State News

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Missouri House canceled work next week because of a rising number of coronavirus cases in the Capitol. "Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the building, we are exercising an abundance of caution to protect members, staff, and visitors by canceling session next week," top Republican representatives said in a joint statement released late Thursday...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House canceled work next week because of a rising number of coronavirus cases in the Capitol. Republican House leaders announced the decision late Thursday. “Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the building, we are exercising an abundance of caution to protect members, staff, and visitors by canceling session next week,” top Republican representatives said in a joint statement...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Ameren Corp.'s nuclear plant in mid-Missouri has halted operations because of a non-nuclear issue involving the generator, the utility company said. The shutdown announced Thursday was the third time in nine months the plant about 30 miles north of Jefferson City has halted operations, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported...

State leaders around the U.S. are increasingly pushing for schools to reopen this winter -- pressuring them, even -- as teachers begin to gain access to the vaccine against the raging pandemic. Ohio's governor offered to give vaccinations to teachers at the start of February, provided their school districts agree to resume at least some in-person instruction by March 1. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Missouri state House on Tuesday adopted new rules to allow the public to weigh in on proposed bills virtually in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The new rule is one of several approved by the Republican-led House as lawmakers begin their annual session under the cloud of the pandemic...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House approved new police powers for its security staff Tuesday, and extra law enforcement officers were called to help at the Capitol amid concerns recent violence at the U.S. Capitol could spread to statehouses nationwide...

The coronavirus pandemic has wiped out live performances for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra through at least May. A statement from the symphony said the decision was based on advice from city health officials and experts at the Washington University School of Medicine...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Mike Parson began a new term in office Monday with an inaugural ceremony marking the start of Missouri's bicentennial celebration, but without a traditional party because of coronavirus precautions. The Republican governor took the oath of office on the grounds of the recently refurbished Capitol, with church bells ringing and artillery guns firing a salute -- just as they have for past governors. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A proposed ban on police chokeholds is gaining traction in the Republican-led Missouri Legislature despite years of inaction on police accountability following Michael Brown's death in Ferguson. Republican Rep. Shamed Dogan, a leader on criminal justice policy, said he's partnering with a top Senate Republican, Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, and Democrats to outlaw police chokeholds and ban police from having sex with people in police custody...

O'FALLON, Mo. -- Two-fifths of all of Missouri's COVID-19 deaths were reported in the last two months of 2020, according to the state health department. Data on the department's COVID-19 dashboard shows 2,369 deaths were reported in November and December. That's about 41% of the 5,825 deaths attributed to the virus since March...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said he was caught off guard by the negative response after he ended his opening prayer on the first day of the new Congress by saying, "Amen and A-woman." Cleaver, a United Methodist minister and former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, is in his ninth term in Congress. He told the Kansas City Star his "A-woman" reference Sunday was intended to recognize the record number of women serving in the new Congress...

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart apologized Wednesday for a tweet that called Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley a sore loser for contesting President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the U.S. presidential election. The now deleted tweet, “Go ahead. Get your 2 hour debate. #soreloser," was mistakenly sent by a member of Walmart's social media team who meant to publish it on their personal account, the company said...

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is gaining momentum as Missouri's coronavirus cases and hospitalizations begin to stabilize and extra health care workers arrive to provide relief, Gov. Mike Parson said Wednesday. But Parson stressed, with case volumes still high, "this fight is not over."...

LOS ANGELES -- California's overwhelmed hospitals are setting up makeshift extra beds for coronavirus patients, and a handful of facilities in hard-hit Los Angeles County are drawing up emergency plans in case they have to limit how many people receive life-saving care...

O'FALLON, Mo. -- CVS Health plans to administer about 100,000 coronavirus vaccinations next week at Missouri long-term care facilities as the vaccination rollout expands beyond health care workers, the company said Monday. The pharmacy chain will vaccinate residents and staff at more than 40,000 long-term care facilities across the U.S. ...