A Missouri House committee on congressional redistricting will take public testimony today (Thursday) in Jefferson City from residents who live in southwest Missouri’s Seventh Congressional District. Southwest Missouri’s 7th District is a GOP stronghold and includes Springfield, Joplin, Branson, Carthage, and Table Rock Lake. In-person and written testimony will be taken at today’s […]
While most of Missouri is still digging out from a two-day snowstorm, another winter storm is heading for the Show-Me State. The heaviest snow will fall tonight (Tuesday) and tomorrow near the Missouri-Arkansas border, where towns like Branson and West Plains could see three to four inches of snow. National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist […]
Bipartisan legislation aimed at improving safety on duck boats and other amphibious passenger vessels was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate on Thursday. It was one of the first bills filed by U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) after he was sworn into office in January 2019. Hawley’s bill is very similar to one filed by former […]
After being stuck in committee on Capitol Hill for 19 months, bipartisan duck boat legislation from U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) is expected to be voted on Wednesday morning by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It’s the first bill the committee is scheduled to take up Wednesday, and it comes a little more […]
A Missouri senator who serves on the Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill is frustrated that his duck boat legislation remains stuck in the Commerce Committee. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley says the bill is bottled up in committee. The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is chaired by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi. “I […]
Captain Matthew C. Walz, director of the Water Patrol Division, will retire on September 1, 2020, after over 30 years of service. Walz was appointed to the Missouri State Water Patrol on April 30, 1990, as a communications operator. He entered the Water Patrol Academy on January 2, 1994. After graduating, Walz was assigned to […]
Missouri’s governor announced $15 million in grant funding on Thursday to help rebuild Missouri’s tourism industry, which has been hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says Missouri has seen 30,422 confirmed coronavirus cases, along with 1,113 deaths. State Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Rob Dixon tells Capitol reporters in Jefferson […]
The Branson Christmas Coalition, now in its fourth season of growing and enhancing the Ozark Mountain Christmas season, has published its listing of this year’s biggest Christmas tree displays. Dubbed “Landmark” Christmas trees, to qualify for the list a tree must be over 20’ tall, within a collection of 10 or more trees, or completely […]
“Symbols of Missouri” is the title of “Paint for a Cause” and is featured in the 2021 Bicentennial Mural with Trenton one of 15 locations across the state selected to have a panel this year or next. The four feet by six feet panel available today through Sunday at the Space in downtown Trenton features […]
Governor Mike Parson awarded Missouri Public Safety Medals to a total of 18 first responders and 6 civilians for heroic and life-saving actions in 2018. The awards are the state’s highest recognition for first responders working as individuals and as members of teams during critical incidents. The civilians were honored for taking on extreme risks […]
Two more employees of Ripley Entertainment, Inc. – the company that operated duck boat rides in Branson, Missouri – along with the captain of the duck boat that sank at Table Rock Lake last summer, resulting in the deaths of 17 people, have been indicted by a federal grand jury. Curtis P. Lanham, 36, of […]
Branson’s duck boats are taking the season off. Alisa Nelson with Missourinet files this report. Ride The Ducks Branson boats are staying docked this tourist season. The company announced on its website that ongoing investigations into last summer’s fatal boat sinking has led to its decision not to offer the boat tours this […]
Missouri Republican Senator-elect Josh Hawley plans to reintroduce Senator Claire McCaskill’s duck boat legislation in the new Congress. Hawley released a statement Wednesday announcing his intention. McCaskill, a two-term Democrat who was defeated by Hawley in November’s election, filed her bill in August after 17 people died in July when a duck boat […]
The captain of the duck boat that sank at Table Rock Lake last summer, resulting in the deaths of 17 people, was indicted by a federal grand jury. “Our entire community was shocked and saddened by the loss of 17 lives in this tragic event last summer,” U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison said. “Today’s indictment alleges […]
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley fired back in court filings arguing the court should not dismiss the lawsuit filed against Ripley Entertainment, Inc. and Branson Duck Vehicles, LLC alleging violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, Missouri’s principal consumer protection statute. The filings also argue that the Circuit Court of Taney County is the proper […]
(Missourinet) – Families of individuals killed when a duck boat sank in southwest Missouri July 19th are objecting to efforts of federal prosecutors to freeze their lawsuits. The Kansas City Star reports attorneys for some of the victims filed documents in federal court last week, saying the suits were brought to get answers to […]
Another lawsuit has been filed in the Branson Duck Boat tragedy days after federal prosecutors asked for a freeze in court cases. Tia Coleman, a survivor whose husband and three children drowned in the incident, filed a suit against Ripley Entertainment and five other entities involved in the ownership and operation of the […]
(Missourinet) – Federal prosecutors filed court documents yesterday in Kansas City that cite two Duck Boat captains as targets in a criminal investigation of a deadly mishap. Gerald McGonagle is an attorney who brought a lawsuit after the incident which killed 17 people on Table Rock Lake in Branson. He says the captain of the […]
(Missourinet) – A man who jumped in to help victims when a Ride the Ducks boat sank on Table Rock Lake in Branson is suing for damages. Greg Harris jumped in the water from the nearby Branson Belle river showboat to help rescue passengers from the capsized Duck Boat July 19th. The lawsuit […]
(Missourinet) – A woman who lost nine relatives when a Duck Boat sank last month on Table Rock Lake near Branson is spearheading an effort to have the vehicles banned. Tia Coleman and her 13-year old nephew were the only two family members to survives the mishap that killed a total of 17 […]
