(Missouri Independent) – As the case counts of the novel coronavirus began to tick up last March across Missouri, providers who offer tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) found their resources were being pulled in two directions. Swabs were in short supply as they became needed for COVID-19 testing. Contact tracers, who reach out to […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri regulators on Tuesday eased the rules governing the design of massive industrial hog facilities in a move critics claim was meant to help one controversial facility. The state’s Clean Water Commission voted 5-1 to narrow the definition of groundwater in the state’s rules governing the construction of “concentrated animal feeding operations” […]
The Grundy County Republican Central Committee elected officers on May 17th. Officers elected were Vice Chairperson David Meservey and Treasurer Michael Ormsby. The terms are for two years. Claude Harris was approved as a committeeman for Trenton’s Third Ward. It was decided the Grundy County Republican Central Committee will have a booth at the Missouri […]
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Trenton man on May 17th on a probation violation. Thirty-seven-year-old Timothy Nguyen posted a bond of $10,000–10% cash approved. He is scheduled for Division One of Circuit Court on June 10th. Nguyen’s original charges were possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug […]
(Missouri Independent) – At least once a day, housing advocate Melissa Pashia speaks to someone living in a car. Once the situation gets to this point, it’s hard to get people back into stable housing, said Pashia, a housing resource specialist for the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council. “Landlords don’t want to […]
(Missouri Independent) – On Monday morning, Jeremy Cady, state director of Americans for Prosperity, filed paperwork with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office to begin the process of putting the 12.5-cents a gallon tax increase on a statewide ballot. To succeed in forcing a referendum on the bill, the campaign would have to gather about 110,000 […]
The Missouri Department of Conservation is set to launch a new canine unit through its Protection Branch this summer. The new unit, consisting of five dogs and their conservation agent-handlers, will be stationed around the state and used as necessary to work throughout Missouri. According to MDC, the capabilities of canines are extensive in conservation-related […]
(Missouri Independent) – The pathway to renewing provider taxes essential to funding Medicaid before Missouri lawmakers adjourn for the year became much narrower when issues raised by abortion opponents forced removal of the taxes from a health care bill. When a conference committee met to work out differences between the House and Senate on the bill, […]
Another session of the Missouri Legislature has come and gone. Of the 1,559 House bills and 689 Senate bills filed this time around, 69 bills will make it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Here are some key bills left up to the governor to sign or veto: Missouri lawmakers vote to pump up […]
The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education accepted a resignation May 13th from Janet Searcy from music. Searcy has been with the district for more than 20 years. A contract was offered to Alyssa Craig of Mercer as a paraprofessional. Nellie Henley was designated as the head cook. Henley has been with North Mercer for […]
Tennessee’s attorney general is part of a group that wants Facebook to stop its plans to create a kids’ version of Instagram. The group contends using social media can be detrimental to children’s health and well-being, and that kids aren’t equipped to navigate the challenges. Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery signed the letter, along with more than […]
The Grundy R-5 Board of Education approved various bids on May 12th. One was for a proposal from Noah Swartzentruber to construct a bus barn at an estimated price of $96,000. Other bids approved were from MFA for propane at $1.399 per gallon and diesel at $2.29 per gallon, as well as Galt Hometown Grocery […]
The Missouri Department of Social Services submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services formally withdrawing its State Plan Amendments for MO HealthNet expansion. On August 4, 2020, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment expanding MO HealthNet eligibility to individuals between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level. However, the […]
(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 […]
Among action taken at a meeting Wednesday evening of the Spickard Board of Alderman, a hay bid was accepted from John Wagner of Tindall. Council members gave their approval to purchase a chain saw, a weed eater, and the oil mix needed for each. A financial report also was approved. The Aldermen decided to advertise […]
Robert Knodell, Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and Dr. George Turabelidze, State Epidemiologist, signed the standing order for PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine administration for individuals 12 to 15 years in the state of Missouri. This is following the decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to recommend to […]
The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education approved the 2021-2022 salary schedule May 10t. It is the same salary schedule as for the 2020-2021 school year, which Superintendent Doctor Lucas McKinnis notes has a base salary of $31,000 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree. The salary schedule is expected to change after further review […]
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen approved an ordinance on May 10th authorizing the city to enter into an engineering service agreement regarding a wastewater collection system evaluation facility plan. City Administrator Lance Rains reports the agreement with All-State Consultants involved a Small Community Engineering Assistance Program (SCEAP) grant. The company evaluated the infiltration and inundation […]
(Missouri Independent) – As the state of Missouri battles its second year of the novel coronavirus’ spread, lawmakers on Wednesday sent to the governor’s desk a bill that aims to rein in local public health orders and ban vaccine passports. The provisions were included in House Bill 271, which deals with local government transparency. It grew […]
The Federal Communications Commission announced a new Emergency Broadband Benefit program. This temporary benefit program will lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The $3.2B Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 […]
