Photo of Kansas City, Missouri Metro area (Photo Courtesy of Pixabay)

Feds seize property of Kansas City area companies accused of COVID relief fraud

(Missouri Independent) – The federal government has seized two vehicles and is threatening to seize a lake house, allegedly purchased illegally with COVID-19 relief money by a Kansas City-area businessman. The property was seized from several real estate companies incorporated in Kansas by Joseph Campbell, with most operating under a version of the name Titan […]

Child Care

USDA and HHS launch resource guide to help rural communities increase access to child care services

United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson and Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development Katie Hamm today unveiled a joint resource guide (PDF, 3.5 MB) to help people in rural and Tribal communities increase access to child care services. “Access to quality, affordable […]

Missouri Senate Chamber from Visitors Gallery (Photo Courtesy Missouri Senate)

‘Clown show’ vs. ‘tyranny’: Missouri Senate GOP divide on display during veto session

(Missouri Independent) –  On one side were tyrannical oligarchs. On the other, petulant children.  Or at least that was the takeaway from the Missouri Senate’s day-long rules debate Wednesday. Gathered for the legislature’s annual veto session, the demons that have haunted the upper chamber for more than a year didn’t take long to reappear.  The […]

Child Porn

Former paraprofessional at Missouri high school sentenced to 22 years in prison for producing child pornography

 A former paraprofessional at Blue Springs High School was sentenced in federal court for producing and distributing child pornography. Steven B. Allen, 46, of Independence, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 22 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Allen to spend the rest of his life on […]

COVID-19 Delta Variant

COVID cases among children rising as Missouri Delta variant wave enters fifth month

(Missouri Independent) – Clay LaRue, superintendent of the Van Buren R-1 School District, made a tough decision Sunday. With COVID-19 cases spiking in Carter County in southeast Missouri, and many of those infections among very young children, LaRue shut down the district’s pre-kindergarten program for two weeks. He had previously directed faculty, staff, and students […]

UTV Crash Graphic

UTV crash injures two; driver accused of DWI

Residents of Independence and Maitland were hurt when a utility vehicle overturned in Nodaway County. A passenger, 22-year old Brianna Erazo of Independence, was taken by Nodaway County Ambulance to Mosaic Medical Center in Maryville with moderate injuries. Another passenger, 21-year old Cole Alloway of Maitland, was taken by private vehicle to the hospital in […]

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

Missouri pharmacy filled forged prescriptions

A Missouri pharmacy is prohibited from continuing its past practice of filling prescriptions without verifying whether they were issued by a DEA-authorized practitioner under a consent decree approved yesterday in federal court. Spalitto’s Pharmacy, L.C., of Kansas City, a retail pharmacy at 3801 Independence Avenue operated by Peter A. Spalitto as the pharmacist in charge, […]

Kevin Horn and David Grant booking photo

Two face multiple charges in Daviess County after burglary investigation

Two Independence men face charges in Daviess County after an alleged burglary the morning of August 14. Thirty-nine-year-old David Alan Grant has been charged with the felonies of possession of a controlled substance, attempted second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, first-degree property damage, and driving while revoked or suspended. He also faces misdemeanor charges of […]

Missouri State Highway Patrol Website New 2021 (MSHP)

Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the arrest of five on Saturday

The highway patrol reports an Independence man was arrested Saturday evening in Daviess County. Forty-two-year-old Kevin Horn was accused of felony counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, burglary, possession of burglary tools, resisting arrest, and unlawful use of a weapon. Horn also was accused of misdemeanor counts of stealing and possession […]

Leadership Northwest Music Jam final

Leadership Northwest Music Jam, with Sunny Sweeney and Salem Croy, set for September 25 at Black Silo Winery

Country music star Sunny Sweeney will be headlining the first Leadership Northwest Music Jam presented by Wright Memorial Hospital and Hedrick Medical Center. The show will be hosted at Black Silo Winery in Trenton on Saturday, September 25, 2021.  Ticket proceeds benefit Leadership Northwest Missouri and are on sale now.  Trenton local, Salem Croy, will […]