(Missouri Independent) – The lawsuit seeking to force Missouri to expand Medicaid coverage under a voter-approved constitutional amendment will go to trial June 18 in Cole County. On Wednesday morning, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem met in a conference call with Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office and attorneys for the three people suing for coverage. In an online notation with […]
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Livingston County Health Center to hold free curbside COVID-19 testing event
Livingston County Health Center announces a free Curbside Community COVID-19 Testing Event on Friday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 800 Adam Drive location. Testing will be conducted curbside by health center staff while clients remain in their vehicles. A specimen will be taken from the lower nostril area, which is […]
Missouri man sentenced to 21 years in prison without parole for leading meth conspiracy
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in southwestern Missouri. Nathen D. Libertus, 31, of Stella, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 21 years in federal prison without parole. On May 20, 2020, Libertus pleaded guilty to participating […]
Audio: North Missouri businessman sentenced for role in largest organic fraud scheme in American history
A north Missouri businessman who was involved in the largest organic fraud scheme in American history has been sentenced to probation and fined. Federal prosecutors in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, say Steven Whiteside has been sentenced to three years probation and fined 45-thousand dollars. Whiteside lives near Chillicothe, which is east of St. Joseph. […]
Livingston County Sheriff seeks assistance from public in theft of motorcycles from Wheeling
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office is seeking public assistance in an investigation that started May 20th of burglary and theft in Wheeling. Sheriff Steve Cox reports unknown persons removed two racing motorcycles from private property in the 200 block of South Grant. The motorcycles are described as a 2021 Yamaha with the number 30 on […]
Audio: With a rich history of improving the downtown area, the Trenton Downtown Improvement Association turns 30
May 16th marked the 30th anniversary of the start of the Trenton Downtown Improvement Association. TDIA Board Member Cathie Smith says the organization began as a partnership between a group of businessmen and the City of Trenton to get a Neighborhood Assistance Program credit grant to redo sidewalks. She considers one highlight of the group […]
Advocates fear homeless crisis with federal eviction moratorium on shaky legal ground
(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 […]
Audio: Conservative group wants to send gas tax hike to Missouri voters
(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 […]
22nd Street and Pleasant Plain to become 4-way stop intersection beginning Monday
There will be a four-way stop at the intersection of 22nd Street and Pleasant Plain in Trenton starting May 17th. City Administrator Ron Urton reports police will monitor the area and educate motorists about the new stop signs in the first few days. Drivers are asked to pay attention and look for the new signs.
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 […]
Princeton High School is North Central Missouri College “Show-Me Your Hometown” winner
North Central Missouri College recently held the Show-Me Your Hometown – Dual Credit High School Video Contest to celebrate Missouri’s Bicentennial. Students were asked to create a two-minute video showcasing their hometown. Princeton High School Dual Credit Seniors, who were also members of the PHS Multimedia class, won grand prize for their entry. The […]
Annualization of salaries within the school district tops discussion at Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education on Tuesday, May 11, discussed non-certified payroll annualization with district Bookkeeper Mona Loyd and Administrative Assistant Susan Leeper. Loyd started by saying she had been willing to try annualization at the time the board originally voted to implement it for non-certified staff. She did not have the forethought to […]
Audio: Missouri Legislature votes to “pump up” the state’s gas tax
The Missouri Legislature has passed a proposal that would boost the state’s gas and diesel tax for the first time in about 25 years. The state House of Representatives voted Tuesday night 104-52 in favor of increasing the user fee by 12.5 total cents over five years. The plan would also give most drivers a […]
Missouri Attorney General files lawsuit against St. Louis County executive over COVID-19 restrictions
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit against St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, Dr. Faisal Khan, and the St. Louis County Department of Public Health for the arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable application of COVID-19 restrictions in St. Louis County. Specifically, the suit takes issue with the restrictions on religious institutions, masking requirements for […]
Princeton Board of Education approves health insurance proposal; announce new hires and accepts resignation
The Princeton R-5 Board of Education approved a health insurance proposal on May 10th. The proposal from Thomas McGee includes no increase in premiums for employees. The base HSA for an employee will remain at $516.63, and the base PPO will stay at $607.35. The district cap will remain at $600. This is the third […]
Audio: North Central Missouri College in Trenton holds graduation
Students graduated from North Central Missouri College on Saturday, May 8th with a variety of associate degrees and certificates. Student Senate President Jacquelyn Perez welcomed guests and congratulated the graduates for beating the odds. Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn also addressed the graduates. She acknowledged that each one had a long […]
Trenton Park Board members review staffing needs at swimming pool
The Trenton Park Board discussed pool staffing at a meeting on Wednesday, May 5th. Board President Duane Helmandollar reported six applications have been submitted for lifeguards this season for the Trenton Family Aquatic Center. Park Superintendent David Shockley announced there were three applications for assistant manager, and Taylor Richman has been hired as pool manager. […]
Two men charged with heroin trafficking; Kansas City officers seize nearly 24 pounds of heroin at bus terminal
Two men traveling through Kansas City, Missouri, were charged in federal court for possessing nearly 24 pounds of heroin aboard a bus en route from California to New York. Darwin G. Morales-Sagastume, 23, and Cristian J. Lopez-Catalan, 28, were charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with […]
Chillicothe FFA agricultural sales team places third in state competition
The Chillicothe FFA Chapter placed third in the agricultural sales career development event at the 93rd Missouri FFA Convention. There were 16 teams in the competition. The team members include Seth Hansen, Gabbryelle Hapes, Makenna Campbell, and Chandler Stedem. Hansen placed second, Hapes placed fourth, Campbell placed 31st and Stedem placed 40th out of 56 […]
Missouri State Auditor recommends improvements to financial practices in City of Excelsior Springs
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a citizen-requested audit of Excelsior Springs, located in western Missouri. The audit, which received an overall rating of “fair,” recommended improvements to several of the city’s financial practices to make sure taxpayer dollars are used effectively. “Taxpayers asked for this audit to ensure the city is utilizing their […]