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Mid-Missouri hospitals to launch pilot program to help those opioid addicts

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Mid-Missouri hospitals to launch pilot program to help those opioid addicts

Emergency rooms at Boone Hospital and University Hospital in Columbia are part of a pilot program trying to help opioid addicts. Dr. Leslie Porth with the Missouri Hospital Association tells Missourinet affiliate KSSZ in Columbia federal grants and state funding are paying for the program. She says it’s a medication-first model, meant to get those who overdose as much help as possible before they leave the ER.

“We are using that opportunity to help them get plugged in immediately to treatment for the opioid use disorder as well as providing additional support,” she says.

Porth says those who overdose would get a drug that minimizes cravings and would talk to a “peer recovery coach” before they leave the emergency room.

“It’s kind of a warm handoff between the medical treatment and the recovery treatment that’s needed for these individuals,” she says.

Porth goes on to say that health care is starting to think about addiction more like diabetes or hypertension.

“These people need medical treatment and ongoing intervention to manage this chronic condition,” she says.

Porth says the goal is to have the pilot fully launched next month.

By Brad Tregnago of Missourinet affiliate KSSZ in Columbia

Egypt shows interest in Missouri’s unmilled rice

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Missouri rice producers could soon have a new export market. Greg Yielding, with the Missouri Rice Council and U.S. Rice Producers says Egypt is very interested in buying Missouri’s unmilled rice. Water shortages have led to zero growing of rice in Egypt.

Egypt shows interest in Missouri’s unmilled rice

“Egypt has a lot of rice mills,” he tells Brownfield Ag News. “What’s happening is those rice mills will be idle. They won’t be working. They’ll just be sitting there. No rice to mill.”

In July, Yielding and a Southeast Missouri State University ag professor travelled to Egypt with their proposal to ship rough rice there.

Southeast Missouri is a major producer of medium grain rice, which Egypt prefers.

“It goes to the mill. They mill it,” he says. “They get to hire people to run the mills. They get the benefit of the byproducts, the hulls, the brand.”

Yielding says the rice could be shipped across Egypt and re-exported to countries in the Middle East.

He is optimistic U.S. rice will soon be imported by China with the current trade battle not negatively impacting that process that has been in the works for well over a decade.

By Julie Harker of Brownfield Ag News

Chillicothe to put up signs designating it as a Purple Heart City

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Chillicothe is placing signs soon to show its support for America’s soldiers who have received the Purple Heart medal. City Administrator Darin Chappell tells Missourinet affiliate KCHI in Chillicothe the signs will state the northwest Missouri town is known as a “Purple Heart City” to pay respect to the medal recipients who have been wounded or killed in combat.

Chillicothe City Hall

“It’s something that many communities across the state have done,” he says.

Missouri has more than 120 cities, villages, counties and organizations recognizing Purple Heart medal soldiers in such a way.

Chappell says the declaration process is more than a year in the making.

“There will be four signs purchased for $100 each,” he says. “There will be one north and south on Highway 65 and one east and west on Highway 36.”

The signs will go up at the city limits.

Tom Tingerthal of Missourinet affiliate KCHI in Chillicothe contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Missouri farmers complain about tariffs; McCaskill, Hawley spar over issue

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Some Missouri farmers say they are losing money and are concerned they could lose their farms due to the Trade War with China.

Image Courtesy of KOLR-TV

“I’ve been a farmer since 1951 and it looks like that maybe this might be that first year that we’re going in the red,” said Dale Edmondson, an  87-year-old farmer in southwest Missouri’s Polk County.

He says he has 7,000 bushels of soybeans from last year that haven’t yet been sold.

“We’re at the mercy of the market,” he said.

“I have survived droughts. I have survived high interests. And I’ve survived a lot of things, but I don’t know whether we can survive this trade war or not.”

Soybean prices have dropped by more than 20 percent. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce estimates the state could lose $880 million because of this trade war.

“Right about the time when we were putting seed in the ground, that’s when the tariffs were announced and eventually just went into effect and everything fell apart from there,” said James Tucker, a farmer in southern Polk and northern Greene counties.

Tucker and Edmondson spoke at a town hall held by Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in Springfield Wednesday.  Sen. McCaskill is against the trade war and says what’s in place now is now is not working.

“The price coming down in beans has a whole lot to do with these tariffs that have been placed on our beans by China,” said Senator Claire McCaskill.

“I feel like we are caught in the middle,” Tucker said.

Tucker is 27 years old and is worried a family legacy could end with him.

“I’ve grown up on the farm my whole life. I’m the 6th generation, and I can’t really imagine doing anything else,” said Tucker.

Speaking to a crowd in Springfield Tuesday, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Attorney General Josh Hawley, said he supports President Trump’s decision on tariffs but that farmers deserve better than they’re getting right now.

“I come from a farming family myself,” Hawley said. “I would encourage the President to continue to press forward and get a better deal.”

Edmondson has his own ideas of a better deal and his own message for the President.

“Stop. Just stop it. He started it; he can stop it,” Edmond said.

Both Sen. McCaskill and Attorney General Hawley will be attending an event at the Missouri Farm Bureau headquarters in Jeff City this Friday, where the group will consider which candidate it will be endorsing.

Missourinet media partner KOLR-TV contributed this story

Springfield citizens to decide fate of ordinance phasing out pitbull ownership

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A contentious issue is on Springfield’s election ballot today about a ban on new pitbull and pitbull mix registrations. The measure, known as Question One, would only allow renewals of existing pitbull and pitbull-type registrations – not new ones.

Photo courtesy of Springfield-Greene County Health Department website

In October, the Springfield City Council voted 5-4 to enforce the gradual ban on pitbulls and pitbull mixes. Advocates of the breed then vowed to collect signatures to overturn the ordinance through a public vote of the people.

In December, the council narrowly voted against repealing the ban. Members instead chose to put the ordinance on hold and let Springfield voters decide whether to reverse the regulations.

Current Springfield ordinance requires pitbulls living within the city limits to be registered annually, current on certain vaccinations, spayed or neutered and micro-chipped. While in public, they are required to be muzzled. A sign must also be placed on the owner’s property that says “pitbull dog”.

Kathleen Larken with Missouri State University tells Springfield television station KOLR the measure would not improve public safety because the current ordinance is not properly enforced.

Statistics from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department show breeds associated with the term pitbull bite more frequently than other breeds in the city and the bites they leave typically are more severe than those of other dog breeds.

Springfield television station KOLR contributed to this story.

Mid-Missouri county to vote on massive animal feeding operations

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Voters in mid-Missouri’s Howard County decide Tuesday whether to retain a health ordinance putting animal headcount and manure handling restrictions on massive animal feeding operations known as CAFOS (concentrated animal feeding operations).

concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

Howard County Presiding Commissioner Sam Stroupe say the ordinance on the ballot imposes restrictions beyond those from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.  “That would perhaps dissuade some very large hog operations from coming into the county,” said Stroupe.

Howard County cattle producer Steve Diehls contends the ordinance prevents families from expanding livestock operations to support succeeding generations.  “There’s several of them around now that would like to expand to bring in more family members,” said Diehls.  “And if this goes into effect it won’t be financially feasible for them to do it.”

Diehls says agriculture is the number one resource in his county and he’d like to have it designated as friendly to farm business.  “I would hope that this thing gets voted down and we can become an Agri-Ready County and promote agriculture in this county.”

The county election concerning the ordinance is part of Tuesday’s 2018 mid-term primary election in Missouri.

Tom Steever of Missourinet sister network Brownfield contributed this story

Bass Pro Shops family developing historic SW Missouri mill into destination

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A historic landmark in southwest Missouri’s Ozark is about to become a new attraction.

Ozark Mill (Image courtesy of KOLR-TV)

Conservationist and Bass Pro Shops Founder Johnny Morris purchased the 200-year-old Ozark Mill 25 years ago with hopes of redeveloping the structure into something the public would enjoy.

The mill is located on the banks of the Finley River near Downtown Ozark.

Morris and his daughter, Megan Morris, are spearheading the redevelopment which they say will become the new Finley Farms.

“We have been working on this and dreaming on this project for a while now,” said Megan Morris.

She says the project is much bigger than most people expected it to be. The farm will include a restored working grain mill, a farm, a chapel, a grill and a full-service restaurant.

“I think a lot of people could envision that we were going to do a restaurant here in the mill, but it is much bigger than that, said Megan Morris.  “And we’re really excited today to be able to share some of those other exciting components of the property.”

Morris said there is a reason they chose to call the new development “Ozarks Finley Farms”.

“So, Finley Farms is the name that we chose for the entire development because this is more than just one structure here,” Morris said.  “We hope that Finley Farms becomes a gathering place for the entire community where we can get people to slow down and connect and enjoy the Finley River and the other beautiful aspects of what we’re doing down here.”

Ozark City Administrator Steve Childers thinks the project will help the community prosper.  “The vision has expanded greatly, and it’s just great to work with the Morris family and Megan Morris and her vision is so large and so unique and so creative,” said Childers.  It certainly will have a significant economic impact. It’s a game changer for us.”

Missourinet media partner KOLR-TV contributed this report

First shipment leaves southeast Missouri aluminum plant

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First shipment leaves southeast Missouri aluminum plant

The first truck has rolled out at the recently-established Magnitude 7 Metals aluminum smelter in southeast Missouri’s Marston. The company took over the site of the former Noranda aluminum factory in New Madrid County.

Magnitude 7 currently employs 345 workers and the number could increase to nearly 470 by September.

The first shipment was carrying 45,000 pounds of aluminum. State Representative Don Rone, R-Portageville, was there as the shipment was made.

Story provided by Missourinet affiliate KZIM in Cape Girardeau

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

French colonial Missouri town commemorates National Park designation

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The historic southeast Missouri town of St. Genevieve has gathered to commemorate its federal designation as a National Park. Congress and President Trump approved the designation this year after a National Park Service study declared dozens of area properties as historically significant.

Amoureux House (Photo courtesy of KREI in Farmington)

During a ceremony, Mayor Paul Hassler tells Missourinet affiliate KREI in Farmington the National Park Service will acquire about 13 acres of land in the town of 4,500, which is known for its French colonial architecture.

“The biggest significance to the community is for preservation, to preserve a pristine piece of property that’s going to be showcased and opened up to the rest of the state, the country and the world. I’m so excited because when the national park puts their stamp on something, they do it with excellence. I’m all about doing things with excellence,” says Hassler.

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, says he’s been working on this project his entire time he’s been in the Senate.

“It is a great community. It has a great story, great past, great future. This national park involvement will be a little part of that great future that would’ve occurred without the park system but I think is significantly enhanced by the park system,” Blunt says.

The community has been working on the designation for about twenty years.
Other dignitaries at the event include U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, National Parks System Regional Director Cam Scholly, and Parks Superintendent Tim Good.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

President Trump in Granite City: “We are here to celebrate a great victory”

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(This story is written by Missourinet St. Louis contributor Jill Enders)

GRANITE CITY- President Donald Trump (R) wrapped up his Midwest swing this week by visiting the blue-collar town of Granite City on Thursday afternoon.

President Donald Trump speaks to steelworkers at U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works on July 26, 2018 (Jill Enders photo)

The town sits across the Mississippi River, near St. Louis.

Dozens of protesters gathered a few blocks away from the presidential visit, criticizing the administration’s policies.

A large American flag and a sign that read “Protect American workers” were the backdrop for the president’s address to hundreds of steelworkers at U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works.

President Trump touted his trade policies for bringing jobs back to the mill that had been idle since 2015.

“Today the blast furnace here in Granite City is blazing bright, workers are back on the job,” Trump told steelworkers.

U.S. Steel credited the president’s plan to impose tariffs when they announced in March that they were re-opening the plant.

“We are here to celebrate a great victory. A victory for you,” says Trump.

Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters lined the streets of Granite City to show their appreciation.

Granite City resident Ashley Duncan was among those supporters.

“It’s been a disaster here (in Granite City), you know people are about to lose their houses. It’s just heartwarming to see that someone actually cared to do something about it,” Duncan says.

Dozens of protesters also gathered in a nearby park to voice concerns and their opposition to the president’s policies.

“I mean I think the tariff issue is why the mill opened, but this is a temporary thing. This isn’t permanent, so I don’t think this is a long-term solution. I think as soon as Trump is out of office and things change, the mill is going to shut down again,” says Granite City resident Kelly Gardner.

Granite City’s website says U.S. Steel is one of the largest employers in town, along with ASF-Keystone/Amsted Rail and Gateway Regional Medical Center.

Thursday was President Trump’s first visit to Illinois, since taking office in January 2017.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet