Video Poker Machines from Missouri Independent (Photo by Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent).

Push for expanded Missouri gambling puts casinos, video operators in opposing camps

(Missouri Independent) – Approving video lottery would produce more than 10 times the new state revenue of sports wagering and drive cash-prize video games of debated legality out of Missouri, a newly updated report contends. The report, prepared by Morowitz Gaming Advisors LLC and Global Gaming & Hospitality Capital Advisors LLC and paid for by companies that […]

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Registered sex offender in Missouri sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child porn

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that James Taylor, age 45, of Doniphan, Missouri, was sentenced to 120 months or 10 years in federal prison for the offense of Possession of Child Pornography.  Taylor appeared for his sentencing hearing before United States District Judge Matthew T. Schelp at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  […]

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State judges across the U.S. face growing GOP pushback against rulings in election cases

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 […]

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Three face felony burglary charges in Harrison County

Three individuals face charges after a burglary investigation by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Forty-one-year-old Mark Bottcher of Ridgeway has been charged with nine felony counts of stealing a firearm, explosive weapon, or ammonium nitrate and one felony count of stealing $750 or more. Thirty-eight-year-old Chad Service and 46-year-old Harlon Lee, both of Bethany, have […]

Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(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 […]

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Trenton man arrested on three drug-related charges

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest on Friday of a Trenton man on three drug-related counts from 2021. Thirty-eight-year-old Kyle Ray Graves has been charged with possession of a controlled substance listed as methamphetamine and two counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use. The meth possession charge and one […]