(Missouri Independent) – There’s no point trying to spin it: While the 2020 election was a mixed verdict nationally, with Republicans gaining congressional seats and minimizing Senate losses even as Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump, the Missouri verdict was unequivocal. It started atop the ticket with Trump’s dominance. He and Gov. Mike Parson set […]
(Missouri Independent) – As state lawmakers mull the idea of restricting police use of chokeholds or no-knock warrants, they are facing pushback from law enforcement organizations who contend decisions should be made at the local level. The House Special Committee on Criminal Justice met for three hours on Monday to explore the possibility of passing […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missourians should not hold big family Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings this year, but they will likely be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine by the spring, the state health director said Thursday. In an interview on KCMO radio, Randall Williams said the rapid spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, especially in outstate […]
(Missouri Independent) – Despite dozens of students coming forward sharing allegations of abuse they suffered at Christian reform schools across Missouri, the state Department of Social Services said Monday that they have no oversight over such facilities. That’s because they’re unlicensed — and allowed to be under a Missouri law that exempts facilities operated by religious organizations. […]
(Missouri Independent) – Cortaiga Collins doesn’t know how much longer her childcare center will survive. Only about a dozen children have been attending regularly amid the pandemic. Under normal circumstances, she used to serve as many as 100. She’s already had to reduce the hours that Good Shepherd Preschool and Infant/Toddler Center in St. Louis […]
Trenton City Council on Monday night authorized more repairs to a 19-year-old fire department truck. The council also accepted the employee health insurance rates for next year. Fire Chief Brandon Gibler told the council the American LaFrance white fire truck was taken to an Oak Grove business to diagnose repairs that are needed to the […]
(Missouri Independent) – A Missouri family that was denied a license to grow medical marijuana alleged in court this week that outside groups and individuals had undue access to top state officials — and that access led to an opaque process and contributed to the decision to cap the number of licenses granted. To buttress […]
At the Cromley Farm, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that EPA is approving new five-year registrations for two dicamba products and extending the registration of an additional dicamba product. All three registrations include new control measures to ensure these products can be used effectively while protecting the environment, including non-target plants, animals, […]
USDA has now given out more than half of the second Coronavirus Food Assistance Program’s funds to farmers. As of October 25th, the agency had approved more than $7.6 billion. Payments to corn growers remain at the top of the list at nearly $2.2 billion followed by cattle with almost $1.7 billion, soybeans at more than […]
The Grundy County Commission on Tuesday, October 27th approved a bid for snow removal and Coronavirus Relief Fund allocations. Chris and Danny Gott will provide snow removal services at the courthouse, prosecuting attorney’s office, and law enforcement center. The bid included $500 per occasion of snow removal and $125 when the ice melt application is solely […]
State officials began shipping thousands of antigen test kits to public and private schools across the state today. Nearly 330 districts/schools applied to participate in Missouri’s BinaxNOW Antigen Testing Program for K-12 Institutions, requesting a total of nearly 583,000 test kits for use among symptomatic students and school personnel. These minimally invasive nasal swab tests […]
(Missouri Independent) – For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Department of Health and Senior Services made some — but not all — of its data on the coronavirus outbreak available to download this week. In a new tab on its website, DHSS now includes accessible data breaking down tests, cases, and […]
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced during the regularly scheduled State Board of Education meeting the creation of an Office of Early Learning. This change is part of DESE’s ongoing focus on early learning and early literacy, one of the department’s four priority areas in the Show-Me Success strategic plan. Earlier this year, DESE […]
Missouri has had 800 traffic-related deaths so far this year. During the same period last year, Missouri had 711. During a Missouri Chamber of Commerce Transportation Summit, MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna says the spike in traffic deaths have occurred despite fewer drivers on the roadways. During a Missouri Chamber of Commerce Transportation Summit, […]
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of five state prisoners and two state prison workers. Missouri Department of Corrections spokeswoman Karen Pojmann says six of the deaths have happened since September. The other one happened in April. Pojmann says in all of the offender cases, the patients were older than 60 and had other serious medical […]
For the second year in a row, Missouri ranks second in the nation for completed apprenticeships. Missouri saw 3,388 Registered Apprenticeships completed in FY 2020, more than any other state except California. Missouri currently has more than 13,560 active apprenticeships, participating in 489 registered programs. Through Registered Apprenticeships, workers obtain on-the-job training through a paid […]
The Grundy County Commission on Tuesday morning, October 20th tabled approval of snow removal bids until further details can be acquired from the two parties who submitted bids. Chris and Danny Gott’s bid included $500 for snow removal and ice melt application at the courthouse, prosecuting attorney’s office, and law enforcement center as well as […]
Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2021 crop year. The signup period opened Tuesday, Oct. 13. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops, and more than $5 billion […]
Roughly 10,000 people age into Medicare healthcare coverage each day in the United States. In Missouri, about 1.16 million individuals are Medicare beneficiaries. Each year, an open enrollment period gives Missourians on Medicare the chance to review their prescription drug and healthcare coverage options. The state Department of Commerce and Insurance offers free help to […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is issuing $1.68 billion in payments to agricultural producers and landowners for the 21.9 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which provides annual rental payment for land devoted to conservation purposes. “CRP is one of the many ‘tools’ that USDA offers to producers and private landowners to […]
