St. James Archives - Missourinet

Hoskins: There’s no path forward for any Missouri gaming bill this session

May 6, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Gaming legislation appears to be dead this session, after the recent impasse on video lottery terminal (VLT) legislation in the Missouri Senate.

State Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg) presides over the Missouri Senate on January 19, 2021 (file photo courtesy of Harrison Sweazea of Senate Communications)

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) tells our Sullivan affiliate KTUI that he has numerous concerns with the gaming bill from fellow State Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg). It’s Senate Bill 98.

“I think there’s a hesitancy especially on my part and the Legislature, to expand gaming and allow the types of machines that are out there that are illegal right now, to continue to grow in number,” Schatz says.

A judge in western Missouri’s Platte County ruled in September that two “no chance” slot machines found at a Parkville convenience store violate state gambling laws. That case could end up at the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City.

As for Senator Denny Hoskins, he tells Missourinet that he doesn’t see a path forward for any gaming bill this session.

“Unfortunately, it appears my gaming bill will not pass this session,” says Hoskins. “It would have provided $200 million for our kids’ schools and veterans homes. After last week’s impasse, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the interim to find a solution to bring Sportsbook and regulated VLTs to Missouri.”

The battle over alleged illegal slot machines in Missouri has pitted two powerful GOP state senators who are normally allies on issues: Pro Tem Dave Schatz and Senate Economic Development Committee Chairman Hoskins. They still agree on many legislative issues, but not this one.

The slot machines are found in places like truck stops, convenience stores and restaurants. Schatz says there are about 20,000 of these slot machines in Missouri. He describes them as “a tax on most poor people.”

“If every one of them generated $100 a day, and again that’s somewhat of a conservative figure, but that’s $2 million a day in revenue that’s three-quarters-of a-billion dollars annually that’s going into those machines. It’s not being taxed, it’s not being regulated, nothing is coming back to the state,” says Schatz.

The Missouri Lottery’s executive director has testified that the slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State. She also testified that there’s a major issue with the slot machines along the I-44 corridor, from St. James to Lebanon.

Senator Hoskins says Senate Bill 98 is the result of five years of work and compromise. He says he’s met with any and every party willing to come to the table, to negotiate a regulatory framework for gaming in Missouri.

Hoskins believes Missourians desire safe, legal and fair gaming opportunities.

Governor Parson reacts to investigative report into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes

December 4, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor said Thursday in Jefferson City that he wants some answers, after reading a 53-page independent investigation into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes.

The Missouri State Veterans home at St. James (2015 file photo courtesy of the Missouri Veterans Commission)

Governor Mike Parson ordered the investigation, which was conducted by St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale. The governor emphasizes that he’s limited in what he can say, because he doesn’t know what the outcome will be.

“I will go back to when the (COVID-19) numbers started rising. They’d become a red flag for us here at the governor’s office at the state level and that’s why we had this report done, this investigation done,” Parson says. “So, I think there’s some things in that report that definitely (are) going to have to be addressed and are going to have to be explained.”

Armstrong Teasdale’s investigation found that the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) headquarters failed to recognize the outbreak, and also failed to respond to the outbreak. The investigation found that MVC should have recognized the presence of an outbreak in the veterans home in southeast Missouri’s Cape Girardeau by September 2.

MVC says 138 veterans living at state veterans homes have now died from COVID since September, including 29 in the past ten days.

The veterans home in northwest Missouri’s Cameron has had the most deaths, with 39. Cape Girardeau is second with 29. There have been 23 deaths in St. James, 16 in Warrensburg, 11 each in St. Louis and Mexico and nine at the veterans home in southwest Missouri’s Mount Vernon.

Governor Parson says a key recommendation in the report is already happening. During Thursday’s Capitol press conference in Jefferson City, Missourinet asked the governor about Armstrong Teasdale’s recommendation that the veterans homes establish a protocol to allow a limited number of designated family members to visit their loves ones.

“And that’s something we’ve been very concerned with all the nursing homes across the state, and we have made ways that you can do visitations across the state,” says Parson. “(State Department of Health and Senior Services Director) Dr. (Randall) Williams has worked really hard on that.”

Armstrong Teasdale’s report says family members are instrumental in their loved ones’ care at veterans homes, including cleaning their ears to help them hear better and brushing their teeth and dressing them.

Meantime, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R), who serves on the Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill, has also read Armstrong Teasdale’s report. Hawley has previously expressed concerns about the COVID deaths in veterans homes, saying it’s important to get to the bottom of this.

“The report is bad. I think it details some major lapses. It details some very significant problems. You know I think the report makes clear that the MVC, the Veterans Commission, does genuinely care for and has tried to work hard to care for veterans and I appreciate that. However, our veterans deserve the very best care,” Hawley tells Missourinet.

Armstrong Teasdale’s report makes dozens of recommendations, including calling on MVC headquarters and veterans homes to develop a comprehensive COVID-19 outbreak plan.

MVC Chairman Tim Noonan is reviewing the recommendations closely.

“We’re going to take them all (recommendations) seriously and implement the ones that we think are going to have an impact,” Noonan says. “And definitely, staffing matters. Having the right talent, doing the right job matters.”

Noonan says MVC will drive the reforms that are needed. He also tells Missourinet that this was a complex problem that overwhelmed very well-intended people.

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.

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.

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.

Governor Parson says box-in strategy is being used at Missouri veterans homes

October 16, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor says he acted immediately when he learned about the spike in COVID-19 deaths at veterans homes, ordering an external review.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on October 15, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson made his comments during a Thursday press conference at the Statehouse in Jefferson City, in response to questions from Missourinet. He says the state was leading the nation in the way we were taking care of veterans in the veterans homes. He says they noticed a high spike in a few veterans homes, which raised red flags.

“We immediately, once we found that information out, we reached out to the (Missouri) Veterans Commission. We asked for an investigation. That investigation is taking place, or has taken place,” Parson says.

The Missouri Veterans Commission says 56 veterans have died from COVID in Missouri, since September 1. Veterans Commission spokesman Jamie Melchert told Missourinet this week that the veterans home in southeast Missouri’s Cape Girardeau has had the most deaths: 25. Melchert says 13 veterans from the Mount Vernon Veterans Home have died, and 12 from the St. James Veterans Home.

“We immediately sent in our box-in strategy,” says Governor Parson. “We put testing supplies in the veterans (homes) to a tune of about 3,000 that are out there now, trying to really take care of that situation. But it was unfortunate that it happened, it was definitely a red flag, the way it happened.”

White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx has praised Missouri’s “box-in” strategy. The “box-in” testing strategy involves testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

The Veterans Commission has obtained additional staffing and resources from the federal government, to assist the Cape Girardeau and St. James homes.

Thursday’s Missouri House hearing on alleged illegal slots expected to draw crowd

October 9, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Prosecutors Association will testify Thursday in Jefferson City before a House gaming committee investigating the issue of alleged illegal slot machines.

State Rep. Dirk Deaton, R-Noel, speaks at the August 22, 2019 Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming hearing. State Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, is behind him. (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A large crowd is expected to attend the House Special Interim Committee on Gaming hearing, which begins at noon at the Statehouse.

The committee will hear testimony from Missouri State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Justin McCullough and from Missouri Prosecutors Association legal counsel Steve Sokoloff.

During the committee’s last hearing in September, Missouri Lottery Executive Director May Scheve Reardon testified that illegal slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State. She says the I-44 corridor has many of them, and told lawmakers about one Lottery sales representative whose territory goes from St. James to Lebanon.

“Down that I-44 corridor in six months, her route alone was down $800,000. That’s an estimated $3.2 million sales lost for six months,” Scheve Reardon testified on September 5.

Alleged illegal slot machines can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

Committee Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, tells Missourinet that illegal slot machines cost Missouri education at least $50 million last year. He says the illegal machines “are everywhere” in the state and in his district in eastern Missouri’s Jefferson County.

“But I think what we have to worry about is not what happened last year, it’s what’s going to happen next year because this is not a plateau. We are going to continue to see the loss,” Chairman Shaul told Missourinet after the September hearing.

Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director David Grothaus testified in August that any illegal gaming machines used in Missouri negatively impact casinos and the state Lottery, reducing taxes and funding for education and veterans. Grothaus has called for the state to develop a coordinated effort to stop illegal slot machines.

Grothaus notes there’s one pending criminal case in western Missouri’s Platte County, in the Kansas City area.

Thursday is also your first opportunity to testify before the committee, and House officials have encouraged those who want to testify to call ahead. The hearing is expected to last for two to three hours.

Anyone who wants to testify Thursday should call E.J. Fleischmann in Chairman Shaul’s office. That number is (573) 751-2504.

Missouri Lottery: I-44 corridor highlights problem with illegal slot machines

September 6, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri Lottery’s executive director testified Thursday in Jefferson City that illegal slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State.

The Missouri Lottery logo (courtesy of Missouri Lottery)

Former State Rep. May Scheve Reardon testified before a House interim committee, telling lawmakers there’s a major issue with illegal slot machines along the I-44 corridor. She talks about one Lottery sales representative whose territory goes from St. James to Lebanon.

“Down that I-44 corridor alone in six months, her route alone was down $800,000,” Scheve Reardon testifies. “That’s an estimated $3.2 million sales lost for six months.”

She says the average monthly Lottery sales lost, per retailer with the alleged illegal machines, is $90,000.

Illegal slot machines can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

Scheve Reardon testified during a 90-minute hearing before the House Special Interim Committee on Gaming, which is chaired by State Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial.

Shaul tells the audience that illegal slot machines cost Missouri education at least $50 million last year. He says the alleged illegal slot machines are hurting the Lottery, thereby impacting classrooms.

“The (Missouri) Lottery is losing revenue here, because of these alleged illegal machines. So are the (Missouri’s 13) casinos, so is everybody across that’s funding the state. The state is losing money because of these,” says Shaul.

Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, speaks on August 22, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Chairman Shaul tells Missourinet the public will have the opportunity to testify at the next hearing, which is October 10 in Jefferson City.

Thursday’s hearing was the committee’s second in two weeks. The Missouri Gaming Commission testified before the committee on August 22, saying the state needs a coordinated effort to stop the illegal machines.

“We’re trying to coordinate efforts among law enforcement and prosecutors, trying to educate prosecutors on how to prosecute those cases,” Gaming Commission Executive Director David Grothaus testified in August.

Grothaus notes there’s one pending criminal case in western Missouri’s Platte County, in the Kansas City area.

Scheve Reardon says the Missouri Lottery generated more than $306 million for education in fiscal year 2018.