(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared unconvinced Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses, casting doubt on a key piece of the White House COVID-19 response. The justices seemed potentially more comfortable with another Biden administration rule to fight the virus that requires certain […]
Tag: agency
Gallatin Board of Aldermen discuss 2022 budget and approve an agreement with Allstate Consultants
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen on December 13th approved an ordinance involving an agreement with Allstate Consultants LLC. The ordinance authorized the city to enter into an engineering service agreement for street and drainage improvements. City Administrator Lance Rains reported the City of Gallatin has received notice that D. A. Davidson and Company is willing […]
Governor Parson seeks Joint damage assessments in anticipation of requests for federal disaster declaration
Governor Mike Parson announced the state has begun the process to obtain federal disaster assistance for Missouri in response to severe storms and deadly tornadoes that swept across the state on December 10 leaving behind a trail of destruction, including extensive damage to electric power systems. Governor Parson is requesting the Federal Emergency Management Agency […]
Princeton Board of Education approves insurance renewal, reviews “Return to Learn” plan and receives update on baseball fields
The Princeton R-5 Board of Education approved the renewal of liability and property insurance December 13th. The insurance is through CPSK and the Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund for $77,762 total. That is an increase of $4,275 from the previous year. The board approved the annual auditor’s reports from Conrad and Higgins. A revised […]
Missouri’s largest counties seek to appeal ruling overturning local health orders
(Missouri Independent) – Jackson and St. Louis Counties requested Monday that they be permitted to intervene and appeal a recent court ruling that they argue has “upended the longstanding public health framework” in Missouri. In a filing submitted Monday afternoon and obtained by The Independent, the two counties asked Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel […]
USDA provides additional pandemic assistance to hog producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new program to assist hog producers who sold hogs through a negotiated sale during the period in which these producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP) is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative and addresses […]
Temporary benefit increase extended through March, 2022 for Missouri WIC participants
Missouri WIC is extending the temporary increase of the Cash Value Benefit for Fruit and Vegetable Purchases for January, February, and March 2022. The increase is the same amount as November and December: $24.00 per month for child participants, $43.00 per month for pregnant and postpartum women participants, and $47.00 per month for breastfeeding women […]
USDA opens 2022 signup for Dairy Margin Coverage program, expands program for supplemental production
As part of the ongoing efforts to support dairy farmers and rural communities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage program and expanded the program to allow dairy producers to better protect their operations by enrolling in supplemental production. This signup period – which runs from Dec. 13, 2021, to […]
Bipartisan Missouri legislation aims to provide a year of health care for new moms
(Missouri Independent) – Faced with over a year’s delay from the state social services department on implementing extended mental health care for new moms, a bipartisan effort now aims to expand health care coverage more broadly for low-income pregnant women. Legislation filed last week by Sens. Elaine Gannon, R-De Soto, and Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, would extend […]
USDA to make up to $800 million available to provide economic relief to biofuel producers
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will make up to $800 million available to support biofuel producers and infrastructure. The announcement includes $700 million to provide economic relief to biofuel producers and restore renewable fuel markets affected by the pandemic. The Department will make the funds available through the new Biofuel Producer […]
Pickup a total loss after fire Monday night in Chillicothe
A pickup truck is considered a total loss after a fire in Chillicothe Monday night, December 6. Chillicothe Fire Department Captain Derrick Allen reports firefighters arrived at the Casey’s on North Washington Street and found the passenger compartment and engine of the 1980s Dodge Ram fully engulfed in flames. The truck was parked away from […]
Ten year old from Gower struck by vehicle in school parking lot
The Highway Patrol reports a ten-year-old boy from Gower was taken to the hospital after he was struck by a vehicle on school property. The state patrol listed injuries for the juvenile as minor, who was taken by emergency medical services to Mosiac Life Care in St. Joseph. A pickup was westbound in the school […]
Controversial bill would have aided Orscheln Products LLC, under scrutiny for contamination
(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers. The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]
Women would sign up for the military draft under defense bill in Congress
(Missouri Independent) – As the Senate works to finalize a major annual defense measure, there is a bipartisan push to include a requirement that all young Americans — including women — for the first time register for the military draft. The $777.9 billion measure, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, also would allocate millions to […]
Missouri health director wanted to appeal judge’s COVID ruling. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt refused
(Missouri Independent) – Attorney General Eric Schmitt will not appeal a consequential court ruling that strips powers from local health departments, despite a request from Missouri’s state health director to do so. In an email to The Independent, Schmitt’s spokesman said the attorney general’s office notified the Department of Health and Senior Services of its […]
USDA announces December 2021 lending rates for agricultural producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced loan interest rates for December 2021, which are effective Dec. 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment, and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs. Operating, Ownership, and Emergency Loans FSA offers farm […]
Grundy County Commission approves health insurance proposal
The Grundy County Commission on November 30th approved a proposal from insurance broker HIC Agency Incorporated. The proposal involved a 2.97% increase only on health insurance, and its approval is contingent on making sure no existing providers are excluded or lost within the service area. County Clerk Betty Spickard reports the county will change from […]
USDA invests more than $350,000 to repair or rehabilitate homes in rural Missouri
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $358,270 to improve equitable access to safe housing for rural Missouri homeowners. USDA Rural Development has long partnered with various organizations, together making a larger impact in rural Missouri, Thomas said. The Housing Preservation Grant Program is […]
Savannah man charged with murder after investigation into human remains in Union Star
A Savannah man has been charged in DeKalb County with second-degree murder after law enforcement found human remains at a residence in Union Star last week. Online court information indicates 31-year-old Jodie Jacob Downs has also been charged with the felonies of armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a […]
Missouri man who operates non-profit agency indicted for falsely claiming to hire ex-cons
A Missouri man who operates a non-profit agency has been indicted by a federal grand jury for falsely claiming to employ convicted felons who were on federal court-supervised release. Michael A. Green, 50, Kansas City, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Nov. 17. […]