(Missouri Independent) – In a scathing denunciation of Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s legal arguments, a Cole County judge on Tuesday set a 24-hour deadline for the AG to certify a fiscal note summary for an abortion rights initiative petition. Circuit Judge Jon Beetem rejected every claim of authority made by Bailey for refusing to accept State […]
Category: State News
Missouri man indicted for online coercion of minors
A man from St. Charles County, Missouri accused of coercing minors into sending him nude pictures has been ordered held in jail until trial. Tristin M. Davis, 26, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on May 24 on three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor and three counts of receiving […]
Indiana man indicted for pointing laser at air support helicopter in Missouri
A man from Indiana appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday on a federal charge accusing him of temporarily blinding pilots of a Metro Air Support Unit helicopter in February. Jason Foster, 47, was indicted on March 8 on one count of aiming a laser at an aircraft and arrested on May 31 […]
Kansas City man sentenced to 17 years in prison for seven armed business robberies
A Kansas City, Mo., man who committed at least seven armed robberies over several months was sentenced in federal court. Robert M. Taylor, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 17 years in federal prison without parole. On Feb. 9, 2023, Taylor was found guilty at trial of one count of […]
Columbia man sentenced to 11 years in prison for fentanyl trafficking
A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Warren Andre Washington, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 11 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 29, 2022, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to […]
Audio: Missouri fireworks retailers are open for business
(Missourinet) – The snaps, crackles, and pops are on the horizon. Seasonal fireworks tents are officially open across Missouri through July 10. State Fire Marshall Tim Bean says the fireworks supply is expected to be well stocked this time. “When the COVID event broke out, the supply and demand couldn’t be met there […]
Audio: Using plastic to pay for marijuana could soon be allowed in Missouri
(Missourinet) – Using plastic to pay for marijuana could soon be allowed in Missouri. Since marijuana is not legalized at the federal level, banks and credit card companies typically won’t allow a credit card for cannabis purchases. But the Missouri Legislature passed a bill this year that would change this. St. Louis Senator Steven Roberts […]
Audio: Hawley co-sponsors bill to strip immunity from Artificial Intelligence companies
(Missourinet) – Legislation in the U.S. Senate would deny Artificial Intelligence companies immunity from criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits for any AI content that inflicts “life-destroying” consequences on people. The bill is co-sponsored by Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley: “I think, as a parent – I’ve got 3 little kids – if some […]
Missouri ‘micro’ cannabis license rules limit review of jail data to 20 years
(Missouri Independent) – In St. Louis in the 1980s, if you got caught with even a “butt of a joint,” you were going to do jail time, said Bob Ramsey, who was an assistant public defender at the time. Ramsey particularly remembers the head of the prosecutor’s marijuana task force, under then-Circuit Attorney George Peach. […]
Opioid settlement payouts to localities made public for first time
(Missouri Independent) – Thousands of local governments nationwide are receiving settlement money from companies that made, sold, or distributed opioid painkillers, like Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, and Walmart. The companies are shelling out more than $50 billion total in settlements from national lawsuits. But finding out the precise amount each city or county is receiving […]
Missouri physician contests Iowa’s ‘moral character’ basis for license denial
(Missouri Independent) – A Missouri physician is taking the Iowa Board of Medicine to court over its alleged decision to refuse him a license to practice in Iowa due to his moral character. The lawsuit seeks judicial review of a June 8 decision by the board to deny Dr. Brett Snodgrass of Hazelwood a permanent […]
Missouri State Fair unveils concert lineup for the summer season
The Missouri State Fair has unveiled its highly anticipated concert lineup for the upcoming summer season. Music lovers can look forward to an array of exciting performances by renowned artists and bands. Here are the details you need to know: Thursday, August 10, Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line will be taking the stage with […]
Children’s Mercy Hospital to invest $150M on pediatric mental health
Children’s Mercy Kansas City has announced a comprehensive initiative to illuminate and address the mental health needs of children and teens in the community – four strategies, 14 projects, and a new $150 million investment impacting more than 80,000 kids – the largest-of-its-kind in the region. Thanks to the generosity of a $50 million gift […]
Audio: National Weather Service forecasts potential relief from drought for Missouri
(Missourinet) – The weather outside has been frightful since the state has seen drought erase away those typically expected spring showers. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center says Missouri could be in store for a wetter-than-normal summer. There’s about a 50% chance that Missouri could see above-normal precipitation this summer, according to meteorologist Jayson […]
Juneteenth events grow statewide, as advocates celebrate progress on reparations
(Missouri Independent) -As Missourians go out to celebrate Juneteenth this weekend and commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, local advocates say they may feel a new sense of hope brewing. In the past year, the state’s two major cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, have established reparations commissions. These groups of community […]
Evergy slashes planned renewable energy additions, proposes more natural gas
(Missouri Independent) – Kansas’ largest electric utility – also a major supplier in western Missouri – has drastically scaled back its plans to add more clean energy over the next decade and will keep open its oldest coal plant for years longer. Two years ago, Evergy announced plans to retire the Lawrence Energy Center by the end […]
Missouri State Treasurer breaks record for returned unclaimed property
Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek reached $51,817,543.80 in unclaimed property returned for the fiscal year 2023. This breaks the previous fiscal year’s payout record of $50.2M. The number of accounts returned record was also broken earlier this fiscal year. The record set in fiscal year 2022 was 233,769, and as of last week, Treasurer Malek […]
Republican states arm teachers, fortify buildings in another year of school shootings
(Missouri Independent) – As another school year defined by mass shootings ends in America, Republican-led state legislatures passed measures this session to fortify schools, create guidelines for active shooter drills and safety officer responses, and allow teachers to be armed. Firearm restrictions, however, were a nonstarter in red states trying to curb school shootings. The […]
Missouri governor’s office hid plans on gender-affirming care, transgender athletes bills
(Missouri Independent) – When Missouri lawmakers passed bills restricting gender-affirming care and barring transgender athletes, many wondered: When will the governor sign the much-debated legislation? Representatives and senators signed up to receive alerts about the bills from the governor’s office and asked for signed copies of the legislation. People emailed, called, and sent handwritten letters to the governor […]
Online map and text number will help families locate local summer food programs
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Summer Food Service Program is designed to provide breakfast, lunch, suppers, and/or snacks to children living in eligible areas during the summer months and during times of public emergencies, when children do not have access to free or reduced-price meals at school. An online interactive map is provided […]