State Sen. Barbara Washington Archives

Thousands vaccinated at Arrowhead Stadium, many from Jackson County’s poorest neighborhoods

March 20, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC Channel 9 contributed to this story.

Missouri’s governor says more than 3,600 Jackson County residents were vaccinated on Friday at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, the largest state-supported vaccination event thus far in the state.

Two Missouri National Guard teams are at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium for the two-day mega vaccination event (March 19, 2021 photo courtesy of the State Emergency Management Agency Twitter page)

The second day of vaccinations begins this morning at 9 and continues until 7 p.m. Two Missouri National Guard teams are at Arrowhead again today, and about 4,000 additional shots are expected to be given. The Arrowhead event involves the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The event is for Jackson County residents only.

Jackson County includes Kansas City, Raytown and Grandview.

Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC reports many of those vaccinated Friday are from the poorest and most-impacted neighborhoods from COVID in Jackson County. KMBC’s Mike Mahoney, who was in the Arrowhead parking lot all day Friday, reports things went smoothly. Mahoney says the mass vaccination process took about 40 minutes, from arrival to completion.

Gov. Parson at Arrowhead Stadium event. photo/video KMBC TV.

Governor Mike Parson traveled to Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, where he held a press conference with Jackson County Executive and former Kansas City Royal star Frank White. They were also joined by State Sen. Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City), State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove (D-Kansas City), State Rep. Emily Weber (D-Kansas City), and others.

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority President Robbie Makinen also spoke at Friday’s press conference and praised the bipartisan cooperation to put it together.

“I’m grateful for Governor Parson, I’m grateful for Senator Barbara Washington, for Representative Bland Manlove. Them allowing us to be a part, they understand that need for access. That need to level the playing field and for social equity,” Mr. Makinen says.

The governor also says that about 40 percent of Missourians will likely decide to not receive COVID vaccinations.

“I believe it is the right thing to do to take the vaccine, but again I want to be clear about this, there’s still going to be a certain amount of people that’s not going to take the vaccine. And they have every right to do that,” Parson says.

Meantime, Missouri vaccinators have now administered more than 1.9 million COVID shots, which includes the first and second doses. That’s 21.1 percent of Missouri’s population. The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) COVID-19 dashboard says 225,016 doses have been administered during the past week, which is an average of 32,145 per day.

Governor Parson also announced Friday that vaccine allotments to Missouri are projected to triple, with more than 500,000 initial doses estimated to arrive in Missouri during April’s first week.

Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium will be mega vaccination site for two-day event

March 12, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor announced Thursday in Jefferson City that the state will be hosting a mega vaccination site at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium next Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20th.

State Sen. Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City) briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on March 11, 2021, about the Arrowhead Stadium mega vaccinations (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor Parson’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson tells Capitol reporters that his administration is working as quickly as possible to meet the higher vaccine interest in urban populations, while keeping vaccine distribution equitable across the state.

“Two (Missouri) National Guard teams will be on the grounds Friday and Saturday (March 19 and 20) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to vaccinate an expected total of six to 7,000 eligible Missourians,” Parson says.

The COVID vaccinations will be administered in Arrowhead Stadium’s parking lot, and not on the Chiefs football field.

“Names of the eligible Missourians will be chosen from a list of those who have previously signed up to receive the vaccine with the Jackson County health department,” says Parson.

The governor says those selected will be notified of their appointment date and time, along with further instructions.

State Sen. Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City), who joined the governor at Thursday’s Jefferson City press conference, is also helping to organize the event. She notes the Arrowhead event is just for Jackson County residents, which includes Kansas City, Raytown and Grandview.

Washington says organizers are working with the Urban League and are also reaching out to the most vulnerable. She notes you must have an appointment.

Senator Washington, who serves on the Senate Health and Pensions Committee, says tents will be set up in Arrowhead Stadium’s parking lot, and says nurses will administer some shots on buses.

Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jackson County health officials, Truman Medical Center, KCATA and state lawmakers like Washington and Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo (D-Independence) are all helping to organize the two-day event.

During the Statehouse press conference, Governor Parson also discussed COVID numbers and says we are winning the fight against COVID. The governor says the numbers continue to trend in the right direction, and he’s emphasizing the state’s balanced approach.

“Missouri is still leading the nation at second-lowest of average daily cases. Our seven-day (COVID) positivity is 4.5, and hospitalizations have dropped below 900,” Parson says.

Missouri vaccinators have now administered more than 1.6 million shots, which includes the first and second doses. That’s 17.5 percent of Missouri’s population.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services’ (DHSS) COVID dashboard says Missouri vaccinators are now administering about 33,000 doses per day.

Missouri’s governor pledges to move forward with Medicaid expansion; state employee pay raise proposed

January 27, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor delivered an unprecedented State of the State Address on Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson City, in the Missouri Senate chamber.

The Missouri Highway Patrol’s Color Guard presents the flags in the Senate chamber before Governor Parson’s January 27, 2021 State of the State Address (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Missouri House and Senate GOP leaders announced earlier in the day that the governor would deliver the speech in the Senate chamber. The speech is always delivered in the Missouri House chamber, across the Rotunda. House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, and other legislative leaders say the speech was moved from the House chamber to ensure that attendees could meet CDC guidelines recommending six feet of social distancing.

The leaders say this temporary relocation maximized safety while still honoring the tradition of an in-person address by the governor. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, tells Missourinet that everyone has to be flexible and that the pandemic is no respector of precedents, so they adjusted.

Governor Parson spoke from the Senate dais, for about 42 minutes. While COVID was a major theme of the address, the governor also discussed Medicaid expansion, state employee pay raises and the importance of early childhood programs.

While he campaigned against the August Medicaid expansion ballot measure, the governor pledges to move forward with its implementation, because voters approved it.

“Like I have said many times, I will always uphold the will of the voters, and we will move forward with expanding Medicaid coverage to approximately 275,000 Missourians. However, it is important to remember that the costs of this expansion will be significant- hundreds of millions of dollars, in fact,” Parson tells lawmakers.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson delivers a historic State of the State Address in the Senate chamber in Jefferson City on January 27, 2021 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Medicaid is formally called MO HealthNet. It’s a federal and state program that assists with medical costs for residents with limited incomes. 53 percent of Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion in August. Amendment Two expands Medicaid for residents between the ages of 19 and 64 with an income level at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. Medicaid expansion supporters say the measure will provide healthcare to Missourians who earn less than $18,000 annually.

Leader Rowden says Medicaid expansion will be implemented, because voters approved it. But like the governor, he says it will cost millions of dollars.

The governor also emphasized COVID during his speech, emphasizing the importance of expanding the state supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Governor Parson says Missouri has now shipped more than 22 million gowns, 18 million gloves, eight million surgical masks and one million face shields to frontline health care providers.

“We were one of the first states in the nation to submit our COVID-19 vaccine plan, and have now administered nearly 400,000 doses to Missourians,” Parson says.

The governor’s call for a two percent pay raise for state employees received bipartisan applause on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, our state workforce is one of the least competitive in terms of attracting future public servants,” the governor tells lawmakers.

Missouri has about 52,800 state employees, and more than 14,000 of them work in mid-Missouri’s Cole County. State employee pay raises are a big issues here, because state government is Jefferson City’s largest employer.

Governor Parson is also calling on lawmakers to approve his proposal to consolidate several different programs into a new Office of Childhood.

“This new office will not only help streamline the operation of several state programs, but also allow us to place a bigger focus on early childhood development – a critical component to the future success of Missourians for generations to come,” says Parson.

State Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, appeared live on Missourinet, after the State of the State address. While she likes the emphasis on early childhood development, Senator Washington wants to learn details about the proposal.

Governor Parson has called a Thursday press conference at the Statehouse in Jefferson City to outline details of the proposed new Office of Childhood. He’ll be joined by state Department of Elementary and Secondary (DESE) Commissioner Dr. Margie Vandeven, state Department of Health and Senior Services Dr. Randall Williams and Department of Social Services Acting Director Jennifer Tidball.

Click here to read Governor Mike Parson’s full State of the State Address.