"The Missouri State Fair is here" by Senator Bill Stouffer, Dist.21, Majority Caucus Chair

The Missouri State Fair Is Here

It is August, meaning one of the biggest events of the year is here. The annual Missouri State Fair is back in Sedalia.

Aug. 11-21 marks the culmination of an active summer for hundreds of folks from rural Missouri. Most of their summer is spent in varying competitions at county fairs, in an effort to make it all the way to the State Fair. Agriculture is at the heart of this annual event.

Missouri has had a state fair since 1901. Regardless of any changes in the past 110 years, one thing has stayed the same at the fair: agriculture. In fact, it was a group of livestock breeders who got the ball rolling to start a fair in the late 1800s. This led to legislation in the Missouri General Assembly in 1899. After that, the State Board of Agriculture toured the six locations that were finalists for the permanent location of the Missouri State Fair: Centralia, Chillicothe, Marshall, Mexico, Moberly and Sedalia. The site was chosen based on proximity to the Missouri River and railroads. Plus, land was donated to the state specifically for this purpose.

Among the highlights this year will be the Rural Lifestyles Showcase. This is an opportunity for folks to learn about rural Missouri and to incorporate rural living into their everyday lives. This will include demonstrations by 4-H and FFA, “Celebrate Missouri Gardens,” Family Living and the farm toy show.

There are other events at the fair, including days set aside for different groups: “Military Appreciation Day,” set for Aug. 14; “Farm Family Day” on the 15th; and “Missouri Farmers Care Food Drive Tuesday,” which will be Aug. 16. Plus, there will be numerous shows on the grandstand.

I am looking forward to the fair, and the weather looks to be cooler than what we have seen not only in past years, but just the past month here in Missouri. I look forward to seeing you and your family in Sedalia Aug. 11-21 for the Missouri State Fair. If you would like more information about the fair, long on to www.mostatefair.com or call 800-422-FAIR (3247).

"Why the Flood of 2011 is Different Than Floods of the Past" - by Sen. Bill Stouffer, representing Missouri's District 21

A report from Senator Bill Stouffer on the Flood of 2011

and why it is different than floods of the past

As I write, the floods affecting so much of our area is heavy on my mind. Unlike in 1993, we are not piling sandbags in the rain. Today’s floods are the direct side effect of government gone wild.

Today, boils and seep water have already ruined thousands of acres of crops. And tired levees, not built to withstand weeks of the Big Muddy’s current volume, are at a daily risk of giving way.

Unlike most “natural disasters,” this one could have been avoided. That reality makes this a tougher pill to swallow on neighbors who have homes and livelihoods threatened by the water. Soon, local residents may boat their way alongside the tops of electric poles to find their century farm, while bureaucrats continue to put fish and birds over the needs of everyday Missourians.

The 2011 flood started in late May, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced they would begin dumping thousands of gallons of water every day at Gavins Point Dam, along the Nebraska-South Dakota border.

On June 1, the Corps was releasing 80,000 cubic feet of water per second. By June 15, the amount nearly doubled to approximately 150,000 cubic feet per second. In addition, the 150,000 cubic feet per second release will continue through August.

There are 7.48 gallons in every cubic foot of water. For a visual, consider the water towers in the local communities of Atlanta, Slater, Waverly, Norborne and Lawson. All that water storage is near the amount the Corps will purposefully release into the river EACH second. Hopefully, by then, the threat will have passed, but the damage will already be done.

Corps officials blamed this year’s flood on the excessive rainfall between May and June, farther upstream. Why the water was not released earlier from these dams is beyond me. And, if cold weather and ice are to blame, appropriate measures should be taken now to invest in proper plans and technology to avoid this from ever happening again.

While many Missourians have been leery about reviewing the way the river is managed, it does not seem it could get much worse. The current management plan that the Corps has in place is also a culprit. Every year, we talk about the spring rise and every year, and there is a clash of ideas between the Corps and just about everybody else.

It is important to note, the federal government is spending $73 million on wildlife restoration, but only $6 million on operations and maintenance of the Missouri River. I do not mind taking care of God’s creation, but putting humans last is no way to operate.

This year’s flooding puts the spotlight on the Corps once again, and a lot more folks are listening than ever before. I am sure a solution will be reached, but it is sad that it will take another prolonged, man-made flood to get something done.

July 21st picnic moved from Wellington Park to Biffle's Barbecue in Concordia due to excessive heat. Program: 2012 candidates, Pachyderm Club info.

Lafayette County Republicans Meeting Moved to Biffle's Barbecue, Concordia -- Thursday, July 21st at 6:30 PM! Hope to see you then.

Dear Friends:

Due to concerns about the heat being too dangerous for many, we are moving our picnic location inside.

Instead of meeting at the park in Wellington, we will meet for barbecue at Biffle's Smokehouse in Concordia, at 6:30 PM. Please use this link for more information and directions: http://www.bifflesbbq.com/.

We will be in the meeting room at the back of the building, and we will order and pay for our dinners individually at the counter.

Thank you for your understanding about this change as several folks expressed their concerns about the heat, and we agree.

Looking forward to seeing you then. We have some candidates coming as well as speakers about forming a Lafayette County Pachyderm Club.

It will be great to see each other again and get ready for 2012, perhaps the most important election year of our lifetimes.

With warm regards, (but gosh, we hate to even use the word "warm")

Lafayette County Republican Central Committee

SAVE THE DATE FOR A LAFAYETTE COUNTY REPUBLICAN SUMMER PICNIC - JULY 21st IN WELLINGTON, MISSOURI

Mark your calendars now for a summer picnic on Thursday, July 21st at 6:30 p.m. at the Wellington Park in the shelter house by the ballpark, Wellington, MO.

Directions: At Odessa on I-70, take Hwy. 131 north to Hwy. 224 in downtown Wellington. Turn west on 224. The park will be located on the north side of the road just past the church which is on the south.

Bring lawn chairs and two dishes of your choice.

The Central Committee will provide service, hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, ice tea and bottled water.

Informational Program on Pachyderm Clubs and Tea Party events in Missouri.

Sponsored by the Lafayette County Republican Central Committee and the Federated Republican Women's Club of Lafayette County.

How to find Tea Party groups in Missouri

If you are interested in joining a Tea Party group or attending events, here is a guide to groups throughout the State of Missouri. Click here.

For Tea Party Blogs, click here.

Featured reading list: click here.

Tea Party Government Accountability Project Groups (GAP Groups): click here.