Childcare Center from Unsplash website

‘Won’t be able to survive’: Childcare centers serving low-income Missourians face closure

(Missouri Independent) – Cortaiga Collins doesn’t know how much longer her childcare center will survive. Only about a dozen children have been attending regularly amid the pandemic. Under normal circumstances, she used to serve as many as 100.  She’s already had to reduce the hours that Good Shepherd Preschool and Infant/Toddler Center in St. Louis […]

Amendment 3: Missouri with checkmark graphic

Voters repeal Clean Missouri redistricting plan they enacted in 2018

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri voters on Tuesday repealed a constitutional amendment they enacted in 2018 that would have required legislative districts be drawn to ensure partisan fairness. They replaced it with one that critics contend could forgo the use of total population to draw districts and instead exclude all non-voters, specifically children and non-citizens — tilting the political […]

City of Chillicothe Website

Chillicothe City Council addresses light agenda including accepting bid to demolish structure on Jefferson Street

The Chillicothe City Council accepted a bid to demolish a structure and approved a purchase of a salt spreader Monday, October 26th. Chillicothe City Administrator Darin Chappell reports Perkins will demolish the structure at 823 Jefferson Street for $7,500. He says the city had taken over ownership of the property, and the structure needed to […]

Gallatin City Hall

Gallatin Board of Aldermen discuss service fee for utilities; hear request for dog breed exception

The Gallatin Board of Aldermen this week discussed setting a cost of service fee for electricity, water, and sewer for apartments and commercial buildings that are currently single-metered properties but have multiple apartments and/or businesses utilizing services. Howard Bailey II and Scott Crose shared concerns with the additional cost of service fees for businesses at […]

2020 Elections vote

Missouri Amendment Three debate centers around a nonpartisan demographer

Both sides in the debate on Missouri’s Amendment Three November ballot measure presented their case to voters Wednesday evening, in a virtual forum hosted by Springfield’s Drury University. Missourians approved “Clean Missouri” in 2018, which required a nonpartisan demographer to draw state legislative districts. Amendment Three transfers that responsibility to governor-appointed bipartisan commissions. State Sen. […]

Election 2020

Parson and Galloway blast each other repeatedly during Missouri gubernatorial debate

Missouri’s two major gubernatorial candidates clashed during a Friday afternoon debate in Columbia on numerous issues, including Clean Missouri, COVID, Medicaid expansion, and valet parking at the Capitol. The debate, which took place at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia, was sponsored by the Missouri Press Association. Missouri voters approved Clean Missouri in November 2018. It had […]

USDA Logo

USDA is investing $8M in North Central Missouri Regional Water Commission

The Trump Administration, along with the Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director for Missouri Jeff Case, announced that the USDA is investing $8,017,000 to North Central Missouri Regional Water Commission. “Reliable access to clean, safe drinking water is an absolute necessity for a rural community’s ability to attract businesses, retain residents, improve economic conditions, […]

City of Chillicothe Website

Chillicothe City Council accepts city audit; adopts contract to provide mental wellness to first responders

The Chillicothe City Council on Monday evening, September 28th accepted the 2019-2020 city audit and adopted a contract with 42 CARES to provide additional mental wellness services to first responders. City Administrator Darin Chappell reports the audit was “extraordinarily clean,” and the council is satisfied with the city’s financial position. Chappell says counseling is provided […]

Generic City Water

Trenton Municipal utilities to begin changes in water disinfection and flushing of system

The Trenton Municipal Utilities Water Treatment Plant will begin utilizing free chlorine, or a free chlorine conversion, in its water system Friday, September 25th. The temporary changes to water disinfection will last for three to six weeks. The changes will involve feeding free chlorine, instead of chloramines, as the disinfectant leaving the water treatment plant. […]