For Missourians with a disability, earning too much money, or having a spouse earn too much, can mean losing important Medicaid health coverage. State Rep. Melanie Stinnett, R-Springfield, said she observed this problem when young people she had worked with as a speech therapist shared some of the struggles they faced after entering the workforce. […]
Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick issued a subpoena to Kim Gardner and the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office as part of his ongoing audit of the city of St. Louis. Subpoenaed documents include bank statements, credit card statements, policy guidelines, and other expenditure information. This information was originally requested on January 23, 2023, with a deadline of […]
A man from St. Louis County, Missouri who served as an administrator in an online meeting room where child sex abuse material was traded was sentenced Thursday to eight years and one month in prison. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp also ordered Michael Morales, 49, of Manchester, to pay $38,000 in restitution to victims […]
A former reality show star was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for arranging the murder of his nephew in St. Louis, Missouri in 2016 for money. James Timothy Norman, 43, was found guilty by a jury in U.S. District Court in September of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit mail and […]
A lawyer from Missouri on Thursday admitted to faking legal documents and forging judges’ signatures in cases involving at least 30 clients. Andrew Gavin Wynne, 35, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to five felony counts of identity theft. Wynne admitted that while representing at least 30 […]
A man arrested at a St. Charles County motel with an assault rifle and a ballistic vest labeled “Police” pleaded guilty to drug and gun charges Thursday. Brett A. Stone, 42, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one […]
A Mexican national who was arrested for driving while intoxicated has been sentenced in federal court for illegally entering the United States for the third time. Juan Antonio Tejeda-Quiroz, 42, residing in Grandview, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, March 1, to three years and six months in federal prison […]
The owner of a Missouri business was sentenced in federal court for tax evasion. Jason Rigoli, 43, of Peculiar, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Rigoli to pay $138,455 in restitution. On Aug. 2, 2022, Rigoli pleaded […]
(Missouri Independent/Columbia Missourian) – The Missouri Senate took the first step Wednesday toward permitting some who qualify for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to purchase meals at restaurants. The Senate Progress and Development Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 313, which would allow restaurants contracted by the Missouri Department of Social Services […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missourians of all races, classes, and political persuasions want safer schools and stricter gun laws, according to a poll released Thursday. The latest St. Louis University YouGov poll shows support ranging from 63% to 83% for policies that include metal detectors, dedicated police officers, pre-approval of visitors, and video security systems in schools. The […]
Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased by 11,600 jobs from December 2022 to January 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.7 percent in January 2023. Private industry employment increased by 12,200 jobs, and government employment decreased by 600 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 83,100 jobs from January 2022 […]
(Missourinet) – Missouri’s K-12 public schools could be banned from teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity. State Representative Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, is sponsoring a bill being considered by a House committee. During a hearing, Representative Phil Christofanelli, an openly gay member and fellow Republican, asked Kelley which sexual orientations should be […]
(Missouri Independent) – Doctors would no longer be required to test young children living in high-risk areas for lead poisoning under a Missouri House bill heard in committee Tuesday. But supporters of the bill, including the Missouri chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, say the legislation would increase access to lead testing and education and streamline […]
For the month of February 2023, Governor Mike Parson granted 22 pardons under Article IV, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Missouri. Official documents have been filed with the appropriate government agencies and have been sent to the individuals. Pardons: Tommy Balke Sheila Shumate-Scott Lawrence McNicholas Sean Lee Michael David Joshua Badders […]
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in directing more letters to five major pharmacies warning them that the distribution of abortion pills in the mail would violate both federal and state law. These letters follow coalition letters that Attorney General Bailey sent to CVS and Walgreens earlier in February […]
On Tuesday, a St. Louis County realty company employee admitted to embezzling $487,000 from her employer. Crystal Hendrix, 49, of Festus, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig to three counts of wire fraud. Hendrix admitted to hatching a scheme to defraud her former employer, a real estate company. Hendrix handled […]
On Wednesday, a former bank branch manager from Morrisonville, Illinois admitted that she’d embezzled about $439,000 from her employer. Samantha J. Cherry, 35, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White to one felony count of theft or embezzlement by a bank officer. Cherry admitted that between Jan. 1, 2021, and March […]
A Missouri man who was arrested Tuesday night during the police standoff in the 2300 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard has been charged in federal court for offenses unrelated to the standoff. Jimmie R. Lewis, Jr., 50, Kansas City, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for robbing a Joplin, Mo., bank with what appeared to be a handgun after he had just robbed a bank in Kansas earlier the same day. Leland Scott Graham, 59, Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to eight years in federal prison […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed rule in response to a plan put forth by Gov. Mike Parson and seven other Midwest governors to ensure drivers have access to year-round fuel containing 15 percent ethanol (E15) starting in 2024. “We applaud Gov. Parson and his counterparts for working within the law to ensure […]
