Kurt Erickson

3 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Kurt Erickson

JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Kehoe’s plan to aid St. Louis tornado victims and a provide financial incentives to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from leaving the state remained in limbo Wednesday afternoon. The Senate was scheduled to go into session at 10 a.m. Wednesday, but most senators stayed in their offices as the Republican governor’s proposal appeared short of the required number of votes needed to win approval.

3 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Kurt Erickson

JEFFERSON CITY — A disaster relief program proposed by Gov. Mike Kehoe doesn’t go far enough amid new city estimates that put the damage in St. Louis at over 16,000 structures, lawmakers said Tuesday. As part of a package of legislation designed to help the city’s May 16 tornado recovery efforts and keep Kansas City’s professional sports teams from moving across the border, a bipartisan group of senators said a $25 million earmark to assist victims of the EF-3 tornado may be just a starting point.

3 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Kurt Erickson

JEFFERSON CITY — A special legislative session designed to provide disaster relief for St. Louis and to keep Kansas City’s pro sports teams from leaving the state got off to a bumpy start Monday. Although the day’s agenda called for routine bill introduction work, it also gave senators a forum to air grievances and make their demands for what they want to see transpire in the coming weeks.

3 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Kurt Erickson

JEFFERSON CITY — Nearly two dozen employees of the Missouri Secretary of State’s office were fired Friday in response to budget cuts imposed by the General Assembly. Republican Denny Hoskins, who took over as secretary in January, jettisoned the workers after lawmakers reduced his office’s budget by 25 employees in early May. “These layoffs are the direct result of legislative action,” communications director Rachael Dunn said in an email Monday.

1 month ago | stltoday.com | Kurt Erickson

JEFFERSON CITY — The sounds of a military marching band greeted mourners in the Missouri Capitol Tuesday as they bid farewell to a man who spent more than four decades as governor and U.S. senator. Christopher “Kit” Bond, who died May 13 at age 86, was hailed as a public servant by those he worked and served with on both sides of the political aisle. “He kept Missouri’s interest at heart, making Missouri a better place to live, work and raise a family,” said Gov.