Mid-Missouri

“One county, one unit, moving forward.”

Whether they are working together or collaborating with outside agencies or officials, Moniteau County commissioners have discovered savings and improved productivity, quality and organization. One commissioner spoke at a conference about his experience collaborating with officials from other counties to discover new ideas for completing work more efficiently.

Clint Hoellering, District 1 commissioner, spoke at the County Commissioners Association of Missouri conference in March at Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake of the Ozarks on behalf of the Missouri Association of County & City Transportation Officials (MACTO) group. In his speech, Hoellering highlighted how MACTO connected him with officials from surrounding counties who provided tips for completing jobs quicker and for less money. He said MACTO allows for county officials to network and assist each other, along with providing fresh ideas and information on statutes, laws and red tape.

Hoellering said he joined the group after Bryan Boyce, MACTO executive director and road/park superintendent for Cole County, provided input on a chip-and-seal, a type of asphalt treatment, project at Route PP and Lookout Trail. Boyce saved Moniteau County $140,000 after helping Hoellering bid the project out to Missouri Petroleum, who was just completing another project in Cole County.

“We got it done and … Missouri Petroleum did a tremendous job, done in a timely manner, it’s great work, and at … $140,000 under budget,” Hoellering said.

Many commissioners don’t know about MACTO and its benefits, Hoellering said, which led to his speech in front of more than 340 other commissioners. New ideas and valuable connections have not only helped him save the county money, but has provided improved quality.

“That’s one thing I’ve learned about the job, is before I felt like a lot of (commissioners) didn’t get out and talk so much,” he said. “They kind of get complacent, they get stuck in their way. ‘Well, this is what Moniteau County has done for years.’ But getting outside and seeing other ideas, learning and meeting other people, it’s helped us really move forward and our production, it’s helped get more quality out there in the roads.”

Collaborating within the commission has also yielded positive results.

Hoellering said most county commissions split work by region. Despite having separate crews and equipment for the northern and southern parts of the county, he said the commission has united on many projects since he and Rick Messerli, District 2 commissioner, were installed in January 2021.

“So many lines get drawn in counties — east, west, north, south,” Hoellering said. “Yes, we have our separate road crews; I’ve got a north road crew and (Messerli) got a south (crew). But being able to share some equipment, being able to help if there’s an emergency or something … and have an extra guy come over here. … Our motto, since me and Rick got in here, has been ‘One county, one unit, moving forward.’ And that’s what we stick with.”

Hoellering said the three commissioners have different specialties. While he works with the United Way of Central Missouri’s Emergency, Food and Shelter Program board to secure federal funding for Moniteau County’s two nutrition centers (including the California Nutrition Center, for which he serves on the board of directors), Presiding Commissioner Joe Lutz works with the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission to tackle transportation issues throughout the county. Messerli said he also specializes in transportation needs, in addition to working with community workforce development and assistance programs at the Moniteau County Health Center.

Hoellering added that he and Messerli often work together on shopping around for services, and try to buy in bulk to save more money. The two have also worked with both roads crews to streamline the workload and provide assistance. For instance, he said the crews have utilized GPS data to ensure all roads are being treated. Work orders have also improved communication and made it easier to prioritize work.

“It’s just a matter of working together as a unit,” Messerli said. “And all of the commissioners have done that, we’ve got along well with it and it’s just … what has to be done. You have to work together in this country to make stuff work, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Originally Appeared Here

DR. DORIS JENSEN, Kansas City, former dean of academic affairs at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) from 1991-1999, received the Distinguished Faculty/Staff Award at Thursday’s Missouri State University Alumni Association Alumni and Friends Picnic at the West Plains Civic Center. She received the award from Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Chancellor Dennis Lancaster. (MSU-WP Photo)

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Dr. Doris Jensen, former dean of academic affairs at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP), received the Distinguished Faculty/Staff Award during the Missouri State University Alumni Association’s annual spring picnic for alumni and friends Thursday, May 4, in the exhibit hall at the West Plains Civic Center.

The award recognizes extraordinary service among former MSU-WP employees. Among the qualities considered are professional and/or academic achievements, as well as a demonstrated commitment to the university’s mission. Nominees must have been employed by the university for at least five years and must not currently be employed by the Missouri State University System.

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“Many outstanding former faculty and staff members have been honored with this award, and now Dr. Doris Jensen takes her place among them. Although I didn’t have the pleasure of working with Dr. Jensen, the impact she had on this campus is legendary,” said Rachel Peterson, director of development and annual giving.

“Dr. Jensen opened doors for much of the work that was to come and continues to support the mission of this campus. Through this experience, it has been a pleasure to get to know her and be inspired by the stories she’s told of our campus’ rich history,” Peterson added.

Jensen’s tenure at MSU-WP began in 1991. Her duties included supervising the Garnett Library, the learning skills center, and the records and registration department. As academic dean, she supervised faculty and helped develop new academic programs, including several “2+2” cooperative programs with the South Central Career Center.

One of Jensen’s most significant accomplishments at MSU-WP was leading the campus’ first accreditation effort in the 1990s. She coordinated the self-study that led to MSU-WP receiving separate accreditation from the North Central Association. The campus received the maximum five-year initial accreditation, and the self-study report was an important part of the accreditation process.

“Separate accreditation for the campus was the final step in becoming an autonomous campus within the MSU system,” her nominator pointed out. “Until then, MSU-WP was accredited under the umbrella of the Springfield campus. Separate accreditation gave the Faculty Senate the authority to develop and manage the curriculum for the campus.
“Accreditation was a critical step in the growth of MSU-WP and set the stage for the campus to confer its own degrees and expand its academic offerings to meet the needs of the students and the communities it serves,” Jensen’s nominator added.

Some of Jensen’s other career highlights at MSU-WP include:
• an eight-year accreditation of the Associate of Science in Nursing program by the National League of Nursing in 1994. Graduates of the program reported a pass rate of 93.7 percent on the NCLEX exam, a pass rate that was among the highest of any program in the nation at that time.
• establishment of the first Associate of Applied Science degrees in 1995. Areas of study included business, paralegal, welding technology, drafting technology and manufacturing machine technology. • opening the MSU-WP Extended Campus in Mountain Grove in spring of 1995 at the Fruit Experiment Station. Eleven courses were taught to approximately 50 students.
• implementation of the distance learning system BearNet, which used interactive audio and video to link two classrooms on the Springfield and West Plains campuses. This allowed classes to be taught on the Springfield campus to students in a classroom on the West Plains campus.
• the conferral of the first “official” degrees at commencement ceremonies in 1995.
• establishment of a dual credit program in 1996 that allowed juniors and seniors at area high schools to enroll in college-level courses offered by MSU-WP at their respective high schools.
• the first offering of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business at MSU-WP in 1998.
• the offering of the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education beginning in fall of 1999.

In addition to these highlights, Jensen worked with university officials to lay the groundwork for offering technical education to students and the community through the Lybyer Enhanced Technology Center before her departure in 1999. Even though the facility did not open until after she left, she was involved in planning the academic aspects of the facility and the degrees to be offered.

Jensen also laid the groundwork for the opening of the Center for Business and Industry Training in August 1999. CBIT provided a variety of community education, continuing education and customized training programs to area residents. Her academic leadership led MSU-WP to offer its first technical degree programs and continuing education and customized training opportunities.

“Dr. Jensen was a role model in her commitment to the betterment of campus, as well as her commitment to the students and the community,” her nominator said. “When the campus received separate accreditation, many new academic policies and procedures had to be put in place to become an autonomous campus. She was diligent in her effort to establish best practices to ensure the success of the students and the quality of education provided.”

Dr. Jensen received her doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her master’s degree in English at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg.

Before coming to MSU-WP, she was the dean of student affairs at Cleveland College in Kansas City. Following her tenure at MSU-WP, she was the campus dean at Cochise College’s Sierra Vista campus in Arizona. She later served as the dean of fine arts, education and health sciences at Cochise College until her retirement in 2011.

For more information about the annual Alumni and Friends Picnic or the Distinguished Faculty/Staff Award and how to nominate a former faculty or staff member for the award, call the MSU-WP university advancement office at 417-255-7240.

Originally Appeared Here

Afghan University of Missouri graduate Maseeh Wassil now has a work permit and a job, but immigration status for him and others in the Fulbright Foreign Student Program remains in flux.

When he graduated in December with a master’s degree in public affairs, neither he nor his wife had a work permit and therefore no way to get a job or earn an income. They have two daughters.

He and his wife received their employment authorization in early January. The job offer from the Missouri Department of Social Services came as his employment authorization arrived. He started there on Feb. 1 as a research and data analyst.

“Luckily I found a job right after I received my employment authorization,” Wassil said during a Wednesday interview at the Columbia Activity and Recreation Center.

His studies at MU started at MU on Aug 5, 2021, after he received his student visa. Within a few days, the Taliban took over when the Afghan government fell. He also was working with Fulbright and the U.S. State Department to get his wife and kids from Afghanistan, across the Pakistan border and eventually to the U.S. They arrived on Jan. 17, 2022.

Wassil applied for asylum for himself and his family last May and submitted fingerprints in July, with no updates.

“I did apply for asylum, and like me, I believe most Afghan Fulbrighters that applied for asylum, most of us have only had our biometrics taken and few of us have had their interviews so far,” Wassil said. “But unfortunately, I believe no one has an approved asylum case here.”

Biometrics is fingerprinting and background checks, he said.

Those in the Fulbright program are being treated differently than refugees evacuated from Afghanistan by the U.S. government, he said.

“I’m trying to raise the voices of all the Fulbrighters, not only me but all the Fulbrighters who came from Afghanistan, which the number could be around 130,” Wassil said. “Their immigration cases have not been processed the way the rest of the Afghans who are being taken out of the country in the Operation Allies Welcome process.”

He hopes someone in the government will take notice and help Afghans who came here through the Fulbright program, he said.

“They came here to the U.S. to study and now they can’t go back to Afghanistan,” Wassil said of students in the Fulbright program. “None of the Fulbrighters can return to Afghanistan.”

The employment authorization expires in two years, so it’s important the cases get processed before then, he said.

The worries haven’t gone away, but they’re adjusting, Wassil said.

“We are almost getting used to life here, getting adapted to society,” Wassil said. “Life goes on with all the problems and challenges we’re facing.”

Adapting won’t happen overnight, but will take time, he said.

Celebrating Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr was a recent high point, he said.

“It was great,” Wassil said. “The Islamic Center of Central Missouri did a great job. Every evening there was food for singles in the mosque and on weekends families could join. So the community was really supportive. We really did enjoy the month of Ramadan here, celebrating together with our Afghan and Muslim community.”

Roger McKinney is the Tribune’s education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He’s on Twitter at @rmckinney9.

Originally Appeared Here

The time to tune up is here.

Pedaler’s Jamboree, a Memorial Day weekend institution in mid-Missouri, is quickly approaching. And with it, a chance for devoted cyclists and music lovers to take to the trail, traveling from Columbia to Boonville with artists stationed all along the way, offering a live soundtrack.

As you prepare for the movable party, here’s what to know about music, food, camping and more.

When is this year’s Pedaler’s Jamboree?

This year’s event kicks off with ride times between 8 and 10 a.m. Saturday, May 27. Overnight riders and campers will head back Sunday morning, May 28.

How long is the route and where does it lead?

The Pedaler’s Jamboree route begins at Flat Branch Park in Columbia, moving through McBaine, Franklin and Rocheport before ending in Boonville. There will be music at each stop along the way — and on the way back Sunday.

The total distance one-way is 32.7 miles, the festival calculates.

Do you have to ride?

No. There are non-rider ticket options (see below) that allow access to music and other festivities.

What artists will play this year’s Jamboree?

Pedaler’s Jamboree regularly crafts a strong lineup, mingling national, regional and local talent. Among the highlights this year:

The dynamic soul of Nashville’s The New Respects; Missouri-made outfit Ha Ha Tonka, a band which perfectly negotiates the spaces between Southern rock and artsier, Wilco-esque fare; Columbia’s own “heavy and Western” trailblazers The Comancheros; and the dazzling, glammed-up yet gutsy sound of locals The Royal Furs.

Also scheduled: That 1 Guy, Meredith Shaw, Mobile Funk Unit, Catdaddy’s Funky Fuzz Bunker Band, Kyren Penrose and more.

What food options will be available?

From pizza to spring rolls, burgers to tacos, vegan dishes and dessert options, this year’s vendors will have a number of taste palates covered. Here are just a few of the vendors who’ll be at various sites:

• The Big Cheese: Grilled cheese in all its many glories (Rocheport, Boonville)
• Pizza Tree: Pizza so creative it might as well be art (Rocheport)
• Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co.: Great Southern-inspired dishes with biscuits at heart (Rocheport)
• 2 Odd Dawgs: Specialty hot dogs, burgers and more (Rocheport, Boonville)
• Jamaican Jerk Hut: Remarkably-seasoned chicken and other Jamaican fares (Boonville)
• Big Daddy’s BBQ: Some of Columbia’s finest barbecue (Boonville)

Is there on-site camping?

Camping in Kemper Park is included for registered riders, according to the festival website. Bag transport to and from the campsites is provided, and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Showers at the nearby Boonville YMCA and an overnight bike check service are available for $10 and $5, respectively. The Pedaler’s Jamboree lists other housing options, including RV and “primitive camping” possibilities as well as lodging close to Saturday night’s destination.

What else is happening Sunday?

Jamboree afterparties will take place Sunday in Columbia. An event at Broadway Brewery begins at 1 p.m., with festivities at Rose Music Hall featuring One Way Traffic, Austin Jones and the Barroom Billies, starting around 5 that evening. Both promise to go “till late.”

What’s the cost and how can I learn more?

Weekend rider passes are $85 for adults, $55 for ages 12-18, and free for those under 12 years old. Kemper Park-only passes (music and fireworks) are $30; trailside passes (parties at Huntsdale, Rocheport and Franklin) are $25.

Learn more about this year’s Pedaler’s Jamboree at https://www.pedalersjamboree.com/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He’s on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

Originally Appeared Here

The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in North Missouri for the week of May 8-14.

All road closures and planned roadwork may be viewed on the Traveler Information Map.

Inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work. There also may be moving operations throughout the region, in addition to the work mentioned below.

Atchison County

I-29 – Seal coat project from the Iowa state line to Route 111 near Rock Port through June. The road will be narrowed to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction. (Contractor: Vance Brothers, Inc.)

U.S. Route 136 – Scrub seal project from Route O to Route YY, May 8-9. The road will be narrowed to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction. (Contractor: Vance Brothers, Inc.)

Route 275 – Shoulder work, May 9-12

Andrew County

I-29 – Pavement improvement project from south of Business Route 71 to just south of Route O (Buchanan County) through late October 2023. An 11.6-foot width restriction is in place. (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)

Route H – Roadside work southbound from Route A to Hickory Street in Filmore, May 9

Route T – CLOSED for permit work at the St. Joseph Sub railroad crossing from Route K to County Road 391, May 9, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Company: RoadSafe Traffic Systems)

Buchanan County

I-29 – Pavement improvement project from south of Business Route 71 (Andrew County) to just south of Route O through late October 2023. An 11-foot width restriction will be in place. (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)

• Concrete replacement under the Route 6 (Frederick Boulevard) Bridge from Gene Field Road to Route YY (Mitchell Avenue), north and southbound I-29 will be narrowed to one lane through July.
• Guardrail night-time work, Sunday night through Friday morning, 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.

U.S. Route 36 – Bridge rehabilitation project over the Missouri River. Westbound is narrowed to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction through May 2023. (Contractor: Comanche Construction, Inc.)

Route Y – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at both the south and north Bee Creek bridges through December. A signed detour is in place. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.) 

U.S. Route 169 (Belt Highway) – Permit work southbound from Genefield Road to U.S. Route 36, May 3-26.

Route V – Permit work from Parker Road to the Platte County line, May 8 – July 8 (Company: Lan-Tel Communications)

Route 371 – Shoulder work from Route 116 to Coker Road, May 9

Route H – Shoulder work from I-29 to Route A, May 10-11

Route A – Shoulder work one-half mile south of Route O, May 11

Caldwell County

Route 116 – CLOSED for a bridge rehabilitation project over the Union Pacific railroad, approximately 2 miles east of Route 13, through mid-June 2023. A signed detour is in place. (Contractor: Capital Paving & Construction, LLC)

Route 13 – CLOSED for a resurfacing project from the south city limits of Hamilton to just north of Route HH in Kingston, through November 2023. The project will be broken up into three stages with a signed detour in place. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.)

Stage 1:

• May 1 through mid-July.
• CLOSED: Mill Creek Drive to Route P.

Carroll County

U.S. Route 24 – Bridge rehabilitation projects through June.

• S. Route 24 (Benton Street) over U.S. Route 65.
• The north and southbound U.S. Route 24/65 bridges over Old U.S. Highway 24/Outer Road 24 and the BNSF railroad, located just south of the Benton Street Bridge.

U.S. Route 65 – CLOSED for permit work at the Brookfield Sub railroad crossing, May 9, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Company: RoadSafe Traffic Systems)

Routes KK, VV, WW & DD – resurfacing and pavement markings, May 8-12

Chariton County

• Route D – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the East Fork of Bee Branch Bridge through mid-September. (Contractor: Lehman Construction and Wilson & Company)
• Route PP – CLOSED for pothole patching, May 9-12, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Daviess County

Route 190 – Pothole patching from south of Jamesport to Route V, May 9-10

Route B – Pothole patching from I-35 to Route 13, May 11-12

Route YY – Pothole patching, May 12

DeKalb County

U.S. Route 36 – Concrete replacement eastbound from U.S. Route 59 to Bob Griffin Road, May 5-12. The road will be narrowed to one lane around-the-clock.

Route A – Pothole patching, May 9-12

Gentry County

Route YY – CLOSED until further notice at the Bear Creek Bridge due to deterioration. This bridge is included in a replacement project scheduled to be a part of the September 2023 letting for contractor bids.

U.S. Route 169 – Scrub seal project from U.S. Route 136 to Route 46 (Worth), May 10-24. The road will be narrowed to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction. (Contractor: Vance Brothers, Inc.)

Grundy County

• Route W – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Wolf Creek Bridge, between Routes 6 and WW, through early July. A signed detour is in place. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.)
• Route W – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Hickory Creek Bridge, between Route WW and F, through early July. A signed detour is in place. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.)

Route 6 – Intersection improvement project at Route 146 and 30th Avenue, through mid-September. Traffic will be narrowed to one lane with temporary traffic signals directing motorists. Access to/from 30th Avenue will be closed through late June. A 12-foot width restriction is in place. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.)

• Route B – CLOSED in 2-mile segments for a resurfacing project, May 10-17 (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)
• Route E – CLOSED in 2-mile segments for a resurfacing project, May 10-17 (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)

Harrison County

• Route O – CLOSED for a bridge rehabilitation project at the Donaby Creek Bridge, on May 10 
• U.S. Route 69 – CLOSED for a bridge rehabilitation project at the Big Creek Bridge, on May 11 
• Route Y – CLOSED for a bridge rehabilitation project at the Trail Creek Bridge, on May 12 

Holt County

U.S. Route 159 – Pavement improvement and flood remediation project from the Missouri River near Rulo, Nebraska, to the Little Tarkio Creek near Fortescue through November 2023. Temporary traffic signals and a 12-foot width restriction will be in place. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.)

• Route C – CLOSED for concrete repair from County Road 140 to Route N, May 9, 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Route P – CLOSED for concrete repair from Route 118 to U.S. Route 159, May 10-11, 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
• U.S. Route O – CLOSED for permit work at the St. Joseph Sub railroad crossing from Trinity Road to Route T, May 10, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Company: RoadSafe Traffic Systems)
• U.S. Route T – CLOSED for permit work at the St. Joseph Sub railroad crossing over Route T, May 11, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Company: RoadSafe Traffic Systems)
• U.S. Route T – CLOSED for permit work at the St. Joseph Sub railroad crossing at County Road 310, May 11, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Company: RoadSafe Traffic Systems)

Linn County

U.S. Route 36 – Concrete replacement from Route B (Livingston County) to Route EE, May 9-11

Livingston County

Route C – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the bridge over Shoal Creek, north of Route DD, through July 2023. (Contractor: L.G. Barcus and Sons, Inc.) 

U.S. Route 36 – Bridge rehabilitation project over Blackwell Creek, 1.2 miles east of Route 65 near Chillicothe, through June 2023. The bridge will be narrowed to one lane, in each direction with a 10-foot width restriction in place. (Contractor: Capital Paving & Construction, LLC) 

U.S. Route 36 – Concrete replacement from Route B to Route EE (Linn County), May 9-11

Route H – Pothole patching from Route J to Route 139, May 9-10

Mercer County

• Route B – CLOSED in 2-mile segments for a resurfacing project, May 8-10 (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)
• Route D – CLOSED in 2-mile segments for a resurfacing project, May 8-10 (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)

Nodaway County

Route 46 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the bridge over the Nodaway River, near Quitman, through June 2023. A signed detour is in place. (Contractor: Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc.) 

Route EE – Scrub Seal project from Route NN to Route 46, May 9-15. The road will be narrowed to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction while the work zone is active. (Contractor: Vance Brothers, Inc.)

Route B – Pothole patching from Route 148 to Imperial Road, May 9

Sullivan County

• Route E – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the West Locust Creek Bridge, 8 miles northwest of Milan, through May 2023. (Contractor: Lehman Construction and Wilson & Company) 
• Route T – CLOSED at the East Locust Creek Bridge after an inspection found bridge beam deterioration. MoDOT crews will begin making temporary repairs in mid-May and expect the roadway to reopen in early June.
• Route C – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Yellow Creek Bridge, southeast of Milan, through September. (Contractor: Lehman Construction and Wilson & Company) 

Worth County

U.S. Route 169 – Scrub seal project from U.S. Route 136 (Gentry) to Route 46, May 10-24. The road will be narrowed to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction. (Contractor: Vance Brothers, Inc.)

Route M – Route D – CLOSED in 2-mile segments for a resurfacing project, May 8-17 (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.)

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Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA – Healthy Blue Missouri and its affiliated organization, Elevance Health, is partnering with a nonprofit called Count the Kicks to expand stillbirth prevention efforts throughout Missouri. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines stillbirths as the loss of a baby at 20 weeks or more during pregnancy. CDC Wonder data also notes that for Missouri families, one in 171 pregnancies end in stillbirth, and families in Missouri are 6.5 times more likely to lose a baby to stillbirth than to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Through this partnership, Count the Kicks was able to add a new Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) survey on the Count the Kicks app, such as whether or not they have access to nutritious food, safe housing or child care.

“If moms need help in any of those areas, they’re going to be connected to that resource,” Emily Price, CEO of Healthy Birth Day, the parent company of Count the Kicks, said. “It’s going to get them safe housing, nutritious food child care within their zip code.”

The free app has been around since 2015, but the new partnership with Healthy Blue Missouri aims to spread awareness to a high-risk state. It allows users to see their kick-counting history, rate the strength of their baby’s movements, set daily reminders and be able to count for single babies and twins.

“The reason why this is a life-saving tool is because when a baby’s movements changed, that could be a red flag, that there is something going wrong in pregnancy,” Price said.

In terms of stillbirth causes, one noteworthy cause is a lack of awareness.

“One of the most urgent public health issues in Missouri is the kind of unfavorable maternal and pregnancy related health outcomes that the state has experienced in recent years,” Dr. Nadim Kanafani, Healthy Blue’s medical director, said.

Count the Kicks is a nonprofit specifically focused on stillbirth prevention. According to the CDC, stillbirth is a national public health crisis. CDC Wonder data also shows that “nearly 30% of stillbirths can be prevented when expectant parents are informed on the importance of tracking their baby’s movements daily starting at 28 weeks.”

Maria Walsh is a Count the Kicks ambassador who lives in Kansas City with her husband and two children. Nine years ago, she was an expectant mother who gave birth to a stillborn son. 

“We went in to think that we were delivering our healthy baby boy, and he had passed,” Walsh said.

Walsh was a first-time mother when she gave birth to her stillborn son, Oliver. She said she believes Oliver would still be here if her doctor asked more open-ended questions during her pregnancy.

“When I said, ‘My movements changing,’ all they just said is, ‘Movement changes at the end. That’s normal.’ What we’re trying to get our providers to ask is, ‘Tell me about the movement.’ Make it a more open-ended question,” Walsh said.

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Walsh did not find out about Count the Kicks until seven years after Oliver passed, but she said she got involved as a way to honor her son.

“This was something that just kind of sang to my heart and just seemed right to me to become an ambassador for Missouri to help other families,” she said.

Walsh also said she wishes she knew about the app at the time because of the data it provides.

“I just really feel like it would have given me the power to show that things were not what they were supposed to be,” Walsh said.

According to Price, the issue of stillbirths is a crisis containing another crisis.

“Black women are two times at greater risk to lose their babies to stillbirth than white women,” Price said. “Asian Pacific Islander families are also at greater risk, and Hispanic families are also at greater risk of losing their babies to stillbirth.”

In addition to making the app available in 16 languages, Kanafani says that by collecting demographic data, Healthy Blue is able to further its mission beyond surface level expectations.

“I don’t think insurance anymore, especially in Medicaid, is just paying the bills,” he said. “It’s really, we need to transform how we do business.”

Since the app’s launch in 2015, it has been downloaded in over 140 countries and in all 50 states. According to Count the Kicks, over 215,000 expectant parents have downloaded the app to track their children’s movements.

With the new initiative, Count the Kicks hopes to save an average of 136 babies per year in Missouri.

“It might take a few more minutes, but it may be the difference,” Walsh said.

The app is available in the iOS and Google Play app stores.

Originally Appeared Here

When you visit or pass by the Springfield Art Museum, it’s hard to miss a large, bright yellow sculpture. It’s a piece called Sun Target II by sculptor John Henry.

The sculpture inspired the “Sun Target” dance by guest artist Ilana Goldman. She choreographed it for a group of Missouri State University dance majors and minors.

They performed it at the March American College Dance Association’s (ACDA) Central Conference at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. They’ll also show it off at MSU’s upcoming Spring Dance Concert: “Art in Motion.”

The dance was a hit with dance industry professionals.

They not only selected “Sun Target” as one of three dances to be performed at the conference’s gala performance, but also as an alternate for the national festival this summer.

“This is a major recognition for our dance program and our dance students,” said Sarah Wilcoxon, MSU associate professor of dance. “We’re so excited our recent growth as a program is being recognized at a national level.”

Several of the MSU dance students at the ACDA Central Conference (from left to right): Josie Anderson, Courtney Adamson, Kelsey Zimmerman, Hattie Geltemeyer, Aili McFall and Elease McFall.

The dancers include:

• Courtney Adamson from Springfield, Missouri (dance major).
• Josie Anderson from Wichita, Kansas (dance minor).
• Hattie Geltemeyer from Rogersville, Missouri (dance major).
• Taylor Hartman from O’Fallon, Missouri (dance major).
• Halle Lawson from Brighton, Missouri (dance minor).
• Aili McFall from Oronogo, Missouri (dance minor).
• Elease McFall from Oronogo, Missouri (dance minor).
• Kelsey Zimmerman from Springfield, Missouri (dance major).

Meaningful validation

Goldman, who has served as a conference adjudicator three times, said the concerts at the conference offer an opportunity for everyone to show what they can do. It’s a positive environment, but also very competitive.

“Only a few pieces get selected for the gala, so it means a lot if your piece is chosen. It’s not just the choreography that’s being evaluated, but also the performance of the dancers.”

Due to Goldman being from another state, the students had to learn and master the dance in a short time over fall break last year.

“It was a totally new experience because I was used to learning pieces over a while,” Zimmerman said.

“It was also a new style for me, but I ended up really enjoying it. It was the coolest experience to work with someone who absolutely knows what she’s doing and is so smart about the way she choreographs.”

Highlights of the dance

The dance, performed to jazz music by Dave Brubeck, reflects how Goldman interpreted and experienced the Sun Target sculpture – carefully structured, yet playful and whimsical.

“I created sections of the dance that are highly structured and organized, rhythmic and repetitive. And then there are sections of it that look free, improvisational and spontaneous,” Goldman said.

She notes some of her choreography is all her own material and highly structured. But she also asked the dancers to manipulate the movement, adding their own personalities and creativity.

“It was a collaborative process, so their creativity is part of it. Their voice is in there,” Goldman said.

For Adamson, she was both shocked and relieved when she heard of the dance’s selection for the gala.

“We’d put so much work into it and to be recognized was like icing on the cake. Getting the recognition made us proud,” she said.

A one-of-a-kind experience

The opportunity to attend and perform at the conference was an unforgettable experience for the students.

“The highlight was meeting all the other dancers and building community with them because they were so incredible,” Elease said.

“There was such a widespread variety of skills and specializations, and I gained exposure to dance styles I’ll probably never get to do again.”

A chance to enjoy “Sun Target”

Recently, Goldman returned to the MSU campus to work with the dancers again.

They’ll perform “Sun Target” at the Spring Dance Concert: “Art in Motion” May 4-6 and 7 in Coger Theatre.

Buy tickets

Originally Appeared Here

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office withdrew last week from a Cole County lawsuit accusing the Missouri State Highway Patrol of harassment and a “concerted campaign of threats” against companies that profit from video games offering cash prizes.

Bailey, who is seeking a full term in office in 2024, has in recent months accepted large campaign contributions from political action committees linked to Steve Tilley, lobbyist for the two companies that brought the lawsuit against the state — Torch Electronics and Warrenton Oil.

The highway patrol and the Department of Public Safety will now be represented by Scott Pool, a Jefferson City lawyer hired regularly when the attorney general’s office has a conflict of interest and cannot represent a state agency. Reached by telephone Monday, Pool confirmed he was hired because of a conflict but said he was not told the nature of the issue.

Pool is a former assistant attorney general. He will be paid the standard rate for outside counsel, but Bailey’s spokeswoman, Madeline Sieren, would not give an exact amount.

Pool was hired in 2021 to represent Gov. Mike Parson’s office and was paid $140 an hour. 

Sieren would not address the nature of the conflict that inspired the attorney general to withdraw from the case. 

“Our office followed our longstanding practice of retaining conflict counsel to avoid any appearance of impropriety,” Sieren said.

The only thing that has changed in the case since the lawsuit was filed in February 2021 is the occupant of the attorney general’s office. Bailey was inaugurated in early January, taking over from Eric Schmitt, who won election last year to the U.S. Senate.

Since 2014, the attorney general’s office has had a policy that it will not accept contributions from any company targeted for investigation. Schmitt returned contributions received in June 2021 from Torch owner Steven Miltenberger and his wife, Sondra Miltenberger, after criticism that, because of the ongoing litigation, they could be a conflict of interest.

In mid-April, Bailey reported raising $305,000 so far for his campaign committee, including $14,125 in contributions from five political action committees linked to Tilley. 

Liberty and Justice PAC, which is supporting Bailey’s bid for a full term through independent spending, has raised $644,000, including $25,000 from those same Tilley-linked PACs and $1,000 directly from Warrenton Oil.

The five PACs – Mo Majority, Missouri Senior, Missouri AG, Missouri C and Missouri Growth – accepted $961,665 during the 2021-22 election cycle, with Torch providing $361,665 and Warrenton Oil pitching in $140,000, or a combined 56% of the total.

Torch Electronics, founded in 2015, has placed thousands of its video games in convenience stores, truck stops and other locations across the state. Warrenton Oil, which operates more than 50 convenience stores, has Torch machines in many of its locations.

Starting in 2019, the patrol began a focused enforcement effort on the belief that the machines violate state gambling laws. In 2019 and 2020, the patrol sent more than 200 cases to local prosecutors alleging violations of state gambling laws.

Few criminal cases have been filed, however, and the Cole County lawsuit seeks to quash any future investigations. Torch argues through attorney Chuck Hatfield that its machines are legal.

Under current state law, a game is considered to be gambling if the player risks something of value on a contest of chance or event outside of their control with the expectation of receiving something of value “in the event of a certain outcome.”

Lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully for several years to revise the statute so there is no doubt the games are illegal. The change has been blocked as the legislature has been unable to reach agreement on other gambling issues, including sports betting and authorizing video lottery terminals.

That is a strong argument in Torch’s favor, Hatfield said in an interview with The Independent.

“The fact that the legislature has considered bills to clarify the law tells you that the law does not clearly define what is and is not gambling,” Hatfield said. “If the legislature wants to outlaw these machines, they have the right to do that.”

Torch contends its machines are legal because a player can learn the outcome of any particular game, with any particular wage amount, before risking their money. There is also no chance in any particular outcome, Hatfield wrote in a 2021 court filing.

“Torch amusement devices do not have a metered randomizer or any other random number generator,” Hatfield wrote. “All outcomes on Torch’s amusement devices are pre-determined, finite, and in sequential order. These pre-determined outcomes cannot be altered.”

While Schmitt was in office, the attorney general accused Torch of improperly seeking to delay criminal investigations through the lawsuit.

The only way to truly determine if the games are illegal is through a criminal prosecution, not a lawsuit to block prosecution, Schmitt’s office wrote.

“Plaintiffs cannot seek equitable relief because they have unclean hands,” assistant attorney general Ross Kaplan wrote in a 2021 filing. “In choosing to conduct a criminal enterprise, despite knowledge of the criminal laws of the state, plaintiffs have subjected themselves to the criminal justice system of the state.”

The lawsuit in Cole County is not the only venue where Torch has gone to court to block prosecutions. In Linn County, Torch sued the local prosecutor after being charged with a felony; both cases were dropped earlier this year after a new prosecutor was elected. 

In Greene County, a lawsuit to prevent prosecution was filed after a raid where Torch machines were seized. That case has been dismissed.

Torch itself is being sued in federal court in a case that accuses the company of federal racketeering and state consumer protection law violations. The federal case also names two convenience store companies – Mally Inc. and Warrenton Oil Company – and three individuals as defendants.

The Cole County case is scheduled for a trial beginning July 31. Both Pool and Hatfield said the change of attorneys should not delay the case.

Originally Appeared Here

In their final regular-season home game of the year, the Missouri Southern Lions fell victim to the long ball in an 11-8 loss to the Northeastern State University Riverhawks on Sunday at Warren Turner Field in Joplin. The loss ended an eight-game win streak for the No. 17 Lions (36-11, 23-7) and dropped them to No. 2 behind Central Missouri (33-12, 24-6) in the MIAA standings.

Southern pitching gave up four homers on the day, including two home runs in back-to-back plate appearances by Isaiah Keller in the seventh and ninth innings.

“We can’t give up those runs at the end,” MSSU head coach Bryce Darnell said. “We gave up three home runs after we took the lead. We used a lot of energy coming back to take the lead, but we have to be better on the mound after we take a lead.”

The Riverhawks, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, broke out to a 1-0 first-inning lead off an RBI single by Blake Freeman that plated Brayden Rodden. The Lions tied it up at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning off a Matt Miller bomb to right field.

Northeastern State reclaimed the lead in the following frame, when a Coby Tweten triple sent C.D. White across the plate. Ty Van Meter made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Tweten. A Brady Evans’ single to right center field scored Freeman and the Riverhawks extended their lead to 4-1. A Kademon Graff sacrifice fly to center brought in Kaiser and expanded NSU’s lead to 5-1.

A three-run fourth inning for the Lions brought them to within a run at 5-4. Treghan Parker’s two-run double plated Nate Mieszkowski and Chayton Beck, before Parker was brought home with a Henry Kusiak single.

Van Meter increased the Riverhawks lead to 6-4 off a lead-off home run to left in the top of the fifth and the Lions went into the bottom of the fifth inning down by 2 runs. MSSU hung four on the Riverhawks in their half of the inning and captured its first lead of the game. The Lions’ fifth run of the game came off a Will Doherty sacrifice fly that scored Ethan Clark, who reached base earlier on a single up the middle.

A Mieszkowski 2-run double brought Drew Davis and Ryan Doran home and gave the Lions an 8-6 advantage and brought Cole White to the mound in relief of Riverhawks’ starter Bryan Paxton, who closed out the inning with Lions on all bases.

Neither team scored in a sixth inning that saw NSU strand two runners and Southern strand three for the second time in as many innings.

Southern surrendered its 2-run lead in the top of the seventh off a 2-run jack by Graff that plated Evans, who reached earlier on a single. After Trent Harris replaced reliever Laif Hultine on the mound, he gave up a Keller home run that put NSU up 9-8.

Neither team scored in the eight inning, but Keller hit a 2-run homer in the top of the ninth that drove in Graff. The Lions had no answer in their half of the inning and fell 11-8.

Mieszkowski (1 for 5) and Parker (1 for 1) each logged two RBIs for the Lions; Miller went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Keller and Graff each recorded 3 RBIs for NSU. Keller went 2 for 5 with two home runs and Graff was 2 for 4 at the plate.

Southern wraps up its regular season at Missouri Western (10-20) with a three-game set beginning Friday. Central Missouri closes out its regular season against visiting Fort Hays State (10-20).

Originally Appeared Here

Activities ranged from tree scavenger hunts, animal identification stations, pine cone bird feeder craft stations and tree giveaways.

FULTON – Families came out to Veterans Park in Fulton to celebrate Arbor Day early on Saturday. The Fulton Garden Club and Fulton Stream Team partnered to make the event possible.

Arbor Day is a day that encourages people to plant trees. This year, it will be observed on Friday, April 28, according to a tree planting non-profit’s website.

Activities at Saturday’s event ranged from tree scavenger hunts, animal identification stations, pine cone bird feeder craft stations and tree giveaways.

Fulton’s mayor, Steve Myers, attended to give a proclamation on Arbor Day and presented awards for the winner of the Arbor Day drawing contest. 

The drawing contest tasked children to create a design that they submitted to the city of what they pictured Arbor Day to be. Over 100 kids participated. The winner, Shyanne Renner, was beyond surprised by her results. 

“I like drawing and I wanted to see if I’d win because I never won a contest before and it was just fun to try,” Shyanne said. 

Shyanne said her inspiration for her design was trying to capture different aspects of nature. 

“I thought half of the drawing would be like a sun setting and the other half would be when the sun rises because that’s when nature looks really beautiful,” Shyanne said. 

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Outside of the contest, Shyanne said she enjoyed going to the different learning stations and having fun. 

Learning how fun nature can be and just being outside was the biggest objective for Fulton Garden Club Corresponding Secretary Connie Willenburg. 

“There’s so much stress in the world, and playing in the dirt is the easiest, cheapest and most fun stress reliever ever,” Willenburg said.” I think if more kids knew that they would get out and enjoy it more.” 

Willenburg also volunteers with South Callaway Elementary School to help assist the junior gardening club. She meets with students like Shyanne and teaches them about different plants and how to grow their own. 

“We’ve planted seeds in milk jugs and those seeds have sprouted. We’re going to transport them and the kids will take them home for the summer and play with them, nurture them and bring them back in the fall to plant around the school,” Willenburg said. 

Willenburg also emphasized the importance of not just recognizing Arbor day, but also taking action.

“Trees are amazing at cleaning up the atmosphere and cleaning air pollution. That’s the cheapest, fastest, easiest thing we can do. Plant trees, plant flowers, teach our kids to enjoy being outside,” Willenburg said. 

For kids like Shyanne, she said that this event was more than just about winning a contest. 

“I learned that there are all kinds of nature, and there are beautiful parts of all of it,” Shyanne said.

Originally Appeared Here