Transgender Students Graphic

Missouri lawmakers’ heated exchange on transgender athletes’ rules goes viral

A heated admonishment of one Missouri lawmaker to another has gone viral, getting millions of views on social media. An amendment to a bill in the Missouri House of Representatives is not unusual, but the emotional response to a so-called “anti-transgender law” is getting global attention. Republican Representative Chuck Basye, of central Missouri’s Rocheport, added […]

Mentally disabled woman and nurse or caretaker wearing a surgica

Missouri launches apprenticeships for direct-support professionals

Missouri is launching an apprenticeship program to expand talent pipelines for Direct Support Professionals, who work with people with developmental disabilities. The Show-Me State, like many others, is facing a serious direct-care workforce shortage. To answer the need, the program Missouri Talent Pathways was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Duane Shumate, the state coordinator […]

Power of Attorney, Living Will and Estate plan

Missouri attorneys say you should make your end-of-life care wishes known

Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, and groups in Missouri urged residents to make a plan for their end-of-life care in case they are not able to express their wishes. Some 120,000 Missourians age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia in older adults. John Grimm, president of the […]

Cim-Tek or Cimtek website

Cim-Tek Filtration to expand in Kennett, Missouri, creating up to 77 new jobs

Cim-Tek Filtration, a leading manufacturer of filtration products, recently announced that it will expand in Kennett, creating up to 77 new jobs. Cim-Tek Filtration’s expansion will allow the company to continue to innovate in filtration and develop new products available worldwide. “Cim-Tek Filtration’s expansion in Kennett is an exciting development for the Southeast region and […]

Driver License news graphic

Audio: Missouri House advances voter photo ID bill with effort to restrict transgender athletes

Missouri’s elections could include a photo ID requirement to vote. The state House of Representatives has given preliminary approval to a bill that would require Missourians to show a photo ID at the polls. State Representative Chuck Basye successfully added language that would let voters within a school district decide if transgender athletes born as […]

Trenton R-9 School District

Trenton R-9 Board of Education address full agenda at meeting on Tuesday

At the Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting on April 12th, Superintendent Mike Stegman discussed the school district’s bomb threat on March 30th. He said a threat came into the Trenton Police Department regarding a suspicious package at the high school, and the police informed the school district. Trenton Middle School and High School were […]

Children eating lunch in a school cafeteria (Photo by CDC on Unsplash)

Advocates worried more rural kids may go hungry this summer

Federal waivers put in place at the height of the pandemic allowed federal child nutrition programs more flexibility in delivering meals to households because kids were not at school. Those waivers are set to expire in a few months, and in states like Arkansas, groups working to fight hunger warn that more children, especially in rural areas, […]

Rotary Service Above Self Graphic

North Central Missouri College Dean of Instruction gives presentation on “The Values of Higher Education” at Trenton Rotary meeting

The North Central Missouri College Dean of Instruction spoke at the Trenton Rotary Club meeting on April 7th. Mitch Holder discussed the values of higher education and how NCMC can meet those needs. Holder said the college prepares students for their “next step” once they leave NCMC, and the college does that at an affordable […]

Jamesport Tri-County School

Jamesport Tri-County Board of Education approves summer school program, updates extra duty positions

The Jamesport Tri-County R-7 Board of Education approved a summer school program and an updated list of extra duty positions on April 7th. Summer school will be held July 11th through 22nd. The program will be funded with Learning Loss money from Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief 3 funds. The list of extra-duty positions […]

Budget Graphic

Record Missouri surplus likely to grow under $46.5B House budget plan

(Missouri Independent) – The biggest state budget in Missouri history could also leave the biggest surplus in state history when the next fiscal year ends. The Missouri House on Thursday sent 15 appropriation bills to the state Senate, one supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year, and 14 spending $46.5 billion in the coming year. The […]

RootED Alliance website

Career, college readiness program in Missouri expands statewide

An increasing number of jobs across Missouri require some level of training or education beyond high school, but rural students are less likely than their urban or suburban peers to enroll in and finish college. The rootEd Alliance wants to change it, by bringing career counselors into school districts to complement the work guidance counselors are already […]

Man with fingers through fence also immigration or immigrants

Biden administration to halt pandemic policy blocking migrants who claim asylum

(Missouri Independent) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that the government will terminate a Trump-era policy that prevented migrants from claiming asylum during a health crisis, including the coronavirus pandemic. The policy will end on May 23, the CDC wrote in its notice. “There is no longer a serious danger that the […]

Elections (Vote or Voting)

A look at issues voters across northern Missouri will decide in Tuesday’s election

The Chillicothe School District has two questions for voters to decide. One question asks whether the district should borrow $9,000,000 and issue general obligation bonds to construct, equip and expand the elementary school. Promoters say authorization of the bonds is expected to result in no increase in the debt service tax levy which is .966 […]

Livingston County Courthouse

Rules amended for anyone attending court proceedings in Livingston County

Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox reports there are new requirements at the Livingston County Courthouse in Chillicothe for anyone attending court proceedings. Electronics, cell phones, weapons, pepper spray, pocket knives, drinks, food, bags, and purses were already prohibited in courtrooms. New items added to the list are smartwatches and similar devices. Cox says anyone appearing […]

Gas Pumps News Graphic (Photo via Envato Elements)

Biden OKs release of 1 million barrels of oil a day from reserve, calls for supply boost

(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden called Thursday for U.S. energy companies to do their part in lowering gasoline prices by boosting supplies of oil, saying the industry should plow record profits back into increased production. Biden also said he would release 1 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve daily for the […]

Candidates Forum

Audio: Candidates for Trenton R-9 School Board answer questions from the public during forum on Wednesday

Three candidates for the Trenton R-9 Board of Education participated in a forum in the Rissler Elementary School Library on March 30th. Incumbent Dorothy Taul, Toby Havens, and Jeff Spencer are running for two three-year terms. The forum was relocated after the evacuation of Trenton High School, where the event was originally to be held. […]