The Gilman City R-4 School District has extended its closure due to COVID-19 concerns. The school district is now to be closed through April 30th, and classes are scheduled to resume May 1st. Classes were originally planned to resume next week. Superintendent Roger Alley wrote in a letter that the decision to extend the closure […]
Tag: administration
Spickard School District extends closure to April 30th
The Spickard R-2 School District has announced it will extend its closure to April 30, 2020, to comply with local health and state guidelines in regards to COVID-19. A letter to the district says the school building will remain closed to the public during that time. Superintendent Jonnie Beavers reports the Spickard School District has served […]
Governor Parson requests Federal Disaster Declaration for Missouri in response to COVID-19
Governor Mike Parson has requested that President Donald J. Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the entire state of Missouri to provide federal assistance for state and local COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and emergency response efforts. In the request filed Tuesday, Governor Parson said the pandemic is of such severity and magnitude that an effective […]
Governor Mike Parson addresses the many concerns of Missouri citizens impacted by COVID-19
As the COVID-19 crisis continues, Governor Mike Parson and his administration are taking daily steps to respond accordingly and protect the health and well-being of Missourians. “My administration and I are committed to providing quality healthcare to those most dependent on state assistance and ensuring access to those in need of medical services or medications,” […]
USDA to partner with rural schools to provide one million meals per week to schools shut by COVID-19
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced a collaboration with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo, and others to deliver nearly 1,000,000 meals a week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due to COVID-19: “Feeding children who are affected by school closures is a top priority […]
Missouri’s Social Security offices halt in-person services
To fight the spread of the coronavirus, all Missouri Social Security offices closed Tuesday to the public for in-person services. In a press release, the U.S. Social Security Administration says the agency encourages the public to access services online to apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits, check the status of an application or appeal, request a […]
The Big Picture: Missouri’s response to COVID-19
As concerns over the new coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to grow across the state and the nation, Governor Mike Parson and his administration are working each day to respond to the virus and protect the health and well-being of Missourians. Expanding COVID-19 Testing The state is currently working with the University of Missouri to expand COVID-19 […]
What you can do to combat the spread of COVID-19
As concerns over the new coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to grow across the state and the nation, Governor Mike Parson and his administration are working each day to respond to the virus and help combat the spread. In line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, as well as federal guidance from the Trump […]
Governor Parson signs Executive Order 2002 declaring a state of emergency in Missouri
Today, Governor Mike Parson signed Executive Order 2002 declaring a state of emergency in Missouri in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Governor Parson announced the emergency declaration in a press conference on Friday. The following individuals were also present at the press conference: Dr. Randall Williams, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) […]
Missouri Hospital Association: There are laws we need changed in the short term to deal with Coronavirus
As of this posting, two Missourians have tested positive for the coronavirus out of 73 tested. Others are being triaged through clinics, healthcare providers, telemedicine, and hospitals. The burden on hospitals at this time is checking, testing and treating symptomatic patients who come into the emergency rooms– whether they have COVID-19 or not. That could […]
Jamesport Tri-County Board of Education approves salary increases for staff
The Jamesport Tri-County Board of Education approved salary increases for the certified and non-certified salary schedules at their latest meeting. The certified salary schedule was increased by one percent. Superintendent David Probasco says the base pay will go from $29,909 to $30,208. The non-certified salary schedule was increased by two and a half percent. The […]
Missouri Attorney General files suit against televangelist Jim Bakker for selling fake “Coronavirus cure”
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against Jim Bakker and Morningside Church Productions, Inc. for misrepresentations about the effectiveness of “Silver Solution” as a treatment for the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The lawsuit alleges that on February 12, 2020, Jim Bakker Show production that aired nationwide, Bakker and […]
EPA releases list of disinfectants to use against Coronavirus
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. “Using the correct disinfectant is an important part of preventing and reducing the spread of illnesses along with other critical aspects such as hand washing,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. […]
USDA relaxes some hemp requirements
The USDA says it’s relaxing some hemp requirements under its interim final rule. Under its new guidance, USDA will delay enforcement of labs to be registered by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Also, hemp producers will not be required to use a DEA-registered “reverse distributor” or law enforcement to dispose of plants that are not compliant. USDA […]
Missouri joins multistate investigation of Juul
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has announced that Missouri has joined a bipartisan, multistate investigation of JUUL Labs. The 39-state multistate coalition is investigating JUUL’s marketing and sales practices, including the targeting of youth, and more. “Ensuring that Missourians, especially our kids and teenagers, are protected is an integral part of my job as Attorney […]
Medicaid expansion emerging as key issue in Missouri gubernatorial race
Missouri’s GOP governor and his likely November Democratic opponent clashed over the issue of Medicaid expansion, during separate press conferences Tuesday in Jefferson City. Medicaid is a federal and state program that assists with medical costs for residents who have limited incomes. Missouri’s current Medicaid budget is about $10 billion, accounting for about one-third of […]
Missouri Bill to notify parents if class material, guest speakers in school mention sexual orientation or gender identity
State law could be changed to require that Missouri public school districts tell parents if class material, guest speakers, or displays in school mention sexual orientation or gender identity. The Missouri House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee is debating State Representative Chuck Basye’s bill that would let parents have their kids removed from class if […]
State urges Missouri parents who lost Medicaid to re-apply kids for coverage
The state wants Missouri parents who have had their Medicaid coverage canceled to fill out an application and see if their kids still qualify. The request applies to those who have lost coverage since August 2018. State Representative David Wood, R-Versailles, says about 120,000 Missourians are no longer getting Medicaid due to a federal healthcare […]
Charges added to heroin/fentanyl conspiracy involving 21 defendants
Additional charges and more defendants have been added to two federal indictments that now charge a total of 21 defendants for their roles in separate conspiracies to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Springfield, Missouri, area, resulting in the overdose deaths of at least two people. Most of the defendants were arrested in a coordinated […]
Audio: Special House panel grills Medical Marijuana director on screening process
A special House committee is ramping up its scrutiny of the state’s new medical marijuana program—focusing on how licenses have been approved. The programs director and the state health department decided to go with an independent group to screen applicants – and now those selections are being challenged in a state court. House member Jered […]