Ellisville Family Pivotal in Securing Speaker of House Tim Jones' New District Office

Missouri Speaker of House Tim Jones, R-Eureka, opened a new district office at 137B South Central Ave. in Eureka on Thursday evening at the conclusion of a four-day, 20-city tour this week around Missouri.

Missouri Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, who has served with Jones for the past six years, said at the open house it was interesting at first to see him "be in the primary frying pan to see if he would melt."

Cunningham said Jones has a backbone, and proved he can stand the pressure that comes from groups and individuals.

Cunningham presented another attendee, Mark Schwieder, with a framed resolution about his dedication and contributions to Missouri's politics, which include being a 7th senatorial district liaison for her service area. Schwieder, a retired Rockwood School District teacher from Ellisville, and his family members were thanked for the work they spearheaded into establishing the new district office, including supervising the remodeling and decorating.

On the tour, which started last Monday, Jones spoke to voters, community leaders and business owners to obtain their input about prioritizing Missouri's important issues. He said he and his team logged 2,150 miles this week zig-zagging from cities, such as Poplar Bluff to West Plains to Branson and Lockwood. Lockwood is the location of his family's farm. He also conducted numerous media interviews along the route about what he called on Thursday at the new office ribbon-cutting the "Three Es platform":

1. Economic Development
2. Energy Independence
3. Education Reform