On Tuesday, Missouri is launching a program focused on helping rural hospitals with their problems of limited staffing, bed capacity, and equipment during the pandemic. In southwest Missouri’s Appleton City, many low-income families are waiting for care. Jamie O’Farrell tells Springfield television station KOLR she treats patients at Ellett Memorial Hospital’s clinic. Through […]
Category: State News
Audio: New data shows 57% of Missouri K-12 students have access to school-based healthcare
New statewide data says 57% of Missouri’s more than 900,0000 K-12 public school students have access to at least one school-based health care service. The Show-Me School-Based Health Alliance of Missouri conducted the report about services in schools like mental and behavioral support, physical health services, primary care, telehealth, to oral and vision care. Rachel […]
Audio: $76 Million in to be deployed to Missouri’s K-12 schools, once Governor signs supplemental budget
About $76 million in federal money will be heading to Missouri’s k-12 schools, once Governor Mike Parson signs the supplemental budget bill. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, says the $1.27 billion supplemental budget includes $75.6 million for school nutrition services. “i.e., paying for meals in k-12 education,” Smith says. “So this […]
Missouri’s new Cold Case Unit has filed its first charges in 1986 murder case
The new cold case unit in Missouri has already charged its first murder case. The Missouri Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit will take a fresh look at cold cases across the state and work to investigate and charge those cases. “Since entering office, I’ve made it one of my missions to prosecute the state’s […]
Audio: All healthcare, long-term care residents and staff in Missouri should begin receiving vaccinations this month
Missouri’s state health department chief says the state should be able to begin vaccinating this month all hospital and long-term care staff and residents against COVID-19. Dr. Randall Williams says the state is expected to get enough doses this month to begin vaccinating all of Missouri’s roughly 340,000 healthcare workers and long-term care […]
Audio: Two people face criminal charges after malnourishment of 6 year old girl
Two people accused in a Wright County child abuse investigation in southern Missouri now face criminal charges. Twenty-eight-year-old LaTisha Cantrell, and 27-year-old Joey Moore, of Mountain Grove, are accused of the malnourishment of a six-year-old girl. The girl required hospitalization in St. Louis in August 2020 due to her health condition and weighed […]
Audio: Convicted Missouri killer Richard Davis, once subject of massive national manhunt, dies in hospital
A high-profile Missouri prisoner who was waiting for an execution date has died, from apparent natural causes. The Missouri Department of Corrections says 56-year-old Richard Davis died of natural causes this week, at a hospital. Davis was sentenced to death in 2007 for the separate gruesome killings of Marsha Spicer and Michelle Huff […]
Census survey reveals COVID-19’s devastating impact in Missouri
(Missouri Independent) – Hundreds of thousands of Missourians are struggling to get by during our coronavirus public health emergency, including children, according to the recently released U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey. While 40.8 percent of Missouri households report losing income since March, families with children under 18 have been especially impacted, with 51.4 percent reporting […]
Missouri tenants’ group protests at online eviction hearings
With evictions set to skyrocket after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium ends December 31, a Kansas City tenants’ group is taking an unusual route to delay evictions, by disrupting housing-court hearings being held online. Tara Raghuveer, director of KC Tenants, said research shows online hearings may even violate the rights of renters with […]
Audio: Two high-profile prosecutors heading Missouri’s new cold case unit
Two high-profile prosecutors are heading Missouri’s new cold case unit. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has announced the creation of a new unit that will tackle cold case murders across the state. The unit is led by former U-S Attorney Tom Dittmeier and former state prosecutor Dean Hoag. Dittmeier is best-known for prosecuting […]
Audio: Missouri Legislature will be asked to change part of Missouri’s voter ID law
The Missouri Legislature will be asked to change part of Missouri’s voter ID law. State Senator Bob Onder wants to put an end to a provision in state law allowing voters without certain identification to still vote by signing a statement saying they are who they say they are. Onder, a Republican from Lake St. […]
Audio: Governor Parson reacts to investigative report into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes
Missouri’s governor said Thursday in Jefferson City that he wants some answers, after reading a 53-page independent investigation into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes. Governor Mike Parson ordered the investigation, which was conducted by St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale. The governor emphasizes that he’s limited in what he can say because he doesn’t know […]
Audio: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley says he’ll vote no on the National Defense Authorization Act
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley plans to vote against the annual bill that authorizes funding for the U.S. military. The Kansas City Star reports that Hawley announced his intention on Wednesday to vote against the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) following a veto threat from President Donald Trump. Hawley said he […]
Audio: The latest on Missouri’s upcoming distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
If the Food and Drug Administration approves Pfizer’s request for emergency use of the company’s COVID-19 drug, Missouri could get the first shipment of the vaccine later this month. The first batch is expected to include 51,000 doses, followed by 64,000 the next week. The first phase of the state’s immunization plans will allow healthcare […]
Missouri state auditor releases 2020 property tax rates review
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway has released her office’s annual review of local property tax rates. The State Auditor’s Office reviews rates to determine whether the rates are compliant with state law and to monitor rate adjustments to ensure revenue neutrality, as required by law. The office does not make recommendations on property tax rates […]
Audio: Missouri Senator proposes to limit county-wide shutdown orders
State Senator Andrew Koenig (KAY-nig) wants to limit Missouri’s local leaders on their power to mandate and enforce county-wide shutdowns. On the Missouri Senate floor, Koenig, a Republican from the St. Louis suburb of Manchester, says he has pre-filed legislation in response to restrictions issued last month by St. Louis County Executive Sam Page. The […]
Audio: Lawmaker files prescription drug monitoring program legislation for ninth consecutive year
A southeast Missouri lawmaker who has filed prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) legislation for the ninth straight year says she’s thankful that God has given her the ability to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. Scott City State Senator-Elect Holly Rehder (pronounced like Raider) says Missouri’s medical professionals must have the knowledge of […]
Audio: Statewide Cold Case Unit being launched in Missouri
A new statewide Cold Case Unit is launching. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is holding a press conference Thursday in St. Louis to announce his Office’s new Cold Case Unit. A press release from Schmitt’s Office says the Unit will work to investigate and charge suspects involved in Missouri cold case homicides. He will announce […]
Audio: Independent 53-page report on Missouri Veterans Homes shows failure of leadership, response and planning
An independent investigation into the COVID-19 deaths at Missouri veterans homes has found that the Missouri Veterans Commission headquarters failed to recognize the outbreak. Armstrong Teasdale’s report says MVC should have recognized the presence of an outbreak in the Cape Girardeau veteran’s home by September 2. MVC Chairman Tim Noonan says a tremendous amount of […]