Statement from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on American Heart Month

“February 1^st marked the beginning of American Heart Month, a time to think about what you can do to take care of your heart.

“The Department of Health and Human Services is working with public and private partners to help Americans take care of their hearts and raise awareness of heart disease through our various research efforts and programs. Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017, by educating the public and health care professionals and bringing together diverse partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke.

“There are also a number of important programs aimed at reaching women with critical heart disease information. The Heart Truth and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiatives provide adults and children with resources and tips to make heart healthy changes in their lives.

“We are also reaching out to Latinas with Haga La Llamada. ¡No Pierda Tiempo!, which builds on the Make the Call. Don’t Miss a Beat campaign. The new Spanish-language campaign aims to educate and encourage Spanish-speaking women to call 9-1-1 when they or their mothers, sisters and friends, experience any symptom of a heart attack.

“Heart disease is the number one killer of women and men in the United States. In fact, it claims the lives of more women than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and lung cancer combined.

“But the good news for women and men is that most risk factors for heart disease—including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, obesity, and smoking—are preventable and controllable. Controlling these risks could reduce your risk of a heart attack by 80 percent. That's why the Affordable Care Act is making preventive services such as blood pressure and cholesterol screening, smoking cessation, and obesity counseling more accessible than ever and at no out-of-pocket cost to millions of Americans with private health insurance and those with Medicare.                                                                                                                                                                  
“Having the security of quality, affordable health insurance is vital in the fight against heart disease. We are working with states to create Health Insurance Marketplaces, where uninsured and underinsured Americans can compare affordable health plans based on price, benefits, quality, and other important features and choose one that best suits their needs. Enrollment begins Oct. 1, 2013, but you can sign up now to receive the latest updates. If you need health insurance or know someone who does, see www.HealthCare.gov and learn what you can do now to prepare for the new Marketplace.      
“February is not just a time when many people fondly think of those close to their heart. It is also a time to take care of your heart.”

Missouri PDMP NOW Coalition Applauds Sen. Sater and Rep. Engler for Sponsoring Bills To Combat Prescription Drug Abuse

The Missouri PDMP NOW Coalition applauds Sen. David Sater and Rep. Kevin Engler for introducing legislation to establish a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). The coalition also encourages lawmakers to pass these critical bills during the 2013 session.

The Missouri PDMP NOW Coalition is a bipartisan, broad-based coalition comprised of 30 organizations that have come together to support passage of PDMP legislation. Forty-nine other states have passed PDMP legislation. Missouri is the only state in the country that has not passed a PDMP bill.

A PDMP is a secure electronic database that lets doctors and pharmacists track prescription drug data and helps prevent drug abusers and traffickers from accessing prescription medications. PDMP data are treated as private health information and only track certain types of controlled substances dispensed within a state. It can act as an early warning system for prescribers to avoid doctor shopping, prevent dangerous drug interactions and ensure quality patient care.

"We find that many of the youth who have had issues with opioid abuse started with prescription painkillers. It is time for Missouri to take action and address this critical issue facing our families and our communities," said Dan Duncan, executive director of National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse-St. Louis Chapter, a coalition member.  "This legislation protects patient privacy and helps to ensure that only legitimate patients get the prescription drugs they need." The coalition strongly supports proposed legislation filed by Sen. Sater and Rep. Engler.  These bills address the concerns of healthcare providers, patients, law enforcement, abuse prevention/treatment community, businesses and citizens.  With 49 other states having already passed PDMP legislation, Missouri can use the best provisions of other states when implementing its PDMP.  Missouri's PDMP will be designed to ensure confidentiality of information, support best use of clinical practice guidelines and
 enable real-time reporting of prescription data.

"PDMPs are critical to patient safety," said Dr. Bob Twillman of the American Academy of Pain Management and a coalition member.  "Patients occasionally fail to disclose every medication they are taking, either because they can't remember or intentionally fail to disclose the information," said Twillman. "Sometimes, those medications, when combined with new prescriptions, can make a deadly combination. Having a PDMP allows healthcare providers to check for this and avoid unintentionally prescribing problematic combinations of medications."

"A PDMP helps to reduce abuse and saves lives," said Kent Oberkrom, president of the Missouri Sheriffs' Association and a coalition member. "It will help control the growth of prescription drug abuse  a problem that the Missouri law enforcement community deals with daily. A PDMP would also give us a tool to identify pill mills  facilities that illegally prescribe opioid pain medications."

Worth County Commission Minutes for January 28th

Presiding Commissioner Findley called the meeting to order at 9:04 am.

1.       Clerk Business: Clerk Owens presented the Commissioners with a pamphlet on the Theft Report of Agriculture (TRACE) program to the commissioners. Presented them with a letter to Brad Lager to sign that shows the county does not support HB 13 that takes away local control of the Solid Waste Management Program. Presented the commissioners with a current list of County Boards for approval.

2.       Commissioner Regan Nonneman made a motion to approve the minutes and agenda. Commissioner Chevy Davidson seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

3.       Treasurer Linda Brown presented the weekly financial statement and payroll.

4.       Commissioner Chevy Davidson made a motion to approve the payroll. Commissioner Regan Nonneman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

5.       County EMD report: Pat Kobbe brought a Tier 2 Hazardous Chemical Report, which shows the location of each hazardous waste material in the county for the commissioners to look over. She had Presiding Commissioner Ted Findley sign the Promulgation Statement for the Local Emergency Operating Plan (LEOP). Pat also explained the narrow banding radio plan to the commissioners, and how the emergency sirens were set off in the county. City of Grant City can activate Grant City, Allendale & Worth. The Sheriff can activate all (Allendale, Denver, Grant City, Sheridan & Worth) Grant City, Denver & Worth can be activated from the Fire Truck. All sirens can be activated from each pole in each town.

6.       Economic Developer: Tammy Ueligger attended a meeting for the Market Opportunity for Regional Entrepreneurs. (MORE). It is set up to improve availability of local meat to local stores and restaurants. She also attended her first Leadership Northwest meetings.

7.       Road and Bridge Foreman Jim Fletchall’s report:

·         Fletchall received a complaint about CR 101/220^th Rd. The county had previously done some ditching, and builds up work to the area. There is lots of heavy traffic on the road as well. The road is in the City limits but since it connects with a county road it was previously agreed that the county maintain it, and tax rock be applied. No decision was made.

·         The TD20 dozer blade that we bought off of Marvin King is too big and heavy for the dozer. Fletchall will continue to look for a blade, and the commissioners will check at Missouri Surplus for one.

·         The Bridge by Kroger Cemetery on CR 185/130^th Rd needs a new floor. Fletchall can patch it for now, but we should probably just replace it with a tube. The commissioners will do some more research before making a final decision on this.

·         Tube needs to be replaced by Vern Mitchell’s on CR 54/170^th Rd

·         A 18’X40’Tube needs to be replaced on CR 125/180^th.

8.       Doyle Parman, a landowner in the county stopped by to report a bad spot on CR 123/170^th Rd. The Commissioners will inspect the area. The county had done some ditching to the area, but because of the drought the dirt was never washed away from the rock. There is also some brush along the area that needs to be removed.  The Commissioners will inspect the area.

9.       The Commissioners reviewed a punch list of deficiencies from S&V Consultants. They also reviewed pictures of various deficiencies in the roof. Clerk Owens will make a power point of the deficiencies, and forward it and the recommended changes in the punch list on to S&V.

10.   Commissioner Chevy Davidson made a motion to adjourn at 3:55.  Commissioner Regan Nonneman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

New Animal Disease Traceability Rule Shines Need for Advisory Committee

The Missouri Cattlemen's Association (MCA) and Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB) sent a letter to Missouri Director of Agriculture Jon Hagler to encourage reestablishing the Missouri Animal Identification Advisory Committee to provide guidance on implementation of the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its final rule to implement a national ADT system. The rule will become final in March, subsequent to a 60-day comment period. Each state has the responsibility of implementing the final rule.

When the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) was being discussed a few years ago, the Animal Health Division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture saw value in establishing the Missouri Animal Identification Advisory Committee to provide guidance on program implementation in Missouri. The letter, penned by MFB President Blake Hurst and MCA President Chuck Massengill, noted that the advisory committee was a "successful endeavor at that time" and encouraged MDA to establish a similar committee.  

"As we have learned in the past, effective communication is important, and our organizations believe the advisory committee can play an important role by providing feedback/input to you and your staff and keeping our farmer and rancher members informed," penned Hurst and Massengill.

The letter notes that the system is to be administered by the state to provide flexibility and to allow for the most cost-effective technology to be used.

The new ADT rule applies only to animals moved in interstate commerce. The new rule is satisfactory to the MCA and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The rule includes many recommendations provided by interested organizations such as MFB and MCA. The rule recognizes brands as official identification when agreed upon by both the shipping and receiving states. It also maintains back tags as an alternative to ear tags for animals moving directly to harvest. Perhaps, most importantly, the rule exempts cattle under 18 months of age, with the intent to phase in these animals through separate rulemaking once the system is proven effective for breeding cattle.

Claire McCaskill Opinion: Ending Pork-Barrel Spending, Once and for all

by Senator Claire McCaskill

When I arrived in the Senate six years ago, I said no to earmarks, and began the fight to end them. There weren’t many of us who held that position then, but over the last several years, we’ve made a lot of progress. Slowly but surely, we’re changing the culture of Congress to one where members are not judged based on how much taxpayer money they spend, but rather on how much they can save.

Now is the time, while we’re focused on cutting wasteful spending, to make our temporary ban on earmarks a permanent one. Last week, I reintroduced legislation with my Republican colleague Pat Toomey that I know Missourians support: a bill that ends the earmarking practice once and for all.

When rallying support against earmarked spending, I’ve often found allies across party lines. In 2009, I teamed up with South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint to fight for a moratorium on earmarks. That year I also worked with Senator John McCain to make it easier to remove earmarks from existing legislation. In the last Congress, Senator  Toomey and I proposed the Earmark Elimination Act—which we’re reintroducing this week—to permanently ban pet projects. I’ve also called on my own party's leaders to remove earmarks from Congressional legislation.

All along, my message to my colleagues was simple—when we’re talking about investments in America’s infrastructure, resources need to be awarded based on merit and competition, not based on who you are and who you know.

It’s clear that our message has broken through, as Congress placed a moratorium on Congressional earmarks in 2010. After years of hard work, the multi-billion dollar gravy train had finally stopped.

But predictably, some in Congress have had a hard time staying away from this process.

In 2011, we found that while many members of the U.S. House came to Congress promising fiscal discipline, they had inserted 115 earmarks into the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have cost taxpayers a staggering $854 million. After I rallied public pressure against this outrageous, wasteful hypocrisy, they retreated and stripped the earmarks out of the legislation.

More than once over the past five years I have been advised by colleagues and supporters to focus my attention elsewhere—to accept the ways of Washington and go along to get along. But during my time as Jackson County Prosecutor, Missouri State Auditor, and U.S. Senator, I’ve fought for change without backing down. I’ve fought to strengthen transparency, and raise the level of accountability in Washington.

Missourians didn’t send me to the Senate to tackle the easy stuff. They want their elected leaders to work day and night on the tough issues. I’ve never sought an earmark and I’ll stay devoted to permanently ending the earmarking practice until it is completely abolished.

Claire McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor, was reelected to a second term in the U.S. Senate in November.

McCaskill Stands with Missouri’s Ranchers, American Consumers

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill urged the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S.’s top trade representative to help American consumers make informed choices by allowing Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) on meat products.

“American consumers deserve to know if the beef they’re buying is coming from Missouri or Argentina,” said McCaskill, who was born in Rolla, Mo. “At that point they’re free to buy whatever they’d like—competition will only  make their choices cheaper and better—but the information should be right there on the package.”

In 2012, the World Trade Organization, an international body designed to resolve trade disputes, required the United States, in order to comply with international agreements, to make modifications to a program that showed the country of origin on meat packaging. Those changes must be completed by May 2013. McCaskill is joining a bipartisan group of legislators strongly urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to complete this task in a timely manner, and in a way that continues to protect American consumers.    

“It is now critical that the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture work together to find a regulatory solution that can be implemented by the livestock industry and serves consumers as Congress intended” the letter reads.   

Dance troupe Step Afrika! to perform at Northwest Feb. 18

The world’s only professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping is coming to Northwest Missouri State University.

Step Afrika! will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, in the Mary Linn Auditorium at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. The show is part of the Encore performance series and is co-sponsored by the Office of Campus Activities and the Student Activities Council.

The performance ties into February’s African-American History Month celebration at Northwest and chronicles the journey of “stomp and stroll,” a dance rooted in African culture.

“It’s very high energy,” Director of Campus Activities Angel McAdams Prescott said. “It’s loud, it’s exciting and our students really wanted to bring this show to the campus. Some of them saw a preview of this show when we attended a national conference, and they were amazed by it. It’s a different look at dance, and it gives our audience another cultural perspective.”

The performance is part of Step Afrika!’s annual 50-city tour of colleges and theaters during which the Washington, D.C., group promotes teamwork, academics and multiculturalism through stepping. The 12-member company has performed in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

Stepping is a rhythmic dance with a 100-year history. It began when historically black fraternities and sororities added a modern beat to the ancient African tradition of telling a story through percussive dancing, clapping and spoken word. The dance form has found recent popularity through talent-based reality TV shows and dance-themed movies.

Tickets are free for Northwest students, who pay a student activities fee as part of their tuition. Tickets for the public start at $13 for children and $23 for adults. They may be purchased at the Student Services Center, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday on the first floor of the Administration Building, or online at www.nwmissouri.edu/campusactivities/encore.htm.

For more information about Step Afrika!, visit www.stepafrika.org.

The 2012-2013 Encore performance series is themed “Discover the Arts.” Remaining shows feature The Parker Quartet with Shai Wosner March 11 and Missouri Poet Laureate Dr. Bill Trowbridge with musician Bob Walkenhorst April. 11.