Hands Free Law News Graphic

New hands-free law aims to curb distracted driving, prohibits handheld devices while driving in Missouri

After two years in a row with more than 1,000 fatalities on Missouri’s roadways, Gov. Mike Parson signed the Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law on Monday, Aug. 28. The law prohibits all drivers from using handheld electronic communication devices while driving. Distracted driving is a leading cause of crashes in Missouri. Between 2012 and 2021, nearly […]

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St. Louis Mayor’s proposed legislation concerning gun rights under fire from Missouri Attorney General

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has put St. Louis City Mayor Tishaura Jones on notice, stating that her office’s proposed legislation would violate Missourians’ constitutional right to keep and bear arms. In his letter, Attorney General Bailey notes, “Our state constitution guarantees that the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms ‘shall be unalienable,’ and […]

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Missouri State Highway Patrol outlines upcoming changes in public safety laws that go into effect on August 28, 2023

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has provided a synopsis of several new laws related to public safety that are set to go into effect on August 28, 2023. These new laws aim to enhance various aspects of public safety, from traffic regulations to child protection. Automated Crash Reports and Missouri Rap Back Program Senate Bill […]

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Enforcement unclear as Missouri approaches transgender athlete restrictions

(Missouri Independent) – Students are returning to the classroom around Missouri this week, and new laws go into effect Monday. But state officials are still not clear on how they will enforce restrictions on transgender athletes – one of the most controversial new laws approved by Missouri legislators this year. Neither the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education nor […]

Joan Meyer memorial Marion County Kansas (Photo by Sherman Smith - Kansas Reflector)

“You’re an ***hole, police chief”: 98-year-old Kansas newspaper owner defiant in video of home invasion

(Missouri Independent) –  Marion County Record co-owner Joan Meyer leaned into her walker and stood up to at least six law enforcement personnel executing a search warrant in her living room during a bizarre series of legally questionable raids of her residence, the newspaper’s office and a city council member’s home. Meyer, 98, died of […]

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Missouri Attorney General’s office assists Boone County prosecutor in obtaining second degree murder conviction

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that his office assisted the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office in obtaining a second-degree murder conviction against Samuel Brotherton in connection to the shooting death of his stepfather in 2022. “As Attorney General, I want to enforce the laws as written and prosecute Missouri’s most dangerous criminals,” said Attorney General […]

Fraud News Graphic

Missouri man sentenced to nearly 3 years in prison in fraud case involving Home Depot and Missouri’s unemployment program

U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced a man from Ste. Genevieve County to 34 months in prison on Monday for defrauding both Home Depot and Missouri’s unemployment insurance program. Arthur Grass, 36, was also ordered to repay $207,000. Grass filed false unemployment claims for approximately 10 people beginning in May 2020, claiming that the […]

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Missouri Department of Conservation unveils changes to deer hunting rules for upcoming 2023-2024 season

The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds deer hunters of regulation changes for the upcoming 2023-2024 deer-hunting season. The changes include a new firearms early antlerless portion, a new firearms CWD portion, changes to firearms antlerless permit numbers, and the addition of 14 new counties to the MDC CWD Management Zone. “The changes to deer hunting […]

Navigating nature at Missouri State Parks made easier with new track chairs

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks recently received new chairs for visitors with mobility challenges. Using these chairs, visitors can now navigate both land and water. Produced by the Action Trackchair company, track chairs are electric all-terrain wheelchairs that offer guests with mobility challenges the opportunity to partake in outdoor activities. […]

Marion Record Newspaper in Kansas (Photo by Sam Bailey - Kansas Reflector).

Kansas newspaper raid draws plenty of attention, but journalists defy threats across U.S.

(Missouri Independent) – After Kansas Reflector reported on the ignominious and unconstitutional raid of the Marion County Record on Aug. 11, news outlets and commentators from across Kansas and the nation followed suit throughout the weekend. The voices of those who value a free press and free expression were overwhelming in their force and intensity. Eight days later, with […]