Devlin Rich of Williamsville set a new state record when he caught his spotted gar. Rich was fishing with a pole-and-line at Wappapello Lake on February 25 when he reeled in the 10-pound, 9-ounce fish. His catch is not only the latest Missouri state record, but it beats the current spotted gar world record of […]
A Missouri House committee on congressional redistricting will take public testimony today (Thursday) in Jefferson City from residents who live in southwest Missouri’s Seventh Congressional District. Southwest Missouri’s 7th District is a GOP stronghold and includes Springfield, Joplin, Branson, Carthage, and Table Rock Lake. In-person and written testimony will be taken at today’s […]
A Missouri man has been indicted for threatening on the internet to injure employees of the Los Angeles County, California, Sheriff’s Department. Joshua L. Bippert, 26, of Branson, was charged in a single-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on March 23, 2021. The indictment was unsealed and made […]
A Missouri, woman has been sentenced in federal court for her role in leading a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of heroin in Greene County, Mo. Jasmine D. Steed, 34, of Springfield was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Thursday, March 25, to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without […]
Additional charges have been returned by a federal grand jury against an elected Missouri state representative for a nearly $900,000 COVID-19 fraud scheme, following her indictment last month for a separate fraud scheme in which she made false claims about a supposed stem cell treatment marketed through her clinics in southern Missouri, and for illegally […]
A proposed constitutional amendment that would prevent Missouri seniors 65 and older with incomes of less than $45 thousand dollars from paying property tax has been heard by a House committee in Jefferson City. Branson GOP State Representative Brian Seitz testified today (Wednesday) before the Ways and Means Committee. While the proposal’s fiscal […]
A performer at a Branson, Missouri, theater pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing more than $85,000 from hundreds of his own audience members who donated to his non-existent charity for foster children. “For several years, this performer took advantage of his own audiences by pulling at their heartstrings while stealing from their pockets,” said […]
The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education on March 15th approved paying $575.08 toward employee health insurance plans. Insurance will continue through the Ozark Schools Benefits Association. Superintendent Lucas McKinnis reported that the district offers seven plans, and insurance costs are less than last year. Employees can upgrade to a PPO plan, but they may have […]
The Pleasant View R-6 Board of Education approved several resignations during an executive session on March 9th. The resignations are effective at the end of this school year for Art Teacher Phoebe Duff and Fifth Grade Teacher Melanie Warren. Custodian Meghan McLain’s resignation was effective immediately. The board voted to hire Whitney Barlow of Trenton […]
The state House of Representatives has given first-round approval to an effort that would tax out-of-state businesses selling online to Missourians. The legislation might not result in a significant state revenue increase because it would be offset by lowering the state’s income tax rate. Bill sponsor J. Eggleston, of northwest Missouri’s Maysville, says a so-called […]
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) continues to partner with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, University of Missouri – Columbia, wastewater operators, and others to monitor trends of the COVID-19 by testing wastewater in communities around the state. Recently, the team has been testing wastewater to look for the presence of […]
The Missouri K-12 Education Department has been reviewing whether federal coronavirus aid can be used to give teachers a bonus next school year if they stick around. The state already has a persistent teacher shortage and COVID-19 has made the problem even worse. During a Missouri Board of Education meeting, Deputy Finance Commissioner Kari Monsees […]
Missouri’s Senior Senator Roy Blunt announced on Monday he will not run again for US Senate. After 26 years in Congress, he says this is not a retirement. Blunt traveled to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Southwest Missouri to answer questions in a press conference on Monda, Blunt has this advice for his successor. […]
A Lawson man charged with first-degree murder following a shooting in Polo in January had his case bound over March 5th to Division One of Caldwell County Circuit Court. 35-year-old Kevin Lynn Barnett Junior is scheduled for formal arraignment on March 9th. The court found probable cause to believe he was involved in the felonies, […]
(Missouri Independent) – The plan for distributing money directly to Missouri counties in the current version of the $1.9 trillion federal coronavirus relief bill is pretty simple – each gets $195.44 per person. But for cities, instead of a formula based on population, Congress divvies up the money using the method for determining Community Development Block Grant allocations. […]
While most of Missouri is still digging out from a two-day snowstorm, another winter storm is heading for the Show-Me State. The heaviest snow will fall tonight (Tuesday) and tomorrow near the Missouri-Arkansas border, where towns like Branson and West Plains could see three to four inches of snow. National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist […]
Governor Mike Parson identified site locations for week three of the COVID-19 mass vaccination events in partnership with the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services, State Emergency Management Agency, and local health care systems. “We are thankful for the Department of Health and Senior Services, Missouri National Guard, SEMA, and our local […]
The Missouri House Speaker is asking a fellow GOP House member to resign her seat after she was indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for an alleged stem cell fraud scheme. The indictment was unsealed and made public on Monday. House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, announced Wednesday that he’s removed State Rep. Tricia Derges, […]
An elected Missouri State Representative has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a fraud scheme in which she made false claims about a supposed stem cell treatment marketed through her clinics in southern Missouri, and for illegally providing prescription drugs to clients of those clinics. Derges, a Republican, represents Christian County (District 140) […]
A Lawson man has been charged in Caldwell County with first-degree murder following a shooting in Polo the morning of January 27th in which a woman died from her injuries. Thirty-five-year-old Kevin Lynn Barnett Junior has also been charged with assault—first degree or attempt, armed criminal action, robbery—first degree, unlawful possession of a firearm, and […]
