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Is flooding a problem for a potential Hyperloop in Missouri?

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A state group continues to search for ways to speed up the building of a proposed Hyperloop route. Massive flooding has led to major roadblocks in Missouri’s transportation network this year – ruining several roads and closing some bridges. Andrew Smith, the vice chair of the group, says flooding should not be a big issue for an ultra-fast tube transportation network, like a Hyperloop.

Photo courtesy of Hyperloop

“You’re talking about elevating it 10, 20, 30 feet. It’s not as if it’s just sitting a couple of feet above ground. It’s built on pylons. It’s not really affecting the watershed in a way that high-speed rail would or even a highway,” he says. “The other thing is, it’s enclosed. You are creating your own atmosphere inside this tube and it won’t be raining.”

He says a study completed by Kansas City engineering firm Black & Veatch takes into account the impact of various climate zones.

The Hyperloop could lug travelers from St. Louis to Kansas City in 28 minutes with a stop halfway in Columbia. A study says building a 240-mile Hyperloop track along I-70 from St. Louis to Kansas City would cost about $10 billion.

Smith says a Hyperloop track would largely be funded through private donations and federal funding.

“The cost to build the Hyperloop is about 40% less than high-speed rail, and it’s three times faster,” Smith says. “The operating costs of this system, because it’s so energy efficient, is about five cents per passenger mile – lower than any other existing form of transportation.”

So how much would a ticket price be for a trip from Kansas City to St. Louis? He says less than a tank of gas.

“We’re looking at a ticket price between $30 and $40,” says Smith.

The group, chosen by Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, plans to have its recommendations ready in September.

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Push for Hyperloop certification track in Missouri

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A group of Missouri elected officials and business leaders continues to study how to fast-track the construction of a potential Hyperloop route. The Hyperloop, a futuristic ultra-fast tube travel system, could carry passengers from St. Louis to Kansas City in 28 minutes with a stop halfway in Columbia. A study says building a Hyperloop track along I-70 from St. Louis to Kansas City would cost about $10 billion.

Photo courtesy of Hyperloop

Andrew Smith is the vice chair of the state group. He says building a 12 to 15-mile Hyperloop certification track in Missouri is a solid next step.

“The certification track would be built on that commercial route,” he says. “If we get the certification track, we’re going to get the route. It’s going to come through Missouri.”

Smith says a Hyperloop test track is in Las Vegas, but it’s only about one mile, goes about half as fast and is not commercial sized. He says the technology has made a couple of major leaps forward since then.

“If this is going to be a mode of transportation that is accessible to U.S. consumers and that is used to move light freight within the United States, we actually have to have a physical track that is operating at full speed and it has to be reviewed and certified by regulators,” Smith says.

The Hyperloop One track would largely be funded through private donations – similar to what is currently being done to bring the technology in India to connect the cities of Mumbai and Pune. Funding will most likely also come from federal funds.

“The cost to build the Hyperloop is about 40% less than high-speed rail, and it’s three times faster,” Smith said. “The operating costs of this system, because it’s so energy efficient, is about five cents per passenger mile – lower than any other existing form of transportation. We’re looking at a ticket price between $30 and $40 between Kansas City and St. Louis, less than a tank of gas.”

Smith said the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition he co-founded is also working to partner with universities in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and other neighboring states that have the resources and incentives to create a multi-state system.

The group, selected by Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, plans to have its recommendations ready in September.

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Two Missouri universities hacked

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Students and employees at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin began receiving letters this week about a data breach and the offer of two years of complimentary credit monitoring. Missourinet affiliate KZRG in Joplin reported first that the university had undergone a major cyberattack on January 8.

Missouri Southern State University in Joplin

Two other universities experienced similar attacks, according to the online publication “BleepingComputer.” Those schools were Graceland College which has campuses in western Missouri’s Independence and Lamoni, Iowa and Oregon State University in Salem, Ore.

Missouri Southern State University leaders say they responded quickly and engaged a leading forensic investigation firm to help stop the attack. The company also provided subsequent investigation services. The university notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Task Force ant the Missouri Attorney General’s Office about the incident.

“The University worked diligently to notify all impacted individuals once the results of its investigation had been communicated to law enforcement,” says
Al Stadler, Chief Information Officer and Security officer at Missouri Southern.

He says the information obtained about each victim potentially included name, Social Security number and date of birth. Stadler said bank account numbers were not included in the information.

Missouri Southern has about 6,000 students and hundreds of employees. The cybercriminals might have targeted not only campus employees but many Missouri Southern students and, possibly, retirees who have retained their Missouri Southern e-mail addresses.

Stadler says no criminal activity has been reported. He say he knows of no arrests or indictments that have been made at this time.

By Steve Smith of Missourinet affiliate KZRG in Joplin

St. Louis judge says state must decide on Planned Parenthood license by June 21

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A St. Louis judge has ruled that the St. Louis Planned Parenthood can continue offering abortions for now but has ordered the state to decide about its license by June 21. On Monday, Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer granted Planned Parenthood a preliminary injunction and the order remains in effect until the court issues another ruling.

St. Louis judge says state must decide on Planned Parenthood license by June 21

Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit last month arguing the state is “weaponizing” the licensing process at its St. Louis site – the only abortion clinic in Missouri. President Leana Wen says the state “refuses to renew its license” at the St. Louis clinic by “insisting seven of its doctors be interrogated – putting their licenses on the line and potential criminal prosecution.” In an earlier decision, Stelzer blocked the state’s attempt to subpoena Planned Parenthood’s doctors to testify.

The state says it is investigating the clinic for allegedly completing failed abortions. Planned Parenthood has not responded to Missourinet’s inquiry about the state’s claim.

During a press conference today in St. Louis, Planned Parenthood Dr. David Eisenberg says the organization wants to be treated equally – not differently.

“We will not stop speaking out about the injustice that Governor Parson and Director Randall Williams from the Department of Health have intentionally created for the people of Missouri in a sick obsession to ban abortion and to not let women be equal citizens in this country,” he says.

Planned Parenthood Dr. Colleen McNicholas says the state continues to reinterpret its own rules, including about pelvic exams. She says the technique does not provide any medically-relevant information.

“That rule was put into place prior to sort of our modern way of diagnosing pregnancies,” McNicholas says. “Now we have things like ultrasounds to tell us how far along a pregnancy is. For a long time, the department agreed that the pelvic exam was not necessary.”

In a press release issued Monday from the State Department of Health and Senior Services, it says a pelvic exam has been required in Missouri since at least 1988 to detect factors that could influence the choice of the procedure, among other things. The rule was changed in 2018 but the state says it remains substantively the same.

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Planned Parenthood sues Missouri, says state is ‘illegally weaponizing licensing process’

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Missouri could become the first state in the nation since at least 1974 without a health center providing abortions. Planned Parenthood President, Dr. Leana Wen, says the organization has filed a lawsuit today against Missouri because she says the state “refuses to renew its license” that expires Friday at its St. Louis clinic. The center is the only one in Missouri offering abortions.

Planned Parenthood sues Missouri to renew license, says state is ‘illegally weaponizing the licensing process’

“If the court does not grant us a restraining order, Missouri will go dark and become the first state in the country with no health center that provides abortion care,” Wen says. “The state has illegally weaponized the licensing process. This is not a drill. This is not a warning. This is real and it is a public health crisis.”

In a media release announcing a press call earlier today, Planned Parenthood cites “recent intimidation” by the Department of Health and Senior Services and last week’s signing of wide-ranging anti-abortion legislation.

Dr. Colleen McNicholas with Planned Parenthood says the state is trying to intimidate the organization.

“In the past days, officials from the Department of Health and Senior Services have demanded me, my colleagues and, most egregiously, medical trainers to submit to interrogation with no explanation and making clear that we could be opened up to criminal proceedings or board review. Let me be clear, this is harassment – an attempted intimidation of doctors at the highest level of government in order to stop us from providing the legal, necessary and exceptional care that we have always provided our patients,” says McNicholas.

She goes on to say the licensing status is not surprising.

“This is the natural consequence of several decades worth of restriction after restriction that has eroded access to reproductive healthcare in our state,” she says. “Make no mistake – it is the poorest, the sickest and the most disadvantaged who will suffer the most. Missouri women are dying on Governor Parson’s watch.”

Missourinet has requested a response from the Department of Health and Senior Services and Governor’s Office.

A court hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis.

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‘Finest mental hospital in U.S.’ unveiled in Missouri

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Missouri no longer has the oldest public mental hospital west of the Mississippi River. The 168-year-old Fulton State Hospital medium and maximum-security building in central Missouri will be replaced in July. According to former Governor Jay Nixon, the new building is the finest mental hospital in the United States.

“We set that bar high. I am 100% confident that today the Show-Me State is leading our country,” says Nixon.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, the 300-bed location was unveiled that showcases Nixon’s name. He says the old site is a dangerous place for the patients, workers and visitors. During his days as Missouri attorney general, Nixon dealt with many legal cases originating at the hospital.

Front lobby

“You defend the state on worker’s compensation and second injury fund cases,” says Nixon. “We just saw this incredible, inordinate number of people who were injured here. Then we began to see more and more significant turnover, especially among nurses and things like that. Folks were giving us trouble about overtime but heck, we were out there trying to recruit people for those positions – they’re dangerous, they’re difficult, people are getting hurt.”

Nixon says a lot of work went into the design of the $211 million hospital to create a more upbeat and safer environment.

“In a facility like this (old building), this was an 1851 basically prison with dark halls and dangerous places. You almost had to visualize what you wanted,” Nixon says.

Front lobby

What makes the new place so great? It includes a lot of natural light – taking away the institutional feel that many mental hospitals carry. The décor gives the facility more of a private hospital vibe. The lighting fixtures are modern. The ceilings are high and the hallways are wider.

There’s a chapel, hair salon, outdoor areas with a basketball court, café, and a game room. A visitation area includes private rooms and a place for kids to play. Patients can also whip up something to eat and practice their culinary skills in a training kitchen. To top it all off, the tables and chairs in these areas are not easy to pick up and throw when someone grows upset.

The old building has barriers for staff trying to monitor clients. Missouri Department of Mental Health Director Mark Stringer says the new hospital has lines of sight that are “1000% better.”

Courtyard

Sound proofing has stepped up at the new site. Noises at the old location echo throughout, creating additional challenges for patients suffering from psychotic disorders who might already hear other voices.

Stringer says the new site should also reduce the amount of overtime the staff is required to work.

“When you have to work overtime time and time again, you get tired and then you make mistakes,” he says.

Stringer goes on to say the state’s five mental hospitals always have staff shortages. He says the Fulton State Hospital staff won’t be downsized as a result of the new site.

Visitors center

The hospital’s Chief Operating Officer, Andy Atkinson, says the new facility will be life changing for its patients and employees.

“This will dramatically improve their quality of life,” he says.

Nixon, a Democrat and Missouri’s 55th governor, says getting the hospital built was a bipartisan effort with the state Legislature.

“This is the kind of things you get if you watch your money well, even in tough times and pass up the simple solutions for one of the best long-term solutions. Here we are, nine, ten years later in the best facility of its type in the country,” says Nixon. “This is the one that just had to be done and didn’t really have any political constituency. When you think about it, these folks are in deep distress. We were able to get folks to come together to do this because it was the right thing to do. I’m confident that it’ll help the department continue to keep longevity among employees, safety among employees and ultimately much better outcomes here. A facility of this capacity can make a huge difference in outcomes.”

Hair salon

He goes on to say the facility could attract research money.

“Especially with the University of Missouri and all the professionals trained there, I think we’re just at the beginning at some of the research,” Nixon says. “My sense is this is a place that will, in the years to come, end up being a very good clinical research facility for important, cutting-edge treatments for the entire country if not the entire world. “

Patients will start moving into the building in July and all the beds will be filled.

Stringer says no decisions have been made about the future use of the old location.

Several state dignitaries were at Wednesday’s ceremony, including Governor Mike Parson, Sen. Jeanie Riddle, Reps. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit, and David Wood, R-Versailles, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, and Office of Administration head Sarah Steelman.

Ribbon cutting w/ Gov. Mike Parson and former Gov. Jay Nixon

Riddle, a Republican from central Missouri’s Mokane, says the new hospital is a dream come true for the state and her district that encompasses Fulton.

“This is eleven years finally getting to see this project done,” she says. “We’re going to change the world.”

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Missouri native’s curiosity about space lands her a spot in U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame

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Dr. Janet Kavandi has come a long way from the small cattle ranch she grew up on in southwest Missouri’s Cassville. In fact, more than 13 million miles. Kavandi, a veteran of three space shuttle missions, is the 97th person to be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. She joins a collection of famous astronauts like John Glenn, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in the prestigious hall.

Kavandi was a member of NASA’s 15th class of astronaut candidates, selected in 1994. Her first mission to space was on the shuttle Discovery in 1998. She has logged more than 33 days in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits.

Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019. Credits: NASA/Cory Huston

Inside the space shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida last month, Kavandi and former NASA astronaut Jim Buchli were selected by a panel of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. She considers her induction one of the greatest honors of her life.

“This is the cherry on top,” she says.

Kavandi said she cherished the childhood moments she shared with her dad in Cassville and the gifts he gave her – doctor kits instead of dolls.

“We often sat under the night sky identifying constellations and marveling at the Milky Way, which we could see in the country in Missouri. We would watch points of light lighting along their stationary counterparts and we wondered who was up there,” she said.

Kavandi says her amazing family at home and work have been the key to everything.

“It’s not easy to watch your spouse, or your parent or your sister blast off the Earth on a rocket in a trail of smoke and fire. We, the lucky few here, got to be on the fun side of things. We got the shaking and the rolling and we were rewarded with a magnificent view of the planet once we reached the orbit,” she says. “How unnerving, however, it was for those standing on the rooftops. It’s the families that really deserve the medals. We had the fun part and they had the really hard part.”

Kavandi attended Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and Missouri S&T in Rolla. She worked for EaglePicher Technologies in Joplin and later developed energy storage devices for spacecraft at Boeing.

Kavandi currently serves as the director of NASA’s esteemed Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio overseeing about 3,000 workers doing cutting-edge research.

View the video of the Hall of Fame ceremony here.

See earlier stories:

(AUDIO) Missouri native describes first trip to space: “That was just the ultimate feeling”
https://wp.me/p16gMv-uIl

Missouri native selected for U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
https://wp.me/p16gMv-uAw

Missouri astronaut to join NASA’s eclipse broadcast at state Capitol
https://wp.me/p16gMv-rYH

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Governor announces new effort to train 500 Missouri manufacturing technicians

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To leverage the need for workforce development and cultivate talent in Missouri’s existing workforce, Governor Mike Parson announced today an initiative to train 500 people across the state as manufacturing technicians. Parson announced the plans at Ozarks Technical College during its Advanced Manufacturing Job Fair in Springfield.

Gov. Parson announces new manufacturing technician training initiative (Photo courtesy of Bailey Strohl)

He said about 25% of all Missouri jobs are centered around manufacturing.

“I want the people of Missouri to stay in Missouri,” said Parson. “I don’t want these young men and women going somewhere else to look for jobs. I want them to stay here.”

Under the initiative, participants will be able to earn a Certified Production Technician (CPT) certificate. Parson said the certifications will be added at all public two-year institutions that already have manufacturing facilities.

“When you look at the infrastructure of the state of Missouri – where we’re going to be competitive – we’re in the middle of the United States of America,” said Parson. “The crossroads of this country goes through Missouri.”

Ozarks Technical College will be among the two-year public schools that will add the certification to their list of educational opportunities for students.

By Bailey Strohl of Missourinet affiliate KSGF in Springfield

Missouri medical marijuana program releases proposed rules for facilities

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The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has released its second set of draft rules for the state’s first medical marijuana program.

The latest set of DHSS rules address dispensaries and other medical marijuana facilities.

The new draft covers “cultivation facilities, dispensary facilities, infused products manufacturing facilities and medical marijuana establishments in general.” Read draft rules.

The rules, for instance, set limits on how many facilities can be owned by one entity, separate testing facilities from dispensaries, regulate waste and byproduct disposal and set distances between facilities and schools, daycares and churches.

The DHSS Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation released rules for qualified patients and primary caregivers in February. The agency held public forums in Jefferson City, Poplar Bluff, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield in January and February to hear more about the needs of patients and caregivers.

Lyndall Fraker, Director of the DHSS Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation, says, “All feedback we received was considered, and is still being considered, as we continue drafting the rules.”

Public feedback can still be submitted on feedback on these drafts using the online suggestion form.

Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for Missouri medical cannabis trade association (MoCannTrade), praises DHSS for taking the time to hear from citizens and stakeholders before creating rules.

“It’s a steep hill. [The Missouri Constitution] lays some fairly aggressive timeline to get applications out to patients, applications out to those who want to be involved in cultivation and dispensary and they have done a nice job,” Cardetti told Missourinet.

The June 4 deadline to have the program plan in place was created in an amendment to the Missouri Constitution approved by voters this past November. But the process of creating such a program is new to the state.

Lisa Cox, DHSS spokesperson, calls the effort “monumental.”

Remaining rules include sales, transportation, physicians and healthcare providers, and taxation.

Missouri’s Nobel Prize winner decides where his award money will go

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Last October, retired University of Missouri professor and 2018 Nobel Prize winner George Smith said he would donate his prize money “in a way that would indirectly honor the award”. Smith – the school’s first-ever Nobel Prize winner – has announced that he will give the money to support students in the university’s College of Arts and Science. A press release from the university says Smith’s gift of more than $243,000 will create a new scholarship for the college’s students.

Mizzou Professor George Smith waves to the crowd at Faurot Field in Columbia on November 10, 2018, before receiving an award from Governor Mike Parson (left). Smith won the 2018 Nobel Prize in chemistry (file photo from Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded Smith and two other researchers the Nobel Prize for chemistry by “harnessing the power of evolution”. Smith developed a method with the goal of producing new prescription drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. Since then, it has also produced anti-bodies that can counteract autoimmune diseases and cure metastatic cancer, which spreads to other parts of the body.

Smith was a Mizzou professor for about 40 years in the Division of Biological Sciences.

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