Broadband Internet Access graphic

USDA, FCC, and NTIA announce interagency agreement to coordinate broadband funding deployment

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced an interagency agreement to share information about and coordinate the distribution of broadband deployment federal funds. In accordance with the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act, the respective Cabinet and agency leaders announced that their agencies will […]

WOTUS or Waters of the United States

Coalition of lawmakers sound alarm on Biden administration’s plan to redefine “Waters of the United States” or WOTUS

Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO), Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, joined Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC) and other top Republican leaders in outlining their concerns regarding the Biden administration’s intention to undo the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule.  The Biden administration’s recent announcement signaled its intent […]

USDA Sign

USDA invests more than $370,000 to improve community facilities and essential services in rural Missouri

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $371,400 to equip, rebuild, and modernize essential services in rural Missouri.  The investments will benefit more than 20,000 rural Missourians. “Access to essential community facilities, services, and infrastructure is necessary for all Missourians,” Thomas said. “Today’s announcement […]

Missouri State Capitol

Parson calls special session, setting up debate on contraceptives, Planned Parenthood

(Missouri Independent) – A special session to extend provider taxes essential to the state’s Medicaid program will begin at noon Wednesday, Gov. Mike Parson announced Tuesday afternoon. The announcement was issued just minutes after a noon deadline set by Parson on Monday. The call came after seven members of the Senate Conservative Caucus sent him a letter demanding […]

Juneteenth graphic

Juneteenth is Official: Missouri’s Governor signs order closing state offices for Juneteenth

Missouri’s governor has signed an order that closes state offices today (Friday) in recognition of a new federal statute establishing Juneteenth as a government holiday.     The holiday has delayed the Missouri Medicaid lawsuit hearing in Cole County Circuit Court, which was originally set for today. It’s now been rescheduled for Monday afternoon. Juneteenth […]

Disabled Veterans graphic

Owner of school sentenced to prison for defrauding program dedicated to rehabilitating disabled military veterans

A Maryland man was sentenced Monday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution for defrauding a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program dedicated to rehabilitating military veterans with disabilities.  According to court documents, Francis Engles, 65, of Bowie, was the owner and operator of Engles Security Training School (Engles […]

WOTUS or Waters of the United States

Missouri Attorney General opposes reinstatement of overreaching WOTUS rule in Letter to EPA and Army Corps of Engineers

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, opposing their recent move to reconsider the more limited Navigable Waters Protection Rule, a President Trump-era rule that reversed the 2015 Obama-era Waters of the United States rule. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and the […]

Sam Graves Sam Graves official photo

Graves warns against reviving Waters of the United States rule

Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) sent a clear message that any attempt to revive the Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule would be met with staunch resistance in Congress and from farmers and ranchers across America. “The Obama-era WOTUS rule was a direct assault on farm families everywhere,” said Graves. “Farmers and ranchers across America came together to […]

Politics or election or republican or Democrat graphic

Audio: Former Lt. Governor says nominating Greitens in U.S. Senate GOP primary could backfire on Republicans

The Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Missouri could end up including a crowded field of candidates. West-central Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler is holding a “special campaign announcement” Thursday morning near Kansas City. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, former Governor Eric Greitens, and St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey have already announced a bid for […]

Prison Sentence

Couple who falsely claimed to be farmers sentenced to prison in $1.1 million COVID-relief fraud

A couple was sentenced to prison for their participation in a scheme to file four fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $1.1 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.  Latoya Stanley, 38, […]

Unemployment Graphic

Missouri Governor says federal unemployment programs have given public incentive to stay out of the workforce

Saying that there’s a labor shortage across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson (R) has issued a directive to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to end all federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Missouri’s House Democratic Leader is blasting the decision. Governor Parson made the announcement during a Tuesday afternoon briefing at the Statehouse in Jefferson […]

Hy-Vee Logo

Hy-Vee no longer requires vaccinated customers and employees to wear masks, unless locally mandated

The health and safety of Hy-Vee’s customers and employees have been the company’s top priority since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the grocer has consistently followed the CDC’s recommendations as guidance is provided. Given the CDC’s mask announcement on Friday, starting today Hy-Vee no longer requires fully vaccinated customers and employees to wear face coverings […]

Medicaid Expansion in Missouri

Missouri’s Governor Parson abandons plans to implement voter-approved Medicaid expansion

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri will not expand Medicaid coverage to working-age adults on July 1 because lawmakers refused to include funding for the health care program in the state budget, Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday. In a news release, Parson said the state was withdrawing documents submitted to the federal government necessary to add the approximately 275,000 […]