North Mercer School District Website V1

North Mercer Board of Education reorganizes after election, offers contracts to staff

The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education offered contracts for a principal, a Communication Arts teacher, and non-certified staff members April 11th. Wade Hall was offered the contract for the district’s preschool through 12th grade principal. He is currently the Jamesport High School/Middle School principal. Cassie Moore was offered the contract for seventh through 12th […]

Fentanyl Graphic

DEA warns of increase in mass-overdose events involving deadly fentanyl

The Drug Enforcement Administration sent a letter to federal, state, and local law enforcement partners warning of a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass-overdose events. Administrator Anne Milgram outlined the current threat and offered DEA support to law enforcement officers responding to these tragic incidents. “Fentanyl is killing Americans at an unprecedented rate,” said DEA Administrator […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

Jackson wins 3 GOP votes as U.S. Senate advances her Supreme Court nomination

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Senate advanced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic Supreme Court nomination in a 53-47 procedural vote Monday evening, hours after the Judiciary Committee deadlocked along party lines. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah voted with all 50 Senate Democrats on the procedural […]

Jessie Ingraham and Domanic Ratkovich Booking Photos version two

One Trenton man arrested, another turns himself into authorities, with both facing a felony drug charge

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Department reports one Trenton man was arrested and another turned himself in on March 30th. Both were charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. Thirty-five-year-old Jessie Lee Ingraham was already in custody when he was arrested. Thirty-three-year-old Domanic James Lee Ratkovich turned himself in. Bond was set at $10,000 cash […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

GOP senators attack and interrupt Judge Jackson in final day of questioning U.S. Supreme Court nominee

(Missouri Independent) – In the third day of hearings Wednesday on the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court, several Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee interrogated her about sentences she handed down for child pornography offenses, disagreeing vehemently with her judicial decisions. Republicans grilled her with questions she had already answered […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her record under grilling from U.S. Senate Republicans

(Missouri Independent) – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sharpened their criticisms of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, probing her work as a public defender on behalf of terrorism suspects, the judicial sentences she has handed down for child pornography offenses, and her views of critical race theory. Jackson defended her […]

Missouri Agribusiness Academy

2022 Missouri Agribusiness Academy participants announced

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has selected 30 high school sophomores to participate in the 2022 Missouri Agribusiness Academy. Selected students will spend a week in June in Kansas City exploring careers in agriculture, building leadership skills, and learning more about farming, ranching, and food production. “Investing in the future generation of agriculture is important […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Video: Biden taps Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as first black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court

(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden formally announced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday afternoon. “President Biden sought a candidate with exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law,” the White House said in a statement. If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson, 51, […]

Medicaid Fraud

Missouri Attorney General obtains $500,000 settlement in Medicaid fraud case

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced today that on December 21, 2021, Piney Ridge Center, a residential treatment facility for children suffering from sexual behavior disorders and mental health illnesses, entered into a civil settlement agreement with his office for billing MO HealthNet, the Missouri Medicaid program, for therapy services that it did not provide […]

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer planning to retire from the bench

(Missouri Independent) – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is planning to announce his retirement in the coming days, according to multiple press reports Wednesday. The decision by the 83-year-old justice, who was nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1994, would give President Joe Biden his first chance to nominate a member of the Supreme […]

Prison Sentence

Missouri woman sentenced to 9 years in federal prison without parole for illegal firearm

A Missouri woman who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in her home was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm. Robin A. Graham, 38, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole. On June 22, 2021, Graham […]

Court News

News in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court for Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Three defendants waived preliminary hearings on Tuesday in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Trenton resident Travis Vasey is charged with driving while intoxicated, serious physical injury, and driving in a careless and imprudent manner involving an accident on September 14. Vasey is scheduled for Division One of the circuit court on February […]

Meth with police banner

Missouri man pleads guilty to meth trafficking and illegal firearms

A Missouri, man who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in his home pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms. Rusty W. Snow, 28, Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of […]

Trenton Missouri Police Department (TPD)

Three from Trenton arrested including married couple

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a married couple from Trenton and another Trenton resident on January 6th. Thirty-seven-year-old Lynnsey Marie Betz has been charged with the felonies of possession of a controlled substance and delivery or possession of a controlled substance at a county or private jail or correctional center except […]