Military Archives - Missourinet

Veterans Commission homes continue to fight coronavirus, 109 veterans dead since Sept. 1

November 24, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

St. Louis Veterans Home

The Missouri Veterans Commission’s Veterans Homes continue to fight COVID-19, and according to spokesman Jamie Melchert, they are continuing daily testing using PCR and antigen testing; training on the proper use of PPE and enhanced PPE; cleaning and disinfecting and enhanced training in these areas; infection control inspections and additional training; additional supervision, including from central office leadership. The commission’s homes are also using medical staffing from the VA and Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MO DMAT-1).

Nursing homes in the Midwest have seen dramatic increases in cases and deaths in past two weeks.

A total of 109 veterans in seven MVC homes have died due to COVID-19 from September through Nov. 18, as nursing homes across the Midwest have seen dramatic increases in cases and deaths in the past two weeks. About two-thirds of the COVID-19 deaths in Missouri’s nursing homes have happened in the same time frame. The St. Louis Post reported that as of Nov. 8, the virus has killed 1,680 residents, 263 more than just the previous two weeks.

Armstrong Teasdale corporate law firm began conducting an independent investigation of Missouri’s Veterans Homes on Oct. 12, at the request of Governor Mike Parson. A final report has not been released, but according to Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, who oversees the commission, air flow systems were part of the challenge.

Kehoe emphasized that the state’s veterans homes suffer some of the same challenges that other long-term care facilities do.

“It’s a vulnerable population,” Kehoe said. “You have employees and vendors in those homes that actually go out and maybe have another job, or go out to their families and could contract the virus and bring it back in.”

Veteran deaths by facility between Sept. 1 and Nov. 18, 2020:

Cameron 37
Cape Girardeau 29
Mexico 5
Mt. Vernon 9
St. James 22
St. Louis 1
Warrensburg 7

Mercy Springfield nurse says they’re running out of room for COVID and acute patients

November 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

(Missourinet Springfield television partner KOLR-10 contributed to this story)

Springfield’s mayor and hospital leaders and employees there are renewing their call for a statewide mask mandate. They held a Friday afternoon press conference.

The Missouri National Guard assists at a COVID-19 testing site in Callaway County on November 17, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Mayor Ken McClure, a Republican who served as chief of staff to former Governor Matt Blunt, says that while guidelines are fine, people are not following them.

Mercy Hospital Springfield registered nurse Wanda Brown agrees, saying Springfield hospitals are overwhelmed.

“At Mercy Springfield, we now have four COVID units, one of which is our dedicated COVID ICU. All of our units are continually full and are becoming overwhelmed,” Brown tells reporters.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there are currently 2,817 COVID patients in Missouri hospitals, an increase of 83 from Friday. DHSS says 646 of those COVID patients are in the ICU, and 336 are on ventilators.

DHSS says there have been 24,570 new COVID cases in the past week, an average of 3,510 per day.

Ms. Brown says Mercy Springfield is running out of room for both COVID and acute patients.

“I know we have all heard statements made of how hospitals are not overwhelmed, and our ICU’s are not full. But this is untrue and it is misleading and I think it provides a false sense of security for our community,” says Brown.

Missourinet Springfield television partner KOLR-10 reports CoxHealth leaders also spoke at Friday’s press conference. You can read KOLR-10’s story here.

As for Governor Mike Parson, he told Missourinet last week that while he’s opposed to a mask mandate, he has and continues to urge you to wear a mask. He’s been promoting a program called the “Show Me You Care” campaign, which emphasizes the need for you to wear a mask, to wash your hands, practice good hygiene and to social distance.

During that interview with Missourinet, Governor Parson emphasized that the next 30 to 60 days are crucial. His administration has issued a statewide public health warning, due to the spread of COVID across the state.

Gold Star mother from mid-Missouri’s Jamestown says monument reminds us that freedom is not free (AUDIO)

November 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Dozens of U.S. military veterans, Gold Star families, state lawmakers and civilians turned out on a sun-soaked Veterans Day afternoon in Jefferson City for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 11, 2020 near the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City for the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument (Brian Hauswirth photo)

It will be built near the Missouri Capitol, next to the Missouri Veterans Memorial and next to the Bicentennial bridge entrance.

Gold Star mother Sandy Deraps of central Missouri’s Jamestown, whose son Leon was killed in Iraq in 2006, was a guest speaker.

“The Gold Star monument will have a silhouette of a soldier that represents the fact, although the soldier isn’t here physically, we remember them and we pause to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Deraps says.

She says the monument will serve as a reminder that Americans are free, because of the U.S. military members who died.

The black granite monument will be seven feet tall and 12 feet long, and will be placed on city property next to the Missouri Veterans Memorial. Jefferson City businesswoman Sharon Naught, the monument committee co-chair, tells Missourinet they’ve already raised about $30,000.

“The monument itself plus benches will be about $75,000. We would like to raise at least $125,000 for maintenance over the years,” Naught says.

Anyone interested in donating can do so by contacting Rosie Verslues at Legends Bank in Jefferson City.

The monument will have four panels with themes of homeland, family, patriot and sacrifice. Naught says the granite benches will give visitors an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of the four panels.

As for Ms. Deraps, she says her son Leon would be proud of the memorial.

“Well I think he would want other people to always remember that freedom is not free, and how important it is to remember them who went before us,” says Deraps.

Leon Deraps, a Marine, was 19 when he was killed in Iraq. Jamestown area residents lined the road from Jamestown to Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church and cemetery in Cedron with American flags, before the funeral service.

Ms. Deraps also notes thousands of schoolchildren visit the Missouri Capitol annually, adding the monument will help them understand history.

Missouri House Veterans Committee Chairman Dave Griffith, R-Jefferson City, is also helping to raise money for the monument. He notes thousands of Missourians have died in service to their country, beginning with those killed during the War of 1812.

Sharon Naught says Jefferson City is one of just five monuments that will be located on state capitol grounds.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Jefferson City businesswoman Sharon Naught and Gold Star mother Sandy Deraps of mid-Missouri’s Jamestown. The interview was recorded next to the Missouri Veterans Memorial in Jefferson City, on November 11, 2020:

Kehoe: initial report about COVID deaths in Missouri veterans homes mentions air flow systems (AUDIO)

November 5, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The lieutenant governor says the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) has released an initial report about the increasing number of COVID deaths in Missouri veterans homes, since September.

Governor Mike Parson addresses the Missouri Legislature in 2019, as Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe listens (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (R) tells Missourinet that the initial report was issued a few days ago, and that some of the MVC’s recommendations are financial.

“In some of these homes that are suffering, the air flow systems in some of these (veterans) homes contribute to viruses spreading, not just the coronavirus but other potential viruses, so trying to get these positive-negative air flow systems figured out in the homes will be the bigger challenge,” Kehoe says.

The MVC says 87 veterans living in state veterans homes have died from COVID, since September 1. That includes 12 deaths in the past 12 days at the home in northwest Missouri’s Cameron.

“They’ve (MVC) come up with a list of some short-term things we can implement immediately, and I know the (Veterans) Commission and the Veterans administration is working on that as we speak,” says Kehoe.

Lt. Governor Kehoe says the top priority for both he and the governor is protecting veterans living in state veterans homes. Kehoe emphasizes that the state’s veterans homes suffer some of the same challenges that other long-term care facilities do.

“It’s a vulnerable population,” Kehoe says. “You have employees and vendors in those homes that actually go out and maybe have another job, or go out to their families and could contract the virus and bring it back in.”

Kehoe says the MVC is working to implement procedures to stop any leaks like that. The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says 75 percent of Missouri’s COVID deaths happen in nursing homes.

MVC says Cape Girardeau’s state veterans home has had the highest number of deaths since September, with 29. Cameron is second with 22. There have been 19 deaths at the St. James facility, nine at Mount Vernon, seven in Warrensburg and one in Mexico.

MVC spokesman Jamie Melchert says all of MVC’s veterans homes are following best practices for fighting COVID, as prescribed by the CDC and the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). He says that includes daily testing, using PCR and antigen testing. It also includes proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and disinfecting and enhanced training in those areas.

Melchert says infection control inspections and additional infection control training procedures are in place at all facilities.

He also says Armstrong Teasdale’s external review is continuing, noting they’re conducting interviews at all seven homes and at the commission’s Jefferson City headquarters.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe, which was recorded on November 3, 2020 in Jefferson City:

Kehoe wins Missouri Lt. Governor’s race; plans to focus on infrastructure and veterans issues

November 4, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missourians overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to give Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (R) a full term.

Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (left) and Governor Mike Parson wave to supporters at Jefferson City’s Memorial Park on September 23, 2019, on the night Kehoe announced his candidacy (file photo courtesy of Kehoe campaign)

The Jefferson City Republican defeated Democrat Alissia Canady. He tells Missourinet he’ll continue to focus on workforce and infrastructure, which are also two of the governor’s priorities.

“A lot of people don’t talk about all the construction jobs that we have going across our state right now, and that’s largely due to, A, several things MoDOT has done, but also the bridge package that we passed,” Kehoe says.

More than 100 bridges in Missouri’s $350 million bridge bonding plan are now under contract.

Governor Mike Parson (R) appointed Kehoe to the post in June 2018, after Parson was sworn-in following Governor Greitens’ resignation. Kehoe is a former Senate Majority Leader.

Kehoe says veterans’ issues continue to be a top priority, noting Missouri has 450,000 veterans. That’s the fifth-highest in the nation.

“Our core issues are veterans, working with our veterans community. We know how important those heroes are in our state. Tourism, helping them rebound from the COVID crisis, that’s an issue,” says Kehoe.

Kehoe praises Canady for running a positive campaign, saying they both focused on the issues.

MVC: 12 more COVID deaths at veterans home in northern Missouri’s Cameron

November 3, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

12 more veterans have died from COVID at the state veterans home in northwest Missouri’s Cameron.

Missouri Capitol

The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) says 12 more veterans have died at the Cameron home in the past ten days, bringing the total number of COVID deaths there to 22, since September 1.

MVC spokesman Jamie Melchert tells Missourinet that a total of 87 veterans living in state veterans homes have died from COVID since September 1. Cape Girardeau has the highest number of deaths, with 29. Cameron is second with 22. There have been 19 deaths at the St. James facility, nine at Mount Vernon, seven in Warrensburg and one in Mexico.

Melchert says all of MVC’s veterans homes are following best practices for fighting COVID, as prescribed by the CDC and the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). He says that includes daily testing, using PCR and antigen testing. It also includes proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and disinfecting and enhanced training in those areas.

Melchert says infection control inspections and additional infection control training procedures are in place at all facilities.

He also says Armstrong Teasdale’s external review is continuing, noting they’re conducting interviews at all seven homes and at the commission’s Jefferson City headquarters.

MVC says it’s also utilizing staffing from the Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team, which is deployed to provide Missourians the medical care they need immediately.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill, has emphasized to Missourinet that it’s important to get to the bottom of this. He has said that if changes need to be made, they should be made as quickly as possible.

Hawley disturbed by COVID-19 deaths at Missouri veterans homes; MO DMAT-1 team now deployed (AUDIO/VIDEO)

October 26, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri senator who serves on the Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill is closely tracking the increasing number of COVID-19 deaths at state veterans homes.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley (2020 file photo courtesy of Senator Hawley’s office)

The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) says four more veterans died last week, bringing the total number of deaths at the homes to 71, since September 1. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) tells Missourinet that to lose anyone to COVID is a tragedy, and to lose 71 veterans in veterans homes is disturbing.

“It’s very, very concerning and I’m glad that the governor has taken this action to order a review, an investigation, and I look forward to the results of that,” Hawley says.

The MVC says three of the new deaths happened at the home in northwest Missouri’s Cameron, where 34 veterans currently have COVID. MVC says ten Cameron staff members are in isolation in their homes, and another 20 staff members there have recovered.

MVC confirms it’s now utilizing medical staffing from the Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MO DMAT-1), which is deployed to provide Missourians the medical care they need immediately.

As for Senator Hawley, he emphasizes it’s important to get to the bottom of this.

“I look forward to action being taken to make sure that the standards of care are at the highest possible level. We owe that to our veterans,” says Hawley.

He also says that if changes need to be made, they should be made as quickly as possible.

MVC says there are now 12 veterans with active cases at the veterans homes in southern Missouri’s Mount Vernon and St. James. At Mount Vernon, six staff members are in isolation in their homes, and 21 staff members have recovered. At the St. James facility, four staff members are in isolation at home, and 18 staff members have recovered.

The veterans home in southeast Missouri’s Cape Girardeau has had the largest number of deaths since September 1, with 29. MVC says 44 Cape Girardeau staff members have recovered.

MVC spokesman Jamie Melchert says the MVC’s veterans homes are following best practices for battling COVID, including using daily testing using PCR and antigen testing. He says MVC is also focusing on enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) training, as well as cleaning and disinfecting. Central office leadership from Jefferson City is also providing some additional supervision.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson tells Missourinet that he acted immediately when he learned about the spike in deaths at veterans homes, ordering an external review. The governor has said that the box-in strategy is being used, which involves testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

Mr. Melchert notes MVC commissioners selected St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale as the outside firm undertaking the external review of the Veterans Commission. He says Armstrong Teasdale is conducting staff interviews at the homes, and that no findings have been made available, at this time.

Cody Smith: Amount of supplemental budget for Missouri special session has not been determined

October 22, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Saying that there is still CARES Act funding that needs to be distributed to Missourians, Governor Mike Parson has called a special session on a supplemental budget bill that will start on November 5. The governor announced the special session call, during Wednesday’s briefing with Capitol reporters in Jefferson City.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson speaks at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City on October 15, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

“The supplemental budget contains funding for several items, including school nutrition service programs, job training grants, emergency solutions grant program for the homeless prevention,” Parson says.

The governor says the supplemental budget will also include funding for a domestic violence grant and child support payments.

“We look forward to working with the General Assembly to make sure these funds are distributed across Missouri as soon as possible,” says Parson.

Governor Parson says he’s spoken to legislative leaders in both chambers, about the special session. Both House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, and Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, say they’ve spoken to the governor about the special session.

House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, told Missourinet Wednesday evening that the amount of the supplemental budget has yet to be determined.

The governor says since the Legislature approved the $35 billion state operating budget in May, additional CARES Act funding has been made available to the state. Parson says the funding will provide additional resources to respond to COVID-19.

Click here to read Governor Parson’s special session call.

Meantime, Governor Parson says he’s disappointed about the news that 11 more veterans living in state veterans homes have died from COVID-19 in the past week. The governor reiterates to Missourinet that he acted immediately when he learned about the spike in deaths at veterans homes, ordering an external review.

“We definitely are continuing to put a stop to the spread of that COVID-19 in those veterans homes, and we’re aware of that situation. There was an investigation that was looking into that, and is looking into that,” Parson says.

The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) says 67 veterans at veterans homes have died due to COVID since September 1, with 29 of those deaths at the Cape Girardeau home. St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale is conducting the investigation, and is doing staff interviews at the homes.

67 veterans at Missouri veterans homes have died from COVID-19 since September 1

October 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Another 11 veterans living in Missouri veterans homes have died due to COVID-19 in the past week, bringing the total number of deaths to 67 since September 1.

Missourinet followed-up Tuesday with the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC), on the number of deaths since September, broken down by facility. The Missouri Veterans Commission reports 29 of the 67 deaths have been veterans living at the Cape Girardeau Veterans home. That’s in southeast Missouri. 15 veterans at the St. James home in southern Missouri have died.

The MVC reports nine deaths since September 1, at the Mount Vernon Veterans Home in southwest Missouri. There have been seven deaths each at the Cameron Veterans Home in northwest Missouri, and the Warrensburg home in western Missouri.

In response to questions from Missourinet on why the deaths have happened and if anything has changed at veterans homes, an MVC spokesman says they work with local county health departments to undertake contact tracing, adding that specific health information is not releasable under HIPPA provisions.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson told Capitol reporters last week that he acted immediately when he learned about the spike in deaths at veterans homes, ordering an external review. The governor says the box-in strategy is being used, which involves testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

MVC spokesman Jamie Melchert notes MVC commissioners selected St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale as the outside firm undertaking the external review of the Veterans Commission. He says the staff was informed of the selection on October 12, and the investigation is underway, with staff interviews at the homes. Melchert says no results are available, at this time.

Melchert also says outside visits are allowed at facilities that are COVID-free, such as the Mexico and St. Louis Veterans Homes.

The MVC website notes the Missouri veterans homes manage about 1,240 beds that provide long term skilled nursing care, in compliance with federal Department of Veterans Affairs regulations.

Missouri National Guard’s current largest effort is supporting state health department

October 19, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The governor says the Missouri National Guard has played a critical role in the COVID-19 response this year.

Missouri National Guard Adjutant General Levon Cumpton briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on October 15, 2020, as Governor Mike Parson listens (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson invited National Guard Adjutant General Levon Cumpton to Thursday’s media briefing in Jefferson City, to update Capitol reporters on the work the Guard is doing. General Cumpon says the Guard has staffed 14 state workforce screening sites and has screened more than 541,000 personnel.

“We also tested 12,400 Missouri Department of Corrections’ employees, assisted with data entry of more than 80,000 COVID-19 tests, and fielded 72,000 phone calls,” Cumpton says.

General Cumpton says the Guard has also helped food banks and food pantries serve more than 181,000 meals.

He also says the Guard’s largest current effort is in support of the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), providing 118 service members to support data entry and call center operations, as well as community-based testing efforts.

“Of these 118 service members, 60 are in fact involved in supporting the community based testing, moving from one location to another across our state at designated areas by Health and Senior Services,” says Cumpton.

He says the Missouri National Guard has also distributed about 288,000 student meals, in partnership with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Governor Parson praises the Guard for helping to construct and staff an alternate care hospital this spring in Florissant, which is located in north St. Louis County. The governor notes that site was built in 11 days.

The Missouri National Guard is part of the state Department of Public Safety (DPS).

DHSS says Missouri has had 11,170 confirmed COVID cases in the past seven days, out of more than 115,000 tests conducted.

Missouri has had 156,696 COVID cases this year, along with 2,582 deaths, according to the DHSS website.