Defund The Police Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

U.S. House hearing on extremism toward minorities turns into ‘defund the police’ debate

(Missouri Independent) – Leaders of faith organizations and Historically Black Colleges and Universities told members of a U.S. House panel on Thursday how their institutions and places of worship have been roiled by bomb threats and extremism. They talked about the recent waves of bomb threats aimed at HBCUs, a terrifying hostage-taking at a Texas […]

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 […]

American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall spoke at the organization’s 2022 annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia (photo provided by American Farm Bureau Federation)

American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘voice of agriculture,’ Others beg to differ

(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]

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Charges Filed: Man subdued by passengers, flight crew after causing disturbance on flight; plane forced to land in Kansas City

A California man was subdued by several passengers and flight attendants when he tried to open the exit door on an American Airlines flight en route to Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon, forcing the plane to land at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri. Juan Remberto Rivas, 50, was charged with one count […]

Gavel with word indictment news graphic

Grand Jury indicts Missouri man for his role in 3 armed robberies, two carjackings and a business robbery where employee was shot

A federal grand jury indicted James Furlow for numerous counts related to a crime spree during the last week of December 2021.      The indictment charges that Furlow committed three armed robberies, specifically, two carjackings and a commercial business robbery.  In addition, it is alleged that Furlow discharged a firearm while committing the business […]

Burn Workshop (Photo courtesy MDC)

Missouri Department of Conservation to offer free Prescribed Burning for Missouri Land Managers workshop near Chillicothe

The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer a free Prescribed Burning for Missouri Land Managers workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Poosey Conservation Area in Livingston County. This workshop will teach the skills and techniques to safely and effectively use prescribed burns as a habitat or forage management […]

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Two pickups collide west of Osborn

A Kansas City resident was hurt when a pickup truck collided with another pickup that was turning into a field entrance west of Osborn. Twenty-one-year-old Peter Tran, the driver of one of the vehicles, was taken to Liberty Hospital with minor injuries. The other driver, 21-year old Zane Venema of Kansas city, was not reported […]