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Top 10 stories of 2018

The Missouri Times has compiled a list of the stories written in 2018 that drew the most attention throughout the year.

1. State workers’ premiums set to rise in 2019, legislators’ delay of state worker raises set to keep rates from further increases. By Benjamin Peters.

During the previous legislative session, legislators learned that the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan – the health care for state workers – would have to raise premiums and deductibles. While working on the budget, Senate Appropriations chairman Dan Brown said that deductibles were expected to rise from $300 and $600 to $750 and $1,000 deductibles.

Upon learning that, it had seemed that a wrench had been thrown into the plans by the legislature to try to implement a pay raise for state workers, who have been securely listed as the lowest-paid state workers in the nation for some time.

State workers’ premiums set to rise in 2019, legislators’ delay of state worker raises set to keep rates from further increases

2. Office of Administration announces scheduled removal and public viewing of Ceres, the statue atop the Missouri State Capitol.

On November 15, 2018, the bronze statue, who emulates the Roman goddess of agriculture, descended from her perch atop the Capitol.

Ceres was removed from atop the Missouri State Capitol as part of the ongoing renovations that are expected to last another couple of years.

Office of Administration announces scheduled removal and public viewing of Ceres, statue atop the Missouri State Capitol

3. New polling projects Hawley with slight edge over McCaskill, right-to-work failing in August. By Benjamin Peters.

A poll before the August primary election gave Attorney General Josh Hawley an edge over incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill in this year’s race for the U.S. Senate and showed the so-called right-to-work referendum failing.

In the August primary election, right-to-work ended up failing by a significant margin. In the November general election, Hawley defeated McCaskill.

New polling projects Hawley with slight edge over McCaskill, right-to-work failing in August

4. Shared parenting bill moving through legislature. By Alisha Shurr.

During the 2018 regular session, Rep. Kathryn Swan sponsored a bill that would establish the presumption that equal parenting time in custody arrangements is in the best interest of the child.

Shared parenting bill moving through legislature

5. How does the impeachment process work in Missouri? By Benjamin Peters.

Following the allegations against then-Gov. Eric Greitens of infidelity and blackmail, whispers of a possible impeachment attempt began circulating. The Missouri Times took a look into what the process is and how it works in Missouri.

How does the impeachment process work in Missouri?

6. Greitens’ COO tells cabinet to prepare for $300 million in reductions. By Benjamin Peters.

The state’s chief operating officer, Drew Erdmann, asked the different state departments to look for ways to tighten the proverbial belt in advance of the 2019 fiscal year’s budget.

Greitens’ COO tells cabinet to prepare for $300 million in reductions

7. Court denies NFL, Rams & Kroenke’s attempt for arbitration, saying they cannot ‘ignore what this lawsuit is about.’ By Benjamin Peters.

A Missouri appeals court declined the NFL’s attempt to transfer the case and brush a legal showdown under the rug, allowing the lawsuit filed by the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, St. Louis City and St. Louis County in 2017 after the departure of the team.

Court denies NFL, Rams & Kroenke’s attempt for arbitration, saying they cannot “ignore what this lawsuit is about”

8. Former state representative Keith English found dead. By Benjamin Peters.

In February, former State Representative Keith English passed away.

He first came to office after being elected from Florissant in November 2012, and quickly made waves in his short tenure, which all led up to the headlines when he broke from the Democratic caucus in 2014. English was the only Democrat that year to vote in favor of reducing Missouri’s state income tax, providing the pivotal vote to override the veto of then-Gov. Jay Nixon.

After that, he was removed from four House committees, and eventually left the party in early 2015, switching his party affiliation to that of an independent.

Former state representative Keith English found dead

9. Chapelle-Nadal appears to shove man at public hearing, grassroot group rejects her involvement. By Rachael Herndon Dunn.

At a Thursday, February 22, 2018, public meeting discussing updates on remedial activities in North County, Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal appears to shove a long-time local man.

The man, identified as Carl Chapell, a Coldwater Creek area resident, is legally blind and lost both his son and father to radiation-related illnesses attributed to Coldwater Creek radiation.

Chapelle-Nadal appears to shove man at public hearing, grassroot group rejects her involvement

10. VFW of Missouri endorses Amendment 2. By Rachael Herndon Dunn.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of Missouri made a rare endorsement in standing up to support Amendment 2, a medical marijuana ballot initiative. The spokesman for the measure said part of the 4 percent retail tax will go to help veterans health care, being allocated by an existing state agency.

VFW of Missouri endorses Amendment 2