A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a $1.1 million insurance fraud scheme that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents. Michael Stuart Smith, also known as “Black Mike,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to four years in federal prison without parole. […]
A Corydon, Iowa, man was sentenced in federal court for attempting to produce child pornography following his online harassment of a Calloway County, Mo., teenager over five years. David Jonathon Dodds, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Dodds to 10 […]
(Missouri Independent) – When Andrew Bailey took over the attorney general’s office from Eric Schmitt in January, he inherited more than 200 unfulfilled records requests submitted by members of the public. Six months later, that backlog of records requests continues to grow. And because of the backlog, Missourians seeking public records from Bailey’s office face delays that can […]
(Missourinet) – Missouri has a shortage of teachers and lawmakers in Jefferson City passed a bill that would loosen restrictions on retired teachers to allow them to work. Republican Senator Rusty Black of Chillicothe explains Senate Bill 75. “So there’s a little bit of an incentive if you will stay in the classroom […]
(Missourinet) – Missouri has the seventh largest highway system in America, with more than 34,000 miles of road and 10,000 bridges to take care of. MoDOT Assistant Chief Engineer Eric Schroeter said about 800 of those bridges are in poor condition. “Once one gets into the poor category, if it sinks below that we will […]
Officials at the Missouri State Fair report receiving emails, phone calls, and Facebook messages from fair fans stating that unofficial online ticket brokers are listing State Fair Grandstand concert tickets for sale. Be aware that tickets to State Fair concerts, events, carnival, and admission are not on sale yet. So, if you are seeing tickets […]
(Missouri Independent) – To address the harmful effects of pornography and social media on children, states are passing laws meant to keep kids off certain sites and to block them from adult content. But the efforts face major hurdles — and real questions about whether the proposed solutions would even work. Some of the measures would require […]
(Missouri Independent) – The state has collected more than 73,000 survey responses that reflect details such as who is substitute teaching in Missouri public schools, what they’re paid, and where they work. The data, released Wednesday by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, may not offer a clear reason why some school districts struggle to […]
Five defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Texas County, Mo., and for illegally possessing firearms. Richard D. Sims, 61, and his wife, Billie J. Sims, 51, both of Texas County, Mo., Nathan K. Roth, 39, of Mountain Grove, Mo., Cody D. Martin, […]
A Kansas City, Mo., man who formerly lived in Columbia, Mo., has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a $1.1 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents, as well as to his role in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief benefits. Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, […]
Fisheries management biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation confirm a second northern snakehead has been recorded in the state. The fish was captured by an angler on May 19 while seining for bait at Duck Creek Conservation Area in Wayne County. The first northern snakehead recorded in Missouri was caught in a borrowed ditch […]
(Missouri Independent) – Inside pension bills with provisions to encourage retired teachers to return to the classroom and protect the finances of the Missouri Sheriff’s Retirement System are provisions that could boost the incomes of Gov. Mike Parson, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, and at least three legislators. But the idea’s biggest legislative proponents, who actually don’t stand to […]
(Missouri Independent) – U.S. senators on the Budget Committee dug into the impacts of climate change on farming during a Wednesday hearing, raising concerns about what the next few decades hold for food production and the way of life. But Republicans and representatives of farm groups pushed back against increased government regulation. Brent Johnson, president […]
(Missouri Independent) – A Cole County judge on Thursday ruled the state board that regulates accountants has no oversight over the Missouri auditor’s office. The ruling came as a result of a lawsuit filed in 2021 by then-Auditor Nicole Galloway after she faced sanctions from the Missouri Board of Accountancy over audits criticizing Sen. Josh […]
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a suit of quo warranto to remove Iron County Sheriff Jeffery Burkett from office. “As Attorney General, I will always work to hold accountable those who refuse to do their job as required by Missouri statute,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Missourians have seen firsthand what happens when elected officials […]
A federal grand jury has issued a superseding indictment charging Chris Carroll with multiple counts of bank fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, violations of the Clean Air Act, and witness tampering. The federal grand jury also indicted the company run by Chris Carroll, […]
The Fire Fighters Association of Missouri has named a Trenton native as the Chief Officer of the Year. Southern Stone County Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Mike Moore was recognized at the Fire Fighters Association of Missouri annual convention in Springfield on June 3rd. Mike is the son of James and Earlene Moore of Trenton.
Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) will be hosting a sendoff for Charlie Phillips on Friday, June 9, starting at 6 p.m. Charlie will parade up Main St. from Highway 71 in Savannah with a police escort. We’d like to encourage the entire community to assemble around the town square to cheer on Charlie! The Savannah resident will […]
(Missourinet) – Lottery officials in Iowa are looking for someone who bought a winning Megamillions ticket 9 months ago and hasn’t yet cashed it in. The ticket in question matched 5 out of 6 numbers and is worth one million dollars. Iowa Lottery Spokeswoman Mary Neubauer says it’s possible the ticket was purchased by someone […]
(Missouri Independent) – State Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican and member of the now-defunct Senate conservative caucus, announced Tuesday he would seek his party’s nomination for Missouri secretary of state. He’s hoping to replace Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is serving his second term and decided against seeking re-election in order to run […]
