Geoff Folsom

Missouri

Covering Union and Franklin County and writing a column about whatever I come up with for @emissourian. Busy apologizing for things I do while apologizing!

Articles

Franklin County to seek reimbursement for tornado damage

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

Franklin County commissioners are expected to submit an application Tuesday for reimbursement for the county’s expenses related to March 14 tornadoes with state and federal emergency management agencies. The exact amount the county is seeking hasn’t been finalized and won’t be included in the application because the process is “ongoing,” Franklin County Emergency Management Director Abe Cook said in an email. The county had yet to go out to bid on projects like cleanup of trees in Spring Creek.
County accepts narcotics enforcement grant for sheriff

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to accept a $137,500 federal grant designed to help the sheriff’s office fight drug trafficking. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program Grant from the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy covers 2025 and 2026, according to information in the commission’s agenda packet. kAm%96 uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46 :D @?6 @7 E96 76H 286?4:6D :? |:DD@FC: C646:G:?8 7F?5:?8 E9C@F89 E96 AC@8C2>[ D96C:77’D {E] y@9?
One Union sidewalk project recommended, another denied

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

One Union sidewalk project submitted for federal funding through the East-West Gateway Council of Governments received initial approval, while another was rejected. An East-West Gateway transportation committee has recommended approval of the second phase of sidewalk upgrades near Union Middle School as part of its 2026-29 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). kAm%96 AC@;64E[ H9:49 92D 2?
Union considers designs for wayfinding signs

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

City of Union officials are getting their first glimpse of renderings for wayfinding signs planned near Union High School. Ziglin Signs provided designs to the city showing what the signs near Union High School would look like. The black signs with white lettering and arrows pointing to local destinations have the Union R-XI School District’s new “U” logo at the top, next to “Union” written out in all capital letters in black, on a white background.
Folsom: Visiting two national parks in one day

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

One of the highlights of our recent trip out west was visiting two national parks in one day – Bryce Canyon in Utah, which hosts more than 2 million visitors annually, along with Great Basin, one of the country’s 10 least-visited national parks.
Pharma Tech to close Union factory

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

Pharma Tech Industries will be closing its Union factory. The factory, which employs 84 people, will close in phases, starting Aug. 18, with further employee reductions on Sept. 19 and Oct. 16 and Oct. 31, according to a Worker Reduction and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the Missouri Office of Workforce Development. kAm!92C>2 %649 :D =@42E65 2E `b`_ $EJ=6>2DE6C sC:G6 2?5 24C@DD E96 DEC66E 2E ` %C2?DE649 sC:G6]k^AmkAm!92C>2 %649 x?5FDEC:6D H2D 7@F?565 :? `hfa] %96 &?:@?
K-9 Franklin County Sheriff’s officer dies

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has announced the end of watch for a beloved K-9 officer. K-9 Copper suffered a medical emergency while off-duty at his home and died unexpectedly Sunday, June 15, before treatment could be sought, according to a Facebook post. The bloodhound specialist was a “mainstay” at public relations events for the sheriff’s office. kAm“w6 =@G65 D66:?8 <:5D 2?5 =@G65 2== E96 27764E:@? 96 C646:G65 7C@> E96 AF3=:4 96 D6CG65[” $96C:77 $E6G6 !6=E@?
Union sales tax receipts lagging

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

Sales tax receipts are lagging in Union. With two months left to report in its fiscal year 2024-25 sales tax collections, the City of Union has some ground to cover to match the totals from the previous year. kAmuC@> yF=J a_ac F?E:= pAC:= a_ad[ E96 >@DE C646?E >@?E9 :? H9:49 4@==64E:@?D 2C6 2G2:=23=6[ E96 4:EJ 4@==64E65 Sa]agd >:==:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 7:8FC6D :?4=F565 :? E96 q@2C5 @7 p=56C>6?’D yF?6 286?52 A24<6E] x?
Franklin County Fair kicks off Thursday

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

Carnival rides started arriving Monday for the Franklin County Fair, which runs from Thursday through Sunday in Union. Fairgoers will enjoy the rides, which come from recently added company PBJ Happee Day Shows, predicted fair Chair Sarah Straatmann. kAm“%96J 3C@F89E D@>6 3:8 C:56D[” D96 D2:5] “%96J’C6 G6CJ :>AC6DD:G6] …(6’C6 C62==J 6I4:E65 23@FE E92E]”k^AmkAm%96 72:C’D 3F:=5:?8D H:== 92G6 2 ?6H =@@<[ 2D H6==]k^AmkAm“%96J AFE 2 7C6D9 4@2E @7 A2:?E @? 2== E96 3F:=5:?8D 5@H?
Motorcyclist seriously injured near Washington Airport

1 week ago | emissourian.com | Geoff Folsom

A Eureka motorcyclist was seriously injured Sunday in a crash south of Washington Regional Airport in Warren County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The 19-year-old man was “performing stunts” on a 2009 Yamaha motorcycle and lost control while driving south on Highway 47 at noon, officials said. He went off the west side of the road. kAm%96 C:56C[ H9@ H2D H62C:?8 2 96=>6E[ H2D E2<6? 3J |2CE92DG:==6 p>3F=2?46 E@ |6C4J w@DA:E2= $E] {@F:D :? rC6G6 r@F6C H:E9 D6C:@FD :?;FC:6D]k^Am