It is my sorrowful duty to announce officially the death of George Herbert Walker Bush, the forty-first President of the United States, on November 30, 2018.

President Bush led a great American life, one that combined and personified two of our Nation's greatest virtues: an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to public service. Our country will greatly miss his inspiring example.

On the day he turned 18, 6 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, George H.W. Bush volunteered for combat duty in the Second World War. The youngest aviator in United States naval history at the time, he flew 58 combat missions, including one in which, after taking enemy fire, he parachuted from his burning plane into the Pacific Ocean. After the war, he returned home and started a business. In his words, "the big thing" he learned from this endeavor was "the satisfaction of creating jobs."

The same unselfish spirit that motivated his business pursuits later inspired him to resume the public service he began as a young man. First, as a member of Congress, then as Ambassador to the United Nations, Chief of the United States Liaison Office in China, Director of Central Intelligence, Vice President, and finally President of the United States, George H.W. Bush guided our Nation through the Cold War, to its peaceful and victorious end, and into the decades of prosperity that have followed. Through sound judgment, practical wisdom, and steady leadership, President Bush made safer the second half of a tumultuous and dangerous century.

Even with all he accomplished in service to our Nation, President Bush remained humble. He never believed that government - even when under his own leadership - could be the source of our Nation's strength or its greatness. America, he rightly told us, is illuminated by "a thousand points of light," "ethnic, religious, social, business, labor union, neighborhood, regional and other organizations, all of them varied, voluntary and unique" in which Americans serve Americans to build and maintain the greatest Nation on the face of the Earth. President Bush recognized that these communities of people are the true source of America's strength and vitality.

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of one of America's greatest points of light, the death of President George H.W. Bush.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in honor and tribute to the memory of President George H.W. Bush, and as an expression of public sorrow, do hereby direct that the flag of the United States be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions for a period of 30 days from the day of his death. I also direct that, for the same length of time, the representatives of the United States in foreign countries shall make similar arrangements for the display of the flag at half staff over their embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

I hereby order that suitable honors be rendered by units of the Armed Forces under orders of the Secretary of Defense.

I do further appoint December 5, 2018, as a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States. I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President George H.W. Bush. I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

 

Business 60 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace the culvert pipe under the roadway. 

This section of roadway is located between Baliff Drive and Jeanette Lane.                   

Weather permitting, work will take place Tuesday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Nov. 30 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

The work zone will be marked with signs.  Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.

For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) 

As thousands of Missouri drivers travel home to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends this week, the Missouri Department of Transportation is urging them to exercise patience, caution and good judgment behind the wheel. The holiday week brings a trifecta of concerns to the roadway, including impaired driving, distracted driving and heavy interstate congestion.

 

The night before Thanksgiving, often referred to as "Blackout Wednesday," has become a popular night for get-togethers at bars before the holiday, often resulting in heavy drinking. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2013 to 2017, more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period, making it the deadliest holiday on our roadways.

 

 "Driving impaired or allowing someone else to drive impaired is irresponsible and not worth the risk," said Jon Nelson, assistant to the state highway safety and traffic engineer. "Make the right choice this holiday season to drive sober or find another way to reach your destination."

 

Like Blackout Wednesday, Black Friday brings another hazard to Missouri roadways. On a day notoriously associated with impatient shoppers, MoDOT urges drivers to keep the online shopping out of the driver's seat.

 

"Everyone wants to hurry and find the best deals on Black Friday. Your best bet for staying safe on the way is to slow down, always buckle up, and put down the phone," said Nelson.

 

The likelihood of a distracted-driving incident increases during the holidays, as there are more drivers on the road. Rounding out the trifecta of holiday traffic concerns, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the most popular travel days of the year, according to AAA, as most holiday travelers head home after a long weekend.

 

That means congestion. Missouri interstate routes will be heavily crowded, and MoDOT urges drivers to allow extra time for travel and plan their route according to the Traveler Information Map, which shows real-time road conditions and closures. The map is available at traveler.modot.org for desktop users, and mobile users can download the free mobile app from the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

Alternate Date to Be Announced

Due to the threat of inclement weather, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s 15th Annual Bridge Building Competition will be postponed. The event was originally scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 15 at Southeast Missouri State University’s Academic Hall Auditorium in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

The competition challenges high school juniors and seniors to design and construct the most efficient model bridge using limited materials—15 pieces of balsa wood, thread and glue.

“We are pleased to have so many participants and know the students put a lot of work into their model bridges,” said Senior Highway Designer Anita Clark. “We will be happy to put their bridges to the test as soon as better weather is in the forecast.”

MoDOT is currently discussing alternate dates to hold the competition. Additional details will be released prior to the bridge breaking ceremony.

“MoDOT values safety, and we wanted to proactively provide information to participants and sponsors who travel to the competition,” Senior Highway Designer Gretchen Hanks.

For more information, please contact Clark at (573) 472-5294, Hanks at (573) 472-5294 or MoDOT's Customer Service C