Alisa Nelson, Author at Missourinet

New Washington University study says suicide attempts among black adolescents is on the rise

December 6, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

Washington University in St. Louis says suicide attempts declined overall among adolescents in America between 1991 and 2017, but they climbed by 73% among black adolescents. Professor Sean Joe says the increase can most likely be traced back to an internalization of issues around structural racism, a lack of coping mechanisms and investment in mental health services in black communities.

Sean Joe Bio Image

The findings also reveal that almost one in five adolescents are thinking about suicide and more than one in 10 has a suicide plan.

The study suggests that more resources should be invested in youth suicide prevention programs.

Researchers used the nationally representative school-based Youth Risk Behavior Survey of nearly 200,000 high school students to review suicide trends by different racial and ethnic groups.

For more about the research, click here.

Missouri veteran says Pearl Harbor invasion was ‘biggest thing in his naval life’

December 6, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

December 7, 1941 is a day that President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed as one which will live in infamy. It was the day that Japanese planes raced over the sky
on the U.S. naval base of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and fired bullets, bombs and torpedoes. Bill McAnany of Jefferson City served on the USS Solace and was nearby at the time of the attack.

USS Arizona (Photo courtesy of Bill McAnany)

“Probably the biggest thing in my naval life was the invasion of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, where I happened to be at that particular time,” he says. “It was quite shocking. You could look off to your right from where we were standing and we saw these anti-aircraft bursts. All of a sudden, a plane fell out of the sky.”

McAnany was twenty years old and serving in the Navy as an X-ray technician aboard the 400-bed hospital ship. He says it was quite an experience.

“There were very few at that time wounds,” he says. “But everybody was burned because if they got thrown off the ship, they were in that water. It was all very, very hot.”

McAnany says the “hairiest” part of the day came at 9:30 p.m. when a U.S. aircraft carrier with six fighter planes entered and took care of business.

“They buzzed the field and all the sudden, the sky lit up like day. It reminded you of the Star-Spangled Banner. One guy got down safe. The rest of them were shot out of the sky,” he says.

Missouri Navy Sailor Bill McAnany

Japan damaged all eight U.S. Navy battleships and four sunk. All but the USS Arizona were later raised, and six were returned to service.

“We were about 100 yards away from the USS Arizona,” says McAnany. “And they were coming in using our ship as a marker to come into, but they didn’t drop any bombs near us or anything.”

When the attack was over, McAnany says he and his ship mates were required to remain on the USS Solace until after Christmas.

“They were being cautious because there was a lot of talk about invasions,” McAnany says.

He says the aftermath of the strike was brutal.

“We would send a couple of boats out every day and they would just go through the harbor and picking up the guys that had come to the surface,” says McAnany. “We were doing that until we left in mid-March.”

The attack killed more than 2,400 Americans and wounded 1,100 others – launching America’s entry into World War II.

McAnany served his country for 20 years, rising to the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He spent much of his 20-year Navy career in Asia.

The 98-year-old St. Louis native wants to spend his 100th birthday visiting Pearl Harbor, which falls around the time of his 50th wedding anniversary and the 80th anniversary of the attack.

Medicare open enrollment ends this Saturday for Missouri seniors

December 4, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri senior citizens who have not yet made their Medicare plan selections for 2020 are encouraged to contact CLAIM – through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. CLAIM’s certified counselors give seniors and their caregivers free and unbiased help about Medicare plan options.

Photo courtesy of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

“Seniors should make plan selections if they haven’t already done so. If assistance is needed, don’t hesitate to contact CLAIM,” says Chlora Lindley-Myers, director of the department.

CLAIM can also assist consumers, who have limited income, determine if they qualify for programs to help lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Seniors can ask questions by phone or arrange one-on-one counseling by calling 800-390-3330 or by visiting missouriclaim.org.

Consumers with complaints or questions about insurance can call the department’s Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390.

Missouri retailers could be in store for a boost in holiday sales

November 29, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri retailers could be in for a nice holiday gift. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss expects shoppers to make it an extra special retail season this year.

Missouri retailers could be in store for a boost in holiday sales

“Based upon our surveys, in these two surveys of manufacturers and bank CEO’s in ten states, the overall numbers are pointing to a positive Christmas holiday buying season — up three to four percent,” Goss says.

He says with low unemployment, low gas prices and a good overall economy, there is plenty to spend on gifts.

Consumers are pretty flush with at least confidence and with some spending power. Although, consumer debt is at record levels — particularly for millennials and those who have college debt,” Goss says.

He says college debt could affect how much millennials will spend. As shoppers buy their gifts, Goss says they could see the impact of an expected worker shortage.

“You’re going to maybe in some cases spend more time standing in line to pay for your gift item than you did finding your gift. So, it is a challenge for a lot of retailers out there,” Goss says. “And also, retailers have been through a tough couple of years and they’ve been through a lot of cost cutting. So, they’ve been cutting back on manpower as well.”

As for online sales, retailers should have a bang up season.

“Online buying by consumers is going to be up 14 to 15 percent, so much better on online buying,” Goss says. “So much better on online buying. Some of what is limiting it is finding qualified workers to fill those retail positions.”

Goss says the growth in holiday sales comes as the economic growth is down from last year, signaling slower economic progress and somewhat higher unemployment levels in the weeks and months ahead.

Ft. Leonard Wood leaders aim to make Thanksgiving special for thousands of Missouri soldiers

November 27, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

Photo courtesy of Ft. Leonard Wood

One of Fort Leonard Wood’s largest meals of the year is being prepared at the southern Missouri base. About 300 food service workers are whipping up roughly 12,000 lunch meals and another 30,000 throughout the day for service members staying on the base over Thanksgiving. Public Affairs Director Tiffany Wood says Army soldiers, family members and veterans will feast on thousands of pounds of turkey, shrimp and beef and other traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

“It’s one that our soldiers enjoy and the food service staff and the unit leaders really get pumped up for this meal. Unit leaders will actually serve the food to the soldiers that day. So, it’s a pretty special day,” says Wood. “It’s quite a meal. The food service workers – they take a lot of pride. A lot of them will tell you that you know, it’s kind of their way to give back to the soldiers to make sure they have a nice holiday.”

Wood says the event is a major undertaking.

Photo courtesy of Ft. Leonard Wood

“The planning for our Thanksgiving meal starts months in advance to ensure we get the right products in and the right quantities that we need,” says Wood. “The entire week of Thanksgiving they’re busy prepping the meal and getting ready for it.”

She says the food does not go to waste.

There are leftovers and those leftovers, it varies,” Wood says. “But they are used in additional meals throughout the day or throughout the next day.”

Fort Leonard Wood has one of the largest dining areas within the Department of Defense.

New state report details health issues facing rural Missourians

November 26, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

The Department of Health and Senior Services says accessing basic health care is becoming increasingly challenging due to hospital closures and fewer available hospital beds in rural Missouri. Since the last published Health in Rural Missouri report in 2017, four rural, general acute care hospitals have closed – bringing the number of rural counties without a hospital to 55.

New state report details health issues facing rural Missourians

The latest report says rural Missourians die at significantly higher rates than urban residents. For every 100,000 people living in rural areas during 2007-2017, there were nearly 869 deaths, compared to 785 in urban areas.

According to the report, heart disease tops the list for the leading cause of death for rural and urban Missourians, followed by cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases. A citizen in a rural Missouri county during the same ten-year period is 20% more likely to die of heart disease than one living in an urban county.

Between 2007 and 2017, the report says pregnancy related deaths were 47% higher for rural communities than for urban ones. In Missouri, more than 1,500 cases of maternal morbidity or mortality were reported in 2016-2017. The ten counties with the highest rates of maternal morbidity statewide are all rural.

Death rates from opioid overdose are increasing in rural areas, although less quickly than in urban areas. Similarly to urban areas, the state data shows opioid overdose death rates are highest in the eastern part of the state.

According to the report, the health status of rural Missouri boils down to unhealthy behaviors, inadequate access to health care and an older, poorer population.

Poverty is much more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas, with a 29% lower per capita income. Rural Missouri also has much higher percentages of children and elderly living in poverty.

To view the full report, click here.

Human remains identified in Wisconsin brothers murder case

November 22, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

Garland Nelson

Human remains found in northwest Missouri’s Caldwell County and in western Nebraska have been identified as two missing Wisconsin brothers. A press release from the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Department says dental records confirm Nicholas Diemel’s remains were found on a Braymer farm. Justin Diemel’s remains were discovered in a livestock trailer recently sold to a western Nebraska rancher.

Garland Joseph Nelson of Braymer is in jail without bond and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, tampering with a motor vehicle and other counts.

In July, the Diemels came to Missouri to see Nelson about a livestock business deal. They disappeared and their rental truck was found abandoned in northwest Missouri shortly after they vanished. A massive search for the Diemels began later that month.

Missouri’s Blunt wants State Department to boost measures for international adoptions

November 22, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, says more than 437,000 children are in America’s foster care system – nearly 14,000 are in Missouri. On the Senate floor this week, Blunt says more than 125,000 of children nationwide are waiting to get adopted.

Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt

“There’s some good news. Now, for the fourth year in a row, the number of children who were adopted increased. And for the second year in a row, the number of children who entered foster families decreased,” says Blunt.

Blunt adopted his youngest child, 15-year-old Charlie. He wants the State Department to boost measures for international adoptions.

“If someone in Ethiopia wants to adopt an Ethiopian child, someone in Guatemala wants to adopt a Guatemalan child or someone in Russia wants to adopt a Russian child, all fine. But, if they don’t have adoptive families in the country they were born in, let’s open the door in a more effective way for American families who want to be a part of that,” says Blunt.

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed Blunt’s bipartisan resolution marking each November as National Adoption Month and November 23rd as National Adoption Day. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, co-sponsored the legislation.

To view the full speech, click here.

Missouri U.S. Senators split on vote to keep federal government open

November 21, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

Congress has passed a bill to keep the federal government open through December 20. U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, supported the measure and Senator Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, opposed it.

The U.S. House passed the proposal on Tuesday.

U.S. Capitol dome courtesy of the U.S. House

The legislation would also include a 3.1% military pay raise, funding for U.S. census efforts and extends controversial surveillance programs to March.

During a press conference on Capitol Hill this week, Blunt says many things are on hold until the funding issue is resolved.

“Defense is critical, but there are lots of other things in this appropriations process that are waiting to see if we’re going to fund the government, at what level we’re going to fund the government, and whether we’re going to move toward the future or just wait for the future come to us,” says Blunt.

Blunt says the National Institute of Health needs funding for important research, like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

“The one percent of that amount that we put into research isn’t nearly as effective if you get it three months into the year as it would be if you got it at the first of the year. It’s even less effective if you get it five months into the year,” says Blunt.

President Donald Trump signed the proposal shortly after.

Federal funding helps to expand virtual health care in rural Missouri

November 20, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving more than $500,000 to expand virtual health care services in parts of rural Missouri. The USDA is providing the funding through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program.

Photo courtesy of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Through the grant, Mercy Virtual will install video equipment to provide remote health services in parts of eastern, southern and southwest Missouri. The effort is expected to provide health care to about 210,000 area residents.

The grant will also allow Salem Memorial District Hospital in southern Missouri to put technology connecting rural Missouri schools in Dent, Reynolds, Iron, and Shannon Counties to Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla and SSM Health in St. Louis. The project is said to increase health care access to 2,300 rural Missouri students.

In 2017, President Donald Trump created the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.