GUILFORD – A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just after 10 a.m. on Monday in Nodaway County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Kathleen M. McCrary, 63, Conception Junction, was northbound on Route AH just north of Guilford.
The driver fell asleep, drove off the east side of the road and hit a concrete culvert. The van went airborne and continued north into a ditch.
A private vehicle transported McCrary to St. Francis Hospital.
The MSHP reported she was properly restrained at the time of the accident.
Kirksville, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that one case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in an adult buck harvested by a hunter in Adair County. This is the first case of the deer disease found in Missouri since early 2013.
This new case represents the 11th free-ranging deer that has tested positive for CWD and brings the statewide total of captive and free-ranging cases of CWD to 22. All previous cases of CWD in free-ranging deer were from a small area of northwest Macon County where the disease was detected in a private hunting preserve in 2011. CWD was first discovered in Missouri in 2010 at a private hunting preserve in southeast Linn County.
As done in the past three years, MDC is again working with hunters, landowners, taxidermists, and meat processors in north-central Missouri to collect tissue samples from adult deer harvested during the fall archery and firearms deer seasons. MDC will report a summary of all testing efforts and results in early 2015.
The Conservation Department encourages hunters to take deer harvested in MDC’s CWD Containment Zone of Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties to one of numerous cooperating locations in the region to have a tissue sample taken for testing. Sampling locations include area taxidermists and the Northeast Regional MDC office in Kirksville during normal business hours. The sampling effort is taking place through the end of archery season, which closes the evening of Jan. 15, 2015.
Taking a tissue sample is free, takes only a few minutes and will not reduce the food or taxidermy value of harvested deer. Test results typically take 3-4 weeks and are posted for participating hunters on the MDC website. Since 2001, MDC has collected and tested more than 41,000 free-ranging deer for CWD statewide. This includes more than 7,800 samples since 2010 from free-ranging deer in north-central Missouri.
Chronic wasting disease infects only deer and other members of the deer family by causing degeneration of the brain. The disease has no vaccine or cure and is 100-percent fatal. There is no evidence that the disease can affect humans.
Missouri offers some of the best deer hunting in the country, and deer hunting is an important part of many Missourians’ lives and family traditions. Infectious diseases such as CWD could reduce hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities for Missouri’s nearly 520,000 deer hunters and almost two million wildlife watchers.
Deer hunting is also an important economic driver in Missouri and gives a $1 billion annual boost to state and local economies. Lower deer numbers from infectious diseases such as CWD could hurt 12,000 Missouri jobs and many businesses that rely on deer hunting as a significant source of revenue, such as meat processors, taxidermists, hotels, restaurants, sporting goods stores, and others. CWD also threatens the investments of thousands of private landowners who manage their land for deer and deer hunting, and who rely on deer and deer hunting to maintain property values.
The EPA’s proposed Waters of the U.S. rule would affect more than just agriculture. Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri says local officials are concerned on how the rule may affected them as well.
The EPA claims the rule would not affect agriculture. Out of the 17,000 unique comments send to EPA during the comment period, 10 percent came from opposed members of the American Farm Bureau.
The EPA is currently evaluating the comments gathered during the comment period and taking them into consideration for the final rule Nearly a half million comments were submitted, including what EA calls “unique comments.”
Agriculture groups are concerned that the rule would require over watch and permits of common farming practices and regulations on intermittent water ways, such as ditches that only carry water during significant rainfall events.
Blunt spoke to Missouri Farm Bureau members Monday morning at the organizations 100th Annual Convention at Tan-Tar-A. Blunt said the incoming Congress could try to de-fund the rule if EPA moves forward with its current proposal.
St. Joseph, Mo. (Dec. 8, 2014) – Beginning January 1, 2015 Royal (R.T.) Turner, retiring Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner, will join KCP&L as a Community Affairs Manager for KCP&L’s North District.
“We are fortunate to have someone with R.T.’s experience and reputation working with us at KCP&L,” said KCP&L North District Manager Tom Burke. “With eight years of experience in county government, R.T. will be instrumental in building and maintaining relationships with community partners and promoting economic growth in our service territory.”
Turner will be working closely with current KCP&L Community Affairs Manager, Dan Hegeman. R.T. will be an additional contact KCP&L’s community partners while Hegeman assumes additional legislative responsibilities in the Missouri General Assembly.
Turner retired, after 35 years, from Hausman Metal Works and Roofing in 2005. He has cultivated strong ties to Northwest Missouri through his community involvement, which includes, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, Community Action Partnership, Community Alliance and United Way’s Success by Six program. He is also involved with the communications committee of the National Association of County Organizations, Northwest County Commissioners Association, Military Officers Association of America American Legion Post #359, Sheet Metal Workers Union Local #2 and is longtime member of the St. Joseph Central Christian Church.
Turner and his wife, Karen, have been married for 37 years with two children, Kristin and Nathan.
Dr. Robert Moser, former secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.-photo by Phil Cauthon
By Dave Ranney
KHI News Service
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Dr. Robert Moser, who last month resigned as secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, has a new job.
Earlier this week, Moser was named executive director for the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative at the University of Kansas Hospital.
Bob Hallinan, a spokesperson for the hospital, confirmed the hiring late Thursday afternoon.
“I can confirm that it happened, but it just happened,” Hallinan said. “We’ll be putting out a news release on it shortly.”
In his new role, Moser will administer a three-year, $12.5 million federal grant for improving heart disease and stroke care in western Kansas, using telehealth technology, data exchanges, preventive screenings, case management and patient education.
According to KDHE’s latest “Annual Summary of Vital Statistics,” 1,306 Kansans died of cerebrovascular disease (stroke) in 2013; 5,331 died of heart disease.
Heart disease and stroke were the state’s second and fifth leading causes of death, respectively.
“The highest mortality rates were in rural communities,” Barbara MacArthur, vice president for cardiac services at the KU Hospital, said in an earlier prepared statement. “Many deaths and long term disabilities from heart disease and stroke can be prevented if the right standards of medical care are accessed immediately. Under this program, hospitals working together can provide a continuum of high quality care with much better outcomes.”
The collaborative’s members include the critical access hospitals in Cheyenne, Gove, Ness, Norton, Pawnee, Phillips, Russell, Sheridan, Thomas and Trego counties, and the regional safety net clinics in Hays and Great Bend.
Moser, 55, practiced family medicine for 22 years in Tribune, his hometown, before joining KDHE in January 2011. He left the agency Nov. 28.
Dave Ranney is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Missouri is preparing to execute Paul Goodwin for killing a neighbor woman with a hammer. It would be the state’s 10th execution this year.
Goodwin is scheduled to die by injection at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre. His attorney has filed court appeals and a clemency petition to Gov. Jay Nixon, claiming Goodwin is mentally disabled.
Missouri’s nine executions so far tie the record set in 1999. Only Texas, with 10, has performed more executions this year.
Goodwin is 48. He sexually assaulted and killed Joan Crotts, a 63-year-old widow, in St. Louis County in 1998.
DENVER (AP) — A group of faith-based religious organizations that object to covering birth control in their employee health plans told a panel of federal judges that they should be treated like religions and not be required to even file papers saying they don’t want to cover contraceptives.
But a lawyer for the federal government said Monday that would require officials to set up sort of a “detective agency” to determine whether employers aren’t meeting health insurance mandates because of religious beliefs.
The cases before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver are the latest challenge the birth-control mandate in the federal health care law.
The religious groups aren’t required to cover contraception. But they say a government requirement that they affirm their religious objection makes them complicit in providing the coverage.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The country’s seven largest school districts are joining more than 50 others to start offering introductory computer science to all their students.
The commitments by the school districts in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston and elsewhere are being announced Monday at the White House. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will also meet with students at an “hour of code” computing event.
The College Board, which runs the Advanced Placement program for high school students, is introducing a new college-level course called AP Computer Science Principles. There’s already one AP course in basic computer science, but the White House says this course is multidisciplinary and focuses on real-world applications.
Charitable groups are also pledging $20 million to train more teachers in computer science by fall 2016.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior center B.J. Finney has been named one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy, presented annually to the most outstanding center in college football, the Boomer Esiason Foundation announced Monday.
Finney, a native of Andale, Kansas, is the second Wildcat to be named a finalist for the award, joining Nick Leckey (2003). A three-time candidate for the award, Finney was joined on the finalist list by Jack Allen of Michigan State, David Andrews of Georgia, Reese Dismukes of Auburn, Andy Gallike of Boston College and Hroniss Grasu of Oregon.
A 51-game starter, Finney has started the last 50 games at center. He is a three-time All-Big 12 honoree and is looking to become the second player in school history with four-straight all-conference designations. He was voted a team captain for the third time this season, becoming the first offensive lineman in school history and fifth player overall to serve three terms as a team captain.
Finney has helped lead a K-State offense that ranks in the top 25 nationally in 10 categories, including eighth in team passing efficiency (158.67), 10th in completion percentage (65.6 percent), 16th in red zone offense (89.7 percent), 18th in third-down conversions (46.8 percent), 19th in passing offense (283.2 yds/gm) and 22nd in scoring offense (35.8 points/gm).
The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be presented live during the ESPNU Red Carpet Show on Thursday, December 11, immediately preceding theESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show.
The Rimington Trophy winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Saturday, January 17, 2015. To learn more about the Rimington Trophy, please visit www.rimingtontrophy.com.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Topeka police department has ended its reserve program, which allowed trained volunteers to carry firearms and help stop crime with the same authority as official law enforcement officers.
The program began more than 60 years ago but had dwindled to only five people before it was officially ended Dec. 1.
Topeka officials say the program was eliminated because Kansas law doesn’t provide guidance for reserve officers and there was concern about liability issues.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports reserve officers didn’t need a law enforcement background but underwent all necessary police training and received equipment free of charge. They needed to complete 340 hours of classes and then attending monthly training and to volunteer 16 hours of assistance per month.
GUILFORD – A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just after 10 a.m. on Monday in Nodaway County.
