By&nbsp;Leilana McKindra KU Medical Center News

KANSAS CITY -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/hmangat.html" target="_blank">Halinder Mangat, M.D.,</a>&nbsp;an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, is the lead author on a research paper confirming the overall safety of the two mRNA vaccines and the single adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.

In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.972464/full" target="_blank">observational study published in Frontiers in Public Health</a>&nbsp;last month, Mangat and the research team, which included collaborators from the United Kingdom, Germany, India and the Netherlands, found that over a one-year period there were very low overall cumulative reported rates of severe adverse events from the three COVID-19 vaccines. The findings were based on data from a publicly accessible vaccine safety surveillance database and included all reported instances up to 28 days after vaccination.

“While part of the safety may be dependent on selecting different vaccines for different age groups, the overall safety profile of both mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) and adenovirus vector (Janssen) vaccines is very good,” Mangat said. “In the context of COVID-19, risks of such severe adverse events following immunization appear to be significantly lower than from COVID-19 in adults.”

The study team found 88,626 severe adverse events after immunization (sAEFI) reported out of 485 million vaccine doses administered nationwide over a one-year period.

In the study, researchers looked at the rates of sAEFI reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) between December 13, 2020, and December 13, 2021, for each of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines authorized for emergency use and attributed to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination programs across all states and territories in the United States. Severe adverse events included emergency department visits, hospitalizations, life-threatening events and deaths.

Given the low rates of severe adverse events with the three COVID-19 vaccines, the study concluded that immunization should remain a critical tool for adults for decreasing severity of COVID-19 in the United States. Researchers also noted that data confirming the safety of the vaccines should be the centerpiece of public health messaging to help fuel vaccine uptake and combat vaccine hesitancy.

The study team wrote that the findings should bolster confidence in adenovector virus vaccines and their continued use globally, including some remote areas where refrigeration is difficult or impossible.

“The results from this study should encourage people who have been skeptical about vaccine safety to take the vaccines,” Mangat said. “At a global level, these data also provide safety reassurance for the continued use of adenovector virus vaccines, which do not pose cold-chain logistical challenges.”

See Related Stories in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive.html?cat=147">Research</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive.html?cat=145">School of Medicine</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive.html?cat=710">School of Medicine Research</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649633006948.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;Leilana McKindra KU Medical Center NewsKANSAS CITY -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/hmangat.html" target="_blank">Halinder Mangat, M.D.,</a>&nbsp;an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, is the lead author on a research paper confirming the overall safety of the two mRNA vaccines and the single adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.972464/full" target="_blank">observational study published in Frontiers in Public Health</a>&nbsp;last month, Mangat and the research team, which included collaborators from the United Kingdom, Germany, India and the Netherlands, found that over a one-year period there were very low overall cumulative reported rates of severe adverse events from the three COVID-19 vaccines. The findings were based on data from a publicly accessible vaccine safety surveillance database and included all reported instances up to 28 days after vaccination.“While part of the safety may be dependent on selecting different vaccines for different age groups, the overall safety profile of both mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) and adenovirus vector (Janssen) vaccines is very good,” Mangat said. “In the context of COVID-19, risks of such severe adverse events following immunization appear to be significantly lower than from COVID-19 in adults.”The study team found 88,626 severe adverse events after immunization (sAEFI) reported out of 485 million vaccine doses administered nationwide over a one-year period.In the study, researchers looked at the rates of sAEFI reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) between December 13, 2020, and December 13, 2021, for each of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines authorized for emergency use and attributed to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination programs across all states and territories in the United States. Severe adverse events included emergency department visits, hospitalizations, life-threatening events and deaths.Given the low rates of severe adverse events with the three COVID-19 vaccines, the study concluded that immunization should remain a critical tool for adults for decreasing severity of COVID-19 in the United States. Researchers also noted that data confirming the safety of the vaccines should be the centerpiece of public health messaging to help fuel vaccine uptake and combat vaccine hesitancy.The study team wrote that the findings should bolster confidence in adenovector virus vaccines and their continued use globally, including some remote areas where refrigeration is difficult or impossible.“The results from this study should encourage people who have been skeptical about vaccine safety to take the vaccines,” Mangat said. “At a global level, these data also provide safety reassurance for the continued use of adenovector virus vaccines, which do not pose cold-chain logistical challenges.”See Related Stories in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive.html?cat=147">Research</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive.html?cat=145">School of Medicine</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive.html?cat=710">School of Medicine Research</a>

KU-led COVID vaccine safety study: Low rates of severe adverse events

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to raise awareness of its “Click It or Ticket” campaign during the busy Thanksgiving weekend. 

Law enforcement agencies will have an increased presence on roadways to check for speeders, seat belt use, and any suspicion of impaired driving.

“Whether driving down the street or across the country, you endanger yourself by not buckling up and you are letting others be in danger if you don’t require them to use their seat belts, too,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz. “Drivers and passengers should use that seat belt every single time they get into a vehicle.”

KDOT&nbsp;statistics show 319 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in traffic crashes in Kansas in 2021. In that same year, 46.4% of those killed were unrestrained. About 46.6% of front-seat passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2021 were unrestrained and 58.3% of those killed in back seats were unrestrained.&nbsp;KDOT&nbsp;Behavioral Safety Manager Gary Herman encourages everyone to buckle up and drive defensively when traveling over Thanksgiving weekend.

“A simple click any time you head out will help you make it to the table and to your family safely,” said Herman. “The odds for crashing increase with more vehicles on the road, and you can’t control how many people are out on Thanksgiving weekend. But you can ensure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up.”

Seat belts are proven effective. NHTSA reports seat belts have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people in the United States in the past 10 years. However, unrestrained drivers and motorists who are ejected from a vehicle during a crash do not have good odds for survival. Nationally in 2020, eight out of 10 (82%) passenger vehicle occupants ejected from vehicles in crashes were killed. Across the U.S. in 2020, only 1% of passenger vehicle occupants wearing seat belts were ejected in fatal crashes, compared to 26% of those who were unrestrained.&nbsp;

This Thanksgiving’s “Click It or Ticket” surveillance period will be in effect from Wednesday to Monday. Any violation of traffic safety laws can result in a fine and certain violations can result in jail time. The campaign runs concurrently with a media campaign reminding motorists that Kansas law dictates driver safety requirements. Please drive responsibility. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ktsro.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CAshley.Perez%40ks.gov%7Cf7c7c8949241434f039c08dacbea70b4%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C638046505041189302%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=vc6ngYAy2IEaYEhxSAfy%2Fx0XHY3zauBIC1V6V1zp8mQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.KTSRO.org</a>.&nbsp;

KDOTTOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to raise awareness of its “Click It or Ticket” campaign during the busy Thanksgiving weekend. Law enforcement agencies will have an increased presence on roadways to check for speeders, seat belt use, and any suspicion of impaired driving.“Whether driving down the street or across the country, you endanger yourself by not buckling up and you are letting others be in danger if you don’t require them to use their seat belts, too,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz. “Drivers and passengers should use that seat belt every single time they get into a vehicle.”KDOT&nbsp;statistics show 319 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in traffic crashes in Kansas in 2021. In that same year, 46.4% of those killed were unrestrained. About 46.6% of front-seat passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2021 were unrestrained and 58.3% of those killed in back seats were unrestrained.&nbsp;KDOT&nbsp;Behavioral Safety Manager Gary Herman encourages everyone to buckle up and drive defensively when traveling over Thanksgiving weekend.“A simple click any time you head out will help you make it to the table and to your family safely,” said Herman. “The odds for crashing increase with more vehicles on the road, and you can’t control how many people are out on Thanksgiving weekend. But you can ensure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up.”Seat belts are proven effective. NHTSA reports seat belts have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people in the United States in the past 10 years. However, unrestrained drivers and motorists who are ejected from a vehicle during a crash do not have good odds for survival. Nationally in 2020, eight out of 10 (82%) passenger vehicle occupants ejected from vehicles in crashes were killed. Across the U.S. in 2020, only 1% of passenger vehicle occupants wearing seat belts were ejected in fatal crashes, compared to 26% of those who were unrestrained.&nbsp;This Thanksgiving’s “Click It or Ticket” surveillance period will be in effect from Wednesday to Monday. Any violation of traffic safety laws can result in a fine and certain violations can result in jail time. The campaign runs concurrently with a media campaign reminding motorists that Kansas law dictates driver safety requirements. Please drive responsibility. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ktsro.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CAshley.Perez%40ks.gov%7Cf7c7c8949241434f039c08dacbea70b4%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C638046505041189302%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=vc6ngYAy2IEaYEhxSAfy%2Fx0XHY3zauBIC1V6V1zp8mQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.KTSRO.org</a>.&nbsp;

‘Click It or Ticket’ enforcement campaign kicks into high gear

The errant bird made its way into a Douglas County, Kansas, home earlier this month.&nbsp;

Video courtesy the Douglas County Sheriff's Office:

The errant bird made its way into a Douglas County, Kansas, home earlier this month.&nbsp;Video courtesy the Douglas County Sheriff's Office:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdgsosheriff%2Fvideos%2F1295027421290239%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Happy Thanksgiving!

🎥 🦃 Kansas sheriff 'pardons' turkey, won't prosecute

By AMY FORLITI and GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Democrats hope to use their <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-race-and-ethnicity-congress-government-politics-b5a279d322326f581304df50020a9d47">newfound political control</a>
 in some states to guarantee that women have access to abortion, while 
some GOP strongholds may temper their efforts to deepen restrictions 
after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-mehmet-oz-tv-news-58853f6820f31e53e7b9ed7951c92bbe">poorer-than-expected results</a> in the midterms.

Even
 after their gains this month, Democrats lack the power to codify 
abortion rights into federal law. That puts the abortion debate squarely
 on the states to navigate and rework the patchwork of laws that have 
been in place since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>.

There
 will still be a patchwork of policies: In Minnesota, Democrats are 
planning to add the right to abortion into state law. In the GOP 
stronghold of Florida, leaders are talking about more restrictions but 
haven’t settled on a plan. In Pennsylvania, pickups for Democrats mean 
they can likely stop Republicans from adding anti-abortion language to 
the state constitution, and in divided states such as Wisconsin, a 
legislative stalemate remains.

“The real uncertainty is how far 
states go” with abortion bans, said Mary Ziegler, a professor at the 
University of California, Davis, School of Law and an expert on the 
politics of reproduction. Post-midterms, some states might think twice 
before forging ahead with strict bans.

But, she said, some 
conservative lawmakers might say: “I don’t see a problem here. We’re 
fine. We won our elections and our voters want abortion bans.”

The
 reversal of Roe, which enshrined the right to abortion nationwide, was 
broadly unpopular among voters. According to VoteCast, a survey of more 
than 94,000 voters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the 
University of Chicago, about 6 in 10 say they are angry or dissatisfied 
by the decision, while about 4 in 10 were pleased. Among Democratic 
voters, about 6 in 10 say the ruling made them angry.

“Whatever 
people’s personal feelings are on abortion, they are very clear they 
don’t want the government and politicians monkeying around with their 
health care,” said Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice,
 a Minnesota nonprofit that advocates for equal rights.

Minnesota 
doesn’t have any laws guaranteeing access to abortion, but abortion is 
protected under a 1995 state Supreme Court ruling that cites <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-minnesota-st-paul-supreme-court-f14fccaf74e64c72174138fcd6611d00">a woman’s right to privacy</a>.
 After an election that will put Democrats in charge of both legislative
 chambers and the governor's office for the first time in eight years, 
House Speaker Melissa Hortman said a priority when the session begins in
 January will be to codify abortion rights into state law.

In battleground Michigan, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-8779f3ee57d4d20d54861a5ed6ba72ff">voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment</a>
 that enshrines abortion rights in the state constitution and affirms a 
person’s right to make pregnancy-related decisions about abortion and 
other reproductive services without interference.

Nevertheless, 
one priority is to remove a 1931 law that criminalizes abortion from the
 books, said state Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-9447ff560f7484ebe4c99bbd6c3b0300">Democrats took control of the House and Senate this month.</a>
 When the new legislature is sworn in, it’ll be the first time since 
1983 that the party had full control of the state government.

Brinks said Democrats want to eventually advance other legislation focused on reproductive rights.

“The
 people were very clear that they value their reproductive freedoms at a
 very high level and we want to make sure that we affirm that as well,” 
she said.

Elsewhere, a legislative stalemate could be on the horizon.

In Wisconsin, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f3639e6ef8c9058511cef47a861adde8">Democratic Gov. Tony Evers won reelection</a> while Republicans increased their majorities in the state Legislature, but <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-government-and-politics-9ef50a8dd1b81766a6ed66c847e82043">fell short of their goal</a> of reaching a supermajority capable of overriding vetoes.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-wisconsin-legislature-madison-6fac91559fe62466639c6ac41c01291f">renewed his call to pass a bill allowing for rape and incest exceptions</a>
 and other changes to the 1849 law, to ensure that the state ban 
withstands court challenges. But Evers, voicing confidence in a court 
challenge, said he would veto any bill that keeps the ban in place.

“I don’t see a way to solve this legislatively,” Evers said.

Pennsylvania voters <a href="https://apnews.com/7aaefbcc8085c2a4eac1644a5c0975b6">flipped about a dozen seats to Democrats in the state House</a>, which could block Republican efforts to add anti-abortion language to the state constitution.

Nebraska
 Republicans want to ban abortion, but the GOP appears to have fallen 
short of securing the 33 seats it needs in the officially nonpartisan, 
one-house state Legislature to overcome filibusters. That could make it 
harder for them to ban abortion, even though they control the 
Legislature and hold every major statewide office.

Other GOP strongholds are seeing roadblocks to bans.

In Kansas, the Legislature retained its strong anti-abortion majorities, but abortion opponents are constrained by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 state Supreme Court decision</a> declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state constitution.

Voters in August <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected a proposed constitutional amendment</a> to overturn that decision. Abortion opponents instead are looking to other proposals.

Rep.
 Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who is expected to become House 
speaker in January, said lawmakers may pursue a law requiring health 
providers to take all reasonable steps to save the life of an infant 
born alive, including after an attempted abortion.

“You have to do something that you think has a chance of passing muster,” Hawkins said.

Voters in Montana, where Republicans hold a super majority in the Legislature, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-montana-a99111675c40301d1940addca098d599">rejected a similar ballot measure Nov. 8</a>.
 Five days later, a lawmaker there requested a bill be drafted to 
“establish that an infant born alive is a person.” It has yet to be 
drafted, but another bill already drafted for next year calls for a ban 
on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Kentucky voters <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kentucky-abortion-3fa387a4cdc355d50a223f4788aa0ae8">rejected a Republican-backed ballot measure</a>
 aimed at denying any constitutional protections for abortion — 
highlighting an apparent gap between voter sentiment and expectations of
 the GOP-dominated Legislature, which imposed a near-total abortion ban.

“The
 people of Kentucky have spoken and their answer is no — no to extremist
 politicians banning abortion and making private medical decisions on 
their behalf,” said Amber Duke, interim executive director for the ACLU 
of Kentucky.

A judge in Georgia this week <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-government-and-politics-atlanta-58ba677dd47afad6d25d9887f17e8763">overturned a ban on abortion</a>
 starting at about six weeks gestational age, ruling it violated the 
U.S. Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court precedent when it was enacted 
in 2019 because Roe was still in effect. But the judge left the door 
open for the Legislature to revisit the ban.

In Florida, which further cemented its GOP control, the issue was also murky. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-health-ron-desantis-florida-lifestyle-8e8fb722fcb84ae86fd6be17f48503a9">Florida passed a ban on abortion after 15 weeks</a> with no exceptions for rape or incest during the 2022 legislative session.

Republican
 Gov. Ron DeSantis won by a landslide and the House and Senate went from
 firmly Republican to GOP supermajorities in each chamber. The governor 
and legislative leaders have all said they support new abortion 
restrictions, but no specific language has been proposed.

Christine
 Matthews, a pollster who has worked for Republicans, said even among 
conservative lawmakers, there could be more debates on how far 
restrictions should go, as there were this year in Indiana and West 
Virginia, where laws were passed banning abortion throughout pregnancy 
but with exceptions in cases of rape and incest.

“For the first 
time, some of these particularly male legislators were grappling with 
the fact that this is hard, not everything goes one way,” Matthews said.
 “People who support it as being between a woman and a doctor are like, 
‘Yeah, no kidding.’ ”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669216816189.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By AMY FORLITI and GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated PressMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Democrats hope to use their <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-race-and-ethnicity-congress-government-politics-b5a279d322326f581304df50020a9d47">newfound political control</a>
 in some states to guarantee that women have access to abortion, while 
some GOP strongholds may temper their efforts to deepen restrictions 
after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-mehmet-oz-tv-news-58853f6820f31e53e7b9ed7951c92bbe">poorer-than-expected results</a> in the midterms.Even
 after their gains this month, Democrats lack the power to codify 
abortion rights into federal law. That puts the abortion debate squarely
 on the states to navigate and rework the patchwork of laws that have 
been in place since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>.There
 will still be a patchwork of policies: In Minnesota, Democrats are 
planning to add the right to abortion into state law. In the GOP 
stronghold of Florida, leaders are talking about more restrictions but 
haven’t settled on a plan. In Pennsylvania, pickups for Democrats mean 
they can likely stop Republicans from adding anti-abortion language to 
the state constitution, and in divided states such as Wisconsin, a 
legislative stalemate remains.“The real uncertainty is how far 
states go” with abortion bans, said Mary Ziegler, a professor at the 
University of California, Davis, School of Law and an expert on the 
politics of reproduction. Post-midterms, some states might think twice 
before forging ahead with strict bans.But, she said, some 
conservative lawmakers might say: “I don’t see a problem here. We’re 
fine. We won our elections and our voters want abortion bans.”The
 reversal of Roe, which enshrined the right to abortion nationwide, was 
broadly unpopular among voters. According to VoteCast, a survey of more 
than 94,000 voters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the 
University of Chicago, about 6 in 10 say they are angry or dissatisfied 
by the decision, while about 4 in 10 were pleased. Among Democratic 
voters, about 6 in 10 say the ruling made them angry.“Whatever 
people’s personal feelings are on abortion, they are very clear they 
don’t want the government and politicians monkeying around with their 
health care,” said Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice,
 a Minnesota nonprofit that advocates for equal rights.Minnesota 
doesn’t have any laws guaranteeing access to abortion, but abortion is 
protected under a 1995 state Supreme Court ruling that cites <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-minnesota-st-paul-supreme-court-f14fccaf74e64c72174138fcd6611d00">a woman’s right to privacy</a>.
 After an election that will put Democrats in charge of both legislative
 chambers and the governor's office for the first time in eight years, 
House Speaker Melissa Hortman said a priority when the session begins in
 January will be to codify abortion rights into state law.In battleground Michigan, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-8779f3ee57d4d20d54861a5ed6ba72ff">voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment</a>
 that enshrines abortion rights in the state constitution and affirms a 
person’s right to make pregnancy-related decisions about abortion and 
other reproductive services without interference.Nevertheless, 
one priority is to remove a 1931 law that criminalizes abortion from the
 books, said state Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-9447ff560f7484ebe4c99bbd6c3b0300">Democrats took control of the House and Senate this month.</a>
 When the new legislature is sworn in, it’ll be the first time since 
1983 that the party had full control of the state government.Brinks said Democrats want to eventually advance other legislation focused on reproductive rights.“The
 people were very clear that they value their reproductive freedoms at a
 very high level and we want to make sure that we affirm that as well,” 
she said.Elsewhere, a legislative stalemate could be on the horizon.In Wisconsin, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f3639e6ef8c9058511cef47a861adde8">Democratic Gov. Tony Evers won reelection</a> while Republicans increased their majorities in the state Legislature, but <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-government-and-politics-9ef50a8dd1b81766a6ed66c847e82043">fell short of their goal</a> of reaching a supermajority capable of overriding vetoes.Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-wisconsin-legislature-madison-6fac91559fe62466639c6ac41c01291f">renewed his call to pass a bill allowing for rape and incest exceptions</a>
 and other changes to the 1849 law, to ensure that the state ban 
withstands court challenges. But Evers, voicing confidence in a court 
challenge, said he would veto any bill that keeps the ban in place.“I don’t see a way to solve this legislatively,” Evers said.Pennsylvania voters <a href="https://apnews.com/7aaefbcc8085c2a4eac1644a5c0975b6">flipped about a dozen seats to Democrats in the state House</a>, which could block Republican efforts to add anti-abortion language to the state constitution.Nebraska
 Republicans want to ban abortion, but the GOP appears to have fallen 
short of securing the 33 seats it needs in the officially nonpartisan, 
one-house state Legislature to overcome filibusters. That could make it 
harder for them to ban abortion, even though they control the 
Legislature and hold every major statewide office.Other GOP strongholds are seeing roadblocks to bans.In Kansas, the Legislature retained its strong anti-abortion majorities, but abortion opponents are constrained by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 state Supreme Court decision</a> declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state constitution.Voters in August <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected a proposed constitutional amendment</a> to overturn that decision. Abortion opponents instead are looking to other proposals.Rep.
 Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who is expected to become House 
speaker in January, said lawmakers may pursue a law requiring health 
providers to take all reasonable steps to save the life of an infant 
born alive, including after an attempted abortion.“You have to do something that you think has a chance of passing muster,” Hawkins said.Voters in Montana, where Republicans hold a super majority in the Legislature, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-montana-a99111675c40301d1940addca098d599">rejected a similar ballot measure Nov. 8</a>.
 Five days later, a lawmaker there requested a bill be drafted to 
“establish that an infant born alive is a person.” It has yet to be 
drafted, but another bill already drafted for next year calls for a ban 
on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.Kentucky voters <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kentucky-abortion-3fa387a4cdc355d50a223f4788aa0ae8">rejected a Republican-backed ballot measure</a>
 aimed at denying any constitutional protections for abortion — 
highlighting an apparent gap between voter sentiment and expectations of
 the GOP-dominated Legislature, which imposed a near-total abortion ban.“The
 people of Kentucky have spoken and their answer is no — no to extremist
 politicians banning abortion and making private medical decisions on 
their behalf,” said Amber Duke, interim executive director for the ACLU 
of Kentucky.A judge in Georgia this week <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-government-and-politics-atlanta-58ba677dd47afad6d25d9887f17e8763">overturned a ban on abortion</a>
 starting at about six weeks gestational age, ruling it violated the 
U.S. Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court precedent when it was enacted 
in 2019 because Roe was still in effect. But the judge left the door 
open for the Legislature to revisit the ban.In Florida, which further cemented its GOP control, the issue was also murky. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-health-ron-desantis-florida-lifestyle-8e8fb722fcb84ae86fd6be17f48503a9">Florida passed a ban on abortion after 15 weeks</a> with no exceptions for rape or incest during the 2022 legislative session.Republican
 Gov. Ron DeSantis won by a landslide and the House and Senate went from
 firmly Republican to GOP supermajorities in each chamber. The governor 
and legislative leaders have all said they support new abortion 
restrictions, but no specific language has been proposed.Christine
 Matthews, a pollster who has worked for Republicans, said even among 
conservative lawmakers, there could be more debates on how far 
restrictions should go, as there were this year in Indiana and West 
Virginia, where laws were passed banning abortion throughout pregnancy 
but with exceptions in cases of rape and incest.“For the first 
time, some of these particularly male legislators were grappling with 
the fact that this is hard, not everything goes one way,” Matthews said.
 “People who support it as being between a woman and a doctor are like, 
‘Yeah, no kidding.’ ”

After midterms, states weighing abortion protections, bans

By MEG CUNNINGHAM <a href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/17/how-to-buy-weed-faq/">Kansas City Beacon</a>

On Nov. 8, Missourians voted “yes” on Amendment 3, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/09/missouri-legal-weed-whats-next/">legalized recreational use of marijuana</a>, meaning you’ll now be able to buy weed, like marijuana flower or edibles, in the coming months.

Starting Dec. 8, the state will begin transitioning its medical 
marijuana licenses to recreational licenses, but that doesn’t mean that 
you’ll be able to walk into a dispensary and buy cannabis flower right 
away. The transition process will take until February, according to the 
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the agency that 
manages the state’s marijuana industry.

The transition process can get complicated, so The Beacon compiled a 
list of frequently asked questions about the process. This page will 
continue to be updated as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/draft-rules.php">state rolls out program changes,</a>&nbsp;so be sure to check back for the latest updates.

The state is accepting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/suggestions.php">public feedback</a>&nbsp;on the rules for the recreational program until Nov. 25.

Q: When can I buy legal weed in Missouri?&nbsp;

A: Recreational marijuana should be available by early February 2023.
 The DHSS will start accepting requests to transition medical facility 
licenses to full recreational facilities on Dec. 8, and it will have 60 
days to approve those changed license requests.

You’ll be able to walk into a dispensary with your ID (to prove you 
are over 21) and leave with cannabis flower, edibles, prerolls or vapes.

A: Amendment 3’s language allows for consumers to have 3 ounces of dried marijuana flower or its equivalent.

Q: Will I be able to grow my own at home?&nbsp;

A: Yes. Under Missouri’s medical marijuana law that passed in 2018, 
Missourians were granted the ability to grow their own cannabis at home 
if they registered as a patient cultivator.

DHSS will start accepting applications for personal cultivation for 
recreation as soon as Feb. 6. Once applications are accepted, 
Missourians 21 and older can cultivate marijuana for personal, 
noncommercial use at an enclosed and locked facility at their homes. 
Those licenses cost $150 and are valid for three years.

Missourians will be allowed to have six flowering plants and up to 18 non-mature plants.

Q: Am I allowed to smoke marijuana in public?&nbsp;

A:&nbsp; Unless there is a dedicated smoking area for public consumption 
of marijuana, smoking in public could still make you subject to a civil 
penalty and a fine of up to $100.

Q: Do I still need my medical marijuana card if I don’t use cannabis recreationally?&nbsp;

A: No, you don’t need to keep your medical marijuana card, but you 
can. As of Dec. 8 of this year, all approved medical marijuana cards 
will be valid for three years. Current medical cardholders will stick to
 their existing expiration dates. Cards are valid for three years upon 
the card’s next renewal.

Q: Do I still need to renew my medical card to keep patient status?&nbsp;

A: Yes, you’ll have to get approval from your physician to submit a 
patient renewal application. But under the new law, you’ll only have to 
get your card renewed every three years, instead of every year as the 
law currently stands.

Q: Do I need a patient card if I am going to grow for myself at home for medicinal purposes?&nbsp;

A: Yes, you’ll need a medical marijuana card if you’d like to become a patient cultivator for yourself at home.

Q: Are there fees I should know about?&nbsp;

A: Yes, if you’re still a medical marijuana cardholder or caregiver, 
renewal and application fees are $27.76 each, but will only need to be 
renewed every three years. If you’re a patient cultivator, new 
application and renewal fees are $110.99.

The Kansas City Beacon is an online news outlet focused on local, in-depth journalism in the public interest.

By MEG CUNNINGHAM <a href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/17/how-to-buy-weed-faq/">Kansas City Beacon</a>On Nov. 8, Missourians voted “yes” on Amendment 3, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/09/missouri-legal-weed-whats-next/">legalized recreational use of marijuana</a>, meaning you’ll now be able to buy weed, like marijuana flower or edibles, in the coming months.Starting Dec. 8, the state will begin transitioning its medical 
marijuana licenses to recreational licenses, but that doesn’t mean that 
you’ll be able to walk into a dispensary and buy cannabis flower right 
away. The transition process will take until February, according to the 
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the agency that 
manages the state’s marijuana industry.The transition process can get complicated, so The Beacon compiled a 
list of frequently asked questions about the process. This page will 
continue to be updated as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/draft-rules.php">state rolls out program changes,</a>&nbsp;so be sure to check back for the latest updates.The state is accepting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/suggestions.php">public feedback</a>&nbsp;on the rules for the recreational program until Nov. 25.<h2>Q: When can I buy legal weed in Missouri?&nbsp;</h2>A: Recreational marijuana should be available by early February 2023.
 The DHSS will start accepting requests to transition medical facility 
licenses to full recreational facilities on Dec. 8, and it will have 60 
days to approve those changed license requests.You’ll be able to walk into a dispensary with your ID (to prove you 
are over 21) and leave with cannabis flower, edibles, prerolls or vapes.<h2>Q: How much marijuana can I have?&nbsp;</h2>A: Amendment 3’s language allows for consumers to have 3 ounces of dried marijuana flower or its equivalent.<h2>Q: Will I be able to grow my own at home?&nbsp;</h2>A: Yes. Under Missouri’s medical marijuana law that passed in 2018, 
Missourians were granted the ability to grow their own cannabis at home 
if they registered as a patient cultivator.DHSS will start accepting applications for personal cultivation for 
recreation as soon as Feb. 6. Once applications are accepted, 
Missourians 21 and older can cultivate marijuana for personal, 
noncommercial use at an enclosed and locked facility at their homes. 
Those licenses cost $150 and are valid for three years.Missourians will be allowed to have six flowering plants and up to 18 non-mature plants.<h2>Q: Am I allowed to smoke marijuana in public?&nbsp;</h2>A:&nbsp; Unless there is a dedicated smoking area for public consumption 
of marijuana, smoking in public could still make you subject to a civil 
penalty and a fine of up to $100.<h2>Q: Do I still need my medical marijuana card if I don’t use cannabis recreationally?&nbsp;</h2>A: No, you don’t need to keep your medical marijuana card, but you 
can. As of Dec. 8 of this year, all approved medical marijuana cards 
will be valid for three years. Current medical cardholders will stick to
 their existing expiration dates. Cards are valid for three years upon 
the card’s next renewal.<h2>Q: Do I still need to renew my medical card to keep patient status?&nbsp;</h2>A: Yes, you’ll have to get approval from your physician to submit a 
patient renewal application. But under the new law, you’ll only have to 
get your card renewed every three years, instead of every year as the 
law currently stands.<h2>Q: Do I need a patient card if I am going to grow for myself at home for medicinal purposes?&nbsp;</h2>A: Yes, you’ll need a medical marijuana card if you’d like to become a patient cultivator for yourself at home.<h2>Q: Are there fees I should know about?&nbsp;</h2>A: Yes, if you’re still a medical marijuana cardholder or caregiver, 
renewal and application fees are $27.76 each, but will only need to be 
renewed every three years. If you’re a patient cultivator, new 
application and renewal fees are $110.99.The Kansas City Beacon is an online news outlet focused on local, in-depth journalism in the public interest.

What to know about buying recreational marijuana in Missouri

PHILADELPHIA
 (AP) — Four students were injured in an apparent drive-by shooting 
shortly after their Philadelphia high school let out early for the day 
late Wednesday morning, a city schools spokesperson said.

City 
police said a 15-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder and thigh, a 
15-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder, a 16-year-old boy suffered a 
graze wound to the face and a gunshot wound to the hand, and a 
16-year-old boy was shot in the leg. All four were getting hospital 
treatment and were in stable condition.

Police said no arrest has been made and no weapon was recovered.

The
 shooting took place about a block from Overbrook High School in West 
Philadelphia, where school let out early because of parent-teacher 
conferences, the district’s deputy chief of communications, Monique 
Braxton, said in a phone interview.

Braxton said the district's Office of School Safety told her the students were at a corner store when the shooting occurred.

“We
 don't know who was targeted, if any of the four of them were targeted,”
 Braxton said. Parents were being notified early Wednesday afternoon.

“This is outrageous, that young people would be shot shortly after being dismissed from their high school,” Braxton said.

Officer
 Miguel Torres, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department, 
said that the shooting occurred around 11:30 a.m. He said victims were 
taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Lankenau Medical Center.

PHILADELPHIA
 (AP) — Four students were injured in an apparent drive-by shooting 
shortly after their Philadelphia high school let out early for the day 
late Wednesday morning, a city schools spokesperson said.City 
police said a 15-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder and thigh, a 
15-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder, a 16-year-old boy suffered a 
graze wound to the face and a gunshot wound to the hand, and a 
16-year-old boy was shot in the leg. All four were getting hospital 
treatment and were in stable condition.Police said no arrest has been made and no weapon was recovered.The
 shooting took place about a block from Overbrook High School in West 
Philadelphia, where school let out early because of parent-teacher 
conferences, the district’s deputy chief of communications, Monique 
Braxton, said in a phone interview.Braxton said the district's Office of School Safety told her the students were at a corner store when the shooting occurred.“We
 don't know who was targeted, if any of the four of them were targeted,”
 Braxton said. Parents were being notified early Wednesday afternoon.“This is outrageous, that young people would be shot shortly after being dismissed from their high school,” Braxton said.Officer
 Miguel Torres, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department, 
said that the shooting occurred around 11:30 a.m. He said victims were 
taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Lankenau Medical Center.

Officials: 4 Philly high school students shot near school

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;3,045&nbsp; new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Nov. 12 to Nov. 18, for a total of&nbsp;897,813 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;5 additional COVID-19 deaths, for a total of 9,657.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;3,045&nbsp; new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Nov. 12 to Nov. 18, for a total of&nbsp;897,813 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;5 additional COVID-19 deaths, for a total of 9,657.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669228109411.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: 3,000 new COVID cases, five additional deaths

JUNCTION CITY — Justin Aaron of Junction City has advanced to the Top 10 in the competition on "The Voice" on NBC. 

Monday evening, he sang Tasha Cobb's "Break Every Chain" during the live round.

The competition continues through mid-December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669220691549.jpeg" alt="Aaron" />
 <figcaption>Aaron</figcaption>
 </figure>JC PostJUNCTION CITY — Justin Aaron of Junction City has advanced to the Top 10 in the competition on "The Voice" on NBC. Monday evening, he sang Tasha Cobb's "Break Every Chain" during the live round.The competition continues through mid-December.

Kansas singer advances to Top 10 on 'The Voice'

By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/23/gov-mike-parson-picks-staffer-to-replace-eric-schmitt-as-missouri-attorney-general/">Missouri Independent</a>

A top staff member in the governor’s office will be Missouri’s next attorney general.

Andrew Bailey, 41, who has <a target="_blank" href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-andrew-bailey-new-general-counsel">served as general counsel for Gov. Mike Parson</a> for the last year, will replace Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who was elected to the U.S. Senate earlier this month.

Bailey will complete Schmitt’s term, which ends in 2024.&nbsp;

Parson made the announcement Wednesday morning before the Thanksgiving weekend. 

According to the governor’s office, 
Bailey has roughly eight years of professional experience as an 
attorney, including stints working as an assistant prosecuting attorney 
in Warren County and as an assistant attorney general. His previous jobs
 in the Parson administration were as deputy general counsel for the 
governor and general counsel for the Missouri Department of Corrections.

He is an army veteran that was awarded two Army Achievement Medals, 
an Army Accommodation Medal, a Combat Action Badge and two Bronze Star 
Medals for his service.

Bailey has never held elected office.&nbsp;

“My entire career has been defined by public service, and now I’m 
ready to continue that service as your Attorney General,” he said, 
“where I will work tirelessly to earn your trust and never stop fighting
 on your behalf.”

Bailey has been Parson’s top choice 
for the job all along. But his appointment has not been greeted by 
universal support among Republicans.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Jackson County Republican Chairman Mark Anthony Jones 
sent a letter to the governor on behalf of his organization begging 
Parson not to appoint Bailey.

“PLEASE DO NOT appoint Andrew Bailey as Attorney General for 
Missouri!!” the letter said. “He has little experience in the attorney 
general’s office, and what he has is from Democrat Chris Koster’s 
office. He has only been an attorney for eight years. There MUST be 
other choices.”

The governor spoke with other 
potential candidates — former U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison, Cole County 
Judge Chris Limbaugh, former state Sen. Kurt Schaefer and state Sen. 
Tony Luetkemeyer —but never wavered from Bailey.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Bailey pushed back on any suggestion he doesn’t have the needed experience to be attorney general.

“I’m battle tested,”&nbsp; he said, “and I am ready for this job.”

Parson said one of his top considerations on who to appoint was 
stability in the office that has seen the last two incumbents leave for 
higher office.

“Stability was critical when considering the next attorney general,” Parson said.&nbsp;

Bailey vowed to run for the office in two years.

Parson said Bailey was critical to much of the governor’s agenda over
 the last few years, pointing specifically at efforts to “end&nbsp;elective abortions in Missouri.” and “strengthen the Second Amendment protections.”

He also gave Bailey credit for efforts the governor’s office has made to close&nbsp;over 2,000 clemency files and fill more than 100 judicial openings.&nbsp;

In the weeks leading up to the announcement, The Independent and other media have <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/01/governors-adviser-the-frontrunner-for-missouri-ag-job-if-eric-schmitt-wins-senate-seat/">filed requests under Missouri’s Sunshine Law</a>
 for access to records documenting internal discussions with Bailey 
about the appointment. The office has said the records may not be turned
 over until January, after the new attorney general will already be 
sworn into office.

Kelli Jones, Parson’s taxpayer-funded spokeswoman, has ignored inquiries about the records requests and whether the governor would consider expediting the release of those records. 

Asked about whether the governor’s office should release the records quickly, Bailey didn’t answer directly, saying “the people out there absolutely deserve a government that is responsive and transparent.”

During his tenure with Parson, Bailey has kept a relatively low public profile.&nbsp;

His closest brush with headlines came after records revealed he<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-01-11/a-missouri-reporter-is-getting-blamed-for-the-security-flaw-he-exposed"> helped craft talking points</a>
 the governor’s office used to advocate for the criminal prosecution of a
 journalist who uncovered a security problem in a state website.&nbsp;

The reporter uncovered a security flaw in a state website that left 
more than 500,000 teacher Social Security numbers exposed. Parson 
accused the reporter of being a hacker. Bailey helped come up with the 
governor’s argument that&nbsp;the reporter engaged in illegal hacking because
 he took “eight separate steps” to get the Social Security numbers.

According to Bloomberg News, one of the eight steps included <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-01-11/a-missouri-reporter-is-getting-blamed-for-the-security-flaw-he-exposed">opening a new tab in Google Chrome</a>.

That effort by the governor’s office was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/10/14/1046124278/missouri-newspaper-security-flaws-hacking-investigation-gov-mike-parson">widely panned</a>, and a 158-page investigative file produced by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Cole County prosecutor showed <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/23/claim-that-reporter-hacked-state-website-was-debunked-parson-still-says-hes-a-criminal/">no evidence of anything that even resembled computer hacking</a>.

Asked about the push to prosecute a journalist Wednesday, Bailey stood behind the office’s strategy.

Bailey’s appointment marks the second time Parson has selected a new attorney general.

Schmitt got the job in 2018, after then-Attorney General Josh Hawley was elected to the Senate.

“Few Missouri governors have had the opportunity and responsibility to appoint an attorney general on the behalf of the people of Missouri once,” Parson said,&nbsp;let alone twice.”

Parson will also have to pick a new 
state treasurer. Scott Fitzpatrick, who was appointed treasurer in 2018 
and elected to a full term in 2020, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/08/republican-scott-fitzpatrick-wins-missouri-auditor-election/">won the race for state auditor on Tuesday</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669220785332.png" alt="Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has appointed two attorneys general during his tenure, with the last two people to hold the office leaving after successful Senate campaigns (photo courtesy of the Missouri Governor's Office)." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has appointed two attorneys general during his tenure, with the last two people to hold the office leaving after successful Senate campaigns (photo courtesy of the Missouri Governor's Office).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/23/gov-mike-parson-picks-staffer-to-replace-eric-schmitt-as-missouri-attorney-general/">Missouri Independent</a>A top staff member in the governor’s office will be Missouri’s next attorney general.Andrew Bailey, 41, who has <a target="_blank" href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-andrew-bailey-new-general-counsel">served as general counsel for Gov. Mike Parson</a> for the last year, will replace Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who was elected to the U.S. Senate earlier this month. Bailey will complete Schmitt’s term, which ends in 2024.&nbsp;Parson made the announcement Wednesday morning before the Thanksgiving weekend. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669220841869.jpeg" alt="Andrew Bailey" />
 <figcaption>Andrew Bailey</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the governor’s office, 
Bailey has roughly eight years of professional experience as an 
attorney, including stints working as an assistant prosecuting attorney 
in Warren County and as an assistant attorney general. His previous jobs
 in the Parson administration were as deputy general counsel for the 
governor and general counsel for the Missouri Department of Corrections.He is an army veteran that was awarded two Army Achievement Medals, 
an Army Accommodation Medal, a Combat Action Badge and two Bronze Star 
Medals for his service.Bailey has never held elected office.&nbsp;“My entire career has been defined by public service, and now I’m 
ready to continue that service as your Attorney General,” he said, 
“where I will work tirelessly to earn your trust and never stop fighting
 on your behalf.”Bailey has been Parson’s top choice 
for the job all along. But his appointment has not been greeted by 
universal support among Republicans.&nbsp;On Tuesday, Jackson County Republican Chairman Mark Anthony Jones 
sent a letter to the governor on behalf of his organization begging 
Parson not to appoint Bailey.“PLEASE DO NOT appoint Andrew Bailey as Attorney General for 
Missouri!!” the letter said. “He has little experience in the attorney 
general’s office, and what he has is from Democrat Chris Koster’s 
office. He has only been an attorney for eight years. There MUST be 
other choices.”The governor spoke with other 
potential candidates — former U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison, Cole County 
Judge Chris Limbaugh, former state Sen. Kurt Schaefer and state Sen. 
Tony Luetkemeyer —but never wavered from Bailey.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Bailey pushed back on any suggestion he doesn’t have the needed experience to be attorney general.“I’m battle tested,”&nbsp; he said, “and I am ready for this job.”Parson said one of his top considerations on who to appoint was 
stability in the office that has seen the last two incumbents leave for 
higher office.“Stability was critical when considering the next attorney general,” Parson said.&nbsp;Bailey vowed to run for the office in two years.Parson said Bailey was critical to much of the governor’s agenda over
 the last few years, pointing specifically at efforts to “end&nbsp;elective abortions in Missouri.” and “strengthen the Second Amendment protections.”He also gave Bailey credit for efforts the governor’s office has made to close&nbsp;over 2,000 clemency files and fill more than 100 judicial openings.&nbsp;In the weeks leading up to the announcement, The Independent and other media have <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/01/governors-adviser-the-frontrunner-for-missouri-ag-job-if-eric-schmitt-wins-senate-seat/">filed requests under Missouri’s Sunshine Law</a>
 for access to records documenting internal discussions with Bailey 
about the appointment. The office has said the records may not be turned
 over until January, after the new attorney general will already be 
sworn into office.Kelli Jones, Parson’s taxpayer-funded spokeswoman, has ignored inquiries about the records requests and whether the governor would consider expediting the release of those records. Asked about whether the governor’s office should release the records quickly, Bailey didn’t answer directly, saying “the people out there absolutely deserve a government that is responsive and transparent.”During his tenure with Parson, Bailey has kept a relatively low public profile.&nbsp;His closest brush with headlines came after records revealed he<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-01-11/a-missouri-reporter-is-getting-blamed-for-the-security-flaw-he-exposed"> helped craft talking points</a>
 the governor’s office used to advocate for the criminal prosecution of a
 journalist who uncovered a security problem in a state website.&nbsp;The reporter uncovered a security flaw in a state website that left 
more than 500,000 teacher Social Security numbers exposed. Parson 
accused the reporter of being a hacker. Bailey helped come up with the 
governor’s argument that&nbsp;the reporter engaged in illegal hacking because
 he took “eight separate steps” to get the Social Security numbers.According to Bloomberg News, one of the eight steps included <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-01-11/a-missouri-reporter-is-getting-blamed-for-the-security-flaw-he-exposed">opening a new tab in Google Chrome</a>.That effort by the governor’s office was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/10/14/1046124278/missouri-newspaper-security-flaws-hacking-investigation-gov-mike-parson">widely panned</a>, and a 158-page investigative file produced by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Cole County prosecutor showed <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/23/claim-that-reporter-hacked-state-website-was-debunked-parson-still-says-hes-a-criminal/">no evidence of anything that even resembled computer hacking</a>.Asked about the push to prosecute a journalist Wednesday, Bailey stood behind the office’s strategy.Bailey’s appointment marks the second time Parson has selected a new attorney general.Schmitt got the job in 2018, after then-Attorney General Josh Hawley was elected to the Senate.“Few Missouri governors have had the opportunity and responsibility to appoint an attorney general on the behalf of the people of Missouri once,” Parson said,&nbsp;let alone twice.”Parson will also have to pick a new 
state treasurer. Scott Fitzpatrick, who was appointed treasurer in 2018 
and elected to a full term in 2020, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/08/republican-scott-fitzpatrick-wins-missouri-auditor-election/">won the race for state auditor on Tuesday</a>.&nbsp;

Parson picks staffer to replace Schmitt as Missouri AG

By JIM SALTER Associated Press

ST. LOUIS — One year after Rams owner Stan Kroenke and the NFL agreed to pay <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-business-los-angeles-st-louis-1cff28235e3d10777a86103d983cd2f1">$790 million to settle a lawsuit</a> over the team's departure to Los Angeles, St. Louis interests have announced a plan to split up the money.

The
 office of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones released details of the plan 
Tuesday night. The tentative agreement must still be approved by the 
board of directors for the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports 
Complex Authority (RSA).

It calls for St. Louis city to receive 
$250 million, St. Louis County to get $169 million and the RSA — which 
owns the domed stadium where the Rams used to play — to get $70 million.
 Another $30 million would help pay for expansion of the America's 
Center convention center, which is attached to the dome. While the dome 
sits in St. Louis city, county taxpayers helped pay for it.

The 
law firm that handled the case received $275 million in attorney fees. 
That left $512 million, a figure expected to grow with interest to 
$519.5 million by the time the money is divided up.

The lawsuit 
settlement was reached in November 2021, weeks before the trial was 
scheduled to begin. Kroenke and the NFL had failed in bids to have the 
lawsuit dismissed or at least moved out of St. Louis.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8b855ceaa3024bb29c43a831afb74d6d">The suit sought more than $1 billion in damages</a>,
 claiming the NFL violated its own relocation guidelines in allowing the
 move, and that the league and the Rams enriched themselves at the 
expense of the community they left behind.

Then-owner Georgia 
Frontiere moved the Rams from Los Angeles in 1995 to her hometown of St.
 Louis. Kroenke, a Missouri real estate developer who is married to an 
heir of the Walmart fortune, became a minority owner. Frontiere died in 
2008 and left the team to her children, who sold the Rams to Kroenke in 
2010.

Soon thereafter, the Rams sought millions of dollars in 
upgrades to the dome, which was built with taxpayer money in the early 
1990s to attract an NFL team. St. Louis interests initially proposed a 
more modest upgrade, then eventually proposed a new $1 billion stadium 
along the Mississippi River that would be funded jointly by taxpayers, 
the team and the NFL. The league and the team balked.

Instead, 
Kroenke purchased land in Inglewood, California, and moved the team with
 approval of league owners in 2016. SoFi Stadium opened in September 
2020 and is now home to both the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers, who 
moved from San Diego in 2017.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669218651155.jpeg" alt="Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is shown before an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. Representatives of St. Louis, St. Louis County and the authority that owns The Dome at America’s Center have reached a tentative agreement dividing up the $519 million remaining in settlement money from the lawsuit over the NFL Rams’ relocation.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)" />
 <figcaption>Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is shown before an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. Representatives of St. Louis, St. Louis County and the authority that owns The Dome at America’s Center have reached a tentative agreement dividing up the $519 million remaining in settlement money from the lawsuit over the NFL Rams’ relocation.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER Associated PressST. LOUIS — One year after Rams owner Stan Kroenke and the NFL agreed to pay <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-business-los-angeles-st-louis-1cff28235e3d10777a86103d983cd2f1">$790 million to settle a lawsuit</a> over the team's departure to Los Angeles, St. Louis interests have announced a plan to split up the money.The
 office of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones released details of the plan 
Tuesday night. The tentative agreement must still be approved by the 
board of directors for the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports 
Complex Authority (RSA).It calls for St. Louis city to receive 
$250 million, St. Louis County to get $169 million and the RSA — which 
owns the domed stadium where the Rams used to play — to get $70 million.
 Another $30 million would help pay for expansion of the America's 
Center convention center, which is attached to the dome. While the dome 
sits in St. Louis city, county taxpayers helped pay for it.The 
law firm that handled the case received $275 million in attorney fees. 
That left $512 million, a figure expected to grow with interest to 
$519.5 million by the time the money is divided up.The lawsuit 
settlement was reached in November 2021, weeks before the trial was 
scheduled to begin. Kroenke and the NFL had failed in bids to have the 
lawsuit dismissed or at least moved out of St. Louis.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8b855ceaa3024bb29c43a831afb74d6d">The suit sought more than $1 billion in damages</a>,
 claiming the NFL violated its own relocation guidelines in allowing the
 move, and that the league and the Rams enriched themselves at the 
expense of the community they left behind.Then-owner Georgia 
Frontiere moved the Rams from Los Angeles in 1995 to her hometown of St.
 Louis. Kroenke, a Missouri real estate developer who is married to an 
heir of the Walmart fortune, became a minority owner. Frontiere died in 
2008 and left the team to her children, who sold the Rams to Kroenke in 
2010.Soon thereafter, the Rams sought millions of dollars in 
upgrades to the dome, which was built with taxpayer money in the early 
1990s to attract an NFL team. St. Louis interests initially proposed a 
more modest upgrade, then eventually proposed a new $1 billion stadium 
along the Mississippi River that would be funded jointly by taxpayers, 
the team and the NFL. The league and the team balked.Instead, 
Kroenke purchased land in Inglewood, California, and moved the team with
 approval of league owners in 2016. SoFi Stadium opened in September 
2020 and is now home to both the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers, who 
moved from San Diego in 2017.

St. Louis region announces plan for Rams settlement money

At 12:50 p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to Wyandotte County Lake in Kansas City, Kan., for a deceased body in the lake.

 The recovered body was that of an adult Black male. 

This incident is currently under investigation by the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office Investigations Unit. Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation should contact the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). 

All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. 

Wyandotte County Sheriff's OfficeAt 12:50 p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched to Wyandotte County Lake in Kansas City, Kan., for a deceased body in the lake. The recovered body was that of an adult Black male. This incident is currently under investigation by the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office Investigations Unit. Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation should contact the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

Wyandotte Sheriff's Office investigating body found in lake

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — 
Thanksgiving travel volume will be almost back to levels before the 
pandemic, if estimates from AAA come true.

"About 90% of people 
traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday will be taking to the highway," 
said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "It's a very driving heavy holiday. A
 lot of people just go in regionally or within state to visit to visit 
their friends and families."

AAA predicts 54.6 million people 
nationwide will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. 
That’s a 1.5% increase over 2021 and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes.

"In
 Kansas, about 525,000 of the 581,000 total travelers will be driving to
 their destinations," Steward said. "Pack your patience, slow down and 
just be extra cautious on the roads this week."

It's also 
important to remember that it gets dark earlier this time of year, so 
more of that driving will likely take place outside of daylight hours, 
or during the potentially&nbsp; blinding pre-sunset hour, if driving west in 
the afternoon.

"Slow down, drive for the conditions," Steward 
said. "Don't overdrive your headlights. We've certainly got deer to look
 out for as well on the highways. Be scanning the sides of the road 
constantly as you are driving, especially at night."

Some of the 
busiest driving times of the weekend will be on Wednesday after work and
 especially on Sunday as families travel back home after the long 
weekend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669213110675.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — 
Thanksgiving travel volume will be almost back to levels before the 
pandemic, if estimates from AAA come true."About 90% of people 
traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday will be taking to the highway," 
said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "It's a very driving heavy holiday. A
 lot of people just go in regionally or within state to visit to visit 
their friends and families."AAA predicts 54.6 million people 
nationwide will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. 
That’s a 1.5% increase over 2021 and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes."In
 Kansas, about 525,000 of the 581,000 total travelers will be driving to
 their destinations," Steward said. "Pack your patience, slow down and 
just be extra cautious on the roads this week."It's also 
important to remember that it gets dark earlier this time of year, so 
more of that driving will likely take place outside of daylight hours, 
or during the potentially&nbsp; blinding pre-sunset hour, if driving west in 
the afternoon."Slow down, drive for the conditions," Steward 
said. "Don't overdrive your headlights. We've certainly got deer to look
 out for as well on the highways. Be scanning the sides of the road 
constantly as you are driving, especially at night."Some of the 
busiest driving times of the weekend will be on Wednesday after work and
 especially on Sunday as families travel back home after the long 
weekend.

AAA: Expect roads to be busy for holiday travel

By CLARA BATES <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/23/missourians-seeking-food-assistance-saw-call-center-wait-times-increase-over-the-summer/">Missouri Independent</a>

In May, Missouri residents applying 
for food assistance by phone had to wait on hold an average of 56 
minutes to reach the required interview process, a delay a federal judge
 <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/20/missouri-judge-denies-states-request-to-dismiss-federal-snap-lawsuit/">deemed </a>“unacceptably long.”

Yet over the summer, wait times continued to increase each month, according to data obtained this week by The Independent.

Callers to the state hotline that 
handles the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, waited 
on hold for an average of over an hour and a half in August before being
 connected to agents.

The wait times exceeded an hour in both June and July.

In 2014, the Department of Social Services reprimanded its then-contractor for SNAP call centers because wait times were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/call-center-contractor-vows-to-fix-wait-times-busy-signals/article_45280982-0feb-57f2-9fc8-b5293ade7952.html">in excess of 6 minutes.</a>&nbsp;

Applicants are required to complete 
an interview to receive SNAP benefits, and be interviewed for 
recertification every 12 to 24 months, but long wait times can make it 
difficult to get through.&nbsp;

The situation prompted a <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/22/federal-lawsuit-targets-missouris-dysfunctional-food-assistance-program/">federal lawsuit</a>
 in February alleging Missouri is wrongly denying thousands of 
low-income residents food assistance and violating federal SNAP law.

The judge overseeing the federal lawsuit, M. Douglas Harpool, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/20/missouri-judge-denies-states-request-to-dismiss-federal-snap-lawsuit/">called</a>
 the then-56 minute wait time “still unacceptably long and particularly 
burdensome for financially struggling Missouri citizens in need of SNAP 
benefits.”

From February to May, the state <a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/12xEJPq77KAfujZXqWczVBaPP4CsBlnhu">noted</a>
 a “substantial decrease” in SNAP wait times. The latest data reveals 
that trend did not last, even as another social safety net program, 
Medicaid, became more timely.

The state has <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/10/missouri-officials-vow-progress-as-medicaid-applicant-wait-time-remains-at-100-days/">attributed</a>
 long SNAP wait times over the summer to an influx of applicants and a 
worsening economy. Officials also point to staffing shortages and high 
turnover within the Missouri Department of Social Services, which 
oversees the program.&nbsp;

When the call volume is too high, SNAP applicants cannot even enter the queue: the call is automatically ended.

More recent wait-time data was not made available by DSS. The June, July and August wait times were <a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1HYFEjFnOQ063g5tbHnHDqit1uFfaZsF6">turned over</a> to The Independent on Monday in response to a public records request filed with DSS in September.&nbsp;

In response to The Independent’s records request, the state said wait times are lower when applicants answer the state’s call made from an automated system.&nbsp;

Applicants generally receive a call 
from DSS for an interview from an automated dialer within a few days of 
submitting an application, and if they pick up, have to wait only around
 two minutes to connect to staff, according to the data provided.

According to the federal lawsuit,
 however, applicants often miss those calls because they do not know 
when to expect them, at which point they must go to an in-person office 
or use the call center.&nbsp;

DSS also emphasized that some callers
 mistakenly enter the queue for the general questions section of the 
call center rather than the specific SNAP queue, which could provide an 
incomplete picture of the data — but DSS did not provide the data for 
the tier they claimed was relevant or quantify how common this might 
be.&nbsp;

On DSS’s Facebook <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/MOSocialServices/photos/a.1875487582719001/2653979961536422?comment_id=1428674824294616">page</a>, where benefits recipients frequently ask questions, comments
 last month included, “What a nightmare this process is! I have been 
trying to schedule a SNAP interview for my disabled son for two 
weeks…they cannot take the call due to call volume.”&nbsp;

Another plea for help last month <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/MOSocialServices/photos/a.1875487582719001/2653979961536422?comment_id=660428815439676">read</a>: “I sure would like to hear from somebody since [there are] 319 people ahead of me on the phone.”&nbsp;

As wait times have continued to be an
 issue for SNAP, the state has successfully decreased the time it takes 
to process applications for Medicaid.&nbsp;

Processing times for evaluating Medicaid applications became so long — averaging 115 days in June — that the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/10/missouri-officials-vow-progress-as-medicaid-applicant-wait-time-remains-at-100-days/">intervened </a>to bring Missouri into compliance with the program’s regulations. In September, the state <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/14/missouri-officials-say-medicaid-applications-are-now-processed-within-federal-deadline/">announced</a>
 it had overcome their Medicaid application backlog, crediting the work 
of staff and policy flexibilities. The average processing time fell <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/31/missouri-medicaid-application-wait-times-average-41-days-the-lowest-in-nearly-a-year/">within federal limits</a> that month for the first time in nearly a year.&nbsp;

Kim Evans, director of DSS’s Family Support Division, <a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/12xEJPq77KAfujZXqWczVBaPP4CsBlnhu">has </a><a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/10/missouri-officials-vow-progress-as-medicaid-applicant-wait-time-remains-at-100-days/">previously</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/27/missouri-medicaid-wait-list-averages-90-days-the-state-has-a-month-to-cut-it-in-half/">explained</a>
 that staff who process Medicaid applications are also trained to 
process SNAP applications, and DSS moves staff around based on need.

Caitlin Whaley, a spokesperson for 
DSS said the number of Family Support Division staff who are “shifted 
daily” depends on the “volume of calls and the business need to maintain
 timeliness on Medicaid applications.”&nbsp;

Whaley did not respond to questions regarding whether the focus on Medicaid applications beginning in <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/09/federal-government-steps-in-to-help-pull-missouri-out-of-medicaid-backlog/">July</a> could have affected SNAP wait times.

A spokesperson for the United States 
Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP in the states, said there
 are no federal regulations specific to call center wait times.

“[Food and Nutrition Services] 
continues to work with state leadership to examine possible solutions 
and will continue to monitor internal state progress on call wait 
times,” the USDA spokesperson said.

State Sen. Jill Schupp, a St. Louis 
County Democrat who has previously pressed the department about SNAP 
wait times, said in an interview she remains concerned DSS’s staffing 
levels might be affecting social safety net services — even as the 
department works to improve wait times and is, “in some areas,” 
successful, she said.

“I’m not sure that we’re doing enough,” she said, “to be able to bring on and retain new employees.”&nbsp;

DSS has said they will launch an 
“enhanced customer portal” with scheduling capabilities which they 
expect to reduce the burden on their call centers. But that won’t be 
available until sometime in 2023, Whaley said.

The state has already “worked to 
implement more citizen-facing resources such as a live chat function, a 
website outlining verification documents, and a new secure document 
upload portal,” Whaley said.

Asked whether the enhanced customer 
portal would alter applicants’ access to in-person options, Whaley said:
 “The agency is not trying to take away service options, but rather add 
them.”

By CLARA BATES <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/23/missourians-seeking-food-assistance-saw-call-center-wait-times-increase-over-the-summer/">Missouri Independent</a>In May, Missouri residents applying 
for food assistance by phone had to wait on hold an average of 56 
minutes to reach the required interview process, a delay a federal judge
 <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/20/missouri-judge-denies-states-request-to-dismiss-federal-snap-lawsuit/">deemed </a>“unacceptably long.”Yet over the summer, wait times continued to increase each month, according to data obtained this week by The Independent.Callers to the state hotline that 
handles the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, waited 
on hold for an average of over an hour and a half in August before being
 connected to agents.The wait times exceeded an hour in both June and July.In 2014, the Department of Social Services reprimanded its then-contractor for SNAP call centers because wait times were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/call-center-contractor-vows-to-fix-wait-times-busy-signals/article_45280982-0feb-57f2-9fc8-b5293ade7952.html">in excess of 6 minutes.</a>&nbsp;Applicants are required to complete 
an interview to receive SNAP benefits, and be interviewed for 
recertification every 12 to 24 months, but long wait times can make it 
difficult to get through.&nbsp;The situation prompted a <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/22/federal-lawsuit-targets-missouris-dysfunctional-food-assistance-program/">federal lawsuit</a>
 in February alleging Missouri is wrongly denying thousands of 
low-income residents food assistance and violating federal SNAP law.The judge overseeing the federal lawsuit, M. Douglas Harpool, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/20/missouri-judge-denies-states-request-to-dismiss-federal-snap-lawsuit/">called</a>
 the then-56 minute wait time “still unacceptably long and particularly 
burdensome for financially struggling Missouri citizens in need of SNAP 
benefits.”From February to May, the state <a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/12xEJPq77KAfujZXqWczVBaPP4CsBlnhu">noted</a>
 a “substantial decrease” in SNAP wait times. The latest data reveals 
that trend did not last, even as another social safety net program, 
Medicaid, became more timely.The state has <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/10/missouri-officials-vow-progress-as-medicaid-applicant-wait-time-remains-at-100-days/">attributed</a>
 long SNAP wait times over the summer to an influx of applicants and a 
worsening economy. Officials also point to staffing shortages and high 
turnover within the Missouri Department of Social Services, which 
oversees the program.&nbsp;When the call volume is too high, SNAP applicants cannot even enter the queue: the call is automatically ended.<h2>‘Not sure that we’re doing enough’</h2>More recent wait-time data was not made available by DSS. The June, July and August wait times were <a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1HYFEjFnOQ063g5tbHnHDqit1uFfaZsF6">turned over</a> to The Independent on Monday in response to a public records request filed with DSS in September.&nbsp;In response to The Independent’s records request, the state said wait times are lower when applicants answer the state’s call made from an automated system.&nbsp;Applicants generally receive a call 
from DSS for an interview from an automated dialer within a few days of 
submitting an application, and if they pick up, have to wait only around
 two minutes to connect to staff, according to the data provided.According to the federal lawsuit,
 however, applicants often miss those calls because they do not know 
when to expect them, at which point they must go to an in-person office 
or use the call center.&nbsp;DSS also emphasized that some callers
 mistakenly enter the queue for the general questions section of the 
call center rather than the specific SNAP queue, which could provide an 
incomplete picture of the data — but DSS did not provide the data for 
the tier they claimed was relevant or quantify how common this might 
be.&nbsp;On DSS’s Facebook <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/MOSocialServices/photos/a.1875487582719001/2653979961536422?comment_id=1428674824294616">page</a>, where benefits recipients frequently ask questions, comments
 last month included, “What a nightmare this process is! I have been 
trying to schedule a SNAP interview for my disabled son for two 
weeks…they cannot take the call due to call volume.”&nbsp;Another plea for help last month <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/MOSocialServices/photos/a.1875487582719001/2653979961536422?comment_id=660428815439676">read</a>: “I sure would like to hear from somebody since [there are] 319 people ahead of me on the phone.”&nbsp;As wait times have continued to be an
 issue for SNAP, the state has successfully decreased the time it takes 
to process applications for Medicaid.&nbsp;Processing times for evaluating Medicaid applications became so long — averaging 115 days in June — that the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/10/missouri-officials-vow-progress-as-medicaid-applicant-wait-time-remains-at-100-days/">intervened </a>to bring Missouri into compliance with the program’s regulations. In September, the state <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/14/missouri-officials-say-medicaid-applications-are-now-processed-within-federal-deadline/">announced</a>
 it had overcome their Medicaid application backlog, crediting the work 
of staff and policy flexibilities. The average processing time fell <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/31/missouri-medicaid-application-wait-times-average-41-days-the-lowest-in-nearly-a-year/">within federal limits</a> that month for the first time in nearly a year.&nbsp;Kim Evans, director of DSS’s Family Support Division, <a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/12xEJPq77KAfujZXqWczVBaPP4CsBlnhu">has </a><a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/10/missouri-officials-vow-progress-as-medicaid-applicant-wait-time-remains-at-100-days/">previously</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/27/missouri-medicaid-wait-list-averages-90-days-the-state-has-a-month-to-cut-it-in-half/">explained</a>
 that staff who process Medicaid applications are also trained to 
process SNAP applications, and DSS moves staff around based on need.Caitlin Whaley, a spokesperson for 
DSS said the number of Family Support Division staff who are “shifted 
daily” depends on the “volume of calls and the business need to maintain
 timeliness on Medicaid applications.”&nbsp;Whaley did not respond to questions regarding whether the focus on Medicaid applications beginning in <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/09/federal-government-steps-in-to-help-pull-missouri-out-of-medicaid-backlog/">July</a> could have affected SNAP wait times.A spokesperson for the United States 
Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP in the states, said there
 are no federal regulations specific to call center wait times.“[Food and Nutrition Services] 
continues to work with state leadership to examine possible solutions 
and will continue to monitor internal state progress on call wait 
times,” the USDA spokesperson said.State Sen. Jill Schupp, a St. Louis 
County Democrat who has previously pressed the department about SNAP 
wait times, said in an interview she remains concerned DSS’s staffing 
levels might be affecting social safety net services — even as the 
department works to improve wait times and is, “in some areas,” 
successful, she said.“I’m not sure that we’re doing enough,” she said, “to be able to bring on and retain new employees.”&nbsp;DSS has said they will launch an 
“enhanced customer portal” with scheduling capabilities which they 
expect to reduce the burden on their call centers. But that won’t be 
available until sometime in 2023, Whaley said.The state has already “worked to 
implement more citizen-facing resources such as a live chat function, a 
website outlining verification documents, and a new secure document 
upload portal,” Whaley said.Asked whether the enhanced customer 
portal would alter applicants’ access to in-person options, Whaley said:
 “The agency is not trying to take away service options, but rather add 
them.”

Call center times increase for Missourians seeking food aid

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%20and%20SAM%20MEDNICK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN LEICESTER and SAM MEDNICK </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%20and%20SAM%20MEDNICK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press</a>

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%20and%20SAM%20MEDNICK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN LEICESTER and SAM MEDNICK </a> <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20LEICESTER%20and%20SAM%20MEDNICK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press</a>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Authorities reported power outages in multiple cities of Ukraine, including parts of Kyiv, and in neighboring Moldova after renewed strikes Wednesday struck Ukrainian infrastructure facilities.Multiple regions reported attacks in quick succession, suggesting a barrage of strikes. In several regions, authorities reported strikes on critical infrastructure.Russia has been pounding the power grid and other facilities with missile and exploding drones for weeks, seemingly aiming to turn the cold and dark of winter into a weapon.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Multiple explosions were heard in Kyiv Wednesday, with officials reporting strikes on residential areas and critical infrastructure facilities in and around the Ukrainian capital.The explosions follow an unrelenting series of Russian attacks on power and other facilities across Ukraine in recent weeks.The thunderous echoes of what sounded like repeated blasts rattled across the capital after air raid sirens sounded in the city and elsewhere across Ukraine. Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted on Telegram that “one of the capital’s infrastructure facilities has been hit.” The city administration said one person was wounded.Klitschko said there were more explosions in other districts but didn't give further details, and said that “some neighborhoods of Kyiv” lack power. Kyiv regional governor Oleksii Kuleba said strikes were reported in the area around the capital, and residential areas and critical infrastructure facilities were hit.In the western city of Lviv, the mayor also urged people to take shelter -- seemingly pointing to strikes there, too. In a Telegram message, the mayor said the whole city had lost power.There was no further information on what and how many targets had been hit.Russia has been repeatedly pounding Ukraine’s war-time capital and power facilities across the country in recent weeks, causing widespread blackouts.The latest explosions came hours after Ukrainian authorities said an overnight rocket attack destroyed a hospital maternity ward in southern Ukraine, killing a 2-day-old baby.Following the overnight strike in Vilniansk, close to the city of Zaporizhzhia, the baby’s mother and a doctor were pulled alive from the rubble.The region's governor said the rockets were Russian. The strike adds to the gruesome toll suffered by hospitals and other medical facilities — and their patients and staff — in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;that will enter its tenth month this week.They have been in the firing line from the outset, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-25204be08db8868e858f624f851d2ae3">March 9 airstrike</a>&nbsp;that destroyed a maternity hospital in the now-occupied port city of Mariupol.“At night, Russian monsters launched huge rockets at the small maternity ward of the hospital in Vilniansk. Grief overwhelms our hearts — a baby was killed who had just seen the light of day. Rescuers are working at the site,” said the regional governor, Oleksandr Starukh, writing on the Telegram messaging app.First lady Olena Zelenska wrote on Twitter that a 2-day-old boy died in the strike and expressed her condolences. “Horrible pain. We will never forget and never forgive,” she said.Photos posted by the governor showed thick smoke rising above mounds of rubble, being combed by emergency workers against the backdrop of a dark night sky.The State Emergency Service said the two-story building was destroyed.Vilniansk is in the Ukrainian-held north of the Zaporizhzhia region, and is about 500 kilometers (300 miles) southeast of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.Medical workers' efforts have been complicated by the succession of Russian attacks in recent weeks on Ukraine's infrastructure that officials say have caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-business-dnipropetrovsk-5f59cf82c2f4b11a0e90d2d9ba656ad2">huge damage to the power grid</a>.The situation is even worse in the southern city of Kherson, from which Russia retreated nearly two weeks ago after months of occupation — cutting power and water lines.Many doctors in the city are working in the dark, unable to use elevators to transport patients to surgery and operating with headlamps, cell phones and flashlights. In some hospitals, key equipment no longer works.“Breathing machines don’t work, X-ray machines don’t work ... There is only one portable ultrasound machine and we carry it constantly,” said Volodymyr Malishchuk, the head of surgery at a children’s hospital in the city.On Tuesday, after strikes on Kherson seriously wounded 13-year-old Artur Voblikov, a team of health staff carefully maneuvered the sedated boy up six flights of a narrow staircase to an operating room to amputate his left arm.Malischchuk said that three children wounded by Russian strikes have come to the hospital this week, half as many as had previously been admitted in all of the nine months since the invasion began. Picking up a piece of shrapnel that was found in a 14-year-old boy’s stomach, he said children are arriving with severe head injuries and ruptured internal organs.Artur's mother, Natalia Voblikova, sat in the dark hospital with her daughter, waiting for his surgery to end.“You can’t even call (Russians) animals, because animals take care of their own,” said Voblikova wiping tears from her eyes. “But the children ... Why kill children?”In the northeastern city of Kupiansk, two civilians were killed and two more were wounded by Russian shelling on Wednesday morning, a regional official said.A nine-story residential building and a clinic were damaged, and a 55-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man died, Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram.Kupiansk was an early prize of Ukraine’s lightning offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region in September and, like other recaptured settlements, has seen repeated shelling by Russian forces which many Ukrainian officials describe as retaliation.In Strasbourg, France, the European Parliament overwhelmingly backed a resolution labeling Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for its invasion of and actions in Ukraine. The nonbinding but symbolically significant resolution passed in a 494-58 vote with 48 abstentions.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the vote. "Russia must be isolated at all levels and be held accountable in order to end its longstanding policy of terrorism in Ukraine and across the globe,” he wrote on Twitter.After Wednesday's explosions in Kyiv, senior Zelenskyy aide Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram: “The terrorists immediately confirm that they are terrorists - they launch rockets. Naive losers."