Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge recently announced the appointment of Dexter native Grant DeProw as a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
In this position, DeProw will help lead Rutledge’s effort to investigate and prosecute violations of Arkansas and federal law involving Medicaid providers and the abuse or neglect of nursing home residents and other Medicaid recipients.
Prior to joining the Attorney General’s office DeProw was the Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Jonesboro, Craighead County, Arkansas.
DeProw is a 1990 graduate of Dexter High School and the son of Leo and Shirley DeProw of Dexter.
Governor Parson Maintains Commitment to Protect the Health and Safety of Missourians
“The governor has worked non-stop to combat this virus and keep Missourians as safe as possible.”
Jefferson City, MO - Capping the first six months of the Covid-19 global pandemic, Governor Parson maintains his commitment to leading Missouri while protecting the health and safety of every Missourian.
“We are approaching the six-month mark since Covid-19 hit Missouri,” Parson Campaign Manager, Steele Shippy said. “When the first positive case was identified on March 7th, Governor Parson’s administration was fully engaged and immediately on the ground in St. Louis. Since that time the governor has worked non-stop to combat this virus and keep Missourians as safe as possible.”
In March and April of the pandemic in Missouri, Governor Parson successfully:
Pulled together the entire cabinet and every state agency to coordinate Missouri’s response
Convened weekly calls with community leaders, stakeholders, and medical experts
Developed a dashboard with transparent Missouri-specific data
Mobilized the Missouri National Guard to assist with our response efforts, and together built an alternative care site in 11 days to assist hospitals in the St. Louis region.
Waived nearly 600 statutes and regulations to provide more flexibility and safety for Missourians
Partnered with Google to launch an innovative PPE marketplace to assure our first responders were properly equipped to help Missourians
Secured and delivered the anti-viral medication Remdesivir to Missouri hospitals in the middle of the night to help Covid-19 patients and save lives.
Expanded testing capacity to ensure availability for Missourians in both rural and urban areas to receive a Covid-19 test
Announced the “Show-Me Strong Recovery Plan” for Missouri on April 16, with implementation of the plan in May
Encouraged Missourians to wear masks (when unable to socially distance), and enabled local government officials to implement their own mask orders when necessary to protect the health of their local communities.
“While the governor was accomplishing all of this and more, Galloway turned to partisan politics over helping Missourians respond to and recover from the pandemic,” Shippy said. “Sunshine records prove that the auditor worked less in an entire month than most Missourians work in a week. It’s clear that when Missourians need help the most, Nicole Galloway doesn’t show up.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved what could be a major development in the fight against the coronavirus.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson made the announcement during a live briefing Wednesday afternoon. He said it was just approved for use by the FDA. It was developed by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.
“This new saliva-based COVID-19 test… is a major development in testing technology and will help us continue to increase testing volumes and improve turnaround time for test results,” Gov. Parson said.
According to a release from Washington University, the saliva test was developed by a team from the Department of Genetics and the McDonnell Genome Institute, both at Washington University School of Medicine.
According to a release from the university, the ability to scale up the number of tests that can be conducted also has the potential to help St. Louis city and county, as well as the state of Missouri and regional businesses, reopen safely.
It also said the saliva tests could be given periodically to residents of nursing home and retirement communities, who are more vulnerable to infection because of age. Those who test positive could be quickly identified and quarantined.
The new test allows individuals to provide a saliva sample instead of the long nasal swabs that everyone hates.
"I offered my opinion to the good folks at the Daily American Republic regarding the endless attack ads my opponents continue to circulate." according to Steve Cookson.
Eddy Justice is running a campaign of negativity based on outright lies and fabrications, demagoguery at its worst. Is this the type of senatorial representation you want? It flies in the face of my Christian faith.
If my eight years in the Missouri House after my 30-year career in public education qualifies me as “an establishment politician,” so be it. If anything, it allows me a more intimate understanding of the issues Southeast Missourians face, and a platform to do something about it.
To The Editor:
As a Republican candidate in the Aug. 4 primary election for the Missouri 25th Senatorial District nomination, I have run a positive campaign on my solid qualifications to help solve issues facing Missouri government.
However, the outrageously negative fabrications being distributed by Eddy Justice cannot stand unanswered. Paid for by the Kansas City-based “Justice for All PAC,” bank-rolled by big city mega-donors, the slick fliers feature a brown-shirted Justice in a scowling “tough guy” stance.
The flip sides of the mailers have photos of myself and the other two (honorable) candidates with headlines reading “big city liberals and establishment politicians” and “weak, establishment, Jeff City Swamp Creatures.” Even though the copy states “Eddy has never held public office,” he allowed himself to be a stooge of the disgraced Gov. Eric Greitens (he was forced to resign), who packed the Missouri Board of Education with Eddy and others to get rid of an excellent education commissioner and appoint a Greitens crony to the post. (The duly appointed board later reinstated the original commissioner when Eddy and the others couldn’t get confirmed by the Senate.)
This type of campaign negativity based on outright lies and fabrications is demagoguery at its worst. Is this the type of senatorial representation you want? It flies in the face of my Christian faith.
If my eight years in the Missouri House after my 30-year career in public education qualifies me as “an establishment politician,” so be it. I worked side-by-side with Speaker of the House Todd Richardson of Poplar Bluff, serving as chair of the Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education as well as chair of the Committee on Higher Education.
The “big city liberal” charge is preposterous. I’m a small-town, common sense, rural conservative interested in one thing: Making Missouri a better place for all of our children and grandchildren, regardless of color, creed, national heritage or station in life. Period. And, I have the legislative experience and credentials to get things done.
I graduated from Advance High School in 1976 and played guard on the 1975 state champion Advance basketball team coached by my father, Carroll Cookson. I went on to play basketball for legendary Coach Gene Bess at Three Rivers Community College, where I graduated in 1978 after our team won third in the nation.
I then earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from the College of the Ozarks, as well as a Master’s Degree in education administration and a Specialist Degree in education administration and public policy, both from Southeast Missouri State University.
I coached basketball and taught science at five area high schools, served as high school principal at three others and finished the last nine years of my career as superintendent of the Naylor school system. After retiring, I served a six-year term as a member of the Board of Trustees at Three Rivers.
Besides making things better for all Missourians, I’ll never lose sight of our rich agricultural heritage and the precious cultural and natural resources of Southeast Missouri.
Some of you will remember that I became quite ill with a failing liver near the end of my eight years of service in the Missouri House. I am happy to report that with excellent medical care and improved medications I have regained my health and energy and have largely recovered.
My primary goals in the Senate will be to promote meaningful skills education and workforce development, support small businesses and continue my advocacy for agriculture, which, after all, is our most important economic driver in the 25th District.
I intend to continue with my positive campaign. I trust that our district voters will be able to see through any future dishonest negativity should it rear its ugly head.
I’ve devoted my entire adult life to public service, and I ask for your support on Aug. 4 as the most experienced and qualified candidate on the ballot.
Sincerely,
Steve Cookson
Missouri Senate Candidate
District No. 25
On July 27, 1953, an armistice was signed on the Korean peninsula. We give our eternal thanks to those who so selflessly gave their lives so that we may live in freedom and liberty today.
"THEREFORE, I hereby proclaim July 27, 2020, to be KOREAN WAR VETERANS DAY in Missouri," stated Governor Mike Parson.
In the summer of 1950, the United States took military action to defend the sovereign nation of South Korea, which had been unjustly attacked on June 25th.
More than 34,000 brave Americans gave their lives in this conflict, defending liberty, protecting the ideals of democracy and liberating the oppressed; and over a period of three years from 1950 to 1953, more than 1.7 million American troops fought bravely to advance the cause of freedom and liberty in harsh battles such as Pork Chop Hill, Heartbreak Ridge, the Pusan Perimeter and the Chosin Reservoir; and on July 27, 1953, an armistice was signed to end active hostilities on the Korean peninsula.
America honors those who bravely served and those whose fate is still unknown.
All Americans give our eternal thanks to those who so selflessly gave their lives so that we may live in freedom and liberty today.
On this day, July 27, 2020, Michael L. Parson, Governor of the state of Missouri proclaims Korean War Veterans Day.
