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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Sunday, August 9, 2009
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New State-by-State Reports Show How Health Insurance Reform Will Benefit All Americans
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), August 9, 2009 - HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has released Stable and Secure Health Care for America, a series of new state-by-state reports outlining how health insurance reform will improve health care for all Americans.
Sebelius announced the availability of the new reports as part of a Webcast -- "Health Insurance Reform: What's In It For You?" -- where Sebelius and top HHS officials took questions from the American people and discussed the importance of health insurance reform. The new reports are available at on the Internet at www.HealthReform.gov
"These reports show how health insurance reform will help Americans save money, get better care, strengthen their insurance if they already have it, and afford insurance if they don't," said Sebelius. "Every American will benefit when we pass health insurance reform."
The reports are the second in a series of state-by-state reports on health care across the country. Earlier this summer, Sebelius released The Health Care Status Quo in Your State, a series of state by state reports on the current state of health care in America. The report for Missouri is available at http://www.healthreform.gov/healthcarestatus.html.
The full H.R.3200: America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (Introduced in House), is available on the web site for the Library of Congress at www.thomas.gov/
Missouri Stakes Claim for High Speed Rail Stimulus Funds
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), August 9, 2009 - The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has given its stamp of approval to add 11 rail projects totaling $201.3 million to the current five-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
These projects will be included in MoDOT's final application to the Federal Railroad Administration for the competitive High-Speed/Intercity Passenger Rail grants created by the ARRA. Application deadlines are Aug. 24 for four projects and Oct. 2 for the remaining seven.
"We have heard loud and clear from Missourians that passenger rail service has to be reliable," said Brian Weiler, MoDOT's Multimodal Operations Director.
"Together MoDOT, Union Pacific and Amtrak are making good, steady progress in improving the St. Louis to Kansas City rail corridor. These grants could provide the down payment Missouri needs to further enhance both passenger and freight movement, but we're going to have some strong competition."
According to Weiler, 40 states have made pre-applications for projects totaling $103 billion, nearly 12 times the amount available.
The type of high-speed rail project Missouri plans to develop is one that would make the train service on the existing Union Pacific line faster over time. These improvements will enhance the capacity of the current system and will be done incrementally as funding becomes available and planning and design work in cooperation with Union Pacific is completed.
These new projects will also complement several recent and ongoing improvements like construction of a double track at the Gasconade River Bridge funded by Union Pacific last fall and the new passing siding under construction near California, Mo. to be completed in November with two-thirds state and one-third federal funds.
"We believe our applications are strong and have a good chance of being approved," Weiler said. "Any funding we may receive will help us bring more reliable and eventually higher speed rail service to this region."
The stamp design features the colorful image of the Missouri state flag unfurled over a scenic river with a steamboat chugging into the horizon.
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Flags of Our Nation-Missouri-Stamps Available at Post Offices Nationwide
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), August 9, 2009 - First Lady of Missouri Georganne Wheeler Nixon and USPS District Manager and Lead Executive Danita Aquiningoc dedicated the Missouri State Flag stamp, August 6, in the Rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol. The commemorative postage stamp is one of 10 featured in the third edition of the popular Flags of our Nation stamp series.
The Missouri flag was designed by Mrs. Marie Elizabeth Oliver of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Governor Elliot Major signed the bill into law that made the "Oliver flag" the official state flag of Missouri on March 22, 1913.
"On behalf of the Governor, I am pleased and honored to help dedicate this stamp commemorating the Missouri state flag," Nixon said. "Our state's heritage is closely tied to the history of America's two greatest rivers, the Mississippi and the Missouri, and that heritage is reflected in the design of this stamp. The Governor and I encourage Missourians to obtain this stamp as a way to celebrate our history."
As it crosses the nation on the face of an envelope, Aquiningoc said the Missouri State Flag stamp will represent the great state of Missouri. She said, "This stamp will be a calling card for educators, children, and historians to learn more about Missouri's rich heritage. It will enrich philatelic collections around the world and encourage children to start stamp collections. It may evoke pleasant memories of a childhood or vacation spent in Missouri. The Missouri State flag stamp will mean different things to different people; however, to Missourians, I believe it will mean "home."
National Prearranged Services, Inc. Executive Indicted on Multiple Fraud Charges
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), August 9, 2009 - Randall Sutton was indicted on mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering charges involving a ten-year multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving the sale of pre-paid funeral services, said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael W. Reap.
Sutton was the Chief Financial Officer, Director and President of National Prearranged Services, Inc., headquartered in Clayton, Mo., an entity that sold prearranged funeral services in 19 states. Customers either purchased prearranged funeral services directly from National Prearranged Services, or from funeral homes that in turn purchased these services from National Prearranged Services. National Prearranged Services purchased life insurance policies from Memorial Service Life Insurance Company and Lincoln Memorial Life Insurance Company of Austin, Texas, in order to fund the funerals when customers died. Sutton was Director of both of those companies.
According to the indictment, beginning in 1998 and continuing until 2008, Sutton and others defrauded National Prearranged Services' customers, states' guaranty funds, and funeral homes doing business with National Prearranged Services.
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