Briefs
Missouri records sixth consecutive day of more than 2,000 COVID-19 cases
Election Day arrived in Missouri with new peaks for COVID-19 hospitalizations and positivity rates, and some large jurisdictions extending pandemic restrictions or considering tighter rules. The Department of Health and Senior Services reported 2,238 new COVID-19 infections Tuesday, the sixth consecutive day of more than 2,000 cases and the seventh day of the past 10 […]
Six Missouri Democrats on Biden list of top fundraisers
St. Louis politicos with decades of experience and a Kansas City businesswoman who deals in luxury home furnishings are among the top Missouri fundraisers for former Vice President Joe Biden’s general election campaign. Biden posted the list of hundreds of people who helped raise $100,000 or more for his campaign and “affiliated fundraising joint committees” […]
First Missouri child to die of COVID-19 is middle school student
A middle school student from Washington, Mo., is the first child in the state to die of COVID-19. Peyton Baumgarth, an eighth grader, died over the weekend, the School District of Washington told parents in a letter sent Sunday, KSDK television in St. Louis reported. Prior to the death of Baumgarth, no person under 18 […]
Missouri COVID cases peaking at end of worst month for cases, reported deaths
A late Thursday report with a record 3,061 new COVID-19 cases was followed Friday by the second-highest single day total as Missouri nears the end of the worst month of the coronavirus pandemic for new cases and reported deaths. Hospitalizations are at a peak and rising, with St. Louis leaders reporting a “heartbreaking” new high […]
Missouri governor campaign spending down from 2016 — so far
The first campaign for governor under the contribution limits imposed by voters in 2016 is less expensive than it was four years ago, but following the money requires additional steps to determine the original source of the dollars. Through Wednesday, the official campaign committees of incumbent Republican Gov. Mike Parson and his Democratic challenger, State […]
Missouri DOC, Corizon agree to spend $50 million to treat inmates with hepatitis C
Michael Postawko’s attorneys say he contracted hepatitis C at the Jefferson City Correctional Center in 2012. At first, he didn’t have any symptoms. But then two years later, he began experiencing chronic fatigue, fever and abdominal pain. While the prison medical staff provided him medication for his symptoms, they didn’t treat him for the virus, […]
More than 67,000 convicted felons in Missouri can’t vote in 2020
About 67,800 convicted felons in Missouri cannot vote in the November election because they are on parole and probation, according to a new study. The Sentencing Project’s new study found that Missouri is among 16 states that don’t allow convicted felons to vote if they are on parole or probation. It estimates that about 22,900 Missourians […]
Southeast Missouri county continues mask mandate amid high COVID case, death counts
Cape Girardeau County, which has endured 32 COVID-19 deaths and more than 900 new COVID-19 cases since Oct. 1, will continue to mandate face mask use, the Southeast Missourian reported. The county health center board voted unanimously Tuesday to continue the order in effect since July 13 until the 14-day tally of new cases falls […]
Initial shipment of thousands of antigen COVID tests sent to Missouri schools
Thousands of antigen tests to detect the novel coronavirus have been shipped to school districts across the state in an effort to help bolster testing capacity, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced this week. Nearly 330 public and private school districts requested nearly 583,000 tests through the state’s BinaxNOW Antigen Testing Program. […]
St. Louis health leaders warn COVID threatening hospital capacity
Leaders of the St. Louis area’s fight against COVID-19 warned Monday that hospitals are reaching capacity, doctors and support staff are worn down by overwork and harsh steps may be necessary to get control of the pandemic. In a briefing broadcast on Facebook, Dr. Alex Garza, head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, […]
Missouri county stops COVID social media posts over ‘negative, insulting’ comments
A Missouri county enduring the state’s fourth-highest rate for new COVID-19 infections will stop posting local data on Facebook because of responses that attack its work and raise conspiracy theories about the disease. Ste. Genevieve County, a southeast Missouri county with 17,894 people, has added 195 new cases since Sept. 30 and 93 in the […]
Spire Missouri program will help customers catch up on gas bills during COVID pandemic
The natural gas supplier for more than 1 million Missouri customers will create a payment assistance program and allow up to 18 months to pay bills that have accumulated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the plan approved Thursday by the Missouri Public Service Commission, Spire Missouri will help customers who have lost […]