Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of the City of Raytown, located in Jackson County. The audit was completed after citizens petitioned for a review of the city’s finances and operations. In response to the audit, the city has committed to making changes to address the findings. “Citizens requested this audit for […]
Tag: government
Owner of hospice companies sentenced to 20-years in prison for $150 million health care fraud and money laundering scheme
A corporate executive has been ordered to serve 20 years in prison after his conviction related to falsely telling thousands of patients with long-term incurable diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, they had less than six months to live and subsequently enrolling them in hospice programs. A federal jury in McAllen, Texas, convicted Rodney […]
Missouri State Auditor issues audit on payroll and personnel issues in Jackson County
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway released a report on the Jackson County government’s handling of payroll and personnel. The audit, part of an independent review of county government finances, found issues with the allocation of different funds to pay salaries and with the handling of vehicle allowances. The report gave a rating of “fair.” “Our […]
Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri to grant CARES funds to senior centers
In collaboration with the CARES Act, the Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri plans to present local senior centers with grants for $10,000. Eleven senior centers will benefit from the $10,000 grants, one each in Caldwell, Grundy, Harrison, Livingston, Mercer, Putnam, and Sullivan counties, and one grant for each of the two centers located […]
Missouri health department “Questions and Answers” for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
The state health department has officially signed off on dispensing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine statewide. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued its standing order today. The vaccine is being dispensed this week to health care professionals who work with COVID-19 patients or those who are the most vulnerable to get it. Long term care […]
Officials in Missouri ponder preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic
Hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 have been on the rise in Missouri and other states, and experts say the consequences of being unprepared for an infectious-disease outbreak have never been more apparent. Gov. Mike Parson has cited concerns about staffing levels with the demand hospitals are seeing from the crisis. His comments coincide with calls […]
Audio: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley teams up with Senator Bernie Sanders on stimulus package
U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are introducing a bipartisan amendment to attach to must-pass legislation to be considered by Congress, which would provide $1,200 in direct payments to working-class adults and $500 to each of their children. This amendment, similar to what was passed in the CARES Act, would be attached to must-pass […]
Director of Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services attends White House task force meeting on Operation Warp Speed
President Donald Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force invited a small group of private business, state, and health care leaders to the White House to brief them on Operation Warp Speed, the COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution project started earlier this year. Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and […]
40 charged in sprawling criminal enterprise using inmates
A federal grand jury has returned a 147-count superseding indictment against 40 defendants across South Carolina in the largest federal racketeering conspiracy in South Carolina history. The indictment alleges a sprawling criminal enterprise whereby inmates with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, often through the use of contraband cell phones, orchestrated murder, kidnapping, firearms distribution, […]
Grundy County Commission to consider mask order after meeting with numerous health professionals
Representatives from Wright Memorial Hospital, the Grundy County Health Department, and Grundy County Ambulance discussed a possible mask order with the Grundy County Commission the morning of December 8th. Wright Memorial Chief Nursing Officer Catherine Hamilton said she does not think communities understand the stresses on hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. She explained there […]
Trenton residents to decide in April election on enacting a local “Use Tax” for online out-of-state purchases
City of Trenton voters will get to decide next April on whether to enact a local “Use Tax” involving online purchases from out-of-state vendors which primarily involves the dot com and dot net vendors. The eight-member council voted unanimously on Monday night to let the voters decide. The rate is to be no more than […]
Environmental Protection Agency proposes new safety measures for Chlorpyrifos
The EPA is taking the next step in its regulatory review of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide used for a large variety of agricultural uses and non-agricultural uses. Today, EPA is proposing measures to reduce the risks identified in the agency’s September 2020 draft risk assessments to better protect human health and the environment. As outlined in the proposed […]
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 […]
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: Nursing home residents to get COVID-19 vaccine early with federal help
Nursing home patients will get COVID-19 vaccines with the help of the federal government according to Nikki Strong of the state Healthcare Association. The nation has exceeded 100-thousand nursing home deaths because of COVID-19 and the CDC has advised that long-term care patients be a part of the first round of inoculations. Photo […]
State auditor says fund transfers, budgeting process in Jackson County left taxpayers in the dark
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a report on Jackson County government focusing on budgeting and funds transfers which found that more can be done to ensure transparency in county spending. The audit was completed at the request of the Jackson County Legislature and the recommendation of the county executive. “Jackson County taxpayers deserve […]
Audio: Congress returns to Capitol Hill today, with a to-do list that impacts Missourians
Congress has 10 days before their next break and lots they COULD do. The House and Senate must tackle government funding before Dec. 12 to avoid a third government shutdown. Missouri healthcare groups, small businesses, and unemployed workers would like to see another COVID-19 relief bill, the question now is the price tag. […]