United States District Court Judge John A. Ross accepted a plea of guilty from Markquis Bryant for the crime of distribution of a controlled substance related to an overdose death. Judge Ross set sentencing for June 14, 2022. According to the plea agreement, Bryant knowingly and intentionally distributed a controlled substance on or about March […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court after law enforcement officers seized more than two kilograms of methamphetamine from his residence. Walter M. Terrell, 37, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years in federal prison without parole. On Sept. 1, 2021, Terrell pleaded guilty to one count […]
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address is set to focus significantly on the economy, with the former member of the U.S. Senate calling on Congress to pass much of the agenda stalled in the so-called Build Back Better bill. During the Tuesday night speech, which begins at 9 p.m. […]
(Missouri Independent) – Congress is working quickly to determine how much military and humanitarian aid it should send to Ukraine as the war in that country continues to claim lives and send hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing as refugees. Lawmakers are working with the Biden administration to provide billions in funding at the same […]
A man pleaded guilty in federal court to smuggling more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Missouri, from Los Angeles, California, to New York. Douglas D. McDowell, 63, of New York, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to […]
Governor Mike Parson announced seven appointments to various boards and commissions. Sheriff Jim Arnott, of Springfield, was appointed to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission. Sheriff Arnott has served as the Greene County Sheriff since 2008. He has also simultaneously served as the Interim Chief of the Fair Grove Police Department and Ash Grove Police […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, along with 13 other attorneys general are calling for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ resignation. In a letter, citing the continued failure to enforce federal law and secure the southwest border, the coalition of 14 state attorneys general is demanding that Secretary Mayorkas leave office as his […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $20 million in available grant funding to assist communities and schools with removing sources of lead in drinking water. This grant funding, and additional funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help make rapid progress on the goal of addressing lead and removing lead pipes across the country. “A […]
You may have a problem if you’re a Family Dollar shopper. Joey Parker has an alert that caused some stores to close. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting that several categories of FDA-regulated products bought from January of last year, through the present from Family Dollar stores in six states including […]
Missouri Independent) – In mid-December, Texas’ highest criminal court revoked the state attorney general’s ability to use his office to prosecute election-related cases without the request of a district or county attorney. In an 8-1 opinion, the all-Republican court weakened Attorney General Ken Paxton’s power to independently go after perpetrators of voter fraud, a problem he says […]
The U.S. Supreme Court plans to review in April the Biden Administration’s effort to unwind the Trump-era “remain in Mexico” border policy. The program allows U.S. officials to send non-Mexican migrants to Mexico to await their U.S. immigration court hearings. Lower courts have rejected the president’s attempts to stop the program, forcing the […]
The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education on February 16th approved allowing sophomores to attend prom. The high school building was approved for after-prom activities. A senior trip was approved to take place May 16th through 19th. Daya Allnutt was chosen as the district representative for the Jack Holley/Missouri Unified School Insurance Council Scholarship Program. […]
(Missouri Independent) – A controversial Missouri gun law that penalizes police for enforcing federal gun laws is facing a new legal challenge from the U.S. Justice Department. On Wednesday, the department filed suit to prevent Missouri from enforcing its Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), a law that allows citizens to file suit for up to […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s state health department has applied to oversee federal family planning funds, a move reproductive health advocates fear would give the state power to cut off funding for providers who refer patients for abortion services. During his confirmation hearing late last month, former Department of Health and Senior Services Director Donald Kauerauf’s […]
Following a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice over Missouri’s Second Amendment Preservation Act, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released the following statement: “After their disastrous arguments in the Missouri Supreme Court last week, the Biden Department of Justice has now filed yet another partisan lawsuit that seeks to attack Missourians’ Second Amendment rights. […]
On February 16, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Chuny Ann Reed, age 46, for distribution of crack cocaine (cocaine base) and fentanyl, and distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to another person. These charges were a result of an investigation that began after a series of fatal overdoses that […]
(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment. The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]
The Trenton City Council Monday night adopted two ordinances and accepted three bids. Financing is complete on $2,500,000 to make improvements at the Trenton water treatment plant. The council voted six to nothing to enter into a lease-purchase transaction with Central Bank of the Midwest at Kansas City as the lessor and Missouri Association of […]
(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published by Kaiser Health News. The Biden administration and state officials are bracing for a great unwinding: Millions of people losing their Medicaid benefits when the pandemic health emergency ends. Some might sign up for different insurance. Many others are bound to get lost in the transition. State Medicaid […]
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today unveiled a resource guide to help people in rural America start and grow businesses, create good-paying jobs in their communities and strengthen America’s economy. “America’s rural entrepreneurs are critical to the success of our nation’s economy,” Torres Small said. “They create jobs […]
