One of the nation’s last primary aluminum smelters, which employs more than 400 workers in the Missouri Bootheel, will reportedly close its doors.
The Magnitude 7 Metals plant, in the southeast Missouri town of Marston, announced Wednesday it would curtail operations, according to Industrious Labs, an industry analysis group. In a press release, Industrious Labs said the plant represents about one-fifth of the nation’s aluminum production.
Sen. Jason Bean, a Republican from Holcomb who represents New Madrid County, said his office received no advanced warning that the closure was coming.
“It’s absolutely devastating to our area,” Bean said Thursday afternoon. “Just awful.”
Clean energy groups, including Renew Missouri and the Sierra Club, blamed the closure on the smelter’s dependence on fossil fuels. James Owen, executive director of Renew Missouri, said the plant’s loss “cannot be overstated.”
“This is devastating news for Missouri and the Marson community,” Owen said in the release. “The smelter provided a lifeline to the entire community, providing both good union jobs and taxes to the local economy.”
Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat who is running for governor, quickly filed legislation Wednesday in an effort to save the smelter.
“As we all saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, local and domestic supply lines are essential to keep our economy functioning normally,” Quade said. “Keeping this smelter open saves jobs and ensures Missouri serves an integral role in keeping America safe, secure and prosperous.”
A local TV station in New Madrid County reported workers at the aluminum smelter had received a letter saying “most employees will no longer be required after January 28.” The letter says, however, the plant will continue looking for investors and “look for ways to restart the smelter in the future.” Circumstances that led to the closure “were not reasonably foreseeable,” the letter says.
The Magnitude 7 closure was not listed among layoff notices listed on the Missouri Office of Workforce Development’s website under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, Act. The law, requiring employers to provide notice 60 days before mass layoffs, exempts companies in cases where layoffs arise from “unforeseeable business circumstances.”
Magnitude 7, which acquired the plant from Noranda Aluminum in 2018, was under a consent decree with the state — along with a nearby coal-fired power plant — for sulfur dioxide pollution.
Because of the two operations, part of New Madrid County had triple the limit of sulfur dioxide in the air, putting it out of compliance with Environmental Protection Agency standards. The compound, a component of acid rain, can exacerbate breathing and heart issues.
Magnitude 7 had intended to build a $7 million, 213-foot stack to dissipate emissions concentrated in New Madrid County.
Missouri lawmakers last year included an $8.5 million loan in the budget for Magnitude 7. The loan raised constitutional questions, and Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, vetoed that line in the budget.
Quade’s bill is an attempt to lower energy costs for the smelter. Electricity is the largest single cost to aluminum smelters, according to a 2022 Congressional Research Service report.
The bill would encourage electric utilities to add more renewable and natural gas energy to its portfolio to lessen its dependence on coal. It would also allow a third-party renewable energy provider to generate electricity onsite and provide it directly to the smelter.
Magnitude 7 Metals could not immediately be reached for comment.
Sheriff Jeff Crites with the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department has launched a community education series, and the Daily Journal is pleased to share it with our readers. This installment informs about Missouri’s “Book and Release” law.
In 2019 Missouri passed legislation that changed how certain arrests are handled. Think you know what it means? Let’s find out!
Be sure to read the full explanation at the end of the quiz.
Question 1:
Under Missouri’s Book and Release law, what happens to individuals arrested for nonviolent offenses like trespassing or shoplifting?
A) They are held in jail until trial
B) They are immediately released without any charges
C) They are booked, given a court date, and released without being held in jail
D) They must post bail before release
Question 2:
Who decides whether someone is released under this law?
A) The arresting officer
B) The local police department
C) The law itself – officers must follow the statute
D) The Mayor
Question 3:
What is the primary goal of the Book and Release policy?
A) Increase jail occupancy
B) Reduce paperwork for police
C) Minimize unnecessary pretrial detention for low-level offenses
D) Eliminate court appearances
Question 4:
True or False: The Book and Release law applies to all criminal offenses in Missouri.
________________________________________
Answers:
1. C – Individuals are processed (fingerprinted, photographed, etc.), given a court date, and released without being jailed.
2. C – Law enforcement does not make discretionary decisions about release; they are required to follow the statute.
3. C – The law aims to reduce strain on jails and avoid holding people unnecessarily for minor infractions.
4. False – It applies only to certain nonviolent, low-level offenses.
________________________________________
Did you get them all right?
Missouri’s Book and Release legislation was enacted as part of broader criminal justice reforms that took effect in 2019. Specifically, the Missouri Supreme Court implemented new rules that changed how arrests and pretrial procedures are handled for certain nonviolent offenses. These rules were designed to reduce pretrial detention and ensure that individuals charged with low-level crimes are not held in jail because they can’t afford bail.
Missouri’s Book and Release law applies to a specific set of nonviolent, low-level offenses, where the goal is to avoid unnecessary pretrial detention for individuals who pose little risk to public safety. While the law doesn’t list every offense by name, here’s a general breakdown of the types of crimes typically covered:
Common Offenses Eligible for Book and Release
• Trespassing
• Shoplifting or petty theft
• Driving with a suspended license
• Disorderly conduct
• Minor drug possession (e.g., small amounts of marijuana)
• Vandalism (low-dollar damage)
• Public intoxication
• Failure to appear (in some cases)
These offenses are usually classified as misdemeanors or ordinance violations, and the law mandates that officers issue a citation and release the individual after booking, rather than holding them in jail.
Offenses Not Covered
The law does not apply to:
• Violent crimes (e.g., assault, robbery, domestic violence)
• Felony-level offenses
• Crimes involving weapons or threats
• Repeat offenses that indicate a flight risk or danger to the public
Law enforcement does not decide who gets released. The statute itself determines eligibility, and officers are required to follow it. This ensures consistent treatment across jurisdictions and removes discretionary bias from the process.
This information is a factual explanation of Missouri law and established criminal‑procedure rules. The details provided reflect statutory requirements and Missouri Supreme Court mandates, not personal opinion or commentary.
Stay safe and take care!
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Highway Patrol issued a Silver Alert on Saturday for 78-year-old John Michael Culbertson, who was last seen in Raytown at about 11:30 a.m.
The highway patrol says Culbertson has dementia and wandered away from his home. They add that he has a history of eloping and has entered strangers’ homes in the past.
He’s a white man who is 5’10” and weighs 160 pounds. He has white hair, blue eyes, and was wearing a navy blue sun hat, dark blue shirt, and cut-off jeans. His home is on Northern Avenue near 53rd and Sterling.
If you’ve seen him or know where he is, call 911 or Raytown police at (816) 737-6020.
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