USDA US Department of Agriculture

USDA announces 2022 cotton loan rate differentials

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the 2022 crop loan rate differentials for upland and extra-long staple cotton which are applied to the crop loan rate to determine the per bale actual loan rate. The differentials, also referred to as loan rate premiums and discounts were calculated based on market valuations […]

Fentanyl Graphic

DEA warns of increase in mass-overdose events involving deadly fentanyl

The Drug Enforcement Administration sent a letter to federal, state, and local law enforcement partners warning of a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass-overdose events. Administrator Anne Milgram outlined the current threat and offered DEA support to law enforcement officers responding to these tragic incidents. “Fentanyl is killing Americans at an unprecedented rate,” said DEA Administrator […]

Fire Hydrant being flushed

Flushing of water distribution system to begin today in Trenton

Trenton Municipal Utilities staff will begin flushing the distribution system beginning Wednesday, April 6th, 2022. Crews will begin flushing the area east of the Railroad tracks to Highway 65. This is a semi-annual requirement of the water treatment process. This routine maintenance improves the quality of your drinking water. There may be some discolored water […]

Marijuana leaf

U.S. House votes to decriminalize marijuana in federal law

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. House passed legislation Friday to legalize marijuana nationally, but its future is much less clear in the Senate. The House voted 220-204 to approve the measure, which would fix the split between federal law and 19 states where recreational marijuana is legal. Three Republicans joined all but two Democrats in approving the measure. […]

Trenton Water Treatment Plant

Temporary changes to water disinfection begin April 4th at TMU Water Treatment Plant in Trenton

The Trenton Municipal Utilities Water Treatment Plant will begin utilizing free chlorine, or a free chlorine conversion, in its water system on April 4th. The change entails feeding free chlorine, instead of chloramines, as the disinfectant leaves the water treatment plant. It will last three to six weeks. The change will affect customers of TMU, […]

Drinking Water Fountain (Photo by Sean Musil on Unsplash)

Missouri House bill would cut down on poisonous lead in school drinking water

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri children would be better protected from lead poisoning under a state legislative bill to require schools to nearly rid their drinking water of the dangerous toxin. The bill, heard Monday by the House Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, would require schools to test drinking water, remove old coolers and filter water where […]

National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women Website

Groups criticize racial undertones at Supreme Court confirmation hearing

Black leadership groups are speaking out about what they see as racially charged lines of questioning during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to become a high-court justice. Conservative senators have implied Jackson may be soft on crime, friendly to terrorists at Guantanamo, and a proponent […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her record under grilling from U.S. Senate Republicans

(Missouri Independent) – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sharpened their criticisms of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, probing her work as a public defender on behalf of terrorism suspects, the judicial sentences she has handed down for child pornography offenses, and her views of critical race theory. Jackson defended her […]

Stolen Vehicle graphic

Grundy and Mercer County authorities investigating stolen vehicles

Sheriff’s offices from Grundy and Mercer counties are investigating several vehicles recently reported as stolen. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports a maroon-colored 2006 Chrysler Town and Country minivan was reported stolen from Tindall and was allegedly taken March 22nd in the early morning hours. The minivan has Missouri license plates of CU1 R1G. The […]

WIC or Women Infant Children Logo

Temporary benefit increase extended through September for Missouri WIC participants

Missouri WIC is extending the temporary increase of the Cash Value Benefit for Fruit and Vegetable Purchases (CVB) through September 2022. The increase will continue to be $24 per month for child participants, $43 per month for pregnant and postpartum women participants, and $47 per month for breastfeeding women participants. Standard CVB values range from […]

WIC or Women Infant Children Logo

Missouri WIC announces waiver allowing the purchase of larger containers of baby formula

Missouri WIC announces a new, temporary waiver that will allow the purchase of larger containers of formula using WIC benefits during the Abbott infant formula recall event. This temporary waiver allows Missouri WIC participants to purchase larger containers of formula if standard-size Similac formula is not available at authorized WIC retailers. Participants may begin to purchase […]

Mask Mandate News Graphic

Republicans in Congress file suit to end mask mandate for air travel

(Missouri Independent) – Seventeen Republican members of Congress have sued the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeking an end to the federal rule requiring passengers on commercial flights and in airports to wear masks. The mandate illegally restricts the lawmakers’ freedom and is not backed by legal authority, they said in the suit filed Monday. […]

President Joe Biden Photo provided by White House

Biden in State of the Union urges ‘unmistakable’ support for democracy in Ukraine

(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden used his first State of the Union address on Tuesday night to reassert America as a leading global voice for democracy and condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for starting an “unprovoked” war in Ukraine. “Throughout our history, we’ve learned this lesson – when dictators do not pay a price […]

Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick (photo by Tim Bommel - Missouri House Communications)

Treasurer calls on Missouri pension funds to sell Russian investments in wake of Ukraine war

(Missouri Independent) – State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick wants Missouri to join other states that are dumping Russian investments from retirement funds. In a news release Tuesday, Fitzpatrick called for an emergency meeting of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS) Board of Trustees for votes to block future purchases of Russian securities and consider how to divest […]