Mid-Missouri

A health care provider in Columbia is feeling the financial impacts of Change Healthcare’s recent data breach as it struggles to get reimbursed for its patient services.

Change Healthcare, a property of UnitedHealth Group, announced 10 days ago that it was hacked by ransomware group ALPHV, more commonly known as Blackcat. 

Change Healthcare operates a digital clearinghouse, which allows health care groups to virtually file insurance claims. The group then helps connect providers with insurance companies to get reimbursed for their services. 

According to Change Healthcare’s update on March 2, the organization is still working to address the cyberattack. It has enlisted the help of law enforcement, as well as third-party consultants to find a solution. 

In the meantime, the breach is impacting the more than 6,000 hospitals and one million physicians who work with Change Healthcare, including The Bluffs. 

Located in Columbia, the nonprofit health center currently provides care to 118 people. According to The Bluffs finance director Julia Fairchild, the organization serves as a rehab center for some, while many other seniors use the facility for long-term care. 

“[We serve] people who are in lower income brackets that cannot necessarily afford care like this,” Fairchild said. “Over half of our residents are Medicaid or VA contracts, so we really take care of people who wouldn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Fairchild said The Bluffs hasn’t been able to bill claims for any of its insurance claims the way it normally would, spanning back to the past month. 

“I’m sitting on all of my February claims right now,” Fairchild said. “I will be able to bill for some of them using a workaround, but the impact is major. It’s an entire payroll at least of claims that I’m unable to get reimbursed the way that I usually do.”

According to Fairchild, getting these reimbursements in a timely manner is crucial to the nonprofit’s ability to pay for the cost of care, specifically in how it pays employees.

“Our cash flow is very important to making sure that we can continue to pay our employees to provide the care that the people who live here really need,” Fairchild said.

While The Bluffs has enough finances stored to pay its employees in the short term, Fairchild said the issue must be addressed. 

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“I mean we are still in the very short window of how this is going to affect us long-term, but if the problem isn’t resolved long-term, we will not be able to continue operations as normal,” Fairchild said. 

Amanda Thompson has worked at The Bluffs for a year, clocking about 40 hours per week. 

“I make sure they get up for their daily activities, just dress and change and feed them, just making sure that they’re happy and you know, have a great day,” Thompson said.

According to Thompson, if health care groups like The Bluffs are unable to get reimbursed and therefore may be forced to change how they pay employees, it could have a great impact on the industry as a whole. 

Thompson said the care The Bluffs provides is life-changing for some patients. 

“We’re the family that’s there when their family isn’t. We just take care of them when their family can’t,” Thompson said. “I mean, we’re important to them and they’re important to us. We’re their family.”

Moving forward, Fairchild said one industry-wide solution would be to have a more diversified market of clearinghouses for providers to use.

“If and when this happens again, because that’s the age that we’re living in, that’s a solution that doesn’t bring the health care industry to a screeching halt,” Fairchild said. “There’s people who can’t bill pharmacies. Prescriptions aren’t being filled, procedures are being stopped – all because there was a cyberattack on one group.”

Fairchild said The Bluffs hasn’t heard anything from Change Healthcare or UnitedHealth Group specifically, but the facility has been in contact with the software group it uses. Fairchild said the software group is actively working on using a different clearinghouse in the future or having a backup clearinghouse moving forward. 

She said The Bluffs will continue to find solutions to ensure it continues to make payroll. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also announced a list of guidelines Wednesday that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is currently following to help providers file claims during this time. 

Originally Appeared Here

By Tim O’Neil

Missouri Gov. Claiborne Fox Jackson, a slaveholding planter from near Arrow Rock in west-central Missouri, who took office on Jan. 3, 1861. He wanted to state to join the Confederate States of America, and hoped the convention would help things along. Federal troops chased him from Jefferson City on June 14, 1861, after war began, and he took part in a rump assembly of pro-Southern legislators in Neosho, Mo., that voted to seceed on Oct. 30-31. They soon fled the state. He died near Little Rock, Ark., in 1862. (Missouri History Museum)

Missouri History Museum

ST. LOUIS • Two large American flags flanked the image of an eagle, its fiery eyes fixed on the assembly floor below. From its bill flowed a banner with the words, “Union Forever.”

But sentiment was anything but unanimous among the men gathered for the special State Convention at the St. Louis Mercantile Library on March 4, 1861. Gov. Claiborne Fox Jackson and fellow secessionists in the Legislature hoped the convention would push Missouri into the budding Confederate States of America.

The 99 delegates had been chosen in a hastily called statewide election. After one day in Jefferson City, they moved to the spacious private library, at 510 Locust Street, because of the better taverns and hotels nearby. Unionists hoped some of the city’s anti-secession feelings, symbolized by the eagle, might sway the delegates.

Jackson, a slaveholding planter from central Missouri, made his view plain by urging Missouri to “stand by the South.” Opposing him was U.S. Rep. Francis Blair Jr., President Abraham Lincoln’s point man in St. Louis. Blair’s newspaper, the Missouri Democrat, warned delegates: “The slave interest claims to dominate the state. Shall it do so?”

Across Missouri, only the city went for Lincoln in the November election. But Jackson’s scheming was complicated by widespread sympathy for saving the Union, even among slaveholders. Most of the convention delegates owned slaves, but only a few favored secession.

Delegates chose Sterling Price, a former governor and future Confederate general, as their chairman. They picked Hamilton Gamble, a St. Louis lawyer and future Union provisional governor, to lead its key Committee on Federal Relations. The choices portrayed Border State ambivalence.

The majority sought a hopeless middle ground. With Missouri flanked on three sides by free states, many considered secession suicidal. John Henderson of Pike County warned of mass flight by slaves that “will prove to be our destruction.” But John Redd of Marion County, arguing that the Union “cannot be pinned together by bayonets,” urged secession if bullets were to fly.

On March 9, Gamble’s committee declared “no adequate cause” for secession – but also opposed using federal troops to “coerce” seceding states. Ten days of debate were followed by overwhelming votes in favor of the creaky compromise. A much narrower 54-39 vote added an amendment urging Lincoln to abandon Fort Sumter at Charleston, S.C.

Jackson was thwarted, but events quickly overwhelmed the convention’s yearning for compromise. Sumter was bombarded on April 12. Jackson mustered the state militia to keep an eye on St. Louis, but Union Capt. Nathaniel Lyon captured its camp on May 10. Later that day, 28 civilians and seven soldiers died in gunfire on Olive Street between Lyon’s troops and Southern sympathizers.

Read more stories from Tim O’Neil’s Look Back series.

Originally Appeared Here

As technology continues to reshape educational environments, the University of Central Missouri (UCM) takes a leap forward with its campus-wide electronic access project, integrating the Mobile Mule Card for seamless keyless entry. The initiative, launched in the fall of 2022, signifies a major step towards bolstering campus security and promoting a healthier, more accessible learning atmosphere. Funded by the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding (HEERF), this project aims to revolutionize the way students and staff access university facilities.

Project Overview and Implementation

Authorized by the Board of Governors in April 2022, the university embarked on this ambitious project with a $2.7 million contract with Integrated Opening Solutions, based in Olathe, Kansas. The contract encompasses the provision of labor, materials, and equipment necessary for upgrading building access security and implementing touchless entry solutions across 45 buildings, covering 601 interior and exterior doors. This comprehensive system allows doors to be unlocked electronically via a key fob or a smartphone, leveraging UCM digital identification credentials. The move not only reduces the logistical burden of key distribution but also aligns with health recommendations by minimizing physical contact at entry points.

Phase Progression and Access Control

Under the supervision of Mike Papasifakis, the initial phase involved installing the necessary hardware to enable electronic door openings. The university is now in the maintenance and warranty phase, ensuring the infrastructure’s optimal performance. Concurrently, Public Safety personnel are undergoing training on the new Access It! software, a sophisticated tool for managing access, integrated with the university’s Banner system. This integration is crucial for defining access levels for employees and students, tailored to their specific roles and needs on campus. For instance, art and music students require after-hours access to studios and practice rooms, a flexibility facilitated by this new system.

Towards a Mobile Future

While key fobs were initially distributed to grant necessary building access, the focus is now shifting towards the Mobile Mule Card. This digital solution allows for entry with just a smartphone, enhancing convenience and security. Available through the UCM Campus Card Center, the Mobile Mule Card is not only instrumental for building access but also serves as a digital wallet for on and around campus transactions. This includes making purchases at dining facilities, the UCM Store, accessing the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, and enjoying free entry to sporting events and campus programs. Instructions for transitioning to the Mobile Mule Card are readily available on the center’s website, facilitating a smooth adoption process for the university community.

This keyless entry project at the University of Central Missouri represents a significant technological advancement in creating a secure, efficient, and health-conscious campus environment. As UCM moves closer to fully integrating the Mobile Mule Card into daily campus life, it sets a new standard for educational institutions aiming to harness technology for enhanced safety and convenience. This initiative not only exemplifies the university’s commitment to innovation but also its dedication to providing a supportive and accessible learning environment for all.

Originally Appeared Here

Donald Trump supporters turned out in force Saturday to give the former president a decisive win in Missouri’s first Republican caucus since 2012.

In Boone County, 263 voters arrived to caucus at the Family Worship Center on Bonne Femme Church Road. Of the attendees, 219 caucused for Trump and 37 caucused for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

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Tom Mendenhall speaks in support of Donald Trump on Saturday at Family Worship Center in Boone County. Mendenhall said he is a long-time supporter of Trump.

Elena Fu/Missourian

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Seth Christensen speaks in support of candidate Nikki Haley on Saturday at the Family Worship Center in Boone County. “I wasn’t planning on doing this, but it didn’t seem like anyone else was willing to get up,” Christensen said. “I feel like somebody should speak up.”

Elena Fu/Missourian

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Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch, R-Hallsville, writes down voters’ districts Saturday at the Family Worship Center in Boone County. Votes from different districts were counted separately.

Elena Fu/Missourian

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A voter raises their hand to volunteer counting votes Saturday at Family Worship Center in Boone County. Donald Trump has won Missouri’s first caucus since 2012. 

Elena Fu/Missourian

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Sara Walsh, right, counts the votes with Tom Mendenhall, middle, and Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch, R-Hallsville, on Saturday at Family Worship Center in Boone County. Donald Trump received all 20 of Boone County’s delegates.

Elena Fu/Missourian

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Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Central Missouri Humane Society is still not able to take in new dogs after diagnosing another case of canine pneumovirus last week.

Canine pneumovirus is a highly contagious virus among dogs, similar to a cold among humans, according to Amie Burling with the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. She said it’s not transmissable to humans or cats, and most dogs only take a few days to recover.

“It can spread very quickly among dogs, especially when a lot of dogs are in a small area together, like at the shelter,” Burling said.

The College of Veterinary Medicine provides veterinary care to CMHS, and diagnoses and treats dogs with the illness. The shelter has been battling the virus since this summer, and CMHS Associate Director Michelle Casey said the almost 50-year-old building that houses the shelter isn’t helping the problem, either.

“Unfortunately, in our current building, we don’t have a dedicated isolation area, so there’s really no good way to separate the healthy population from the sick population,” Casey said. “So, that has caused some issues and has definitely contributed to the pneumovirus hanging around a little longer than we hoped it would.”

Casey said they have outgrown their space and there is no room around their current building to expand. But on top of this, the current shelter is a safety hazard with black mold and asbestos.

A hole in the ceiling at the Central Missouri Humane Society.
Photo [courtesy CMHS]

“The walls are crumbling, the ceiling’s caving in,” Casey said. “This summer, we had the ceiling cave in two times, and one of the times it went all the way through the roof.”

She said there are multiple sites being looked at for the potential new location, and they have been told it will cost between $8 million-$10 million to complete.

A rendering of the new shelter. [Photo courtesy CMHS]

She said the shelter is currently looking to large donors in the community, and once they have received more funds, they will then open up fundraising to the general public. She said the shelter welcomes anyone looking to come view the state of the building.

“We’re to the point where at some point in the near future, it’s not going to be usable,” Casey said. “So, we’re hoping that we can raise these funds and get these large donations in as soon as possible so that we can start construction and hopefully break ground next year.”

The shelter contracts with the City of Columbia to give them cage space for the city’s Animal Control, and Casey said they hope the city will help with funding, as well.

Casey said there are currently 44 dogs at the shelter, and another 13 being fostered. The shelter won’t take new dogs until they have gone two weeks without a new diagnosis of the virus.

Signs of canine pneumovirus include coughing, runny nose, fever and low appetite. Brumley said pet owners don’t have to be too concerned, but should call their veterinarian and keep their dog away from other dogs, if they notice their pet experiencing any symptoms.

Originally Appeared Here

“Girls State,” a film that follows a group of Missouri high school girls as they build a government from the ground up, is this year’s Show Me True/False title for the ongoing True/False Film Fest.

The film will show at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Fest, with its co-directors, Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, holding an extended in-person Q&A at Jesse Auditorium at the University of Missouri after the screening. The film will show again at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Missouri Theatre.

The film, which takes place at Lindenwood University in the St. Louis suburbs, follows the directors’ prior documentary, “Boys State,” with both films breaking down the electoral process at the Girls State and Boys State events. The films follow the campaign of governor candidates and their goals when trying to win a general election.

“One of the joys of making the film … we get to see what works and what doesn’t work,” Moss said. “What are the messages that work? And I think it relates to how politics work, the bigger picture and what we see in presidential campaigns.”

Moss said Girls State and Boys State programs “help us understand what our political future is through the eyes of young people.” Girls State and Boys State are immersive leadership programs for high schoolers that focus on the mechanics of American government where participants organize a mock government. 

“Civil discourse is one of the core values of the program Girls State and Boys State, and I think it’s a question we’re asking ourselves: Is it even possible for adults, for young people to have civil discourse across their political differences?”

The film sees friendships being formed across party lines. The directors emphasized that these are not naive kids; they’re very sophisticated.

“(They show us) that this young generation is doing something differently than this older generation,” Moss said. “These young women, they are civil … their compacity to open themselves up to people with different perspectives.”

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Both films allowed directors to connect with kids who are passionate about government, McBaine said.

“At 17 … having them learn by doing, by creating this fake government themselves, really understand the mechanics of it, and also their capability within that system that then translates into becoming 18 and getting the right to vote,” McBaine said. 

Since both the Boys and Girls State programs happened simultaneously, disparities in the treatment of cohorts and issues of gender equality arose.

“We noticed in filming ‘Girls State’ every program is run differently, but it was a startling first couple of days at Girls State … there was no politics, it seemed, and we are following kids who are very passionate about certain issues, certain policy issues, and they wanted to get into it,” McBaine said.

“The film provokes questions about disparities,” Moss said. “One of the big underlying questions of the film, too, is why are women not more equally represented in positions of political leadership in our country?”

These are questions girls in the film are asking.

“I think we see some answers in the film, and we see women who are determined to break that glass ceiling,” Moss said.

You can purchase tickets for True/False online, at the box office and in line.

Originally Appeared Here

MID-MISSOURI – Organized youth sports are on the decline in many communities across the country. According to Forbes, in 2022, kids played fewer team sports than in the previous four years including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KRCG met with those involved in youth sports in the mid-Missouri area to find out what factors are driving kids out of sports and how we can better encourage our athletes. And what they think is driving the decline as well as the important lessons taught through sports.

According to Business Insider, 45% of US children aged 6 through 12 played a team sport in 2008.

That number dropped to just 37% in 2021.

Steve Schellman, senior program manager for youth sports for Jefferson City Parks and Rec, says one of the most important aspects of youth sports that is often overlooked is the lessons participants can take away from the experience.

“They learn a lot of life skills like hard work, teamwork, perseverance, dedication, goal setting.” He added, “I think it’s concerning for everybody in the community. Youth sports have a lot of valuable things to offer. There’s a lot of health benefits, physical health, mental health, mental well-being.”

Ross Whelan, owner of Skyhawks Sports Academy Mid-Missouri in Columbia, says he agrees with Schellman. But he says burnout is a real thing and is hurting overall participation numbers.

“I think maybe the number one factor would be the competitiveness that not only the coaches, but maybe even the parents or guardians, put on their kids at a young age.”

Schellman says parents should remember to let their kids enjoy the experience of playing sports, especially at a young age.

“You know we just need to remind ourselves to relax. Let your kids have fun, that’s why they play. Don’t try to live vicariously through your kid through their sports experience.”

Schellman adds the best thing you can tell your young athlete after a game is that you love to watch them play.

Encouragement from parents has a far-lasting impact rather Whelan says.

“You know, instead of yelling at the ref, or the coach, or those kinds of things and being negative, I would say bringing that positive attitude towards the game.”

While also encouraging parents to make sure their young athletes are striking a balance.

“Let’s call it 12-15 hours a week, if you if you want to really see your skills improve. I think you have to be careful with that because kids can get burned out. We think of them as not getting burned OUT. But, if they are not having fun doing what they are doing it becomes even easier for them to say, you know, I don’t want to do this anymore.”

And in the end, all agree it is best to let kids enjoy the experience.

Schellman says “Well just making sure it’s always about the kids, you know, making sure they are always having fun.” Ross adds, “You know positivity and then the same thing with, you know being an overbearing parent you know, positivity can go such a long way in helping the kid, create confidence to want to go out and work on the things that they need to work on.”

If you are looking to get your younger athlete involved in youth sports this spring and summer CLICK HERE for Jefferson City Parks and Rec opportunities. CLICK HERE for Skyhawk Sports Academy mid-Missouri Columbia opportunities. CLICK HERE for Columbia Parks and Rec opportunities.

Originally Appeared Here

As the number of senior citizens continues to grow, groups in Columbia and beyond are focusing on combating rising food insecurity among those 60 and older. 

Recent data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) shows about 114,216 Missourians aged 60 or older did not have consistent access to food for their household in 2021. Studies indicate that this number has only continued to increase, as price indexes show food prices in May 2023 were 6.7% higher than in May 2022. 

According to Teri Walden, executive director at Meals on Wheels Columbia, this same trend has been illustrated in Columbia. 

“Last year we served 47,000 meals,” Walden said. “We had 60 more clients than we had the year before. So, yeah it was kind of a rapid growth.”

Meals on Wheels Columbia delivers hot, nutritious meals to seniors in Columbia Monday through Friday. Recipients also have the option to receive frozen meals for the weekend. 

As the number of senior citizens continues to grow, groups in Columbia and beyond are focusing on combating rising food insecurity among those 60 and older. 

Recent data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) shows about 114,216 Missourians aged 60 or older did not have consistent access to food for their household in 2021. Studies indicate that this number has only continued to increase, as price indexes show food prices in May 2023 were 6.7% higher than in May 2022. 

According to Teri Walden, executive director at Meals on Wheels Columbia, this same trend has been illustrated in Columbia. 

“Last year we served 47,000 meals,” Walden said. “We had 60 more clients than we had the year before. So, yeah it was kind of a rapid growth.”

Meals on Wheels Columbia delivers hot, nutritious meals to seniors in Columbia Monday through Friday. Recipients also have the option to receive frozen meals for the weekend. 

In an effort to help address this issue, Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order in January 2023 that established Missouri’s Master Plan on Aging. The plan aims to support seniors by focusing on several key areas in addition to food insecurity, including daily life and employment, family caregivers, housing and aging in place, long-term services and support, safety and security, transportation and mobility, and whole person health.

Community members have the chance to share their thoughts on how the plan can improve and expand at various meetings across the state over the next month, hosted by DHSS.

People in Jefferson City had an opportunity to voice their feedback at the state’s first meeting on Monday at Aging Best. According to Rebecca Nowlin, CEO of Aging Best, a significant area of concern is senior food insecurity. 

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“The need for food and nutrition is a huge problem and getting bigger everyday,” Nowlin said. “There’s so many people who are so very close to being in real trouble and not having nutritious food.”

According to the Administration for Community Living, the number of people over age 60 is growing, while the number of people under 60 is shrinking. By 2030, about 25% of Missouri’s population will be over the age of 60. 

Volunteers at Meals on Wheels Columbia said they see a need for their services continue to grow exponentially. Fred McCabe, who has been helping deliver meals for the past two years, said it is a very rewarding experience. 

“Making sure people are okay and delivering a warm and nutritious meal makes you feel good, and makes them feel good,” McCabe said. 

Volunteer opportunities and links to donate are available on Meals on Wheels’ website.

o help address this issue, Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order in January 2023 that established Missouri’s Master Plan on Aging. The plan aims to support seniors by focusing on several key areas in addition to food insecurity, including daily life and employment, family caregivers, housing and aging in place, long-term services and support, safety and security, transportation and mobility, and whole person health.

Community members have the chance to share their thoughts on how the plan can improve and expand at various meetings across the state over the next month, hosted by DHSS.

People in Jefferson City had an opportunity to voice their feedback at the state’s first meeting on Monday at Aging Best. According to Rebecca Nowlin, CEO of Aging Best, a significant area of concern is senior food insecurity. 

“The need for food and nutrition is a huge problem and getting bigger every day,” Nowlin said. “There’s so many people who are so very close to being in real trouble and not having nutritious food.”

According to the Administration for Community Living, the number of people over age 60 is growing, while the number of people under 60 is shrinking. By 2030, about 25% of Missouri’s population will be over the age of 60. 

Volunteers at Meals on Wheels Columbia said they see a need for their services to continue to grow exponentially. Fred McCabe, who has been helping deliver meals for the past two years, said it is a very rewarding experience. 

“Making sure people are okay and delivering a warm and nutritious meal makes you feel good, and makes them feel good,” McCabe said. 

Volunteer opportunities and links to donate are available on Meals on Wheels website.

Originally Appeared Here

JEFFERSON CITY — As Missouri continues to navigate school personnel shortages, some lawmakers believe districts should be able to expand the usage of retired school employees during critical staffing shortages.

Schools across Missouri are finding ways to increase employee retention. As of 2024, 168 school districts across the state have shifted to a four-day school week. According to previous reporting, some of these districts do this to gain a competitive edge against surrounding districts. 

Last year, Missouri passed a bill allowing the rehiring of retired public school teachers full-time for four years if in a critical shortage, in hopes of easing teaching shortages. Schools, however, are limited to rehiring less than 10% of non-certified staff, or five people in total.

In 2024, around 9% of public school courses in Missouri are taught by non-certified teachers, adding around 2,000 non-certified teachers on top of 2023’s numbers, according to data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 

What the bill forgot, according to Rep. Aaron Crossley, D-Independence, are the other essential personnel still facing a shortage in Missouri schools.

House Bill 1722, sponsored by Crossley, allows the rehiring of non-certified school employees to cover said shortages. It also changes the amount of rehires to 1% of the total of certified teachers and non-certified staff.

At a committee hearing Tuesday, representatives from the Missouri State Teachers Association and Missouri Retired Teachers Association testified in support of the bill. No one at the hearing testified against it. 

“Education is a team effort,” Crossley said. “Often people think of just funding teachers, which is really important, but we also need to make sure that we’re funding our non-certified staff.”

Crossley said the bill not only allows schools to fill much-needed positions but can also lighten the workload of certified teachers and staff. This means rehired employees could fill many different empty jobs.

“Our paraprofessionals, people that are taking care of kids with disabilities, people that are driving our kids to school every day on school buses,” Crossley said. “When a school district has a critical shortage of staff … they can fill those with seasoned, retired professionals.”

Crossley added how the bill gives retired teachers or employees the chance to earn extra money without risking their pension in the process. 

“If they were to be rehired in a school district that hadn’t declared a critical shortage, they would lose their pension,” Crossley said. “This way they can go in, make more money, the school district has that position covered, and their pension is not affected.”  

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While this is a solution to staffing shortages across the state, Crossley noted how it’s a temporary one, giving schools someone to fill the slot as they look for a permanent employee. 

“Teachers, non-certified staff that are hired under a critical shortage can only be there for a certain amount of months,” Crossley said. “It’s not a forever kind of job. It’s really a temporary fix to a problem we will hopefully continue to address.”

In Crossley’s hometown, Lance Stout, deputy superintendent of operations for the Independence School District, has the current maximum of retired teachers hired.

“They fill positions for us that we were not able to fill,” Stout said. “It’s been a pretty seamless process, honestly.”

Staffing shortages hit Independence especially hard last year, Stout said. Last year’s law allowed the district to fill as many holes as they could. This year, he says he hopes this bill will allow him to cover positions the school needs, but can’t fill. 

“Lots of vacancies every day, we didn’t have bus drivers come in, we just had a shortage,” Stout said. “That left our director, it left our mechanics, it left dispatchers having to leave their regular jobs to go drive buses.”

This year, Stout said the district is still feeling the pressure. 

“We started with 10 open routes,” Stout said. “As of Monday, we have four.”

The lack of drivers available causes delays in getting to school, with Stout mentioning how the district sometimes had to start classes late. 

“If we could bring in some retired bus drivers, they know routes,” Stout said. “That’s a huge learning curve.”

Stout said he’s hopeful the bill will pass through committee and eventually become law.

“This would allow us to hire up to 24 [rehired employees],” Stout said. “We’re very excited about that opportunity and we’ll take full advantage of it.”

Originally Appeared Here

JEFFERSON CITY — A proposal to repeal the University of Missouri’s exclusive privilege as the only public higher education institution in the state to confer doctoral degrees, including in medicine and engineering, got a hearing before a Senate committee on Wednesday.

“Essentially what this bill does,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, “is restore the ability for the Coordinating Board for Higher Education … to allow needed degrees to be conferred by any institution in the state of higher education.”

The language of SB 749 specifically reads that it would remove provisions making the University of Missouri the state’s only public university to grant research-doctorates and first-professional degrees, such as medicine and law.

Thomas Strong, a retired lawyer who spoke in favor of the bill during witness testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children, said it would benefit students all over Missouri, mainly those who don’t want to or can’t afford to attend Mizzou.

“We’re losing those students who go to other states, get their education there and remain there to practice their trade or profession,” Strong said. “We need to have a system of higher education in Missouri that benefits all students in all parts of the state.”

Strong noted that smaller universities in other states, such as Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Emporia State University in Kansas, with less than 5,000 students each, offer doctorates.

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Both Hough and Strong emphasized that the bill’s intention is not to be anti-MU and is aimed at allowing students across the state uninterested or unable to attend MU an opportunity to have a public education in Missouri. Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder, R-Sikeston, made favorable comments on the bill in how it could impact southeast Missouri.

“When you take the geography into account, this bill could really help the disparity in southeast Missouri across the rest of the state,” Thompson Rehder said.

Opposing the bill during testimony was Dustin Schnieders, the government liaison for the University of Missouri system. He noted that the current statute requires universities to seek partnerships to offer such degrees, which the UM system has taken part in, and that the bill would end up only driving up costs.

“The existing model has proven worthy by addressing critical needs and offering students many options all while maintaining fiscal responsibilities to both students and Missouri taxpayers,” Schnieders said. “This model should be replicated and not walked away from.”

Afterward, Strong said the partnership programs Schnieders mentioned are handled by the UM system.

“It’s MU’s program and they call the shots,” Strong said. “They are taking advantage of another university’s faculty, location, equipment, staff … it doesn’t work for most non-MU universities in the state.”

Originally Appeared Here