First shipment of COVID vaccines arrive in Missouri

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 […]

Chillicothe Department of Conservation Sign

Department of Conservation closes Chillicothe and St. Joseph offices to the public due to rising COVID-19 concerns

The Missouri Department of Conservation has closed the St. Joseph and Chillicothe offices to the public due to rising COVID-19 concerns. MDC staff will still be able to answer phone calls to those offices. Sales of 2021 Natural Events Calendars will continue if arrangements by phone are made for contactless pickup outside the buildings. MDC […]

Lesli Collins NCMC Outstanding Employee for December Final

Lesli Collins selected as North Central Missouri College’s Outstanding Employee

Lesli Collins, Facilities Coordinator/Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach, originally from Mercer, MO, has been selected as North Central Missouri College’s Outstanding Employee for December. Lesli, an NCMC alumna, has been employed at NCMC for fourteen years and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Western Governors University. As one of her many accomplishments, Lesli helped the […]

Operation Warp Speed

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 […]

Facebook

Missouri Attorney joins multistate lawsuit seeking to end Facebook’s illegal monopoly

Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a bipartisan coalition of 48 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Facebook Inc., alleging that the company illegally stifles competition to protect its monopoly power. The filing can be found here. The lawsuit alleges that, over the last decade, the social networking giant illegally acquired competitors in a predatory manner […]

Coronavirus in Prisons

Missouri Department of Corrections implements technology to cut COVID-19 infection rate within prisons

Implementation of three technological innovations in the Missouri Department of Corrections aims to cut COVID-19 infection rates in Missouri state prisons and other facilities. These strategies: Kill the virus in the air Kill the virus on surfaces Detect the virus in wastewater The department now has ionization generators — air purifying devices that destroy 99.4% […]

Prison Sentence News Graphic

Arkansas project manager sentenced to two years in prison in connection with COVID-19 relief fraud

A project manager employed by a major retailer was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fraudulently seeking more than $8 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. […]

Medical Marijuana

Medical marijuana subpoena may have been connected to Independence, Missouri FBI probe

(Missouri Independent) – The head of Missouri’s medical marijuana program testified under oath that a grand jury subpoena his agency received late last year was likely connected to an FBI investigation in Independence.  The revelation by Lyndall Fraker, director of medical marijuana regulation at the Missouri Department of Health and Seniors Services, is the first […]

Doctor with Stethascope

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 […]

School Funding

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 […]