U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to seek clarity on the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine’s prospective NATO membership and to express concern that it would threaten U.S. interests by drawing attention away from the China threat. “Today, an increasingly powerful China seeks hegemony in the Indo-Pacific. If China succeeds, it […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri Senate refused to confirm Donald Kauerauf as Gov. Mike Parson’s health director on Tuesday, leaving Kauerauf banned from the position for life. Hours later, Parson named Richard Moore, the Department of Health and Senior Services’ general counsel, as acting director of the agency. He slammed senators who blocked Kauerauf’s nomination […]
(Missouri Independent) – State health director Donald Kauerauf adamantly spoke against mandating face masks and COVID-19 vaccines during a hearing Monday, as anti-vaccination demonstrators protested his confirmation in the halls outside. While protesters chanted outside the Capitol hearing room, senators inside grilled Kauerauf for nearly two hours on his views on how best to mitigate […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt on Monday filed suit against nine more school districts to halt their illegal mask mandate policies. Districts that were sued include Bayless, Jennings, Lexington, Kirkwood, Ritenour, Hancock Place, Special School District of St. Louis, Meramec Valley, and University City. “As we’ve made clear from the beginning, the power to make […]
(Missouri Independent) – St. Louis hospitals straining to keep up with a record-breaking number of COVID-19 cases will get some relief in the form of a military medical team. A 40-member team will begin arriving at BJC-Christian Hospital in North St. Louis County on Wednesday, a news release from BJC HealthCare stated. The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri is continuing to see record daily coronavirus infections, near-peak COVID-19 caseloads in hospitals, and threats from Attorney General Eric Schmitt that he will sue school districts that require masks or send students home when they are infected or exposed to the virus. In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Schmitt said school mask rules […]
(Missouri Independent) – Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Average temperatures over the last half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state — and across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that forced […]
A Missouri, man who faces murder charges in state court was sentenced in federal court on multiple charges of illegally possessing firearms, including stolen firearms, and drug trafficking. Brandon L. Hill, 33, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole. On April 29, 2021, Hill […]
Hy-Vee, Inc. announces that talking prescription labels are now available in 26 languages to visually- and print-impaired patients at Hy-Vee’s more than 275 Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations. The talking prescription labels are available through Hy-Vee’s partnership with En-Vision America and are free to Hy-Vee Pharmacy patients. Using En-Vision America’s ScripTalk product, Hy-Vee pharmacists are able to […]
A Missouri, man who was involved in the illegal sale of 15 firearms (four of which were stolen) to a confidential source working with federal agents, has been convicted by a trial jury of illegally possessing and selling firearms and robbery. Mickael N. Oliver, 27, Kansas City, was found guilty on Friday, Dec. 10, of […]
A Kansas City man was arrested on Sunday in Harrison County. Fifty-four-year-old Bruce Brown was taken into custody on a felony, probation and parole warrant, issued by a court in Independence. Brown was taken to the Harrison County Jail in Bethany. No bond was set. Putnam County authorities arrested two men at separate times on […]
A former Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing Arvest Bank. Jamarious K. Braxton, 32, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of bank robbery. By pleading guilty, Braxton admitted that he walked into Arvest Bank, 8959 E. 40 Hwy., on Oct. 21, 2017, […]
The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested an Independence woman in Daviess County on Thursday morning, December 9 on multiple allegations. Twenty-four-year-old Jordyn Ekberg was accused of driving while intoxicated as a prior offender, failing to drive on the right half of the road, and driving while suspended. Ekberg was taken to the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail […]
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports nine people died in traffic crashes during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period–from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 24, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 28, 2021. There were no boating crashes or drownings. During the Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers report the following traffic statistics for 2021 (preliminary): Crashes ─ 457 […]
A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was charged in two separate federal indictments pleaded guilty in federal court to the armed robberies of a local business and a family in their residence. Chase M. Murphy, 20, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to two counts of robbery and one count of using a […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for threatening two members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Kenneth R. Hubert, 63, of Marionville, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to two years and six months in federal prison without parole. On June 17, 2021, Hubert pleaded guilty to two counts of […]
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the arrest of three over the weekend. Sixty-two-year-old Kerry Cochenour was arrested early Saturday in Sullivan County and accused of felony driving while intoxicated, and failure to maintain the right half of the road. Cochenour was held by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department. An Independence resident, 59-year old Phillip […]
Two Mexican nationals have been convicted by a federal trial jury for their roles in a $2.1 million conspiracy to distribute over 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of methamphetamine in the Kansas City metropolitan area and in northwest Missouri. Juan Guzman, also known as “Flaco,” 40, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Maria De La Cruz Nava, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Twice last year a federal grand jury demanded the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services turn over records pertaining to the medical marijuana program. The pair of subpoenas, issued by the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri in September 2020, were redacted by the department at the […]
Seven residents of Missouri have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Irfan Causevic, also known as “Jonny,” 37, a citizen of Bosnia, Christopher C. Oregel, 29, Nicholas Carrillo, also known as “Nicco,” 32, Admir Suljic, also known as “Babo,” 34, and Augustine Charles Aviles, also […]
