Missouri
Missouri bill would require reporting, tracking of alpha-gal syndrome
When Josh Hammann started having severe breathing problems in the spring of 2023, emergency room doctors were convinced he was having panic attacks.
They gave him medication to treat anxiety, but his wife, Megan, said that only made him sicker.
“Of course, that medication had alpha-gal in it,” she told The Independent.
Hammann, of Cole County, and other Missourians whose lives have been upended by alpha-gal syndrome, urged state lawmakers this week to advance a bill that would require the state to track cases and report them to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The potentially life-threatening tick-borne allergy causes people to have an immune response to mammal products — including red meat, dairy and a form of lactose in the anxiety pills Josh was prescribed. Symptoms vary from breathing problems to skin irritation and abdominal distress. And like Josh, many people with the emerging condition struggle to get a diagnosis.
The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Matthew Overcast, would mandate diagnostic testing labs to report cases of the condition to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services within seven days of receiving a positive test. The department would be required to follow up on a random sample of cases and submit data to the federal government.
Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman is sponsoring an identical bill in the Senate.
Overcast, who presented a similar bill in 2025, emphasized to members of the House Health and Mental Health Committee that alpha-gal syndrome is “a public health crisis.”
“The last time I spoke to this committee, I only had three children [who] have it,” Overcast said. “Now my wife has it, and my aunt has it, and there are so many people, even in my church, that have it.”
Supporters of the bill said participating in national efforts to gather this data will help scientists study the disease and develop public health recommendations that could prevent its spread.
Ryan DeBoef, a lobbyist for the Alpha-Gal Alliance Action Fund, said that collecting data will help Missouri get federal funding to improve patient care and public awareness of alpha-gal syndrome.
The Centers for Disease Control is expected to open applications for grants of up to $1 million later this month to encourage knowledge-sharing among researchers and public health agencies, improve case tracking and educate health care providers about the condition.
“So it’s important that the states with a lot of alpha-gal are able to demonstrate that they have a lot of alpha-gal to receive that funding,” DeBoef said.
A 2023 report from the Centers for Disease Control indicated that more than 110,000 suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome were identified between 2010 and 2022 — and that Missouri was in the center of the swath of the U.S. with the highest concentration of those cases.
Republican state Rep. Kent Haden of Mexico said alpha-gal is a “huge” problem and asked about the accuracy of diagnostic tests for the condition, questioning whether the bill “may be asking something that [the department] can’t do.”
Benjamin Casterline, a dermatologist and immunologist at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, cited data from Virginia that found the diagnostic tests to have 2% false negatives and 8% false positives.
“That’s a pretty good test,” Casterline said.
Overcast said the department has concerns about “the impact of this [bill] on their manpower.” The department estimated that they would need to hire four new staff, including two epidemiologists, to meet case tracking and reporting requirements, according to the fiscal note for the bill.
Lawmakers signaled support for the bill, which has 13 co-sponsors. Republican State Rep. Carolyn Caton of Blue Springs, one of the co-sponsors, suggested adding language to the bill that would include patients in case tracking only if they opt in.
Republican state Rep. Tony Harbison of Arcadia said collecting data on the condition’s prevalence in Missouri is “a no-brainer.”
“I see the spread of this, and this gets the conversation started toward a solution or prevention,” Harbison said.
Witnesses in support of the bill shared how alpha-gal syndrome disrupted their families’ routines and peace of mind, often requiring them to take on the burden of researching how to manage the condition.
Megan Hammann was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in 2025. She found a tick on her back after a four-wheeling trip.
“We weren’t even off the four-wheelers, so [the tick] was falling from the trees,” she said.
Within a month, she started developing hives.
Hammann said she’s worried her two kids will develop the condition.
“It’s like, how can you tell your kids not to go outside?” she said. “You want them to go outside. You want them to enjoy their childhood, but then you’re terrified. Something needs to be done, and I’m hoping that this is the start of it.”
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 2, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 2 drawing
15-26-43-48-60, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 2 drawing
Midday: 6-2-1
Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 0-2-0
Evening Wild: 2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 2 drawing
Midday: 4-9-6-4
Midday Wild: 5
Evening: 1-3-6-4
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 2 drawing
Early Bird: 13
Morning: 04
Matinee: 04
Prime Time: 08
Night Owl: 12
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from June 2 drawing
01-10-15-19-31
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The date for the last matchup in the current Border War series is set.
Missouri men’s basketball will face Kansas in the Border War game on Dec. 6 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, according to a post from the Jayhawks’ official X/Twitter account Tuesday. The tipoff time and TV designation for the matchup will be released at a later date.
Kansas released its full nonconference schedule Tuesday, including the sixth and final game against Mizzou on the current competition contract.
The historic rivals have not yet signed a contract to renew the series beyond this season, according to a recent batch of competition contracts obtained by the Tribune through an open records request.
Missouri is yet to announce its nonconference schedule for the 2026-27 season, but there are three other known or reported games for this upcoming season.
Mizzou will face Howard at Mizzou Arena in the last leg of a three-game series, which will take place on a still-to-be-determined date.
The Tigers also have three more neutral-site games on their schedule. The annual Braggin’ Rights matchup against Illinois likely will fall in mid- or late- December at Enterprise Center, and Mizzou has agreed to a Nov. 15 trip to United Center in Chicago to face Marquette. Missouri also reportedly will face Saint Louis on Nov. 6 at Enterprise Center, according to Jon Rothstein at CBS Sports and College Hoops Today.
This season’s Border War matchup will include the first direct transfer between the two schools when Bryson Tiller suits up for Missouri after spending last season, his freshman year, at Kansas.
KU has won four of the five games since the series was renewed in 2021, including an 80-60 win in Kansas City last season. Missouri won the 2024-25 season matchup at Mizzou Arena, but has not beaten Kansas outside of Columbia since 2003.
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested eleven people in north Missouri between May 29, 2026, and June 1, 2026. The arrests involved a variety of alleged offenses, including driving while intoxicated, felony drug possession, resisting arrest, and outstanding felony warrants. Arrests were reported in Grundy, Clinton, Caldwell, Shelby, Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Clark, and Macon counties.
It is important to note that, while all the individuals listed below have been reported as arrested, they may not have been physically transported to a detention center. Depending on the circumstances, an individual may be issued a summons, which includes a court date. When the Missouri State Highway Patrol issues a summons with a court date, it is considered an arrest, even if the individual is not physically transported to a detention center.
Diego G. Gavilanes-Tigse, 31, of Trenton, was arrested in Grundy County at 6:36 p.m. on May 29, 2026. He was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and failure to signal. Gavilanes-Tigse was held at the Grundy County Law Enforcement Center and was placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.
Heather S. Starchman, 37, of Kansas City, was arrested in Clinton County at 7:52 p.m. on May 29, 2026. Authorities reported she was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of a synthetic narcotic, felony tampering with evidence, felony resisting arrest, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior offense, cutting in on an overtaken vehicle, failure to yield, failure to register a motor vehicle, no insurance, no valid driver’s license, and failure to wear a seat belt. Starchman was taken to Cameron Regional Medical Center and later released.
Alcides Blazimiro Sagastume Gonzalez, 52, of Rock Springs, Wyoming, was arrested in Shelby County at 6:50 p.m. on May 29, 2026. He was charged with driving without a valid license and driving while intoxicated. He was held in Shelby County before being released.
Ernesto J. Carames Lopez, 27, of Kansas City, was arrested in Clinton County at 4:03 a.m. on May 30, 2026. Troopers reported he was wanted on a Clarke County, Iowa, felony warrant for larceny and was also charged with careless and imprudent driving resulting in an accident. He was held in Clinton County and was listed as bondable.
Mariah R. Vandervelden, 31, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, was arrested in Marion County at 2:56 p.m. on May 30, 2026. She was charged with driving while intoxicated and was held in the Marion County Jail before being released.
Chad A. Woolfolk, 46, of Hannibal, was arrested in Marion County at 3:50 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while revoked, and no insurance. Woolfolk was held in the Marion County Jail and later released.
Jo A. Kennedy, 62, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested in Ralls County at 5:35 p.m. on May 30, 2026. Troopers charged her with driving while intoxicated involving alcohol and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway. Kennedy was held by the Ralls County Sheriff’s Office before being released.
Ethan Z. White, 25, of Huntsville, was arrested in Monroe County at 5:40 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with felony resisting arrest, two counts of speeding 26 mph or more over the limit, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving on the left side of the roadway when the view was obstructed, driving while intoxicated involving alcohol, and consumption of alcohol while driving. White was taken to the Randolph County Jail and placed on a 24-hour hold.
Brian D. Brooks, 66, of Keokuk, Iowa, was arrested in Clark County at 9:53 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated as an aggravated offender, no valid license, and failure to comply with ignition interlock requirements. Brooks was held by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office on a 12-hour hold.
Justus Garway, 30, of Altoona, Iowa, was arrested in Macon County at 11:30 a.m. on May 31, 2026. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated as an aggravated offender, failure to comply with an ignition interlock system, failure to secure a child younger than 8 years old, and speeding. Garway was held in the Macon County Jail on a 24-hour hold.
Justin L. Bittiker, 44, of Independence, was arrested in Caldwell County at 8:22 a.m. on June 1, 2026. Troopers charged him with felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, and turning from a direct course when unsafe. Bittiker was held at the Caldwell County Detention Center on a 24-hour hold.
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