Two high-profile prosecutors are heading Missouri’s new cold case unit. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has announced the creation of a new unit that will tackle cold case murders across the state. The unit is led by former U-S Attorney Tom Dittmeier and former state prosecutor Dean Hoag. Dittmeier is best-known for prosecuting […]
Category: State News
Audio: Missouri Legislature will be asked to change part of Missouri’s voter ID law
The Missouri Legislature will be asked to change part of Missouri’s voter ID law. State Senator Bob Onder wants to put an end to a provision in state law allowing voters without certain identification to still vote by signing a statement saying they are who they say they are. Onder, a Republican from Lake St. […]
Audio: Governor Parson reacts to investigative report into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes
Missouri’s governor said Thursday in Jefferson City that he wants some answers, after reading a 53-page independent investigation into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes. Governor Mike Parson ordered the investigation, which was conducted by St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale. The governor emphasizes that he’s limited in what he can say because he doesn’t know […]
Audio: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley says he’ll vote no on the National Defense Authorization Act
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley plans to vote against the annual bill that authorizes funding for the U.S. military. The Kansas City Star reports that Hawley announced his intention on Wednesday to vote against the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) following a veto threat from President Donald Trump. Hawley said he […]
Audio: The latest on Missouri’s upcoming distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
If the Food and Drug Administration approves Pfizer’s request for emergency use of the company’s COVID-19 drug, Missouri could get the first shipment of the vaccine later this month. The first batch is expected to include 51,000 doses, followed by 64,000 the next week. The first phase of the state’s immunization plans will allow healthcare […]
Missouri state auditor releases 2020 property tax rates review
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway has released her office’s annual review of local property tax rates. The State Auditor’s Office reviews rates to determine whether the rates are compliant with state law and to monitor rate adjustments to ensure revenue neutrality, as required by law. The office does not make recommendations on property tax rates […]
Audio: Missouri Senator proposes to limit county-wide shutdown orders
State Senator Andrew Koenig (KAY-nig) wants to limit Missouri’s local leaders on their power to mandate and enforce county-wide shutdowns. On the Missouri Senate floor, Koenig, a Republican from the St. Louis suburb of Manchester, says he has pre-filed legislation in response to restrictions issued last month by St. Louis County Executive Sam Page. The […]
Audio: Lawmaker files prescription drug monitoring program legislation for ninth consecutive year
A southeast Missouri lawmaker who has filed prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) legislation for the ninth straight year says she’s thankful that God has given her the ability to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. Scott City State Senator-Elect Holly Rehder (pronounced like Raider) says Missouri’s medical professionals must have the knowledge of […]
Audio: Statewide Cold Case Unit being launched in Missouri
A new statewide Cold Case Unit is launching. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is holding a press conference Thursday in St. Louis to announce his Office’s new Cold Case Unit. A press release from Schmitt’s Office says the Unit will work to investigate and charge suspects involved in Missouri cold case homicides. He will announce […]
Audio: Independent 53-page report on Missouri Veterans Homes shows failure of leadership, response and planning
An independent investigation into the COVID-19 deaths at Missouri veterans homes has found that the Missouri Veterans Commission headquarters failed to recognize the outbreak. Armstrong Teasdale’s report says MVC should have recognized the presence of an outbreak in the Cape Girardeau veteran’s home by September 2. MVC Chairman Tim Noonan says a tremendous amount of […]
Kansas City nursing home to pay $40,000 to settle pay discrimination claims
Edgewood Manor OPCO, LLC, a former owner of Edgewood Manor, a skilled nursing facility in Raytown, Mo., will pay $40,000 and furnish other relief to settle a sex pay discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, 12 female licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who worked at the facility […]
Audio: Governor Parson asks Legislature to delay work on bill to protect businesses from COVID-19 lawsuits
Governor Parson has asked the Legislature to wait until the next session to take up a bill that would protect Missouri businesses and other organizations from COVID-19 liability lawsuits. News of the request hit as a Missouri Senate committee held a hearing Tuesday about a bill to address such legal claims. During the hearing, Mark […]
Audio: Nursing home residents to get COVID-19 vaccine early with federal help
Nursing home patients will get COVID-19 vaccines with the help of the federal government according to Nikki Strong of the state Healthcare Association. The nation has exceeded 100-thousand nursing home deaths because of COVID-19 and the CDC has advised that long-term care patients be a part of the first round of inoculations. Photo […]
19 Missouri residents indicted by grand jury for $1.2 million insurance fraud conspiracy
Nineteen defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $1.2 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents. Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 32, and Latoya Marie Brown, 35, who resided in Columbia and in the Kansas City area; Lauren Courtney Luque, 34, Michael Jadon […]
Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture Scholarship applications now available
The Missouri State Fair and the Youth in Agriculture Committee are accepting applications for Youth in Agriculture scholarships for Missouri high school seniors graduating in 2021. The application form can be found on the Fair’s website. Applications should be submitted to the Missouri State Fair and must be postmarked by February 1, 2021. Applicants must […]
Missouri lawmaker: State employees and teachers should receive pay raises, not elected officials
A veteran state lawmaker from southeast Missouri will file a resolution this week, aimed at blocking proposed pay increases for state lawmakers and for statewide elected officials. State Rep. Andrew McDaniel, R-Deering, was first elected to the Missouri House in 2014 and will be a senior member in January during his final House term in […]
Audio: Missouri to launch ‘Project Echo’ to help reduce COVID-19 strain on hospitals
On December 8, the state will launch a program that aims to better equip Missouri’s rural hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients and avoid further strain on the largest hospitals. Some of the larger hospitals have had to stop accepting ambulances and patient transfers from rural areas for periods of time due to capacity problems. […]
Audio: Missouri Senate to vote on $1.2 billion supplemental budget on Tuesday
The Missouri Senate is expected to vote on the proposed one-point-two billion supplemental budget Tuesday in Jefferson City. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a Tuesday afternoon hearing at 1 in the Senate chamber, and committee chairman Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, will outline the bills at that time. The full Senate will convene Tuesday […]
Missouri man pleads guilty to possessing illegal handgun used in shooting
An Independence, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm that was used to shoot another man in the leg, using the victim’s own illegally-possessed firearm. William D. Fullbright, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to being a felon in possession of a firearm. By pleading guilty, […]
Office of Workforce Development to host four Job Fairs in December
The Missouri Office of Workforce Development is continuing its series of Return Strong Virtual Job Fairs from now until the end of the year. Four fairs will be held throughout December, starting with a fair for information technology job seekers, December 1. The Return Strong Virtual Job Fairs are part of the state’s efforts to […]