Jessie Ingraham and Domanic Ratkovich Booking Photos version two

One Trenton man arrested, another turns himself into authorities, with both facing a felony drug charge

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Department reports one Trenton man was arrested and another turned himself in on March 30th. Both were charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. Thirty-five-year-old Jessie Lee Ingraham was already in custody when he was arrested. Thirty-three-year-old Domanic James Lee Ratkovich turned himself in. Bond was set at $10,000 cash […]

North Central Missouri College Website V2 (NCMC)

North Central Missouri College “Pirate’s Ball” honors three on Saturday evening

The North Central Missouri College Foundation March 26th recognized three individuals who attended Trenton Junior College or North Central Missouri College. Distinguished alumni John Hunolt, Janet Lake, and Nick Sottler were honored at the Pirates Ball. NCMC Athletic Director Nate Gamet introduced each honoree. John Hunolt graduated from TJC in 1971. He worked in Ottumwa, […]

Republican Party news graphic

New Eric Greitens abuse allegations reignite GOP fears of losing Missouri Senate seat

(Missouri Independent) – The prospect of Eric Greitens capturing the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in Missouri was already terrifying to his party’s leaders. He had been forced out of the governor’s office in 2018, resigning to settle felony charges and avoid impeachment by a Republican legislative supermajority.  Yet despite all that, he’s consistently led […]

Life in Prison News Graphic

Man sentenced to life in prison for creating child sexual abuse material of 20 victims, ranging in age from infant to nine years old

A man was sentenced to life in prison for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, creating child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of 20 victims whose ages ranged from infancy to nine years old, obtaining custody of a minor for purposes of producing CSAM, and possessing CSAM. Arlan Wesley Harrell, 27, of Hawthorne, California pleaded guilty […]

Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall spoke at the organization’s 2022 annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia (photo provided by American Farm Bureau Federation)

American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘voice of agriculture,’ Others beg to differ

(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]