JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — From setting special election dates to commemorating Vietnam War veterans at the Capitol, it was a busy week for Gov. Mike Parson.
Along with other state leaders, Parson, himself a veteran, honored those who served during the Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Ceremony Thursday. He acknowledged the sacrifices and service veterans have made to the nation and discussed his workforce development and outreach efforts to retain veterans in Missouri.
“Missouri and our great nation owe a great debt to the brave men and women who served our country in the Armed forces during the Vietnam War, protecting our rights, freedoms, and our ideals,” Parson later said in a statement. “It was a tremendous honor to have the privilege of speaking to this distinguished group of Vietnam Veterans and discuss the importance of passing down to the next generation the values of duty, sacrifice, patriotism, and love of our country these heroes have shown to all of us.”
The governor also continued his push for assistance in the aftermath of the devastating flooding that wreaked havoc in parts of the state. Parson requested President Donald Trump approve a disaster declaration that would provide financial assistance to at least 13 counties.
“Working in strong coordination, our local, state, and federal assessment teams have documented widespread and devastating damage as a result of the flooding,” he said. “I am confident federal assistance will be forthcoming, and I greatly appreciate all the work that’s already being done by our faith-based and volunteer responders to help communities recover.”
Parson attended the Bass Pro Shops’ Legends of Golf Tournament in Ridgedale and was given the Person of the Year Award by the Missouri Association of Workforce Development Conference in Branson.
Excited to be down at @BassProLegends kick-off celebrations for the 2019 Legends of Golf tournament & enjoying Johnny Morris’ beautiful showcase of the Ozarks. Be sure to check out: https://t.co/TfDjBiuK5a #ChampionsTour pic.twitter.com/SEnaEtvfD4
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) April 24, 2019
Parson also attended roundtable events with aerospace sector leaders this week.
Thank you @STLCCFloValley for hosting our aerospace sector roundtable in STL.
If Missouri is to lead in this industry, we need a strong partnership between businesses & higher education/skills training programs. Our workforce needs the right training for the jobs of the future! pic.twitter.com/xln7WQrDSH
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) April 25, 2019
Informative roundtable with @kcchamberGOV, @MoEcoDevo, and aerospace sector leaders. Our state needs to prepare to lead in this industry, and we can do so by developing our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow! #MissouriForward pic.twitter.com/6WyykzLOnV
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) April 24, 2019
Earlier this week, Parson set special election dates for the 99th and 158th House districts. He was expected to meet with Jay Walder, the CEO of the Virgin Hyperloop One, Friday.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
