APRIL 7 Special Look At The Charter Page 5-8
Every Bunny Loves Easter Page 11
Raytown Sports Page 12
Free complimentary copy April 3, 2015 • Volume 2, No. 24
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Area Residents Rallied In Raytown, Frustrated By Medicaid Expansion Inaction In Raytown, on Thursday, March 26, 2015, community leaders hosted a visibility event across from Senator Will Kraus’s church. This event is part of the statewide actions held in key legislative districts of: St. Joseph, St. Charles, Joplin, Springfield, Columbia, St. Louis and Jefferson County, to urge action on Medicaid expansion this session. The Missouri legislature adjourned for Spring Break on Thursday, March 19, with a mountain of work left untouched. In regards to Medicaid expansion, Missouri legislator’s inaction has caused very serious consequences. Lack of expansion has eliminated 1,800 jobs and caused three hospitals to close. This legislative Spring Break, Missourians translated their concerns to creating awareness and taking action. “We targeted Sen. Kraus because we need him to step up and show proactive moral leadership on this issue. Because of the Medicaid cuts in 2005, Missouri currently tells a family of three that makes more than $3504 a year that they are rich enough to afford healthcare on their own. As a result, we are losing 15 lives each week because people lack access to health insurance. This is a moral crisis. We need Sen. Kraus to let us know how he’s going to fix this. So far he’s been silent. As a person of faith we expect more from him,” explains Alice Chamberlin of Communities Creating
Opportunity. Throughout the 2015 legislative session, advocates from across Missouri have led actions in-district and in the Capitol, urging legislators to close the coverage gap and expand Medicaid. Currently 300,000 uninsured Missourians fall into the gap, making too much money for Medicaid currently, but not enough to afford a plan on the healthcare marketplace. QUICK FACTS: • Medicaid eligibility in Missouri is one of the lowest in the nation. It’s set at 19% of the federal poverty line. • If single mother with three kids makes more than $4,300 per year, Missouri law currently says she is rich enough to afford healthcare on her own. • Since the Medicaid cuts in 2005, life expectancy has actually gone down in Missouri. It’s the first time that’s happened in our history. • It is estimated that around 15 Missourians die each week of treatable conditions that would be covered if Medicaid wasn’t being blocked. Communities Creating Opportunity, is a non-partisan, faith-based community organization dedicated to building an economy where everyone has a chance to thrive. CCO is a member of the Missouri Medicaid Coalition, which has worked to expand Medicaid since 2013.
On the sidewalk in front of the Raytown Wal-Mart, 10300 E Highway 350, that is across from Senator Will Kraus’s church, First Baptist Raytown
Raytown Students Win FCCLA Gold And Heading For National
Janelle Dempsey Students from Raytown South High School attended the annual Missouri Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Conference on March 22- March 24, 2015, at the Holiday Inn Executive Center, Columbia. The delegates from across the state represented the more than 11,500 members of Missouri FCCLA. Janelle Dempsey earned a Gold Ranking, State Champion, and a berth to the National Leadership Conference in July in Fashion Design. Helene Slinker, Alyssa Jones, and Vinka Martinez earned a Gold
Ranking, State Champions, and a berth to the National Leadership Conference in July in Life Event Planning. Taelor Ingram and Jasmine Pope competed in Illustrate Talk and earned a Silver ranking. Maia Lewis, Krystal Mayberry, and Zaria Akins competed in Chapter Service Project Portfolio and earned a Silver ranking. The group’s sponsor is Jenna Adkins. This year’s student-developed conference theme was “Camp Leadership” The conference featured speakers and workshops on topics such as preparing for college
Helene Slinker, Alyssa Jones and Vinka Martinez and careers, leadership skills, antibullying programs, and technology’s impact in education, careers, and on the family. In addition to leadership training, honors and recognition, more than 700 students participated in 30 competitive events, including early childhood education, entrepreneurship, culinary arts, fashion design, career
investigation, chapter service learning projects and sports nutrition. Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for young men and women enrolled in family and consumer sciences education courses. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their fami-
lies, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and social issues. The Missouri association ranks fifth in the nation in membership with more than 11,500 members. There are more than 350 FCCLA chapters across the state.