Among Missouri parents surveyed, 30% reported they have limited their working hours or stopped altogether because of unreliable child care. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce said childcare issues pose a $1.35 billion hit to the state economy every year. Robin Phillips, CEO of Child Care Aware of Missouri, said in addition to higher operating costs for […]
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that his office has secured a significant court victory in defense of Missouri’s unborn children. After Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker sued the Attorney General to overturn all of Missouri’s pro-life laws, the St. Louis Circuit Court granted his motion to dismiss her entire challenge. “Today marks a […]
State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick announced that his office has started a comprehensive review of the process used in Jackson County to assess property values. The State Auditor’s Office officially began the audit of the Jackson County Assessment Department on Monday, September 25. “Our team will conduct a thorough examination of the assessment process with a […]
An accident occurred on Wolf Holler Road, east of Highway O, in Ray County at approximately 6:00 p.m. on October 1, 2023. The incident involved a John Deere 825E Side by Side driven by an 11-year-old girl from Excelsior Springs, Missouri. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash took place when the John […]
Governor Mike Parson announced that he has appointed Ray Wagner to the Conservation Commission, made one appointment to the Veterinary Medical Board, and filled two county office vacancies. Lorrie Duckworth, of Bloomfield, was appointed as the Stoddard County Public Administrator. Ms. Duckworth has served as a deputy juvenile officer for the 35th Judicial Circuit in Stoddard […]
A man from East St. Louis, Illinois was convicted Friday by a jury in U.S. District Court of 11 felony charges linked to fentanyl trafficking, firearm sales, and the shooting death of a man in University City in 2019. Deoman Reeves, 31, was found guilty of all of the charges he faced: one count of […]
A bounty hunter from Louisiana was convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy charges Thursday for forcibly removing a woman from a St. Peters, Missouri home and taking her across state lines. Jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis took less than two hours to convict Wayne D. Lozier Jr., now 44, of the New Orleans […]
A Kansas City, Mo., man has been charged with three fentanyl overdose deaths in Belton, Mo., alongside six other metropolitan area residents indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included illegal firearms and money laundering. Tiger Dean Draggoo, 23, his brother, Colt Justin Draggoo, 20, Jose Amparan, also […]
An Ottawa, Kansas, man who was apprehended after he called a tow truck for his getaway car has pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing a Mound City, Mo., bank. Marvin J. McWhorter III, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Sept. 28, to one count of bank robbery. By pleading […]
For the month of September 2023, Governor Mike Parson granted 19 pardons pursuant to 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: Mark McLane Dennis Meisel Michael Dale Kurt Conger Daren Wilson Jerry […]
A high school English teacher from St. Clair, Missouri, has been placed on administrative leave after it was discovered she was performing on an adult content website to supplement her income. Brianna Coppage, 28, an educator at St. Clair High School, acknowledged the potential risks of her actions and believes her teaching career may be […]
(Missouri Independent) – Artificial intelligence could be used to disrupt U.S. election campaigns, members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration said during a Wednesday hearing. However, the hearing showed that imposing laws and regulations on campaign content without violating constitutional rights to political speech will be difficult. Elections pose a particular challenge […]
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed suit against a Branson, Missouri-based company and its two owners for violating the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act in selling timeshare exit services to consumers across the country. RSI, LLC, which sometimes operated under the name Relief Solutions International, is alleged to have charged several thousand dollars each to a […]
A former officer with the North County Police Cooperative was accused in an indictment Wednesday of sexually assaulting men that he’d detained or arrested. Marcellis Blackwell, 34, of St. Louis, was indicted on 21 felony counts: 16 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to bodily integrity, and five counts […]
U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a woman from Kennett, Missouri to 10 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a felon. Paula J. Laboone, 64, Laboone has previous felony convictions for possession of controlled substances in Dunklin County and is […]
Following the federal disaster declaration for multiple severe weather systems that impacted Missouri July 29 – August 14, the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) will conduct applicant briefings Oct. 3 and 4, 2023, for local governments and nonprofit agencies applying for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). SEMA strongly encourages all eligible […]
A Missouri Department of Conservation agent has received the Medal of Valor for responding to a train crash near Mendon last year. Donald Fessler was awarded the medal by Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe on September 28. The Medal of Valor is Missouri’s highest award recognizing public safety officers. It honors officers who exhibit courage, decisiveness, […]
Pivot Bio, a cutting-edge leader in ag-tech, recently announced that it will expand in Hazelwood, investing more than $20 million and creating 41 new jobs. The sustainable agriculture company’s expansion includes the establishment of an approximately 47,000-square-foot facility that will increase its capabilities for research, testing, and development of product applications. “Pivot Bio’s growth in […]
Missouri non-farm payroll employment decreased by 13,700 jobs in August 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment decreased by 16,100 jobs, and government employment increased by 2,400 jobs. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.8 percent in August 2023, up from 2.7 percent in […]
NBC’s hit show “The Voice” kicked off its new season, and among the standout performances was 16-year-old Ruby Leigh from Foley, Missouri, during the much-awaited blind auditions. The stakes are high this season with country music icon Reba McEntire joining the panel, taking her place in the iconic red chair. She’s in good company with […]
