ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) - Two Republican lawmakers are pushing legislation that would remove former Gov. Jay Nixon’s name from a new park in southeast Missouri.
The St. Joseph News-Press (https://bit.ly/2jYQccC ) reports the Missouri Department of Natural Resources revealed the park in early January and named it the Jay Nixon State Park, just as the former Democratic governor was finishing his final term in office.
Republican Sen. Gary Romine says his constituents are upset the department’s bought the land in 2015 with money that is meant to help restore of areas affected by lead mining. Romine says the park is not one of those areas.
Romine says while lawmakers can’t reverse the purchase, he can try to change the park’s name.
Romine and Republican Rep. Paul Fitzwater say they would change the name to Proffitt Mountain State Park in honor of the family who pioneered the area.
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Information from: St. Joseph News-Press/St. Joe, Missouri, https://www.newspressnow.com
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