Move Over for Emergency Vehicles

Saturday is “National Move Over Day” to remind drivers to protect emergency personnel working on the side of the road

Saturday, October 16, 2021, has been designated National Move Over Day to remind drivers to help protect emergency personnel working on the side of the road. In 2020, three people were killed and 51 injured in the 231 traffic crashes involving parked emergency vehicles displaying emergency lights. Preliminary statistics indicate there have been 168 traffic […]

Fraud News Graphic

Missouri hunting guide allegedly solicits more than $50,000 from investors in five states

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s securities division issued a cease and desist order against a Republic, Missouri hunting guide.  Theodore Jay Eddings is required to show cause why civil penalties, restitution, costs, and other administrative relief should not be imposed against him after several investors were allegedly defrauded. Between April 2017 and October 2018, […]

Restitution News Graphic

Missouri investors to receive $1.5 million in restitution

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s Securities Division issued an order against Scottsdale, Arizona resident John D. Myers, and entities Skytec Security Services, LLC, and Skytec Service KC, LLC, finding they defrauded investors from the Kansas City, Missouri area. Missouri Commissioner of Securities David Minnick found that respondents, individually and collectively, orchestrated and organized a scheme […]

Abortion news graphic

Missouri Supreme Court mulls challenge to laws that blocked abortion bill vote

(Missouri Independent) – Making people who want to force a statewide vote on newly passed laws wait while the Secretary of State writes a ballot title undermines the constitutional right of referendum, attorneys for an abortion-rights group argued Wednesday to the Missouri Supreme Court. A ballot title was “not necessary for most of Missouri history,” […]

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley

Audio: Hawley challenges U.S. Defense Secretary about troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

America’s top military leaders are facing tough questions today from the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee about the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The committee hearing follows the Biden Administration’s plan to withdraw troops before thousands of U.S. civilians and Afghan allies were removed from the country and 13 U.S. service members were killed by […]

Abortion Graphic

Audio: Missouri Supreme Court to hear case about referendum process, effort to overturn eight-week abortion ban

The Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for next week about the state’s referendum process and an effort to overturn an eight-week abortion ban. Last December, a Cole County Circuit Court ruled that Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft unconstitutionally delayed the American Civil Liberties Union’s collection of signatures attempting to overturn the 2019 regulations. […]

Unemployment Rate

Livingston, Mercer, and Worth counties among those in Green Hills region with lowest unemployment rates

Missouri Division of Employment Security figures indicates Livingston, Mercer, and Worth counties are among those with the lowest unemployment rates for August 2021, the most recent month available. Worth County has the second-lowest unemployment rate for Missouri at two percent. Only Osage county has fewer unemployed, a one-point nine percent. Mercer County’s rate is two […]

Audio: ACLU asks court to let it intervene in Missouri AG’s class-action lawsuit involving masking in schools

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri has asked a state court to let it intervene in state Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s class-action lawsuit seeking to prevent school districts from requiring masks.     A press release from the ACLU says under federal law, public schools cannot exclude students with disabilities, denying them equal access […]

Missouri Governor Mike Parson

Governor Parson announces three appointments to various boards, fills two county office vacancies

Governor Mike Parson announced three appointments to various boards and commissions and filled two-county office vacancies. Teresa Creek, of Memphis, was appointed as the Scotland County Recorder of Deeds.  Ms. Creek has served as the Deputy Recorder for the Scotland County Recorder of Deeds Office since 2019. Prior to joining the Recorder’s Office, she worked as […]

COVID-19 Delta Variant

COVID cases among children rising as Missouri Delta variant wave enters fifth month

(Missouri Independent) – Clay LaRue, superintendent of the Van Buren R-1 School District, made a tough decision Sunday. With COVID-19 cases spiking in Carter County in southeast Missouri, and many of those infections among very young children, LaRue shut down the district’s pre-kindergarten program for two weeks. He had previously directed faculty, staff, and students […]

Group Photo of Missouri Public Safety Medals

Governor Parson awards Missouri Public Safety Medals to first responders and civilians for heroic actions in 2020

Governor Mike Parson awarded Missouri Public Safety Medals to a total of 15 first responders and 7 civilians for heroic and life-saving actions during 2020. The awards are Missouri’s highest recognition for first responders acting during critical incidents. The civilians, who include a 12-year-old boy who performed a life-saving rescue at age 11, were honored […]

Mask Mandate News Graphic

Biden administration opens civil rights investigation into states banning school mask mandates

(Missouri Independent) – Federal education officials have launched civil rights investigations in five Republican-led states that have prohibited school districts from mandating mask-wearing, saying those policies could amount to illegal discrimination against students with disabilities. The Biden administration notified the education chiefs in Iowa, Tennessee, South Carolina, Utah, and Oklahoma of the investigations through formal letters Monday. The new investigations will examine […]