Governor Mike Parson announced that the first shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in Missouri. The Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Friday, December 11, confirming its safety and effectiveness. “Today is an exciting day for Missouri as we have received the first of many […]
Tag: prevention
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 […]
Harrison County officials issue “Public Service Recommendation” to wear masks
The Harrison County Community Hospital and clinics, Harrison County Health Department, and NTA Ambulance have issued a public service recommendation to wear masks in public. The recommendation is due to what officials call “significant increases” in COVID-19 cases in Harrison County and increased hospitalizations. The community health care providers ask the public to follow other […]
Trenton R-9 Board of Education approves summer school 2021; COVID-19 procedures and protocols discussed
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education approved a scholarship recipient and grant requests during a meeting on Google Meet the evening of December 8th. Carly Spencer was named as the John T. Belcher Scholarship recipient. Four essays were submitted for the $250 scholarship. She will go on to compete at a regional level for a […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
Law enforcement takes action against approximately 2,300 money mules in crackdown on money laundering
The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforcement agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative, a coordinated operation to disrupt the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their crimes. Money mules are individuals who assist fraudsters by receiving […]
Governor Parson announces the launch of new COVID-19 vaccine website for Missouri residents
As research and development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines continue to show promising safety and effectiveness findings, Governor Mike Parson announced the launch of a new vaccine website for Missouri residents. MOStopsCOVID.com provides Missourians with information regarding the safety of the vaccines, research and production processes, and when they may be eligible for vaccination. The website will […]
EPA awards $2.5 million to the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs for farmworker pesticide training
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs to receive up to $500,000 annually to conduct pesticide safety training across the country over the next five years. With EPA funding, AFOP will administer this grant to provide occupational health and safety training to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in more than […]
Governor Parson signs Executive Order 20-19 extending state of emergency in Missouri
As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in Missouri and across the Midwest, Governor Mike Parson signed Executive Order 20-19 extending the state of emergency in Missouri through March 31, 2021. This will allow continued flexibility in deploying critical resources around the state as well as the continued utilization of the Missouri National Guard […]
Women are skipping breast exams; fighting cancer complicated by COVID-19
(Missouri Independent) – Amid a battle with breast cancer, Kari Rawley found herself combating a second potentially fatal condition — COVID-19. The Kansas City resident thought she had done everything right to help herself in her immunocompromised state. Her family wore masks and practiced social distancing, but after a small going away party for her […]
Missouri now seeing 28,000 cases of COVID-19 per week, 4,000 cases per day
Missouri is now seeing 28,000 new cases per week, or an average of 4,000 new cases per day, on average. The week of November 9, 2020, the rate was 2,800 new cases per day, which represents a significant increase. “Like the rest of the United States, Missouri is experiencing an increase in new cases of COVID-19,” said Dr. […]
Police chokeholds, no-knock warrants spark debate in Missouri House committee
(Missouri Independent) – As state lawmakers mull the idea of restricting police use of chokeholds or no-knock warrants, they are facing pushback from law enforcement organizations who contend decisions should be made at the local level. The House Special Committee on Criminal Justice met for three hours on Monday to explore the possibility of passing […]
Biden wants mask mandates nationwide: ‘We can save tens of thousands of lives’
(Missouri Independent) – President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus response plan seeks to put a national mask mandate in place by calling on all governors to require face coverings in their states. It’s a move that public health experts say could dramatically reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. But putting wider mask laws in place […]
Ridgeway R-5 School District implements virtual instruction
The Ridgeway R-5 School District will implement virtual instruction based on the guidance of the Harrison County Health Department, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In a letter, Superintendent Jonnie Beavers said no students will be permitted inside the building from November 13th through November 19th as […]
“Missouri is fully prepared to start vaccinating people in December,” DHSS promises, including transporting long-term care patients
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director told Missouri legislators that the state is “fully prepared to start vaccinating people in December” if the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Randal Williams updated the House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention on how a vaccine would […]
Farmers Bank of Northern Missouri raises over $9,000 during “Scare Away Cancer” Battle of the Branches
Farmers Bank of Northern Missouri has announced that the Centerville branch is the winner of the Farmers Bank of Northern Missouri Scare Away Cancer – Battle of the Branches scarecrow contest. Centerville earned the most points based on the dollar amount of the donations collected plus the number of likes, comments, and shares on the […]
Missouri’s health director to outline vaccine plan and testify about increasing COVID numbers
Missouri health officials say there have been about 21,000 new COVID cases in the past week, an average of 3,105 per day. State Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams will testify Tuesday morning before the Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention. Committee chairman Dr. Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, […]
Student loan default rate continues to decrease in Missouri
According to the U.S. Department of Education, Missouri’s three-year loan default rate decreased two-tenths of a percent, keeping Missouri’s rate lower than many of its neighboring states and on par with the national rate. Missouri’s student loan default rate dropped from 9.9 percent to 9.7 percent. The national rate decreased from 10.1 percent to 9.7 […]