News from the South - Missouri News Feed
Missouri Supreme Court hears case on transgender student’s use of school bathrooms • Missouri Independent
Lawmakers move to ensure info is available to investigate complaints against state cabinet
by Sarah Ladd, Kentucky Lantern
February 11, 2025
After mediation and a judge’s order, Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball says the legislature needs to codify her office’s access to an important database kept by the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
During a Tuesday committee meeting, Ball told lawmakers the cabinet appears to not be forwarding every complaint it receives about itself to the ombudsman, housed in her office. She said she wants to make sure no complaints are “missing in the process.”
“Right now, the cabinet is acting as a gatekeeper on those complaints,” Ball said. “We feel like we don’t need a middleman. Things are being dropped in the handoff. So, this will resolve that situation to make sure we have access to all the complaints when they come in.”
A cabinet spokeswoman told the Lantern that the cabinet “is not aware of any complaints being withheld from the Office of the Ombudsman.”
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This comes almost five months after the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the office of the ombudsman settled a dispute over access to a computer system called iTWIST, which stores information about abuse and neglect cases.
The Senate Families and Children Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 85, which clarifies the ombudsman gets “any software and access rights.”
Ball’s office assumed oversight of the ombudsman from the cabinet on July 1, thanks to a law enacted in 2023 by the legislature, Senate Bill 48. But her office did not get immediate access to iTWIST.
The ombudsman, whose job is to investigate and resolve complaints about agencies in the cabinet, including protective services for children and elderly Kentuckians, can’t do that job without access to iTWIST, (the Workers Information System), Ball has said. She eventually filed a lawsuit for the access, and the case was mediated and eventually settled in Franklin Circuit Court.
“We reached a settlement in that mediation, and we were given access with certain structures in place,” Ball told committee members Tuesday. “We feel like it is now necessary to codify it, make it abundantly clear there’s no possibility of this coming up again, that we have access to iTWIST.”
The September court order that settled the access dispute said the cabinet would have to provide the ombudsman with read-only access to iTWIST. Judge Phillip Shepherd also said the legislature and the parties would work during the 2025 session to codify any needed clarification.
A spokeswoman for the auditor said the office “can compare the number of complaints received by the ombudsman before the transition with the current number, which has drastically decreased.”
“This is due in part to the failure to transfer the previous phone number, resulting in our office not receiving all complaints,” said Joy Pidgorodetska Markland, the auditor’s director of communications. “Upon suspecting complaints were not being forwarded, we used an open records process to request all communications sent to the retained phone number and email and found many un-forwarded complaints.”
SB 85, sponsored by Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, has an emergency, meaning it would take effect immediately upon becoming law.
“This is an emergency because we know this needs to be done right away,” Ball said. “That way we can move forward without any more hang ups and make sure the public is provided everything that they need.”
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Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.
News from the South - Missouri News Feed
Missouri health department announces first measles case of 2025
by Clara Bates, Missouri Independent
April 18, 2025
Missouri’s first confirmed measles case of the year involves a child in Taney County, the health department announced Friday afternoon.
The child’s vaccination status “has not yet been verified,” according to the press release.
The child, who is not a Missouri resident, was visiting Taney County and was diagnosed “soon after arrival,” Lisa Cox, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, said in a press release.
Taney County is in southwest Missouri, and its largest city is Branson.
“Exposure is believed to be limited, and known contacts have been identified and contacted,” Cox said, adding that the state is supporting Taney County’s health department to investigate possible exposure.
The case is “associated with recent international travel,” Cox said.
Measles is a highly-contagious virus the country declared eliminated 25 years ago, but that has resurged with falling vaccination rates.
“For those unvaccinated or those unsure of their vaccination status, now is the time to review records and get caught up if needed,” Dr. George Turabelidze, state epidemiologist with DHSS, said in the press release.
The percent of Missouri kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella has declined over the last several years, from 95% in the 2019-2020 school year to 91% in the 2023-2024 school year, in public schools, per DHHS data. In private schools, the drop has been even larger, from 92% to 85% in the same period.
Nationally, there are at least 800 reported cases of measles across 25 states, according to Center for Disease Control data as of Friday. That doesn’t include Missouri’s case, Cox said, because the state received lab test results Thursday night, after the federal reporting deadline for this week.
That is the highest number for a single year since 2019 and is still growing.
The majority of measles infections nationally have been reported in a West Texas outbreak. There have been two confirmed deaths, both in Texas.
Kansas has reported 37 cases, possibly linked to the Texas outbreak.
There are outbreaks in Canada and Mexico, too, and several states have reported isolated cases as the result of international travel.
At the same time, the federal government has cut grant funding set aside for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to encourage vaccinations, according to St. Louis Public Radio.
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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.
The post Missouri health department announces first measles case of 2025 appeared first on missouriindependent.com
News from the South - Missouri News Feed
Be Our Guest to Cocina Latina with traditional Mexican dishes!
SUMMARY: Cocina Latina is preparing for a Cinco de Mayo celebration with traditional Mexican dishes. Chef Mighty Sec has created a vibrant menu featuring tacos, margaritas, nachos, and more. Guests can enjoy an array of flavorful dishes, including French fries, tacos, and a signature sandwich inspired by Texas. The event is set to take place on May 3rd, and attendees can purchase gift certificates at a special price. It’s a great opportunity to savor delicious food and celebrate with festive drinks, including the popular skinny margarita. For more details, visit their website for ticket information.
Named one of St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s top 100 restaurants in 2022, Cocina Latina is bringing classic dishes everyone loves—from chimichangas, fajitas, enchiladas and more!
SUMMARY: Drivers in Missouri are preparing for significant slowdowns on I-70 as construction season approaches. During Work Zone Awareness Week, MODOT urges safe driving as numerous work zones will emerge, following 23 fatalities in work zone crashes last year. Upcoming construction includes adding a third lane along eastbound I-70, resulting in night lane closures from 8 PM to 6 AM, expected to last until September. This $600 million project aims to enhance traffic flow and safety. Although opinions among drivers are mixed, most agree that the enhancements will ultimately benefit the region.
Next week is Work Zone Awareness week. With that being said, MDOT asks drivers to make safe choices. FOX 2’s Max Diekneite shares more.
St. Louis News: FOX 2 covers news, weather, and sports in Missouri and Illinois. Read more about this story or see the latest updates on our website https://FOX2Now.com
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