Attorney General Chris Koster announced Tuesday that he has settled claims against Just What the Doctor Ordered, Inc., and its owner/operator Teresa Linneman, for submitting false claims to Medicaid.

The agreement requires Linneman and JWTDO to pay the state fines and reimbursements totaling $217,562.64.

The bogus claims were for more than 27,000 diapers that were never provided to Medicaid clients.

Just What the Doctor Ordered (JWTDO), located in Fayette, provides durable medical equipment and incontinence supplies for adults and children to Medicaid clients.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, JWTDO and Teresa Linneman have admitted criminal liability. They have agreed to pay the MO HealthNet Fraud Reimbursement Fund $207,562.64 for restitution, damages, and penalties, plus another $10,000.00 to the MO HealthNet Fraud Prosecution Revolving Fund for the costs of the investigation.

The agreement also prohibits Teresa Linneman from billing Medicaid or having a financial interest or billing/coding responsibilities at any company that submits claims for reimbursement to Medicaid.

Widespread damage was reported following the touchdown of multiple tornadoes in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

The twister sent several semi-trailers flying at a trucking business near Lancaster (see video above). The photo at left shows the aftermath.

A tornado also reportedly touched down in Arlington along I-20.

There is no official word on casualties.

Large hail, heavy rain and high winds were reported throughout the area. Damage was reported at the Six Flags over Texas theme park.

Officials at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport were moving some passengers and staff into sheltered areas on the site, many of them for over an hour. American Airlines was inspecting dozens of aircraft for hail damage. The airline cancelled all arrivals at DFW, diverting many flights to other airports.

Spinks airport near Fort Worth, Texas, is reporting minor damage after it was battered by violent weather today. Aaron Barth of Spinks Airport said personnel at the airport watched the fierce storm touch down for about ten seconds before it went back up.

Even after a court ordered the Buchanan County Clerk to repair erroneous ballot language in Tuesday’s school district initiative, it appears officials still didn’t get the ballot quite right, at least to the untrained eye.

But lawyers for the district and the proposed bond sale agree the unusual language will pass court scrutiny.

The original problem stemmed from what was called a “clerical error,” in which the ballot question reported the total amount of the bond issue at about $10 million less than intended.

Officials hope to use $42 million to build two new elementary schools and install air conditioning several others.

But the ballot language doesn’t quite match up to that objective (emphasis added):

“…shall The School District of St Joseph issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $42,000,000 for the purposes of acquiring, constructing, renovating, furnishing, and equipping school facilities, including a new elementary school, and air conditioning and/or renovating some existing school facilities?”

St Joseph lawyer Stephen Briggs is General Counsel for the St Joseph School District. Briggs says the ballot language is not a problem.

“Obviously the ballot language, if it passes, would require the school district to build at least one new elementary school, because that’s in the ballot language,” Briggs said. “But it does not restrict the district from building a second elementary school given the other general language of the ballot.”

Briggs says the district’s bond counsel, Gilmore & Bell of Kansas City, Mo., agrees with his assessment. Briggs believes the ballot question would stand up under scrutiny in the courts.

“In my opinion, and that of bond counsel, the answer is yes, it would pass judicial muster,” Briggs said.

Last month, Buchanan County Circuit Judge Weldon Judah ordered the county to mail out new, corrected absentee ballots to hundreds of residents who had already cast votes on the flawed ballots.

These signs were photographed Monday afternoon at 9th and Hall Streets. The property owner has a history of venting his anger at the City of St Joseph, its police department and Heartland Hospital. The signs include vulgarities, along with spelling and usage errors, that some might find offensive.

St Joseph City Council Tuesday have formally named the new, CIP-tax funded recreation center near Phil Welch Stadium to replace the old Muchenberger Center.

Council voted 6-3 for “St. Joseph Recreation, Exercise and Community Center.”

That’s “REC Center for short.”

The 33,000-square-foot facility will include three basketball courts, an elevated running track, community rooms, a 3,000-square-foot exercise room and other areas.

Funds from the city’s half-cent Capital Improvements Program sales tax will cover the center’s $4.5 million price tag.

Board members Pat Jones and Barbara Bass joined Mayor Bill Falkner voting against the ordinance naming the facility. All three mentioned phone contacts from folks in their district who hoped the council would continue to honor the Muchenberger name.