Mexico Archives - Missourinet

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:

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.

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.

USDA officials tout food box program, during Friday visit to Missouri food bank

August 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Two officials at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) traveled to mid-Missouri’s Columbia on Friday to promote a federal program that is addressing hunger needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A resident makes a donation to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri in Columbia on August 21, 2020 (photo courtesy of the food bank’s Twitter page)

USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach says the farmers to families food box program is providing fresh fruits and vegetables to hungry Americans, including clients of the food bank in Columbia.

“And it’s been able to get fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products and meat products to families across America,” Ibach says.

The farmers to families food box program is managed by USDA, which partners with national, regional and local distributors to purchase up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products from American farmers. USDA says the program has delivered more than 67 million food boxes to needy American families, as of today.

Funding is coming from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), and other sources.

Mr. Ibach was joined by USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce and by U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, at Friday’s press conference, which took place in the food bank’s parking lot.

Mr. Fordyce, who has a farm in northwest Missouri’s Bethany, served as the state Department of Agriculture (MDA) director from 2013 to 2017, under former Governor Jay Nixon (D). Fordyce emphasizes the importance of the farmers to families food box program.

Under Secretary Ibach also praises the work being done at the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri in Columbia, which serves 32 counties in the two regions.

Columbia, Jefferson City, Hannibal, Marshall, Mexico, Moberly and Sedalia are some of the towns served by the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri.

Congresswoman Hartzler, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee in Washington, also praises the food bank. She tells reporters that the food bank distributed 33-million pounds of food last year.

“Just very proud of the way that they are taking the food that is being provided to them and making sure that it gets to feed hungry families in our area,” says Hartzler.

Hartzler says more than 100,000 Missourians received food assistance last year, from the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. The food bank’s website notes it works with 140 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other agencies.

It is the only food bank in Missouri that provides food at no charge to other organizations.

Winter weather advisories and watches issued for Missouri; Chiefs fans urged to be cautious

December 14, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a winter weather advisory and a winter storm watch for much of Missouri, with a winter storm on the way.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued winter weather advisories and watches for much of Missouri (December 14, 2019 map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter page)

The NWS’ winter weather advisory takes effect Sunday morning and goes through Monday night for a large portion of western and southwest Missouri. The advisory includes Kansas City, St. Joseph, Sedalia, Clinton and Waynesville.

A winter storm watch will go into effect Sunday at noon through Monday night. The watch area includes Columbia, Jefferson City, Fulton, Mexico, Kirksville and Macon.

The newest forecast from NWS in Pleasant Hill indicates the Columbia and Jefferson City areas could see higher snow totals than originally thought, with three to five inches now possible. Moberly, which is about 35 miles north of Columbia, could see almost six inches of snow.

The Kansas City metro area and I-70 communities like Concordia and Odessa should see about five inches of snow, by Monday.

National Weather Service Pleasant Hill meteorologist Spencer Mell has been urging you to get a full tank of gasoline for your vehicle, before the storm hits. He’s also urging you to pack a winter weather kit in your car and to charge your cell phone.

Meantime, the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has been treating roads and bridges in advance of the storm. MoDOT is urging motorists heading to Sunday’s Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to use extreme caution. Kickoff for Sunday’s Chiefs-Denver game at Arrowhead will begin at noon, and MoDOT says travel after the game will be more challenging that travel to the game.

MoDOT is also recommending that people delay their Monday morning commute, as the complex weather system has the potential to produce ice accumulations in some areas. MoDOT notes freezing rain and ice is expected to move into northwest Missouri early Monday morning.

You can check road conditions anytime at MoDOT’s traveler information map. Those without internet access or who want additional information can call the MoDOT customer service center anytime. That number is 1-888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636). You can call it 24-7, 365 days a year.

Train service across north Missouri suspended, after Brunswick railroad bridge collapse

October 3, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

(News director Bob Ehle at Missourinet Moberly affiliate KWIX contributed to this story)

Norfolk Southern has suspended freight train service between northern Missouri’s Moberly and Kansas City, because of the collapse of the heavily-traveled railroad bridge over the Grand River in Brunswick.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Missouri Basin River forecast center says backwater from flood debris caused a rail bridge to collapse in northern Missouri’s Brunswick (October 2, 2019 graphic courtesy of NWS Twitter page)

Brunswick is a farming community, between Carrollton and Moberly.

The bridge washed out Tuesday evening, after a debris strike caused by heavy rain. Brunswick emergency management director Brent Dickerson tells our Moberly affiliate KWIX (AM 1230) that trains could be re-routed.

“I did talk to one of the (train) engineers and I believe that they’re trying to run the railroad tracks from like Mexico, Missouri around to a different rail just north of Marshall, between here and Marshall,” Dickerson says.

There were no injuries in the collapse. Chariton County authorities have set up barricades, to keep boaters away from the area.

“A lot of decisions to be made with the bridge, do they go up (or) down, do they move it a little bit or what,” says Dickerson. “The city is trying to work the best they can trying to keep everything open for them or if we need to close streets or whatever we need to do.”

Brunswick marine access remains closed for safety reasons. The National Weather Service (NWS) Missouri Basin River forecast center says backwater from flood debris helped cause the bridge to collapse. The logjam collapsed the train tracks.

Virginia-based Norfolk Southern operates in 22 states, including Missouri. Their website says they are “a major transporter of industrial products” like chemicals and agriculture.