hours+,” said Hanneke who started printing immediately after the final out late Wednesday night. “I got to go home and sleep for a little while and then back at it this morning (Friday).”

When all is said and done, the final tally of shirts will be close to 40,000.

Hanneke is a lifelong Cardinals fan who grew up in Webster Groves.  How did he feel when the Cardinals number one rival finally won the World Series?

“I am not a Cubs fan, whatsoever…it’s just one of those things the business side said we’re printing,” Hanneke continued.  “Deep down I was like ‘Oh no, I’m gonna have to hear it from my friends.’”

The licensing agreement that he had in place with Major League Baseball did not include the Cleveland Indians, so Hanneke and his staff of over 30 were standing by at the start of the 7th inning, waiting for the outcome.

Larry Hanneke hopes his next big project to come is an order for St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup Champion shirts.