The City of St. Joseph Health Department has announced it plans to host its annual free flu clinic later this month.
According to a news release, the clinic will be held on Friday, Oct. 13 at the REC Center located at 2791 SW Parkway. It will start at 9 a.m. and run until noon or until supplies run out.
The health department said, Buchanan County residents 18 and older, who are not pregnant are encouraged to attend. Participants are asked to wear a shirt that allows access to the shoulder area, where the vaccine will be administered. Those who have privately provided health insurance, Medicare or Missouri HealthNet are asked to present their card at clinic registration. No out of pocket expense will be charged for the vaccine.
The health department said it is only offering drive-up service to those with mobility issues. Patrons of the flu clinic will park in the REC Center parking lot, enter the building, and go through stations for paperwork, screening, and the shot.
No services will be provided at the Health Department, 904 S 10th St, on the day of the flu clinic but will resume on Monday, October 16th.
(Missourinet) – A domestic violence incident turned deadly this morning in mid-Missouri’s Jefferson City. Two police officers responding to a 911 call arrived on the scene with the suspect threatening them. They retreated.
The suspect began to barricade a stairwell to prevent officers from returning. He broke out a number of windows with a metal pipe, telling officers to shoot him. The suspect then emerged and charged at the officers, causing them to move out of the building and into the street. Although they retreated, the suspect, armed with a pipe, continued and advanced upon the officers. They fired their guns – striking the suspect.
The 40 year old white male was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The department says it has responded to numerous disturbance calls at the residence, the last time in June when the suspect wielded a knife and a baseball bat. During the incident, the man charged at officers with the weapons, threatening to shoot them if they returned near his property.
The Highway Patrol will conduct an external investigation in conjunction with a Jefferson City internal investigation. The officers are on paid administrative leave.
(Missourinet) – The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Planned Parenthood can continue with plans to obtain abortion licenses for its Columbia, Joplin and Springfield clinics.
The court denied the state of Missouri’s stay motion that would have blocked the organization from offering abortions.
Currently, abortion services are available in two Missouri cities — Kansas City and St. Louis.
“By allowing us to continue expanding health care access, this lets us ensure women in our state can get the care they need closer to their own community. We will continue working with the state to obtain licenses in Springfield and Joplin so we can provide care to patients in southwest Missouri as soon as possible,” said Mary M. Kogut, president and CEO of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region.
A statement from Planned Parenthood Great Plains Interim President and CEO Aaron Samulcek called the court’s order “a victory” for Missouri women.
“The last thing that should stand in the way of their access to sexual and reproductive health care is an extreme politician who doesn’t know the first thing about health care delivery,” Samulcek said.
Planned Parenthood has been working to increase access to abortions in Missouri, especially since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling more than one year ago. The high court’s decision found that requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and making abortion clinics follow hospital-like standards are unconstitutional in Texas.
Missouri has laws similar to those struck down in Texas, prompting Planned Parenthood to take on the state. The issue has been tied up in court for nearly a year.
(Missourinet) – After a Republican dominated legislature and newly minted GOP Governor Eric Greitens placed several business-friendly lawsuit measures on the books, corporate attorneys are still not impressed.
The most recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey of senior company attorneys shows Missouri dropping from 42nd to 49th place for “lawsuit climate,” the state’s worst ranking ever.
Curt Mercadante with the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform says the legal climate for business is definitely improving, but he thinks it’ll take a while to sink in.
“You don’t jump from 50 or 49 to 35 right away because a well-worn reputation is going take some time to dust off,” said Mercadante. “But we know that when states do improve their lawsuit climates, they go up in the rankings.”
It’s also possible the legislature’s work may not have sunk in with attorneys responding to the survey because the laws hadn’t yet taken effect. A release by the Chamber says, “Missouri’s 2017 ranking reflects a poor lawsuit climate that developed under the previous governor (Democrat Jay Nixon).”
Brett Emison with the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA) dismisses the survey as promotional material meant to serve the interests of the Chamber’s clients.
“They represent big business, they don’t represent small business,” said Emison. “There’s no methodology. There’s no basis in fact. This is a propaganda piece to support the largest of large corporations against regular people like you and me.”
Trial lawyers represent plaintiffs who often bring lawsuits against businesses.
Mercadante admits the survey represents the thinking of big business, but contends those businesses drive the economy.
“These are at major employers. And so, this is measuring the reputation (of states) amongst America’s job creators.”
According to Mercadante, the U.S. Chamber is especially happy with three lawsuit measures that were put into practice.
“They passed things to keep junk science out of state courts. They passed reining in, what we call, ‘gotcha’ lawsuits against insurers who tried to pay a claim in good faith. And (they passed a law) allowing juries to know whether a plaintiff already received compensation for the injury over which they are suing.”
The “junk science” measure is a new law the Chamber and other proponents say brings Missouri in line with most other state. It raises the bar for qualifying as an expert witness in order to keep “junk science” from entering a lawsuit.
MATA’s Emison contends it’ll protect businesses because it makes it more time consuming and expensive for individuals to find and hire expert witnesses.
“There’s a lot of added expense for plaintiffs in some of these cases that may, frankly, prevent those cases from being filed, and will act as a de facto immunity for some of these defendants.”
The law the Chamber’s Mercadante says will allow juries to know if a plaintiff has already received compensation for an injury has been referred to as the “collateral source” measure.
The measure altered the collateral source rule, and allowed parties to introduce evidence of the actual cost, rather than the value, of medical care given. MATA’s Emison describes “collateral source” as a gift from a third party in lieu of compensation owed by the party at fault.
“It is literally a giveaway to insurance companies and negligent defendants. This (law) only affects defendants who are actually found negligent and have to pay damages. It gifts them.”
The U.S. Chamber survey continues to single out the city of St. Louis as one of the worst lawsuit jurisdictions nationwide. It ranked St. Louis number 10 among cities or counties with the worst legal environments.
Mercadante calls St. Louis the black eye in Missouri.
“Plaintiffs and plaintiff’s attorneys from around the country are seeing St. Louis as a friendly place in which to file their lawsuits.”
He notes St. Louis juries have awarded four separate out of state plaintiffs verdicts totaling more than $307 million, including last year’s well publicized case where Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $110 million to a Virginia woman who claimed daily use of the company’s talcum powder gave her ovarian cancer.
MATA’s Emison pointed out that respondents could only choose among 12 cities or counties included in the Chamber’s survey.
“What this list says is that St. Louis, Missouri, out of this list of 12, is ranked 10th. It’s ranked almost at the very bottom of this list of bad places that the Chamber doesn’t like its members to have to go in and defend themselves.”
The U.S. Chamber’s survey also found that 85 percent of corporate attorney’s, an all-time high, say a state’s lawsuit environment impacts major decisions, including where to locate or expand.
The Chamber’s Mercadante says he thinks lawmakers and business leaders should take a hard look at the survey’s finding.
“When you have employers saying that lawsuit climate is something they consider when looking to locate or do business, that’s important for a state.”
Triumph Foods has announced it plans to expand its pork processing facility in St. Joseph.
According to a news release, the 12,000 square-foot expansion includes robotic palletization technology to increase the speed of outbound shipping and reduce manual handing of finished products. Triumph said the facility will also add product storage, allowing the company’s partner, Seaboard Foods to expand its marketing and selling to domestic retail and food service customers.
The expansion is expected to be completed in spring of 2018
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work in the Northwest Missouri region planned for the week of Oct. 2 – 8 from the Missouri Department of Transportation. In addition to the work listed below, there may be pothole patching, bridge maintenance, striping, brush cutting, guardrail repairs and other road work conducted throughout the region. Many of these will be moving operations and could include lane closures with delays. All scheduled maintenance and construction projects are subject to change.
Atchison County
U.S. Route 136 – CLOSED at the Little Tarkio Creek for a bridge replacement project. The road will remain closed through December.
Route M – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from 160th Street to 180thStreet, Oct. 2, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Interstate 29 – Pothole patching, Oct. 2 – 6
U.S. Route 136 – Resurfacing project from just east of Route O to just east of Route M, Oct. 3 – 7. A pilot car will direct traffic through the work zone.
Buchanan County
Route DD – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the bridge over I-29 at Faucett at Exit 35. The bridge will remain closed through October.
I-29 – The on and off ramps at southbound I-29 will be CLOSED for the Route DD Bridge replacement project. Oct. 2 – 8. During this closure, the I-29 frontage road will be accessible from Route DD, but not from the interstate.
U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the Route 759 Overpass Bridge, Sept. 25 – 27. This includes an overnight lane closure.
Route E – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route H east to Route H west, Oct. 2, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Route AC – Bridge maintenance at the U.S. Route 36 Overpass Bridge, Oct. 2 – 5. This includes an overnight lane closure.
U.S. Route 59 – Pothole patching from just north of Karnes Road to Country Club Village, Oct. 2 – 6
Route H – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route E to Route DD, Oct. 3, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Route 759 – Shoulder work, Oct. 3 – 6
Route 6 – Resurfacing project from Route AC to I-29, Oct. 5 – 7. No left turns will be permitted at Frederick Avenue and Leonard Road.
Caldwell County
U.S. Route 36 – Slide repair from U.S. Route 36 to Route 13, Oct. 2 – 4. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.
Route HH – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from NW Winchester Road to SW Crow Road, Oct. 5, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Chariton County
Route PP – Bridge maintenance at the Middle Fork Chariton River Bridge, Oct. 2 – 5
Clinton County
I-35 – Pavement repair northbound at mile marker 41.6 near Lathrop, Oct. 2 – 3. This includes an overnight lane closure.
Daviess County
Route DD – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route 6 to Otter Avenue, Oct. 2, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Route 6 – Pavement repair from Route 13 to Route DD, Oct. 2 – 6
DeKalb County
Route 31 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 36 to U.S. Route 169 (Gentry County), Oct. 2 – 7
Gentry County
U.S. Route 169 – Shoulder work from Route 31 to Stanberry, Oct. 2 – 7
Route 31 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 36 (DeKalb County) to U.S. Route 169, Oct. 2 – 7
Grundy County
Route W – CLOSED from SW 20th Street to SW 25th Street, Oct. 2, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Route K – Pothole patching from the Livingston County line to Route E, Oct. 2 – 6
Route 6 – Sealing project from Iowa Boulevard to Route Z, Oct. 4 – 6
Harrison County
Route P – CLOSED for a resurfacing project from Route BB to U.S. Route 69, Oct. 2, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Holt County
Route 118 – The ramp from Route 118 to southbound I-29 is CLOSED for the Davis Creek Bridge replacement project through mid-December.
Route N – Culvert repair at County Road 110, Oct. 2
I-29 – Pavement repair from Route W to Route 118, Oct. 2 – 7
I-29 – Bridge replacement project at the Davis Creek Bridge near Exit 84, Oct. 2 – 8. I-29 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction. This includes a 12-foot width restriction. The lane closures will remain in place overnight.
Route 111 – Resurfacing project from the Tarkio River Bridge to Route W in Corning, Oct. 2 – 3. A pilot car will direct motorists through the work zone.
Route 111 – CLOSED for a resurfacing project from the Tarkio River Bridge to Spur 111 in Craig, Oct. 3 – 5, daylight hours. Route 111 will be closed in two-mile increments beginning at the bridge and proceeding south.
Route N – Culvert repair at County Road 140, Oct. 3
Linn County
U.S. Route 36 – Pothole patching from the Macon County line to Route 11, Oct. 2 – 6
U.S. Route 36 – Sign replacement in the westbound driving lane from Route FF to the Turkey Creek Bridge, Oct. 4
Mercer County
U.S. Route 136 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 65 to the city limits of Ravanna, Oct. 4 – 6
Nodaway County
U.S. Route 136 – Pavement repair from the west city limits of Burlington Junction to Route PP, Oct. 2 – 3
Route M – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 71 to Route N, Oct. 2 – 4
Route V – Pothole patching from Route H to Route 113, Oct. 4 – 5
Route 148 – Pavement repair from U.S. Route 71 to 220th Street, Oct. 5
Sullivan County
Route 5 – Pothole patching, Oct. 2 – 6
Worth County
Route B – CLOSED for a resurfacing project, Oct. 3 – 6, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.daily
(News release) MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University will have a surplus property sale at 9 a.m.Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the Materials Distribution Center, located at the corner of West 16th Street and College Park Drive.
The sale is open to the public, including Northwest students and employees. Sale items will be available for inspection by potential buyers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, and 8 to 9 a.m.Tuesday, May 17.
Full payment must be made immediately after the sale. The University will accept cash, money order, cashier or certified check, personal or business check. All purchased property must be removed by 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20.
Items to be sold include but are not limited to: miscellaneous computer equipment and supplies, miscellaneous notebooks, flat screen monitors, office equipment, desks, file cabinets, miscellaneous chairs, kids chairs, wood bookshelves, enclosed display board, hide-a-bed sofa, Christmas decorations, paper cutter table, audio-visual carts, projectors, speakers, portable scoreboards, Daktronics time clock, pool tables, science equipment, Frigidaire electric oven, Amaco electric kiln, Johnson gas kiln, mop buckets, scaffolding and ladders, 20x8x8 Turf Saver tires and rims, 8-horsepower electric generator, Lagrange sandblaster, 3-phase air compressor, 6-gallon air compressor, wall partitions, 8-foot folding tables, doors, Kubota RTV900 utility vehicle, stainless steel sink and table, toilets, Worthington pump, bicycles, scrap metal.
(News release) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has broadened its “conservation” efforts to include energy use at Department offices and nature centers. These efforts have saved $1.2 million on the Department’s energy costs since 2010, including more than $250,000 in 2016.
MDC’s energy conservation efforts include installing new energy-saving technologies in most of its largest buildings, such as nature centers and regional offices. This includes replacing incandescent lighting with more efficient LED bulbs and using climate-control systems to adjust building temperatures higher or lower after working hours. MDC has also installed motion-activated lights and heating systems that use geothermal energy.
“We want our buildings to be both comfortable and energy efficient,” said Jim Aslakson, a mechanical engineer at MDC. “By managing our temperatures better, we are able to keep our buildings at comfortable temperatures while saving money on utility costs and reducing our carbon footprint.”
MDC maintenance staff are also making sure building systems are operating as efficiently as possible with existing equipment and selecting more energy-efficient models when replacing equipment. In addition, all MDC staff are strongly encouraged to turn off lights, computers, and other equipment during unoccupied periods.
According to Aslakson, MDC has reduced energy use at numerous Department locations, including by about 45 percent at Conservation Headquarters in Jefferson City.
He added that seven of its locations have achieved ENERGY STAR® ratings. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Its goal is to help consumers, businesses, and industry save money and protect the environment through the adoption of energy efficient products and practices. The ENERGY STAR label identifies top performing, cost-effective products, homes, and buildings.
“Our Sedalia office now has an ENERGY STAR rating of 94, meaning it’s more efficient than 94 percent of similar buildings around the country,” Aslakson said. “That’s just outstanding.”
Other ENERGY STAR locations and ratings are: Conservation Headquarters in Jefferson City (76), Central Regional Office and Conservation Research Center in Columbia (82), Northeast Regional Office in Kirksville (81), Ozark Regional Office in West Plains (75), Southeast Regional Office in Cape Girardeau (80), and the Kansas City Regional Office in Lee’s Summit (93).
“Our goal is to use less electricity and people can replicate some of these efforts in their homes,” Aslakson said. “Individuals can save money on utilities by choosing more efficient lightbulbs and heating systems, turning off lights and other energy users when not needed, and by adjusting the temperature in the home or office when not in the building.”
A Maryville hospital is taking a proactive approach to make sure its doctors prescribe antibiotics correctly.
According to a news release, SSM Health St. Francis Hospital has assembled a multidisciplinary team to improve antibiotic use, known as the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee. The hospital said the team provides drug expertise, tracking, reporting and education on antibiotic stewardship. Team member and pharmacist Amie Harris said she wants to make sure people realized that the more antibiotics are used today, the less likely they will still work in the future.
“You need to have the right antibiotic for the job, because they’re not all useful for the same illnesses,” Harris said. “You should be sure it is taken in the right dose for the patient and for the right length of time.”
The hospital said, one main concern of overuse of antibiotics is that they can kill “good” bacteria that actually protects against infection. This can sometimes lead to a serious and sometimes life-threatening diarrhea caused by a germ called Clostridium difficile, also known as C. diff.
“We have done more harm than good,” Harris said. “Over the years we are starting to see more resistant C. diff, and with no new antibiotics being created, we really need to be responsible with what we have and use them appropriately.”
SSM Health said many patients are prescribed antibiotics when they may not be needed. It said people believe that if they get a prescription for an antibiotic, they will get over the cold, flu or sore throat that afflicts them. As many symptoms for viral and bacterial infections are similar, SSM Health said medical providers are pressured into ordering the antibiotic rather than taking the time for a lengthy explanation of why the antibiotic won’t work if it is a virus.
For questions or more information about appropriate use of antibiotics, contact the Pharmacy department at SSM Health St. Francis Hospital at 660-562-7925.
(News release) – Children in third grade with no previous piano lessons or experience are invited to participate in a free piano workshop on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Missouri Western State University.
Workshops will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m. in Potter Hall. Parents are requested but not required to stay onsite during the workshop.
Register online at missouriwestern.edu/music/hands-on/. Contact workshop director Dr. Nathanael May at nmay@missouriwestern.edu with any questions.
The City of St. Joseph Health Department has announced it plans to host its annual free flu clinic later this month.
