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State says bogus letter spreading online claims Missouri students must repeat grade

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The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) says a fake letter is circulating on Facebook. The letter claims the state agency will not allow K-12 students to move on to the next grade level for the 2020-21 school year, since the coronavirus closed schools and cancelled statewide tests. The bogus letter, dated April Fool’s Day, illegally uses the Department’s logo, alleges case law and is signed by “Candice B. Furreal”.

Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Facebook page

DESE Spokesperson Mallory McGowin says some people thought the prank was true.

“We at the Department feel like we have tried to make clear from the start that we do not want our students across the state to be negatively impacted any more than they already are because of COVID-19,” says McGowin. “We’re obviously are disappointed that someone has chosen to use their free time in this way to create the document, to use our logo illegally and ultimately and most importantly make light of what we consider a really serious situation and that is our students’ education. We feel like it’s pretty insensitive, given the current situation our students and families and educators are already facing so much anxiety and uncertainty right now.”

McGowin says Missouri is not alone.

“We’ve seen this taking place in Michigan, in California and Utah,” she says.

She says the origin of the post is not being retraced at this time.

“So many agencies right now are dealing with so many more important things,” McGowin says. “We really don’t want to give these folks more credit than they’re due or more time and energy than they’re due.”

McGowin urges educators, families and students to check the department’s website for the latest accurate information.

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Budget chair Smith backs Missouri governor’s budget withholds (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s House Budget Committee chairman supports Governor Mike Parson’s (R) decision to withhold $180 million in state spending, to ensure a balanced state budget during the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor announced the expenditure restrictions on Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson City.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, speaks on the House floor in Jefferson City on March 18, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Budget chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, notes thousands of people have lost their jobs.

“Certainly this is unprecedented, but this pandemic has been incredibly disruptive not only to everyone’s daily life and those affected directly, but also to the economy,” Smith says.

For the week ending on March 21, more than 42,000 unemployment claims were filed in Missouri, up from 4,000 filed the prior week.

The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted jobs in southwest Missouri, which is where Smith lives. Missourinet Joplin affiliate KZRG reported this week that La-Z-Boy has temporarily closed all U.S. manufacturing operations, including its large factory in Neosho. That decision has put 800 workers in southwest Missouri out of jobs, for the time being. La-Z-Boy will re-evaluate on April 13.

Governor Parson is warning that the state could see a $500 million budget shortfall between now and the end of June. Budget Chairman Smith shares the governor’s hope that millions of dollars in federal funding could help with the state’s cash-flow crunch.

“It should be noted that the governor is taking these measures in light of what we do know, that we will be receiving from the federal government, as far as the relief funds go,” says Smith.

The governor says the revenue declines could be larger than those experienced during the Great Recession.

The UM System president says the budget withholds announced by Governor Parson will total about $36 million for the University system. Dr. Mun Choi has issued a statement, saying the system “appreciates everything that our elected officials are doing during this unprecedented time.”

Chairman Smith praises Dr. Choi’s position.

“I appreciate President Choi’s words there, I hope that’s the spirit with which everyone is taking these measures that the governor has made,” Smith says.

Dr. Choi says the state is working hard to prioritize its resources, and that we must all work together to get past the crisis.

Missouri health officials say there are now 1,581 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, along with 18 deaths. The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) released the latest numbers Wednesday afternoon.

Click here to view the full list of expenditure restrictions.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, which was recorded on April 1, 2020:

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Parson puts the brakes on $180 million in state budget spending

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Gov. Mike Parson says the coronavirus has already been hard felt in the state’s economy – more people are staying home, business operations have been limited, many people have lost their jobs and state revenue is down. During today’s press briefing, he says he is freezing $180 million in spending during the current state budget year to handle money problems created by COVID-19. Parson says the cuts will affect the Missouri Departments of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Office of Administration, Transportation, Economic Development and Natural Resources. More than $81 million will affect higher education.

Gov. Mike Parson (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

“Of the $180 million being restricted, I want to assure you these restrictions are absolutely necessary and they include funding for several departments, many of which are priorities of my own administration,” says Parson. “While we still do not know the true impact of COVID-19 on the economy, we do know that we do have to act now. Between now and June 31, we’re estimating an over $500 million shortfall.”

Parson says additional budget restrictions could be ahead, depending on how big of a financial blow the coronavirus has on the state’s cashflow. The state is required by Constitution to pass a balanced budget.

“COVID-19 has had serious impacts on our anticipated economic growth,” says Parson. “Now, we are expecting significant revenue declines – some of which may be larger than those experienced during the Great Recession.”

But he says he’s hopeful that $315 million in federal money could help to offset some of the money problems.

The governor touted his $100 million emergency fund created for the current budget year, but he did not say whether he’s dipping into that account to offset some of the expenses that come with COVID-19.

State Budget Director Dan Haug (Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Flickr page)

State Budget Director Dan Haug says he expects the state’s piggy bank to deal with the respiratory disease’s fallout for a while.

“I do think that this is going to effect our state budget, not only here in FY 2020 which ends June 30, but I think it will affect our budget all of fiscal year 2021, which goes through next June 30, 2021. So we think this will be an issue we’ll be dealing with in the budget at least through FY 2021, maybe even a little bit longer than that,” says Haug.

The governor also says the judicial branch and the Secretary of State’s office have worked to find savings in their own budgets. Beth Riggert with the Missouri Supreme Court says the judiciary was asked to forego about $3.47 million from fourth-quarter general revenue transfers into two funds: $2,995,616 from the treatment courts coordinating fund and $474,559 from the judicial education training fund. The commissions that oversee each of those funds – the Treatment Courts Coordinating Commission and the Coordinating Commission for Judicial Department Education – agreed.

Missouri Secretary of State spokesperson Maura Browning says the office has found $1.35 million in withholds, including $1 million in election costs excess after finetuning anticipated reimbursements to local election authorities for the presidential primary. Another $100,000 in operating expenses and $250,000 in advertising of Missouri’s voter ID were also restricted.

To view the full list of withholds, click here.

Mid-Missourians assist Columbia diner to feed hungry children during pandemic (AUDIO)

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A popular Columbia diner is crediting the generosity of mid-Missourians for helping them feed hundreds of hungry children, during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Broadway Diner is located on South Fourth Street in downtown Columbia (March 28, 2020 photo from Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth)

Broadway Diner owner Dave Johnson has been feeding needy children for about two weeks, children who normally have breakfast and lunch at school.

“Call ahead with your orders, we don’t need to see the kids,” Johnson says. “We would encourage folks to keep the kids at home. But if you can get here (to the diner) safely, we’re going to make sure that the kids are fed.”

The diner is located on South Fourth Street in downtown Columbia.

Mr. Johnson tells Missourinet they fed 225 children during the first week. 88 children were fed on Sunday. He describes the generosity as amazing.

“I’m very proud that we haven’t asked for donations but folks have been driving by, dropping them off, sending them to the bank,” says Johnson. “And from all over, not just Columbians.”

Anyone interested in donating can drop checks off at the diner or at Providence Bank branches in Columbia.

Meanwhile, restaurant employees in Columbia who have been laid-off because of the COVID-19 pandemic have received food from the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. Johnson says the diner has used the Rural Crisis Center’s Patchwork Family Farms for years.

“They reached out to us Friday, last Friday, two Fridays ago now, to see how many employees I had. They had a box of really nice pork products for everybody that I’d laid off,” Johnson says.

Johnson says they also provided boxes of pork for other laid-off restaurant employees, in the community.

Governor Mike Parson has announced that for the week ending on March 21, more than 42,000 unemployment claims were filed, up from about 4,000 filed the previous week.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Broadway Diner owner Dave Johnson, which was recorded on March 28, 2020 outside Columbia’s Broadway Diner:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

(AUDIO) Governor answers several burning questions about Missouri’s response to COVID-19

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Gov. Mike Parson visited with Missourinet today about the state’s response efforts to COVID-19. Here’s the full interview:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

(AUDIO) Missouri school district feeds kids, then their minds

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New Madrid County R-1 School District in southeast Missouri has a small village of about 35 workers helping to get 2,400 meals a day to students out of school during the COVID-19 outbreak. Administrators, teachers, school bus drivers, resource officers, cooks, maintenance workers, school board members, you name it, are making the entire operation happen. Their goal is in this order – feed the kids and then their minds.

Missouri school district feeds kids, then their minds

New Madrid County is one of the poorest counties in Missouri. The district is delivering meals five days a week with the hopes there will be leftovers to get kids through six out of the seven days.

Superintendent Sam Duncan tells Missourinet twenty bus drivers deliver meals over a roughly three-hour period. They cover the entire district of about 470 square miles to reach 1,400 preschool through 12th graders who have requested breakfast and lunch.

Staff came in during their spring break last week to get this operation in place. The task has been a labor of love for those involved.

“This team – it’s almost as if they’re about to starve if we don’t deliver them. That’s the sense of urgency,” says Duncan. “It’s remarkable when people put their heads together and they care this much. It really almost brings you to tears to see because they just want those kids to have a meal. If we really have a true dire emergency – I’m talking about one where people are really just completely panic-stricken or if this does get worse – what a testimony to the district and the people. This is not a drill, don’t get me wrong. But if it were, I can’t imagine a better drill.”

Workers have their temperature checked during their shift. Duncan says the district is rationing protective masks because they don’t have enough. Each person reuses the same mask to last them a week. He says rubber gloves are at a premium.

“We’re seeing that the nature of this emergency is not like a tornado or an earthquake. This is something where there are germs being spread,” he says. “So, our number one objective – and it sounds corny – was first to do no harm. The first objective is to make sure that we have only those people that we need to make it happen.”

He hopes the state will supply schools with the gear needed to protect workers and those they’re serving.

“What’s at stake if one of our people sneezes,” he asks. “What’s at stake if we don’t have masks and they happen to have been to Chicago or their daughter went to St. Louis and came back and they’re infected and walk in here tomorrow? What’s at stake? Think about how that could take off exponentially. But if this stuff is going out to our homes and our kids and our families that our grandmothers are taking care of these boys and girls during the day, and if somebody sneezes on a packet or sneezes on a lunch and they happen to be infected, this is something you can’t afford to happen.”

The district is still figuring out what its next step will be. It is closed until at least April 6.

“It is literally day by day. And yes, we will be teaching online if we don’t come back. I think for us, again, it’s figuring out how to feed them first and learn what we need to learn,” he says.

When meals are dropped off, the district could deliver Chromebooks and educational material to students if necessary.

“Our buses go to every kid’s door. They already do. That’s the way we deliver kids every day. Our buses run 2,000 to 3,000 miles every day. Eighty-percent of our kids ride a bus,” says Duncan.

Like many Missouri school districts, New Madrid County has a large rural population with broadband internet access problems. Trying to teach kids at home would be a challenge.

“If we’re delayed, we know that we have a team of teachers and our elementary principals are continuing behind the scenes to work together on how to deliver the educational piece. Part of it will though for us be we know that we have people who do not have devices,” he says. We know that we have people who do not have internet. We know that we have an equity issue. This brings up a big issue of access in rural areas and it is a problem.”

Then you have to think about mobile minutes and data packages.

“So what if you have a true dire emergency in your household and your data package has been completely eaten up for the month,” he asks. “We know this is an emergency, but it really is also somewhat of a drill.”

Duncan explains the closing came at a time when most school districts are focused on doing their state tests over the next couple of weeks. Then there are end of year field trips, graduation and prom.

“It is a bad situation but it’s probably the ideal time – if there is a silver lining – for districts to really go through their processes,” he says.

Listen to the full interview below.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Washington University works to develop COVID-19 treatment

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Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis might have a treatment for the coronavirus. If successful, Jeffrey Henderson, an Associate Professor of Medicine, tells Missourinet a treatment could be available in a couple of weeks at the earliest.

Dr. Jeffrey Henderson (Photo courtesy of Washington University)

The approach would transfuse blood plasma from recovered coronavirus patients to ones who are seriously ill with the respiratory disease. He says the century-old technique has an advantage that pharmaceutical drug development does not.

“The approach in general has been used with many viral infectious diseases in the recent past,” he says. “It was used with Ebola. It was used with SARS. It has been used with some forms of influenza. Because it involves standard blood banking procedures, we have a good idea of its safety. That allows us to proceed more quickly through the approval process.”

Henderson hopes the technique will prevent many patients from getting very sick.

“The likely kind of patient that could receive this when it becomes available is one who is sick enough to be in the hospital but is not yet receiving mechanical ventilation,” says Henderson.

He says the treatment could also work to protect those on the front lines from potentially getting the virus, including health care workers.

If approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the university plans to roll out a website roughly next week for people to sign up as plasma donors in a clinical trial. Henderson is working with colleagues at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Johns Hopkins University in Maryland and New York hospitals to launch trials there, along with Washington University. Other sites could join.

He says the goal is about 40 patients per site, but that will depend on plasma supply donated.

No federal funding is tied to the work.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri says no standardized tests, makeup days this school year due to COVID-19 problems

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Many of Missouri’s K-12 public school students will be thrilled. They don’t have to take statewide tests this school year and they don’t have to make up missed school days because of problems created by the coronavirus.

Missouri Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven

“There is a time and a place for statewide required assessments and now is not the time,” State Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven says on Twitter. “Rest assured, that we are taking this issue off of your plates so that you can serve the needs of our children.”

All Missouri public and charter schools have closed indefinitely, but some are teaching students remotely for the time being – a big adjustment in itself for many. Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, let school districts make the call on whether to continue holding classes, instead of ordering them to close.

According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, missed calendar hours will not impact the calculation of average daily attendance. State funding to schools is usually figured through a formula that includes academic performance and attendance.

The department says districts and charters should make attendance decisions based on the safety and well-being of their students and staff, without concern that the low attendance numbers will negatively impact payment. Further guidance regarding school finance issues will be included in a separate memo from the Division of Financial and Administrative services early next week.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Missouri eases some childcare regulations during the coronavirus outbreak

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Missouri eases some childcare regulations during the coronavirus outbreak

While Missouri schools are closed, the state says licensed child care providers can use emergency school closing rules. This allows daycares to take in enrolled school-age children.

Other changes include:
•The state is letting providers exceed the license capacity of their location by 1/3 during this time.
•Short-term 45-day licenses are available that can be renewed.
•It has loosened some regulations for record keeping and to allow providers to extend their hours.

“We recognize that child care is an essential component of fighting COVID-19,” says Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS. “Health care and other emergency medical personnel must have appropriate arrangements for their children to ensure they can provide the health care and other essential services needed by our communities.”

The Department of Social Services has taken other actions:
•Child Care Subsidy program benefits are extended for 90 days.
•The Child Care Subsidy program can pay for additional hours of care for a child’s attendance due to school closure or the parent is required to work additional hours.
•Child Care Subsidy provider application renewals are extended for 90 days.

The state is also working closely with Child Care Aware of Missouri, a resource and referral agency that assists parents in locating child care. Parents who are looking for child care can call 1-866-892-3228 to speak with a referral specialist. They can also access these services online at https://www.mo.childcareaware.org/. There is no cost to parents for these services.

Child Care Subsidy benefit recipients who need additional child care hours or any low-income families who want to apply for assistance with child care costs are encouraged to reach out to the Family Support Division for help. Missourians can apply for services online by visiting MyDSS.mo.gov, over the phone by calling 1-855-FSD-INFO, or in-person at their nearest Family Support Division Resource Center.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet