National Insurance Awareness Day is observed each year on June 28. This day was created as a day to review your insurance coverage.

Insurance offers security, covering loved ones and recovering losses in the event of damage, illness or death.  It offers protection but over time the value of our homes and the items in may appreciate.  What was once worth $100,000.00 a decade ago may be worth much more today. Be sure your policies keep up with the values.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Take time to review your coverage to be sure you are not under or over insured. Use #NationalInsuranceAwarenessDay to share on social media.

Winter White and All Is Nice…

I am a things collector… I collect just about anything that makes the room look warm and cozy.  The problem is I have to clean all the cute warm and cozy things that sit around.  I am constantly dusting because we burn wood in the winter.  I have been dusting some of the same statues, flower arrangements, paperweights and picture frames for as long as I can remember. I look at all the cute things that I have been looking at for over 20 years and wonder, “Is it worth it?”

I open the magazines and look at the beautiful, clean, white living rooms and long for the soothing, dust free surface that looks so inviting.  What keeps me from creating this soothing, clean environment?  Could it be that I don’t want to offend a family member that gave me the paperweight 20 years ago?  Could it be that I feel I will never get another paperweight again?  Both are unrealistic. 

I decided I would take a picture holding the beloved paperweight and document the cherished treasure.  As a matter a fact, I decided it would be easy to start going through all my rooms and start sorting through what is a cherished memory and what should be a current treasure. 

Too much clutter can create an environment of feeling overwhelmed.  It can actually trigger a ripple effect of spending more to make that 20 year old paperweight look fresh, new and exciting.  I finally decided to solicit the advice of a friend to help me weed out the clutter.  We had a lot of fun sorting through the “things” that cluttered my world.   New Year’s Resolution….”Shop wisely through 2016 and no more clutter!”

By Davine Conover

April 22, 2015

Letter to the Editor by Senator Doug Libla

Chairman, Senate Transportation Committee

 

Our state is facing two critical transportation issues:

·      Missouri has thousands of bridges over 50 years old; 1,600 of them are over 75 years old! Approximately 6,300 of our bridges are obsolete and structurally deficient.

·      In 2017, Missouri will no longer generate enough highway user revenue to access federal construction dollars that would otherwise be available to us.

This is why I sponsored Senate Bill 540. During public testimony on the bill heard April 1, 2015, by the Transportation, Infrastructure & Public Safety Committee, of which I am the chairman, there were 24 individuals and groups in support – and ZERO in opposition. On April 8^th, SB 540 was unanimously voted out of committee.

On April 14^th, I presented SB 540 to the full senate. The bill called for a two-cent increase in the state’s fuel tax beginning January 1, 2016. The last increase was in 1992 and gradually phased in to the current level of 17 cents per gallon. This rate has remained the same for the last 20 years, while concrete, steel, labor, and other costs have increased dramatically. In 2015 dollars, 17 cents is now worth about eight cents in spending power. Counties and cities receive approximately 30 percent of this eight-cent value. That means the state’s share is only 5.4 cents per gallon in terms of 2015 spending power.

The deteriorating condition of our roads and bridges should be a personal safety and economic concern to all Missourians. Our bridges are at risk of failing at any time. Just last week in Kansas City a bridge built in 1967 carrying thousands of vehicles per day at the I-70/I-35 interchange had to be closed for an undetermined amount of time for structural repairs. From an economic development standpoint, what company would want to locate or expand in Missouri? They need reasonable assurance/expectation that our roads and bridges will be maintained and improved to meet their freight and distribution needs both now and in the future.

As if safety and economic worries weren’t enough, our state faces a dwindling ability to use federal highway construction dollars. Missouri is allocated about $870 million per year of federal highway funds, but to get them, we have to be able to provide matching state funds. For every $4 of federal funds, we need to provide $1. If we can’t, Missouri will be unable to claim the federal dollars.

Beginning in 2017, Missouri will no longer be able to match all of our federal construction dollars. Our federal fuel tax money will flow only in one direction – toward Washington. We need to get this money back or it will be gone forever!

Since 1924 Missouri has funded its investment in highways through a fuel tax. This is still the best, most reliable and fairest form of highway maintenance revenue because highway users pay it. Approximately 50 percent of the fuel purchased in Missouri is bought by non-residents traveling through the state.

Unfortunately, SB 540 was ultimately filibustered by two senators the same day it was brought up for debate and action.

We need a transportation policy now or we can put our heads “back in the sand” expecting the problem to solve itself – a policy that has been followed for the past 20 years. When the inevitable bridge closures occur, and highways continue deteriorating, what excuse will be acceptable to the citizens of this state?

We cannot say “I didn’t know.” The people will know that we simply failed in our duty.

Hi Janet,
 
It sure seems like there are a lot of businesses in Dexter that still have the inefficient T-12 lighting!  I met with some businesses yesterday that evaluated this and immediately sent in applications applying for incentives.    
 
Below is a flyer that you can feel free to forward to your members regarding the increased T-12 lighting replacement incentives.  Please remember to mention that the 6 month window coming to a close very soon (as of today there is only 21 days left)!  The deadline is April 15th to have projects totally installed with all paperwork submitted.   
 
It is definitely worth your members taking advantage of as the INCREASED T-12 replacement incentives are significant!  On T-8 or LED projects replacing T-12s, the incentive after April 15th could drop as much as $5,000 - $8,000 per 300 fixtures.  We are seeing some applications with simple paybacks (after incentive) as quick as 10 months.  I don’t think we have seen any applications come in with paybacks longer than 2-1/2 years!  
 
Laura with Powell Supply in Dexter has been helping a lot of the Dexter businesses take advantage of this.  Because time is of the essence, I can give Dexter businesses a quick ok to get started after an application is submitted.  If any customers would like assistance, I would be more than happy to assist.  Thank you.
 
Best regards,
 
Lincoln R. Boschert
Ameren Missouri’s ActOnEnergy BizSavers® program
314.239.8172 cell
 
PS. All other incentives (high bay lighting, VFDs, compressed air, etc.) will remain intact through the end of the program cycle ending November 30, 2015.
 

Dear 151st District Constituents,

The beautiful weather has arrived! This week we all enjoyed seeing the snow melt and the temperatures rise with the sun showing it's beautiful face!  The time change, something that we all complain about, has taken place.  There is a bill that has been introduced regarding the time change.  I have signed as a co-sponsor of this piece of legislation but have received reports from constituents telling me of a time when this was tried unsuccessfully in the past.  I am not aware of this attempt but if you are, would you please share with me your thoughts on this? We all have different experiences and expertise and you sharing yours with me will enable me to vote wisely on this issue as well as all bills that are presented on the floor.

This week the budget was finished in the House and sent to the Senate.  I am listing more information below on this but all in all, the budget so far looks like something we can all work with, there were quite a few areas that were increased above the Governor's recommendations.  I will monitor how the budget progresses through the Senate and what changes are made.

Beautiful pieces of artwork were created by some very talented students at Puxico Elementary and have been on display in the Capitol this past week.  One piece was actually presented to me to be displayed in my office for this next year, I am very honored! I am quite impressed with the talent of these young students!  I enjoyed meeting with these students and their families as they were at the Capitol Thursday.

The Floor and Committees are all quite busy and will continue to be busy as the session quickly progresses.  I am kept quite busy reading through several bills each evening after things "close" for the day!  I have filed several pieces of legislation this session and am very busy working to get these bills through the process.  I will have hearings on two of these bills this next week.  I will spend quite a bit of time this weekend while I am home preparing my presentation for the committee.  These two pieces of legislation, if successful, will reduce some government regulations on nursing home facilities that are duplicative and overburdensome.  Government should work for the people, not the people working for the government!

Legislative Spring Break is approaching, it will be the week of March 23rd. If you have any event that you would like for me to attend during that week, please call my office as soon as you can, my schedule for the break is quickly filling up! I am hoping to be able to make it through much of the district that week meeting as many constituents as possible.

Until next week,
Tila