On April 8, 2024, citizens across southern and southeast Missouri will have the chance to see a rare celestial event – a total solar eclipse. The moon will block the sun’s light and cause a total solar eclipse to be visible across nearly 115 miles of Missouri. Visitors will come to the Show-Me State to […]
Category: State News
St. Joseph School District considers next steps after defeat of four-day school week
(Missourinet) – The St. Joseph School Board in Missouri recently faced a divisive decision over a proposed four-day school week aimed at attracting and retaining teachers. The proposal was ultimately defeated in a close vote, with three members in favor of the initiative and four against. Board Vice President Kenneth Reeder, who voted against the […]
Missouri AG secures court order for Biden to fund border wall construction
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has obtained a court order compelling the Biden Administration to utilize congressionally appropriated funds for the construction of a barrier along the southern border. Attorney General Bailey stated, “The Biden Administration has failed to comply with the law requiring the completion of a wall along the southwest border. Joe Biden […]
Two men indicted for kidnapping a St. Louis County toddler
Two men were indicted by a grand jury and accused of kidnapping a toddler in St. Louis County, Missouri last year. Kendal “KD” White, 19, of St. Charles, and Cam’Ron Henderson, 19, of St. Louis, were each indicted on one felony count of kidnapping. The indictment accuses them of kidnapping the child on Aug. 10, […]
Arkansas man pleads guilty to enticement of a minor in St. Louis court
A man from Arkansas pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday and admitted exchanging nude pictures with a minor for five years, starting when she was 12. Joseph D. Najera, 25, of Lincoln, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one felony count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Najera and the victim met […]
Cape Girardeau man sentenced to 14+ years in prison for selling fentanyl
U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on sentenced a Cape Girardeau, Missouri man to 175 months in prison for selling fentanyl. Jimmy L. Hudson Jr., 47, pleaded guilty last year to distribution of fentanyl. He admitted selling fentanyl in April of 2023 to an informant working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This latest case represents […]
Total solar eclipse to dazzle Missouri with a 115-mile path
On April 8, 2024, citizens across southern and southeast Missouri will have the chance to see a rare celestial event – a total solar eclipse. The moon will block the sun’s light and cause a total solar eclipse to be visible across nearly 115 miles of Missouri. Visitors will come to the Show-Me State to […]
Missouri House allocates $2.2 million for border security efforts
The Missouri House this week approved a supplemental appropriations bill to provide emergency funds to deploy members of the Missouri National Guard to the U.S. southern border. On February 20, 2024, Governor Parson issued Executive Order 24-03, activating 200 Missouri National Guard members and 22 Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers to bolster Texas Governor Greg […]
Missouri House debates labeling drag shows as sexually oriented businesses
(Missourinet) – A proposal to label drag shows as sexually oriented businesses is under consideration in the Missouri House of Representatives. The bill, introduced by Bethany Republican Mazzie Christensen, aims to penalize anyone who engages in the performances if they are on public property or in an area where they can be seen by children. […]
Missouri Supreme Court case could result in ‘dozens’ of new marijuana business licenses
(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday in a case marijuana regulators say could force them to issue “dozens” of new licenses to grow, sell, and distribute cannabis products above the state’s self-imposed caps. Mo Cann Do Inc. applied for a cultivation license to grow marijuana in 2019. The company was denied […]
West Plains woman sentenced to 18 years in prison for meth trafficking
A West Plains, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine to distribute. Amanda J. Jones, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 18 years and four months in federal prison without parole. On Oct. 12, 2023, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent […]
Joplin man sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for bank robbery
A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for bank robbery. Vincent Gepson, 64, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. On June 29, 2023, Gepson pleaded guilty to bank robbery. Gepson entered Great Southern Bank, 1232 S. Rangeline Road in […]
Independence man sentenced to 12 years in prison for meth trafficking, illegal firearm
An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm. Sigal Wesley Hughes, Jr., 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 12 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. On Sept. 13, 2023, Hughes pleaded guilty to one count of […]
Missouri Attorney General moves for removal of Ray County Sheriff
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that he filed a petition of quo warranto to remove Ray County Sheriff Scott Childers from office. He has secured an order to remove the sheriff from office during the pendency of the trial. “I will always work to protect Missourians,” said Attorney General Bailey. “As Attorney General, it […]
Four corrections officers fired after death of inmate at Jefferson City Correctional Center
The Missouri Department of Corrections has dismissed four correctional officers in the aftermath of their investigation into the death of 38-year-old inmate Othel Moore in December. Moore passed away on December 8th while being held at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. The Cole County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy, yet a final report and cause […]
Missouri State Auditor announces citizen-requested audit of the Village of Leslie
A formal request made by the residents of the Village of Leslie has prompted Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick to launch an official audit of the municipality, which is located in Franklin County. Citizens submitted gathered and submitted 34 signatures to initiate the petition audit. “When citizens are concerned about the way their local government […]
Missouri man sentenced to 30 years in prison for recording sexual abuse of toddler
U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual abuse of a toddler to 30 years in prison. Judge White also ordered Kyle J. Gipson, 23, of Jefferson County, to pay a $5,000 assessment that will go into a fund for victims and prevention programs. Gipson was the monitor […]
Two men plead guilty to stealing mail in Chesterfield, Missouri
Two men have admitted stealing mail from mailboxes in Chesterfield, Missouri. Christopher Ali Pate, 31, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of mail theft. Eryk Campbell, 28, pleaded guilty to the same count on February 20. Both men admitted stealing mail from multiple mailboxes in Chesterfield on […]
Sedalia dentist sentenced to prison for $617,000 tax evasion
A Sedalia, Mo., dentist was sentenced in federal court for concealing more than $617,000 in earnings from the IRS over six years. Nohaud Naseef Azan, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Azan to pay $269,517 in […]
Columbia man, woman sentenced to prison in $1.1 million insurance fraud scheme
Two Columbia, Mo., residents were sentenced in federal court for their roles in a $1.1 million insurance fraud scheme that involved false claims of injuries suffered in faked car accidents. Michael Lee Gene Stapleton, 37, and Latoya Marie Brown, 37, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark. Stapleton was sentenced to […]